BECAUSE OF LISSA (Hotline, No 1)

Lissa, 16, a seemingly happy but quiet teenager, commits suicide, leaving her closest friends bewildered and confused. Reflecting upon some of their past conversations with Lissa and feeling guilty for not having recognized her warnings, the teens decide to take action towards helping others in distress. They establish Ears, a telephone hotline at their high school, and make it a success in spite of the pessimism of the authorities. In a time span of six weeks, suspense builds as readers share common concerns with the protagonists. Whether Ears will survive and how the teens will manage their lives while maintaining the hotline sets the scene and provides fodder for this new series. Strong characterizations, realistic conversations, interesting subplots, and unresolved conflicts make the book difficult to put down. Meyer offers a candid, well-researched account concerning the causes and prevention of teen suicide without the didacticism and morbidity that often hamper books of this sort. YAs will welcome this book, as it offers a solution with sensitivity and understanding