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    How to Save a Life
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    How to Save a Life
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    How to Save a Life
    Audiobook9 hours

    How to Save a Life

    Written by Sara Zarr

    Narrated by Ariadne Meyers and Cassandra Morris

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Jill MacSweeney just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends-everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

    Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted-to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

    As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy-or as difficult-as it seems.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 10, 2012
    ISBN9780307968715
    Unavailable
    How to Save a Life
    Author

    Sara Zarr

    Sara Zarr is the author of six acclaimed novels for young adults, including Story of a Girl, The Lucy Variations, and Gem & Dixie. She's a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her novels have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the New York Public Library, and the Los Angeles Public Library and have been translated into many languages. She splits her time between Utah and California. You can visit her online at www.sarazarr.com.

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    Reviews for How to Save a Life

    4/5

    236 ratings43 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I honestly don't know why but that book didn't realy get to me... I like a lot of books and maybe if mandy wouldn't be so annoying it would be a different thing. maybe I will read it again and give it another shot. we will see
    • 5/5
      A beautifully written, wonderfully crafted novel.
    • 4/5
      Zarr's characters in this book are so very real. Mandy's thoughts are so familiar to me- she's so many of the girls with whom I grew up, she's the girl I narrowly escaped being. Jill is more recognizable as a modern YA literature protagonist, and she's well-drawn indeed but she wasn't ever my best friend.

      This involving story of two remarkable young women's inner lives (both literal and figurative) is written extraordinarily well. I was drawn in and mesmerized by the characters. I did find the ending a little too, too though it was certainly within the realm of possibility given what we learn about the characters.

