Susin Nielsen

Ever since tragedy struck her family, Petula has learned to see danger everywhere - whether it's crossing the road or eating a poached egg. Petula's determined not to let her guard down, even if this means allowing herself to be ruled by anxiety and grief, and losing her best friend. Then Jacob walks into her therapy group. Strikingly tall and confident, he's survived a different kind of disaster and still come out smiling. At first Petula is repelled by his optimism, yet even she can't deny their chemistry together. But optimism is blind - and so is love. What will happen if Petula gives in to both?

Optimists Die First

Award-winning author Susin Nielsen has written a laugh-out-loud and heartrending novel for fans of Robyn Schneider's Extraordinary Means and Cammie McGovern's Say What You Will. Beware: Life ahead. Sixteen-year-old Petula de Wilde is anything but wild. A former crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula shut herself off from the world after a family tragedy. She sees danger in all the ordinary things, like crossing the street, a bug bite, or a germy handshake. She knows: life is out to get you. The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class with a small group of fellow misfits. Then a new boy, Jacob, appears at school and in her therapy group. He seems so normal and confident, though he has a prosthetic arm; and soon he teams up with Petula on a hilarious project, gradually inspiring her to let go of some of her fears. But as the two grow closer, a hidden truth behind why he's in the group could derail them, unless Petula takes a huge risk. . .

courtney garrison

I’ve never related to a book so much. I suffer from general anxiety and social anxiety. Petula was such a great character to watch grow and push past some of her fears. You see Jacob help her deal with her anxieties while dealing with his own guilt.

I related so hard to Petula in the sense of watching everything trying to prevent death. I also related to her with trusting Jacob and feeling like she deserved to be loved. I loved this book so much, it is a short read ( I finished it in one day).

This book really showed what it is like for someone to live with guilt and so much anxiety about the world. I was honestly impressed at how much I related to it. I’ve never been able to find a book I related too, much less with a good anxiety rep.

You also see Petula and Jacob put in yart, a school program for kids who needs help dealing with situations in life, so they deal with it through art. All the kids help each other deal with their issues and help them to get past it and move on.

Alonzo is gay and his parents never accepted him, they kicked him out and he lives with his aunt. He struggles to get them to accept him so they can be a family again.

Koula has issues with alcohol and staying sober. She feels guilty about the issues with her parents and everything bad she has done.

Ivan’s mother died drowning, she swam too far out from shore and drowned. Ivan feels guilty about never being able to attend his mothers funeral.

Petula is a crafter and made her little sister a wolf suit. One night Maxine is sucking on a button and chokes and dies. Petula now struggles with the guilt of killing her sister, even though it was an accident.

You have twist and turns in the book, but overall it was a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a loved one with anxiety or someone who has anxiety them selfs. Although I do forewarn you there are some possible trigger topics.

The books talk about people who have died and how they died, it’s Petulas scrapbook. So if you are in no way comfortable reading about things of that nature, then I do not recommend this book.

Elizabeth Neill

The reason I picked up this book is because Petula is character just like me. I loved that cause I have a hard time finding a character I can really relate to. Petula see dangers everywhere and has a daily routine to stay safe. She is forced to take an art therapy class and that is where she first sees Jacob. Their relationship doesn’t start off great but soon they end up becoming friends then into a relationship. As their relationship grows Jacob gets Petula out of her comfort zone. Then his own past is revealed and that tears them apart but not for long. Petula hasn’t totally forgiven him for lying but is helping him like he had helped her. 

I loved the other characters in the book and seeing their growth. I am glad the author didn’t forget about them.

Amanda Kordeliski

roosmarijn

this book was the perfect holiday read, it was cheesy in an unexpected way, soft but that lovely kind of soft that makes your heart warm and happy and doesn’t leave you melted and burned like butter in the sun, and just a quick, okay-ish read

Optimists Die First

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