This book didn’t end at all how I expected it. It really delved deeper into the minds of several troubled teens, including one who was going to potentially murder other students. Showing more than just a caricature of him. Very thought-provoking.

I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a difficult read. I felt for Elian and Maya and what both them were dealing with. The were both so broken and just I wanted to scream because neither of them had very good friends. One of my pet peeves in books is bad best friends. Both of these kids had friends who just made their own issues worse. I'm glad that the found each other, even though they were never supposed too. I loved the suspense and turmoil and it definitely hurt my heart, but it was worth it.

I truly don’t know how to rate this book. It’s definitely a very important topic and was very emotionally written, but then it sort of went in a different direction and I felt the emotions were lacking. I do think that it’s something that needs to be read in a mood, where you are ready to have your heart strings pulled.
Will be using in a challenge and letting the members of chapter chatter pub know about its release.

This is not an easy book. I wanted more than once to be able to hug Eli and Maya... No one should have dealt with that much in such a short period of time... They are so young, so broken, it’s heartbreaking. It’s an emotion and suspense-packed book.

Thank you Kevin Emerson for my early copy!

Elian Martinez is abducted on his way home from school and held captive for 3.5 years while being brainwashed. The excerpts surrounding his time in captivity were difficult and heartbreaking to read. 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. Elian, a.k.a Jacob, is meant to give his life to "The Purpose" but fate intercedes in the form of Maya.

Fast forward 10 months later and Elian and Maya's paths intersect once more, only this time in high school. Maya has always been anxious and has her own emotional demons plaguing her. Although she has been hailed a hero for helping thwart Elian's bombing attempt, Maya is unraveling and suffering from crippling PTSD.

This book deals with so many sensitive topics. It is definitely best suited for older audiences. There were certain graphic descriptions that more sensitive readers should be aware of. Emerson wasn't trying to be salacious in his writing. It definitely worked within the context of the story and makes readers aware of many issues that are prominent today including social anxiety, bullying, OCD, isolation and other mental issues.

Any Second is a deep book that explores the darker parts of life. It was heavy reading and often left me feeling uncomfortable but it was also quite riveting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was thoroughly invested in both Elian and Maya and enjoyed the journey the characters took throughout the book.

Extremely emotional story about two damaged, complicated teens trying to put their lives back together after a very violent and disturbing incident. Eli was kidnapped and brainwashed for five years before he was sent into a mall with a bomb strapped to his chest. Maya saves him by convincing him to let the police detonate the bomb. Ten months later they find themselves in the same high school with instructions to avoid each other. They both are struggling in their daily lives to fit in as best they can, just to live an be normal which is no easy feat. Sad, heartfelt, and full of raw emotions, the story has several twists but nothing unpredictable. A birds eye view into our modern day culture and how violence and alienation play such huge roles without today's youth and how they are affected. Well wroth reading but be warned very real, raw and blunt almost to the point of making the reader uncomfortable.

I really didn’t know what to expect going into this book. I thought that the subject matter was interesting, and I wanted to know more about Eli and Maya’s stories. However, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was supposed to expect from the writing or the flow of the story itself. And after having read it, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. While I liked the characters and the ideas behind the novel, I don’t really like how the plot was carried out. Some things just felt so obvious to me, and so many things were left unanswered. It just jumped around a lot, and I was left so confused. I thought that the characters themselves were very realistic, especially for high schoolers. They seemed pretty real, and I loved the relationship between Maya and Eli. It wasn’t necessarily romantic, just a really good friendship. This book might not be for everybody, but give it a read if you’re interested in heavy subject matter and a wild ride of a book.

I was given a digital arc of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book deals with important subjects and that's why I was intrigued by it. I was curious to find out about this realistic story.

In this book we follow Eli and Maya. Eli was kidnapped and forced to put a bomb on his chest while Maya helped him that day and managed to stop the explosion from happening.

I expected this book to focus on that day but the biggest part of the book turned out to be about the year following this event and the problems they faced. I wasn't disappointed by it but it did feel a bit slower to go through than the very beginning (and ending).


(I received a copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my review)

Finally made it through this book! Where the synopsis was intriguing enough and the first couple chapters that were written in first person felt so strong, it fell flat once the third person took over. It was almost like it disconnected me from the characters and it took forever to connect me to them again.

Eli went through the unimaginable when he was kidnapped and brainwashed. Maya definitely is struggling with her high school years as it is, and her chance encounter with Eli did not help.

I really did love Maya as a character. I would love to give her story a 5, but as it’s told in dual POV, I just can’t. Eli’s character wasn’t necessarily poorly developed in my opinion, he was just underdeveloped. And where I felt this book should have more suspense, it just didn’t. The last 10% was the best part of the book.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much.

