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The Survival List
“Nobody writes about family secrets with the grace, compassion, and intrigue of Courtney Sheinmel.” —Leila Sales, author of This Song Will Save Your Life
Fans of I Was Here by Gayle Forman and Far from the Tree by Robin Benway will be floored by this heartbreaking yet uplifting teen novel about a grieving girl who follows a mysterious list across the country after her older sister’s death.
Sloane Weber is devastated when her older sister dies by suicide. Talley was a bright light who made everyone want to step closer. Why had she made that unthinkable choice?
The only clue Talley left behind for Sloane is a puzzle—a list of random places and names, along with the phone number of a boy named Adam, who lives in California and claims he didn’t know Talley.
Sloane heads west, enlists Adam’s help, and together they search for answers. But while Sloane is drawn to Adam, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something. Is Sloane ready to learn the truth—about Adam, her sister, or the secrets her family has been hiding for years?
Fans of I Was Here by Gayle Forman and Far from the Tree by Robin Benway will be floored by this heartbreaking yet uplifting teen novel about a grieving girl who follows a mysterious list across the country after her older sister’s death.
Sloane Weber is devastated when her older sister dies by suicide. Talley was a bright light who made everyone want to step closer. Why had she made that unthinkable choice?
The only clue Talley left behind for Sloane is a puzzle—a list of random places and names, along with the phone number of a boy named Adam, who lives in California and claims he didn’t know Talley.
Sloane heads west, enlists Adam’s help, and together they search for answers. But while Sloane is drawn to Adam, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something. Is Sloane ready to learn the truth—about Adam, her sister, or the secrets her family has been hiding for years?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2019
29 people are currently reading
3672 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Sheinmel
44 books259 followersBorn in California. Raised in New York. Went to law school, now write full time. Love: long walks, fresh notebooks, the smell of brownies, pomegranate seeds. Don't love: yogurt, spam (the email kind, and the food kind), deep water, deserted city streets.
Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.
I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.
Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.
I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.
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May 9, 2020People are puzzles made of hidden and obvious pieces.
After her older sister passes away, Sloane is feeling more lost than ever. Talley lit up every room she was in, so why did she extinguish her own?
Following the only clue Talley left behind, a list of random places and names along with the phone number of a boy who doesn't claim to have know her, Sloane sets California, a place where no other than had ever been. But what if that wasn't true? Did she ever really see the completed puzzle of her sister's life?
A story of what ifs and why's. A tale of lists and loss.
Trigger warnings for suicide, loss of a sibling, loss of a child, underage drinking, overdose, death of a parent, grief, depression, and cancer.
Metaphor loving, grief-stricken Sloane had no idea how to carry on. Her need to feel connected, to understand, the last piece of her sister was incredibly palpable. Determination was the only thing that carried her through some of her roughest moments. I can't say I liked her all that well, but she had every ounce of my empathy.
Even sisters, especially sisters, keep secrets. We only got to know Talley through Sloane's memories, the puzzles she set in motion, and the discovery of things even she didn't know. Remotely drawn, the portrait this painted of her was warm, captivating, baffling, and ultimately mystifying. The strong friendship and love between the sisters completely broke me.
How many times do we wish we could, or at least attempt to, make sense of our devastation? As Sloane followed the last list her sister ever left her, she stumbled upon many souls who were just as big of secrets as the ones they revealed. Some were more well-written than others, and to say more about most of them would be spoilery. Adam however, played too big of a role not to mention. Surprising and supportive, is friendship with Sloane was great, but his character fell flat.
To say I cried while reading this would be an understatement. My face faucets couldn't stop leaking. Not only for Sloane and Talley, but because I couldn't help but project my own sister and I's relationship, which is going through turmoil all its own. Genuinely heartbreaking, The Survival List encapsulated grief, and all the ways it chokes your life. I couldn't put the fast-paced contemporary/mystery down, but I wished the necessary backstory would've been naturally corporated into the storyline.
As much as Courtney Sheinmel's tale of sisterhood, secrets, and sorrow hurt, it's commentary on mental health was powerful. Emotional, the character driven journry encompassed every part of the greving process, including closure and moving forward. This book wasn't perfect, but it was wonderful.
My heart is not the same after The Survival List.
After her older sister passes away, Sloane is feeling more lost than ever. Talley lit up every room she was in, so why did she extinguish her own?
Following the only clue Talley left behind, a list of random places and names along with the phone number of a boy who doesn't claim to have know her, Sloane sets California, a place where no other than had ever been. But what if that wasn't true? Did she ever really see the completed puzzle of her sister's life?
A story of what ifs and why's. A tale of lists and loss.
Trigger warnings for suicide, loss of a sibling, loss of a child, underage drinking, overdose, death of a parent, grief, depression, and cancer.
Metaphor loving, grief-stricken Sloane had no idea how to carry on. Her need to feel connected, to understand, the last piece of her sister was incredibly palpable. Determination was the only thing that carried her through some of her roughest moments. I can't say I liked her all that well, but she had every ounce of my empathy.
Even sisters, especially sisters, keep secrets. We only got to know Talley through Sloane's memories, the puzzles she set in motion, and the discovery of things even she didn't know. Remotely drawn, the portrait this painted of her was warm, captivating, baffling, and ultimately mystifying. The strong friendship and love between the sisters completely broke me.
How many times do we wish we could, or at least attempt to, make sense of our devastation? As Sloane followed the last list her sister ever left her, she stumbled upon many souls who were just as big of secrets as the ones they revealed. Some were more well-written than others, and to say more about most of them would be spoilery. Adam however, played too big of a role not to mention. Surprising and supportive, is friendship with Sloane was great, but his character fell flat.
To say I cried while reading this would be an understatement. My face faucets couldn't stop leaking. Not only for Sloane and Talley, but because I couldn't help but project my own sister and I's relationship, which is going through turmoil all its own. Genuinely heartbreaking, The Survival List encapsulated grief, and all the ways it chokes your life. I couldn't put the fast-paced contemporary/mystery down, but I wished the necessary backstory would've been naturally corporated into the storyline.
As much as Courtney Sheinmel's tale of sisterhood, secrets, and sorrow hurt, it's commentary on mental health was powerful. Emotional, the character driven journry encompassed every part of the greving process, including closure and moving forward. This book wasn't perfect, but it was wonderful.
My heart is not the same after The Survival List.
