Ghost Girl

by Eva Benefield

Eva Benefield, the daughter of the victim of the viral ‘Black Swan Murder’, tells her story about coming of age amid grief, violence and a true-crime spectacle, in a poignant memoir brimming with dark humor and wisdom beyond her years.

Eva was still in high school when her mother died suddenly of a heart attack. Within a year, her father marries Ashley Byers, a twenty-four-year-old former bikini model he has only known for a few weeks. ‘She looked sharp’, Eva says of her strange new stepmother, ‘like if you touched her you might bleed’. 

After a few months, Ashley convinces her new husband to open an international ballet company in Charleston, SC. But soon the money runs out and Ashley shoots and kills Eva’s father. The crime was dubbed in the news media as ‘The Black Swan Murder’. Eva, now orphaned and in college, is suddenly ‘awash in tabloid gore’ and must figure out how to make rent and survive.

Reeling from the sudden loss of both her parents and the looming criminal trial of her stepmother, Eva begins to navigate the confusing world of adulthood all alone. ‘You don’t have a choice about a lot of stuff, especially when you’re a girl,’ Eva says. ‘The things that changed my life were not my choices. They were other people’s decisions, people who really should have known better.’

From losing friends who can't understand the nature of her new reality, to processing her grief and anger as she slowly pulls herself together and begins to chart a new path forward, Eva confronts the triumphs and challenges of a truly incredible situation head on in this unforgettable memoir.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Autobiography

1 pages, Audio CD

Published July 21, 2026

Reviews

[Kristina Pauls (ARC Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ghost Girl: Surviving the Black Swan Murder―A Memoir by Eva Benefield

I ran across Eva Benefield on TikTok when she was discussing the murder of her father and the upcoming publication of this book. I immediately marked it as one to read when it was published, as I was invested in her story after the brief description in her video.

Eva has had a hard life, losing her mom at 14 and her dad just a few years later she has grown up without the two people who helped shape you as a person. I think her own quote from the book says it best; "One of the things you don't think about when you lose your parents when you are young; is that your mom and dad are gone before you are old enough to get to know them as people". This is such a strong backdrop to the pain she is living right now.

At the time of publication, Eva is only 24-25 years old. This shows in some of the words and phrasing she uses. Another review referenced she "needed an editor"; but it is my opinion this book was wonderfully written in her own words. It feels very authentic and real, and listening to the audiobook that she narrated herself makes it even more personal. Using words like "sus" or phrases that you hear teens and young adults use right now are not things that need edited out but instead creates her voice as true and authentic in her book.

This was a very quick and easy read, and it walks you through her life from right before losing her mom up until the murderer was convicted for killing her father. She is very open, does a great job at sharing her feelings with you (even if it makes you uncomfortable) and it's written in a way that is easy to follow along and understand her journey.

Eva, if you see this review, I hope you know I'm praying for you and I hope you heal. All throughout the book I can hear your pain, the pieces of you that have fallen apart, and the pieces that still haven't been put back together. Just know that someday you will feel whole again, not the same whole you used to feel but you will feel it again someday.

Thank you for your vulnerability in sharing your story.

[Tessa Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75💫 Sad, crazy, tragic story. But all of the slang took me out a bit.

[Hannah Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ate 👏🏼 this 👏🏼 UP! I have followed Eva for years and this was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026. The entire book felt like a conversation with her which I loved. A memoir is supposed to feel that way and this was just that. Bravo gf, nailed it.

[Lilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book lacked nuance, plain and simple. The actual story the author, Eva Benefield, is telling is what keeps the reader interested. I cannot deny her perspective IS fascinating.
However, she paints a picture of a perfect father and an insane stepmom. While I absolutely believe Ashley was a cold blooded murderer, there’s plenty of questionable aspects of Doug Benefield’s behavior and character that are glossed over and not analyzed at all. These two people met at Ben Carson’s house! Eva only consistently describes Ashley as MAGA, but in my opinion, anybody who’s been to Ben Carson’s house for funsies falls under the same umbrella. I also think that her father displayed extremely poor judgement in his decisions, for starters, marrying somebody after thirteen days of knowing them without telling his teenage daughter. Especially with an age gap that many would consider to be creepy/weird. He even fired a gun in the house due to his agitation with Ashley! Doug Benefield is a victim, but under no circumstances is he a perfect victim. I understand Eva’s bias towards her father is natural, but it becomes aggravating.
Speaking of aggravation, Eva writes in Gen Z slang, which has its place-social media. Not books. She makes herself look like an idiot by doing this and I had to take a break from the book a few times because of this.
All in all, this book was okay. If you’re interested in true crime, it’s worth suffering through the poor writing.

