Review to come ( )

Publisher's blurb :Thought-provoking novel about a girl who must overcome her survivor's guilt after a fellow classmate is brutally murdered.
"I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Me. Lindsey Farrier. Taylor Avril. Blair Mattern. Jamie Stroud. Only Jamie-beautiful, saintly Jamie-was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed. "
On the eve of Kyle's sentencing a year after Jamie's death, all the other Chosen Ones are coping in various ways, but our narrator is stuck. She's still trying to figure out why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead. Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie's boyfriend-knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. How do you go on living when you know it could have been you? Maybe it should have been you?
My review: Interesting premise in the fact that the main character has become friends with another of the potential victims and has drawn away from her previous friends. I am not sure if this would be the case in reality as surely the friendship would be a constant reminder that either of them could have been the one. Thus, then going out with the victim's boyfriend just seems wrong and I don't think would ever happen- the boyfriend would have so many issues to deal with that he'd run a mile. Apart from that note, the main character's struggle with survivor guilt is very real, but I did guess who was sending the notes and flowers right from the start, as this was the only logical explanation, SPOILER ALERT: It's the Killer's guilt ridden grandmother. One that my students will nevertheless fall for due to the title. ( )

FROM AMAZON: I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie--beautiful, saintly Jamie--was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.

On the eve of Kyle's sentencing a year after Jamie's death, all the other "chosen ones" are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.

Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie's boyfriend--knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead? ( )