Free Audio Book : The Way I Used to Be, By Amber Smith

In the spirit of Speak, this remarkable debut novel presents an indelible narrative of a young woman's journey to reclaim her strength in the wake of a traumatic incident.

Eden had always excelled at doing what's right. Transitioning to high school didn't alter her character. However, the night her brother's closest friend perpetrates a violent act against her, Eden's world is upended.

The once simple becomes intricate. The affections she once held and the people she once cherished now elicit feelings of resentment. The truths she thought were steadfast now crumble into falsehoods. Nothing retains its clarity, and although she understands the expectation to disclose what transpired, she's incapable of doing so. Instead, she buries the truth deep within. Simultaneously, she buries the version of herself that existed before.

This compelling debut unfolds in four distinct segments—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years—disclosing the profound wounds left by trauma. However, it also shines a light on the extraordinary strength of a young woman as she navigates the disillusionments and agonizing trials of adolescence. It's a narrative of first loves and first heartbreaks, of fractured friendships that mend over time. Above all, it reveals her emergence as a force of survival, a power that she never realized she possessed, concealed deep within her heart.