Title: Under My Skin
Author: Laura Diamond
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Release Date: 12th April 2016
BLURB from Goodreads
Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a fatal arrhythmia. But staying alive requires Adam to become keenly focused on both his pulse and the many different daily medications he must take in exactly the right dosages. Adam's torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.
The pressure is getting to him. Adam stops talking to his friends back home, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man's heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.
And then a donor is found…
Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals . Whether it’s painting, ignoring her homework (dyslexia makes a mess out of words anyway), kissing a hot boy she doesn't even know, or taking the head cheerleader down a peg , no one has ever accused Darby of being a shy. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents - something Darby has never had.
Darby's always had bad timing . She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.
The pressure is getting to him. Adam stops talking to his friends back home, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man's heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.
And then a donor is found…
Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals . Whether it’s painting, ignoring her homework (dyslexia makes a mess out of words anyway), kissing a hot boy she doesn't even know, or taking the head cheerleader down a peg , no one has ever accused Darby of being a shy. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents - something Darby has never had.
Darby's always had bad timing . She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.
GUEST POST
Adam Gibson, the main character in my young adult
contemporary, UNDER MY SKIN, faces a life-threatening illness. He has heart
failure, something that can happen to teens, albeit rarely. His heart is so
sick that he needs a transplant. Problem is donors are hard to come by. Adam
has to be ill enough to be prioritized on the transplant list, but that also
means he has to be closer to death than he’d like. On the flip side, Adam feels
a huge amount of guilt over wanting a new heart because it means someone has to
die for him to live.
Adam develops depression. He’s away from his home
(England), he’s isolated himself from his friends, he hates that his parents
have given everything up to move to the US to be near a renowned heart
transplant surgeon, and he hates being a burden on everyone around him.
Not surprisingly, death is on his mind a lot.
Teen suicide is a serious thing. It’s the THIRD leading
cause of death among individuals aged 15-24 according to the CDC. (Accidents
and homicides come in first and second.) Risk factors include: history of
depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, feelings hopelessness or
helplessness, confusion about sexuality, history of trauma
or abuse, alcohol or drug use, distress, history of suicide attempts, family
history of suicide or depression, and lack of supports (isolation from family
and friends or poor relationships with parents or peers). Girls tend to attempt
suicide more frequently than boys, but boys tend to be more successful because
they select more lethal methods, such as firearms. Overdose attempts on
medications are also very common.
It’s imperative that an individual suffering from
substance use or mental illness gets connected with treatment ASAP to prevent
development of suicidal thoughts. Don’t ever hesitate to get someone help.
Here are some national (US) resources
United States National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1
(800) 273-TALK (8255)
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org)
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