Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 
 Patrick Ness' book The Rest of Just Live Here turned out to be completely different from what I expected - but in a good way. This YA follows the narrator, Mikey, his friends, and his family as they try to get through their last months of high school. This is a story about all the kids in high school who are not Scoobies, Gryffindors, Cullens, or Chosen Ones. There is some romance, but the aspect of this book that is probably going to be of most interest to the Bitchery is its compassionate and insightful treatment of mental illness. 
 At first this book reminded me of Rainbow Rowell's Carry On because it's another book that deconstructs the "Chosen One" trope. However, in Rowell's book, Simon actually is the chosen one, and all the characters are active participants in a massive drama. It also reminded me of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "The Zeppo," which follows a night in the life of Xander. Xander is the only one of Buffy's friends ("The Scoobies") who lacks a specific power, skill, or role, and he's left out of that apocalypse of the week (they send him to get donuts). However, in that episode, Xander has his own action battle to conduct, and he saves the day in an unrecognized but still actively heroic way. 
 In this book, our heroes never get very caught up in the indie kids' crisis except during some very scary moments where they are caught in the crossfire. It's simply not about being heroic in that sense. 
 This is a truly remarkable book. I loved the characters and their relationships. I loved the unexpected yet completely realistic outcome of Mikey's crush on Henna. I loved the tension between the teens and the adults. Of course, I adored the way the book talks about anxiety. But I have a confession - I totally want to read the indie kid version now, even though I know how it ends. 
 - Carrie S.