January 1, 2020
The Survival List is a story about sisterly love, loss, and secrets. Shortly after the death of her sister, Talley, Sloane becomes engrossed in a mysterious list found in the pocket of a pair of jeans. While following this list and trying to piece together the clues, Sloane learns a lot about her once enigmatic and outgoing sister—namely how little she knew about her sister at all.
Although this is a fast-paced read, the content of this book is quite heavy as it discusses depression, suicide, and cancer. I'd be lying if I said it did not make me tear up a few times.
I feel as if I would have loved this book a lot more if it had less of the "scavenger hunt" theme and more character exploration, but I understand that this is what makes the premise of the story intriguing to most people. Overall, this was a good read. 3.5 stars.
Although this is a fast-paced read, the content of this book is quite heavy as it discusses depression, suicide, and cancer. I'd be lying if I said it did not make me tear up a few times.
I feel as if I would have loved this book a lot more if it had less of the "scavenger hunt" theme and more character exploration, but I understand that this is what makes the premise of the story intriguing to most people. Overall, this was a good read. 3.5 stars.
August 28, 2019
Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advance digital copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Content warnings for suicide/depression, traumatic loss of family members.
I think I expected to love this one a lot more than I actually did. The writing was strong, but almost a little too strong, in that the prose was often really beautiful but the dialogue read a lot less like a conversation and a lot more like expositional extension of the prose. I wasn’t super pulled in by the narrative voice, and I thought the story started in an odd place, too— not in terms of Sloane describing her sister’s death but in terms of when in time that description happens; rather than it happening in real time, Sloane is recounting it after the fact, which ends up making it read sort of passively. There’s a lot of info-dumping and unrealistic interaction because we, the audience, need to learn information that doesn’t come organically through the story.
I loved this concept— it was sort of reminiscent of the admittedly problematic Thirteen Reasons Why in terms of putting the pieces of someone’s suicide together. But, without spoilers, a good half of this book is dedicated to Sloane asking other people about her sister’s mysterious suicide list and not really knowing anything about it at all. There’s little to no mystery or big discovery made about the list; it becomes background noise to Sloane adventuring in the Bay Area with Adam, who, if I’m being honest, didn’t add much to the story as a character. The relationships in this were confusing— they seemed to mend themselves just because it was the right time in the narrative for them to do so.
I never really felt Sloane’s grief, either— the story went by so quickly that I feel like there wasn’t a whole lot of depth to her reaction to pretty much anything, and she certainly went through a lot in a short period of time. There wasn’t as much character development as I had hoped there would be.
I was so excited about the disability representation in this book; Sloane’s best friend Juno is deaf and wears a cochlear implant, but I honestly thought Juno wasn’t a particularly good friend, so I wound up disappointed. She was really self-centered the entire time, complaining an awful lot about her own boy problems while Sloane was going through the grief of losing her sister by suicide. Juno’s selfishness was really only ever briefly addressed, and it didn’t do the trick for me in terms of convincing me that she was the best friend ever.
This was a quick read with a nice concept (not to mention a gorgeous cover), but it ultimately didn’t do the trick for me.
I’m a writer, literary intern, college student, and amateur podcaster. Here’s where else to find me.
Content warnings for suicide/depression, traumatic loss of family members.
I think I expected to love this one a lot more than I actually did. The writing was strong, but almost a little too strong, in that the prose was often really beautiful but the dialogue read a lot less like a conversation and a lot more like expositional extension of the prose. I wasn’t super pulled in by the narrative voice, and I thought the story started in an odd place, too— not in terms of Sloane describing her sister’s death but in terms of when in time that description happens; rather than it happening in real time, Sloane is recounting it after the fact, which ends up making it read sort of passively. There’s a lot of info-dumping and unrealistic interaction because we, the audience, need to learn information that doesn’t come organically through the story.
I loved this concept— it was sort of reminiscent of the admittedly problematic Thirteen Reasons Why in terms of putting the pieces of someone’s suicide together. But, without spoilers, a good half of this book is dedicated to Sloane asking other people about her sister’s mysterious suicide list and not really knowing anything about it at all. There’s little to no mystery or big discovery made about the list; it becomes background noise to Sloane adventuring in the Bay Area with Adam, who, if I’m being honest, didn’t add much to the story as a character. The relationships in this were confusing— they seemed to mend themselves just because it was the right time in the narrative for them to do so.
I never really felt Sloane’s grief, either— the story went by so quickly that I feel like there wasn’t a whole lot of depth to her reaction to pretty much anything, and she certainly went through a lot in a short period of time. There wasn’t as much character development as I had hoped there would be.
I was so excited about the disability representation in this book; Sloane’s best friend Juno is deaf and wears a cochlear implant, but I honestly thought Juno wasn’t a particularly good friend, so I wound up disappointed. She was really self-centered the entire time, complaining an awful lot about her own boy problems while Sloane was going through the grief of losing her sister by suicide. Juno’s selfishness was really only ever briefly addressed, and it didn’t do the trick for me in terms of convincing me that she was the best friend ever.
This was a quick read with a nice concept (not to mention a gorgeous cover), but it ultimately didn’t do the trick for me.
I’m a writer, literary intern, college student, and amateur podcaster. Here’s where else to find me.
September 19, 2019
After Sloane’s sister Talley kills herself, Sloane carries sadness and guilt with her. After finding her older sister’s cryptic list of clues, Sloane is convinced following the list to California will answer her questions. What she finds is more than she expects.
THE SURVIVAL LIST took me a while to get into with a slow, stream of consciousness beginning. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down. Courtney Sheinmel creates a flawed yet likable narrator in Sloane who’s dealing with grief complicate by suicide. While the plot seemed contrived at times, finding the list, having a friend loan a credit card, clues magically falling into place, Sloane’s emotions were realistic.
After the first twenty percent of THE SURVIVAL LIST, the book held a steady pace. Sheinmel avoids trope of instalove curing mental health while also showing teens can be friends with the opposite sex without romance (or with the same sex scenario). I lived the diversity of a best friend with cochlear implants, another friend who happens to be lesbian but it’s not her entire identity and Sloane being Jewish, yet not overly religious.
THE SURVIVAL LIST does a great job with a story about grief that isn’t overly sad or too optimistic.
