Carly Robinson was a perfectly normal teenager until her little crush on Marcus Peters, the popular boy at school. Now, sophmore year, her relationship has been steadily going for three years and Carly is only now starting to really have feelings for him. She never thought that she would disrupt the social heiarchy by dating the star quarterback, catcher on the baseball team, and best shooter on the basketball team. Marcus, however, has been competely devoted to the Carcus ship. He's been giving his all, even though he knew Carls didn't feel the same way, but determined to make her.
Then Mr. Williams's science class changes everything.
The newfound, eflourescent relationship could be stomped on my the size 13 foot of Ryder Collins, the less-famous athlete at North High School. He's easily the second best on any team he plays on, football, baseball, soccer, and basketball. But he's not as hot as Marcus so he's dubbed low on the food chain.
This is not the typical love story, no. The ending is simple- Carly chooses Ryder. They date throughout high school and go to college together. They remain together and Ryder proposes on the fouth day of February in front of the ferris wheel. The story, Imaginary Reader, is not about the romance. It's all about Carly's truth, frankness, honesty, and candidness towards herself and other people after a tragic relapse with a long-cured strand of cancer in her brain.
Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option.
*****
Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her...
Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault.
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