[Skylar F · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember when Eva’s story was all over the news, and years later she started showing up on my TikTok For You page. That made me even more curious to read her memoir.

There’s no question that Eva endured unimaginable trauma, losing both her mother and later her father under heartbreaking circumstances. My feelings about the book, however, were a bit mixed.

For me, the writing felt quite matter-of-fact, and I struggled to connect emotionally with the narrative. Given everything she experienced, I expected to feel more immersed in her grief, fear, and resilience, but I found the storytelling surprisingly detached. I completely respect that everyone processes trauma differently, and this may simply reflect Eva’s way of telling her story.

I also finished the book with a lingering sense of discomfort that I can’t quite put my finger on. It wasn’t the tragic events themselves—it was something about the overall tone and delivery that left me feeling emotionally distant rather than deeply moved.

I’m glad I read it because her story is remarkable and deserves to be heard, but it wasn’t a memoir that resonated with me as deeply as I’d hoped.

[Amanda Brogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Eva on TikTok for a longtime. Actually because of her clothing brand Ghost Cowboy, which then led me down the rabbit hole of Orphan TikTok. I followed as she shared her art, her stories of loss, and then going through her father’s murder trial. I felt like I was actually having a conversation with her while reading, like when your friend FaceTimes you to tell you the most wild story. If you haven’t heard of Eva’s story, give it a read. It’s a coming of age memoir through some horrific events, and her survival of them.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Eva on tiktok like the rest of the world. Eva girl, your parents are so proud of you! Some reviews mention the slang being annoying, but tbh it was just like someone was telling me a story. Didn’t bother me. Guess i’m hip.

[Kristen Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally wanted to give this book 4 stars because I wasn’t crazy about some of the wording. However, the quickest way I could get my hands on it was through the Spotify audiobook, and I’m actually so glad that’s how I experienced it.

I’ve followed Eva on TikTok since she had a very small following, back when my feed was full of small art business owners while I was getting deeper into my own craft business. Hearing Eva tell her own story in her own voice, with her own tone and wording made it feel so much more authentic— it reminded me that this isn’t meant to sound like a polished novel written by a seasoned author. It’s the story of a young woman who lost both of her parents. I’m honestly glad we got this book now, in her own voice, instead of years from now after time and experience may have changed how she told her story. That authenticity is what turned this into a 5-star read for me.

[D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

During one of my rare TikTok scrolls, I came across Eva Benefield promoting her book, and preordered it on Audible right away. This is very obviously a TikTok book, but in a good way. The content is captivating but it’s written like causal dialogue with a lot of current slang. The author’s reality is heartbreaking and infuriating, but she conveys her experiences with clarity and emotional insight. I enjoyed this quick read UNTIL… she called Kanye a “crazy asshole”. Keep in mind, Eva is an indie t-shirt designer, and this Kanye jab was made in the midst of her describing how her first two viral shirt designs featured Kanye. I guarantee, if Kanye wasn’t part of those designs, her t-shirt business wouldn’t have taken off in the way it did, so really, she owes a great deal of her success to Kanye. I understand disagreeing with some of Kanye’s antics, but to completely disregard and disrespect the artist who inspired you and contributed to your success feels like mindless bandwagoning. Other than this absolutely treacherous misstep, this is a very solid and interesting book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Eva's TikToks came up on my FYP where she briefly spoke about this book, and it immediately intrigued me. I didn't know much about the case going in, and wow - it really is a heartbreaking and tragic story.

I did find the writing style wasn't quite for me. It was very conversational and included a lot of slang.

