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No One Is Alone
From bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a gripping and heartfelt story about a girl faced with a shocking revelation when her mom dies and she's forced to move in with her father's “real” family.
Michaela is a junior in high school, close with her single mom. Her dad lives a few towns away and pops in and out of her life only on holidays and birthdays. They barely know each other beyond surface obligations.
That is, until her mom dies. Suddenly on her own, Michaela has to move in with her Dad . . . and learns he's been married with kids all this time, and she was the product of an affair. Before she can even grieve her mother, Michaela is thrust into a strange house with a stepmom and three half-siblings, including new sister Emery, who is in the same grade and less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing her room and school life. Will Michaela be able to let go of everything she's ever known-and find herself anew-with a family who didn't ask for her in the first place?
Michaela is a junior in high school, close with her single mom. Her dad lives a few towns away and pops in and out of her life only on holidays and birthdays. They barely know each other beyond surface obligations.
That is, until her mom dies. Suddenly on her own, Michaela has to move in with her Dad . . . and learns he's been married with kids all this time, and she was the product of an affair. Before she can even grieve her mother, Michaela is thrust into a strange house with a stepmom and three half-siblings, including new sister Emery, who is in the same grade and less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing her room and school life. Will Michaela be able to let go of everything she's ever known-and find herself anew-with a family who didn't ask for her in the first place?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2022
22 people are currently reading
1122 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vincent
66 books9,787 followers[Note: Though Rachel's blog entries are cross posted here, she does not frequent Goodreads. The best ways to contact her are FB, Twitter, or her Wordpress blog. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HER MESSAGES HERE. SHE DOES NOT CHECK THEM.]
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 27, 2023
Was supposed to be realistic fiction, but the book had more fantasy elements— for example, the theater department didn't have a single LGBTQ+ person.
(although, accuracy point for the kid wore wolf ears and vaped constantly).
(although, accuracy point for the kid wore wolf ears and vaped constantly).
May 6, 2022
The first half of this book was solid. The second half was like...almost as if they didn't have any editing for the second half, or something, because it shifted into almost unreadable for me. I finished it because I wanted to see how it ended and I wish I hadn't bothered.
July 18, 2022
I didn't read the blurb to this one before I started to read it, but if you have, you can only imagine the chaos that comes to Michaela's life very quickly. I thought she did a good job of rolling with things, yet taking stand when things were important to her, like having a car.
At the start things were all kinds of awkward for Michaela, a whole dang family she never knew about, a new way to look at her dad and her mother gone. I did like that Michaela saw the new family in ways that they didn't see themselves. That the longer she was with them she made them see where they could change. By the end of the book, this new family seems pretty solid, warts and all and honestly that is all a person can ask for.
At the start things were all kinds of awkward for Michaela, a whole dang family she never knew about, a new way to look at her dad and her mother gone. I did like that Michaela saw the new family in ways that they didn't see themselves. That the longer she was with them she made them see where they could change. By the end of the book, this new family seems pretty solid, warts and all and honestly that is all a person can ask for.
December 15, 2022
Once I realized that Rachel Vincent had a book coming out this year I was excited to get around to it. Now it still took me a few months, but here we are and I'm happy to say that the book delivered exactly what I wanted it to. It was just the perfect amount of mess that you'd expect whent he main character's mother had passed away and she's moving in with the family she never knew her father had. It was giving sibling drama, school mess, relationship ups and down that felt fully grounded. There were some aspects of the third act that felt a little all over the place, like maybe a few too many things were happening, but all of that was a result of the plot threads that had been sown earlier in the narrative and getting them to have a conclusion was nice. Over all it was exactly what I expecte to get based on the synopsis with just enough fun moments sprinkled in that allowed the narrative to breath and fully explore all of the seeds that had been sown.
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April 2, 2022I found this one in my mail box - thank you Phoebe from Bloomsbury -- and what a fun, drama-filled, page turner it was. Main character Michaela, 16, is confident, caring, resilient and still learning. Michaela's life is upended when her beloved mom is killed in an accident and Michaela has to go live with her Dad. She's always known her dad but hasn't spent much time with him. He lives an hour away and surprise, surprise, it turns out he's married with three teenage kids. Unknown to her until now, Michaela is the product of an affair 16 years ago - which her Dad's wife knew about and ultimately forgave. While grieving the loss of her mom, Michaela has to leave her old life behind and adjust to a new family, school, friends and activities. Her half-siblings have teen drama of their own, her step-mom is living through the loss of her own mother (Grammie), her new friends deal with drama both literal and metaphorical (they are all working on the school musical, Into the Woods) and all are figuring out where Michaela, the 'love child', belongs in the world. Great YA read!
August 21, 2022
4.5 STARS
When Michaela’s mother dies in an accident, she discovers her part time dad has a full time family, complete with half-siblings who know nothing about her.
Rachel Vincent delivers a heartfelt novel of redefining family in NO ONE IS ALONE.
Michaela makes her share of mistakes with her same age half sister, Emery, who’s understandably resentful to share a room, drama club and an ex. I didn’t know how realistic Michaela dating two weeks after her mom’s death, a new family and new school. I’d be too messed up to think about dating and I certainly wouldn’t want to complicate my life further by dating my new-found sister’s recent ex even if I had a “right”. I liked that Michaela was imperfect and not always sympathetic, though.
NO ONE IS ALONE is a great story that explores a complicated family.
When Michaela’s mother dies in an accident, she discovers her part time dad has a full time family, complete with half-siblings who know nothing about her.
Rachel Vincent delivers a heartfelt novel of redefining family in NO ONE IS ALONE.
