I just finished Ann Jacobus’s second book, The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent, and I’d give it more than five stars if I could.

The topic matter is tough – suicide, alcoholism, cancer, death – but I truly love the way Ann writes and that kept me going until I was well and truly hooked.

Del is 18 and lives with her Aunt Fran in San Francisco. I’m glad I’ve been to San Francisco because I could picture every scene so easily. If you haven’t visited, it won’t matter because you will be able to see it clearly with your mind’s eye as you read.

As a recovering alcoholic who has attempted suicide, Del is trying to get her life on track, volunteering at the suicide prevention hotline, and preparing to enter college. Del’s mom has completed suicide and her dad has been moving around the world with his work. Del lived with him for awhile in London but it’s gloomy weather didn’t help her mental health challenges which is how she came to live with her aunt.

There’s a boy she likes who doesn’t appear to feel the same and then her aunt has a recurrence of cancer. Del tries to hold it together and it’s a struggle. You will love how she keeps trying even though it doesn’t go perfectly. You will be rooting for her. The poems in the book that were written by Aunt Fran add to how talented this author is.

I sat with my own mom in her finally month and I have never really been able to verbalize how incredibly hard but amazing the experience was. You will find that explained well in this book.

This book is really great and I can’t recommend it more. I’m super excited to see what this author writes next.