Loud Awake and Lost - by Adele Griffin (Paperback)

About the Book

Eight months after a debilitating car accident leaves her with brain trauma and a back injury, amnesiac teen Ember tries to piece together the six weeks of her life leading up to the accident--and determine why none of her friends or family are willing to talk about it.

Book Synopsis

There was an accident. Ember knows at least that much. She was driving. The car was totaled. Eight months later, Ember feels broken. She can't even remember the six weeks of her life leading up to the accident. Where was she going? Who was she with? And what happened during those six weeks that her friends and family won't talk about?

In the wake of her critically praised young adult psychological thrillers, Tighter and All You Never Wanted, National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin has created another triumph in this unflinching story of loss and recovery that Booklist called "exquisite" in a starred review.

Review Quotes

Starred Review, Booklist, November 1, 2013
"Two-time National Book Award finalist Griffin continues her exploration of the inner workings of the mind in this moving and surprising story...Griffin's writing is exquisite, teasing meaning and memory from her sentences."

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2013:
"Readers will feel right at home with the dialogue; sarcasm, glee and angst are spoken in pitch-perfect teenagese...Ember's unraveling of the mystery is compelling enough to keep the pages turning quickly and steadily. The startling conclusion itself is worth the ride."

Publishers Weekly, September 30, 2013:
"Piecing together a teen's forgotten past is the object of this mesmerizing romance set in the aftermath of a horrific car accident...An intriguing and chilling mental exercise."

Shelf Awareness, December 3, 2013:
"Griffin's trademark atmospheric style is firmly intact. This moody romantic mystery will hit the spot for fans of Kat Rosenfield's Amelia Ann Is Dead and Gone and Nova Ren Suma's Imaginary Girls."

School Library Journal, November 2013:
"Griffin has crafted a story with well-developed characters and a suspenseful plot that keeps readers turning pages. Her exploration of traumatic brain injury, in particular the role memory can play in the healing process, adds depth as well as potential points of entry for discussion."

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December 2013:
"The device of the accident adds drama and mystery, but it's also a very clever way to explore the significance of the common teenage experience of redefinition and its impact...The lure of secret romance and just plain secret secrets will draw readers to this inventive take on changing teen identity."

VOYA, December 2013:
"National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin creates yet another worthy young adult thriller, a compelling page-turner with a gut-wrenching plot twist...Fans of Griffin will be eagerly awaiting this title, and this latest standalone is sure to gain her many new ones."

About the Author

ADELE GRIFFIN is the acclaimed author of many books for young readers, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award finalists. She is also the author of All You Never Wanted, Tighter, Picture the Dead, The Julian Game, and the Witch Twins and Vampire Island middle-grade series. Adele lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, New York.