      Really well-done.
    • 4/5
      This was so good! What characterization! What a plot! How wonderful and unexpected!
    • 4/5
      Jill's dad has recently died and now her mother Robin wants to adopt a baby. She can't help but think her mom wants to start again to build a relationship that will be better than theirs ever was. Mandy's known what it's like to be raised by a mother who never wanted her and wants more for her own child. When Robin invites Mandy to come live with her the weeks before the baby is born, their lives collide in ways none of them would anticipate. Besides these female characters, men in supporting roles (Dylan, Ravi, and Jill's father) are also well developed and add a lot to the story.This was a great story on many levels. Both Jill and Mandy's voices were authentic and fully realized. Zarr explores love in its many forms from many perspectives in a really beautiful way.
    • 4/5
      I liked the author's development of each character--the main characters all felt like real people with real vulnerabilities and defense mechanisms, and the dialogue rang true. I also liked getting to hear from two different perspectives throughout the book. My only criticism is that in many ways the ending was just a little too perfect.
    • 4/5
      Jill's father died suddenly last year, leaving her bereft and bitter. Now her mother is about to adopt a baby from a strange teenage girl who she found on-line. What makes a family?
    • 4/5
      Those who have had a difficult life with uncaring, selfish parents, can relate to this book. Well aware that her mother never wanted her, when she becomes pregnant, Mandy's desire is to provide a life to her child that she never experienced. When her mother demands that she have an abortion, Mandy cannot go through with the procedure.Surfing on the internet, she finds a site where she communicates with a recently widowed mother who looks to adopt a baby. Knowing she cannot replace her husband with another, Robin longs for another person, in addition to her teen aged daughter, that she can support and love.Through various posts, Mandy and Robin believe they found a solution that is best for them and for the soon-to-be born baby.Traveling many miles, arriving at Robin's house, insecure Mandy slowly, hesitantly longs to embrace the security and love that Robin provides.Still grieving for her father, Robin's daughter Jill has difficulty understanding her mother's decision to welcome a stranger into her home and her mother's need to want another child.Knowing her baby will have a secure, loving home helps Mandy, but as the time approaches, fearing her child will grow up believing she was abandoned, Mandy has second thoughts about giving her baby away.This is a complicated situation beautifully told by the author. While there are some chapters that drag, overall, I give this book high ratings for the sheer beauty of the words and the heartfelt way in which the story is told.
    • 4/5
      Very sweet story of a 19 year old who wants to give her baby to a woman and ends up getting adopted herself. Written from the view point of the pregnant girl and the teenage daughter of the woman who are both still grieving from the loss of their husband/father.
    • 3/5
      I wanted this book to be a lot better than it was, at least to me. The idea was so interesting, a pregnant girl and the girl who just lost her father about to become a sister. It's not like the book wasn't well executed or anything, it was. It's just, I didn't particularly like Mandy nor Jill very much. I found Jill whiny and annoying through most of the book and Mandy was just a little strange. Luckily, there was character development, and Jill was less whiny and Mandy's strangeness was revealed by the end of the book. Still, I've read Sara Zarr's work before and loved it, but this kind of fell flat to me. It wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, nor as good as I thought it could be, which is sad. I wanted to love it, find it life changing or whatever, but I didn't. It was just okay.
    • 5/5
      I'll be honest: I didn't immediately love this book. I liked Jill well enough, but I wasn't sure how to feel about Mandy. She's... different. But, the more I read, the more I came to care for both of these characters.I found Jill easy to relate to. I think I would have been just as moody and skeptical if my mother decided to adopt a baby just before I went off to college and directly after my father passed away. Truthfully, I think I would have been moody and skeptical regardless of the circumstances. Mandy wasn't quite so easy to understand at first, but, in retrospect, I think this made the novel better and built a stronger bond between the character and reader. Little by little, Zarr reveals pieces of Mandy's past and, as the reader begins to fit these experiences together, her actions and thoughts start to make sense. I liked how incredibly different Jill and Mandy are. Both have survived horrible things in their lives... and they've both dealt with their experiences in entirely different ways. On the outside, Jill appears tough and independent, but, on the inside, she's falling apart. Mandy may appear naive and soft, but she's much stronger and determined than one would guess.I loved getting to know both of these characters. There are wonderful friendships in this novel, a hopeful romance, and a fantastic mother figure, but it was these two young women and their strength that have inspired me to recommend this novel.
    • 5/5
      How to Save a Life is a great example of what modern authors can do. This book is great! Going in I didn't think this book was going to be that good, boy was I wrong. This book deals with the struggle of adoption, death, and family relationships. The book is told from two points of view. The first being Jill, A high school girl who misses her dad more and more each day. Then there is Mandy she is living at Jill's house because Jill's mother Robin wants to have a kid. Mandy is the "incubator" of sorts for the relationship. Not to give anything away but the as the story progresses we find out more and more about jill and mandy and their relationship with each other. This is a must read book!
    • 4/5
      The mothers and daughters in this moving young adult novel about open adoption and recovery from overwhelming grief learn from each other while waiting for the birth of the baby. Perfect for Sarah Dessen fans.
    • 4/5
      Jill lost her father a little over a year ago and it profoundly changed her life. Estranged from her friends and boyfriend, she tries to remember who she was before her father's accident. When her mother decided to enter into an open adoption and the birth mother comes to live with them, Jill must adjust to an entirely new set of circumstances. Can Jill accept her mothers decision? Will she ever climb out of the hole she is in and become the person she wants to be? This book is a great exploration of two different young women and their paths to self-discovery.
    • 4/5
      Jill is a senior in high school. Her father, who was her best friend, has died and now her mother wants to adopt a baby. After some e-mailed conversations, Mandy, a pregnant teenager, move in with them until the baby is born. Jill is suspicious and wonders if Mandy is lying to them. She is. Jill works through her grief for her father and begins to put her past behind her. Mandy has been abused and does not seem very intelligent. I understand Jill's character, but am not too sure about Mandy. I liked the book though and read it in a day and a half. The author is a very good writer. I look forward to reading more of her books.
