Six Goodbyes We Never Said is told in a dual perspective. Naima moves in with her grandparents after the terrible loss of her father. On top of this she’s also dealing with OCD and an anxiety disorder. Dew is her grandmothers neighbour. He lives with his adoptive family after losing both of his parents suddenly.

The writing was stunning and both perspectives were distinct. This allowed me to easily connect to both main characters - something I think is super important in a book with more than one main character.

I struggled to place the plot and it seemed to drag - but I felt the brilliant character development made up for that in most parts.

This book deals with hard hitting topics such as mental illness and grief and handles them both fantastically. I also appreciated that the book had a trigger warning in the authors note - something I wish more books would have.

Overall, this was a good book - the writing was superb, characters amazing, however, the plot aspect let the book down in my opinion.

I really just couldn't get into this, and that makes me very sad.

Things I appreciated:
-It looks at how different people approach loss. I've been seeing more of that in YA (including The Art of Taxidermy), and that's definitely a good thing.
-Talked specifically about General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and OCD.
-THERAPY! I really want to see more therapy in novels, especially YA and middle grade. That can help get rid of some of the stigma around therapy, which would be huge.

Why I couldn't engage:
-The format: It's not just that galleys don't have the final format, I just couldn't engage with the way that Dew's chapters started. Also, by the time I was starting to engage with either POV, it switched and took me out.

I really like the idea of the book, but it wasn't for me.

I sadly had to DNF this book. I really wanted to like the story, but I just found it pretty uninteresting and not very entertaining. The book formatting was a little confusing (though not sure if this is a problem with Netgalley or the book itself), the character's storylines were coming at me too fast, and I just couldn't get interested in the book. I may come back to it one day or once the FC is released, but at this moment I sadly have to DNF.

Naima is dealing with the loss of her father who she had a strained relationship with and Dew is trying to figure out his place in the world now that his parents have died in a car accident.

Their mental illnesses and awkwardness makes it difficult to establish a healthy friendship with each other but they try to navigate it.

Overall it was a good YA contemporary novel that deals with loss in an open way.

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Lately YA contemporaries have been a real miss for me and although I loved the idea of this book and some of the storyline, in the whole, it was disappointing. I could not find a way to connect to any of these characters. I don’t need to understand them, I just need one small connection to invest in the story. Grief can be such a powerful life changer but I felt this book didn’t not encompass that feeling.
I read a lot of YA and know that I am not the target audience for this book. I do believe it could benefit from some further editing.

Naima has OCD and GAD and is trying to navigate her way through the grief of the the death of her military father, the one who kept leaving even when he said he wouldn't. Dew is also dealing with the loss of his parents, choosing to say the things that he can't into an audio recorder. The entrance of each other into the others lives change things in a way they couldn't have imagined and theirs lives won't ever be the same.

This book is a very honest look into the realities of loss, mental health, and friendship. I like that it is in no way a love story, but rather a "getting through it" story. The story is told through both characters perspectives, but also through Naima's dad's voicemails, the emails she never sent to him, and Dew's audio recordings. Because of all the types of writing it took a little bit to get into the book, but once I got used to how it was laid out it was easier to follow.

I grew to really enjoy this book and Naima and Dew's journey which felt real and unique from other stories I have read.

This book was ultra confusing with a plot that just didn't get off the ground until I got to 3/4 of the way through the book. An intertwining story of 2 adolescences dealing with loss and grief, supported by many people, but the characters were too plentiful, that once again, I did not follow who was who or why they were important until almost the end, and there are still one or two people that I cannot identify who or what they belong to. But surprisingly the story comes together a bit but far, far too late in the book. I cannot recommend as it took too long to get the story off the ground.

First off, I LOVE the fact that we are getting so many title in YA that feature characters with disabilities! As an avid reader who had disabilities, I love that "Six Goodbyes We Never Said" is diverse. The story itself is impactful and everyone need to read it.

In Six Goodbyes We Never Said, Candace Ganger clearly portrays the delicate balance of being young, dealing with loss, and struggling with mental illness. The main characters, Naima and Dew, are dealing with situations beyond their control, but there are personal choices that they are able to make day to day. The internal voices seemed genuine and there was no sugar coating of the hardships of dealing with mental health concerns. The book incorporates correspondence and written chapters along with changing narratives. These different perspectives are important to understanding the different ways the characters view themselves, their worlds, and their futures. I would recommend this book to older teens (there is some real-world language) or those going through loss trying to figure out how to get through each day.

Six Goodbyes We Never Said is an honest reflection of the complications and messiness of grief, an upfront and realistic portrayal of mental health and an ode to friendship and family, which can sometimes be as weird and tangled as it can be necessary and life saving. This book unfurls the journey of grief in a compelling and frank way, at times moving while other times delightfully amusing. It’s the perfect book for reflective readers or those who need something or someone to relate to when the world around them doesn’t reflect back what they see in the mirror.

