Dear Universe

(Paperback)

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Description

Dear Universe,

Sorry for interrupting you with my presence, but I'm wondering if you could have my back for once. I recently had a massive chin zit and a period stain you could see from space and my boyfriend kissed someone else and also my dad is dying faster than usual. If you could show up during my last English class so I can graduate and like achieve my potential or something, I'd appreciate it.

It's senior year, and Chamomile Myles has whiplash from traveling between her two universes: school (the relentless countdown to prom, torturous college applications, and the mindless march toward an uncertain future) and home, where she wrestles a slow, bitter battle with her father's terminal illness. Enter Brendan, a man-bun- and tutu-wearing hospital volunteer with a penchant for absurdity, who strides boldly between her worlds--and helps her open up a new road between them.

Dear Universe is the dazzling follow-up to Florence Gonsalves's debut, Love and Other Carnivorous Plants, hailed by School Library Journal as "a must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of...mental health."

Reviews

Praise for Love & Other Carnivorous Plants:
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 2018
A 2019 Rainbow Book List Selection

*A pitch-perfect take on what happens when the future you imagined doesn't live up to expectations.... This genuinely funny novel about some harrowing topics manages to balance humor and pathos perfectly. Readers who connected with J.J. Johnson's Believarexic or Sam J. Miller's The Art of Starving will want this book, as well as the many John Green fans who crave intelligent stories that occupy both shadow and light.--- Booklist, starred review

Fans of Sarah Dessen will appreciate Danny's relatable and realistic journey. A must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of sexual identity and mental health. --- SchoolLibraryJournal

Gonsalves juggles multiple serious adolescent challenges with operatic verve--eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual awakening and orientation, mental health, grief.... A feel-good debut sure to interest teens looking to feel better about not feeling so great. --- Kirkus Reviews

Gonsalves realistically conveys Danny's wide range of emotions.... Her most profound realization comes through accepting that she can live her life on her own terms and that she need not have it all figured out quite yet. --- Publishers Weekly

Self-deprecating, witty.... As funny as it is painful. --- VOYA

A hilarious, thoughtful novel of trying to figure out loving other people when it hurts, and loving yourself when it's impossible. --- Teenreads.com

Will appeal to students who deal with anxiety and the pressures of life that many teens face. --- School Library Connection

Cham is engaging, and her life feels real...[a] novel with an appealing protagonist that reflects life's messiness.--Kirkus Reviews
Gonsalves crafts an authentic read for teens trying to create normalcy at school while struggling with issues in their personal lives.--Publishers Weekly
Gonsalves' sympathetic and multidimensional portrait of a young woman facing major challenges will appeal to fans of John Green.--Booklist
Gonsalves's witty style, diverse characters, and powerful portrait of mental health will intrigue teen and adult readers alike. Recommended for realistic fiction fans of John Green and Nicola Yoon.--School Library Journal
Readers whose families have faced a loved one's illness will find Dear Universe particularly powerful, as Cham and her parents find new ways to be honest with each other.--BookPage

Author Bio

Florence Gonsalves graduated from Dartmouth College in 2015, and after numerous jobs and internships, she finally decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an author. Love & Other Carnivorous Plants, her debut novel, was a Booklist Editors' Choice selection. She invites you to visit her online at florencegonsalves.com.