THE SURVIVAL LIST took me a while to get into with a slow, stream of consciousness beginning. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down. Courtney Sheinmel creates a flawed yet likable narrator in Sloane who’s dealing with grief complicate by suicide. While the plot seemed contrived at times, finding the list, having a friend loan a credit card, clues magically falling into place, Sloane’s emotions were realistic.
After the first twenty percent of THE SURVIVAL LIST, the book held a steady pace. Sheinmel avoids trope of instalove curing mental health while also showing teens can be friends with the opposite sex without romance (or with the same sex scenario). I lived the diversity of a best friend with cochlear implants, another friend who happens to be lesbian but it’s not her entire identity and Sloane being Jewish, yet not overly religious.
THE SURVIVAL LIST does a great job with a story about grief that isn’t overly sad or too optimistic.
September 19, 2019
Sloane never thought the day she went to school, instead of skipping, would be the last time she would see her sister. She knew Talley was struggling with depression, but never realize how dire things actually were. Now, Sloane was left with many questions and a list of seemingly random things, which she hoped would lead to some answers. She never realized this list would help her learn more about her sister, her aunt, her mother, and herself.
Sheinmel never fails to hit me in the feels, and she had me shedding quite a few tears as I read this book. I think suicide is such a difficult topic, but I though Sheinmel did a beautiful job in presenting how it affected the ones, who were left behind.
I enjoyed many things in this book, and here are my top five:
1. Sisterly Bonds - Not only did I get to explore the relationship between Talley and Sloane, but I also got to enjoy the sisterly friendship between Sloane and her best friend, Juno. Both relationships were very special, and I was happy to witness so many lovely moments between them.
2. Grief and Guilt - Does anyone, who loses a loved one to suicide NOT feel some degree of guilt? Sloane's guilt regarding her actions prior to her sister's death and the disappointment in herself in not recognizing the cry for help was heartbreaking. Sheinmel did a fantastic job getting me into Sloane's headspace, and I felt like I was experiencing her emotional turmoil right alongside her.
3. A List and a Puzzle - The list seemed so random, and I enjoyed being with Sloane as she slowly figured out the significance of each entry, which would bring her closer and closer to learning more about her sister's final months. There were some wrong turns and some red herrings, which really had me wondering about Tally, but eventually, we got the whole story, and it was sad, but satisfying.
4. Adam, a Lovely Soft Boy - Adam initially seemed so random, but I still liked him right away. There was something wonderful about him, and I was happy he was there to help Sloane figure out the entries on the list. I was really surprised by how Adam figured into the big picture, and I thought Sheinmel wove that whole part into the plot quite well.
5. Healing and Forgiveness - This story was filled with many people, who were riddled with grief and guilt, but the author allowed for lots of forgiveness, and had the characters actively working through their pain and towards a bit of healing. I was especially pleased with many of the developments between Sloane and her family, as well as between Adam and his.
Overall:
I found this to be a rather thoughtful look at how those, who are left behind, pick up the pieces following the suicide of a loved one. The pain, the grief, the self-blaming was so heartbreaking, and therefore, I was grateful that Sloane had this last challenge from her sister, which allowed her to uncover some family secrets, mend some broken bridges, make some new connections, and begin to heal.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Sheinmel never fails to hit me in the feels, and she had me shedding quite a few tears as I read this book. I think suicide is such a difficult topic, but I though Sheinmel did a beautiful job in presenting how it affected the ones, who were left behind.
I enjoyed many things in this book, and here are my top five:
1. Sisterly Bonds - Not only did I get to explore the relationship between Talley and Sloane, but I also got to enjoy the sisterly friendship between Sloane and her best friend, Juno. Both relationships were very special, and I was happy to witness so many lovely moments between them.
2. Grief and Guilt - Does anyone, who loses a loved one to suicide NOT feel some degree of guilt? Sloane's guilt regarding her actions prior to her sister's death and the disappointment in herself in not recognizing the cry for help was heartbreaking. Sheinmel did a fantastic job getting me into Sloane's headspace, and I felt like I was experiencing her emotional turmoil right alongside her.
3. A List and a Puzzle - The list seemed so random, and I enjoyed being with Sloane as she slowly figured out the significance of each entry, which would bring her closer and closer to learning more about her sister's final months. There were some wrong turns and some red herrings, which really had me wondering about Tally, but eventually, we got the whole story, and it was sad, but satisfying.
4. Adam, a Lovely Soft Boy - Adam initially seemed so random, but I still liked him right away. There was something wonderful about him, and I was happy he was there to help Sloane figure out the entries on the list. I was really surprised by how Adam figured into the big picture, and I thought Sheinmel wove that whole part into the plot quite well.
5. Healing and Forgiveness - This story was filled with many people, who were riddled with grief and guilt, but the author allowed for lots of forgiveness, and had the characters actively working through their pain and towards a bit of healing. I was especially pleased with many of the developments between Sloane and her family, as well as between Adam and his.
Overall:
I found this to be a rather thoughtful look at how those, who are left behind, pick up the pieces following the suicide of a loved one. The pain, the grief, the self-blaming was so heartbreaking, and therefore, I was grateful that Sloane had this last challenge from her sister, which allowed her to uncover some family secrets, mend some broken bridges, make some new connections, and begin to heal.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
May 31, 2023
1.5⭐️
I bought this book from the dollar tree, which is why I read it. It’s not my typical genre. But it had a nice cover and was a hardback for only a buck.
Maybe I’m harshly rating it because again, not particularly a genre I enjoy. But I didn’t like the way suicide / depression was written about. I think it started out okay, and kind of just went down hill in a snowball way.
I bought this book from the dollar tree, which is why I read it. It’s not my typical genre. But it had a nice cover and was a hardback for only a buck.
Maybe I’m harshly rating it because again, not particularly a genre I enjoy. But I didn’t like the way suicide / depression was written about. I think it started out okay, and kind of just went down hill in a snowball way.
January 14, 2022
Im really sad because the beginning has a lot of potential, but from then on the story takes a nose dive into drawn out conversations that have absolutely nothing to do with what is actually going on. You don't figure out what happened with Talley until the very end, and even then none of it makes sense at all. It's drawn out just to confirm that Talley has mental illness. You don't even figure out what everything on the list is. :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2020
REVIEW FOUND ON MY BLOG
https://emilythebooknerdxo.blogspot.c...