The premise of this book sounded super interesting and I immediately wanted to try and get an ARC of it. I dived into it as soon as I finished the behemoth book Kingdom of Ash.

It started off pretty great, you get Eli who gets sent into the DOL to blow it up, and it goes from there. Most of the book deals with how Eli and Maye each deal with their own forms of PTSD from the situation, and for me thats where it started to get boring. Don't get me wrong, the book as a whole was good, but for me watching them struggle through things that I personally would never let myself go through was a chore.

Maya is dating Janice, Janice is ... (view spoiler)

Eli befriends another loner in the school named Graham, and boy is he a bundle of f*ed up. (view spoiler)

The whole book is just one big OMG DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALREADY feeling.
I feel like the author *should* have included more about Gabriel and Eli, maybe a portion of the book being flashbacks of his time spent there.

All in all I'd give this book about a 3.5 stars.

“There’s no set amount of trauma that’s prerequisite for PTSD.”

This book focused a lot around PTSD, which is something I assumed from the very beginning. We had two main characters that were not relatable under normal circumstances that the author made very real and eventually relatable. I felt like the story was really quick to read and had one of the most unique premises of any story I’ve ever read. It was a real story of two characters who are lost trying to find themselves.

I thought that Eli’s introduction back into society was extremely unrealistic, but seemed to just work from the very beginning. I really liked Maya as a character she seemed very real. Maya was all about self medicating, doing what was unexpected, and just being herself. I wasn’t a fan of Janice or Graham from the beginning of the story, they both seem troubled and like bad influences to Eli and Maya. Because of Eli‘s early abduction he had a very hard time understanding healthy relationships, and I think that’s why Graham manipulated him from the very start.

I like the fact that I talked about two conditions that I have never heard about Dermatillomania which is the official term for “when you like to flay yourself, and pick yourself apart strip by strip”, trichotillomania which was very similar. Maya suffered from both of these conditions, which seems to stem straight from the trauma she induced the day of the mall incident. I feel like the author did a really good job writing about a sensitive topic and having all the pieces fall together. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a unique take on a strange situation.

Is it fate that brings Eli and Maya together? Or is it just luck? Either way, it's life-changing for both of them. Each dealing with their own version of trauma, they're thrown together under the most unlikely of circumstances.
Eli is truly a victim. Kidnapped at a young age, he's currently on a mission from his abductor - walk into the mall with explosives strapped to his chest and get redemption from all who have done the world wrong.
Maya is a victim of another sort. She's a victim of her own anxiety. Hair pulling, skin tearing, sinking deep within herself...this is how she deals. She's also at the mall that day, keeping her dad company while he gets a new driver's license to complement his new life.
When their paths cross, neither of their lives will ever be the same. You see, Maya's the one who sees Eli. She's the one who notices something amiss. And she's the one who decides to save not only everyone around her but also Eli himself.
Fast forward several months...Eli is trying to get back to a normal life, whatever that is. And Maya is still dealing with her anxiety, made understandably worse with her close encounter with death. And they meet again, this time when Eli transfers to Maya's school. They're drawn to each other, understandably. Will Maya be able to save Eli a second time? And will Eli be able to save Maya as well?
This is a very intense book starting from the first page. Heartbreaking at times, uplifting and hopeful at others, it's the story of what can happen when we open our doors and let others in.

Any Second is a very important book dealing with topics all too relevant today. It's unfortunate to have to say that. Young adult audiences will be hooked from the first page and be taken on an emotional journey. There is a bit of romance that helps lighten things up at times, but never to the point of being insensitive to the topics at hands. PTSD and anxiety are displayed very well. Highly recommended to readers looking for an emotional yet highly suspenseful story.

***4 Stars ***

Wow... what an emotional and extremely difficult read. Fair warning this book's subject matter is tough and dark. There were some aspects that seemed far fetched to me, but unfortunately at the same time plausible in this world we live in. Eli was abducted as a child by Gabriel, brain washed and abused for "The Purpose." The story begins with Eli being sent into a mall with a wolf mask on and a bomb strapped to his chest. Maya is at the mall with her father and intervenes. The story continues with Eli and Maya's stories; such damaged children who struggle to feel normal. The feels from this book are hard to describe, heart racing throughout, almost anxiety provoking, that felt way too real. I struggle recommending this for young adult readers. Please know they need to be mature enough to understand and handle how painful this story is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Books for Young Readers who allowing me an advanced read copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing and such a realistic portrayal of two very damaged young people. I’m still thinking about it weeks after I finished it. It was very powerful in its portrayal of anxiety and PTSD and how you can sometime find solace in unlikely friendships.

