This Song Will Save Your Life

Elise Dembowski has never fit in. After a summer spent studying pop culture in hopes of blending in for her sophomore year, a final attempt at popularity fails, and in its aftermath she starts sneaking out at night. She finds Start, an underground warehouse club, where DJ Char, English transplant Pippa, and musician Vicky become her first real friends. DJing gives Elise a place where she's good at something and, for the first time, herself. As her secret nightlife and her daytime life begin to collide, she has to decide who she actually wants to be.

The novel follows Elise's recovery from a period of depression and a self-harm episode earlier that year, handled through her parents' response and ongoing therapy rather than dwelled on graphically. It's a quiet, character-driven story about identity, friendship, and the specific joy of finding a scene that fits.