Sad by V. E. Schwab; The protagonist of the book Olivia Prior, a girl who gets an invitation to Gallant, the creepy mansion belonging to her distant family. Not a thing compares to finding out a horrifying truth that lies between Olivia and her family. Losing My Head: Taylor Carney – Experiencing Presence in an Absent Culture This novel maps out themes that bind loss, family and a painful search for connection through mystery, the fantastic and pathos in a beautiful vein of melancholy.