I'm not entirely sure how to word this without it coming across the wrong way, because Eva has every right to hate Ashley for what she did to her dad. That anger is completely understandable. However, I felt like the book focused so heavily on directing that hatred towards Ashley that it sometimes painted her dad as a perfect person, when the reality seemed much more complicated than that.

I also felt like some points weren't given enough time to fully develop before the book moved on to the next chapter, which left me wanting a bit more depth and reflection.

That said, Eva narrates the audiobook herself, and I thought she did a really good job - especially considering it was her first time narrating. Hearing the story in her own voice definitely added an extra layer of emotion.

[Olivia]

I have a lot of trouble when I think about rating this book. It’s almost like “how entertaining do you find this girl‘s trauma?” which is a horrible thing to even consider. She was very young when this happened to her and she’s still young now, so it makes sense that the way that she interprets and processes things feels … young.

I will say that I’m extremely impressed with Eva. Ever since her mom passed, her dad had a very hands-off, negligent style of parenting. I hope that this book gives her the financial stability to create the home for herself that she has been craving for years. <3

[Therese Urbonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 starts. It was quick read for sure, and it interested some because I remember this story in the headlines during trial. While it was interesting to hear from the daughter herself, there was a lot of slang used that just made me not enjoy it to its full potential.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s insane how much Eva has gone through and still come out with a positive outlook on life

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads]

This should’ve been an essay/article. Also the amount of slang🫠

[Rose Libman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️- couldn’t put it down I was so eager to just keep reading

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this one down. So sad and I remember the case but was happy to hear Eva’s side.

[BookstagramSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve followed this story so I was super intrigued when I saw this book come out!

I was definitely into the book and the details of Eva’s life leading up.

However, the writing is where this one gets me. The slang used is really what did it for me. It’s written like she was chatting with you on TikTok. Which works for some people.

This story is sad and tragic. I feel for this good so much!! My heart reached out to her every time she used dark humor to talk about things. I could not even imagine.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first audio book!! Kinda feels like cheating, marking this as “read”

Such an insane story. Eva is so resilient for so young a person! (I mean she had to be but wow)

[annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was recommended as i read shari franke’s book. i also saw her post about eva’s book. i had heard about this case through eva’s tiktok account. thus i was intrigued to learn more so i decided to read eva’s book. the tragic series of events are captivating and shared with concrete details and emotions. i applaud eva for continually being vulnerable and sharing her story with the world. i was thrown off by some of the slang throughout the book. i myself am gen z so i am familiar with the slag utilized. however i don’t think a book is the best place for it. i dont think we should assume all readers are familiar with slang. i do understand that was a creative choice. lastly, i do wish there was more depth explored (or at least acknowledgment) between the dynamics inside doug and ashley’s relationship. i have seen others share a similar sentiment in regards to the complexity of this.

[Britnii Dyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued to hear Eva’s story about her life; her upbringing, her resiliency, and her determination to bring justice for her father. It’s heartbreaking the experiences she has endured and has had to overcome. The amount of slang (cringe, af, etc.) really made this difficult to listen to. It felt as though it was a TikTok story time being read to me by the author.

[Books Data · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost Girl: Surviving the Black Swan Murder—A Memoir by Eva Benefield is a deeply personal coming-of-age story about grief, family, violence, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life after unimaginable loss. Benefield recounts how, while she was still a teenager, she lost her mother suddenly, only to lose her father several years later when he was shot and killed by his second wife, Ashley Byers. The murder became a widely publicized case known as the “Black Swan Murder,” turning Benefield’s private tragedy into a public spectacle. Her memoir is ultimately less about the crime itself than about what happens to the person left behind.

Benefield grows up in the Charleston, South Carolina, area in a family life that initially feels ordinary and secure. Her father, Doug, is a former Navy pilot, while her mother, Renee, is remembered as warm, energetic, healthy, and deeply involved in her daughter’s life. Eva describes herself as something of a tomboy who enjoyed surfing, fishing, the beach, and the outdoors. Her childhood is closely connected to the Lowcountry landscape, which later becomes an important emotional backdrop to her story.

