In Leah's Wake: Terri Giuliano Long

The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore.

While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake.

Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough?

Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.



“Sometimes scary, sometimes sad, and always tender.”
-- Susan Straight, National Book Award finalist, author of Take One Candle Light A Room

“In Leah's Wake is a beautifully written and absorbing novel."
-- Margot Livesey, Award-winning author of Banishing Verona

“Thoughtful characterization and beautifully woven prose.”
-- Emlyn Chand, power blogger and freelance author

“This is a story that will stay with you for days and weeks.”
--Radical Parenting, the award-winning parenting blog written by teens

"In Leah’s Wake is an irresistible read.”
-- Holly Robinson, author of The Gerbil Farmer’s Daughter: A Memoir

Good Reads Summary


This book is painfully honest.  What happens when a perfect daughter decides to completely change her life?  What are the consequences for the rest of her family and siblings?  The reader will be introduced to the concept of extreme irony in this novel-the foremost being that the mother of the wayward daughter is a teacher who promotes the best possible futures for others' children.  The daughter meets a secondary character, Todd, and her life disintegrates from there.  The reader will wonder at the actions of the parents-there are not many attempts to curb their daughter's behavior or make her see the error of her ways.  The parents are portrayed as weak and feeble.  The younger daughter idolizes her elder sister.  She, too, begins a downward spiral after her sister up and decides to stop being the good girl.  There will be many times when the reader will wish he/she could grab the parents and shake them or tell them off; the reader will want to yell at the children and their ridiculous actions.  This novel is meant to be extremely frustrating; it should be noted that the author is very impressive to get such an extreme reaction from her readers.  This novel is recommended for young adults/adults who believe every book can teach him/her something. 

I received this book to review, this in no way affected my opinion. 

4 stars