Roxy

A parent would reach for this book when they need a compelling way to discuss the realities of substance abuse and the opioid crisis with a teenager who might be resistant to clinical lectures. Roxy uses a unique urban fantasy framework where drugs like Oxycontin and Adderall are personified as seductive, competitive deities who toy with the lives of two siblings. The story explores the slippery slope of prescription misuse, the pressure of high school sports, and the neurological impact of addiction. It is an intense but necessary read for high schoolers that moves beyond 'just say no' to show the actual mechanics of how pills change the way we think and feel. Parents will appreciate how it humanizes the struggle of addiction while highlighting the devastating ripple effects on family dynamics and trust.