You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

(Trigger/content warnings for addiction, drug use/alcohol, sexual content (very slight), violence, and abuse.)   You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow - The main character, Emory feels invisible and she always has. Between the spotlight of picture-perfect older sister Maddie and her brother Joey who has struggles of his own, which end up showing up after a party one night, where Joey's drug use finds him in the back of a car struggling with an overdose and his friend Luthor driving the car with Emory in the front seat and a young girl in the back with Joey. After a tragic car crash that leaves the young girl dead making both siblings become outcasts at school in their own different ways, Emory recovers from a leg injury caused by the crash and Joey spends time in rehab. It all becomes a part of their parents plan to maintain their social standing and somehow 'fix' their children. Though Emory has secrets of her own, and besides her time babysitting Joey during his recovery, she weaves through wanting someone to see her and fearing the consequences of her double life. This book is a slow burn but it’s a very good slow burn. Kathleen has a wonderful way of painting a scene with words and I think the slowness of telling Emmy’s story made it feel more real. I got to take in how truly powerful both Emory and Joey’s stories are. This is a fantastic coming-of-age story about a girl finding her voice to finally stick up for herself. Even though this is a heavy book, it has its funny and loving moments.