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Take Me With You When You Go
From the New York Times bestselling authors of All the Bright Places and Every Day comes a story of hope, family, and finding your home in the people who matter the most.
Subject: You. Missing.
Ezra Ahern wakes up one day to find his older sister, Bea, gone. No note, no sign, nothing but an email address hidden somewhere only he would find it. Ezra never expected to be left behind with their abusive stepfather and their neglectful mother - how is he supposed to navigate life without Bea?
Bea Ahern already knew she needed to get as far away from home as possible. But a message in her inbox changes everything, and she finds herself alone in a new city - without Ez, without a real plan - chasing someone who might not even want to be found.
As things unravel at home for Ezra, Bea confronts secrets about their past that will forever change the way they think about their family. Together and apart, broken by abuse but connected by love, this brother and sister must learn to trust themselves before they can find a way back to each other.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2021
222 people are currently reading
13.6k people want to read
About the author
David Levithan
119books19.4kfollowersDavid Levithan (born 1972) is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first YA book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 967 reviews
February 8, 2022
4.5⭐️
“I’d rather run toward something than run from something.�
This was really heavy, and I really hope everyone will get to read this at least once in their life. This book did not necessarily break me apart, but it did make me think really hard about life.
The entire story was told in emails. So cool!!
Bea runs away from home because she quite frankly can’t take it anymore. She made it clear that she really didn’t want to leave Ezra, but she had to do this for herself: “I’m not running away, I’m running toward freedom and life.� As the story progresses, you really understand this more. There weren’t many people who were nice to Bea, and aside from Ezra and maybe her boyfriend Joe, she really had no reason to stay. What do we learn more about Bea as she goes on this journey? How does she learn to love herself throughout the journey?
Ezra and Bea illustrate the strength of the bond between siblings. This literally made me wonder about how far the relationship between me and my siblings could be pushed. Yes, romantic love is cool and all, but sometimes you just need to read about the love between a brother and sister who are both going through a horrible situation, and yet they still manage to hold onto each other. This story also really shows how children are forced to grow up due to the many circumstances life has already thrown at them. I was so happy to see the growth in each of them by the end of the book. I usually don’t request sequels but I definitely wouldn't mind one to this.
Bea and Ezra’s parents didn’t make a lot of good decisions in this book. It was so frustrating to see what these so-called adults put these children through. What does being a parent really mean? Is it fair to call someone a parent just because they biologically have children?
Loneliness is a horrible thing, and no, I’m not talking about just simply feeling alone. I’m talking about when you are going through something really tough, and you literally don’t know who to turn to. I’m really thankful for all the side characters who showed Ezra and Bea that they are not going to be alone forever. They illustrate how there are good people in the world who are willing to help. Sometimes they didn’t know exactly how to help, but they really wanted to and were going to try. What is each character’s role in contributing to the growth of Ezra and Bea?
Like I said in the beginning, this book made me really think about a lot of stuff. My favorite one was the concept of homelessness. When you think of homelessness, you think of the physical right? How about you start thinking about how it’s not always just physical. Home is not just a building, but it’s the people you are surrounded by. What happens when you are not surrounded by the right people, the people who constantly hurt you emotionally or physically? Yeah, that hits hard. Most of us are homeless, and we don’t even know it. I’m glad that I learned that with Ezra, and my life is honestly changed forever.
Have you ever tried to justify something that you’re going through with the phrase, “it could be worse?� Well, this is your sign to stop thinking that way, because I promise, whatever you’re going through is valid. Read this to see when Ezra realizes this too.
There were so many other life-changing lessons and quotes, so I would recommend picking up this book just to learn more about yourself.
“I’d rather run toward something than run from something.�
This was really heavy, and I really hope everyone will get to read this at least once in their life. This book did not necessarily break me apart, but it did make me think really hard about life.
The entire story was told in emails. So cool!!
Bea runs away from home because she quite frankly can’t take it anymore. She made it clear that she really didn’t want to leave Ezra, but she had to do this for herself: “I’m not running away, I’m running toward freedom and life.� As the story progresses, you really understand this more. There weren’t many people who were nice to Bea, and aside from Ezra and maybe her boyfriend Joe, she really had no reason to stay. What do we learn more about Bea as she goes on this journey? How does she learn to love herself throughout the journey?
Ezra and Bea illustrate the strength of the bond between siblings. This literally made me wonder about how far the relationship between me and my siblings could be pushed. Yes, romantic love is cool and all, but sometimes you just need to read about the love between a brother and sister who are both going through a horrible situation, and yet they still manage to hold onto each other. This story also really shows how children are forced to grow up due to the many circumstances life has already thrown at them. I was so happy to see the growth in each of them by the end of the book. I usually don’t request sequels but I definitely wouldn't mind one to this.
Bea and Ezra’s parents didn’t make a lot of good decisions in this book. It was so frustrating to see what these so-called adults put these children through. What does being a parent really mean? Is it fair to call someone a parent just because they biologically have children?
Loneliness is a horrible thing, and no, I’m not talking about just simply feeling alone. I’m talking about when you are going through something really tough, and you literally don’t know who to turn to. I’m really thankful for all the side characters who showed Ezra and Bea that they are not going to be alone forever. They illustrate how there are good people in the world who are willing to help. Sometimes they didn’t know exactly how to help, but they really wanted to and were going to try. What is each character’s role in contributing to the growth of Ezra and Bea?
Like I said in the beginning, this book made me really think about a lot of stuff. My favorite one was the concept of homelessness. When you think of homelessness, you think of the physical right? How about you start thinking about how it’s not always just physical. Home is not just a building, but it’s the people you are surrounded by. What happens when you are not surrounded by the right people, the people who constantly hurt you emotionally or physically? Yeah, that hits hard. Most of us are homeless, and we don’t even know it. I’m glad that I learned that with Ezra, and my life is honestly changed forever.
Have you ever tried to justify something that you’re going through with the phrase, “it could be worse?� Well, this is your sign to stop thinking that way, because I promise, whatever you’re going through is valid. Read this to see when Ezra realizes this too.
There were so many other life-changing lessons and quotes, so I would recommend picking up this book just to learn more about yourself.
April 13, 2023
David Levithan. Jennifer Niven.
Two YA powerhouses.
With their powers combined...create MAGIC.
... IF you're patient enough to get there!
Ezra and Bea are brother and sister, two disparate halves of a whole. They've always been close on some level, but their biological father has not been a part of their lives. Mom has taken up with Darren, an abuser, and has put her children on the back burner, allowing Darren to wreak havoc in his own way. When Ezra wakes up one morning to find his big sister gone and nothing but a note in her wake, he feels lost...and terrified. Bea has followed a whim that has taken her far from her hometown, looking for 'Mystery Guy', but will she be satisfied with what she finds? Or will this disappearance give her more questions than answers? Meanwhile, Ezra struggles to keep things together at home...and to stay safe. Will Bea return? Or will Ezra be the next to leave 'home' behind...for good?
When your favorite authors collaborate, it's hard to keep your expectations grounded in reality. The two chose to write this book in an epistolary style, as emails between brother and sister (with a few from another character who enters later) and I'll be honest. The first ~50% of this book was hard for me to get through. I found Bea just as unlikable as I guess she was supposed to be...and her brother Ezra not adequately functioning as the counterpoint to this unpleasantness. I don't mind the epistolary style necessarily, but it's hard to believe teenagers would write exceedingly long emails to one another where they would quote long strings of dialogue verbatim, so that didn't help with my buy in. I honestly thought Bea was just selfish in her actions and didn't really see her as a redemptive character. The whole plot sort of plodded along and didn't feel too memorable, until a little past the halfway point.
