Everything's Not Lost

by Frederick Joseph

A heart-wrenching yet vividly hopeful novel about a Black girl's struggle to find the quiet beauty in life and friendship amid the chaos of grief and mental illness by New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestselling author Frederick Joseph.

"Frederick is such a grounded and beautiful voice of not just this moment but all the moments. Everything's Not Lost cements him firmly as a much needed and stunning voice inside the world of YA literature." —Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award

As a sixteen-year-old Black girl with bipolar disorder, Ella Washington has plenty stacked against her. But following her beloved sister’s unexpected death and its turbulent aftermath, Ella is desperate to find any sense of normalcy. Worse still, someone at her school is determined to drive her deeper into despair.

It feels nearly impossible to find her way out of the fog of grief and loneliness, but through her love of art, some unlikely new friends, and the memory of her sister, Ella slowly learns that the pursuit of happiness and forgiveness is an endeavor that is more than worthwhile.

Told in Frederick Joseph’s perceptive and lyrical voice, Everything’s Not Lost is an achingly relatable story about finding points of light even in the darkest of times.

Genres: Young Adult, Mental Health, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, NY raised three-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. His books include a poetry collection, We Alive, Beloved, two books of nonfiction, Patriarchy Blues, and The Black Friend, a collaboration, Better Than We Found It, a children’s book, The Courage to Dream, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and his recent bestselling, Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly Starred reviewed YA novel, This Thing of Ours.

Reviews

[Shannon]

bipolar rep

[Monique B.]

We all know the things that go into being a teen, such as parents hovering around, finicky friendships/drama, wanting to fit in, possibly catching feelings for someone, etc. Throw in all the ups and downs of having bipolar disorder - I can't imagine how heavy life can become!

Everything's Not Lost made me feel heavy with all the emotions & obstacles Ella faces in her everyday life, plus the grief from losing her older sister. 🥹 I was wanting Ella to not let her diagnosis be her personality.

Some parts were a tad slow in pacing, but the last 25% of the book really picked up for me as Ella forgives others, builds meaningful friendships and finds light in her life.

Some relationships were a little too "tied up in a bow"/perfect in the end, but for the intended audience, I can see it being insightful & encouraging.

Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers & Netgalley for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review. 🩷

[Erin Haverkamp]

ARC from NetGalley. This book took me a bit to get into, I initially struggled to connect with the main character and her experiences. However, I eventually came to love the raw and real emotions and the way the characters stories intertwined throughout. A great YA read. 4.5/5

[Ricki]

My son and I listened to this book together, and it was beautifully written. It offered so much complexity relative to mental health, grief, and friendship. I highly recommend it!

[Charessa]

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Viking for the advanced reader's copy to review!

This was one of the smoothest reads I have read in a long time (such easily-flowing writing, no major plot issues, natural dialog... it's so well-written!) and, no joke, it reminded me so much of the books I would have read when I was kid trying to understand the messiness of life. I felt like a kid again, eagerly taking in the main character's story in hopes of understanding my own and of those in my life. This is a book I and so many other kids would easily benefit from if it were on school shelves. Yet it would also be a book so many parents and teachers and counselors and other adults who work with young people could also benefit from having on library shelves. When I say this is a must-read, and not just a must-read for teens but for everyone, I sincerely mean that, because it can be such an excellent window/mirror book for someone who needs it.

