I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I wasn’t able to finish this book. Because of this, it is my policy not to review the book on my site or on Goodreads/Amazon. I also didn’t mark it DNF.

Thank you for this arc copy of this book. It wasn't; my type of book but others may like it. I did enjoy the cover picture though.

This book is a lovely example of coming to terms with your life and coming to terms with the negative in the dark parts of our lives and finding light in places where you didn’t expect to look. I loved how the story felt so real in the characters felt like actual people that I could talk to whenever. And I also love how the story tells a much larger message about darkness and light and it ultimately is a story of friendship and hope.

I enjoyed reading this book I just never got around to writing a review. I will continue to read works by this author

A heartwrenching, and powerful book, that is sure to make you ugly cry - this book was emptional, poignant, and sometime shard to read. Kathleen Glasgow knows how to write pain, but also does a great job at balancing notes of strength, resilience, and even joy. This book had my vote for staff pick of the month.

I finally gave up on this book. I've been trying to read it in bits and pieces, but it finally got to be too much of a chore. This is the first review book I have ever DNFed. I hated the inconsistencies like having an expensive phone, but complaining about not having enough to eat, and having to wear worn out clothes from secondhand shops. I don't know any secondhand stores that sell worn out clothes, even charity shops have quality guidelines. Plus, wearing vintage from charity shops is hip right now. This was just another book written to please teens who want to blame everything on everyone and everything else, and who don't want help because it's too much work. The mental health "diagnoses" in the story were questionable, too. I always think how irresponsible this is in Young Adult stories.

When a book gets you thinking about what you would do if your parent died and makes you cry, you know that the story's message came across!

Trigger Warning: Suicide mentioned, mention of child abuse, parental death, grieving & mental health.

Grace, who everyone knows as Tiger, was always joined at her mom's hip, even when she didn't want to be. However, after a small fight, she is ready to be friends again, but tragedy happens when suddenly her mom dies.
This book follows the grief, pain, coping and healing of one sixteen girls as she is forced into the foster system then into the life of a half-sister she didn't even know about.

This book gave me a young girl that I could see parts of myself in if I lost someone I loved. I felt her pain, her coping and her reasoning and her rage. The void she feels and the help she asks for when she is at her lowest is critical, and I am so happy that it was written for the young reader (maybe going through this or low points) could see was ok, that asking for help is ok.

Oh man, I read the authors previous book and I didn' think things could get darker but THIS BOOK blew my expectations out of the water. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with in the future.

Kathleen Glasgow knows how to handle extremely tough but relevant topics with respect and a lens of truth. While her books are not easy to read, they are so necessary for so many people going through these issues. She is such a needed voice in YA and I can't wait to see what she tackles next.

You can tell from the title this will be a dark book, but it was much darker than I expected. This was a heavy read, but it didn't stop me from enjoying it. Glasgow writes some beautiful prose and explains different levels and reasons for grief so well. Grace was such a realistic and believable protagonist to share her story and even though it was hard to be in her mind, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to go with her on her journey and hopefully see some healing. Grace has a hard life and was going through so much, but I loved the way she grew as a character and thought this was beautifully done.

Authentic narrator, heart wrenching and filled with grief. Interesting yet depressing too....................................................................................

How to Make Friends With the Dark was such a good book. Told from the perspective of Tiger, who has just learned that her mother has died. She knows nothing about her father, has no grandparents, and is forced into foster home after foster home, where she is almost consumed by the darkness of what her life has forced upon her. But then, a sister appears, and there's the hope that things will be different. But will they? Tiger is still dealing with the darkness that may overcome her, but she must do something before it is too late. This was a powerful, heart-breaking read that left me doing my best to stay hopeful for Tiger. Such a good book!

I am usually that person who avoids books taking place in real-world situations, but I am so happy I read How to Make Friends with the Dark. Following Tiger's journey through her grief and her time in the foster system was heartbreaking and so real. Dealing with grief as a teenager is never easy, especially with all the other pressures that come with high school and Glasgow depicts the grief, the poor decisions, and thought processes perfectly. No part of Tiger's story is sugar-coated or made to seem anything but what it is in life. If you've ever lost someone you were close to, you can relate to the struggles depicted. I also loved how Glasgow depicted the foster system and does not try to make it appear better or worse than what many people experience growing up in foster homes.

Kathleen Glasgow has created another touching and heartbreaking novel with How to Make Friends with the Dark. Her writing always has the ability to create a myriad of emotions within me and I am here for it.

I tried reading this book but sadly I didn't make it very far while reading this book. I think that the different point of views made it a bit difficult to understand . I usually love this author's books and I hoped that this one would work out for me.

