The Way I Used to BeThe Way I Used to Be
Score Modern
What it's about
Amber Smith's debut follows a teenage girl after she is sexually assaulted, across the years that follow, as she struggles to live with what happened and to find her way back to herself. It's a heart-twisting but ultimately hopeful story of how pain can lead to strength.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 51 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's an honest, hopeful novel about trauma and recovery.
You'll love it if you liked
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Hate U Give
Dear MartinGood to know
It's a young-adult novel about sexual assault and its aftermath, and some scenes are difficult to read.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #48 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #420 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #811 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
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Quick answers
Is The Way I Used to Be worth reading?
Yes. It spent 51 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #811 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Way I Used to Be about?
Amber Smith's debut follows a teenage girl after she is sexually assaulted, across the years that follow, as she struggles to live with what happened and to find her way back to herself. It's a heart-twisting but ultimately hopeful story of how pain can lead to strength.
How long does it take to read The Way I Used to Be?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Way I Used to Be?
If you liked it, try The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas or Dear Martin by Nic Stone.