These Things I've Done

May 15, 2017
Dara becomes a pariah after accidentally killing her best friend, but she earns the trust of the one person she thought would never talk to her again.Dara Shepard earned the nickname "Dare-ya" for a reason--she'll walk across the monkey bars barefoot and wants to be a crime-fighting, back-flipping cop. But after she playfully shoves her best friend, Aubrey, who trips and is crushed by an oncoming truck, she will never be the same. Phillips' novel follows Dara as she returns to her hometown after spending junior year living with her aunt and uncle. As she faces harassment at school (people sticking cruel, accusatory cartoons in her locker) and struggles with her constant guilt, she befriends the one person she thought could never forgive her: Aubrey's younger brother, Ethan. This tender novel explores the challenging themes of grief and deep, overpowering regret--how can you live after causing the death of one of the people you love the most, even accidentally? While some of her classmates' bullying seems a bit extreme given the context of Aubrey's fall, this book successfully showcases how Dara navigates her daily guilt, her conflicted feelings toward Ethan, and the range of reactions around her. The principal characters all appear to be white. The novel also shines a light on more typical high school dramas--a secret crush on a friend's boyfriend, overbearing parents--and readers can't help but sympathize. (Fiction. 14-18)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Dara accidentally killed her best friend Aubrey. After 15 months away, she has returned to her hometown to face family and friends who may never forgive her, including the boy who almost came between her and her best friend. Complicating matters further are her feelings for Aubrey's younger brother Ethan. No longer the tag-along sibling, Ethan has grown into an interesting person in his own right, and Dara finds him far more attractive than she might wish. But will Ethan accept her, or will he hate her forever? And would Aubrey understand this one last betrayal? The buildup to the explanation of Aubrey's accident is well done, but the ending feels somewhat anticlimactic. Dara and Ethan come across as realistic teens, while their parents are slightly stereotypical and their emotions and motivations seldom explored. The plot is relatively simple, and there is no major crisis, beyond a redemptive one near the end, but the minutiae of teen life are authentic and engaging. Readers will root for Dara and hope that she absolves herself and reestablishes important relationships. VERDICT An additional purchase for most school and public library YA collections.-Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

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