Frederick Joseph wrote this as a promise to his aunt that he would one day tell her story about being a young Black woman with bipolar disorder. He tells us in his introductory author's note that he wrote this to listen, to honor every girl and woman he sat with during the process of writing, and to reassure everyone out there reading that someone cares and even shattered, messy people can still shine and thrive. I think he captured this deep empathy beautifully with Ella's story and with the stories of everyone around her. This is an incredibly human book. Joseph doesn't shy away from the truly ugly sides of mental health, neurodivergence, and grief. He also doesn't shy away from what I can only describe as healthy optimism. Everyone in this story is tired, utterly exhausted, bone-weary, but that exhaustion is what drives them to put their foot down and say "enough". But instead of an eye for an eye, we're shown that what truly matters in this situation is genuine connection and communication--looking at each other and ourselves and understanding that we are all flawed human beings who do bad things but do not have to have those bad things define us, especially when those bad things were done from a place of hurt. Yet, Joseph doesn't just naively say to forgive and forget or turn the other cheek, he emphasizes the importance of accountability for those actions and responsibility of all parties involved to do and be better, to listen to one another and mend bridges where appropriate. It isn't all sunshine and rainbows at the end of the book, even though many things get resolved (and resolved healthily!). I think that's great, because it wouldn't be like that in real life; real life is a constant balancing act or a painting that is constantly being repainted and we all have the capability to do harm and be harmed. The way Joseph handles this makes Ella's story and all the characters feel so real that it could have easily been a memoir.

Hands down, this is one of my favorite books from this year, from Joseph's writing style to the realism of Ella and her story. I truly hope that you, too, get something out of reading it.

[Nicole Austin]

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books For Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Everything’s Not Lost” by Frederick Joseph is one of those YA books that hits hard emotionally but still leaves you feeling hopeful by the end. It follows Ella, a sixteen-year-old Black teen with bipolar disorder, as she tries to return to normal life after a stay in a psychiatric facility, all while grieving the loss of her older sister, Maya. Right from the start, you’re thrown into Ella’s messy, overwhelming headspace, and the book does such a strong job of showing how mental health, grief, and guilt can all pile on top of each other at once. Before going into more detail, I would recommend this book to older YA readers since there are some heavy scenes in this book as well as some mature content, such as suicide and SA.

What stood out most to me was how real Ella felt. She’s not written as some perfect “inspirational” character; she’s angry, defensive, hurt, and trying her best while also making mistakes. Her guilt over Maya’s death is heartbreaking, especially because she convinces herself that somehow she’s to blame. Watching her struggle with bullying at school after coming back, with people treating her like she’s “crazy,” made the story even heavier. The way the book handles that stigma around mental health felt honest and frustrating in the best way.

I also really loved the family dynamics. Her parents are supportive, but they’re grieving too, and the book shows how loss affects an entire family, not just one person. Their relationship feels strained but full of love, and some of the most emotional moments come from Ella finally learning how to communicate honestly with them. Those scenes were genuinely tear-inducing.

The friendships were another highlight, especially Ella’s bond with Binh, another teen with bipolar disorder she meets in group therapy. Their friendship felt so genuine and healing, and I loved the found family vibe that started to build as Ella slowly let people in. Her therapy sessions and group therapy were also handled really thoughtfully; they felt realistic instead of overly simplified.

The book tackles some really heavy topics, including grief, bullying, depression, trauma, and mental health struggles, but it does it with a lot of care and compassion. It never feels preachy, just honest. There’s also a strong message about restorative justice, open communication, and how important it is to lead with empathy because you never really know what someone else is carrying.

I do wish there had been a little more focus on Ella’s art since it felt like such an important part of who she is. But overall, this was such a powerful, emotional read. It’s sad, raw, and sometimes difficult, but ultimately it’s about healing, connection, and learning that even after unimaginable loss, life can still move forward. Definitely one that sticks with you after you finish.

[Marcie]

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Reader’s Group for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Everything’s Not Lost is an emotional, heart wrenching story featuring struggling 16-year-old Ella Washington as she returns to school following an emotional breakdown brought on from the loss of her beloved sister, Maya. Ella’s bipolar disorder squeezed so much attention from her parents that Maya’s issues were able to go undetected. The book opens with an introduction to Ella experiencing a manic episode. Frederick Joseph’s vivid descriptions of this episode are difficult to read, but locked me into the story.

Joseph takes on a journey of Ella reacclimating to home and school following her hospitalization that is emotionally heavy, but allows us to see into Ella’s mind as she navigates the harassment from school bullies and the constant hoovering of her concerned parents. I love this book. I especially enjoyed how Joseph included Ella’s therapy and group sessions as tools to understand her bipolar disorder. He portrays Ella’s parents in a realistic way as well- fighting, trying their best, and acknowledging their mistakes. The death of Maya intensifies this family’s dysfunction and Joseph brings us through their pain expertly.

