Learning Not to Drown Hardcover – April 1, 2014

There is a pecking order to every family. Seventeen-year-old Clare is the overprotected baby; Peter is the typical, rebellious middle child; and Luke is the can’t-do-wrong favorite. In their eyes, they are a normal, happy family. But sometimes it’s the people who are closest to us who are the hardest to see. Clare loves her older brother, Luke—it’s not his fault that he’s always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Life as Luke’s sister hasn’t been easy—their community hasn’t been nearly as forgiving of his transgressions as she and her parents are—but he’s done his time and is on his way home again, and she has to believe this time will be different. But when the truths behind his arrests begin to surface, everything Clare’s always known is shaken to its core.I finished reading this book last night. I wanted to read this book because it sounded interesting and also because Anna Shinoda is married to Mike Shinoda from the band Linkin Park and they are my favorite band. I like this book cover. I enjoyed this book but I hated the parents and the older brother Luke. Many times when reading this book, I felt angry and sad and also frustrated. I wanted to shake the parents and Luke and ask them,”What the hell is wrong with you?” I felt bad for Clare and Peter. I wish someone would have protected them and stood up for them. Their older brother Luke deserves to be in jail.

If you are the sibling/parent/loved one of someone who struggles to stay on the right side of the law, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. If you are someone who struggles to stay on the right side of the law, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK so you can see what your choices are doing to your loved ones. I have read this book twice and cried each time. I read it so fast the first time around because I felt Clare's pain and struggle so deeply that I had to know if she came out on the other side of it all in good shape. The second time, I was able to slow down and appreciate the writing of Anna. As someone who has struggled with a sibling in and out of the justice system, I would highly suggest this to anyone else in the same situation. Though my parents have never gone to some of the extremes that Clare, Peter, and Luke's have, I have felt many of the same feelings that Clare felt. I know what it feels like to be the "back-burnered" child and to see that on paper, in actual words, essentially gutted me and made me face my own feelings head on. Unlike Clare, I've faced this as an adult with a younger sibling and different circumstances, but inevitably many of the feelings and thoughts are very much the same. The judgment and shame applied by others; the struggle of loving and hating at the same time; the intimation that you have an obligation as a sibling to continue to support a person that you morally cannot support. I fell so deeply in love with Clare and I needed her to be okay, just as I will be. I commend the strength she shows and her will to not let her brother's shadow overcast her world. Anna Shinoda reached into my head and my heart then spilled every ounce of feeling and thought I had into these pages. Anna, you are a gem and I am so grateful that you were able to put this into words. I don't know that I've ever "felt" a book as much as I have felt this book. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being brave enough to write this story.

As someone who has a sibling dealing with alcoholism, this book hit home. It’s rough as times, but you learn to watch out for yourself, otherwise they will take over your life. This book is perfectly relatable to real life, & I appreciated it so much & will hold it close for the rest of my life.

Anna Shinoda did such a wonderful job with this book. I couldn’t put the book down because I was intrigued with the character Clare and how her life has been with her older brother being in prison, and having parents that were kind of crazy. You have to read it to understand what I’m talking about. The book presented how trauma can affect us, and that people can have skeletons in their closets. Overall, the book was awesome!!

You never know what to expect from the debut novels, also I had a very high hopes for a very first book of Anna Shinoda.When you're following someone's creative path and could see how much energy and love, time, thoughts and herself author put in her book it's hard to stay distant.Nevertheless I don't feel like my reaction was prejudiced. The book is absolutely brilliant.I always hope for some kind of magic when you're loosing the feeling of time and place and totally drown to the book. With "Learning not to drown" I got this magic.You can feel every bit of confusion, hope, anger, despair and all other feelings which overfill the main characters. The plot is so well-though-out, all characters development make you believe that they are real people with such a real life."Learning not to drown" make you think, make you feel and will left you with a PBS (post book syndrome) the one you can get only with a good book.

Learning Not To Drown to most will seem like a decently well-written debut novel with ups and downs; twists and turns. But to some, those whom have experienced trauma, it will read like a surgeon's knife. It will bring up buried emotions and memories. If you or your teen has had any experience with emotional trauma, read with caution and know that if you are struggling, it is no bad thing to talk to someone. Especially if you are hurting. This is an excellent book.

Love how it goes back and forth between past and present day on each chapter to explain each situation. Great read! About to read it for the 3rd time!

I spent the first night reading, not wanting to set it down. Loved it for it’s honesty and it’s entirety.

Great story, could not put it down and finished in one night.

Considering that most of people today suffer in silence is good to have writers talking about depression. Congrats to Anna

Amazing!

Really enjoyed this book. It would make a good movie. Very believable story. Only thing I don't like is when I finish a good book like this.

Fantastic book a must read. The story is great and you will not wanna put this book down buy it now