Monday 2 October 2017

Review: What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world. 
KIT: I don't know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I'm going through. How could they? I don't even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I've attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I've never once sat with someone until now. "So your dad is dead," I say to Kit, because this is a fact I've recently learned about her. 
When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David's blunt honesty--in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit's attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad's tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they'll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?


Review: This was another hit from Julie Buxbaum, I have found a new author to add to my favourites list! This book is just as full of feeling and covert romance and loverly friendship as Tell Me Three Things but this one deals with some deeper and more misunderstood issues as well. This books covers family not being what you expect them to be again, which I always enjoy when it comes up. This book also deals with mental health, grief and Aspergers. And of course dealing with all of that doing high school-yey!

These were two new characters for me and I found myself really warming to David right away. I loved his take on the world and his awareness that he didn't see things that same way as other people so he would have to keep notes watch other people or ask for help when it comes to social interactions. He is also incredibly clever and don't play it down in any way, which I loved too! Kit took me longer to warm to. I enjoyed her take on things and the fact that she too has a different perspective of the world. I didn't always like the way that she handled things she was put up against but she is grieving and so that is to be expected. 

Of coursed being high school, we have members of the other classic high school groups and they all have their part to play in this novel. I really enjoyed who friendship was explored at every level. I know having gone through high school how friendships can look different, can be more superficial than you realise and can also be found in unexpected places an this book really does cover all of that well. I think this would be a great solace to someone currently experiencing high school but was also really interesting to revisit having gone through the experience and successfully come out the other end!

I would love to hear more from Kit and David, like I need a sequel now. I am sure you will love their story too!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

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