I forced myself to accept that I entered the book with a preconception about Maya and her cause of death. I searched the whole book looking for her “why” and feeling like knowing “why” would help me to understand her better. Reading how Maya’s character transformed through the eyes of her former friends, boyfriend, and family, I knew there had to be a more significant root cause. Truth is- with teens, there doesn’t always need to be a traumatic event or undiagnosed issue for them to do things. This made her loss so much more heartbreaking to me. Ella finding closure through something Maya leaves behind is beautifully written.

My only issue is the ending of the book. The story is wrapped up with a happy ending that ties all loose ends. I prefer more realistic endings where everyone does not “win” or all issues are not resolved neatly. I like to think that Joseph is showing YA readers how to exercise empathy and compassion, accept accountability for their actions, as well as how to be a friend. If that’s the case, the ending is perfect!

[Casey R Kelley]

A Powerful YA That Teaches Empathy, Not Just Tells a Story

📚 On Casey’s Bookshelf

Book: 87
Dates read: 05.01.2026 – 05.02.2026
Title: Everything’s Not Lost
Author: Frederick Joseph
Format: digital ARC

#caseysbookshelf

This book was incredible. And I don’t say that lightly.

I rarely read a story with a teenage Black FMC written by a man that feels this intentional, this careful, and this emotionally aware. You can tell how much thought went into handling these topics with care, especially for a young adult audience. The incorporation of culture was the cherry on top. The art. The music. And the writing itself? Beautiful. Lyrical. It pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

At its core, this is a story about a teenage girl living with bipolar disorder while navigating grief, loss, and the everyday realities of being a young Black girl in the world. That feeling of drowning. But what makes this stand out is how much it teaches without ever feeling like a lesson. It builds empathy. It raises emotional intelligence. It forces you to sit with what young people are actually carrying.

It made me think about how bipolar disorder shows up in teens, how easily they can be misunderstood, dismissed, or failed by the very systems meant to support them… and also how those same systems, when they show up correctly, can foster healing. It highlights how a family can fracture under grief, how parents can hold too tightly to the child they still have, how siblings can feel invisible, and how normal emotions can be misread as symptoms.

What I appreciated most was the support system. Therapy is normalized. Group sessions are meaningful. Boundaries are taught. Healing isn’t rushed. It’s shown as something that takes time, honesty, and community.

This is the kind of book I want adults to read with their teens. The kind that reminds you of that one teacher you’ll still remember decades later. The kind that had me in tears in the waiting room of an appointment. The kind that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

⚠️ Check trigger warnings before reading.

This book releases October 20, 2026. Thank you Edelweiss for the #giftedcopy in exchange for an honest review.

Another book off the shelf. We keep reading with intention. 📚

[Alex Lynn]

Synopsis:
We follow Ella Washington, a 16-year-old girl navigating life with bipolar disorder while trying to process the devastating loss of her older sister, Maya. After a mental health crisis and a difficult return to school, Ella is desperate to feel normal again. But between bullying, complicated friendships, family struggles, and the painful realization that there was so much she didn’t know about her sister, finding her footing is anything but easy.

And y’all… my HEART. 😭 What I loved most was how real Ella felt. She’s hurting, she’s angry, she’s grieving, and sometimes she doesn’t make the best decisions. But she’s also trying. Trying to understand herself, trying to understand the people around her, and trying to figure out how to keep moving forward when everything feels like too much. I also really appreciated how the book explored the fact that grief doesn’t look the same for everyone. Ella, her parents, and the people who loved Maya are all dealing with their own pain, and sometimes that makes it harder for them to understand one another. It was such a good reminder that we rarely know the full story of what someone else is carrying.
The friendships, the family dynamics, the representation of mental health, and Ella’s love of art all added so much to the story. I especially loved that Ella’s diagnosis wasn’t her entire identity. She’s a whole person with complicated feelings, flaws, relationships, and a future that is still hers to figure out.
And the message woven throughout it all? People are more than their worst moments, healing isn’t a straight line, and sometimes hope starts with simply believing things can get better. ❤️