THIS is when the book really starts to sing.
The introduction of a third player was so needed, and this character is so charming, I really wished they'd had their own book! After this person is introduced, the tone of the entire book changes. Bea begins to bare her soul. Ezra shows strength and maturity. The plot itself becomes INTERESTING and actually had me turning pages, wanting to know what would come of these two. It was the feeling I've come to expect from both Levithan and Niven, although to a lesser degree than I've experienced in other books from them in the past.
While the behavior of the adults in the novel felt a bit unrealistic at times (maybe I just don't want to believe anyone would really be that terrible to their children or stepchildren?) and there were plenty of questions I still have but overall, these two really had captured my heart by the end and I applaud Levithan and Niven's dedication to seeing this sort of story through. I hope their words give teens the courage they need to speak up, stand up, and stand firm as we collectively work towards a more loving and inclusive world where kids don't need to grow up SO fast just to survive. I sincerely hope these two will collaborate again in the future, as I will happily continue to read anything with either of their names on the cover!
3.5 �, rounded up to 4
Now available in paperback!
Two YA powerhouses.
With their powers combined...create MAGIC.
... IF you're patient enough to get there!
Ezra and Bea are brother and sister, two disparate halves of a whole. They've always been close on some level, but their biological father has not been a part of their lives. Mom has taken up with Darren, an abuser, and has put her children on the back burner, allowing Darren to wreak havoc in his own way. When Ezra wakes up one morning to find his big sister gone and nothing but a note in her wake, he feels lost...and terrified. Bea has followed a whim that has taken her far from her hometown, looking for 'Mystery Guy', but will she be satisfied with what she finds? Or will this disappearance give her more questions than answers? Meanwhile, Ezra struggles to keep things together at home...and to stay safe. Will Bea return? Or will Ezra be the next to leave 'home' behind...for good?
When your favorite authors collaborate, it's hard to keep your expectations grounded in reality. The two chose to write this book in an epistolary style, as emails between brother and sister (with a few from another character who enters later) and I'll be honest. The first ~50% of this book was hard for me to get through. I found Bea just as unlikable as I guess she was supposed to be...and her brother Ezra not adequately functioning as the counterpoint to this unpleasantness. I don't mind the epistolary style necessarily, but it's hard to believe teenagers would write exceedingly long emails to one another where they would quote long strings of dialogue verbatim, so that didn't help with my buy in. I honestly thought Bea was just selfish in her actions and didn't really see her as a redemptive character. The whole plot sort of plodded along and didn't feel too memorable, until a little past the halfway point.
THIS is when the book really starts to sing.
The introduction of a third player was so needed, and this character is so charming, I really wished they'd had their own book! After this person is introduced, the tone of the entire book changes. Bea begins to bare her soul. Ezra shows strength and maturity. The plot itself becomes INTERESTING and actually had me turning pages, wanting to know what would come of these two. It was the feeling I've come to expect from both Levithan and Niven, although to a lesser degree than I've experienced in other books from them in the past.
While the behavior of the adults in the novel felt a bit unrealistic at times (maybe I just don't want to believe anyone would really be that terrible to their children or stepchildren?) and there were plenty of questions I still have but overall, these two really had captured my heart by the end and I applaud Levithan and Niven's dedication to seeing this sort of story through. I hope their words give teens the courage they need to speak up, stand up, and stand firm as we collectively work towards a more loving and inclusive world where kids don't need to grow up SO fast just to survive. I sincerely hope these two will collaborate again in the future, as I will happily continue to read anything with either of their names on the cover!
3.5 �, rounded up to 4
Now available in paperback!
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July 8, 2023To uderzyło w zbyt osobiste miejsca, żebym potrafiła ją ocenić
September 16, 2021
Audiobook, synced with the ebook�
…audio read by Sophie Amoss, Jim Frangione, Kevin R. agree, Skyler Gallum, Brian Holden
This YA contemporary story had me fully invested from the very start.
It continued to outmaneuver - ambush - my own sentiments. (surprises sneak up on us)
On the surface it seems simple to explain the plot - describe the ‘happenings’�
“you can’t make this shit up� �.the girl who runs away
�.the younger brother left behind (sibling email correspondence)> epistolary crafting
�.family abuse and neglect
�.themes of loneliness, guilt, fear, identity, self-worth, self-growth �.
�.running from things vs. running to things:
“Be the change you want to be� �..
�.�..
Below the surface �.the roots of the underground are much more complicated - abstract upside-downside divides�
and genuine emotions.
And holy-bananas—the characters (especially Bea and brother Ezra)…are precious jewels to get to know.
I’ve always loved both authors, *David Levithan* and *Jennifer Niven* �..
Together they gave us a
riveting, evocative, sensitive unforgettable story exploring autonomy, identity, a family in crisis �.
written with empathy, imagination, and love.
MOVIE or SERIES MATERIAL!!!!!
..�.
.....This is for those who have read this book:
ҾԲ�.
�..me Me me me me me me me me me ranting me me me me me me me me actually
me me me me me going me memememe me ME mememe me You me me me me me luck me me me me me me me guy me me me me me me me
Tomorrow me me me me
Love you, me.
…audio read by Sophie Amoss, Jim Frangione, Kevin R. agree, Skyler Gallum, Brian Holden
This YA contemporary story had me fully invested from the very start.
It continued to outmaneuver - ambush - my own sentiments. (surprises sneak up on us)
On the surface it seems simple to explain the plot - describe the ‘happenings’�
“you can’t make this shit up� �.the girl who runs away
�.the younger brother left behind (sibling email correspondence)> epistolary crafting
�.family abuse and neglect
�.themes of loneliness, guilt, fear, identity, self-worth, self-growth �.
�.running from things vs. running to things:
“Be the change you want to be� �..
�.�..
Below the surface �.the roots of the underground are much more complicated - abstract upside-downside divides�
and genuine emotions.
And holy-bananas—the characters (especially Bea and brother Ezra)…are precious jewels to get to know.
I’ve always loved both authors, *David Levithan* and *Jennifer Niven* �..
Together they gave us a
riveting, evocative, sensitive unforgettable story exploring autonomy, identity, a family in crisis �.
written with empathy, imagination, and love.
MOVIE or SERIES MATERIAL!!!!!
..�.
.....This is for those who have read this book:
ҾԲ�.
�..me Me me me me me me me me me ranting me me me me me me me me actually
me me me me me going me memememe me ME mememe me You me me me me me luck me me me me me me me guy me me me me me me me
Tomorrow me me me me
Love you, me.
