This Is How It Happened

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 Gripping Social Media Thriller: One viral story has already condemned a man. But the truth is buried in memories Genevieve doesn’t have. Amnesiac Protagonist: She was behind the wheel when her boyfriend, a teen music idol, was killed. The only problem? She can’t remember a single thing about the crash. High-Stakes YA Mystery: As fragments of that night return, Genevieve must face a terrifying possibility: that the entire internet is wrong, and the person responsible for Dallas’s death is her. Online Vigilante Justice: A compelling look at how public outrage, online shaming, and cyberbullying can create a narrative that’s impossible to escape—even if it’s a lie.

Listed under Young Adult Fiction · Social Themes · Friendship · Romance