COLD GIRLS

An honest, witty and tender portrayal of adolescent elation and grief and the blurry lines between platonic and romantic love in female friendships—perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Emily X.R. Pan and Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Eight months after witnessing the death of her closest friend, 18-year-old Rory is in survival mode, and the last thing she wants to do is talk about Liv. But after freaking out her mom and sisters with some self-destructive mistakes, she has no choice but to report to therapy. Rory slowly revisits the whirlwind year of her friendship with Liv and finds she must decide: will she keep Liv's and her secrets inside, or will she finally allow herself to break? And if she breaks, what will she unearth amidst the pieces? As the cold façade she uses to pretend everything is fine crumbles, Rory has to confront the feelings she has smothered and the people she's pushed away.

Maxine Rae attended Tulane University where she was taught and singled out for commendation by two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward. While working on Cold Girls, Maxine received feedback and mentorship from National Book Award Finalist Charles Baxter. She currently lives in the Chicago area where she teaches high school students.