Michaela makes her share of mistakes with her same age half sister, Emery, who’s understandably resentful to share a room, drama club and an ex. I didn’t know how realistic Michaela dating two weeks after her mom’s death, a new family and new school. I’d be too messed up to think about dating and I certainly wouldn’t want to complicate my life further by dating my new-found sister’s recent ex even if I had a “right”. I liked that Michaela was imperfect and not always sympathetic, though.
NO ONE IS ALONE is a great story that explores a complicated family.
December 3, 2023
Wow!!!
I really, really enjoyed this book. I liked how this book had a lot of build up of events but as the events went on they became more and more unexpected. After each turn of events I had to stop and just try to comprehend what had happened. I have a hard time visualizing book scenes in my head but this book I was definitely able to visualize. I highly enjoyed it. It's definitely a book that will stick with you for a while. I definitely had to be in the right mindset. It's heart wrenching but in all the best ways possible.
The book started out as a normal day then Michaela's mom ends up in the hospital after a car accident and passes away. Michaela then goes to move in with her dad which she doesn't really know. Michaela finally goes to school after her mothers funeral and tries out for the theater play Into The Woods. She went to try out and dedicate a song to her mom but she ended up getting one of the main parts, Cinderella. Emery and Michaela have a lot of conflict as that was supposed to be Emery's role. Throughout that time Michaela grows close to the grandmother living in the house while in hospice. They grow a close bond. But it gets more and more difficult for the family to watch the grandmother deteriorate from cancer and dementia.
"Chin up, Michaela! Life's not fair, but time heals all wounds."
I really, really enjoyed this book. I liked how this book had a lot of build up of events but as the events went on they became more and more unexpected. After each turn of events I had to stop and just try to comprehend what had happened. I have a hard time visualizing book scenes in my head but this book I was definitely able to visualize. I highly enjoyed it. It's definitely a book that will stick with you for a while. I definitely had to be in the right mindset. It's heart wrenching but in all the best ways possible.
The book started out as a normal day then Michaela's mom ends up in the hospital after a car accident and passes away. Michaela then goes to move in with her dad which she doesn't really know. Michaela finally goes to school after her mothers funeral and tries out for the theater play Into The Woods. She went to try out and dedicate a song to her mom but she ended up getting one of the main parts, Cinderella. Emery and Michaela have a lot of conflict as that was supposed to be Emery's role. Throughout that time Michaela grows close to the grandmother living in the house while in hospice. They grow a close bond. But it gets more and more difficult for the family to watch the grandmother deteriorate from cancer and dementia.
"Chin up, Michaela! Life's not fair, but time heals all wounds."
July 3, 2022
The plot of this book starts pretty much right away. Michaela is at school when she’s taken out of class by an assistant principal she does not know, who tells her that her mother has been in a car accident. The principal takes Michaela to the hospital, where her mother normally works as a nurse in the neonatal unit, where her father meets them. Her mother doesn’t make it. And normally, this would just be a pretty average start to a sad novel about grief. However, while driving Michaela back to her house, her dad tells her that while of course she’s going to come live with him now, he has a family he’s never told her about. And three kids. Including a daughter just two months older than Michaela. That’s right–her mother was the other woman and Michaela is now moving in with her father’s original family who he was cheating on when she was conceived. Yikes. So things are a heck of a lot more complicated than a book with just the first part of this set-up would seem!
Michaela has to move. Transfer schools. Share a room with a rather resentful sister. Deal with a trying-but-abrasive step-mother who is actually shockingly much less abrasive to the daughter of her husband’s paramour than most people would manage. The book doesn’t skip over the technical parts too, which I really appreciate. Michaela has to go through all her mother’s and her things and mark what should be put in storage and what should be donated, while her father cancels her mother’s Netflix accounts and cell phone service and has her car transferred to his insurance. Most books just skip all of that, but the stress of all those practical details does contribute to the stress of dealing with the emotional side of everything.
Her first day at the new high school, Michael sees a poster for auditions for the musical Into the Woods, which was her mother’s favorite. A really beautiful boy pushes her to audition. Of course, it turns out he’s Michaela’s new half-sister’s ex. And the part Michaela gets, her half-sister had also auditioned for. And the book continues down this twisty path. It’s very plot-driven although most of the plot is simply what would happen next, given this particular situation. Nothing felt out of left field or manipulative. It was very propulsive, hard to put down, and while it didn’t make me cry, it did have some moments of poignancy. A great YA novel about a tricky situation without easy answers.
Michaela has to move. Transfer schools. Share a room with a rather resentful sister. Deal with a trying-but-abrasive step-mother who is actually shockingly much less abrasive to the daughter of her husband’s paramour than most people would manage. The book doesn’t skip over the technical parts too, which I really appreciate. Michaela has to go through all her mother’s and her things and mark what should be put in storage and what should be donated, while her father cancels her mother’s Netflix accounts and cell phone service and has her car transferred to his insurance. Most books just skip all of that, but the stress of all those practical details does contribute to the stress of dealing with the emotional side of everything.
Her first day at the new high school, Michael sees a poster for auditions for the musical Into the Woods, which was her mother’s favorite. A really beautiful boy pushes her to audition. Of course, it turns out he’s Michaela’s new half-sister’s ex. And the part Michaela gets, her half-sister had also auditioned for. And the book continues down this twisty path. It’s very plot-driven although most of the plot is simply what would happen next, given this particular situation. Nothing felt out of left field or manipulative. It was very propulsive, hard to put down, and while it didn’t make me cry, it did have some moments of poignancy. A great YA novel about a tricky situation without easy answers.