October 26, 2021
[2.75 stars]
i went into this book with very high hopes, which sadly, at times, can be a recipe for disaster. david levithan is one of my all-time favorite authors, and i loved all the bright places by jennifer niven. the fact that they wrote a book together was thrilling for me, and all of the elements fell into place - the cover and title are gorgeous, it’s written in the format of emails, which i typically love. i couldn’t buy a copy fast enough. it covers the topic of emotional abuse, something that i know well. perhaps it is because i know it too well that i did not love this book as much as i wanted to.
it is clear from the acknowledgements section that neither authors experienced an emotionally abusive parent in their childhood, which is good - it is something nobody should have to experience - but it also means that they were lacking that personal experience factor that makes issues feel (real.) david levithan still managed a number of hard-hitting quotes, as he almost always does, but too much of it felt superficial to me. while i will admit and accept that everyone’s experiences are different, but it bothered me that the main characters, bea and ezra’s, feelings for their stepfather were very straightforward: they hated him. understandable, right? he was an asshole to them in every single way. but from my point of view, these situations are rarely that straightforward. the reason that emotional abuse typically hurts so terribly is because they are not horrible people all of the time. you never know when they will strike, which leaves you dancing across a minefield - but they typically have redeeming qualities, too. darren lacked any, making him a very one dimensional villain. (and this is my own complaint that doesn’t merely relate to this book alone, but i wish we could have a representation of emotional abuse that does not also encompass physical abuse. i want it to stand on its own merit, want the grief and the pain that its survivors bear to hold enough weight on its own. i have spent far too long feeling like what i have gone through is not ‘bad enough� because nobody ever hit me. i want people to care for ezra when his life is not in imminent danger. i want them to care when it is just their feelings and sense of self that is hurt.)
now, moving away from that particular problem, which might just be a me thing - it wasn’t just darren who could’ve used some more development. bea and ezra themselves didn’t feel like fully formed characters. bea relied very strongly on the core view she had of herself, and repeating that - she was a high-school dropout, a runaway, the girl that nobody expected anything from! there’s character growth by the end of the book, but it didn’t feel well-earned. the romantic relationships portrayed also felt a bit flat. the writing was good, but unfortunately i just did not love this book.
i went into this book with very high hopes, which sadly, at times, can be a recipe for disaster. david levithan is one of my all-time favorite authors, and i loved all the bright places by jennifer niven. the fact that they wrote a book together was thrilling for me, and all of the elements fell into place - the cover and title are gorgeous, it’s written in the format of emails, which i typically love. i couldn’t buy a copy fast enough. it covers the topic of emotional abuse, something that i know well. perhaps it is because i know it too well that i did not love this book as much as i wanted to.
it is clear from the acknowledgements section that neither authors experienced an emotionally abusive parent in their childhood, which is good - it is something nobody should have to experience - but it also means that they were lacking that personal experience factor that makes issues feel (real.) david levithan still managed a number of hard-hitting quotes, as he almost always does, but too much of it felt superficial to me. while i will admit and accept that everyone’s experiences are different, but it bothered me that the main characters, bea and ezra’s, feelings for their stepfather were very straightforward: they hated him. understandable, right? he was an asshole to them in every single way. but from my point of view, these situations are rarely that straightforward. the reason that emotional abuse typically hurts so terribly is because they are not horrible people all of the time. you never know when they will strike, which leaves you dancing across a minefield - but they typically have redeeming qualities, too. darren lacked any, making him a very one dimensional villain. (and this is my own complaint that doesn’t merely relate to this book alone, but i wish we could have a representation of emotional abuse that does not also encompass physical abuse. i want it to stand on its own merit, want the grief and the pain that its survivors bear to hold enough weight on its own. i have spent far too long feeling like what i have gone through is not ‘bad enough� because nobody ever hit me. i want people to care for ezra when his life is not in imminent danger. i want them to care when it is just their feelings and sense of self that is hurt.)
now, moving away from that particular problem, which might just be a me thing - it wasn’t just darren who could’ve used some more development. bea and ezra themselves didn’t feel like fully formed characters. bea relied very strongly on the core view she had of herself, and repeating that - she was a high-school dropout, a runaway, the girl that nobody expected anything from! there’s character growth by the end of the book, but it didn’t feel well-earned. the romantic relationships portrayed also felt a bit flat. the writing was good, but unfortunately i just did not love this book.
November 12, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up.
A new collaboration between YA authors David Levithan and Jennifer Niven, Take Me With You When You Go is a sad yet ultimately hopeful story about survival and the kindness of those around you.
Ezra awakens one morning to find his older sister Bea has left home. No warning, no note, just a random email address only he could find. How could she leave him alone with their abusive stepfather and neglectful mother, knowing they’ll somehow blame him?
As they begin to correspond via email, Ezra understands how wracked with guilt Bea is about leaving him behind but ultimately her self-preservation was at stake. And as she slowly reveals the real reason she left, it could awaken possibilities for both of them, or at least provide answers to questions they’ve had all their lives.
But as things further unravel at home for Ezra, he has to figure out whom he can trust to help him survive, and who is willing to take on his burdens. Bea, too, in an unfamiliar city, must depend upon strangers to help her see the possibilities life still holds.
This epistolary novel is told solely in emails between Ezra and Bea (and occasionally a few other characters), and it’s a sad, often all-too-real story of abuse and neglect and how children get caught in the struggles of those who are supposed to protect them. But while parts of the story hit a little closer to home for me than I expected, the structure of the story made it harder to connect emotionally with the characters.
Levithan and Niven are two of my favorite YA authors so I definitely had really high hopes for Take Me With You When You Go . I’m glad they called attention to such a sad but important subject.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at .
Follow me on Instagram at .
A new collaboration between YA authors David Levithan and Jennifer Niven, Take Me With You When You Go is a sad yet ultimately hopeful story about survival and the kindness of those around you.
Ezra awakens one morning to find his older sister Bea has left home. No warning, no note, just a random email address only he could find. How could she leave him alone with their abusive stepfather and neglectful mother, knowing they’ll somehow blame him?
As they begin to correspond via email, Ezra understands how wracked with guilt Bea is about leaving him behind but ultimately her self-preservation was at stake. And as she slowly reveals the real reason she left, it could awaken possibilities for both of them, or at least provide answers to questions they’ve had all their lives.
But as things further unravel at home for Ezra, he has to figure out whom he can trust to help him survive, and who is willing to take on his burdens. Bea, too, in an unfamiliar city, must depend upon strangers to help her see the possibilities life still holds.
This epistolary novel is told solely in emails between Ezra and Bea (and occasionally a few other characters), and it’s a sad, often all-too-real story of abuse and neglect and how children get caught in the struggles of those who are supposed to protect them. But while parts of the story hit a little closer to home for me than I expected, the structure of the story made it harder to connect emotionally with the characters.
Levithan and Niven are two of my favorite YA authors so I definitely had really high hopes for Take Me With You When You Go . I’m glad they called attention to such a sad but important subject.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at .
Follow me on Instagram at .
March 14, 2023
Attention danger🚨livre totalement mid
L’histoire avait en soi beaucoup de potentiel mais contenait beaucoup d’éléments peu vraisemblables dans son contenu. Les plotpoints ne sont d’ailleurs pas tous complétés au dénouement� qui est aussi un peu trop facile. Le format n’était pas le meilleur pour raconter l’histoire et surtout irréaliste pour la situation. Bon, ok, j’avais envie de savoir comment tout allait se terminer, mais je lisais à 100% par curiosité sur l’état des personnages plutôt que par attachement à eux. Surtout que sur un livre sur la violence conjugale et domestique, l’abus parental etc etc etc., c’est un raté monumental. Le roman ne me restera absolument pas en tête sauf pour son expérience dans une moyenne moyennant le midness le plus médiant de l’univers
L’histoire avait en soi beaucoup de potentiel mais contenait beaucoup d’éléments peu vraisemblables dans son contenu. Les plotpoints ne sont d’ailleurs pas tous complétés au dénouement� qui est aussi un peu trop facile. Le format n’était pas le meilleur pour raconter l’histoire et surtout irréaliste pour la situation. Bon, ok, j’avais envie de savoir comment tout allait se terminer, mais je lisais à 100% par curiosité sur l’état des personnages plutôt que par attachement à eux. Surtout que sur un livre sur la violence conjugale et domestique, l’abus parental etc etc etc., c’est un raté monumental. Le roman ne me restera absolument pas en tête sauf pour son expérience dans une moyenne moyennant le midness le plus médiant de l’univers
August 30, 2021
Well, this broke my heart, and then mended it because of the kindness of strangers, not real strangers but those not related by blood that becomes your real family. Ezra's sister Bea disappears right before she is supposed to graduate high school and leaves him home with his abusive father and negligent mother. Bea hides an email address that only Ezra would be able to find and the story is detailed through the email between brother and sister.