I was a little wary about going into this novel at first because it deals with suicide. However, the heavy topic was dealt with beautifully. I loved reading about a close sister relationship. I love books with any type of sibling bond. Our main character, Sloane is devasted when her sister kills herself. Immediately after Tally's death, Sloane finds a list that her sister made. She ends up going on an adventure to California to find out what her sister's list meant. Along the way, she learns more about herself as well as her sister.
The writing in The Survival List was breathtaking. I was immediately immersed in this story. I had no idea where Sloane would end up or what would end up happening. There were many twists and turns that I did not see coming. The book dealt with grief and loss beautifully. I loved the characters in this book. Sloane was very relatable. Her relationship with her father made me smile many times throughout the book. Not to mention Sloane's best friend was so unbelievably supportive. The book went through all the stages of grief.
I love how depression was depicted in this book. That even the most put-together person can hide their struggles so easily. You never know what is going on behind closed doors or within a person. Depression can be so easily hidden. The author did a beautiful job of showing how suicide not only affects the person who killed themselves but the people that are left behind. The sisters were bonded even in death. Which was beautiful to read and see pan out. I felt Sloane's emotions while reading her story.
I didn't think there needed to be a romance in the story at all. It felt kind of forced at times. The love interest was sort of boring if you ask me. It did not seem very realistic. Despite the romance, the character growth was beautiful and I still very much enjoyed this book. I will have to check out other books by the author.
https://emilythebooknerdxo.blogspot.c...
I was a little wary about going into this novel at first because it deals with suicide. However, the heavy topic was dealt with beautifully. I loved reading about a close sister relationship. I love books with any type of sibling bond. Our main character, Sloane is devasted when her sister kills herself. Immediately after Tally's death, Sloane finds a list that her sister made. She ends up going on an adventure to California to find out what her sister's list meant. Along the way, she learns more about herself as well as her sister.
The writing in The Survival List was breathtaking. I was immediately immersed in this story. I had no idea where Sloane would end up or what would end up happening. There were many twists and turns that I did not see coming. The book dealt with grief and loss beautifully. I loved the characters in this book. Sloane was very relatable. Her relationship with her father made me smile many times throughout the book. Not to mention Sloane's best friend was so unbelievably supportive. The book went through all the stages of grief.
I love how depression was depicted in this book. That even the most put-together person can hide their struggles so easily. You never know what is going on behind closed doors or within a person. Depression can be so easily hidden. The author did a beautiful job of showing how suicide not only affects the person who killed themselves but the people that are left behind. The sisters were bonded even in death. Which was beautiful to read and see pan out. I felt Sloane's emotions while reading her story.
I didn't think there needed to be a romance in the story at all. It felt kind of forced at times. The love interest was sort of boring if you ask me. It did not seem very realistic. Despite the romance, the character growth was beautiful and I still very much enjoyed this book. I will have to check out other books by the author.
September 5, 2019
For a more in-depth review watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_rsZ...
2.5 Rating: This book had everything that usually makes a great YA realistic fiction but it just didn't quite work. The characters and their relationship never felt completely developed and the journey Sloane takes felt uneven. This book has potential and teen appeal but older readers may be disappointed.
2.5 Rating: This book had everything that usually makes a great YA realistic fiction but it just didn't quite work. The characters and their relationship never felt completely developed and the journey Sloane takes felt uneven. This book has potential and teen appeal but older readers may be disappointed.
November 4, 2019
After Sloane loses her sister, Talley to suicide she uncovers a cryptic list in her belongings. Sloane is convinced that the list is clues left behind from Talley to help her understand why she ended her life. Riddled by grief and overcome by sadness Sloane embarks on a long journey all the way to California to decipher the list. She soon realizes that she has taken on more than she bargained for.
There was one aspect that I really liked from this book and that was the way Courtney Sheinmel approached suicide. I really like how Sloane would tell people that Talley died by suicide and not that she killed herself because she still died by the cause of an illness.
I didn't particularly like Sloane and I think that is down to how she dealt with her sisters death. Everybody deals with death in a different way and I felt like it kind of consumed her and she discarded her life. I can see how this could happen and it seemed like a normal reaction but she was so rude to her friend. Who yes was not going through something was big as her but she was still going through something. This was also addressed in the novel and it was a beautiful life lesson, but I still didn't like her that much. Some times I'm weird and have no sympathy... Overall, I really enjoyed the novel and I think there is a lot you can learn from it.
There was one aspect that I really liked from this book and that was the way Courtney Sheinmel approached suicide. I really like how Sloane would tell people that Talley died by suicide and not that she killed herself because she still died by the cause of an illness.
I didn't particularly like Sloane and I think that is down to how she dealt with her sisters death. Everybody deals with death in a different way and I felt like it kind of consumed her and she discarded her life. I can see how this could happen and it seemed like a normal reaction but she was so rude to her friend. Who yes was not going through something was big as her but she was still going through something. This was also addressed in the novel and it was a beautiful life lesson, but I still didn't like her that much. Some times I'm weird and have no sympathy... Overall, I really enjoyed the novel and I think there is a lot you can learn from it.
September 16, 2023
3.5*
I liked the story, I loved Sloane, but gosh I couldn’t have a ounce of empathy for Talley. Who does that to the people you are supposed to love ? I can understand the depression and everything, the burden of a secret, but still…
Sloane’s grief is on hold because of the selfishnes of her sister. A list of clues ? She just wanted to understand why her sister commited suicide, she wanted to know why and here she is, on a freaking treasure hunt… while her and her dad are supposed to mourn…
and the lying about having cancer didn’t check with me. It’s just HORRIBLE to do that. I’m sorry to say what I’m about to say, but even if Talley was mentally ill, it doesn’t make it right. I couldn’t be sad for her death.
Sloane and Adam were rhe greatest thing about this book and I’m sad we wasn’t there more, I loved their complicity. He helped Sloane in a moment of vulnerability without asking anything in return, with the kindness of his heart, what a gem!
It was a okay book, I liked it, but yeah… Sorry Talley, but you screwed up and you screwed my reading.
I liked the story, I loved Sloane, but gosh I couldn’t have a ounce of empathy for Talley. Who does that to the people you are supposed to love ? I can understand the depression and everything, the burden of a secret, but still…
Sloane’s grief is on hold because of the selfishnes of her sister. A list of clues ? She just wanted to understand why her sister commited suicide, she wanted to know why and here she is, on a freaking treasure hunt… while her and her dad are supposed to mourn…
and the lying about having cancer didn’t check with me. It’s just HORRIBLE to do that. I’m sorry to say what I’m about to say, but even if Talley was mentally ill, it doesn’t make it right. I couldn’t be sad for her death.
