Busby, Cylin. 
BLINK ONCE
New York : Bloomsbury, 2012
IL YA
ISBN 1599908182

(2 booktalks)

Booktalk #1

West wakes up alone in the hospital, unable to move, and no idea what he's doing there.  In and out of consciousness, the only one who seems to understand him is Olivia, a patient in the next room.  Olivia explains West's condition, and helps him and his recurring nightmares.  The two grow close, but as West begins to recovers, it becomes clear that Olivia has a secret -- one that he could never have guessed.  (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)

Booktalk #2

West had it all.  He was popular, had a great girlfriend and his whole life ahead of him.  Until the accident.  Now he is strapped in a hospital bed unable to move.   He slips in and out of consciousness and is very confused about what is happening to him.  His mom visits him everyday but his friends don't tend to come to see him much.  They only person who really talks to him is Olivia.  She is also a patient and is in the room next door.  She is the one who explains to him what is going on.  She sneaks into his room after hours and she talk for hours.  Well, West can't talk.  His is totally paralyzed.  Olivia tells him to blink once for yes and twice for no.  It's hard to carry on a conversation like this but there is something about Olivia that makes West just want to be with her.  As the days turn into weeks, West finds himself falling in love with Olivia.  Not much of romance when you can't move and your only way to talk to the girl is to blink.  Can they make this work?