Every Last Word is so touching. It really dives into mental health, and how
even when someone looks completely fine, they might actually be dealing
with something underneath that. Every Last Word shows how OCD can
affect a person’s life, in many ways.
I think that what helps to set this book apart is that the main character is
dealing with OCD, but is also one of the popular girls at her school. She hides
it so well that none of her friends even know she has any problems. This
book also shows that it's not always possible to hide mental illness.
Sometimes there’s no stopping it, nothing you can do except try to stay calm
and wait for it to pass.
“Everyone’s got something. Some people are just better actors than
others.”
― Tamara Ireland Stone, Every Last Word
Every Last Word follows Samantha McAllister, or Sam. She hides her OCD
everywhere except in her own home. No one but her family knows about her
struggle to keep her own mind under her control. Her friends can be toxic at
any moment, so there’s no time for weakness to show through.
That is, until she meets Caroline. Caroline actually cares about how Sam is
feeling, and she has her own issues too. She shows Sam a space called the
Poet’s Corner, where people who are all dealing with their own things
gather. The whole thing is like an extremely secret club, and no one but its
members even know of its existence. Poet’s Corner helps Sam connect with
herself throughout the book, and poetry is its own form of therapy for her.
One of the guys in the group, AJ, particularly interests Sam. He plays the
guitar and has a hypnotizing voice. Being around him makes Sam feel more
like herself, and less like the popular zombie she pretends to be around her
friends. But now she has a new group from Poet’s Corner, and her popular
friends can’t know. She doesn’t want to risk the protection that group gives
her, and if she leaves she’ll have to face their wrath.
“I didn’t go there looking for you. I went looking for me.” My voice is soft,
low, and shaky. “But now, here you are, and somehow, in finding you, I
think I’ve found myself.”
― Tamara Ireland Stone, Every Last Word
Overall, I really loved Every Last Word. I thought that it was really
meaningful, and had a lot of elements that really brought it together. Plus,
towards the end, there’s this crazy plot twist that was super amazing, and I
definitely did not see it coming. I’m usually pretty good at guessing book’s
plots, so this one really surprised me. I really enjoyed this book, and definitely
recommend it!