Out of the Gutter

By Keri Annis

A debut YA novel that is both coming-of-age and a relentless love story. Dani wakes up on her 16th birthday in a teenage psych ward. Although far from a sweet 16, Dani is trying to stay positive. She is happy to have Nolan in there with her, and over the past few months, they have become inseparable. Dani and Nolan spend the mornings gossiping about the other residents and complaining about the food. It has started to feel more like being at camp than being stuck in an institution. But then Jackson turns Dani's world upside down, and now she can't stop thinking about him. One by one, they leave, but outside the walls of the ward, life only gets harder, relationships more complicated, and the lure of old habits grows stronger. Reviews Dani and Jackson meet as teenagers in a psychiatric ward and fall in love. They vow to always be there for each other but unfortunately real life isn't always quite as easy as that. Have you ever read a book where you truly believed the characters were real? That's exactly how I felt about the characters in Out of the Gutter. Debut author, Keri Annis, has such an incredible talent for creating developed, believable characters that I found myself completely invested in them and their stories. This also meant that my heart broke multiple times throughout this book. The journey that Dani goes on is real, raw and at times devastating. I wanted to reach in and scoop her out of the book and hug her so many times. Despite my love for Dani my favourite character had to be Anthony, I just adored his character and the person he had became. This book covers, in detail, some very difficult subject matter, including drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness and mental health issues. But despite all of that it is ultimately a book about love and hope and second chances at happiness and wow it seriously blew me away. I cannot recommend this book highly enough! dawnsworldblog Out Of The Gutter hit me right in the feels. The storyline is very realistic and I had such a fondness for these characters. The story is very much centered around the main character, Dani. It's through her experiences and interactions that we learn more about the other characters in the book. Characters that were so well written you really get a feel for who they are. Their heartaches, their victories. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Dani, Nolan and Jackson. danish_mustardreads I really liked the character named Sheila Aunt Sheila At it's core, Out of the Gutter is realistic. It is not some fairy-tale love story, but it is a great story with characters who fight for love, like you have to in real life sometimes. It's a don't take things for granted, and always appreciate the little things type of story. It's an appreciate every moment kind of story. The riveting plot and character arc made me read it in record time. But I will be reflecting on it for some time to come. Gregory Ramsey Author This is a coming of age story about a young girl coping with drugs, alcohol and mental health issues. I was on the edge of my seat rooting for Dani the MC, and flipping the pages like there was no tomorrow. You won't be able to put this debut down, and I am excited to read more by Keri in the future. Toronto Bilbliophile

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0933Q19VF
• ISBN13: 9798590611607
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"