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July 23, 2022DNF
I hate the way the author handled death in the first few chapters and couldn’t continue because I was so mad.
I hate the way the author handled death in the first few chapters and couldn’t continue because I was so mad.
December 26, 2023
Rachel Vincent’s Every Single Lie lives in my head rent free. It is my Roman Empire. That being said, I had high hopes for this book. And while I still enjoyed it, it’s no Every Single Lie.
The characters were great. I loved the family so much, flaws and all. I think my issue was more so with the pacing. The first third was great and then it just slowed down. I didn’t care much about the school play but I didn’t mind reading about it. I was bothered by the romance since that was underdeveloped and dull. And Ben’s an ass. An absolute trash can. I would’ve written more about Michaela’s mom and her grief since that part felt very rushed. I wish we focused more on Michaela’s new family cause I was more invested in them, especially Grammy and Gabe. No spoilers, but having those two’s biggest plot points be crammed for the last five chapters could have — and should’ve, in my opinion — been spaced out more.
Lastly: Emery is such a brat. I said what I said. She may have been redeemed by the end but girlie could’ve been nicer. (Not like Michaela was any better cause she did start to annoy me later on in the book).
The characters were great. I loved the family so much, flaws and all. I think my issue was more so with the pacing. The first third was great and then it just slowed down. I didn’t care much about the school play but I didn’t mind reading about it. I was bothered by the romance since that was underdeveloped and dull.
Lastly: Emery is such a brat. I said what I said. She may have been redeemed by the end but girlie could’ve been nicer. (Not like Michaela was any better cause she did start to annoy me later on in the book).
August 3, 2022
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Contemporary
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Rachel Vincent's No One Is Alone shines the spotlight on 16-year old Michaela Rutherford. Michaela was cruising along, enjoying her life with her single mother (a neonatal nurse), a father that is a pop-up parent who mostly shows up around holidays and birthdays. She's lucky enough that her alleged father was good enough to pay child support so that Michaela and her mother can worry about other things instead of how they are going to pay the bills.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Contemporary
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Rachel Vincent's No One Is Alone shines the spotlight on 16-year old Michaela Rutherford. Michaela was cruising along, enjoying her life with her single mother (a neonatal nurse), a father that is a pop-up parent who mostly shows up around holidays and birthdays. She's lucky enough that her alleged father was good enough to pay child support so that Michaela and her mother can worry about other things instead of how they are going to pay the bills.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 16, 2023
Overall, A pretty great book.
It really managed to encapsulate the conflicting feelings of different perspectives in a difficult situation, and I really enjoyed reading the book.
However, I did feel that the second half was slightly rushed and way too much happened in the last 6 or so chapters. Also the constant time jumps between chapters also confused me at times.
/3.5 stars
It really managed to encapsulate the conflicting feelings of different perspectives in a difficult situation, and I really enjoyed reading the book.
However, I did feel that the second half was slightly rushed and way too much happened in the last 6 or so chapters. Also the constant time jumps between chapters also confused me at times.
/3.5 stars
May 31, 2022
thank you bloomsbury for an arc of this book in exchange for my review.
wow. i absolutely loved this book. i didn’t really know what to expect, but this exceeded any expectations that i had for sure. there was SO much character development and it had me hooked.
this book dealt with so much and it was handled beautifully. and the ending was so filled with action and conclusions that it was super engaging.
definitely recommend!
tw: car accident, death, od
wow. i absolutely loved this book. i didn’t really know what to expect, but this exceeded any expectations that i had for sure. there was SO much character development and it had me hooked.
this book dealt with so much and it was handled beautifully. and the ending was so filled with action and conclusions that it was super engaging.
definitely recommend!
tw: car accident, death, od
September 18, 2022
Det var lite som att läsa en jättelång AITA, men jag klagar inte.
March 25, 2023
I really enjoyed this book was not my usual read but was a heartwarming book
April 22, 2023
This was a really easy read, but I enjoyed how the author captured the teenagers’ emotions because there was definitely a lot going on…
It was kinda slow in the middle but had the best ending possible.
Elyse if you read this review- know that I thought of you during all the school musical scenes 😘
It was kinda slow in the middle but had the best ending possible.
Elyse if you read this review- know that I thought of you during all the school musical scenes 😘
December 15, 2023
really good! Read in 1 day! but the main character started to irritate me.
August 28, 2022
This book started off strong, and then just fell off. There are so many things I have issues with, including the handling of Michaela's mom's death and Michaela's subsequent grief. When Michaela learns of her mother's death, she is shocked, understandably, but Rachel Vincent fails to illustrate grief. Michaela and her mom were pretty much alone, and they had a close bond. So it seems a bit fake when she makes light hearted jokes about her mother's death and funeral. It also seems fake that the only time her grief was mentioned was at the very end of the book when she dedicated her performance to her mother and said "God, I miss my mother so much" a total of two times. She also was extremely pretentious and stuck-up. Emery was genuinely trying to look out for Michaela, and she didn't give her the time of day. The second half of the book felt rushed and extremely drawn out at the same time. The death of Grammie was better done than Michaela's mom (in terms of reactions and grief), however it still seemed rushed and not properly researched or thought out. And what the hell was up with Ben cheating? That whole thing was poorly executed. He didn't explain his side of the story, he didn't apologize, and it was barely even touched on. The whole book set up the cheating scene with hints dropped by Emery, and then the actual cheating took about 2 pages. And Gabe's drug use seemed like an afterthought. There should have been more attention put on the reasons why he did it, other than the breakup and him "not being himself". The whole book was just poorly done and didn't live up to its' potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2022
At first I had high hopes for this. Michaela felt like a strong competent character in all the horrible things she had to deal with in the beginning of the book. But as the book progresses and we get to meet the rest of the characters, it definitely starts to fall flat.
I actually love her relationship with the youngest brother, as well as her other siblings and how they get to know each other. But I was so confused by the love interest? I mean this might be the least romantic YA I’ve read in a long time, who picks up a new girl two weeks after a recent breakup and continues to see said girl even as he discovers his ex’s relation to Michaela? And she too didn’t find the situation wrong? This whole book could’ve been great, but it fell short in so many ways.
I actually love her relationship with the youngest brother, as well as her other siblings and how they get to know each other. But I was so confused by the love interest? I mean this might be the least romantic YA I’ve read in a long time, who picks up a new girl two weeks after a recent breakup and continues to see said girl even as he discovers his ex’s relation to Michaela? And she too didn’t find the situation wrong? This whole book could’ve been great, but it fell short in so many ways.
August 15, 2022
This book will repeatedly punch you in the heart. It's a powerful story about grief, family, and high school theater.
September 12, 2022
Tragedy Reveals A New Family and Drama on, and Off The Stage
“People who only look at themselves can’t see anyone else’s problems.”
This is a story of a young girl, Michaela, suffering the sudden loss of a parent…
Her mother.
Now she has to move in with the father, Doctor, Oscar Bosch, whom she hardly knows.
Her “drop in “ parent.
The one that’s there for special occasions and the odd weekend.
However, Michaela ISN’T prepared for the shocking revelation that he already has a family.
Oldest Gabe, (Gabriel) the budding rock star.
Youngest Cody, the quiet, smart avid gamer.
And
Emery. Her older, by four months, theatre loving sister. ..( Yeah FOUR MONTHS! )
As with all new relationships, some go better than others as Michaela struggles to “blend” with her instant family.
Gabe and Cody warm up to her almost instantly, has she makes an effort to get to know their interests in music, and zombies.
But Emery is another story.
She resents Michaela presence in her home.
It doesn’t help that the resemblance between the two in extraordinary.
But things escalated when Michaela, as a tribute to her mothers love of musical theatre, auditions for “ In To The Woods “
AND!
Wins the main role of Cinderella, to ….( gulp ) Emery, left to play an ugly stepsister, and be understudy.
Just when you think things couldn’t get anymore explosive, Michaela becomes infatuated with Ben…
Ben McGarth.
School “It “ boy.
Future Broadway star in the making.
The two start dating, then Michaela finds out he is Emery’s ex…
As of two months previous.
This story revolves around the family dynamic.
Michaela and her new Step Mom Cynthia, tippy toeing around each other while also dealing with a dying parent, Grammie.
Her father trying to apologise for his past behaviour, and his promise to marry HER mother.
Dealing with her mother being the other women in Oscar and Cynthia’s marriage.
Then, her new siblings.
Everything is about discovery,
Learning about each other, trying to put aside a past that is reverberating through the Bosch family today.
And the backdrop focuses around the school production of “In To The Woods”
A play that has a narrative not to dissimilar to the storyline of Michaela life.
This is a sweet read about wanting to belong.
After the tragedy that happens, Michaela desperately wants to fit in with the Bosch kids and be part of the family.
While this is expected, following the circumstances she has been through, I wonder if it was necessary for her to be portrayed as, a kind of saviour for the Bosch’s.
Going from family member, to family member righting wrongs, and dispensing her own words of wisdom.
Asked for, sometimes…but..mostly.. not.
In fact, she appears to be like the glue that was needing, as she goes about uniting the family….after just two weeks.
Even managing (almost) to win over the prickly Emery.
So, as things draw to a close, and if you have been paying attention, the revelations and outcomes won’t come as a surprise, the story throws up one death, one uncovered cheater, and several bubbling romances.
And.
The Bosch family finally together as one…
Awww
Like I said cute read but, I expect a little more angst and anger from Michaela
and not for her to be so pragmatic and excepting of so many things.
She turned out be a little too soft for my liking.
So, much so, that I couldn’t wait for the big reveal at the end.
Three Stars
“People who only look at themselves can’t see anyone else’s problems.”
This is a story of a young girl, Michaela, suffering the sudden loss of a parent…
Her mother.
Now she has to move in with the father, Doctor, Oscar Bosch, whom she hardly knows.
Her “drop in “ parent.
The one that’s there for special occasions and the odd weekend.
However, Michaela ISN’T prepared for the shocking revelation that he already has a family.
Oldest Gabe, (Gabriel) the budding rock star.
Youngest Cody, the quiet, smart avid gamer.
And
Emery. Her older, by four months, theatre loving sister. ..( Yeah FOUR MONTHS! )
As with all new relationships, some go better than others as Michaela struggles to “blend” with her instant family.
Gabe and Cody warm up to her almost instantly, has she makes an effort to get to know their interests in music, and zombies.
But Emery is another story.
She resents Michaela presence in her home.
It doesn’t help that the resemblance between the two in extraordinary.
But things escalated when Michaela, as a tribute to her mothers love of musical theatre, auditions for “ In To The Woods “
AND!
Wins the main role of Cinderella, to ….( gulp ) Emery, left to play an ugly stepsister, and be understudy.
Just when you think things couldn’t get anymore explosive, Michaela becomes infatuated with Ben…
Ben McGarth.
School “It “ boy.
Future Broadway star in the making.
The two start dating, then Michaela finds out he is Emery’s ex…
As of two months previous.
This story revolves around the family dynamic.
Michaela and her new Step Mom Cynthia, tippy toeing around each other while also dealing with a dying parent, Grammie.
Her father trying to apologise for his past behaviour, and his promise to marry HER mother.
Dealing with her mother being the other women in Oscar and Cynthia’s marriage.
Then, her new siblings.
Everything is about discovery,
Learning about each other, trying to put aside a past that is reverberating through the Bosch family today.
And the backdrop focuses around the school production of “In To The Woods”
A play that has a narrative not to dissimilar to the storyline of Michaela life.
This is a sweet read about wanting to belong.
After the tragedy that happens, Michaela desperately wants to fit in with the Bosch kids and be part of the family.
While this is expected, following the circumstances she has been through, I wonder if it was necessary for her to be portrayed as, a kind of saviour for the Bosch’s.
Going from family member, to family member righting wrongs, and dispensing her own words of wisdom.
Asked for, sometimes…but..mostly.. not.
In fact, she appears to be like the glue that was needing, as she goes about uniting the family….after just two weeks.
Even managing (almost) to win over the prickly Emery.
So, as things draw to a close, and if you have been paying attention, the revelations and outcomes won’t come as a surprise, the story throws up one death, one uncovered cheater, and several bubbling romances.
And.
The Bosch family finally together as one…
Awww
Like I said cute read but, I expect a little more angst and anger from Michaela
and not for her to be so pragmatic and excepting of so many things.
She turned out be a little too soft for my liking.
So, much so, that I couldn’t wait for the big reveal at the end.
Three Stars
July 11, 2022
This is a story about the many dimensions of family. Michaela is just a regular high school junior, living with her single mom who, in many ways, is the center of her world. She sees her dad, who lives a few towns away, on holidays, but does not have much of a relationship with him. Then, her mother dies suddenly, and Michaela realizes she will have to move in with her dad.
But she soon learns she will not just be moving in with her dad -- her dad has been married with kids this whole time and Michaela was the product of an affair. So while she is mourning the loss of her mom, Michaela is thrust into a home with a stepmom, who seems uncertain about the newest member of their household, a half-sister, Emery, who is exactly her age and not at all excited at being forced to share her room, and two half-brothers.
Dealing with a new family and a whole new school, with her old friends an hour away, Michaela isn't sure whether she is going to make her new life work. But on her first day, she meets a charming boy who convinces her to try out for the school musical (Into The Woods) and sees the possibility of a new, supportive group of friends. When she learns that the boy is her half-sister's ex and that she also has her heart set on staring in the musical, Michaela sees nothing will be easy -- and, as she tries to make space for herself in a new school, a new group of friends, and a new family, she must face what it takes to rebuild a new life when the foundation of your previous one is gone forever.
This book was great. The author deftly portrays Michaela's journey as she, at a young age, must navigate the multiple shocks of losing her mother, learning that almost everything she knew about her father was a lie, and uprotting her life to move into with an instant family that, despite what they say, seem uncertain at best about its new addition. Although Michaela is at the center of the story, the author also does a terrific job of showing how her showing the impacts on the other members of the family, rendering them full realized characters in their own rights. Finally, the book offers a sensitive exploration of the range of types of loss -- sudden and over time -- and the ways they are similar and different in how they impact those left behind.
Highly recommended!
But she soon learns she will not just be moving in with her dad -- her dad has been married with kids this whole time and Michaela was the product of an affair. So while she is mourning the loss of her mom, Michaela is thrust into a home with a stepmom, who seems uncertain about the newest member of their household, a half-sister, Emery, who is exactly her age and not at all excited at being forced to share her room, and two half-brothers.
Dealing with a new family and a whole new school, with her old friends an hour away, Michaela isn't sure whether she is going to make her new life work. But on her first day, she meets a charming boy who convinces her to try out for the school musical (Into The Woods) and sees the possibility of a new, supportive group of friends. When she learns that the boy is her half-sister's ex and that she also has her heart set on staring in the musical, Michaela sees nothing will be easy -- and, as she tries to make space for herself in a new school, a new group of friends, and a new family, she must face what it takes to rebuild a new life when the foundation of your previous one is gone forever.
This book was great. The author deftly portrays Michaela's journey as she, at a young age, must navigate the multiple shocks of losing her mother, learning that almost everything she knew about her father was a lie, and uprotting her life to move into with an instant family that, despite what they say, seem uncertain at best about its new addition. Although Michaela is at the center of the story, the author also does a terrific job of showing how her showing the impacts on the other members of the family, rendering them full realized characters in their own rights. Finally, the book offers a sensitive exploration of the range of types of loss -- sudden and over time -- and the ways they are similar and different in how they impact those left behind.
Highly recommended!
August 31, 2024
I stumbled upon this author's other contemporary YA book, Every Single Lie, at the end of 2022, and totally fell in love with it. I was hoping to love this book as well, but there were a few things that kept me from giving it a full five stars.
The concept of this book is super interesting, and that's basically what propels us through the story. It was a tough situation that didn't put people into generic camps of "right" and "wrong," but rather highlighted that life is messy and that there isn't necessarily a right answer everything. Our protagonist, Michaela, definitely makes some wrong choices, but in a way that fits the story and isn't overly annoying. Her grief for her mother was present throughout but not smothering—obviously she has moments of depression, but that wasn't the overall point of the story.
The main thing that bugged me about this book and prevented me from rating it higher was the pacing of events towards the end. It's pretty obvious where the Ben storyline was headed, and I think it would have been more effective if that was resolved earlier and we got more time after it.
But even with those grievances, I still really enjoyed this book. Vincent is a very solid writer and uses her prose very effectively. (E.g. Cody's character—it would have been very easy for him to be one-dimensional, but Vincent made sure that he was fully realized and believable.) I'll definitely check out more of her YA releases in the future.
The concept of this book is super interesting, and that's basically what propels us through the story. It was a tough situation that didn't put people into generic camps of "right" and "wrong," but rather highlighted that life is messy and that there isn't necessarily a right answer everything. Our protagonist, Michaela, definitely makes some wrong choices, but in a way that fits the story and isn't overly annoying. Her grief for her mother was present throughout but not smothering—obviously she has moments of depression, but that wasn't the overall point of the story.
The main thing that bugged me about this book and prevented me from rating it higher was the pacing of events towards the end. It's pretty obvious where the Ben storyline was headed, and I think it would have been more effective if that was resolved earlier and we got more time after it.
But even with those grievances, I still really enjoyed this book. Vincent is a very solid writer and uses her prose very effectively. (E.g. Cody's character—it would have been very easy for him to be one-dimensional, but Vincent made sure that he was fully realized and believable.) I'll definitely check out more of her YA releases in the future.
July 13, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary earc to review! All opinions are my own.
A read this author last year and it was a YA Fantasy. It was good but not a favorite and was curious how her contemporary would be. It definitely was a lot better and had me wanting to continue reading into the night. It was hard to put down.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Michaela. She is going through a lot right from the beginning when her mom suddenly dies from an accident. To make matters worse, she didn’t know her dad had another family with other kids. Talk about turning your world upside down! Because of all this, Michaela has a lot to navigate through and it isn’t always easy.
I may not have gone through anything Michaela has besides grief. It’s one of the worst things to go through. Even though that was the only thing we had in common I didn’t have a hard time connecting with her. You could feel her pain through the pages and you just want to give her a big hug.
The other characters are pretty memorable as well, especially the grandma. I had to deal with mine having dementia and it’s hard to watch them forget who you are. I understand why Emery distanced herself from it all. The siblings don’t always get along together but it’s easy to understand why they would have an issue with the circumstance of finding out you have another sibling. Sometimes I would get just as upset as Michaela at her stepmother but then I found myself seeing her point-of-view and it’s just a crappy situation for everyone involved. Each person really tried their best.
There is a lot of drama from family dynamics to school. Not everyone at her school has her best interest at heart and it’s easy to lose ourselves when grief is involved. The book does a good job of showing how each person deals with it differently as well as the stress of life.
Romance does have a very small part and although it has its hurdles for Michaela, she at least gets a happier ending.
Overall, this was a heartbreaking read but one that I really liked.
A read this author last year and it was a YA Fantasy. It was good but not a favorite and was curious how her contemporary would be. It definitely was a lot better and had me wanting to continue reading into the night. It was hard to put down.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Michaela. She is going through a lot right from the beginning when her mom suddenly dies from an accident. To make matters worse, she didn’t know her dad had another family with other kids. Talk about turning your world upside down! Because of all this, Michaela has a lot to navigate through and it isn’t always easy.
I may not have gone through anything Michaela has besides grief. It’s one of the worst things to go through. Even though that was the only thing we had in common I didn’t have a hard time connecting with her. You could feel her pain through the pages and you just want to give her a big hug.
The other characters are pretty memorable as well, especially the grandma. I had to deal with mine having dementia and it’s hard to watch them forget who you are. I understand why Emery distanced herself from it all. The siblings don’t always get along together but it’s easy to understand why they would have an issue with the circumstance of finding out you have another sibling. Sometimes I would get just as upset as Michaela at her stepmother but then I found myself seeing her point-of-view and it’s just a crappy situation for everyone involved. Each person really tried their best.
There is a lot of drama from family dynamics to school. Not everyone at her school has her best interest at heart and it’s easy to lose ourselves when grief is involved. The book does a good job of showing how each person deals with it differently as well as the stress of life.
Romance does have a very small part and although it has its hurdles for Michaela, she at least gets a happier ending.
Overall, this was a heartbreaking read but one that I really liked.
July 18, 2022
”You’ll never know where you belong until you get there.”
Content Warnings: death of a parent, parental affairs, stepfamilies, drug overdose, sick family members, strained family relationships, dementia, cancer.
This was a great book that discusses heavy topics, but in a way that’s accessible. Michaela, our main character, just lost her mom to an accident. She has to move in with her dad, who only comes to visit a few times a year, which Michaela thinks is totally normal. But come to find out Michaela’s dad has a whole other family, and she is the product of an affair. Obviously she is shocked, she feels like she’s been lied to her entire life (which she has).
Now Michaela has moved in with her dad, his wife and three “real kids,”…one of whom is only a few months older than Michaela. She doesn’t fit in right away, her sister Emery (the one who is only a few months older than our main character) doesn’t want to share a room, or her family. Michaela’s dad also doesn’t seem to know how to handle the situation, he keeps saying that Emery will “calm down,” and doesn’t seem to want to understand how hard this is for his family. Especially his wife, who brought Michaela into her home without any outward complaint. Her dad, although he feels some remorse for having an affair and everything, still wants everything to work out and seems to have little growth.
To top it all off, Michaela’s stepmother’s (Cynthia) has brought her own mom into their house in order to receive hospice care. Michaela becomes close to Grammie in her final weeks, wanting to feel a connection with someone in her new “family.” While it seems like everyone around her wants everything to work out without really trying, Michaela has to learn some hard truths. Not only about herself, but realizing that she’s not the one suffering from her father’s actions.