"A rare and powerful novel, How to Make Friends with the Dark dives deep into the heart of grief and healing with honesty, empathy, and grace." --

How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

I am reading this YA book to decide if it is to be included in award-winning titles in Indiana. I was so impressed with this book that I am giving it a 5 star.
So much to learn and grow from in these pages.
Thanks for the NetGalley!

Hi again, book readers! You would think that my reviewing would skyrocket during quarantine… Well, you’d be wrong! I just now got out of a crazy book slump that I mainly blame on Animal Crossing, but being home all of the time definitely has not helped.

This week, I read the wonderful How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow. I’m ashamed to say that I received an arc when the book first came out, and I never got around to reading it. When it was a suggested title for me on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to redeem myself. I’m so glad I read it. This book is absolutely fantastic.

This week, I read the wonderful How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow. I’m ashamed to say that I received an arc when the book first came out, and I never got around to reading it. When it was a suggested title for me on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to redeem myself. I’m so glad I read it. This book is absolutely fantastic.


★★★★★

This book is a wonderful book for those suffering from grief. This is really my main point. This book will be INCREDIBLE for teens who have lost a parent or someone else they are close to.

Glasgow perfectly captures the horror, loss of self, and complete darkness that surrounds grief. It is absolutely astounding.

Tiger (the MC) has just lost her mother suddenly. Her mother was her only parent. Tiger ends up in the system. Not only, is this a fantastic book for grief, but also it is fantastic for those who are in foster care.

I have always been drawn to stories about foster care. My generation had TV shows, movies, and many books that introduced us to the horror kids experience in foster care. I loved this take on foster care. I think it was so authentic and genuine.

Glasgow has amazing writing skills when it comes to imagery. She has a way with words that makes emotions feel physical. This is definitely a book I would recommend young writers to read because the way Glasgow completely captures emotion is phenomenal.

This is a book I would recommend every library, school or public, to have. I would recommend every high school teacher to read this book. I would recommend if you know a teenager who has lost a parent or a guardian to give them this book.

I loved this book, and I think it will have an amazing impact on teen readers.

This is a story of grief, of losing your mother, and man... it hit hard. Glasgow did not hold any punches back with this one.

How to Make Friends with the Dark is a profound and heartfelt novel by Glasgow that holds a very raw portrayal of grief. It is clearly a very personal story as the description of loss is very authentic. Grief is such an inevitable part of life that I think everyone can find an aspect of Tiger’s story to relate to – her description of perfecting the art of silent crying really hit home for me, and the funeral scene was a real tear-jerker. The visceral first-person storytelling was a great vehicle for this story, and the choice to not have chapter numbers or titles really gave the story a timeless, structureless atmosphere which perfectly mimics the experience of grief. It’s not a flawless novel, but it is a very honest one.

There are some aspects of the story which I feel could be improved. I feel that this novel could have used a bit more exposition, which is ironic since I usually criticize expositions for being too long and poorly written. Since the thought of losing a mother is likely a very real fear for most people, it doesn’t take much to relate to Tiger’s emotions. However I felt that we needed a bit more interaction between her and her mother to solidify their relationship. The description of the novel says it was “Tiger and her mother against the world” and throughout the novel it implies that they are both sort of social outcasts, but we never really get to see that. While we see Tiger experience some bullying at school, most of the adults we meet throughout the novel seemed to genuinely care about her mother so it is a bit confusing to label them as being so disconnected from regular society. I think another scene with her and her mother perhaps not fitting in a social gathering would have better illustrated their relationship.

I generally don’t enjoy reading novels set in a high school because I often find the very stereotypical portrayal of teens to be grating. When I started this novel I was worried that it would fall into this category with the typical spoiled rich bully Lupe, the pompous and insensitive jocks, and the quirky fish-out-of-water Tiger with her side-kick Cake. I was quite glad that the novel subverted these themes in the second half. However, one aspect of the high school experience I didn’t like was the hashtags. Not only did it really break up the flow of the sentences, but it felt like a cheap way to try to relate to today’s youth and it really took me out of the story for several moments. It felt out of touch to assume since social media has a lot of hashtags that it is now at the forefront of teenagers’ thoughts. I also didn’t like the invented slang such as the repeated use of “plush” – I actually googled this to see if I’m just really out of touch with slang words but nope it doesn’t seem to be a real thing. Again, this just seems to be a lazy way to try to make the story relatable and it really stands at odds with the very raw and uncliched portrayal of grief.

Overall this is a very genuine and moving portrayal about the effects of grief. It’s difficult to say I enjoyed this book since it deals with a very dark subject matter. I’m not the type of person who finds it helpful to read about other people’s problems as a way to deal with my own. But I know for many people it can be reassuring to read material that echoes their own experiences, and if anyone finds comfort through this book then that is a very special and powerful thing. While it may not be my preferred reading material, it remains a well-written, heartfelt novel.