Everything Has to Stop; Teach Me is a poetic and majestic novel about life, discovery and love. Carolina is a science-oriented senior in high school, living in Alabama who takes a poetry class for her liberal studies requirement. With her best friend Schuyler, they could probably name the species of every animal living in North America, and all the particles in the molecules making them up. Yet it all seems trivial when love looms into the picture: an unfamiliar feeling that cannot be graphed or charted, and even worse, has to remain a secret.

Carolina is not your average girl, but one who finds herself observing those around her rather than actually interacting with them. Yet it all ends the moment Mr. Mann stepped into the room. Who could suspect that what lies ahead of her is a year of forbidden love, a rising passion and a betrayal of the worst sort? This is a powerful and enchanting story, and immensely difficult to put down. An alluring writing style keeps the reader hooked for more and not wanting it to end all at the same time.