Bea discovers a dark family secret that spurs the two siblings to hit their breaking point and confront their fears. Ezra isn't alone, he has the support of his boyfriend, Terrance who supplies the family he needs. Friends also pick up the slack where his parents have left him hanging. This story is beautifully written to provide hope to those in similar situations. The dialogue between the siblings reflects similar bonds I easily recognized in my own family.
Bea discovers a dark family secret that spurs the two siblings to hit their breaking point and confront their fears. Ezra isn't alone, he has the support of his boyfriend, Terrance who supplies the family he needs. Friends also pick up the slack where his parents have left him hanging. This story is beautifully written to provide hope to those in similar situations. The dialogue between the siblings reflects similar bonds I easily recognized in my own family.
October 6, 2021
Prepare to cry, readers. The dynamite author combination of David Levithan and Jennifer Niven - what? how was that even legal? - yes, these two mental health advocates and young adult royalty have paired up to write the tearjerker of this fall, just in time for back to school.
First, let me preface this for you gentle hearts, it will be okay. Take Me With You When You Go is the story of a teenage runaway, Bea, who uses a secret email address to communicate with her younger brother, Ezra, who is still at home with their mentally and physically abusive mom and stepdad. You will worry, like all caring readers, about the fate of these two siblings who are nothing alike, but who are deeply grounded in the same experiences that all they have is each other.
Where the book really excels is in its realness and authenticity of experience. Perhaps some stereotypes were included but I think its largely drawn from real life and how both the authors have had to reckon with the trauma of mental health issues in their own families. The book tackles how a lot of systems fail our kids and teens. How trauma can push people into deeper spirals or force them forward into an unknown. And along the way, there are helpers, and if this book teaches us anything, it's how we can be helpers. No matter how much time has gone by, or how screwed up we think we are or have been, we can help one another, and sometimes even more difficult to learn, we can help ourselves find a way forward. Keep living and keep reading, dear hearts! This book is a safe place for you to land when you need to.
Find this book and other titles within .
~Jess, Youth Services
First, let me preface this for you gentle hearts, it will be okay. Take Me With You When You Go is the story of a teenage runaway, Bea, who uses a secret email address to communicate with her younger brother, Ezra, who is still at home with their mentally and physically abusive mom and stepdad. You will worry, like all caring readers, about the fate of these two siblings who are nothing alike, but who are deeply grounded in the same experiences that all they have is each other.
Where the book really excels is in its realness and authenticity of experience. Perhaps some stereotypes were included but I think its largely drawn from real life and how both the authors have had to reckon with the trauma of mental health issues in their own families. The book tackles how a lot of systems fail our kids and teens. How trauma can push people into deeper spirals or force them forward into an unknown. And along the way, there are helpers, and if this book teaches us anything, it's how we can be helpers. No matter how much time has gone by, or how screwed up we think we are or have been, we can help one another, and sometimes even more difficult to learn, we can help ourselves find a way forward. Keep living and keep reading, dear hearts! This book is a safe place for you to land when you need to.
Find this book and other titles within .
~Jess, Youth Services
December 26, 2021
Really, with these two authors (this is jointly written by Jennifer Niven and David Levithan, not sure why it is only David credited on here) you can't go wrong. Both of these authors are at the top of their game where young adult, realistic fiction is concerned. It is a guaranteed great read.
Told in a series of emails between siblings Ezra and Bea, this lovely novel sends an arrow straight to your heart and takes you deep into their lives as they deal with the consequences of Bea leaving in the middle of the night and disappearing. Her absence leaves Ezra exposed to the awful Darren all alone, Darren is his mother's husband, Ezra is not willing to call him a stepfather as he doesn't deserve that title, he is a dangerous, violent bully and plays horrendous power games with Ezra and Bea while their mother stands by and lets it happen. These kids have been neglected, unloved and largely ignored, except when they've tried to stand up for themselves and then Darren has beaten and mistreated them. Lots of people know how awful their lives at home are, but nobody seems to be able or interested in stopping it. Now Bea has had enough, she has gone. All that is left is a secret email address for Ezra to contact her with.
Through the emails they send to each other we come to understand what has pushed Bea to leave, why she couldn't stay any longer and the terrible guilt she suffers at leaving Ezra behind. We also watch Ezra grow and become brave and able to deal with the fallout of Bea's absence.
This is a terrifically moving novel, I shed a tear at their terrible circumstances. I cheered for Ezra as he faced down Darren and got brave with those around him. Alongside this is a wonderful examination of Ezra and his lovely boyfriend Terrance and Bea's relationship with her long term boyfriend Joe and best friend Sloan. This is a book for all secondary school libraries. Yep, plenty of swearing going on, but no worse than happens naturally in school anyway. I loved it.
Told in a series of emails between siblings Ezra and Bea, this lovely novel sends an arrow straight to your heart and takes you deep into their lives as they deal with the consequences of Bea leaving in the middle of the night and disappearing. Her absence leaves Ezra exposed to the awful Darren all alone, Darren is his mother's husband, Ezra is not willing to call him a stepfather as he doesn't deserve that title, he is a dangerous, violent bully and plays horrendous power games with Ezra and Bea while their mother stands by and lets it happen. These kids have been neglected, unloved and largely ignored, except when they've tried to stand up for themselves and then Darren has beaten and mistreated them. Lots of people know how awful their lives at home are, but nobody seems to be able or interested in stopping it. Now Bea has had enough, she has gone. All that is left is a secret email address for Ezra to contact her with.
Through the emails they send to each other we come to understand what has pushed Bea to leave, why she couldn't stay any longer and the terrible guilt she suffers at leaving Ezra behind. We also watch Ezra grow and become brave and able to deal with the fallout of Bea's absence.
This is a terrifically moving novel, I shed a tear at their terrible circumstances. I cheered for Ezra as he faced down Darren and got brave with those around him. Alongside this is a wonderful examination of Ezra and his lovely boyfriend Terrance and Bea's relationship with her long term boyfriend Joe and best friend Sloan. This is a book for all secondary school libraries. Yep, plenty of swearing going on, but no worse than happens naturally in school anyway. I loved it.
October 20, 2021
I'm so sad right now. This book did absolutely nothing for me and I'm not sure why!! I don't know if I'm just past the point where YA can really move me or if this book is just not very good. This hurts to say because Jennifer Niven's All The Bright Places was my favorite YA book for years and years after I discovered it in high school. I devoured Levithan's books in high school too and remember loving them, so I thought their book together would be amazing...but it was not.
This book takes place entirely through the email correspondence between Bea and her brother Ezra. Bea, a senior in high school, has run away from their abusive household months before graduation and has told absolutely no one where she is going. She leaves her brother a top-secret email for them to communicate with as the siblings both go on separate but shared journeys of growth and healing from their cold-shoulder mother and abusive step-father.