That sense of security is shattered when Eva is fourteen and her mother dies suddenly from a heart attack. The loss is devastating enough on its own, but Eva soon discovers that grief will not give her much time to settle. Only nine months later, her father marries Ashley Byers, a much younger former bikini model and ballerina whom he had known for only a short time. The speed of the marriage and the dramatic difference between Ashley and Eva’s late mother make the transition extremely difficult for the teenager.

Eva's relationship with her new stepmother becomes increasingly troubled. Ashley changes the atmosphere of the family home, including removing photographs of Eva's mother and creating an environment in which Eva feels that her place in the family is being threatened. The memoir portrays this period from Eva's perspective, capturing the confusion of a teenager trying to understand an adult relationship that has suddenly transformed her family.

At the same time, Ashley persuades Doug to support an ambitious ballet venture in Charleston. The project eventually runs into serious financial difficulties. As the family's circumstances deteriorate, Eva finds herself increasingly separated from the stable childhood she once knew. Her father spends more time away, and she eventually lives with her stepbrother and later on her own while still in high school. Instead of moving naturally from adolescence into adulthood, she is forced into independence much earlier than she should have been.

This premature independence becomes one of the memoir's most important themes. Eva repeatedly confronts the reality that many of the events that determine her life are not her choices. Adults make decisions, relationships change, money disappears, and circumstances become dangerous, while she has little power to control any of it. The book therefore becomes a meditation on what it means to grow up when the ordinary protections of childhood disappear.

The central tragedy occurs in 2020, when Doug is shot and killed by Ashley. Eva is nineteen and attending college at the time. Suddenly, the young woman who had already lost her mother becomes effectively orphaned. But the loss is made even more difficult because her father's death immediately becomes a media story. Instead of being allowed to grieve privately, Eva finds herself surrounded by headlines, speculation, true-crime coverage, and public curiosity. The case becomes known as the “Black Swan Murder,” and her family tragedy becomes entertainment for strangers.

This transformation from ordinary college student to a recognizable figure in a true-crime story is central to the memoir. Benefield describes being suddenly “awash in tabloid gore” and having to learn how to survive financially and emotionally while the criminal case unfolds around her. The experience forces her to confront not only grief but also the strange reality of becoming publicly associated with the worst thing that has ever happened to her.

The ensuing legal proceedings add another layer of uncertainty. Ashley maintained that she had acted in self-defense, while prosecutors argued that the evidence did not support that explanation. In 2024, Ashley was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to twenty years in prison. The trial meant that Eva had to revisit the circumstances surrounding her father's death while simultaneously attempting to build a life beyond it.

One of the most compelling aspects of Ghost Girl is Benefield's use of dark humor. Her humor is not an attempt to make light of tragedy. Instead, it becomes a survival mechanism. She recognizes that some parts of her story are so bizarre and painful that humor gives her a way to reclaim control over them. Rather than allowing other people to define her as a tragic figure, she tells the story in her own voice—sometimes bluntly, sometimes sarcastically, and sometimes with startling emotional honesty. The publisher describes the memoir as combining grief, violence, and a true-crime spectacle with dark humor and wisdom beyond her years.

Social media becomes another unexpected part of Eva's recovery. After her father's murder, she begins sharing aspects of her experience on TikTok and finds an audience of people who have experienced similar losses. She becomes associated with an online community sometimes called “OrphanTok,” where young people talk openly about losing parents. What begins as a way of processing her own experience develops into a source of connection. Benefield explains that many viewers tell her that her humor and openness make them feel less alone.

This digital community helps transform her relationship with her own story. Instead of seeing herself only as the daughter of a murdered man, Eva gradually begins to see herself as someone who can create something from what happened to her. She works in social media and design, eventually developing her own apparel company, Ghost Cowboy. Her creative work becomes another form of independence and self-definition.

The memoir therefore moves beyond tragedy toward reclamation. Eva cannot change what happened to her parents. She cannot undo the decisions made by the adults around her. She cannot erase the public attention surrounding the murder. But she can decide what those events will mean for the rest of her life.

Ultimately, Ghost Girl is a story about surviving circumstances that should never have been placed on the shoulders of such a young person. It explores grief without pretending that grief follows a neat path, and it portrays adulthood not as something that arrives naturally but as something Eva is forced to construct for herself.

