Stick (Andrew Smith)

Stick McClellan is 6 feet tall, and missing his right ear. His brother Bosten, Bosten's friend Paul, and Stick's friend Emily are the only ones who understand him. His life is lonely but stable, kept in check by his cold and abusive parents. But everything comes crashing down when Bosten flees their home, and Stick must do everything he can to find him again.

While this book contains none of the ridiculous and outlandish twists of The Alex Crow and Grasshopper Jungle, it is Smith's most powerful and disturbing book by a long shot. Stylistically, it's told through one ear, pulling you deeper and deeper into Stick's head and making it increasingly difficult to leave. This book is excellent, but heavy. I wouldn't recommend it if you cannot handle some pretty tough and mature content.