Oh my...

What a devastatingly beautiful and heartwarming book. I originally checked this book out because I was looking for something shorter to read for a readathon, but I wasn't anticipating the beauty of this story.

The Deepest Breath told in free verse, follows main character Stevie who is an avid reader and knows a lot about a variety of things. With her mom, she's learning how to manage her anxiety, but she's having trouble figuring out the fuzzy feelings she's been getting when she is around her friend Chloe.

This book. This book. This book. This is one of the most heartwarming coming of age books that I've read in a while. It's a love letter to librarians. It's a love letter to identity. It's a love letter to coming out. I can't imagine how many younger readers have read this book and have connected to it and felt seen. Stevie is such an amazing character with a warmth about her that made her one of my favorite characters that I've read so far this year. I was happy to see that through all the various things she experience in this book there was strong support network standing by to assist her through her emotions.

An excellent read that I recommend everyone read at least once.