When we first meet Maya, she is already a bit of a mess. Her experience with Eli in the mall just makes her anxiety worse, and because of her anxiety and later her PTSD, she can’t accept how truly brave and strong she is. I liked that she found solace in her music finally, she is the drummer in the school’s jazz band. Some of the descriptions of how she felt while playing were amazing. She has a hard time relating to anyone, family and friends, because she is afraid that they don’t see her the way she sees herself.

Eli was also a mess, but after what he went through you just want to wrap him up in a hug. It was heartbreaking reading what had been done to him, but he is also stronger than he knows and with the support of others I really think he will get better.

The plot wasn’t quite what I was expecting from the summary. Except for the first chapter which is about their first encounter in the mall, the rest of the story takes place almost a year later. Both Eli and Maya are struggling to make it through their days. Maya is in an unhealthy romantic relationship and Eli ends up with an unhealthy friendship. Most of their relationships with their families and friends are difficult. They end up at the same school and both have been told that they should stay away from each other, but they do eventually find each other and their budding friendship is the only good thing in their lives. Together they were definitely stronger, and they are eventually able to convince others that as well.

I don’t want to say much more about this book because you really need to read it for your self. It is the best contemporary I have read this year and I highly recommend that you see for yourself just how good it is.

3.5 Stars
Review by Morgen
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books

Any Second by Kevin Emerson is a standalone young adult psychological thriller about how deep the effects of trauma reach and how tempestuous the journey can be to breaking the emotional chains that bind you.

Eli has been held captive for five years. He was captured at the age of eleven. He was psychologically and physically tortured. His captors intent was to warp his mind and mold him into a weapon too scared to run. He is traumatized and just wants to finally make them happy.

Maya has severe anxiety linked with her OCD. She struggles to overcome her inner demons. She is a well-rounded character and has her weaknesses but also moments of great strength.

The story begins with Eli being given the task of blowing up the mall. His captor Gabriel is shoving rhetoric at him that he’s been conditioned to believe over that past five years. If he wants the torture to end, he needs to complete his task.

Maya is at the mall with her father but is inexplicably drawn to Eli and helps him realize blowing everyone up was not the right decision. After the traumatic incident at the mall, they are kept apart.

Almost a year later, they somehow end up at the same high school. Here, they make some bad choices and find themselves with friends who may not have their best interests at heart. Both Eli and Maya are haunted by their past and trying and sometimes failing to keep their fears at bay.

Any Second is written in first person and helps the reader have a well-rounded view of the story. Getting inside Eli and Maya heads was at times a dark place to be. I loved getting to know them better and their development felt natural. Both of them are dealing with trauma and despair and their vulnerability connected me them and made them feel more real to me. The story unravels quickly and takes you on a wild ride. The details were well written and sucked you in. There is a bit of romance but it is not a main focus and feels right with the storyline. I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys psychological stories.

An explosive read! (See what I did there) I loved every minute of this. Highly recommend for people who enjoy high-tension and high-suspense fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and unique stories. Warning: if you have a weak stomach, this book will make you queasy. It's unsettling in the best way.

Razor sharp suspense paired with deeply emotional turmoil that keeps the reader on edge till the end.

“The man was only known as Gabriel. Domestic terrorist. Child abductor. Tormentor. And among his family: Son of a bitch.”

It’s been five long, hard years since Eli was taken. Abducted. Brainwashed and fed with delusional propaganda while nourished at times on dog food. He slept on wooden floorboards and heard his sister being tormented upstairs. The garden hose was the worst…

Miraculously, on that fateful day, the day that Gabriel sent him with a bomb strapped to his body and a detonator in hand into the mall to blow it up, Maya crosses his path to interfere with only milliseconds to spare.

“My hand shakes, thumb slick on the smooth button. Arm twitching. Will I have arms in paradise? Legs? A body at all?”

Maya happens to be in the mall when she sees a boy walking awkwardly slow. Sweating, withdrawn and soiling himself. This day could not get any worse so far. Or could it? Maya’s parents are going through a divorce. Hanging out with either one parent alone feels weirdly awkward and still hurts. She is here with her dad, and then there comes Eli. Salvation or Detriment?

“Tastes like chicken? Kinda bland, actually. But there was something satisfying about the rubberiness. She considered the ruby of blood on her thumb. Sucked that too. ”…Why, yes, I enjoy tearing myself apart and occasionally consuming my own flesh. Wasn’t that on the same spectrum as I keep pieces of my neighbor in the freezer for special meals?”

A year after that awful day, Eli and Maya find themselves in the same high school. Always on guard, with undercover police hovering around to protect Eli, the both of them have gone through hours and hours of therapy sessions, apart and separated in order to move on. No one knows that they are the kids from that incident in the mall, and both Eli and Maya are working very hard to overcome their demons.

