Review by Booklist Review
Freya sacrificed family for her music career, and now, just as she's poised to make it big, she loses her singing voice completely. Harun, caught between the boy he loves and the family he doesn't want to disappoint, prepares for a trip that could force him into a life he doesn't want. And Nathaniel, self-contained and used to having only his father in his life, arrives in New York with almost nothing. When a chance encounter throws the three together, none of them will leave unchanged. Forman's (If I Stay, 2009) latest is a mature, quiet examination of loss. The bulk of the narrative takes place over the course of just one day, with intermittent flashbacks giving depth to the characters. During that day, the three, who come from varying, diverse backgrounds and families, face their individual demons and try to find the paths they've lost. Tightly woven and, in places, heartbreaking, this is a masterful exploration of human emotion that will appeal to adults as well as older teens. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: If I Stay made Forman a superstar, and a publisher-described massive prepub campaign should keep this book on, and off, shelves.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
With varying degrees of success, three actors lend their voices to the audio edition of Forman's YA novel. The story centers on three young adults, all hurting in unseen ways, who stumble upon one another in Central Park and become ad hoc family over the course of a single day. The standout performance comes from actor Malhotra, who sounds entirely believable as Harun, a closeted teen who has kept his personal life hidden from his Pakistani immigrant parents for fear of hurting them. He is a diehard fan of up-and-coming singer Freya, the female member of the trio. Actor Lewis is convincing as Freya, whose gravelly speaking voice is feisty and confident, but she falters when providing dreadful accents for Freda's fast-talking English music manager and Ethiopian father. The third performance, by veteran YA narrator Crouch as Freya's love interest Nathaniel, is quietly effective as he inhabits an introverted character who opens up as he grows closer to Freya and Harun over the course of the book. There are lovely moments, but the performances never come together to form a cohesive whole. Ages 14-up. A Viking hardcover. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Freya thought that she had only strained her voice, but now that it's been three weeks and she still can't sing, she's beginning to worry. Harun is stuck between his family's expectations and the truth of his sexuality. Nathaniel feels that he has nothing left to lose and uses the last of his money to go to New York City. Through a chance encounter, these teens learn of the burdensome secrets they are all carrying and begin to help each other heal over the course of one life-changing day. Forman has crafted a beautiful standalone novel full of heart and emotion, perfect for a YA audience. The story is told through the eyes of three distinct characters, and listeners will have no problem empathizing with their issues. Nicole Lewis, Sunil Malhotra, and Michael Crouch capably narrate the main roles. VERDICT A relatable story about struggling to find oneself that will make a good addition to high school or public library collections, especially where Forman is popular.-Elizabeth Kenyon, Merrillville High School, IN © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A chance meeting leads to intimate connections for three struggling nineteen-year-olds in Formans (If I Stay, rev. 7/09; I Was Here, rev. 1/15) latest novel. Freya is an up-and-coming singer who has lost her voice, to her controlling managers chagrin. Harun is a college student with a broken heart and an impossible decision to make: tell his devout Muslim family he is gay, or travel to Pakistan and bring home a bride. Nathaniel just flew into the city, and hes hiding the true reason for his visit. After colliding in a three-way meet-cuteFreya falls from a Central Park pedestrian bridge and lands on Nathaniel, with Harun stepping in as a helpful bystanderthe teens each privately feel drawn to one another; their day, like their relationships, unfolds organically as they each find opportunities to take control of their lives, with the others providing quiet support. Narration flits among the teens perspectives; this keeps the pace lively, but some more abrupt shifts are disorienting. Intermittent flashback chapters deepen the characters compelling backstories. A precipitously tense conclusion offers no easy answers for Freya, Harun, or Nathaniel, instead providing a stirring reminder of the great risks of isolation and the immense solace and power that communityeven with virtual strangerscan bring. jessica tackett macdonald (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A trio of struggling teens meets by chance in Central Park and becomes everything to one another.Freya, a rising half-Ethiopian, half-white and Jewish musical sensation, has lost her voicethe one thing that her handlers demand, that her sister resents, and that her fans will abandon her without. Harun, the dutiful closeted son of a traditional Pakistani-American family, has lost Jamesa black boy who is the love of his life and the secret part of himself he cannot bear to reveal. Nathaniel, a white boy bowed under the weight of responsibility, has lost his fatherhis only anchor to the rest of the world. As each one is preoccupied with the belief that they have no way forward, the teens' lives suddenly collide when Freya topples off a Central Park bridge, landing on and concussing Nathaniel. Harun helps them both to an emergency clinic, and their lives are forever changed. Loss is unquestionably the theme here, but Forman deploys a complexity that is mirrored in the narrative structure and borders on the fractal as loss compounds loss. The intersections of love, family, and identityand how loss impacts them alllay the groundwork for the breathtaking empathy and friendship that takes root among these three seemingly dissimilar teens within hours of meeting each other.Stunning doesn't even begin to say it. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
