Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2024 *Starred Review* Bella has more on her mind than any 15-year-old should reasonably have to handle. Her parents’ divorce, her breakup and her ex’s immediate new girlfriend, the death of her beloved grandmother—and on top of it all, the responsibility of the house and caring for her younger sister. Bella has found a way to cope, though: alcohol. She had her first drink at 11, and at 15, she is coaxing people outside liquor stores to buy her alcohol, drinking at parties, even gulping NyQuil if need be. When a spectacularly awful episode at a party lands her in the hospital with acute alcohol poisoning, Bella is set on a path to rehab, where she will learn to set healthy boundaries and confront her self-denial. Glasgow pulls no punches here: Bella’s engrossing journey is difficult and uncompromising, drawing the reader in. The plot is tightly written with poignant realism, shaping three-dimensional characters with difficult flaws that work to their, and Bella’s, detriment throughout the story. Glasgow’s gift for writing is in full force here, sharing in the author’s note that she drew from her own experience as a teen alcoholic to tell Bella’s story with grace and authenticity. Glasgow already has a strong following and will surely attract more with this addition to her body of work. Consider purchasing multiple copies. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.