This book tackles some HEAVY topics, but it also leaves room for compassion, connection, forgiveness, and the possibility of finding light again. It made me think about how important it is to give people grace while still recognizing that we’re all responsible for how we treat others.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and the author for my copy of this ARC! All opinions are my own. 🤍❤️‍🩹🤍❤️‍🩹🤍

[Sarah Krajewski]

Ella Washington, a 16-year-old Black teenager with bipolar disorder, is grieving the loss of her best friend: her older sister Maya. They were each other’s everything. So, when a girl at school tells Ella that Maya “got what she deserved,” Ella’s gut reaction lands her in a mental health facility. Ella wants a normal life, but what is normal for her? Her parents are still struggling with the loss of their oldest child, and each day Ella feels like more of a burden. And completely, utterly alone. When she finally gets approval to return to school, an anonymous account on social media constantly reminds her she doesn’t belong there, and that Maya had secrets of her own. Sinking deeper into despair, Ella’s therapist suggests group therapy, a place for Ella to meet other teens she could connect with and learn from. There she meets Binh, a Vietnamese-American teen with bipolar disorder. The two connect, and soon Ella begins to find bits of happiness. In addition to Binh, Ella has a growing friendship with her sister’s ex-boyfriend. But in the back of her mind she continues to wonder if true healing is really possible.

I love Frederick Joseph’s writing, from his poetry to his essays. From his nonfiction to his YA. After reading this one and This Thing of Ours, I can tell he’s meant for YA. Teens need his stories. Joseph weaves together how Ella, her parents, and friends see and deal with the realities of being a Black teenager with mental health issues. Grief is different for so many, and Ella and her parents all struggle in their own way. Addiction affects even those that appear “perfect.” Bullying at school is dealt with the use of restorative justice, instead of typical suspension/expulsion, to try and prevent future incidents. Stories can open doors we didn’t know were there. We aren’t alone. I can’t wait to put Ella’s story on my classroom shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Laura B]

Ella is angry. Angry that she no longer has her sister, her rock, by her side, angry that people can’t see past her mental illness to the person she is inside, angry that her parents are overly protective of her, and angry that she feels out of control of her emotions. As an African-American teen suffering from grief and bipolar disorder, Ella feels she has a lot to overcome, but with the help of Binh, a girl from group therapy who befriends her, Ella begins to make strides in finding her own voice. From navigating friendships, to dealing with school bullies, to coping with grief, and longing for independence from her parents, Ella’s journey is not an easy one, but with her new found supports, she navigates it one breath at a time.

Joseph does a magnificent job with a diverse range of heavy topics, helping to make this easier for the reader to navigate. I have to admit, however, that I found Ella to be more entitled than anything else at the beginning of the story and was a bit put-off by her character. That being said, as I continued to read I quickly felt the need to protect her from all the outside hurt she endures. I appreciated the balance that Binh adds to the narrative and felt that it was her friendship that was the driving force behind many of the changes in Ella’s character over the course of the novel. I also liked the fact that none of the characters were without flaws, and that they had to learn how to love and accept each other for who they truly are. Lastly, I appreciated that there wasn’t a romance involved to muddle up the important storyline being told. I would love to see some graphics added, maybe as chapter headers, that are Ella’s art. I think it would add a nice touch to each chapter, helping to visualize her emotional growth throughout the novel, while staying true to the importance art plays in her mental health.

4 Stars Ages 15+ Trigger Warnings: Addiction, Suicide, Mental Health, Sexual Assult

[Tina]

Wow! What a beautiful story. Omg. I went from feeling bad for Ella, to happy for her.. to being angry. I felt every emotion possible while reading. I enjoyed this book so much and everytime I sat down to read it, it was hard for me to put it down.

The one thing I loved most was the bipolar rep. I feel like a lot of books nowadays don’t have that representation. If you don’t know how people with who are bipolar function or how they think, this does a great job of displaying that for you. This book really hit close to home for me. I love how the author didn’t make having this mental disorder out to be such a negative thing. The character development.. EVERYTHING was just beautiful.

