"Nothing ever really happens. Or, more accurately, nothing new ever really happens."

Still Life with Tornado

Sarah's life is spinning out of control. After she finds herself utterly unable to draw, budding artist Sarah decides to take a break from school. And that's when she starts seeing the other Sarahs. Ten-year-old Sarah, with a clear memory of the family vacation that tore everything apart. Twenty-three-year-old Sarah, who has snazzy highlights and a bad attitude. Forty-year-old Sarah, who makes good queso dip and doesn't wear a bra. 
They're all worried about her future that's the problem. It's the present, where the truth about what happened to her family is there for her to see--if only she can figure out how to face it. 
(Description from the back of the book)

I bought this book after an in class recommendation, not knowing anything about it--except that the main character (Sarah) meets other versions of herself (at different ages). This sounds bizarre, and I was very skeptical going in--I thought it would be a confusing mess with time travel and a major paradox. 

That's not what I got. A.S. King managed to represent the inner turmoil of a sixteen-year-old's existential crisis, and it's done in such an interesting and riveting way. You're gradually introduced to the Sarahs, and plenty of detail is given to introduce them. 

I love the inner workings of sixteen-year-old Sarah. It's fascinating the way her mind works, and the development of the story--learning about what happened to her--is incredibly well written and kept me constantly wanting to keep reading. 

I don't want to give too much away, but this novel does deal with many serious topics and they're intertwined throughout Sarah's life in a way that keeps them believable and fresh. 

There's so much more to say about this book, but I think the best thing to do is just direct you to where you can buy it. 

Author's Website

Goodreads