Title: Words We Don’t Say
Author: K.J. Rilly
Page count: 288
Published: October 2nd, 2018
Publisher: Disney – Hyperion
Genre: Teen/ YA
Received: From Netgalley
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
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
My Thoughts:
When I read the synopsis of this book I thought that it was interesting. Joel is an interesting character he saves most of his text messages, he doesn’t hit send. He bottles up his emotions. He’s also volunteering at a soup kitchen and struggling with not having his best friend Andy around because he died. He’s just trying to make it though high school.
One of the things that I enjoyed with Joel was that he was sarcastic and yet honest with himself. I loved how the book deals with some of the important things at that are going on in the world now like homelessness, guns, religion, PTSD etc. I don’t want to give away too much.
After reading this book I think it’s a coming of age story that all teens should read. Because of the topics at hand. I think they will find it relatable.
Latteandbookz 