Books Like The First Time She Drowned
Families who loved The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling to reclaim their voice after a period of manipulation, gaslighting, or family-induced trauma. This haunting story follows Cassie O'Malley as she leaves a mental institution at eighteen to start college, only to find her mother attempting to pull her back into a web of lies and guilt. It is an intense exploration of psychological abuse, the burden of family secrets, and the arduous process of self-definition. Due to its mature themes and depictions of mental health struggles, it is best suited for older teens (14 plus) who are ready for a raw, realistic look at emotional survival. Parents choose this book to help their children understand that their reality is valid and that healing is possible even when the people who should love us most are the ones who hurt us.
