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by Elden Brooks (Author)
What if love and crushes can't fix a boy who feels broken because of his mental illness? What if depression is lying and doesn't tell the full story? Tevy hopes his relationship with Gracie will be enough to help him survive his suicidal thoughts, but the fear that he will vanish and not be missed weighs on him.
Tevy is an Asian-American teen who has been struggling with his mental health since his mom died by suicide. He worries the darkness that consumed his mom might catch up to him too, so he tries to write a hopeful story before it's too late. He meets Gracie, an energetic and passionate soul who happens to be in a wheelchair. She encourages Tevy to go back to church with her and to plan a grand adventure. Though they are both broken in their own way, they try to learn to live a good life even when bad things are happening. Tevy feels so temporary and worries nothing will fix him, but he hopes love for a girl who loves life can pull him out of that darkness.
Even Stubborn Suns Will Set is a hopeful YA romance novel that exists because the author wants a better story about mental health. After struggling with Bipolar Disorder for over a decade, Elden knew he had a unique perspective to tell a love story through. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way we plan, but that doesn't mean it won't be worth it.
"I hated that therapy sessions always had a time limit. After all, I felt like I had a time limit. Still, I left with the motivation to write a hopeful story. I wanted to write a story my mom would love even though she wouldn't get to read it. People needed to believe in love, hope, and the pursuit of happiness. I didn't always, but a part of me believed that if I wrote about love, hope, and happiness for long enough, I might start to believe in them. Maybe I'd tell a story about how beautiful life could be, and maybe, as a side effect, I could convince myself to stay. Maybe."
A girl in a wheelchair who longs for adventure. A boy with no future who gives her a ride. Can they free each other?