Ella will forever be one of my favorite FMCs. She had such a beautiful soul and I’m so proud of her for learning how to navigate life with her mental disorder. She didn’t let it define her and I love that so much about her character. Although she tried to make other people around her, understand, I honestly don’t think other people will completely understand what she’s going through. With all the threats at school, I would’ve thought the school would’ve been more supportive but they failed her.

Binh was such a great friend but I didn’t like how Ella kinda brushed her off in the beginning. Ella’s sister Maya passing away was super sad and it was really hard on everyone but hearing how Maya truly was before she died was kinda wild!

Ella’s parents, her art teacher and therapist were all super supportive. She truly had a great support system. I loved everything about this book. Definitely a must read!

[Tara]

Ella knows she's a lot. Her bipolar disorder is difficult to manage, and takes a lot of time and energy from her parents. With the death of her sister adding grief and guilt on top of everything else, and a bully harassing Ella as soon as she returns to school, it seems unlikely that Ella will find stability. What follows is an incredibly thoughtful look at grief, counseling, mental health, friendship, and hope.

Frederick Joseph has outdone himself with the novel. I've liked his previous works and they have often proven to be thought provoking. This novel does such a great job of handling Ella's mental health with care--both depicting the reality of how she feels as well as how counseling and therapy are key components to her treatment. I felt like some of the therapy parts of the book literally modeled how teens can interact with each other during difficult times. The relationship between Ella and Binh was another truly special component. I loved the element of the friendship feeling one-sided, and then seeing the girls work through that.

I can't wait to share this one with students. It's a great read for students who have enjoyed Chaos Theory by Nic Stone or All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven.

I read an ARC from Edelweiss.

[Markita_Reads]

Everything Not Lost is an emotional rollercoaster and a powerful tribute to families navigating life with a child or loved one who has bipolar disorder. The story is raw, heartfelt, and grounded in a voice that feels both vulnerable and resilient. One quote in particular stayed with me:
“I’m Black, I’m a girl, and I’m bipolar. The world already trashed me before I even had a chance.”

A deeply emotional portrayal of bipolar disorder. Honest, unfiltered storytelling that hits hard. Mmaya's voice is unforgettable and painfully real. The family dynamics feel authentic and layered. A narrative that makes you stop, think, and empathize.

But the story dragged a bit when uncovering what happened to Maya. The pacing slowed down in the middle, making it take longer to read. Some emotional beats took time to fully land.

As a parent, this book was heartbreaking. In the first ten pages I found myself yelling BTA! BTA! BTA! reading from the outside looking in. But once the backstory unfolded, everything made sense, and the emotional weight hit even harder. Despite the slower sections, I truly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. It's powerful, necessary, and beautifully written.

[Alex]

This is a book I wish I had available to me as a young reader. Frederick Joseph handles such nuanced, personal and tumultuous subject matters with grace and fairness.

There are a lot of things that have happened and happen in this book, yet nothing is overwhelming. It feels like coming up from a dip in the ocean after holding your breath for so long. You come to realize that yeah, maybe everyone is just human. As someone who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder later in life, Ella's representation would have done a lot for me as a teenager. I wish I could go back and soak myself in the pages of this book again and as a younger, struggling version of myself trying to understand why it is I feel trapped inside my own brain.

"Everything's Not Lost" is going to be an important book to have on the shelves of young adult readers for its appreciation and masterful handling of diversity on so many fronts. So many times I caught myself feeling like I was finally rewarding my younger self for finally being seen.

It's not perfect, but it brings so much to the table for so many people.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

[Danna]

“I’m Black, I’m a girl, and I’m bipolar. The world already trashed me before I even had a chance.”

Frederick Joseph pays tribute to a family member by documenting the struggle of a young, black woman with mental illness: Ella Washington is a NYC high schooler. She has bipolar disorder and her older sister, Maya, died a year or so ago from a drug overdose. To make things worse, after a classmate spoke poorly of Maya, Ella attacked her and beat her almost to death. After a year out of school and lots of therapy, Ella is eager to return to a semblance of normalcy, but it seems some of her classmates aren’t ready for that.