I can't really pinpoint why this book didn't do much for me. The writing was average and a lot of it felt corny. Not to mention a lot of the events taking place seemed really far out there. Ezra decides to finally leave his house after another fight with the mom and step-dad and also decides to set the kitchen on fire in spite. Bea hitchhikes with a handsome college kid who drops absolutely everything to help her and even lets her live in his dorm because...she's pretty? And I thought it was kind of annoying how they were both able to remember exactly how their conversations went to rewrite in the emails to one another. I get that there would be no other way to tell the story via email if they weren't writing their conversations in real life word for word, but...I don't know, it annoyed me.
This ended up being a really long review for a book I didn't care for. Maybe I would've loved it if I was 15 again. This is a big disappointment for sure especially considering how huge these authors were for me in high school.
This book takes place entirely through the email correspondence between Bea and her brother Ezra. Bea, a senior in high school, has run away from their abusive household months before graduation and has told absolutely no one where she is going. She leaves her brother a top-secret email for them to communicate with as the siblings both go on separate but shared journeys of growth and healing from their cold-shoulder mother and abusive step-father.
I can't really pinpoint why this book didn't do much for me. The writing was average and a lot of it felt corny. Not to mention a lot of the events taking place seemed really far out there. Ezra decides to finally leave his house after another fight with the mom and step-dad and also decides to set the kitchen on fire in spite. Bea hitchhikes with a handsome college kid who drops absolutely everything to help her and even lets her live in his dorm because...she's pretty? And I thought it was kind of annoying how they were both able to remember exactly how their conversations went to rewrite in the emails to one another. I get that there would be no other way to tell the story via email if they weren't writing their conversations in real life word for word, but...I don't know, it annoyed me.
This ended up being a really long review for a book I didn't care for. Maybe I would've loved it if I was 15 again. This is a big disappointment for sure especially considering how huge these authors were for me in high school.
April 5, 2022
Okay I was not expecting this book to be so painful.
This is the story of Bea who runs away from her home. She leaves behind her brother, Ezra, and they communicate via email.
The thing is they have a very unhappy life at home. Their mother neglects them and their stepfather abuses them. They feel unloved and neglected.
I just felt so so bad for Ezra and Bea. Most of us have a loving mother and a doting father, and somehow we take their love for granted. But in reality, unfortunately, many children don't know what love feel like. This book made me realise the fact that I'm so lucky to have such parents.
I honestly felt so bad for them. I wanted to give Bea and Ezra the biggest hug. All they ever wanted was love from their mother but they didn't get it. I'm just glad they have each other.
All the characters felt so realistic. I abhorred their mother and stepfather. They can rot in hell. But there were so many characters in this book who supported them in dire times and I'm so grateful for those characters. It shows you there are good and bad people everywhere.
Overall, it was an intensely emotional read for me. It was quite painful at times but I loved this book thoroughly. I'd definitely recommend this book.
This is the story of Bea who runs away from her home. She leaves behind her brother, Ezra, and they communicate via email.
The thing is they have a very unhappy life at home. Their mother neglects them and their stepfather abuses them. They feel unloved and neglected.
I just felt so so bad for Ezra and Bea. Most of us have a loving mother and a doting father, and somehow we take their love for granted. But in reality, unfortunately, many children don't know what love feel like. This book made me realise the fact that I'm so lucky to have such parents.
I honestly felt so bad for them. I wanted to give Bea and Ezra the biggest hug. All they ever wanted was love from their mother but they didn't get it. I'm just glad they have each other.
All the characters felt so realistic. I abhorred their mother and stepfather. They can rot in hell. But there were so many characters in this book who supported them in dire times and I'm so grateful for those characters. It shows you there are good and bad people everywhere.
Overall, it was an intensely emotional read for me. It was quite painful at times but I loved this book thoroughly. I'd definitely recommend this book.
July 4, 2022
Recensione sulla mia pagina Bookstagram
⭐⭐⭐⭐, 5
Si tratta di una storia delicata che si basa su uno scambio epistolare che avviene tra Ezra e Bea, i quali, tramite delle e-mail, si raccontano delle confidenze del tipo come hanno trascorso la giornata, condividendo ricordi e facendo riferimento anche a progetti futuri.
Le tematiche trattate in questo romanzo sono molto forti e gli autori hanno deciso di affrontarle senza filtri né giri di parole perché il loro intento era quello di arrivare al cuore del lettore per indurlo a riflettere proprio su tali argomenti.
Uno spaccato di vita molto duro attraverso il quale gli autori hanno voluto mettere in evidenza quanto e come possa essere effimera, indifferente e cattiva la società di oggi, quella in cui vivono i giovani personaggi e i protagonisti di cui si narra nel romanzo.
Il messaggio che hanno voluto trasmettere è quello di non arrendersi mai alle brutture della vita, di lottare sempre e a testa alta, con tenacia e determinazione, per cambiare il corso della propria esistenza se questa non ci soddisfa affatto ma anzi ci fa soffrire, o peggio ancora, ci fa del male.
Un’importante esortazione a combattere con tutte le proprie forze per arrivare alla felicità, al fine di ottenere quella gioia che ognuno di noi merita.
Un romanzo molto intenso che mi ha emozionata e commossa, è sicuramente una lettura complessa ma che consiglio a chi ama le storie che raccontano stralci di vita reale per nulla facili.
*Ringrazio la CE per la copia cartacea
⭐⭐⭐⭐, 5
Si tratta di una storia delicata che si basa su uno scambio epistolare che avviene tra Ezra e Bea, i quali, tramite delle e-mail, si raccontano delle confidenze del tipo come hanno trascorso la giornata, condividendo ricordi e facendo riferimento anche a progetti futuri.
Le tematiche trattate in questo romanzo sono molto forti e gli autori hanno deciso di affrontarle senza filtri né giri di parole perché il loro intento era quello di arrivare al cuore del lettore per indurlo a riflettere proprio su tali argomenti.
Uno spaccato di vita molto duro attraverso il quale gli autori hanno voluto mettere in evidenza quanto e come possa essere effimera, indifferente e cattiva la società di oggi, quella in cui vivono i giovani personaggi e i protagonisti di cui si narra nel romanzo.
Il messaggio che hanno voluto trasmettere è quello di non arrendersi mai alle brutture della vita, di lottare sempre e a testa alta, con tenacia e determinazione, per cambiare il corso della propria esistenza se questa non ci soddisfa affatto ma anzi ci fa soffrire, o peggio ancora, ci fa del male.
Un’importante esortazione a combattere con tutte le proprie forze per arrivare alla felicità, al fine di ottenere quella gioia che ognuno di noi merita.
Un romanzo molto intenso che mi ha emozionata e commossa, è sicuramente una lettura complessa ma che consiglio a chi ama le storie che raccontano stralci di vita reale per nulla facili.
*Ringrazio la CE per la copia cartacea
September 7, 2021
such a good and emotional read, it's rare a book by 2 authors is this good. really worth giving it a go. tw: abuse!!
for my romanian followers, here is my review:
for my romanian followers, here is my review:
July 30, 2023
"może nadzieje są marne, ale nie zamierzam myśleć o rzeczach, których być może nie zdołam zrobić. całe życie mi to mówiono � czego nie mogę. jestem gotowa sprawdzić, co mogę."
zwykle nie jestem fanką książek, w których historia w całości jest przedstawiona w formie maili czy wiadomości między bohaterami.
ale nie wiem, czy kiedykolwiek znajdę książkę, z którą w całości aż tak się utożsamię.
zwykle nie jestem fanką książek, w których historia w całości jest przedstawiona w formie maili czy wiadomości między bohaterami.
ale nie wiem, czy kiedykolwiek znajdę książkę, z którą w całości aż tak się utożsamię.
July 5, 2021
"We were great pretenders. We saved the world over and over because we had to."