Its deepest message is about agency. Benefield's childhood and adolescence are shaped by decisions made by other people, but her later life becomes an opportunity to make decisions of her own. Through art, humor, entrepreneurship, friendship, and storytelling, she begins to reclaim an identity separate from the crime.

In the end, Ghost Girl is not simply a murder memoir. It is a story about what happens after the headlines fade. It asks what remains when a young woman loses both parents, becomes part of a notorious true-crime story, and must learn to navigate adulthood without the family structure she once depended on. Benefield's answer is neither simple forgiveness nor easy optimism. It is the gradual construction of a life that belongs to her.

The book ultimately suggests that surviving tragedy does not mean forgetting it. It means refusing to let tragedy become the only story you have. Benefield takes an experience that made her feel like a “ghost” in someone else's story and turns it into her own narrative—one defined not only by loss, but by humor, creativity, independence, connection, and the determination to keep moving forward.

[Rebekah Callahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a refreshingly genuine memoir. One of two memoirs I’ve read by someone born after the year 2000, and maybe that’s why the voice and narration resonates so well despite telling a story I have so little in common with. Eva tells her story completely as herself and as she experienced it— which is perhaps the most meaningful way one can do it. I admire her strength and bravery and refusal to compact herself into any one narrative. Literarily, nothing groundbreaking happens here. This story is worth reading (or listening to) simply because it is real, honest, important, and told well without all the bells and whistles. And really, when someone’s life is this traumatic, there’s no need for bells and whistles.

What I most appreciated about the story is how anticlimactic and unresolved it feels. That is how it happened for Eva, and she does an incredible job writing a “for the movies” style story that is not fit for the movies at all— because that’s how it happened in real life. Her mom’s death and dad’s supermodel girlfriend and eventual murder are kept raw and real and inconvenient and I loved that.

My ONLY note as I read this is that I dislike her dad, I really do. He’s her dad and she loves him but I can’t. The 30 year younger girlfriend, the Trump campaign, the quick temper, the lack of critical thinking, and the irresponsibility with money are too much for me. Reading into to the trial documents with her perspective vs a blank perspective is interesting, that’s all I’ll say. But I believe she is 100% entitled to believe in his innocence.

[Campbell]

I am choosing not to give a star this book because the trauma within it is so deep and personal that it seems unfair to offer an arbitrary adjudication of my personal enjoyment.

Eva’s book was on my radar after having followed her online for years. I think the book is a true reflection of her healing process, and I hope that it was cathartic for her.

Without digging into it too much, I did have a two issues.

Firstly, there were two instances where outdated terms were used to describe minority groups. I’m not sure how it got by editors, especially in the first instance where she writes “too many Indians, not enough Chiefs”. (the other term, for anyone curious, is g*psy). I know she is young and try to assume best intentions, but at the very least her editors really should have caught it. The discomfort with language was, for me, compounded by the MAGA adjacent life her father was living.

Secondly, I am not a fan of modern texting lingo and slang in books. It’s not my cup of tea.

Overall, I think there was a strong narrative arc to the book. Eva told a compelling and deeply sad story, and I think that she remained true to herself throughout. The story itself is heartbreaking— especially when Eva is saddled with all the legal repercussions of her father and Ashley’s financial irresponsibility. She’s an adult, but only barely. This poor teenager needed more adults in her life looking out for her. Nobody should have had to call her uncles and scream at them to help her.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost Girl by Eva Benefield. Thanks to gallerybooks for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eva is in high school when her mother has a heart attack. A year later, her father marries former bikini model, Ashley Byers. Their marriage results in what’s widely known as The Black Swan murder.

I actually had not heard of the Black Swan Murder, so I had to go online and read about it first. I’m not sure how I missed this one in the media but I feel like it would have been a different experience reading about it if I had. Regardless, it was interesting reading from Eva’s perspective. I liked the authentic feel to it. It just felt like the young girl next door was telling her story; no embellishments or fancy talk, just her real voice. It was an extremely fast and easy read and definitely could make for a good young adult or adult read.

