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My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga



My Heart and Other Black Holes is a YA (Young Adult) novel by Jasmine Warga, It was a 2015 Goodreads Nominee for Best Debut Goodreads Author and Best Young Adult Fiction.

This book follows the character Aysel, a teenage girl who is obsessed with her own death. She makes a suicide pact with a boy from the next town. But all of this you can learn by reading the inside cover of the book. Here are some things you may want to know:

Sex - Despite the mature content of this book, sex is not a theme. Although a relationship does ensue between the two main characters, there is nothing graphic in the book. Sex is briefly mentioned in a story Roman tells Aysel, but again, nothing graphic.

Violence & Death - You get a general idea about this from just reading about the book. Aysel's father was involved in a violent crime. Aysel and Roman have made a suicide pact and most of their discussions revolve around the planning of their suicide. The deaths of other minor characters are mentioned. Mental illness is also briefly discussed. The content in this area is very mature, but again, it's a YA book geared toward high school students.

Alcohol/Drug Use - There is a scene where the main characters engage in underage drinking.

Language - Some mature language, common to most teenage conversations. Not over the top.

Final note: From first glance, this looks like a book parents would never let their kids read. But SPOILER ALERT:

It shows both sides of suicide. The main character, Aysel, changes her mind and tries to convince Roman to do the same. This book deals a lot with teenagers and how they deal with grief and guilt. It shows the complex relationship between teens and their parents, especially in light of tragedy. It opens the door for a lot of discussion. Again, this book is a YA novel and should be approached as such.

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