Kevin Emerson's Any Second dives into a high-stakes scenario, promising a thrilling ride with a ticking clock element. As someone who enjoys suspenseful narratives, I was drawn in by the premise of a moment-by-moment unfolding crisis. The book certainly has its strengths, particularly in its initial setup and the compelling central concept.

The story starts with a strong hook, immediately dropping you into the action and creating a sense of urgency. Emerson does a good job of building tension in those early chapters, and the concept of time running out is effectively conveyed. The characters, especially the protagonist, are relatable enough to keep you invested in their immediate predicament. The writing is generally clear and straightforward, making for an easy and quick read. There are moments of genuine suspense that keep you turning pages, eager to see how the characters will navigate their difficult situation.

However, as the narrative progresses, I found that the initial momentum didn't quite sustain itself. The pacing, which was a strength early on, occasionally felt uneven, with some sections dragging a bit while others felt rushed. While the premise is strong, the execution of the plot twists and character decisions sometimes felt a little too convenient or lacked the depth I was hoping for. I also found that some of the emotional beats didn't land with the full impact they could have, leaving me feeling a bit detached at times. The resolution, while providing closure, felt a little too neat given the intensity of the build-up.

Overall, Any Second is an engaging read that offers a decent dose of suspense. It's a solid choice if you're looking for a quick, action-driven story with a compelling premise. While it didn't fully realize its potential for a truly gripping thriller, it's an enjoyable enough journey that will likely appeal to readers who appreciate a straightforward, high-stakes narrative.

Any Second was a great book that dealt with so many difficult subjects: abduction, abuse, mental illness. The story was compelling and I felt sucked in from the very first page. The entire book feels like a nail biter, but especially the beginning and the climax. I didn't realize until I was finished that the book is YA, but I'm not sure if it would be the best for younger teens. Overall, an excellent story with memorable characters that I'd rate 4 out of 5 stars.

I was really hoping I would like this book a lot more than I did. I loved This is Where it Ends and Girl in Pieces but this book just didn't really hit the mark for me. Also, I never would have made the comparison between the other books and this one had I not seen that written in the description of this book. There was a lot of preachy/religious cult stuff and I don't know, I'm aware this is a work of fiction but something about the book just felt very unreal.

I thought the characters were poorly written. Although this should have been a very suspenseful book I felt bored during a lot of it. Trigger warnings for drug abuse, mental illness., bombing, school shooting and I’m sure many more

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
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When I first read synopsis for Any Second I knew I signed up for a serious ride.
However, nothing could prepare me for this...

This novel deals with extremely difficult topics such as child abduction, molesting, brain washing...
It is also diverse read.

The begging of the novel was very strong and tense. It made me nervous from the very beginning, and I had to put the book down.
After some months I decided to give it another try, and I am glad I did.
Even though it still made me bit uncomfortable, I enjoyed the story.
My favourite were slow parts where we learn more about Elian and Maya.
The end was strong and satisfying.

I would definitely recommend Any Second to older teenagers and adults.

I have not had the time or interest to get through this book, unfortunately. I requested based on the author and would love to get to it eventually.

I tried reading this book but sadly I didn't make it very far while reading this book. I think that the different point of views made it a bit difficult to understand . I usually love this author's books and I hoped that this one would work out for me.

I absolutely love raw, emotional books like Any Second. There’s just something about a book that guts you to the core and changes your outlook forever that is incredibly beautiful.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book! I really enjoyed this fast-paced and intense read about two unlikely teens bonding over their trauma. I thought it was sharp, raw and honest.

This book talks a lot about PTSD; however, sometimes the characters feel like caricatures for their traumas so the story can't breath properly.

I was expecting I was going to love Any Second by Kevin Emerson but I sadly didn't. It was hard to get into this book with the characters being so flat and the plot being flat as well and not the best pacing either,

I found Any Second by Kevin Emerson to be quite interesting. Elian Martinez is abducted from his way home from school and was held captive for over three years. I found that the bits and pieces the reader received about Elian's capture where quite heartbreaking. I felt so bad for him. These abductors spent years breaking Elian and brainwashing him. Then one day they stick him in a mall with a bomb strapped to him. I feel like this book deals with so may sensitive topics. I thought Emerson did a great job writing it. He definitely captured my attention and held it the entire story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC,

Sadly I was unable to finish this book as it was just a little too much for me to absorb especially with the characters being so flat.

This book was intense!!!! Here’s a boy who was kidnapped and is expected to blow up a building for his kidnappers Purpose. A girl who self mutilates by pulling her hair out and causes herself to bleed on her fingers who notices him and tries to stop him. Months later they find each other at the same school and they are told to stay away from each other so nobody will connect the two. He makes a friend who possibly isn’t good for him. She has a girlfriend that may not be so good for her. Intense from beginning to end and definitely not for the faint of heart. I had to take a break for a bit from this. Whew.

No one should ever have had to deal with what they did in such a short period of time. I wanted more than once to hug Eli and Maya.. This book was so emotional and packed with so much suspense.
Elain Martinez is abducted on his way home from school and held captive for 3.5 years while being brainwashed.. His abductor spends years breaking him down and reprogramming him until the fateful day he leads him into a mall strapped with a bomb to his body..

This book deals with so many sensitive topics. It is definitely best suited for older audiences. This book explores deeper parts of life. It was a heavy reading. I couldn't stop turning the pages...

I enjoyed this so much. I honestly cannot wait to read more by this promising author!
The characters were exquisite, and I thought they were very well flushed out.

Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book. but I was unfortunately unable to finish it due to flat characters, poor pacing, and flat plot.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I could not finish this book.

I don't know how to feel about this book. On the one hand, it feels a bit exploitative. It's like everyone's worst fear, their child being not only kidnapped and routinely abused but also made into a terrorist. I question the value of exploring that degree of abuse and trauma in a teen novel. It's like watching a slasher movie. Do we really gain any valuable insight in a case like this or is it just there to make us gasp? At the same time, I value narratives that humanize fringe characters. We need reminders that terrorists, school shooters, gang members, "bad guys" are people. They have families and stories of what lead them to desperate acts. WE also have a dynamic presentation of mental illness, of anxiety and PTSD and the stigma attached. WE see a "bad guy" who gets away with his crimes. But then the school shooter is a total cliche.