Disclosure: I received a copy of the book as part of the blog tour. Opinions shared are mine.
Sometimes a book arrives, and your heart just sighs. That’s how I felt about Words We Don’t Say. From the first few pages, I was in love. So much of this book was based on the way emotional baggage affects different people. Though the main characters were teens, its message was applicable to so many who suffer from heartache.
The writing style isn’t for everyone. It’s extremely stream-of-consciousness based. When you realize that the consciousness belongs to a teenage boy, and sounds like it, you might be put off. Many paragraphs consist of one run-on sentence. I loved it. Words We Don’t Say made me laugh out loud several times. Joel’s wry humor and comical observations provided some levity to an otherwise sad inner monologue. There’s a lot of profanity (as in, heavy cussing) but I was able to get past it. I work in a school, after all, so my ears aren’t as tender as they used to be.
Words We Don’t Say touched on many heavy topics. Grief, infatuation, and social issues all make an appearance. It was so different from other books I’ve read with similar themes. I think many teens will relate to Joel and his hesitation to speak his mind. The characters — every single one — are just precious. HOW did author K. J. Reilly make every single character so perfect?!
Adults should read Words We Don’t Say in order to gain a sense of what teens aren’t saying. Anyone who mutters about “kids these days” just hasn’t met Joel Higgins. This book is good for fans of Paper Towns and All The Bright Places.
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will win a finished copy of WORDS WE DON’T SAY, US Only.
About the Book:
Title: WORDS WE DON’T SAY
Author: K.J. Reilly
Pub. Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD
Joel Higgins has 901 unsent text messages saved on his phone.
Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people he hasn’t been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn’t mean he’s keeping it together, or even that he has any friends.
So instead of hanging out with people in real life, he drafts text messages. But he never presses send.
As dismal as sophomore year was for Joel, he doesn’t see how junior year will be any better. For starters, Eli doesn’t know how he feels about her, his best friend Andy’s gone, and he basically bombed the SATs. But as Joel spends more time at the soup kitchen with Eli and Benj, the new kid whose mouth seems to be unconnected to his brain, he forms bonds with the people they serve there-including a veteran they call Rooster-and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain.
About K.J.:
I am the author of the (contemporary social issue) Young Adult book, Words We Don’t Say (Disney Hyperion Oct 2, 2018).
Website | Goodreads | Instagram
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
10/8/2018- BookHounds YA– Excerpt
10/9/2018- Utopia State of Mind- Review
10/10/2018- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review
10/11/2018- Abellafairytale– Review
10/12/2018- Do You Dog-ear?- Review
Week Two:
10/15/2018- YA Books Central– Excerpt
10/16/2018- The Pages In-Between– Review
10/17/2018- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt
10/18/2018- Book-Keeping– Review
10/19/2018- Beware Of The Reader– Review
Week Three:
10/22/2018- Rainy Day Reviews– Excerpt
10/23/2018- Moonlight Rendezvous– Review
10/24/2018- The Cover Contessa- Review
10/25/2018- Jena Brown Writes– Review
10/26/2018- A Fictional Bookworm– Review
Week Four:
10/29/2018- PopTheButterfly Reads– Review
10/30/2018- Cindy’s Love of Books– Review
10/31/2018- The Desert Bibliophile- Review
11/1/2018- Trendy Simple Life– Review
11/2/2018- Patriotic Bookaholic- Review
Week Five:
11/5/2018- Coffee, Books and Cakes– Review
11/6/2018- Savings in Seconds– Review
11/7/2018- Novel Novice– Excerpt
11/8/2018- For the Love of KidLit– Spotlight
11/9/2018- Two points of interest– Review
Sounds like a book many need to read.
I love books that make me laugh out loud.
Sounds like a great read!
I’m intrigued by the stream-of-consciousness format.