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The Electric Life of Lavender Lewis
At seventeen, Lavender Lewis has had epilepsy for most of her life. Convulsions, hallucinations, you name it—she’s experienced them all, more times than she can count. No medication, therapy, or diet has helped. Forget surgery—no one is scooping out a chunk of her brain.
Her mom used to say epilepsy was magic, but how could it be, when all it’s ever brought is suffering? But after her mom’s death, Ven hallucinates a boy too real to be an illusion. Every time she seizes, he appears. Has her brain finally broken? Or is this the magic her mom always talked about?
All she knows is this boy needs her help. With her aunt, she road trips to Salem, MA, where Ven feels closer than ever to her mom's spirit. All signs point to her mom guiding her from beyond the grave. After all, Ven couldn't save her mom, but maybe she can save this boy, who truly sees the girl beyond her seizures.
As their journey winds deeper into New England, a tender romance blooms—all while Ven’s health worsens. She can’t help what if the person she needs to save was never him?
Her mom used to say epilepsy was magic, but how could it be, when all it’s ever brought is suffering? But after her mom’s death, Ven hallucinates a boy too real to be an illusion. Every time she seizes, he appears. Has her brain finally broken? Or is this the magic her mom always talked about?
All she knows is this boy needs her help. With her aunt, she road trips to Salem, MA, where Ven feels closer than ever to her mom's spirit. All signs point to her mom guiding her from beyond the grave. After all, Ven couldn't save her mom, but maybe she can save this boy, who truly sees the girl beyond her seizures.
As their journey winds deeper into New England, a tender romance blooms—all while Ven’s health worsens. She can’t help what if the person she needs to save was never him?
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC to review.
I don’t have epilepsy, but I was a teenager once with hearing loss and a decision to get a permanent cochlear BAHA. I identified with Ven and the choice she needs to make to get life changing surgery. There’s something that is so tough about that as a teenager - who will you be after that? Will you be the same? Will people see you the same? Is it even what you want? Ven’s attitude toward that made complete sense to me and is something that I think so many people could relate to.
I also think there’s something about disability or chronic illness that makes magical realism a natural fit for a genre. It allows an author to explore deeper themes of loss, longing, and identity with the right amount of distance. There’s something inherently disbelieving in disability or chronic illness that makes you naturally wonder “Is this really happening to me? Why am I not normal? I feel normal sometimes.” The magical realism lens lets readers into that feeling. Poe and his epilepsy room were wonderfully uncanny valley without feeling too out there.
Tammy and Ven’s relationship was also wonderful to explore. As you get older, you experience the depth of family members. Trying to figure out adult relationships with someone who knew you as a baby is tough. The ups and downs of their interactions were well-handled.
I can’t wait for others to read this one!
I don’t have epilepsy, but I was a teenager once with hearing loss and a decision to get a permanent cochlear BAHA. I identified with Ven and the choice she needs to make to get life changing surgery. There’s something that is so tough about that as a teenager - who will you be after that? Will you be the same? Will people see you the same? Is it even what you want? Ven’s attitude toward that made complete sense to me and is something that I think so many people could relate to.
I also think there’s something about disability or chronic illness that makes magical realism a natural fit for a genre. It allows an author to explore deeper themes of loss, longing, and identity with the right amount of distance. There’s something inherently disbelieving in disability or chronic illness that makes you naturally wonder “Is this really happening to me? Why am I not normal? I feel normal sometimes.” The magical realism lens lets readers into that feeling. Poe and his epilepsy room were wonderfully uncanny valley without feeling too out there.
Tammy and Ven’s relationship was also wonderful to explore. As you get older, you experience the depth of family members. Trying to figure out adult relationships with someone who knew you as a baby is tough. The ups and downs of their interactions were well-handled.
I can’t wait for others to read this one!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An incredibly moving YA speculative fiction story about a teen girl with epilepsy coming to terms with the death of her mother from early onset Multiple Sclerosis and her own debilitating condition as she continues to have multiple seizures daily. Grieving and resenting the reappearance of the Aunt who ghosted her family when her mother was diagnosed, Lavender finds herself meeting another epileptic boy in a dream state during her seizures. Determined to find out who he is, she enlists the help of her tarot reading, crystal loving mystical aunt Tammy. The disability rep in this book was top notch, no doubt because the author writes from her own experience with epilepsy. It's relatable, heartfelt and deals with important topics of self-acceptance, loss, depression, anxiety and agency regarding one's condition and medical options. Highly recommended for readers of books like Never seen the stars by Kate Korsh, Sick kids in love by Hannah Moskowitz or Breathing under water by Abbey Lee Nash.A
May 25, 2026
Such an amazing story!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews