As you may have noticed, I’m a huge fan of historicals, gothic mysteries, and — from time to time — sci fi and fantasy. Sometimes, however, I just crave a good contemporary YA novel. And when I do, you better believe I go straight to Sara Zarr. It’s such a gift to find an author whose books MUST be read, regardless of the subject matter. Zarr’s latest, How to Save a Life, may well be her best so far.

After the sudden death of her father, Jill MacSweeny withdraws from her friends, her boyfriend, and even her newly widowed mother. Her mother’s plan to bring a pregnant young woman into their house in order to adopt the baby seems both inappropriate and doomed to fail. Jill’s subsequent resentment prompts her to finally reach out to others. However, her efforts to reconnect with her boyfriend fail to bring comfort, and her manipulation of an attractive co-worker into investigating the birth mother leaves her confused.

The birth mother, Mandy Kalinowski, is an unusual young woman. Jill dismisses her as a simpleton. A reader initially might conclude that she’s a sociopath. Mandy certainly has kept secrets and manipulated people. But as we become privy to her past and the circumstances leading up to her pregnancy — and as we see how she responds to Mrs. MacSweeny’s trust and Jill’s scorn — we grow to care deeply for Mandy. The question is, will Jill learn to do the same before it’s too late?

I love the character arcs in this book, and the little plot twists and poignant moments that I didn’t see coming (though this was slightly inconvenient for reading on a plane — good thing I had plenty of tissues). Zarr’s prose is gorgeously warm and authentic, and it manages to be so wise without ever seeming heavy-handed or full of itself. (You know what I mean, right?)

I so admire Sara Zarr as a writer and as a person (check out her blog for nuggets of wisdom and reassurance). If you haven’t read any of her books yet, get thee to a library or bookstore this instant!