Reviewed by Katherine Williams for Readers' Favorite

Indigo is a realistic fiction novel by Krista Wagner which stars a teenage girl named Indigo. As a high-schooler, Indigo is finally realizing what is important in her life. Although she has already been heartbroken twice, Indigo is captivated by the charming “bad boy” Brian. They start to date and although Indigo feels that she needs him in her life, she falls for him too hard and too fast. She eventually sleeps with him, giving him her virginity which affects her in the worst possible way. She becomes unhealthily dependent on him, constantly seeking out his emotional and sexual attention towards her. Their relationship opens up wounds Indigo has silently ignored such as her depression and her disappointment with herself for sinning against God. These feelings escalate quickly and soon overtake her, making her wonder what is more important: life or death? Will Indigo always feel that need to no longer exist, or will she eventually understand that life is worth living?

Indigo beautifully examines a question that most teens have when it comes to most major events in life, especially sexual relationships: how far is too far? By the end of the novel Indigo comes to realize that God made her for a reason. She understands that although you may not always feel like it, you are an important child of God and you deserve the right to live. The way Krista Wagner writes about Indigo, the main character, is wonderful. She does a very good job of creating a hopeful tone and talking about hard-hitting topics such as messy heartbreaks, bullying, overpowering feelings of guilt and even suicide.

Wagner is a great storyteller overall, and I was impressed by the pacing of the novel. It is not too fast nor too slow, and all of the extraordinary emotions following the plot were unfolded wonderfully. There are certain intense feelings and topics that can be hard to talk about altogether, but Wagner hits them right on the head, unafraid and willing to make a person see their worth. She wants you to understand the important idea that, no matter what, “you can overcome whatever sin is entangling you.” I would suggest this book to any teenage girl, any person who is surviving through depression, or any person who craves love. This book teaches you that although life may not seem worth living right now, eventually it will get better.