Lessons in Saving a Girl


Fiction - Womens
232 Pages
Reviewed on 10/05/2015
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

LeighLa Graham was born in 1967 and grew up in Massachusetts. She earned her first Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland College Park where she studied Psychology and Business. She traveled and lived abroad for several years before returning to the United States with a new respect for and interest in the political and social dynamics of contemporary culture. She earned a second Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master’s in Educational Psychology from Mount Holyoke College.

Miss Graham lives in Virginia where she runs a small business and writes in her spare time.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In the new novel by debut author LeighLa Graham, Lessons in Saving a Girl, readers will be taken on a heartbreaking, heartfelt journey that explores the difficulties of being a teenager dealing with a tough past. Emily Evers Craft has to deal with a lot in her life. Her mother is seriously mentally ill and has been institutionalized. She's moved with her father and two sisters to a new town and a new school where she's pretty much shunned by her new peers. Emily considers herself a nobody, and never wants to be the center of attention. When her gym teacher recognizes in her a great talent for running, he tries to convince her to join the track team, something she absolutely does not want to do. But when a boy named Edin also recognizes Emily's talent and encourages her to give track a try, she's tempted. Will she open herself up to Edin and potentially to more, or will she keep her walls up as strongly and securely as ever?

I so enjoyed Lessons in Saving a Girl. I was surprised to find that author LeighLa Graham is a first time novelist; her work is very engaging and polished. She has done a fabulous job in creating characters that her readers will connect with, relate to, care about and continue to think of long after the book is finished. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I don't know what is. I highly recommend Lessons in Saving a Girl, and can't wait to see what the very promising new author, LeighLa Graham, has in store for her readers next!

Literary Classics Book Aw

Lessons in Saving a Girl is a refreshingly honest glimpse into the life of a family trying to find a semblance of normalcy in the midst of their frenzied existence. Free of pretense, this book exposes the stains caused by mental illness as it tarnishes the lives of those in its wake. Graham is a gifted writer whose style is as fluid as it is direct. Her book offers a glimmer of optimism wrapped up neatly within this affecting story which is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.

Gina, Goodreads

I received this book as a first read. It's beautifully written and the lyrical prose is entrancing with flairs of Hemingway, Flaubert, and Garcia Marquez. It's a compelling coming of age tale that provides a stark yet delicate portrayal of growing up with a mentally ill parent. It's also a classic story of feeling like an outsider and being the new kid at school. Adults and teens alike will recognize the awkward high school moments and feelings. The pace is fast and the characters are well developed. Fans of The Bell Jar, The Impossible Knife of Memory, or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will enjoy this book.

Ariadne Lukas, author, editor

I highly recommend this book about a young girl trying to make sense of her world. She's good at running away. Until she meets a boy who just might save her. Beautifully written, superb character development, and an ending that won't disappoint!