Sloane and Adam were rhe greatest thing about this book and I’m sad we wasn’t there more, I loved their complicity. He helped Sloane in a moment of vulnerability without asking anything in return, with the kindness of his heart, what a gem!
It was a okay book, I liked it, but yeah… Sorry Talley, but you screwed up and you screwed my reading.
February 21, 2020
I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't work for me. The characters didn't stand out much to me and didn't seem to be well developed. Honestly, the storyline seemed kind of flat. Good idea but not super good writing. Especially at the end the writing went downhill. Seemed like she ran out of time to wrap it up nicely and just kind of wrote whatever to finish it up. Loved the cover, loved the idea...don't love the book.
January 22, 2020
DNF about halfway through. I just kept finding reasons to put off reading more of this book - I think because the list and rationale for it lost my interest. While I'd like to know how everything is resolved, this isn't the book for me right now.
September 25, 2019
This hit me out of left field. It was full of secrets and hidden truths.
While it dealt with some serious topics, some of the story felt like it drug on longer than it should have.
FRTC
While it dealt with some serious topics, some of the story felt like it drug on longer than it should have.
FRTC
January 3, 2020
The story starts off strong and had great potential, but it then fell down and lapsed into cliched prose and worn out situations. Finally it rushes to the happy endings for everyone.
April 21, 2022
it was a little boring ngl it wasnt a page turner in my opinion, but it wasnt that bad
July 22, 2020
**Reading Rush 2020 Book #2// "Read a book that starts with the word 'the'**
So wow, just wow. I literally cried so much from this book.
!!Trigger Warning: Suicide!!
Now that that's out of the way, Sloane just lost her sister Tallie. Tallie had killed herself, and left behind a list.
Sloan tries to solve that list, but on the back is a phone number for a boy whose possibly connected to Tallie. He claims he's not, but Sloan doesn't really believe him.
---
So, lets start with what I loved. Because man did I love this book. Number one, it was unpredictable. In the synopsis itself we meet Adam, and they claim he knows more than he says. So I was expecting that, but now how we got that.
Everything I thought would happen, didn't. Half way through I was betting Sloan would give up the list and go home and the story would turn into how to live with grief.
But I never never never thought of what we actually got.
It was heart breaking and it made you realize that through Sloans eyes, Tallie was a hero. As her Cali adventure goes on, you learn ways that maybe she wasn't.
I also ADORED the family aspect. I expected a rough family dynamic, but definitely not one as rough as what I got. I loved how reconnecting with her Aunt worked out as well as the evolving relationship with her father.
But what I didn't like
I wanted more from Adam and Sloan, it really felt like a romance was starting, and it just stops. Suddenly. Like no warning.
I also wanted more from the ending ending. Like the epilogue. Like where are the characters going. There was a letter written by Sloan at the end, and I just wanted more than that. I wanted more than like a recap in place of the conclusion paragraph for your essay. I just felt that it didn't deliver the last emotional punch to the gut I needed to give this book a 5 star rating.
So wow, just wow. I literally cried so much from this book.
!!Trigger Warning: Suicide!!
Now that that's out of the way, Sloane just lost her sister Tallie. Tallie had killed herself, and left behind a list.
Sloan tries to solve that list, but on the back is a phone number for a boy whose possibly connected to Tallie. He claims he's not, but Sloan doesn't really believe him.
---
So, lets start with what I loved. Because man did I love this book. Number one, it was unpredictable. In the synopsis itself we meet Adam, and they claim he knows more than he says. So I was expecting that, but now how we got that.
Everything I thought would happen, didn't. Half way through I was betting Sloan would give up the list and go home and the story would turn into how to live with grief.
But I never never never thought of what we actually got.
It was heart breaking and it made you realize that through Sloans eyes, Tallie was a hero. As her Cali adventure goes on, you learn ways that maybe she wasn't.
I also ADORED the family aspect. I expected a rough family dynamic, but definitely not one as rough as what I got. I loved how reconnecting with her Aunt worked out as well as the evolving relationship with her father.
But what I didn't like
I wanted more from Adam and Sloan, it really felt like a romance was starting, and it just stops. Suddenly. Like no warning.
I also wanted more from the ending ending. Like the epilogue. Like where are the characters going. There was a letter written by Sloan at the end, and I just wanted more than that. I wanted more than like a recap in place of the conclusion paragraph for your essay. I just felt that it didn't deliver the last emotional punch to the gut I needed to give this book a 5 star rating.
January 12, 2025
"The deeper that sorrows carves into your being, the more joy it can contains."
"The thing abot losing someone you love is not that it's a one-time shock. It's over and over and over again."
"Everyone has so much inside them. Everyone has hardships we can't see."
"[...] whereas you can get really attached to people. You can love them with every ounce of yourself. Then take them away, and you're still breathing. Your heart is still beating. You still get hungry, you still have to go to the bathroom. I remember really having to pee the night Talley died and feeling so angry at my bladder, going about its everyday business like always. But the people we love are expendable. Our bodies keep on working. It's strange. It's offensive."
"I love that about you. But I'd love you no matter what."
"The thing abot losing someone you love is not that it's a one-time shock. It's over and over and over again."
"Everyone has so much inside them. Everyone has hardships we can't see."
"[...] whereas you can get really attached to people. You can love them with every ounce of yourself. Then take them away, and you're still breathing. Your heart is still beating. You still get hungry, you still have to go to the bathroom. I remember really having to pee the night Talley died and feeling so angry at my bladder, going about its everyday business like always. But the people we love are expendable. Our bodies keep on working. It's strange. It's offensive."
"I love that about you. But I'd love you no matter what."
September 16, 2022
Rating: 2.5
April 3, 2022
this book was a nice, quick read- but i feel it is a bit like other stories I've read. there was an older sister who no one ever suspected of committing suicide- she was pretty, smart, sweet, and just that person who made a room light up when she walked into it. so when she left a list in the pocket of her jeans, her younger sister Sloane finds it, and begins her journey from Minnesota to California.
she enlists the help of a (fairly cute) guy named Adam, who she gets to know more and more- until she finds out he's hiding something.
it's a good story to read in one or two sittings, but i personally wouldn't jump to reread it. it was a nice book though.
she enlists the help of a (fairly cute) guy named Adam, who she gets to know more and more- until she finds out he's hiding something.
it's a good story to read in one or two sittings, but i personally wouldn't jump to reread it. it was a nice book though.