DNF @ 40%
Books written by Levithan and Niven are always soul touching and emotional. They dig deep and bring all of our insecurities to the surface but then makes us whole in the end.
A sister left her broken home without a trace while leaving her brother behind. A secret email address left for the siblings to communicate. Both brother and sister trying to pick up the pieces of their lives and trying to find that silver lining at the end. This made me feel as if my heart was going to be ripped out of my chest but I felt like an emotionless robot after reading a hundred and forty pages.
I was expecting a powerful punch packed with deep emotion and love but this just didn’t have it. I got bored very early on and it didn’t get better from there. There was no connection with any of the characters and the story seemed to drag on without going anywhere.
Take Me With You When You Go wasn’t the heartbreaking emotional read that I thought it was going to be. It really didn’t impress me and the characters were drab. I think younger readers will enjoy this but it just wasn’t for me.
DNF @ 40%
Books written by Levithan and Niven are always soul touching and emotional. They dig deep and bring all of our insecurities to the surface but then makes us whole in the end.
A sister left her broken home without a trace while leaving her brother behind. A secret email address left for the siblings to communicate. Both brother and sister trying to pick up the pieces of their lives and trying to find that silver lining at the end. This made me feel as if my heart was going to be ripped out of my chest but I felt like an emotionless robot after reading a hundred and forty pages.
I was expecting a powerful punch packed with deep emotion and love but this just didn’t have it. I got bored very early on and it didn’t get better from there. There was no connection with any of the characters and the story seemed to drag on without going anywhere.
Take Me With You When You Go wasn’t the heartbreaking emotional read that I thought it was going to be. It really didn’t impress me and the characters were drab. I think younger readers will enjoy this but it just wasn’t for me.
July 11, 2022
This was really, really good. I went in expecting great things and it definitely didn't disappoint.
This book centers around Ezra and Bea, two siblings who have grown up feeling unloved and not good enough. They've never met their dad, but instead live with their uncaring mother and abusive stepfather, Darren. The story starts when Bea runs away, leaving an email address behind for Ezra. They start communicating over email as they try to untangle their parents' murky past.
When I started Take Me With You When You Go, I was a bit surprised that the whole book was in emails, as I hadn't known that beforehand. But far from making the book clunky & unenjoyable as you'd expect, I found it a great way to address the issues that the book tackled. It was actually kinda strange reading normal prose again after this book! 😅😂
This book was poignant, heartfelt and relevant, with a touch of heartbreaking. The writing was smooth and easy to read (I wouldn't have been able to tell this was written by two authors if it hadn't said so!), the plot very flowing and the characters great. I loved both Ezra and Bea and seeing their characters develop throughout the book was really great.
The issues discussed here were also very relevant. Reading about the level of abuse Ezra & Bea had to deal with was both heartbreaking and enlightening. The issues were also handles really well!! I really appreciate that in a book.
The reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because it was very short and I do think the ending could've been a bit more conclusive. I also wouldn't liked to see a bit more in-dept discussion of what Bea and Ezra had to deal with. But those are very minor issues.
Overall, an amazing collaboration that I thoroughly enjoyed. I urge everyone to pick this up and experience it for themselves! :)
This book centers around Ezra and Bea, two siblings who have grown up feeling unloved and not good enough. They've never met their dad, but instead live with their uncaring mother and abusive stepfather, Darren. The story starts when Bea runs away, leaving an email address behind for Ezra. They start communicating over email as they try to untangle their parents' murky past.
When I started Take Me With You When You Go, I was a bit surprised that the whole book was in emails, as I hadn't known that beforehand. But far from making the book clunky & unenjoyable as you'd expect, I found it a great way to address the issues that the book tackled. It was actually kinda strange reading normal prose again after this book! 😅😂
This book was poignant, heartfelt and relevant, with a touch of heartbreaking. The writing was smooth and easy to read (I wouldn't have been able to tell this was written by two authors if it hadn't said so!), the plot very flowing and the characters great. I loved both Ezra and Bea and seeing their characters develop throughout the book was really great.
The issues discussed here were also very relevant. Reading about the level of abuse Ezra & Bea had to deal with was both heartbreaking and enlightening. The issues were also handles really well!! I really appreciate that in a book.
The reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because it was very short and I do think the ending could've been a bit more conclusive. I also wouldn't liked to see a bit more in-dept discussion of what Bea and Ezra had to deal with. But those are very minor issues.
Overall, an amazing collaboration that I thoroughly enjoyed. I urge everyone to pick this up and experience it for themselves! :)
August 28, 2021
Full Review & Blog Tour:
After receiving a mysterious email, Bea sets off leaving her broken home and everything behind including her brother, Ezra. Shocked one day to find her sister gone, Ezra soon finds out through email that her sister had a reason to leave.
Their mom has turned a blind eye on them due to their stepfather who is abusive and doesn't care for the kids. Forced to keep their messages a secret, both siblings have to find a way to bring back together their lives now in two different places.
The story was told in emails between Bea and Ezra which I found to be interesting and a nice change. The powerful connection between the two siblings moved me to realize that they really cared for each other and had to look out for each other because they were all they had.
Overall, Take Me with You When You Go was such a special read about two siblings finding the lives they deserve. I was rooting for them from the beginning hoping that they would finally be happy and free. Definitely worth a read!
**Thank you so much to Rockstar Book Tours and Knopf Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour!**
After receiving a mysterious email, Bea sets off leaving her broken home and everything behind including her brother, Ezra. Shocked one day to find her sister gone, Ezra soon finds out through email that her sister had a reason to leave.
Their mom has turned a blind eye on them due to their stepfather who is abusive and doesn't care for the kids. Forced to keep their messages a secret, both siblings have to find a way to bring back together their lives now in two different places.
The story was told in emails between Bea and Ezra which I found to be interesting and a nice change. The powerful connection between the two siblings moved me to realize that they really cared for each other and had to look out for each other because they were all they had.
Overall, Take Me with You When You Go was such a special read about two siblings finding the lives they deserve. I was rooting for them from the beginning hoping that they would finally be happy and free. Definitely worth a read!
**Thank you so much to Rockstar Book Tours and Knopf Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour!**
February 6, 2023
This book definitely had some really heavy topics but it didn’t always feel like a super heavy story. I think the email format kind of took away some of its emotional impact. The first half or so was a bit underwhelming but I found the second half to be much more intriguing. Once more information was discovered and revealed about the characters, I felt more connected to them and invested in their story.
This was sad but it was also hopeful. It showed that for everything bad in the world, there’s something or someone good to balance it out.
This was sad but it was also hopeful. It showed that for everything bad in the world, there’s something or someone good to balance it out.
September 2, 2021
Review to come but DANG. This book. Phenomenal.
August 7, 2021
Jennifer Niven and David Levithan are 2 authors I have a lot of respect for so when I saw they were writing a book together, I was very exciting and prepared to have my heart broken. Take Me With You When You Go was exactly what I hoped for and more.
This book tells the story of Bea (18) and Ezra (15), a brother and sister living in an abusive household with their mother and stepfather. Bea runs away, without telling anyone her plans, she just leaves an email address for her brother to contact her on, a brother left in that suffocating house. Through emails we follow both characters as they try get through their days, heal and find themselves.
Bea and Ezra are extraordinary characters that I quickly grew to love, particularly Bea who is so lost and broken. Bea feels like a failure, a burden, she’s self destructive as a form of protection and you relate to her struggle easily. Ezra too, he’s lost his ally in the family home, he’s struggling to deal with it all by himself and over the book learns that he doesn’t have to do it alone. I did cry reading this book because I found both characters so endearing, you feel their pain, their vulnerabilities, their strength and their journeys to healing. You root for these teenagers who have been raised to only see the worst.
