Bella has a lot of responsibilities. Her parents are divorced, she seems to be raising her younger sister, and working too. Bella is also the go-between with her parents and she can’t turn to her grandmother anymore … because she is dead. She has started self-medicating with alcohol but doesn’t believe she has a problem … until she goes to a party on Thanksgiving and wakes up in the hospital. Now she must face the consequences of her drinking and go to rehab.

The Glass Girl is a realistic fiction story that takes an issue that plagues humans of every age and puts it into a story that is easily relatable and easy to read. Glasgow was able to build the story in such a way that readers will know where it is going next and still stick around for the ride. The Glass Girl is a heart-wrenching story that would be a good fit for teens and adults alike.

I could not put this book down. It was so gripping and heart-breaking. Important for parent to read as much as teens.

Glasgow is the Ellen Hopkins of the current generation - each book featuring a different vice. And I've really liked them all - some more than others This one was really good, but I think it was waaaay too long. After reading the author's note and discovering that Glasgow herself was an alcoholic and went to rehab as a teen honestly made me understand a bit more why it felt like it was too much. I feel like her own experience made it a little more difficult to edit down the fluff because it all feels important to her.

This book was great. And I really do recommend it. I, personally, just found it to drag on a bit. It just needed to be tighter.

Another gripping story by Kathleen Glasgow that will be devoured by my students. They will want to know what is going to happen and will find relatable moments. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kathleen Glasgow has written a heart wrenchingly astute addiction story for 15 year old Bella, who has lost more in the past year than her heart can handle. The complex feelings and experiences that led Bella from early exposure to alcohol to black outs and alcohol poisoning are the central focus of the story as she interacts with her family and friends, and then the adults and peers at rehab. This will be a raw and eye-opening read for many 13-16 year olds.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this powerful story about teen alcohol addiction.

I finished this book a couple days ago, and I'm still thinking about it. What a haunting story. Bella is a mess of a character with flaws and setbacks, but she strives to better herself once she realizes she has a problem with alcohol. I loved her character growth and I was rooting for her. Her father made me want to throw things. Overall, this book was a tough read. I think teens would resonate with Bella's character, even if they don't necessarily struggle with addiction.

Wow! This book should become required reading for High School students. Very relatable book that makes you think and realize that everyone has a story whether they share it with everyone or keep it to themselves.

Friends can be supportive to one another or very mean- if you are a teenage girl! If you or your friends enjoy weekend parties this is a must read to help understand how others may think. It's a very realistic view on partying and relationships.

So, I read ALOT of books on addiction, ALOT.

So I was so energized reading this one. Until I realized that the writing style. The books I read and enjoying on this subject are usually very raw and honest.

This one was not raw, not really. Its like the subject of addiction was wrapped around by a cloud.

However, I am recommending purchase of this book because the subject is so important and we can never have any books for YAs on this buject matter.

A raw, emotional story of a young girls journey with alcohol is one that every teenager should read. Her story, the stories of the people she meets along the way, are important to hear and understand. Bella must face her demons over and over again and it is relatable for the YA community and beyond.

This book is raw and heart wrenching. As I read, I ached for Bella who should have been enjoying her high school years. Instead she is taking care of everyone else and is drowning. Her mom needs her to be her support since the divorce. Her dad needs help taking care of her little sister, Ricvi. . Her boyfriend broke up with her because she was “too much” aka she was out of control with alcohol. Bella’s only rock is her grandmother. Sadly she passed away so Bella has no one. The only thing that helps dull the pain is alcohol. This temporary escape from reality turns nearly deadly when she ends up passed out, face down in front of her mom’s house the day after Thanksgiving and a video of her drunk out of her mind goes viral. Now Bella is faced with an intervention and is headed to rehab at fifteen years old and her difficult road to recovery has just begun.

The Glass Girl is a powerful book and will remain with you long after turning the last page. Her story is divided into four parts: background, hospital, rehab and reentry into home life. Parents aren’t perfect but the dad in this story,to me, was incredibly insensitive.

This is an honest portrayal of alcohol abuse in teens. Everything felt so authentic and powerful, especially for those who work with teens.