In Everything’s Not Lost, Joseph details the hardships of mental illness, grief, family dynamics in the wake of shared trauma, and bullying. Despite the weight of the topics, the book is relatively easy to read and flies by. I appreciate Joseph’s commitment to highlighting this persona and honoring her unique journey.

I thought the book weakened a bit in the last 25%, as Ella becomes more committed to finding her bully, but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim]

This is a deeply character-driven story about grief and healing and finding your way back to yourself, and what makes it hit so hard is that those things don't just belong to Ella, they belong to every single character in her orbit. The author doesn't shy away from the difficult stuff, tackling bipolar disorder, sexual assault, and bullying with real care and without sanitizing any of it. It's also a stark reminder that you genuinely never know what someone else is carrying, and that leading with compassion isn't some small, optional thing, it's everything, and the ensemble of characters here carry that message without it ever feeling preachy.

Fred Joseph continues to write culturally relevant, hard-hitting fiction for a young audience that desperately needs it, and what he does so well is meet his readers exactly where they are, in all the mess and grief and confusion of it, without ever talking down to them, which makes this just as valuable for adults as it is for the teens it's written for. This is a book that will stay with you, not because it's comfortable but because it's not, and because t's honest and raw and relatable. Five stars all day long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin RandomHouse for an advanced copy in exchange for an honet review.

[Kimberly Nicole]

Heavy and relatable. This one hurts in a way that matters. I didn’t know what to expect from this new to me author. Especially since I don’t read much YA. But after reading the synopsis, I was immediately drawn to the story of a young Black girl navigating mental health struggles. This book broke my heart in a very familiar way. I know Ella. I’ve loved her, supported her, and been frustrated with her.

The grief Ella’s family is going through feels raw as it strains their relationships. Whether it’s Ella’s guilt, her mother’s grief, or her father’s need for normalcy, everything feels honest. The portrayal of Ella’s bipolar diagnosis also feels solid. Her safety plan and the way art is used as her lifeline, but not a cure.

What stayed with me the most was the portrayal of her family. The cultural details, the unspoken understanding. Even through the quiet breaking of her family you feel the love. The city backdrop only adds to the sense of home and belonging.

[Karrington]

I want to give a big thanks in advance to Penguin Random House for sending me a copy of this amazing book!!

This book was, all in all, a very eye-opening and entertaining read. I really liked the representation of grief and bipolar depression disorder. I also liked the flow and progression of Ella and also her family. I loved how she came to not only accept her sister's death, but also accept who she is as a person, which is something not a lot of people with BPD have the motivation to do. This book was also an incredibly easy book to read, understand, and comprehend. I finished it in less than twelve hours.

The only reason that this wasn't a five star read is because of the predictable ending and "plot-twist". It was sort of anti-climatic in a way. But other than that, this was a great book and I'm excited for it to publish!

[Carlyn Morenus]

4.5 stars

This is a powerful book that shines a light on the experience and challenge of living with bipolar disorder. I found it illuminating in a lot of ways. It doesn't quite make it to 5 stars for me though. Overall a very strong, emotional, heartwrenching tale.

The slight disconnects that threw me out of the story:
* Occasionally there was a sentence of paragraph that didn't ring true -- sounded too pat, or like it was pulled from a book of positive affirmations.
* I'm very well-to-do, and still it shocked me that a teen could casually spend $1600 on a couple of concert tickets. Like it was nothing. Her family lives in a brownstone in the Bronx, not in a 250-room mansion in the Berkshires.

[Janki]

this is exactly the type of book i would have loved to read as a teenager and growing into myself!! it healed a little part of myself reading it now.

not only does it give grace and awareness to mental health illness, showing both the healing and the pain behind it, but it teaches empathy and self awareness as well. mental health doesn’t define you and neither does it allow you a pass to get away without consequences. i love that Ella learned all those lessons and learned to give herself grace in the process as well.

can’t wait for everyone else to read this one too! definitely recommend to teens and parents alike.

thank you NetGalley for the ARC read!