This is a love story, a story of sibling love, a story of the journey to self love, it’s a story about hope and taking your power back.
The writing style might not be for everyone, but that is the same for any book. For me I found the email format, of which this book is 100% written in, worked well. For a lot of this book Bea and Ezra feel like they only have each other, and on page they only talk to each other (despite recalling stories and events they’re experiencing apart). The constant conversation held by emails back and forth created a world of just these 2 characters, which is often how they feel, a safe world of just each other, they come ‘home� to each other in each email, and this intimacy and containment felt like you were peering into their world. These emails act as chapters and they are detailed and personal and very easy to read.
I do want to say that I hope the final copy of this novel has a trigger warning as I can imagine the subject of abuse will be triggering for some, although I do appreciate the contact information at the end. I didn’t find the abuse gratuitous and found it was handled respectfully.
Thank you so much NetGalley for the early copy to review. I’m really glad I got to know Bea and Ezra
This book tells the story of Bea (18) and Ezra (15), a brother and sister living in an abusive household with their mother and stepfather. Bea runs away, without telling anyone her plans, she just leaves an email address for her brother to contact her on, a brother left in that suffocating house. Through emails we follow both characters as they try get through their days, heal and find themselves.
Bea and Ezra are extraordinary characters that I quickly grew to love, particularly Bea who is so lost and broken. Bea feels like a failure, a burden, she’s self destructive as a form of protection and you relate to her struggle easily. Ezra too, he’s lost his ally in the family home, he’s struggling to deal with it all by himself and over the book learns that he doesn’t have to do it alone. I did cry reading this book because I found both characters so endearing, you feel their pain, their vulnerabilities, their strength and their journeys to healing. You root for these teenagers who have been raised to only see the worst.
This is a love story, a story of sibling love, a story of the journey to self love, it’s a story about hope and taking your power back.
The writing style might not be for everyone, but that is the same for any book. For me I found the email format, of which this book is 100% written in, worked well. For a lot of this book Bea and Ezra feel like they only have each other, and on page they only talk to each other (despite recalling stories and events they’re experiencing apart). The constant conversation held by emails back and forth created a world of just these 2 characters, which is often how they feel, a safe world of just each other, they come ‘home� to each other in each email, and this intimacy and containment felt like you were peering into their world. These emails act as chapters and they are detailed and personal and very easy to read.
I do want to say that I hope the final copy of this novel has a trigger warning as I can imagine the subject of abuse will be triggering for some, although I do appreciate the contact information at the end. I didn’t find the abuse gratuitous and found it was handled respectfully.
Thank you so much NetGalley for the early copy to review. I’m really glad I got to know Bea and Ezra
August 20, 2021
Thank you to Get Underlined and Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
5/5 beautiful, heartbreaking stars
CW: Parental neglect/abuse, death of a parent
Ezra Ahern wakes up one morning to his sister, Bea, missing. Bea leaves nearly everything behind - her phone, personal affects, and boyfriend. She does not tell anybody that she plans on leaving, nor does she leave any clues as to where she may have gone. However, left behind in a secret hiding spot is a paper with an e-mail address that now only Ezra knows about so that he and his sister can communicate.
One thing I really loved about this book was the writing style and format. The story is told entirely in e-mails between Ezra and Bea, with David Levithan writing as Ezra and Jennifer Nivan writing as Bea. The unique, individual voices of each author come out in the writing and it also makes for such a quick read (I read this book in a total of about 3 hours). I've never read another book written in this format, but I absolutely loved it.
Our main characters come from an abusive and neglectful home, meaning that this book covers very heavy topics. I truly believe it is done in such a fantastic way, though. This book is extremely impactful and everything feels so raw and real that you will forget you're reading. I became so attached to both Ezra and Bea and rooted for them the entire time I was reading.
This story is very much about Ezra and Bea finding their own paths in life and having to navigate that at a very young age (Ezra being a freshman in high school and Bea being a senior who just turned 18). They have to figure out who they are and what will make them feel happy and fulfilled as individuals, which also navigating their relationship as siblings and the trauma that they experienced at home.
You will laugh, cry, and feel basically every emotion there is to feel while reading this book.
5/5 beautiful, heartbreaking stars
CW: Parental neglect/abuse, death of a parent
Ezra Ahern wakes up one morning to his sister, Bea, missing. Bea leaves nearly everything behind - her phone, personal affects, and boyfriend. She does not tell anybody that she plans on leaving, nor does she leave any clues as to where she may have gone. However, left behind in a secret hiding spot is a paper with an e-mail address that now only Ezra knows about so that he and his sister can communicate.
One thing I really loved about this book was the writing style and format. The story is told entirely in e-mails between Ezra and Bea, with David Levithan writing as Ezra and Jennifer Nivan writing as Bea. The unique, individual voices of each author come out in the writing and it also makes for such a quick read (I read this book in a total of about 3 hours). I've never read another book written in this format, but I absolutely loved it.
Our main characters come from an abusive and neglectful home, meaning that this book covers very heavy topics. I truly believe it is done in such a fantastic way, though. This book is extremely impactful and everything feels so raw and real that you will forget you're reading. I became so attached to both Ezra and Bea and rooted for them the entire time I was reading.
This story is very much about Ezra and Bea finding their own paths in life and having to navigate that at a very young age (Ezra being a freshman in high school and Bea being a senior who just turned 18). They have to figure out who they are and what will make them feel happy and fulfilled as individuals, which also navigating their relationship as siblings and the trauma that they experienced at home.
You will laugh, cry, and feel basically every emotion there is to feel while reading this book.
September 7, 2021
“Maybe I’m still lost.
Or maybe I’m not.
Maybe I’m right where I should be.
Ezra wakes up and gets ready for another boring day when he finds his older sister Bea is gone. No notes, not message, her on her bedside table. Nothing! Ezra finds an email address hidden in a spot only he’d look. Ezra’s weak mother doesn’t care about them she’s too busy hiding behind their abusive stepfather. Ezra finally realises that he’s alone and he needs his big sister.�
Bea was never good enough, never did anything right and one day decides it’s time to disappear. The only thing keeping her there was Ezra, but she needs to leave him and find herself. After an email changers everything she finds herself alone and without her only family running away from life again. But she needs to find him, even if he doesn’t want to be found!
A their loved unravel Bea and Ezra email secretly and begin to confront their deepest darkest secrets. Through every great breaking moment, when all hope is lost, this brother and sister can always find their way back to each other! Oh my freaking heart.
Niven’s signature heart break with a hopeful twist. This book hooked me from the first page. I instantly fell in love with Bea and Ezra. I just wanted to hug them and tell them they are loved and make them feel safe. Jen & David I’m sorry but I’m going to need a sequel to this!
Loved loved loved loved!
Or maybe I’m not.
Maybe I’m right where I should be.
Ezra wakes up and gets ready for another boring day when he finds his older sister Bea is gone. No notes, not message, her on her bedside table. Nothing! Ezra finds an email address hidden in a spot only he’d look. Ezra’s weak mother doesn’t care about them she’s too busy hiding behind their abusive stepfather. Ezra finally realises that he’s alone and he needs his big sister.�
Bea was never good enough, never did anything right and one day decides it’s time to disappear. The only thing keeping her there was Ezra, but she needs to leave him and find herself. After an email changers everything she finds herself alone and without her only family running away from life again. But she needs to find him, even if he doesn’t want to be found!
