Books like Swallowing stones by Joyce McDonald
During a birthday celebration, seventeen‑year‑old Michael MacKenzie discharges an antique Winchester rifle, tragically killing his high‑school classmate Jenna Ward’s father. The event thrusts Michael and his family into a vortex of grief, guilt, and responsibility.
The novel follows two perspectives as they navigate the fallout: the collapse of ordinary family life and the heavy weight of accidental death. It exposes how a single moment can alter lives, forcing characters to confront their emotions, confront the consequences of their actions, and seek a fragile path toward healing.
First publish date: 1997
Genre: Young Adult Fiction/YA Contemporary Fiction
Authors: Joyce McDonald
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