[Nikita Francois]

*ARC Received directly from Penguin Random House* What an incredibly moving read! Thank you so much for providing this ARC. As a Black woman with relatives who struggle with mental health issues, this was a fascinating story combining mental health, loss, and grief. Ella's journey is one that I'm sure many can relate to, and while topics like mental health are still seen has taboo, I appreciate Frederick Joseph's candid exploration of how it genuinely impacted Ella's story and how much it made me reflect on my own relationships with others.

*This ARC was provided to me in advance of the book's release, and this review reflects my own opinions*

[Leslie Ammann]

Thank you NetGalley, Viking Books for Young Readers, and Frederick Joseph for the ARC! This realistic tale brings together a family dealing with the grief of losing one family member and the complications of another with bipolar disorder. The characters are written so REAListically, especially the parents. Therapy, both individual and group, are so normalized and woven into the story. This book is a win for not only anyone suffering with mental illness but also those wanting to learn more about it. I found myself relating to each character at various points. Add in fashion, art, music, and food, and you have the perfect recipe for a young adult

[Julie]

Thank you, Penguin Young Readers Group, for providing the copy of Everything's Not Lost by Frederick Joseph. If you have read any of Joseph’s other books, it goes without saying that the writing is gorgeous, and it pulled me right into the story. The well-developed characters felt realistic, and they all had flaws as well as strengths. Ella was an amazing main character, and I love how, after some introspection, she changed her actions. This is an important read about the lengths family and friends go for each other, the importance of having people you can count on, and forgiveness. It belongs in every high school library. 5 stars

[✨ Brianna Raquel ✨]

Frederick Joseph has written something incredibly special with Everything’s Not Lost. The portrayal of sixteen-year-old Ella navigating profound grief and bipolar disorder is so grounded and realistic. I felt like I was reading a real person's diary. The exploration of mental illness and the bond between sisters is so powerful that it literally had me calling my own sister crying, just to thank her for her unconditional love. It’s an achingly emotional read, but it leaves you with so much hope.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jasmine]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Overall, I liked the story and the characters, but at times it lapsed into preaching vs story telling. The parents were incredibly, super-humanly patient with Ella’s mental health struggles which sometimes pushed the boundaries of believability. This included some of the resolutions to other characters mental health struggles. I think it’s a great exposure to coming of age while dealing with mental health challenges, but I think people who are struggling with mental health may be frustrated with how tidy it is…

[Andrea Amole]

“Everyone is like acrobats balancing on a tightrope”.
Mental health. Bullying. Difficult family dynamics. Grief.
High schooler, Ella, has so much stacked against her.
We all need someone to “walk your tightropes together.”
The most beautiful book full of heartbreak & hope.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Staci Vought]

3.75, rounded up. This had a lot of important messages & I felt deeply for all involved. It was a great “found family” story mixed in with a lot of intensity. It grew on me more the more I read it!

[Eleanor Banks]

Thank you to PRHA for the audio ARC. Beautiful story of grief, mental health, addiction, friendship, and bullies. Phenomenal book for all ages but especially teens. I appreciated that there was a platonic male/female relationship featured. This is a healthy dynamic to see.

[seher]

3.5 / i think this book might have sold me on trying more YA. it’s beautifully tender, honest, nuanced. i especially appreciated how it doesn’t shy away from people’s contradictions.

overall, the story brings a sense of comfort and hope while not shying away from human messiness— all while feeling timely and avoiding over earnest cliche. not an easy feat. the subtle hum of nyc as a constant backdrop provided a powerful grounding, too.

as someone who has dealt with her fair share of mental health things and feeling unseen, my inner teenager definitely healed a bit with this book.

i often think about the wild shit we go through as kids and how even as an adult, trying to fathom how they deal feels mind-numbing. grown ups: just big kids trying to heal. <3

minor note: sometimes the 3rd person narrative would take me a little out of flow. curious how this might have felt as 1st person.