This Is How It Happened: A Contemporary YA Novel of Guilt and Social Media Justice

This Is How It Happened: A Contemporary YA Novel of Guilt and Social Media Justice

The author of Girl Against the Universe and Liars, Inc. plunges readers into a world where the internet is always watching—and judging—in this compelling story about mistakes, repercussions, and online vigilante justice. Perfect for fans of Sarah Darer Littman’s Backlash or Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything. After waking up from a coma, Genevieve Grace can’t remember the car crash that killed her boyfriend Dallas, a YouTuber turned teen music idol. Genevieve knows she was driving, but because of what's been reported in the media, everyone assumes the other driver, Brad Freeman, is guilty. As she slowly pieces together the night of the accident, Genevieve is hit with a sickening sense of dread—what if she's the one at fault? While the internet and social media viciously condemn Brad, Genevieve escapes to her father’s house near Zion National Park to hide from curious classmates and intrusive reporters. But she quickly realizes that she can’t run away from the accident. And eventually, she will have to come to grips with what happened…and her role in it. A High-Stakes Social Media Thriller: When a teen music idol dies in a car crash, the internet mob is quick to condemn the other driver. But what if they have the wrong person? - A Heroine with Amnesia: Genevieve was behind the wheel, but a coma wiped her memory clean. As fragments of that night return, she’s terrified of what she might discover about her own role in the accident. - Grief, Guilt, and Lies: Hiding out in the shadow of Zion National Park, Genevieve must untangle her grief for her boyfriend Dallas from the mounting guilt over what really happened. - The Dark Side of Social Media: A gripping exploration of online shaming and vigilante justice where every tweet and comment has real-world, life-or-death consequences. "The ensuing tale of grief and forgiveness is smartly paced. Stokes doesn't lean too hard on the mystery element, revealing the cold truth early enough to follow through with all the baggage that comes with it. Gen's relationship with her father and stepmother is sweetly characterized, providing solid thematic reinforcement to boot. A Greek chorus in the form of the internet provides Gen and readers with updates on the chaos ensuing back home, while a hot, brown-skinned co-worker gives Gen a reason to work her way through her grief. A sobering exploration of absolution." - Kirkus Reviews "Stokes explores the power of social media and online shaming...The book effectively demonstrates the effects of cyberbullying." -School Library Journal "The supporting cast of characters is strong, from Genevieve's no-nonsense mother to Elliott, the boy with two dads, who works at Zion National Park. Stokes builds realistic tension with the bombardment of social media, that faceless jury so quick to judge, sentence, and execute. This tragedy wrapped in a compelling mystery will entrance readers." - ALA Booklist "Stokes has written a powerful and thought provoking book that dares to take on two tough topics. I loved that this book made me think and ponder things. This is an excellent book that will start a conversation." - Rainy Day Ramblings Praise for Girl Against the Universe "Stokes' engaging prose and sympathetic characters serve up great lessons in acceptance for teens dealing with trauma." - Kirkus Reviews "Teens will find in Maguire a compelling heroine. Her obsessive behaviors are depicted in convincing detail. Maguire's forays into wellness are anything but pat, giving her story additional credibility. Teens who enjoy emotionally charged stories will appreciate this novel about resilience." - School Library Journal "Romance fans will enjoy the slow, sweet, and tentative burn between the teens. Recommend to readers who enjoy Jenny Han or Maureen Johnson." - ALA Booklist "An engaging story. Its true appeal lies with Stokes's well-developed characters and in the way Maguire and Jordy support each other's efforts to conquer the challenges they face." - Publishers Weekly "Maguire is a brave, relatable character...There are friendships formed, family relationships tested and restored, and issues of identity explored. This is a satisfying and breezy book with likeable characters working through trauma to move to better, healthier places in their lives." - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Paula Stokes is the author of Hidden Pieces ; This Is How It Happened ; Girl Against the Universe ; Liars, Inc. ; and The Art of Lainey . Paula lives in Portland, Oregon. You can find her online at www.authorpaulastokes.com or on Twitter and Instagram @pstokesbooks.