    • 5/5
      Jill is a teenage girl who is grieving over the death of her father. She is hurting and just wants her life to go back to the way it was. Her mother, Robin, is grieving also but decides she wants to adopt a baby. Jill doesn't understand how her mother can think this is a good idea. I sort of agreed with Jill at this point. It just didn't seem to be the time to be making these types of decisions. I think the thought of the empty nest really pushes this idea along for Robin. Jill tries to be supportive since she feels that is what her dad would want.Mandy is a pregnant teen with tons of baggage! She has been raised by a mother who didn't want to be a mother. There is no love lost between the two. Robin and Mandy find each other and before you know it, Mandy is on a train to come live with Robin and Jill to finish out her pregnancy, the goal being Robin will adopt the baby and Mandy will be able to start her life over, away from her mother. Mandy comes off as very manipulative and cold, which is no shock with her upbringing.Jill and Mandy are not teenagers that are easy to like. They both have flaws. Jill is rude and unkind to Mandy. Jill seems to shut people out since her father's death. Mandy doesn't seem to be honest about her life and the pregnancy. She is not open to having relationship with anyone, including Jill. The both do grow on the reader eventually.The chapters are alternately told between the two girls. The story flows well despite this. In fact, it was interesting to see where each girl's head was at. It was a perfect way to tell this story. You can feel each girl's pain. Even though the two girls are as different as night and day, you can't help but feel for both of them.The story is beautifully told. The title fits the story perfectly. It actually made me think about whose life was being saved. All three characters seem to be in need of some saving. There is also the life of the unborn baby which needs saving. The book takes a surprising turn at the end which made for a satisfying ending.I think this would make a great read for book groups as there is much one could discuss. I also would recommend this book for both adults and high school aged readers. This is a book you won't want to put down once you start reading it!This was my first read by Sara Zarr but won't be my last. She tells a good, emotional story with characters that have some depth. Her writing pleasantly surprised me! I highly recommend this book! A 5 star read!
    • 4/5
      Teen pregnancies have been in the media so much lately due to shows like Teen Mom that it has gotten to the point where such a real, difficult situation seems as close to reality as reality TV. When a book comes around with the same subject matter, one tends to automatically assume the plot will go a certain way. Sara Zarr has been able to bring this issue to light in a emotional story of tragedy, love, family and happiness. Mandy grew up in a household where she was constantly told how much of a burden she is to everyone around her. When she became pregnant, she knew only one thing; that her child would not grow up as unwanted and unloved as she had. That decision leads her to Jill, or rather, Jill's mom who decides to shelter Mandy until the baby's birth when she will then adopt him or her. Jill's mother is extremely excited and optimistic. Jill? Yeah... not so much. There are too many holes... the situation just doesn't seem right...This novel came off as incredibly realistic, and therefore, all the more emotional. The characters all had very distinct and different personalities, yet, their actions and feelings, as well as the way they interacted with each other all made so much sense! I can't be the only one who reads a book and keeps thinking " (insert character) and (insert different character) could not possibly be friends" or "(insert character) would never do that". Well, maybe I'm just crazy. Anyway, you are really able to connect to the characters and understand where they are coming from. Also, the plot! I find it very hard to find a contemporary that is not predictable. However, How to Save a Life is not predictable in the least bit. I was really happy with the twist at the end, it kept me interested and showed me a different side to all the characters I really thought I had figured out. The suspense alone is reason enough to read this book.Still need convincing? Sara Zarr's writing style is just beautiful. Everything flows and simple words and sentences are packed with complicated emotions. I also really enjoyed how the switching perspectives (Mandy's and Jill's) let me see the same situation from two polar opposite views. To make that seems cohesive is a huge feat. How to Save a Life is a job well done. Beautiful, emotional, realistic... the list goes on and on.
    • 5/5
      Sara Zarr is one of my favorite teen lit writers . . . right up there with Jay Asher and Laurie Halse Anderson . . . so I eagerly opened her newest novel expecting greatness. And that's exactly what I got!The book alternates between the two main characters: Mandy, a pregnant teen hoping for a better life for her baby; and Jill--angry and devastated by the death of her father. They were both so heartbreakingly real. And the secondary characters were equally as well-drawn. This was just one of those perfect books--I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen, but at the same time, I didn't want it to end.I highly recommend this book to teen and adult women.
    • 5/5
      Frankly, I was taken aback by the synopsis of Sara Zarr's new novel when I first read it. Told from the perspectives of 2 teen girls - Mandy, who is pregnant and is considering to give up her baby for adoption, and Jill, the only daughter of a recently widowed woman who wants to take in Mandy's child - it felt just too cheaply 16 and Pregnant to me. Plus there are some themes in YA that I absolutely have no interest in reading about - teen pregnancy is right there, at the top of that list. But I was proven once again that a good writer can crash my preconceived notions. In How to Save a Life Sara Zarr offers something very special.What Zarr is best as is character development. Both protagonists in this novel are fairly unlikable.Jill is mourning her father. Essentially, she is a mean bitch. Yes, she has an excuse - her dad's death - but she is still a very unpleasant person - cynical, rude and off-putting.And then there is Mandy. Mandy made me very uncomfortable at first. You know the type of people who throw themselves at you, needing attention, who will stick to you and will tell you everything about their lives and will consider you their best friend within a few minutes of knowing you? That is Mandy.I don't know how Zarr does it, but once again she made me appreciate her characters that I first thought very difficult and unpleasant. Maybe not love them, but understand them and revel in their growth and transformation. These two girls' journey to accept and get the best out of each other was truly magical.I believe How to Save a Life is Sara Zarr's best novel to date. It certainly made me cry harder than any other book of hers. One astute friend of mine pointed out the biggest flaw of this work to me - its utterly predictable outcome - and I absolutely agree with it, however the novel was so marvelously consuming that I didn't even realize that the ending was exactly the one I wished for. Is this a bad thing?
    • 5/5
      (This review can also be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).

