"Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it's the only thing that makes him feel alive. He's sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan's depression that no one else has ever been brave enough - or cared enough - to ask. Ryan isn't sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again."- summary from Amazon
I loved Hubbard's debut and have been eagerly awaiting to read her next book, which was just as amazing as her debut. Ryan is a great main character and I liked getting to know him throughout the course of the book as he opened up to himself and also to Nicki. They had an emotional journey together and Hubbard did a great job writing their interactions and giving them chemistry.
The prose is very atmospheric and it felt much like the cover- a bit... I can't even find the right word but the tone and color of the cover really matches the tone inside. It helped me really get into and understand Ryan's mindset. Hubbard does a phenomenal job getting down a boy's voice just right, like she did in The Secret Year; it never felt wrong or fake to me.
Overall, a fantastic follow-up to The Secret Year and I'm anxious to see what she gives us next!
FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.
I'm happy to hear that this is a great follow-up to The Secret Year. I loved that book and have been looking forward to reading Jennifer's follow-up ever since. I think she writes an authentic male voice which is why I liked The Secret Year so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts!
This sounds like a fantastic read, and I think I remember having heard about The Secret Year.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to find them.
Uggh... I keep getting this book mixed up with DON'T BREATHE A WORD, lol. This book looks like a great contemporary!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading this. I too really enjoyed The Secret Year.
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