Many mature and tough subjects in this book: alcoholism, detox, cutting/self-harm, alcohol poisoning, hospitalization, suicide attempt, death, emotional abuse, drug use, overdose.

This is a must read for those who enjoy reading YA fiction books that are deeply emotional and thought provoking.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book!

I enjoyed it and read it very quickly. It was my first Kathleen Glasgow book and I will definitely be going back to make sure we stock all of her books in our library, as I think I have students who will really enjoy this one.

It's been a long time since I read a book like this. YA contemporary books about teenage girls dealing with addiction or trauma were a big thing for me when I was a preteen/teenager. I think that these kinds of stories are a good way for young people to process their own experiences and also understand their peers, gain empathy.

I stopped reading these types of books at least a decade ago, but I'm really glad I read The Glass Girl. It was a very well written and empathetic story. I felt like I really understood Bella. I personally have never struggled with addiction and this story helped me to understand it in a way I hadn't before.

I would definitely recommend this book!

Thanks to Penguin Teen Canada for the advanced digital copy!

Bella's life is pretty stressful, between having to take care of her little sister Ricci as they are shuttled between their divorced parents' homes, and the death of her grandmother Laurel, which Bella blames herself for. Sometimes it's nice to have a few drinks and forget it all. Then Bella's boyfriend dumps her, and Bella finds herself needing a little drink more and more, until one really bad night, after which Bella wakes up in the hospital and ends up at rehab.

I loved Girl in Pieces and this was very much in the same vein, including the recovery arc as Bella tries to get her life back together. She struggles to see herself as an alcoholic, simply because she doesn't see what she's doing as different from what her father does, or what her friends do. She literally hits rock bottom and still struggles to see it, and realistically, struggles even after she begins her recovery because with alcohol, it's often there. The hurdles don't stop with detox and rehab, either. This story had some emotional moments and some characters don't have a happy ending, but Bella's story can provide some hope.

This is a harrowing book about a 15 year old who is an alcoholic. This felt so personal while reading so I found the author’s note at the end to be particularly moving. I am not sure I have more words than that for this book.

Wow. This book was emotional for me. Stories of addiction, especially alcohol, are always tough to read for me. I grew up with an alcoholic parent, who started drinking as a teen and I always see him in these stories. I see myself in the collateral damages and I feel so much. With that background I worry a lot about today’s culture of drinking and it’s influenced in teens. I love how this is a story of a kid who was not just a child of circumstance, abuse and neglect. I cried a lot for Bella and for all the other teens falling, for all of those struggling. This was a beautiful and sad book that will stay with me.

This is a heavy story about trauma-induced addiction. It is heartbreaking to read about teenagers who have to self-medicate just to make it through the day. What a tragic commentary about our society that so many young adults have to turn to drugs and alcohol to relax and be able to handle the anxiety from dealing with the world. Sadly, this book will resonate with a lot of young adults.

What a powerfully realistic portrayal of a teens struggle with alcohol recovery. Teens will be interested in seeing the inside of rehab and the process one endures for recovery. Readers will root for Bella and will relate to her struggles. The loss of a grandparent and being in the middle of her parents divorce are universal issues teens struggle with. Overall this is a heartbreaking read on what led to her addiction as well as her battle for recovery.

This was a powerful read and I’ll be using as an option in my social issue book clubs dealing with the topic of addition.

This is told from the POV of Bella, a 15 year old girl struggling with addiction. It’s raw and honest and hard to read but I feel it was very well done. The book was divided into 4 sections as she moved through stages of denial, acceptance and life after. I read Girl in Pieces by this author also and I feel she writes trauma well if that makes sense. 5 stars!

The Glass Girl
by Kathleen Glasgow
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Glass Girl is a gripping and poignant novel that draws you in from the first page. Bella's descent into addiction and her subsequent journey to recovery are depicted with unflinching honesty and raw emotion. Kathleen Glasgow’s writing is both beautiful and haunting, capturing the pain and hope that define Bella’s experience. The characters are well developed and her struggles felt real and impactful. I enjoyed the pacing of the book and I was hooked from the beginning.

The Glass Girl is not just a story about addiction; it’s a story about finding oneself amid chaos and pain. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys deeply emotional and thought-provoking YA fiction.