February 19, 2020
Aside from the minor things that annoyed me about Talley, this was decent. But honestly, she seemed super annoying. The FIRST PAGE (yes, literally the first page) contains the most cringeworthy word-salad attempt at "feminism" I've ever seen, which almost made me DNF on the spot. I'm not going to quote it because I borrowed this book instead of buying it, but basically it was this rant about kids automatically being given their dad's last names (which, no, is not actually required, Talley) that sounded like something an anti-feminist would make up to make feminists look laughable. Authors should really do their research before typing these out.
Sloane isn't much different. Later in the book, she tries to argue with Adam for paying for their dinner calling him "benevolently sexist" and claiming that he's doing it because he thinks women are incapable of paying themselves. She also says this about Adam holding a door for her. Nobody actually sounds like this. It was almost like a caricature. If someone pays for your food, regardless of gender, it's a simple nice thing to do and they should be allowed to do something for you without you going off on a rant.
In flashbacks, Sloane acts like anything Talley says or believes is automatically The Right Way. I couldn't go a page without her raving about just how special she was, even if some of the things she thought weren't all that great. I think the most problematic example was Sloane recalling how every time she had any sort of minor problem, Talley would tell her that other people had it worse and that she shouldn't think of her problems as problems. Seriously? Like, when Sloane had slow wi-fi, Talley would lecture her about some foreign crisis and tell her to be grateful. And Sloane NEVER sees a problem with it. I was so relieved when Aunt Elise called this out.
Would've been good if not for this. The author could've actually done research on feminism, but instead to just guess what feminism sounded like.
Sloane isn't much different. Later in the book, she tries to argue with Adam for paying for their dinner calling him "benevolently sexist" and claiming that he's doing it because he thinks women are incapable of paying themselves. She also says this about Adam holding a door for her. Nobody actually sounds like this. It was almost like a caricature. If someone pays for your food, regardless of gender, it's a simple nice thing to do and they should be allowed to do something for you without you going off on a rant.
In flashbacks, Sloane acts like anything Talley says or believes is automatically The Right Way. I couldn't go a page without her raving about just how special she was, even if some of the things she thought weren't all that great. I think the most problematic example was Sloane recalling how every time she had any sort of minor problem, Talley would tell her that other people had it worse and that she shouldn't think of her problems as problems. Seriously? Like, when Sloane had slow wi-fi, Talley would lecture her about some foreign crisis and tell her to be grateful. And Sloane NEVER sees a problem with it. I was so relieved when Aunt Elise called this out.
Would've been good if not for this. The author could've actually done research on feminism, but instead to just guess what feminism sounded like.
May 28, 2019
Suicide and secrets are synonymous . . . if you knew a person was going to complete, you'd stop them. And there are regrets, and missed moments, and all the memories that bubble up as possible warning signs. As far as books about suicide go, this one was easy to take. I'm going to add a copy to our middle school collection because it makes the topic approachable. As much as there is sorrow and coming to terms with a major loss, there is also recovery and looking at the loss from the most hopeful and positive perspective I've seen when it comes to overcoming grief.
February 16, 2021
A solid read with interesting characters. I was engaged (despite the occasionally dull dialogue exchanges) and I would recommend to others looking for something to pass the time.
July 14, 2021
Well.
This book certainly had an interesting plot-line, and the ending was really well done, moving and powerful.
Yet I can't say that I loved this book.
The Survival List follows the story of a girl called Sloane, who was attempting to discover the meaning of a list found in the pocket of her dead sister, who died by suicide. Sloane goes to California to try to found out what each item on the list means, and while she is there, she learns several things about her sister that she had never known before. She also meets a guy named Adam, who helps her out in her search for answers.
It's a book that contains a lot of important ideas about guilt, grief and healing.
But, and I'm just gonna say this straight out, it was not well-written.
Firstly, the conversations seemed so stilted and false. One character talked for so long, without any breaks to describe what's going on around them. It just sounded so fake. And everyone seemed to open up so quickly about how they're feeling, what their life is like etc. Nobody actually does that in real life!
And then the writing style. It was awkward, and even confusing at times.
The emotions and even the situations seemed fake. The way Sloane figured it all out almost seemed too good to be true, and there were just too many coincidences for it to be plausible.
And lastly the characterization and relationships. This is probably what bothered me most about the whole book. In the book, Sloane said that she and her sister Tally never fought. Never. I have never heard of siblings that don't ever fight. That little detail was so utterly unbelievable to me. Their relationship together just seemed too perfect.
Adam and Sloane's relationship also seemed fake. He was so eager to help her, and sure, there are kind, chivalrous people out there. But the author didn't really develop the character of Adam at all, so I found it hard to connect with him and believe that he was really such an amazing person. I just didn't even feel like I knew Adam by the end of the book. I barely even felt like I knew Sloane!
But one character was well done, and that was Juno, Sloane's best friend. She was bubbly and unique and funny, and I enjoyed reading about her. But I also felt that her relationship with Sloane seemed a little too good to be true as well.
Something else I didn't like about the book was the gay characters and an entire page or two where Adam and Sloane discussed if Tally might have been gay.
So all in all, a bit of a disappointing read. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, although I did enjoy it as I read it. But there was too much insincerity and too many false-sounding elements to this book to make it something really worthwhile reading.
This book certainly had an interesting plot-line, and the ending was really well done, moving and powerful.
Yet I can't say that I loved this book.
The Survival List follows the story of a girl called Sloane, who was attempting to discover the meaning of a list found in the pocket of her dead sister, who died by suicide. Sloane goes to California to try to found out what each item on the list means, and while she is there, she learns several things about her sister that she had never known before. She also meets a guy named Adam, who helps her out in her search for answers.
It's a book that contains a lot of important ideas about guilt, grief and healing.
But, and I'm just gonna say this straight out, it was not well-written.
Firstly, the conversations seemed so stilted and false. One character talked for so long, without any breaks to describe what's going on around them. It just sounded so fake. And everyone seemed to open up so quickly about how they're feeling, what their life is like etc. Nobody actually does that in real life!