The day of the one year anniversary of the mall incident is approaching fast. As Gabriel has never been caught and brought to justice, Eli receives a threat at his door that unleashes panic among parents and students.

“So, Elliott High, I declare that I’ve chosen the date of your salvation, and it is close at hand. Your time has come.” “…My judgement will rain down upon you, very soon now. Very soon”

Is Gabriel after him again? Has he been around the entire time and possibly infiltrated into his life without anyone knowing?

An amazing suspenseful crescendo will lead you to the answers and put you on the edge of your seat till the very end.

***

This was truly very captivating and thrilling. I am so glad I had the chance to read this novel. I am slammed blindsided with its amazing prose and twisted mind games. Very well written throughout with attention to detail. Even the font by the publisher on the kindle was perfect.

I highly recommend it if you enjoy the kind of books that keep your pulse elevated for almost the entire read. I loved it. Enjoy :)

Trigger Warning

This novel is rated for Young Readers, grade 7-9 or teens and up. Personally, I would suggest it to the upper, upper range on that using my own personal judgment & safeguard by knowledge of its content. There are some harsh, downgrading or sexy words and situational references to sex, drugs, and alcoholism aside from the mental / physical abuse that could be disturbing and trigger points to some. The main characters are experiencing flashbacks with PTSD symptoms.

I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley in Exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

This book was a lot to take in. I was immediately intrigued by the premise, but the story ended up taking me somewhere completely unexpected and surprising me consistently along the way. However, while I am not typically one to issue trigger warnings, I believe some may need to proceed with caution when reading this novel. The subject matter can be hard to read at times and it handles mature themes throughout. While it does so with a deft hand and with care, for sensitive readers or those YA readers who may be on the younger end of the targeted age group, I would tread lightly. There is some seriously disturbing imagery on display.

With a title like "Any Second," I was expecting the story to remain in the moment of this almost-tragedy just a bit more, but I ended up being very glad it expanded beyond that. So much time and attention were given to the repercussions of this event and its subsequent re-adjustment period, and the nuance with which it was detailed cannot be overstated. The story handles such things as kidnapping, indoctrination, drug abuse, Stockholm syndrome, and so much more that is seamlessly integrated. While it wasn't the most engaging read, it certainly raised critical and often overlooked questions.

Eli and Maya were interesting characters, and I loved seeing how they developed and how their shared trauma bound them together. They were both highly damaged but handling it in very different ways. However, the brief inklings of romance between the two were very weird and unnecessary. It's important to recognize the connection that was formed between them, but that was just odd and didn't enhance the story at all. The side characters were also very interesting, and surprisingly fully fleshed out. I loved the slow build of suspense they contributed to, as the reader could tell something was seriously off, but the two main characters were so wrapped up in their own trauma that they couldn't see the warning signs. It helped to paint a more tragic picture. 

However, the queer representation on display here was sketchy at best. Maya got consistently treated like garbage, and while she evolved past it, I'm not sure if the long, drawn-out sequences of her being mistreated were for good reason. I'm glad Maya developed and came to realize what was good for herself, but it was frustrating and hard to read at times. 

This is a complex, nuanced novel which really delves into trauma, abhorrent acts and the reasons why and how some come to commit them, and the repercussions of it all. It was pretty nihilistic and depressing at times, just to see how two people could find themselves involved in such violence over and over again. While I enjoyed the read and found it important, this was certainly a lot to handle.

I’m going to be honest, it took me a bit to actually think about how I felt about Any Second before writing this review. It was very uncomfortable to read at times, but that’s the point. Any Second is not filled with fluff; there’s barely any happiness at all in this book. But, honestly, can we blame the characters for that? Both were a part of a tragic event & now both are dealing with the consequences.

It seems as if none of the supporting characters truly knows what Maya and Eli are going through. Maya’s girlfriend is probably my least favorite part of Any Second. Not only is she extremely needy — I’m just gonna say it — she’s a pretty big bitch. Can we vote her off the island — ?

Any Second’s main characters struggle with PTSD; a song, an action, anything can transport Maya back to the DOC. & Eli’s brain is constantly dragging him back to the room he was tortured in. Maya also suffers from trichotillomania (hair pulling), which plays a big part in her subplot. Any Second is written in alternating chapters, so we get a deeper glance at both characters throughout the book. In my opinion & as someone who has dealt with a tragic event, Kevin Emerson represented the disorders well.

I can’t say that I enjoyed reading Any Second; as mentioned above it was very uncomfortable at times, but I can say that it was a good read. Any Second has a unique plot, and Kevin Emerson seems to have done his research on the disorders that these characters have. I really enjoyed watching these two characters coming together, despite their tragic past.