The You I've Never Known - by Ellen Hopkins (Paperback)

About the Book

With both joy and fear, seventeen-year-old Ariel begins to explore her sexuality, while living with her controlling, abusive father who has told Ariel that her mother deserted her years ago.

Book Synopsis

How do you live your life if your past is based on a lie? Find out in this "satisfied and moving story" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) in both verse and prose from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.

For as long as she can remember, it's been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel's mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.

Maya's a teenager who's run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she's isolated with a baby on the way, and life's getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined.

Ariel and Maya's lives collide unexpectedly when Ariel's mother shows up out of the blue with wild accusations: Ariel wasn't abandoned. Her father kidnapped her fourteen years ago.

In bestselling author Ellen Hopkins's deft hands, Ariel's emotionally charged journey to find out the truth of who she really is balances beautifully with Maya's story of loss and redemption. This is a memorable portrait of two young women trying to make sense of their lives and coming face to face with themselves--for both the last and the very first time.

Review Quotes

**STARRED REVIEW** "Hopkins creates a satisfying and moving story, and her carefully structured poems ensure that each word and phrase is savored." -- "Publishers Weekly, starred review"

**STARRED REVIEW** "Delving into issues of teen pregnancy, scientology, bisexuality, same-sex marriage, family, and determination, this book is as substantial as it is beautifully written. Hopkins's fans will love the newest edition to her published works, a must for contemporary young adult collections." -- "VOYA, starred revew"

"A powerful, memorable and honest look at how two girls navigate their troubled home lives. Ellen Hopkins once again reminds us why she's in a class all to herself--the gorgeous prose, the painfully authentic characters and their struggle to find where to fit in and how to be loved. No surprise . . . this book is beautiful and unforgettable!"-- "Justine Magazine"

"Maya and Ariel's connection is among Hopkins' best. A page-turning exploration of independence, powerlessness, and secrets, with groundbreaking representation of bisexuality and queerness."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"With trademark compassion, multidimensional characters, realistic teen behavior, and a slew of issues sympathetically explored, Hopkins has another winner here."-- "Booklist"

"Writing in verse (Ariel's tale) and prose (Maya's), Hopkins uses skillful pacing and carefully chosen words to conceal the most important truth of the novel. The reveal arrives just as readers may be putting the pieces together themselves. VERDICT A sharp, gripping read sure to please Hopkins's legions of fans." -- "SLJ"

About the Author

Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous young adult novels, as well as the adult novels such as Triangles, Collateral, and Love Lies Beneath. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada, where she has founded Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource initiative. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsLit.