I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

“Any Second” by Kevin Emerson is a standalone young adult psychological thriller that holds you captive right from the beginning, yes, pun intended. Eli Martinez has been held captive for years and tortured physically, sexually, and mentally. His captor releases him in the middle of a crowded mall with a bomb strapped to him.

Maya Abrams is at the mall too. Her father wants to get an updated license picture to show the “new him” that goes along with his new girlfriend. Maya notices a boy walking toward her in the Department of Licensing. The first thing she notices is he is wearing a wolf mask. The second thing is that he looks sad and alone.

Without knowing why, Maya approaches Eli. It is then she notices the detonator. Eli believes he has to complete his “mission” and pushes the detonator but the bomb does not go off. Maya places her hand on the detonator, tells everyone to leave the area, and tells Eli “I got you”.

What follows is a story about survivors, PTSD, high school and the difficulties that go with it, and Eli and Maya. The one word I would use to describe this story is intense.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Really giving this about 3.75-4 stars

The beginning and ending were amazing but the middle just lacked something. Like how old are these kids at the dance (that was the thought, I know how old they were supposed to be) so how were there no chaperones. I just found myself rolling my eyes at a few things in the middle.

That being said the rest was very well done and handled. My heart hurt for what Eli and Maya had both been through and are still dealing with. Bringing them together and allowing them to be friends and lean on each other was instrumental to the heart of story. Major trigger warnings for kidnapping, mental health and abuse.

This book helps people become aware. We only take notice in ourselves sometimes, but we never notice how others are also struggling. Usually, we tend to be selfish only knowing what’s going on with us but “Any Second” makes you perceive your surroundings by finally taking notice and at the same time to let yourself know that you’ll be ok.

I had some anxiety while reading this especially in the beginning. The content is sadly, very relevant.

The writing was good and the characters were pretty fleshed out. Maya had a little bit more development happening when it came to dealing with PTSD than Eli but they did suffer from different types of trauma for different periods of time.

Any Second was predictable and while the ending didn't work for me it was still a solid read.

I would read another book by Kevin Emerson

Intense. This is the best word I can give it. I can't say I loved this one, because I didn't. I don't think this is the kind of book you love. It was a hard read for me. I feel like there should have been trigger warnings. This material was hard. I was able to get through it but I had so much difficulty and I wasn't even triggered. Just be careful reading this one. I waver between books like this being necessary and being too much. I think the writing was done well, if a bit sloppy in places. It's not a matter of writing or technical issues. My hesitation remains with the content, and I knew that going in. Tread carefully is my best advice. It's painful and brutal but some people might absolutely need this book. Just please tread carefully.

Eli was supposed to be a human bomb. Sent into a crowded mall by the man who kidnapped him five years earlier, Eli was supposed to take himself out and everyone around him in a blast designed to fulfill “The Purpose.” Supposed to. That is, until Maya happened. Battling her own demons, Maya miraculously interferes, saving Eli from his captor and certain death.

Now nearly a year later, both Eli and Maya are trying to cope with what happened on the day they lived instead of died. Eli is adjusting to being back with his family and attending high school anonymously - no one knows who he really is. Maya is dealing with a barrage of anxieties in a self-destructive manner by picking at her skin and pulling out her hair.

Eli and Maya are not supposed to communicate - authorities deem it a safety issue - but they find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other. After all, no one understands what it was like to have survived that near-death situation in the mall except for them. Can two broken people possibly be good for one another? Will their friendship make life easier for the two of them, or will it be all the more difficult?

Any Second by prolific YA author Kevin Emerson is a novel that explores what it is like to be broken and become whole again. Emerson expands beautifully on the utterly overwhelming sense of life that occurs when a person is battling past trauma or a mental illness through this thought-provoking and sensitive novel. Emerson’s characters of Eli and Maya are such fragile people, who through each other try to make sense of a difficult situation.

As much as this is a novel about forging meaningful friendships and not letting your past define you, it is also a story of suspense. Both Eli and Maya have some questionable, potentially destructive people in their lives, who play an important part in their story. With several twists and turns, as well as touching, emotional relationships between the characters, Any Second is a definite page turner.

Sensitive readers should note that there are many possible triggers and difficult topics discussed in this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping and heart wrenching at times. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

What just happened? I wasn't ready for this much depth, I had to take more than my usual couple of days to put my thoughts in order for this review.

