Julie Anne Peters is not a familiar name, nor a famous author many recognize. Some, however, may recognize a chilling book of hers, “By the Time Your Read This I’ll be Dead.” Even the title grabs your attention right from the start.

For many, two things come to mind when they hear a title such as this: murder, or suicide. Sadly, this book speaks volumes about the latter.

Schools often talk about bullying; it is bad, you should report it, stand up for yourself, and stand up for your friends, because when you don’t, bad leads to worse. Daelyn Rice is the girl you always hear about.

She was bullied a lot when she was younger, mostly because she was overweight. I was shocked to read about how people can be so hurtful, unconscious of the pain they’re causing. No one should have to try to kill themselves, multiple times, and still feel the need to when there are two loving parents supporting you.

Peters puts the reader in Daelyn’s shoes, expressing her pain, exhaustion, and all her determination to end her life.

But then she adds Santana Lloyd Girard the Second. He has quite the name, and his personality is just as weird. His backstory on the other hand is just as depressing as hers.

I won’t ruin the surprise, but some of it pans out in a way you expect, other times it leaves you reeling and asking questions. Peters doesn’t give you a happy ending, at least, not a fully explained ending.

How does it end exactly? Does she finally reach her goal? Does Santana have her falling head over heels? Well, I’ll just say it’s somewhere in the middle.