The Lucky Ones by Liz Lawson

They Lucky Ones is Liz Lawson's debut novel, and if this story is an indicator, we have a lot to look forward to in her writing.  The Lucky Ones is emotionally raw and gritty.  It is a beautiful story about guilt, grief, and finding yourself among the trauma you have endured.  But probably most importantly, this novel is about resilience, hope, and forgiveness.  Lawson captures the pain of survivor's guilt while at the same time moving toward a future of acceptance and fulfillment.  It is both a beautiful and painful debut that will surely stick with you long after you have finished the final words.

The Lucky Ones is told through dual points of view.  First comes May, a survivor of a school shooting which claimed the life of her twin brother.  May was the only one in the band room that day that came out alive.  And almost a year later, she still feels guilt over that day.  Guilt that she didn't do more to save her brother and the others.  Guilt that she had drifted apart from Jordan before he was gone.  And suddenly guilt that maybe it was all her fault. 

Zach gives us the other point of view.  Zach did not go to same high school as May and the other victims, but his mother is a lawyer who has taken on the task of defending the shooter.  Because of this, Zach has lost almost all that he has ever known.  His girlfriend has left him.  One of his closest friends has abandoned him.  Others at school treat him as an outcast because his mom has taken on the case.  All he has left is his best friend Conor, who has been by his side throughout.  Conor is all he has until he happens to cross paths with May.  They find an unlikely friendship in each other.  One that isn't always easy, but is most definitely worth it.  Now these two have the opportunity to show each other what self-forgiveness looks like while blazing a path towards a future that is full of hope.  

From Amazon:

For fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, This Is How It Ends, and All the Bright Places, comes a new novel about life after. How do you put yourself back together when it seems like you've lost it all?

May is a survivor. But she doesn't feel like one. She feels angry. And lost. And alone. Eleven months after the school shooting that killed her twin brother, May still doesn't know why she was the only one to walk out of the band room that day. No one gets what she went through--no one saw and heard what she did. No one can possibly understand how it feels to be her.

Zach lost his old life when his mother decided to defend the shooter. His girlfriend dumped him, his friends bailed, and now he spends his time hanging out with his little sister...and the one faithful friend who stuck around. His best friend is needy and demanding, but he won't let Zach disappear into himself. Which is how Zach ends up at band practice that night. The same night May goes with her best friend to audition for a new band.

Which is how May meets Zach. And how Zach meets May. And how both might figure out that surviving could be an option after all.