And then the writing style. It was awkward, and even confusing at times.
The emotions and even the situations seemed fake. The way Sloane figured it all out almost seemed too good to be true, and there were just too many coincidences for it to be plausible.
And lastly the characterization and relationships. This is probably what bothered me most about the whole book. In the book, Sloane said that she and her sister Tally never fought. Never. I have never heard of siblings that don't ever fight. That little detail was so utterly unbelievable to me. Their relationship together just seemed too perfect.
Adam and Sloane's relationship also seemed fake. He was so eager to help her, and sure, there are kind, chivalrous people out there. But the author didn't really develop the character of Adam at all, so I found it hard to connect with him and believe that he was really such an amazing person. I just didn't even feel like I knew Adam by the end of the book. I barely even felt like I knew Sloane!
But one character was well done, and that was Juno, Sloane's best friend. She was bubbly and unique and funny, and I enjoyed reading about her. But I also felt that her relationship with Sloane seemed a little too good to be true as well.
Something else I didn't like about the book was the gay characters and an entire page or two where Adam and Sloane discussed if Tally might have been gay.
So all in all, a bit of a disappointing read. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, although I did enjoy it as I read it. But there was too much insincerity and too many false-sounding elements to this book to make it something really worthwhile reading.
July 20, 2020
As a book that may appeal more to a younger audience, the standard was set quite high for The Survival List when I first began to read it. The book follows Sloane, a girl who is spiralling after the sudden death of her older sister Talley. You join Sloane as she embarks on a quest for understanding and knowledge regarding her sister’s life and actions, and while the book had so much promise, I found it fell a little flat of my expectations.
Sloane was not a good protagonist. Through the novel, there was actually very little we learn about Sloane beside the fact that she is stubborn, determined and a little self-absorbed. While you can excuse the latter as she was grieving the loss of her sister, there was no development of her whatsoever. Sloane was a flat character, with absolutely no three dimension to her at all. I felt like we never got to explore who Sloane was as the entire book was all about Talley.
Talley, from what we are told and learn about her, seems to be this mystical, magical, manic pixie dream girl. We know that she is clever, but everything else is kind of a blur. Juno, Sloane’s best friend, also came across as self-absorbed as she a) failed to realise her best friend was spiralling out of control and b) made Sloane feel bad about not particularly caring about boy drama. Even Adam’s point in the story seemed a little moot and instead felt like more of a filler character.
Touching on some very delicate issues, the book is quite obviously first and foremost an account of someone learning to live after someone’s suicide. It also covers others issues such as depression and cancer, and for the most part the representations of this were handled respectfully. They weren’t too heavy and made the subjects seem almost approachable. I appreciated how Sheinmel showed that those we perceive to have their lives together can be suffering in silence. There is a stereotype that those who turn to suicide have clear warning signs i the form of very real, manifested problems and issues. Suicide is silent and you don’t always see it coming until it does.
However, the plot was a little too contrived at points. I didn’t feel like there was a particular flow to the book and everything that happened felt almost too perfect to feel realistic or relatable. All the romance that was in the book was a little unnecessary. It was flat, it was dull and it just didn’t really wow me. Again, it was quite obviously manufactured and just did not work very well for the story. Luckily, the story moves on quite quickly and so it wasn’t too slow. While I finished the book quite quickly, I just found that this wasn’t for me.
Sloane was not a good protagonist. Through the novel, there was actually very little we learn about Sloane beside the fact that she is stubborn, determined and a little self-absorbed. While you can excuse the latter as she was grieving the loss of her sister, there was no development of her whatsoever. Sloane was a flat character, with absolutely no three dimension to her at all. I felt like we never got to explore who Sloane was as the entire book was all about Talley.
Talley, from what we are told and learn about her, seems to be this mystical, magical, manic pixie dream girl. We know that she is clever, but everything else is kind of a blur. Juno, Sloane’s best friend, also came across as self-absorbed as she a) failed to realise her best friend was spiralling out of control and b) made Sloane feel bad about not particularly caring about boy drama. Even Adam’s point in the story seemed a little moot and instead felt like more of a filler character.
Touching on some very delicate issues, the book is quite obviously first and foremost an account of someone learning to live after someone’s suicide. It also covers others issues such as depression and cancer, and for the most part the representations of this were handled respectfully. They weren’t too heavy and made the subjects seem almost approachable. I appreciated how Sheinmel showed that those we perceive to have their lives together can be suffering in silence. There is a stereotype that those who turn to suicide have clear warning signs i the form of very real, manifested problems and issues. Suicide is silent and you don’t always see it coming until it does.
However, the plot was a little too contrived at points. I didn’t feel like there was a particular flow to the book and everything that happened felt almost too perfect to feel realistic or relatable. All the romance that was in the book was a little unnecessary. It was flat, it was dull and it just didn’t really wow me. Again, it was quite obviously manufactured and just did not work very well for the story. Luckily, the story moves on quite quickly and so it wasn’t too slow. While I finished the book quite quickly, I just found that this wasn’t for me.
October 25, 2019
What did you like about the book? Sloane’s sister, Talley, dies from suicide and leaves behind a note that inspires Sloane to travel from Minnesota to California to solve a mystery about her decesased sister. Talley was seemingly perfect -- brilliant, kind, and interesting. She was depressed, however, had never attended college and had recently moved back home with her high school-aged sister Sloane and their father. When Sloane finds Talley’s body, she also finds a list of words that don’t make sense at first along with a phone number on the back. The phone number leads her to good-looking, kind Adam who lives out in California, but says he doesn’t know Talley. Sloane feels sure she’s on to something so she books a plane ticket, lies to her father, and enlists her best friend Juno to help her. Drama and mystery ensue as Sloane uncovers secrets about Talley’s past and their family that help explain why Talley was depressed.
Readers who stick around for the implausible scavenger hunt that ensues will eventually be rewarded with a thoughtful take on the difficulty of healing from trauma. Sheinmel deals with Talley’s suicide sensitively; Sloane always refers to the act as a consequence of Talley’s mental health problems, not an action of her own choosing. Overall this is a compelling read.
To whom would you recommend this book? Students who enjoy reading emotional books with a bit of mystery may like this book.
Anything you didn’t like about it? I was invested in the book at the beginning, but the middle section dragged quite a bit. As the coincidences piled on, I lost interest for a while.