“I mean.. the worst had already happened to me… twice. Who’s going to stop me now? I’m a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva.”

Read if you like:
-Survivor memoirs
-Young adult or new adult stories
-Popular or well-known crime stories
-True crime

Ghost Girl comes out 7/21.

[Darcy Markee · Rating 5 out of 5]

PDF military dad leaves behind neglected daughter after his wife dies (never says how) to fend and raise herself while he takes off with another of his victims, a 23 year old, and like the cypress trees she describes in book, must rise out of its darkness.
The writer and 23 year old do not have the mental capacity to understand how one mans influence can ruin every relationship he is around until the 23 year gets pregnant and wants to protect it, only to realize it will end up just like other daughter, left behind with many questions never answered. She defends herself. The family that left a teen, and this writer to deal with bills instead of given help and grace after multiple deaths in family were just like writers father -neglectful and deserve shame. Writer romantically hopes for the best but she seems the only best thing in the neglect selfish group she called family during her important teen years.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost Girl starts with a chapter called “Dead Dad Jokes.” It’s not your normal memoir about grief and bereavement. This is also not a rehash of the true crime story of the “Black Swan Murder” that rocked the Charleston SC community in 2017 after the disastrous rise and fall of the American National Ballet company.

Eva Benefield has written her own story of growing up as a young teen surrounded by events that seem too bizarre to be true. She needed to. The twisted tabloid versions left out her own quiet journey to get beyond the loss of her parents and become her own person.

Dark humor and dry observations of Southern manners add levity to the narrative. Beaches, cypress trees, ephemerals, salt water and the strength of the community of South Carolina barrier islands —these are the persistent reminders of her parents. This is memoir that promises a long future ahead.

[Kati Bourque · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the general story is interesting and she talks a lot about the Low Country and Charleston, I was not impressed with the writing. Did she have an editor? If so, was the purpose of using slang and current teenage slang a conscious decision? While I am not a current teen, this was promoted as a memoir for adults, not YA or Juvenile, therefore the reasoning for using slang is lost on me. It seems to me that this memoir was written as Insta posts, not as a book, and therefore, it seems that most of this book was written for clickbait.
I am sorry, I hate to burn this book, but I feel it would have been better if Ms Benefield had an editor or had utilized the editor provided.
Thank you to Netgalley for this d-ARC and for allowing me to preview this books.

[Carol Brennan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Violently banal. Probably a great story but it's told by an imbecile.

Whoever commissioned this memoir then guided it through the editorial process needs to be named and shamed. I lasted barely twelve minutes into the audiobook and that was after skipping the metaphor-straining intro. I'm sure this episode of Ms. Benefield's life was harrowing and tragic, but this seems like a 2-hour book padded into a 5-hour one.

Here's where I called it quits:
"Your average shark could go through 50,000 teeth in a lifetime. Nature is so sick. I'm borderline tomboy, I guess you could say, despite my being a slave to fashion and my almost religious devotion to weekly mani-pedis.... Last month I got bangs. Before that I got a new tattoo....Next month I'm piercing my nipples, maybe."

[Mary A. Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ This book was such an engaging read. I first came across Eva on TikTok, and her story immediately caught my attention — the book absolutely lived up to that intrigue. As a young girl, she endured far more than anyone should: losing her mother early, navigating life with a controlling and difficult stepmother, and ultimately surviving the trauma of her stepmother killing her dad and leaving her orphaned.

Despite everything, Eva’s strength and resilience shine through every chapter. You can’t help but root for her. I truly hope she finds the light at the end of the tunnel, because she is a bright, shining light herself.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who reads a lot of memoirs, this is an excellent one (source: me). Seriously, so real, raw, and powerful. I had physically preordered this (and was so excited when it came in!), but I also saw that Eva narrated the audiobook which I think takes an incredible amount of strength to do. And what a powerful voice it is- I’ll be thinking about this one for some time 🤍

Also- the reviews that were disappointed with Eva’s slang miss the point of her being real and showing her humor. Maybe it’s because I’m a fellow Gen Z and work in education, but I think it actually really added to the book and highlighted the incredible strength and grit Eva has at such a young age.