Content Warnings: death of a parent, parental affairs, stepfamilies, drug overdose, sick family members, strained family relationships, dementia, cancer.
This was a great book that discusses heavy topics, but in a way that’s accessible. Michaela, our main character, just lost her mom to an accident. She has to move in with her dad, who only comes to visit a few times a year, which Michaela thinks is totally normal. But come to find out Michaela’s dad has a whole other family, and she is the product of an affair. Obviously she is shocked, she feels like she’s been lied to her entire life (which she has).
Now Michaela has moved in with her dad, his wife and three “real kids,”…one of whom is only a few months older than Michaela. She doesn’t fit in right away, her sister Emery (the one who is only a few months older than our main character) doesn’t want to share a room, or her family. Michaela’s dad also doesn’t seem to know how to handle the situation, he keeps saying that Emery will “calm down,” and doesn’t seem to want to understand how hard this is for his family. Especially his wife, who brought Michaela into her home without any outward complaint. Her dad, although he feels some remorse for having an affair and everything, still wants everything to work out and seems to have little growth.
To top it all off, Michaela’s stepmother’s (Cynthia) has brought her own mom into their house in order to receive hospice care. Michaela becomes close to Grammie in her final weeks, wanting to feel a connection with someone in her new “family.” While it seems like everyone around her wants everything to work out without really trying, Michaela has to learn some hard truths. Not only about herself, but realizing that she’s not the one suffering from her father’s actions.
November 17, 2022
There is a reason anything Vincent writes is an automatic insta-buy for me, no matter what the story is about or the genre.
This story, about found family, has so many emotional and impactful moments. It deals with a lot of heavy issues right from the start, straight until the end. In a way, this book taught me about grieve and love. While I haven't lost anyone in my life at this moment, I know the day will come and I'm never going to be prepared. (But really, are any of us?) Reading this book feels like a bit of self-care for future me when the unfortunate day my love ones will pass.
I'm always impressed with Vincent's way with words; how she manages to make each character in her novels unique and fun to read. Even if there are depressing moments, Vincent's characters are believable in their actions and fit the age of the character.
I loved reading Michaela's story. She's been through so much but she still learns to grow as a character. I can't imagine losing my mom and then having to live with my estranged dad, only to find out I'm the product of a love affair. But all in all, she still handled it well. And I love how she not only teaches her new family how to love and bond with each other, but they teach her things as well. This is my first found family trope story that I've read (in recent memory anyway) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In fact, I just enjoyed reading every storyline in this novel. Everything was grounded and real. I loved how all the characters learned to bond and love each other and grew stronger because of it. I loved just watching how Michaela processes the death of her mom, to dealing with a new family/friends/school, to just going on about her life and trying new things.
If you are a fan of Vincent's work and found family stories, this book doesn't disappoint. As with any Rachel Vincent book, I highly recommend.
This story, about found family, has so many emotional and impactful moments. It deals with a lot of heavy issues right from the start, straight until the end. In a way, this book taught me about grieve and love. While I haven't lost anyone in my life at this moment, I know the day will come and I'm never going to be prepared. (But really, are any of us?) Reading this book feels like a bit of self-care for future me when the unfortunate day my love ones will pass.
I'm always impressed with Vincent's way with words; how she manages to make each character in her novels unique and fun to read. Even if there are depressing moments, Vincent's characters are believable in their actions and fit the age of the character.
I loved reading Michaela's story. She's been through so much but she still learns to grow as a character. I can't imagine losing my mom and then having to live with my estranged dad, only to find out I'm the product of a love affair. But all in all, she still handled it well. And I love how she not only teaches her new family how to love and bond with each other, but they teach her things as well. This is my first found family trope story that I've read (in recent memory anyway) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In fact, I just enjoyed reading every storyline in this novel. Everything was grounded and real. I loved how all the characters learned to bond and love each other and grew stronger because of it. I loved just watching how Michaela processes the death of her mom, to dealing with a new family/friends/school, to just going on about her life and trying new things.
If you are a fan of Vincent's work and found family stories, this book doesn't disappoint. As with any Rachel Vincent book, I highly recommend.
March 27, 2024
This has all the stuff for young teen girls to sink their teeth into. Spoiler(ish) ahead so be warned.
Tragedy! Dead Mom.
Drama! Dad has secret family you never knew of and now you have to live with them.
Mean Girls! New sister is a total bitch.
Love! Hottest and most talented boy in school likes YOU. Swoon.
So far so good and it kept me interested. However, I was totally not prepared for the main character, Michaela, to loose her virginity in the book and as a woman WAY past her teenage years, I was struck by the casualness in which it was described. It was as if Vincent was describing Michaela getting her drivers license or that she had a ham and cheese for lunch. It wasn't graphic, it wasn't romanticized, it wasn't traumatic--she just "did it" and was sore.
Poetry it is not.
I read all the big ones when I was in high school back in the 80s (Flowers in the Attic, Forever, etc.) and while there was little if no moralizing in these novels, the author did convey that sex and loosing your virginity was kind of a big freaking deal and might affect you in ways you didn't foresee and would certainly make a difference when you and this dude are no longer a couple. This is not an issue at all in No One is Alone.
I'm leading a teen book discussion on this later this morning and will be interested if anyone was struck by it or if at 14, because you don't know any better, you just don't know any better. They certainly aren't going to learn it from this tale.
Tragedy! Dead Mom.
Drama! Dad has secret family you never knew of and now you have to live with them.
