Hold Still by Nina LaCour

dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.

Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.

I was pretty reluctant to pick this book up because it is about suicide. The content is so fragile that I'm always afraid to read books concerned with it because I'm afraid it will be too graphic or too emotional. I want to be able to get through the book, ya know? But I'm also afraid a novel like this won't be strong enough.

However, Hold Still was executed brilliantly. There was enough hope in the novel to keep me reading but still enough pain to break my heart. This was such a realistic depiction of someone going through an unexpected loss. I grieved with Caitlin and I went with her in her journey of figuring out how to live without someone you love. It was so fresh and new to see Caitlin find solace in her creativeness. She was creating new things out of the wreck around her. The writing was beautiful and the flow of the plot was smooth (as much as it can be concerning suicide).

I don't know if I could re-read this again anytime soon because it is so heart-breaking but I think there are some really strong healing powers in this novel. I recommend this novel to anyone who has ever lost someone or even something they cared about dearly. There aren't many novels out there like this that can make you feel as satisfied, stronger, heartbroken, and hopeful as this novel can all at the same time.

Rating: 5.0-definitely

Happy Reading!