A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares

Krystal Sutherland

2017 • 349 pages

Ratings6

Average rating4.1

From the author of Our Chemical Hearts comes the hilarious, reality-bending tale of two outsiders facing their greatest fears about life and love—one debilitating phobia at a time. Cover may vary. Ever since Esther Solar’s grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther’s father is agoraphobic and hasn’t left the basement in six years, her twin brother can’t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck. The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them. Esther doesn’t know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares. Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she’d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn’t counted on: love.

Genre

Fiction

Moods

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Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

bianca

Everyone we let into our lives has the power to hurt us. Sometimes they will and sometimes they won't, but that's not a reflection of us, or our strength. Loving someone who hurts you doesn't make you weak. Sometimes you're brave if you run. Sometimes you're brave if you stay. It's important to know the difference.

— About how we should not let fear keep us from truly living. This was just so beautiful.

September 23, 2017

LaShelSupporter

This book was fine. The constant pop culture references were pretty distracting and won't age well. The characters were very well drawn, even enchanting, and I loved the imagry of the house. That being said, the plot itself was just okay. I felt a bit of whiplash being thrust back and forth from “it's magic!” and “there's no such thing as magic” often several times a page. I also couldn't relate to the main character's anxiousness (and I say this as someone who takes medication everyday for my own anxiety) and I felt like the book glorified senseless thrill seeking over actual courage.

December 22, 2018

Ellie

uno de los mejores en representar la personalidad de personas con enfermedades mentales

Original de: El Blog del Gato - El Extraño Gato del Cuento

este ibro es como hizo sentir vergüenza ajena de una manera tan palpable y sonora como lo hice esta vez, tuve que bajar mi celular (donde estaba leyendo), taparme la cara y básicamente soltar de esos gritos/chillidos sin mucho sonido... Así como un pterodáctilo.

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares es un libro divertido, que toca de manera real lo que es vivir con ansiedad, depresión, sobre lo que es vivir en una familia con predisposición a enfermedades mentales.

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