“You know, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have someone know who you are.”

Lily hasn’t seen her sister, Alice, since the Night of the Bathroom Floor. She can’t bring herself to visit her at Fairview Treatment Centre. Straight A student Lily thinks she needs to keep her school life separate from her home life if she’s going to stay afloat. She’s desperately trying to hold her family together.

“As long as I keep moving, whatever got Alice can’t get me, too.”

Lily hopes to stay as far away from Micah, who met Lily at Fairview, as possible. She’s scared of what will happen if her home life intrudes on her school life. This seems all but inevitable when Lily and Micah are paired up for a class project.

“We’re combining our classes to explore what happens when words and art collide”

While this book delves into some really dark places, at its heart it’s about acceptance. I enjoyed spending time with Lily and Micah as they got to know each other. The process of Lily learning to stop hiding was painful at times but ultimately rewarding. I adored the guerilla poetry.

Books that include characters struggling with their mental health can sometimes feel like a balancing act. They need to be real enough to be relatable but there needs to be some hope too. The author definitely doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff here but there are some rays of sunshine as well. The characters’ thoughts and emotions have an authenticity that are clearly drawn from the author’s lived experience, discussed in the Author’s Note at the end of the book.

“You are enough. Right now. Just the way you are.”

Content warnings are included on my blog,

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book.

The Words We Keep is an excellent portrayal of mental illness. There's no romanticisation unlike other YA books.

Lily and Micah were both excellent characters. And i really appreciated that this book showed the different ways mental health issues may present themselves.

This book is a glimpse into a family dealing with depression.

Alice tried to take her life, and her sister Lily found her. Alice has returned home after treatment, and the family try to get back to 'normal' never really dealing with what happened, and definitely not talking about it.

Lily is also suffering, having overwhelming feelings of guilt about lots of things and the idea that she will never be enough, but because the family is so focused on Alice, Lily's problems go unnoticed...until they are forced to stop and deal with it.

This is a book about depression, anxiety and it does deal with suicide, but it's an important book. Through Lily's relationship with Micah, she learns that it's OK to voice how you feel, in fact that's exactly what everyone has to do. Through poetry and art we see that people are finding their voices, and staring conversations, and that's what is needed today. Stop the stigma, stop the feelings of shame, start the conversations...the problem lies with keeping everything inside.

A relevant portrait of mental health amongst young adults, The Words We Keep is an accurate reminder of the weight our unspoken words carry, and how these very words need to be heard, now more than ever.

Raw, freeing, poetic, and deeply touching, Erin Stewart dives deep into the waves of mental health and the impact the stigma surrounding it has on those desperate to be heard, but silenced by fear, shame, and the reception of their peers. Stewart is brutal and honest, their words stemming from a place all too familiar and relatable for many.

Lily’s development and descent as the story progressed was heavy, and at times, difficult to read, but laced within every word chosen was an authentic battle and vulnerability that had my heart aching. Her anxiety and thoughts were well-laid, and, though I expect there will be those who question her choices and character, I believe Stewart has done a great job in shaping a real character in whom many will felt seen.

The reception that Micah had to face, and the pressure to be the perfect child that Lily had to wrestle each day displayed just how hard it is for people to speak out and ask for help. I loved Micah’s character and the friendship he contributed through his own battles and triumphs, while shedding a little more light into Lily’s darkness.

The role played by the guerrilla poets and the voices they amplified was admirable and one of my favourite additions to this story! The truths their actions allowed to speak, and the outlet it provided others who needed to scream into the void and be heard, even if just a whisper, was touching and my heart soared to see how receptive the majority of the students were to these artistic displays. To see the power of words and art at play, and the healing it can aid. was inspiring.

The formatting, the poetry, and Lily’s narrations worked beautifully together to deliver a story that will resonate with many while shining a light on the words we should never have to keep. For those who struggle with mental health, and for those who love someone who does, this is a beautiful reminder that we are not broken. We are not alone. And we should not be silenced.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book, thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster, in exchange for my honest review.

TWs: anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide ideation. Mental health is prominent in this book and it is not a light read, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.