Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian

Emily Shepard is a teenage girl living in Vermont when a catastrophic accident at a nearby nuclear power plant changes everything. Her parents, both employees at the plant, are gone, and rumors quickly spread that her father may have been responsible for the disaster.
 
Alone and afraid of being recognized, Emily disappears into the streets and creates a new identity for herself. As she struggles to survive, she finds an unexpected connection with another homeless child and is forced to confront grief, guilt, loyalty, and the complicated truth about what happened.
 
Told through Emily's distinctive voice, Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is an emotional coming-of-age novel about a young woman trying to survive after her world—and everything she believed about it—has been shattered.
 
❤️ Why You’ll Love It
A powerful coming-of-age story with an unusual premise
Combines literary fiction with elements of disaster and survival fiction
Features a complex and memorable teenage narrator
Explores grief, family, guilt, friendship, and resilience
A character-driven story with emotional depth
🎯 Perfect For
Readers of contemporary and literary fiction
Chris Bohjalian fans
Readers who enjoy emotionally complex coming-of-age stories
Fans of Jodi Picoult
Book clubs looking for novels with strong discussion themes