The Sick

Seventeen-year-old River Auclair is disappearing as she stubbornly grips on to her anorexia and a childhood that still haunts her. When River is hospitalized again, she thinks that nothing will be different. That is, until she meets Lacy Blackwell, a young therapist who is seemingly perfect and ultimately dedicated to see River through her addiction. As River's journey through recovery forces her to experience unexpected connections and setbacks, she begins to wonder if real change is possible...or if she was truly in too deep. Told with raw honesty, this short novel explores the emotional tragedy of eating disorders and mental health, testing the fragile hope that seemingly appears even in the darkest moments of life. As we all have experienced some form of lost, whether it was a part of ourselves or loved ones, River can be seen as a deeply relatable character. But as hidden challenges surface, River must decide-will she fight to hold onto the last parts of her that are fading away?