A their loved unravel Bea and Ezra email secretly and begin to confront their deepest darkest secrets. Through every great breaking moment, when all hope is lost, this brother and sister can always find their way back to each other! Oh my freaking heart.
Niven’s signature heart break with a hopeful twist. This book hooked me from the first page. I instantly fell in love with Bea and Ezra. I just wanted to hug them and tell them they are loved and make them feel safe. Jen & David I’m sorry but I’m going to need a sequel to this!
Loved loved loved loved!
November 27, 2021
This was a very interesting story about grief and healing from it, while also showing the hope that things can get better. This felt like a very personal story about someone who ran away from trauma and is still trying to discover who they are. While her sibling is left at home with things being even more difficult and trying to understand what happened and why. This was a very moving story that held a lot of emotional depth that made it feel so personal. The character who ran away, Bea, the older sister, overall I liked her but it took awhile because at times it felt like she was just hurting her brother with running away and all the dishonesty. But she got better overtime. And the brother, Ezra, was amazing, it was great following him and I enjoyed watching his growth the most. Also, the book has some plot twists that you can’t see coming that I really enjoyed like the one about their family. The reason why I didn’t rate this higher is that when I read it I wanted a little bit more especially with the end. Overall, I found this to be a very gripping story on trauma and the ways people heal from it.
August 13, 2021
Sometimes I forget just how good YA fiction can be. Levithan and Niven are two of my favorite YA authors, so I was excited to see what they could do together. They have created two very memorable, believable, and engaging characters in Ezra and Bea. I loved the way their stories are revealed slowly throughout the book. From the surprising first event through all the twists and turns, I couldn't put this book down. The emotions are deep and real. The emotional and verbal abuse featured here is very believable and should be (unfortunately) familiar to many teens. I admit I was a bit put off by the format (emails) since so many books in that format have been fluff, pithy content, and without lasting impact. This one, however, is filled with touching emotion and detail that pulls the reader deeply into the story. Highly recommended for any fan of YA fiction.
October 10, 2021
i finished this beautiful beautiful book and i am so glad i picked it up and finished in one of my rough days. it managed to keep me off from reality and I'll take it as a win for today 💓
An epistolary novel, transpires in the form of e-mails between siblings Bea and Ezra, Take Me With You When You go starts off when Bea, departs home and leaves a secret e-mail id for her brother Ezra to communicate.
As the novel unfolds, grief pours out in their to and fro mails, as Ezra tries to accept the fact that his sister is gone forever leaving him to deal with the mess that is their abusive home. A story that paves it's way deep into your heart and wrecks you for an ETERNITY.
This is a story of grief and everything that comes along with it, of grief that remains buried deep, acceptance of oneself and realising that you deserve to be loved.
An epistolary novel, transpires in the form of e-mails between siblings Bea and Ezra, Take Me With You When You go starts off when Bea, departs home and leaves a secret e-mail id for her brother Ezra to communicate.
As the novel unfolds, grief pours out in their to and fro mails, as Ezra tries to accept the fact that his sister is gone forever leaving him to deal with the mess that is their abusive home. A story that paves it's way deep into your heart and wrecks you for an ETERNITY.
This is a story of grief and everything that comes along with it, of grief that remains buried deep, acceptance of oneself and realising that you deserve to be loved.
June 26, 2022
Emotional and hard-hitting story of two siblings dealing with abuse and yet it fell a bit flat to me. I'm not sure why but I didn't fully connect with the characters.
There's no doubt that Levithan and Niven are great writers but I was left wanting more. Obviously this one's just not for me.
There's no doubt that Levithan and Niven are great writers but I was left wanting more. Obviously this one's just not for me.
April 29, 2022
"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘰, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐'𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."
Take Me With You When You Go is a YA Contemporary written in the form of emails, sent between Bea and her younger brother Ezra. Their back and forth emailing consists of worry, despair and the drive to make their lives better. Some gossip is included but the main focus of the emails is to find out why Bea left home and where she has gone and whether she will return.
Side characters who play an important role in both Bea and Ezra's life are introduced. Ezra has a hard time at home, his mother and stepfather aren't the parental types and he experiences physical and emotional abuse daily, he finds solace in Bea's emails and builds a bond that stretches miles. The emails make for easy reading and some people might even finish the book in one sitting since the emails make for a quick reading pace.
There are so many quotes worth remembering, which makes this book a story worth remembering. This is an emotional read and I recommend searching the trigger warnings, as some of the situations described include toxic home life, parental neglect and running away from home. We see a side to Bea and Ezra the world hasn't seen before, they lay their broken hearts down and try to fight for a better life, not only physically but emotionally as well. David Levithan and Jennifer Niven did an excellent job in co-writing this book. I enjoyed this book and had to take a moment after finishing it to process the plot and how the story ended. Thank you @penguinbooksya for this #gifted copy.
“𝘞� 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴?"
Take Me With You When You Go is a YA Contemporary written in the form of emails, sent between Bea and her younger brother Ezra. Their back and forth emailing consists of worry, despair and the drive to make their lives better. Some gossip is included but the main focus of the emails is to find out why Bea left home and where she has gone and whether she will return.
Side characters who play an important role in both Bea and Ezra's life are introduced. Ezra has a hard time at home, his mother and stepfather aren't the parental types and he experiences physical and emotional abuse daily, he finds solace in Bea's emails and builds a bond that stretches miles. The emails make for easy reading and some people might even finish the book in one sitting since the emails make for a quick reading pace.
There are so many quotes worth remembering, which makes this book a story worth remembering. This is an emotional read and I recommend searching the trigger warnings, as some of the situations described include toxic home life, parental neglect and running away from home. We see a side to Bea and Ezra the world hasn't seen before, they lay their broken hearts down and try to fight for a better life, not only physically but emotionally as well. David Levithan and Jennifer Niven did an excellent job in co-writing this book. I enjoyed this book and had to take a moment after finishing it to process the plot and how the story ended. Thank you @penguinbooksya for this #gifted copy.
“𝘞� 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴?"
June 27, 2023
3.75
Gdybym miała znów 15 lat, to ja bym oszalała na punkcie tej książki. Kochała bym ją.
Ma mega vibe książek Johna Greena no i jest kwintesencją stylu Jennifer i Davida. Prosta, poruszająca jakiś ważny temat. Czasami czułam, że minęło trochę za dużo czasu, że może jestem za stara i że mogłoby to być dla mnie ważniejsze niż jest, ale i tak bardzo dobrze jest to napisane.
Cała książka to e-maile, od początku do końca. Fajnie się czytało coś takiego. Kilka lat wstecz może bym dała nawet te 5�, serio. Ale to taka młodzieżówka dla kategorii 14-16 zdecydowanie. Dużo w niej dobrych jest rzeczy i ładnych myśli.
Gdybym miała znów 15 lat, to ja bym oszalała na punkcie tej książki. Kochała bym ją.
Ma mega vibe książek Johna Greena no i jest kwintesencją stylu Jennifer i Davida. Prosta, poruszająca jakiś ważny temat. Czasami czułam, że minęło trochę za dużo czasu, że może jestem za stara i że mogłoby to być dla mnie ważniejsze niż jest, ale i tak bardzo dobrze jest to napisane.
Cała książka to e-maile, od początku do końca. Fajnie się czytało coś takiego. Kilka lat wstecz może bym dała nawet te 5�, serio. Ale to taka młodzieżówka dla kategorii 14-16 zdecydowanie. Dużo w niej dobrych jest rzeczy i ładnych myśli.
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