      I won this book off of Facebook or Twitter; I forget which. I had totally forgot about this book, I'm ashamed to admit, until I was tidying up my bookshelf and came across it again. I'm glad I came across it again as it's definitely become one of my favourite reads of 2012.

      Jill's dad has only recently died, and already it seems like her mother wants to replace him with a new baby. Enter Mandy. Mandy is a pregnant teen. She wants to give her baby up for adoption, and Robin, Jill's mother, seems like the perfect person to adopt her baby. Will Mandy and her baby help fill the whole in Robin and Jill's heart? Will Mandy feel loved? What if Mandy decides to keep her baby? Told from both Jill's and Mandy's point of view, this book will tug at your heart strings.

      I don't really get the title to this book. Maybe there's some kind of hidden message behind the title, and I'm missing it, but I really don't understand why this book is called How to Save a Life. Perhaps it's to let the reader know that this book will be very emotional.

      The cover suits the book especially when it comes to the character of Mandy. Once you read the book, you'll definitely think this cover suits the book. I won't say too much due to spoilers, but just take my word that it does indeed suit the book.

      There's really not much to the setting of the book. It mostly takes place at Jill's house in Denver and a few other little places like Jill's school or restaurants. However, the setting of this book is done rather well, and it sounds like Denver!! I mean, I've never been, but it's what I'd imagine it to be.

      The pacing was brilliant! It was so hard to put this book down. I was hooked beyond belief. At no point does the pacing slow down enough to become boring. Each chapter is interesting!!

      The dialogue was perfect. The two main characters are teens, and I felt their language was appropriate for teen girls. There were a couple of words I didn't understand, but I think this was just down to me not knowing the what the word meant as others probably know what it means. However, this didn't take away from the story in the slightest. There are a few swear words, but not too many.

      I loved the characters in this book!! Mandy was my favourite character. It felt as if Mandy's mother had brainwashed her into thinking all sorts of things, so Mandy comes off as being a bit socially inept. She's definitely a bit weird because of it, but that's what I loved about her. She has this sort of innocence and naivety that is both sweet and charming. I also loved Jill. She starts off with a "screw the world" attitude, but it's obvious she's only acting that way because of what she's been through. Jill is actually quite a sweet girl. As for Dylan and Ravi, I also loved them both. Dylan is very caring and comes across as the type that's nice to everyone no matter what. Ravi came across as the geeky but sexy sweet guy.

