The Year I Stopped Trying

The Year I Stopped Trying

By Katie Heaney 

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2021. 256 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Mary is having an existential crisis. She's a good student, she never gets into trouble, and she is searching for the meaning of life. She always thought she'd find it in a perfect score on the SATs. But by junior year, Mary isn't so sure anymore. The first time, it's an accident. She forgets to do a history assignment. And then: Nothing happens. She doesn't burst into flames, the world doesn't end, the teacher doesn't even pull her aside after class. So, she asks herself: Why am I trying so hard? What if I stop? 

As a chronic overachiever and workaholic in my teen years, this book spoke to me on several levels. Mary discovers something it took me to adulthood to learn, sometimes you can let things go and the world won’t end. Mary’s journey to find balance rings true to me, and I found her journey of self-discovery inspiring. The characters are witty, engaging, and I flew through this book. Initially intrigued by the title, I’m so happy I picked this book up and could easily recommend it to others. 

If you liked The Year I Stopped Trying, you might also like: 

Late to the Party

By Kelly Quindlen 

Roaring Books Press, 2020. 297 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Preferring to hang out with her best friends rather than pursue relationships, a gay teen finds her perspectives changed by an unexpected secret relationship with a beautiful senior who may or may not also like girls. 

You Should See Me in a Crown

By Leah Johnson 

Scholastic Press, 2020. 324 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Liz Lighty has always done her best to avoid the spotlight in her small, wealthy, and prom-obsessed midwestern high school, after all, her family is black and rather poor, especially since her mother died; instead she has concentrated on her grades and her musical ability in the hopes that it will win her a scholarship to elite Pennington College and their famous orchestra where she plans to study medicine--but when that scholarship falls through she is forced to turn to her school's scholarship for promking and queen, which plunges her into the gauntlet of social media which she hates and leads her to discoveries about her own identity and the value of true friendships. 

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