Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley

Jonah had always been a bit reckless, but Liv never imagined that he would do anything like this. When Liv’s older brother accidentally shoots himself after acting carelessly with a gun in his best friend Clay’s attic, she can hear the screams from a house over. Jonah is alive, but he doesn’t respond to anyone and can no longer take care of himself. No one meant any harm, but that doesn’t mean that no one is getting blamed. Liv’s mother is suing Clay’s father, the owner of the gun, for money to take care of Jonah. As tension grows in their small town, Liv refuses to leave Jonah – or Clay – behind.

Grief is something that was illustrated well in this book. In my opinion, watching the one you love fade away is even more painful than just watching them die. Seeing anyone I love in the state that Jonah was in would absolutely break me. And Liv shows that she is breaking. She starts spending more time with Jonah, her grades drop, and something happens to her where she can no longer understand it when some people talk. The state of mind of just barely getting through every day and hardly understanding what’s happening hits me in the heart. The memories and stories that she tells are meaningful and show how much her family means to her. Liv has friends that she still hangs out with outside of her brother and Clay, which is an important part of the grieving process, so I’m grateful for it. Also, I thought that Clay and Liv were a great pair in general. The way they interacted just made me happy. They very clearly enjoyed each other’s company and understood what the other was going through.

One memorable thing from the story would be when Liv narrates about her friends. She goes on to talk about the hardships that her friends have gone through. Liv claims that everyone has something. She has Jonah’s situation. This moment especially hurts because you start to realize that everyone is going through something, and some people are going through things you may never understand.

Reviewed Annabel, Twin Hickory Library