Readers who stick around for the implausible scavenger hunt that ensues will eventually be rewarded with a thoughtful take on the difficulty of healing from trauma. Sheinmel deals with Talley’s suicide sensitively; Sloane always refers to the act as a consequence of Talley’s mental health problems, not an action of her own choosing. Overall this is a compelling read.
To whom would you recommend this book? Students who enjoy reading emotional books with a bit of mystery may like this book.
Anything you didn’t like about it? I was invested in the book at the beginning, but the middle section dragged quite a bit. As the coincidences piled on, I lost interest for a while.
August 30, 2019
Reviewed for YA Books Central
A worthy read.
The Story:
Sloane is dealing with her sister's suicide when she finds a list her sister wrote. With no clue why she wrote it or what it means, Sloan knows she must find out. The secrets to her sister's suicide might be out in California, so she leaves her home and travels across the country in search of answers. Along the way, she finds not only secrets about her sister, but also about her mom - dead she since was little. With the help of a boy she's never met, she tracks down each item on the list.
What I liked:
The story says a lot of about grief, especially the grief belonging to those whose loved ones die by suicide. It has an amazing depth and Sloane is a great character you can't help but feel for. The writing is fantastic, with a style that sucks you and in won't let you go. When reading, it's easy to really feel all the emotions packed into these words.
What was just okay:
I wish there'd been more depth to the friendship she develops and also the relationship she begins with a family member she didn't know about. Characters other than Sloane were just kind of there in the book. I never felt like I truly knew the answers behind the list even in the end. I wanted more.
Final Verdict:
A heartfelt story of grief and a search for answers. It conquers some tough questions and starts good conversations. Books like this deserve to be read.
A worthy read.
The Story:
Sloane is dealing with her sister's suicide when she finds a list her sister wrote. With no clue why she wrote it or what it means, Sloan knows she must find out. The secrets to her sister's suicide might be out in California, so she leaves her home and travels across the country in search of answers. Along the way, she finds not only secrets about her sister, but also about her mom - dead she since was little. With the help of a boy she's never met, she tracks down each item on the list.
What I liked:
The story says a lot of about grief, especially the grief belonging to those whose loved ones die by suicide. It has an amazing depth and Sloane is a great character you can't help but feel for. The writing is fantastic, with a style that sucks you and in won't let you go. When reading, it's easy to really feel all the emotions packed into these words.
What was just okay:
I wish there'd been more depth to the friendship she develops and also the relationship she begins with a family member she didn't know about. Characters other than Sloane were just kind of there in the book. I never felt like I truly knew the answers behind the list even in the end. I wanted more.
Final Verdict:
A heartfelt story of grief and a search for answers. It conquers some tough questions and starts good conversations. Books like this deserve to be read.
July 15, 2019
Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, the writing was so brilliant I had to stop, reread a line, and take a deep breath. Sheinmel works through her narrator's grief in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are living it too. The anger, the crushing weight of sadness, the guilt, the desperation, it's all there. This is a book to hand to those readers who enjoy John Green, Jeff Zentner, and Jennifer Niven. Highly recommend for grades 9 and up due to some minor language, the age of the narrator, and the experiences.
Sloane's sister dies by suicide, and when she brings Talley's belongings home from the hospital, she finds a list in her jean's pocket. The list, simply titled TSL is a random collection of phrases and items, some that Sloane recognizes, but many she does not. On the back is a phone number for California, which is strange since they live in Minnesota. This list reminds Sloane of all the puzzles Talley used to make for her when they were kids and with this in mind, she sets off for California to try to figure out the answers to how and why Talley would do such a thing. And, along the way, she learns to survive what she thinks is going to destroy her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, the writing was so brilliant I had to stop, reread a line, and take a deep breath. Sheinmel works through her narrator's grief in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are living it too. The anger, the crushing weight of sadness, the guilt, the desperation, it's all there. This is a book to hand to those readers who enjoy John Green, Jeff Zentner, and Jennifer Niven. Highly recommend for grades 9 and up due to some minor language, the age of the narrator, and the experiences.
Sloane's sister dies by suicide, and when she brings Talley's belongings home from the hospital, she finds a list in her jean's pocket. The list, simply titled TSL is a random collection of phrases and items, some that Sloane recognizes, but many she does not. On the back is a phone number for California, which is strange since they live in Minnesota. This list reminds Sloane of all the puzzles Talley used to make for her when they were kids and with this in mind, she sets off for California to try to figure out the answers to how and why Talley would do such a thing. And, along the way, she learns to survive what she thinks is going to destroy her.
April 18, 2020
"But sometimes, even when you're looking right at someone for whom you are technically grateful, there is too much sadness to actually feel the gratitude."
Sure Talley, age 22, had recently experienced some ups and downs. A brilliant student in high school, she really never found her way after she decided to not attend college. Talley travelled around and had been back home for a month or so when she killed herself. Talley’s younger sister Sloane, 17, was naturally devastated and shocked--especially when a suicide note was not found. It was now only Sloane and her father as her mother died 15 years ago.
When Sloane finds a crumpled piece of notebook paper in Talley’s jeans after her death, she decides to try to figure out what it means. Talley always loved puzzles and would create ones for Sloane to solve. Sloane figured this list of strange items must be a clue to her sister’s suicide. So Sloan lies to her dad and heads to California to track down those items. Sloan’s journey is emotional, physical, and mental and she learns things about her sister and family that are not easy to understand. While this journey goes slow for the first half, the pace picks up dramatically at the end and gives a fairly satisfied, although predictable, ending.
Sure Talley, age 22, had recently experienced some ups and downs. A brilliant student in high school, she really never found her way after she decided to not attend college. Talley travelled around and had been back home for a month or so when she killed herself. Talley’s younger sister Sloane, 17, was naturally devastated and shocked--especially when a suicide note was not found. It was now only Sloane and her father as her mother died 15 years ago.
When Sloane finds a crumpled piece of notebook paper in Talley’s jeans after her death, she decides to try to figure out what it means. Talley always loved puzzles and would create ones for Sloane to solve. Sloane figured this list of strange items must be a clue to her sister’s suicide. So Sloan lies to her dad and heads to California to track down those items. Sloan’s journey is emotional, physical, and mental and she learns things about her sister and family that are not easy to understand. While this journey goes slow for the first half, the pace picks up dramatically at the end and gives a fairly satisfied, although predictable, ending.
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