Mean Girls! New sister is a total bitch.
Love! Hottest and most talented boy in school likes YOU. Swoon.
So far so good and it kept me interested. However, I was totally not prepared for the main character, Michaela, to loose her virginity in the book and as a woman WAY past her teenage years, I was struck by the casualness in which it was described. It was as if Vincent was describing Michaela getting her drivers license or that she had a ham and cheese for lunch. It wasn't graphic, it wasn't romanticized, it wasn't traumatic--she just "did it" and was sore.
Poetry it is not.
I read all the big ones when I was in high school back in the 80s (Flowers in the Attic, Forever, etc.) and while there was little if no moralizing in these novels, the author did convey that sex and loosing your virginity was kind of a big freaking deal and might affect you in ways you didn't foresee and would certainly make a difference when you and this dude are no longer a couple. This is not an issue at all in No One is Alone.
I'm leading a teen book discussion on this later this morning and will be interested if anyone was struck by it or if at 14, because you don't know any better, you just don't know any better. They certainly aren't going to learn it from this tale.
June 24, 2022
Michaela has a good life. She has a best friend she can tell anything and a single mother who she has a good relationship with. She doesn’t see her dad very often, though. He lives a few towns away and only comes around near holidays and on her birthday. That all changes when her mother is hit by a car and dies. She learns she must move in with her dad … and his other family. Turns out he wasn’t a confirmed bachelor who didn’t want a family. He already had a family and her mom was the other woman. His wife knew about Michaela, but her two brothers and her sister just found out, hours before she was brought over to live with them. Will this new family ever become hers?
No One Is Alone is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that grabbed my attention at the beginning and kept me reading until the end. Vincent created characters that were easy to understand and empathize with. I lost my father when I was young, but I didn’t learn about another family that needed to be understood while also grieving. This could have happened to me (or anyone else) and that realization made the book that much more compelling. I recommend No One Is Alone to everyone who enjoys a good read.
No One Is Alone is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that grabbed my attention at the beginning and kept me reading until the end. Vincent created characters that were easy to understand and empathize with. I lost my father when I was young, but I didn’t learn about another family that needed to be understood while also grieving. This could have happened to me (or anyone else) and that realization made the book that much more compelling. I recommend No One Is Alone to everyone who enjoys a good read.
March 5, 2024
Honestly, I went in with low expectations and ended up loving this? Read for work and didn't expect much beyond a sensationalized hook. But it made me legitimately cry -- cw for parental death and grief, including hospice/dementia.
The characters felt like authentic teens, it didn't feel dated, and while a lot of reviewers apparently didn't like the pacing, that wasn't a problem for me at all. Loved the theatre teacher and setting. I'm not surprised to learn that the author was a high school English teacher.
Except for one unsurprising exception*, I think what this book did best was that it had no villains. I love that. It was a group of flawed characters in horrible situations doing their best and managing to find empathy even in the fog of their own hurt. I felt for all of them, and that focus on character development makes this one that I think I'll end up recommending frequently to students.
Rounding down slightly for the complete lack of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters (even among the theatre kids? In this year of our Lord 2024? Bizarre.)
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*I was convinced pretty early on that Ben had assaulted Emery, maybe while alcohol was in the picture. I was glad that it didn't end up being that.
The characters felt like authentic teens, it didn't feel dated, and while a lot of reviewers apparently didn't like the pacing, that wasn't a problem for me at all. Loved the theatre teacher and setting. I'm not surprised to learn that the author was a high school English teacher.
Except for one unsurprising exception*, I think what this book did best was that it had no villains. I love that. It was a group of flawed characters in horrible situations doing their best and managing to find empathy even in the fog of their own hurt. I felt for all of them, and that focus on character development makes this one that I think I'll end up recommending frequently to students.
Rounding down slightly for the complete lack of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters (even among the theatre kids? In this year of our Lord 2024? Bizarre.)
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*I was convinced pretty early on that Ben had assaulted Emery, maybe while alcohol was in the picture. I was glad that it didn't end up being that.
July 17, 2022
As it's not mentioned in the blurb, I'll add it here; there is a lot in here about high school theater, specifically Into the Woods. If you love or hate theater, take that under advisement.
Everything that's not taken up with theater is filled with some of the messiest family politics I've seen in a while. Mick thinks her father is a bachelor, until the Terrible Thing happens and she discovers she is actually an affair baby. Give her father credit, he immediately steps up and takes her in. So does his wife. Their three children have varying reactions.
I was never less than enthralled by the story and the gradual shift in everyone's opinions. My only problem (spoiler): having Mick be the one who talked all the other kids into visiting sick Grandma felt a little weird. Like White Savior Syndrome or something. But it did make for some very cute scenes.
I really enjoyed this. Rachel didn't take the easy way out at any point, showing how messy something like this would be even when everyone has the best of intentions. I highly recommend it to other readers. Really good.
Everything that's not taken up with theater is filled with some of the messiest family politics I've seen in a while. Mick thinks her father is a bachelor, until the Terrible Thing happens and she discovers she is actually an affair baby. Give her father credit, he immediately steps up and takes her in. So does his wife. Their three children have varying reactions.
I was never less than enthralled by the story and the gradual shift in everyone's opinions. My only problem (spoiler): having Mick be the one who talked all the other kids into visiting sick Grandma felt a little weird. Like White Savior Syndrome or something. But it did make for some very cute scenes.
I really enjoyed this. Rachel didn't take the easy way out at any point, showing how messy something like this would be even when everyone has the best of intentions. I highly recommend it to other readers. Really good.
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