Elián was kidnapped when he was around 10 and kept for many years while suffering brainwash so intense he barely remembered his own name. In his mind, his mother had died, his sister been raped over and over. That's the state he is when he is released in a shopping mall, which he is supposed to blow over as a statement. But the bomb doesn't work and that's when he meets Maya, a troubled teenager who finally notices him standing there.

Now it's been a year and fate makes so the two are now in the same school, but not supposed to talk. The incident left big scars in both and their new encounter only makes them clearer. However, it is also them finding each other what brings them closer than ever to healing. Still, Elián's captor is out there.

This is a thriller with a little of romance and lot of hurt. Both Maya's and Elián's issues are very there, it really bothered me as I read. This isn't a pretty novel for you to feel emotional, it's all very twisted. I didn't expect to feel so invested about the story or the characters.

I can't say it was perfect, though. Maybe it's because it was written to bother the reader, but the characters could be too weird at times and some of the happenings made me frown. I'm not 100% with the conclusion but I can still say it was good at least.

I don't recommend this to anyone who might feel triggered with bombs, self-mutilation, guns and the such. Aside from that, I think this was an exceptional YA psychological thriller, and I will be following this writer more closely from now on.

Any Second by Kevin Emerson is a young adult thriller. First off I will say that with some of the content in this one I would recommend it to the more mature crowd. While nothing is overly graphic there are sexual situations, drinking, and of course the violence involved.

The story in this book is one that is sadly far too realistic these days which is a big reason I jumped at reading it. The book begins with the two main characters, Eli and Maya, both being involved in their own ways in an attempt at a suicide bombing. With all of the horrific shootings, bombings and other things hitting our newscasts every night I can’t help but be drawn to a tale that takes a closer look.

In Any Second Eli had been kidnapped and tortured for years before he was sent into the mall with a bomb strapped to his chest. Maya on the other had has her own anxious personality but when she sees Eli she goes to try to stop him and becomes the hero. Once readers know that event that they shared the book then fast forwards 10 months to pick up with them in their lives afterwards.

Now I’m calling this one a thriller because it does have an exciting beginning and an exciting end but a lot of the middle section crosses over into more of a contemporary with the where are they now and the characters lives. Still knowing how deeply flawed both were just getting to know them was still thrilling in many way though too. I always get quite hooked when getting a closer look at how the lives of those involved in something like this event are affected and this book was no exception.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was not your typical love story. Imagine if Edward and Bella meet Katniss and Peeta. Mayhem will break loose. That is the exact feeling while reading this book. This is by far the darkest love story I have previewed but that is what made this story really addicting and it just kept pulling me in so hard that I finished previewing this book in less than 20 minutes. An extravagant novel so well written that it keeps wanting you to read more and never stop. What made this story be so great is the bond Maya and Eli have and how they met and now they have to depend on each other in order to survive.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our young adult collection in our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars!

4.25/5 stars

Let me start off by giving a general warning about this book. If you are very sensitive or have any sort of triggers regarding mental illness/health, divoirce, bombings, kidnappings & abuse/neglet, then I urge you to either go into this book expecting these or to not read at all. Reading can become depressing, but intentional due to the nature of the plot and the author's intentions. This is a great book if you're alright, or can handle, these sorts of subjects.

I thought that Eli and Maya were both amazing, flushed-out characters. While we get to know how each of them speaks, believes, and remembers, we also get to see how their past and present still holds deep scars running through both of them. They're close to what I would call the "perfect scarred character". They both have a past they couldn't control, with them both being a type pf source for where they're lives move forward and turn around. They each still have their dark and broken personalities throughout the book, each dealing with something they can't forget. I thought the author did a great job developing these characters, but still not answering everything and leaving some things up to interpretation. They're characters are definitely the focus of the story, and I didn't feel that one trumped the other in any way. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a different type of genre in YA fiction that has nothing to do with fantasy. This is a darker contemporary read that I feel many people would love if they gave it the chance!

These are my personal feelings and thoughts on this book. ARC was provided to me by the publisher for free in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks for the early review copy!

