Description

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Nathaniel Conti doesn’t feel real when he’s alone. Maybe that’s why he has a reputation as a
troublemaker—he’ll do just about anything to have everyone’s eyes on him.

But things are about to change. Nathaniel is in his first year of college, flung into new circumstances with
new people to meet. There are public speaking classmates, lacrosse players—and then there’s the
aspiring photographer who asks Nathaniel to be their model, who’s interested in more than what’s on
the surface. Nathaniel feels like he’s moving forward—until a former friend shows up, someone who
reminds him of habits and hurts he thought he’d left behind.

From the author of Icebreaker comes a deeply felt, gorgeously told story about confronting what's
buried, coming into your own, and finding your people.

About the Author

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A.L. Graziadei was born in Buffalo, New York and raised on Sabres hockey and video games, using their free time to write books inspired by both. Now living in Wisconsin, A.L. still plays plenty of video games and is a proud member of the Displaced Buffalo Sabres Fans group. Icebreaker is their first book.

Praise For…

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"Graziadei (Icebreaker) vividly portrays the physical effects of trauma, such as bodily dissociation, and handles both Nathaniel’s and the supporting characters’ challenges with nuance. . .Via acerbic and vulnerable prose, Graziadei presents an empathetic portrait of a young person learning to do better for the people he loves and for himself."—Publisher's Weekly

"The sharp, fluid prose propels readers further into Nathaniel’s complex frame of mind as the story is uplifted by its touching characters. . .A thoughtful rumination on the power of friendship, trauma, and healing."—Kirkus