      This book had me laughing and crying (quite literally). It also had me worried and made me feel secure. It plays up to most of the human emotions. It's just a bit hard to explain unless you read it, which I suggest you do ASAP! This book is an emotional rollercoaster. It's one of those books you just have to read!! It will also have you thinking about it long after you've finished reading it.

      I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16 . It's such an amazing book! I can't sing it's praises loud enough!! Please read it and let me know what you think. You won't regret reading it.
    • 3/5
      It took some time before I warmed to either Mandy or Jill. Both were irritating in their own way, but I liked how the chapters alternated between their two points of view. My favourite characters were the boys, Dylan and Ravi. They were compassionate and forgiving, unlike the girls. Dealing with issues such as teenage pregnancy, adoption, the meaning of family, grief and trust, this book will be enjoyed by those who enjoy realistic fiction.
    • 4/5
      Jill is still grieving over the loss of her father when her mother decides she wants to adopt a baby. Without involving lawyers or social workers. Jill feels like she’s the only one who thinks this is a bad idea, but her mother doesn’t listen. In moves Mandy, the pregnant teenager Jill’s mom found online. As they begin to bond, Jill feels left out in all social aspects of her life, until she lets in someone from her past. This book was really great, and I look forward to reading more by Zarr.
    • 4/5
      Listened to this audiobook and highly recommend it for the great vocal expressiveness of both actors. It almost felt as if these women were just talking about the goings-on in their admittedly complicated lives, rather than acting out a fictional storyline.

      Sara Zarr has created a great cast of unique, believable characters with depth and nuance. She's given them specific backstories and some shared history and grounded the realistic setting in a comfortable suburban Denver neighborhood. Even though I had early doubts to the plausibility of the plot, I was totally invested by the end of the audiobook. A marvelous tale of loss and love and learning to live anew.
    • 3/5
      I would probably give this 3.5 stars overall. I really liked the narration of the audiobook by both narrators. The distinct narrative voices helped to show how different the two girls really were.

      I particularly liked Jill's sarcastic sense of humor and her hard shell that hid a heart of gold. I liked her instantly, and that didn't really change throughout the course of the novel. I also liked her relationships with both Dylan and Ravi, and seeing how they played out.

      Mandy had to grow on me a little because, like Jill, I wasn't sure what she was hiding all of the time, but I didn't trust her. Over time, though, I warmed up to her. I liked watching her relationship with Jill grow, and even though she sometimes infuriated me with the choices she made, I could understand why she made them.

      Overall, I really liked the realism in the book. The characters seemed real and acted in ways that were very realistic for their situations. None of them were perfect, and their flaws are what ultimately brought them together. I'd definitely like to read more of Sara Zarr.
    • 4/5
      This was my first experience with Sara Zarr and I really liked her writing style. This book was full of emotions and feelings and I loved that. I also loved that this book wasn't all about the romance between a boy and girl but instead about what makes a family. I found both Mandy and Jill to be intriguing characters and I wanted to know all there was to know about them. I wanted to unravel their mysteries and see who they were underneath all their insecurities and fears.
    • 4/5
      Interesting book of a teenage girl who's mother decides to take on a girl who is pregnant with an open adoption. Snarkiness abounds as is usual with high school lit but still a different point of view. Buy
    • 2/5
      First let me say through out this book I had to wonder if I was reading the same book I read reviews about.

      jill is a bitchy teen who lost her father. The closest person to her. trying to get through her last yr of H.S.

      Mandy is a troubled girl who got preggo and decided that it would be best if she gave the baby up for adoption.