I picked this because of the plot. It was well-written and a intense read. I recommend this book to fans of young adult fiction that deals with intense topics

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
Maya is a teen suffering with some mental health issues following the divorce of her parent. While waiting for her dad to get a new license photo, she sees a boy come in wearing a wolf mask, Eli.

Eli, who was kidnapped at 11 and emerges 5 years later in a mall, wearing a wolf mask, with a bomb strapped to him.

The coincidence of timing push the two main characters together in that moment and again nearly a year later, as Maya has to move to a new school district after her parents’ divorce is final and Eli moves to the same school district in order to keep his identity a secret.

The character’s inner struggles each had a voice in the book, often interrupting their thoughts. I found this to be an interesting addition that at times was a little over used.

I found the plot to be predictable and the characters to be a little under-developed. I found myself waiting for something real to happen.

The ending felt a little contrived and unrealistic and left several unanswered questions.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book dealt with so many dark issues. It was also vastly deep with some of its thoughts. You see two deeply hurt people trying to navigate high school and grow into their own, however thats difficult when other people are still hurting you. Defn read this with tissues., you will ugly cry.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of ANY SECOND in exchange for my honest review.***

Eli’s kidnapper sends him into a crowded mall with instructions to detonate the bomb strapped around his waist. Maya saves him by convincing him to let the police diffuse the explosive device. Ten months later, both suffering from PTSD, Eli and Maya attend the same school with instructions not to communicate with one another. But, nobody else knows the pain and trauma they share. Danger lurks nearby and this time they may not escape with their lives.

Both Eli and Maya are complex, wounded characters. Maya had severe anxiety and OCD behaviors before the mall incident. Kevin Emerson did a nuanced job of getting into their individual heads. Some of their symptoms overlapped and some were unique. Both survivors hooked up with people terrible for them. Maya’s girlfriend was controlling and unkind, Eli’s new best friend appears dangerous and overly fascinated by Eli’s ordeal. The only part of the characters that felt unrealistic is that a traumatized Maya, who already had major issues before the bomb, would be so quick to find a new love. Some of Janice’s sexual behavior seemed more like a man’s fantasy than high school hi-jinx. Other than Janice, Emerson’s writing and characterizations were pitch perfect.

The plot kept me interested and turning pages. The climax was a bit of a melodramatic letdown which prevented me from giving five stars.

ANY SECOND will appeal to a variety of readers including those interested in mental health and mystery/thrillers.

This book hurt my heart. It would have been difficult to NOT get connected to the characters and root for their positive outcomes. I enjoyed the book despite it breaking my heart, just a little bit.

I was definitely not the right reader for this story. While it was well-written and had an interesting premise, I found myself skimming whole sections. Eli's chapters were (understandably) dark and depressing, but it was too much for me. Reading Maya's thoughts was somehow even more painful. Overall, I had to stop reading because the subject and the (very well written, realistic) thoughts were too upsetting. I think for a less sensitive reader, this would be an excellent read.

I really couldn’t get into this book. I was also really confused at the beginning. I might go back and try to understand it better, but defiantly not my favorite.

Title: Any Second
Author: Kevin Emerson
My Rating: 4 Stars

What it's about:

Eli was kidnapped and trained as a solider. One day in October Gabriel sent him into a crowded mall with bombs strapped to his body. Maya is a girl who just happen to noticed a scared looking boy in a wolfs mask. Both of their lives are tragically messed up and in the aftermath of the mall incident, they are both just try to move on with their lives, until they end up at the same school and are inevitably drawn to one another.

What I liked:

I loved the suspense this book had to offer, the not knowing pulled me along to the end of the books. The issues discussed are all so well thought out and important. The main characters are tragically lovable and you find yourself rooting for them.

What I disliked:

I hated 98% of the characters in this book. Seriously they were all awful, which isn’t a dig at the writing at all. In fact I think it’s impressive to be able to write such awful characters in such a believable way.

Overview:

This was a very dark book and it deals with so many hard hitting issues that are deeply relevant to today’s society. Bullying, cyber bullying, self harm, violence, gun control, kidnapping, abuse, and so much more… I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. Any Second comes on in November and I highly encourage you to read it!

Excellent book. I feel it offers an accurate account of living with PTSD and many would resonate with the writing. The main characters are relatable and you can't help but root for them to overcome their dark shared past.