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Release Date: September 27th, 2016
About the book …
Moving on has never been Otis’s strong suit. After three years, he’s still reeling from the death of his younger brother, Mason, and from the sudden departure of his best friend and first love, Meg, whose family moved across the country after Mason died. Otis would never have survived these last few years without Dara, his ball-busting, one-armed friend and self-appointed swim coach, who is hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. Otis, though, is increasingly sure that he’d rather find his own dream than continue chasing Dara’s – especially when he learns that, after three years of radio silence, Meg is coming back for the summer.
All Otis wants is for him and Meg to be as close as they once were (okay, maybe a little closer) – despite Meg’s mysterious defection, despite the football player all over her Facebook page, despite Dara’s tightening grip and loosening screws. But as they sift through the archaeology of their past and Otis discovers the reasons behind Meg’s disappearance, he must face some uneasy truths about his brother’s death – and about himself. As he realizes that none of their visions of the perfect future can ever pan out – not Dara’s, not Meg’s, not his – Otis must decide which dreams to hold on to and which to leave behind.
Praise for Phantom Limbs
“A must-have.”
— School Library Journal (starred review)
“Garner’s debut gently but deeply explores how loss and grief affect different people in different ways, and the strength it takes to live on through it.”
— Phantom Limbs featured on Barnes & Noble’s 22 of Our Most Anticipated Contemporary YAs of the Second Half of 2016 list
“Tragedy cuts deep, and every character in this book has scars – terribly visible or under the surface – and they are beautiful. Paper Towns fans take note, this is your new favorite book.”
— Leah Moore, Northshire Bookstore – The Autumn 2016 Kids’ Indie Next List Preview
“Otis is a refreshingly authentic male protagonist who will win readers over . . . [A]n uplifting story about resilience and the power of relationships.”
— Sarah Weber, BookPage Review, Web Exclusive – September 13, 2016
“Garner’s debut is impressive . . . The nuanced way that Garner deals with loss is not only beautifully done, but it’s thoughtful and insightful. . . . [A] quietly affecting, well-written gem of a book that will resonate with readers, long after the last page has been reached. A definite YA standout for 2016.”
— Romantic Times
About the author …
Paula Garner spends most of her time making narratives, despite being surrounded by an alarming TBR pile and a very bad cat. Her debut YA novel, Phantom Limbs, comes out from Candlewick in 2016. Paula is represented by Molly Jaffa of Folio Lit, and lives in the Chicago area with her family.