      This book. hmmm. It was VERY boring for me and drawn out. I feel that both characters had potential. but Jill was hard to sympathize with. yes I understand she lost her father. but to treat the world around her like she did pissed me off. She took being a bitchy teen to a whole different level. I understand its hard losing a parent but I dunno she was very hard to like. I made no connection at all.

      Mandy. Boy I liked Mandy even less than Jill. Mandy buggged me. she was creepy. she was disturbed. she has issues. I didnt like how she got everything handed to her without having to work for a damn thing. She was whiny. annoying. and very into herself. just not likeable.

      Now for the writing. There was no way of telling the characters apart. neither had their own voices. if it wasnt for the different font of each girl I would have NEVER told them apart. Yes the girls had very different personalities but their voices were the same.

      I like the story line. I think it had a lot of potential. when I read reviews I thought I was finding a treasure of a book.

      I will not give up on Sara Zarr as I have been told to check her out by numerous people, this one book just wasnt my cup of tea. I had no connection to it.
    • 5/5
      Plot: To be honest, I wasn’t really sure about this one. The synopsis felt too 16 & Pregnant to me and I was expecting something along those lines. But that is definitely not what I found. This is a story of two girls, both lost and confused who are searching for something they didn’t even realize they wanted or needed. It was a story about family, how blood relation doesn’t really matter, as long as you are willing to be there for each other. There aren’t any major plot twists, it isn’t action packed and it isn’t even all that unique, but it is still a great book. Only after reading it and sitting down to write this review, did I notice that the ending was totally and completely predictable, but this didn’t take anything away from the novel because it was exactly what I hoped would happen. There was an annoying cliffhanger at the very, very end though, but I say “annoying” only because I really wanted to know what happened next and then, suddenly, the book was over. I just hope this means a sequel might be coming? Who knows...Characters: This was very strange for me, but I connected with both Jill and Mandy despite how different they were. It was a little odd because I can’t remember the last time I agreed so much with a characters inner thoughts. I even caught myself nodding along as I was reading a few times, thinking: “That is so me. Thank God I’m not the only one”. Jill is moody, angry and bitter which is completely understandable behavior after losing a parent, especially considering the relationship they had. Mandy was a little more difficult to understand. She is very naive, very lost, but very well-intentioned. She is only trying to do what she thinks is best for everyone, even if she has no idea what her future will be once it is all done. The alternating viewpoints offered more of the characters personality through implication rather than outright telling. The fact that the characters were so relatable is probably the main reason why I liked this book so much. Cover: I like the cover and it does show how lost Mandy is, which is a key part of the story, but it isn’t the only one and I think they could have designed something that tied in with the book better. It is still really cute though.Overall Impression: This is the first time I am reading a novel by Sara Zarr, but it will definitely not be the last. I hope a sequel is in the works!
    • 3/5
      3.5/5
      I enjoyed this book, but I did find that at times it didn't really hold my interest. I really liked the dual narration though, that was interesting and I'll talk more about why I specifically liked it in this book on my blog.

      Overall I liked it and I'm pleased that I read it, but I probably wouldn't read it again.
    • 4/5
      Mandy is 18 and pregnant either through a one night stand or through her mother's abusive boyfriend. Jill is 17 and her dad died, Mac, in an auto accident a few months earlier. Her mother Robin and Mac had talked about adopting a child and now that Mac is gone, Robin is following through with an open adoption.Robin and Mandy meet through a website and agree. With 8 weeks left to term, Mandy travels from Nebraska to Colorado to live with Robin until the baby arrives. She's not sure of her plans afterward.How to Save a Life is an interesting contrast of characters. Mandy, who comes from a poor and abusive family, isn't the smartest kid in the world, book smart at least, but she has moxie to leave her home unannounced and try to start a new life. Jill, a year younger, is still mourning her father and in her grief has alienated her friends, her mother to some extent and her boyfriend. Robin and Jill come from a middle class, urban background and Robin is a successful business woman.The strength of this book is in the contrast of the three women. It got off to a slow start but ended up an interested read.