Naima and Dew are what mainstream society would wrongly label as outsiders. Those who are different or who behave differently from society’s perception of acceptable or normalised behaviour. Both are struggling, not only under the heavy burden of grief so complex they can hardly speak of it, but with social anxiety (Dew) and the rituals and counting patterns (Naima) that has become a part of their every day existences. In each other they find someone who is facing the same complex emotional roller coaster.

When Naima, after the death of her Marine father, moves in with her grandparents, Dew, who live next door with his foster parents, is sure their shared grief makes them destined to be together. Naima is certain the boy next door with his voice recorder is someone she needs to avoid. She’s got enough going on, with missed birthday rituals, the urn of her father’s ashes sitting at the kitchen table and the numerous voice messages and letters from her father that she never responded to. But sometimes, grief shared can help and sometimes friendship can appear in the places you least expect it.

Naima and Dew are such honest, complex characters, and it was a delight to read their story. They couldn’t be more different, Naima in your face, brutally honest, Dew polite and so desperate to help others. Yet they are both consumed with their grief. Their friendship is unlikely, and stumbles and trips on its way from enmity (Naima) and blind hope (Dew) to something that is understanding and supportive.

Family, both the loss of and the gaining of, is a key theme of Six Goodbyes We Never Said. Watching Dew bond with his foster sister and foster parents, while still honouring and remembering the bond he had with his biological parents was lovely. And Faith, Dew’s foster sister, is so awesome and such a fantastic part of the book.

Six Goodbyes We Never Said, with its blend of humour, touching character development and poignant moments is both moving and funny. A great YA contemporary title I will enjoy recommending to readers.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

I didn't love this as much as I was hoping to BUT, the characters in this are really well developed and the story is nicely paced. There are a couple of plot holes that make it feel a little choppy but if you can move past this, you'll find a really great story about love and loss. With some diverse characters that lead the charge and some great issues addressed, this book can easily find an audience for contemporary YA readers.

This book delas with a lot of hard topics. Such has ptsd, ocd and lost of a parent.

The writing style was good but a bit underdeveloped.

And the format was a bit confusing, but nothing that took me out of the story.

Book: Six Goodbyes We’ve Never Said
Author: Candance Ganger
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC of this book.

I went into this one knowing nothing about it and the author. I mean, there’s so many books coming out this year and this one wasn’t even on my radar. I must say that going into a book completely blind is a good thing. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.

This book, like a lot of young adult books, deals with complex issues. In this case, it is mental illness and the lose of a parent. Not only that, but the characters are biracial, which makes everyone feel included. I have not read a lot of books that deal with mental illness, so it was a nice touch. I thought Candance portrayed mental illness really well and did a nice job of exploring just how complex it can be. We get to see the struggles and experience the pain and everything right along with the characters. I love it whenever books suck in me like that.

The two main characters, Nemia and Dew, are really great leads. I thought, like the plot, they were really well developed and super complex. I love just how much of opposites they are. Dew is sweet and sees the good in everything, while Nemia has some sass in her. I just love how they seemed to almost complete each other, like they were made for each other. What l really liked was how we get to see their pain and how they are really trying to move on, but just can’t seem to escape their past. Both of these characters are orphans and it’s clear that they both just want to be loved. Now, Nemia does put up a wall, but underneath, you can see that is what she wants more than anything.

I like how the storyline, as a whole, is realistic and relatable. There are a lot of teens and young adults who are struggling with the issues presented in this book. There is still this sigma with mental illness and it’s just not really talked about. Having a book like this really makes people feel like they are not alone. Plus, just the overall feel of the book makes everything seem all that much more real.

So, why a four star? I’m not going to lie. The whole reason I gave this book a four star is because whenever it switched from point of view to point of view, it made it really difficult to figure out who was telling the story. Now, I was able to figure out, but it was a very rough transition. It’s not a major issue, but it’s one of the few things I can’t stand in books.

So, this book comes out on September 24, 2019.

Youtube Book Preview: https://youtu.be/ZWbnu9sfYVI

Not a fan of the sarcastic tone. Found the main character unrelatable. Did not finish, only got about half way.

"The only thing consistent is change. We have to accept it or become our own enemies."

Namia's father didn't come back from his latest tour, and she's having trouble coping with the fact she will never see him again. Because she suffers from OCD, GAD, and PTSD it's making things harder to deal. She's so used to pushing everyone away, that when someone good comes along, she doesn't know how to deal.

Enter Dew. He's living with foster parents because he lost both of his parents in a car accident. That loss has manifested in avoidance and anxiety. His foster sister throws a lot of fits, so she can be hard to deal with, but you wouldn't know it from the way Dew smoothly handles her. His foster parents are good people and they want the best for him. He wants to befriend Namia, but she isn't making it easy. She thinks he's weird and she wants him to stay out of her business.

I really liked Violet, she's a great addition to the book and the author could even give her a book that I would most definitely read. When I read e-books, I highlight things that stick out or things that resonate with me, and there was a lot of highlighting done in this book. The book is beautifully written and it touches on so many real-life issues that people are struggling with (which I greatly appreciate).

Sometimes Dew seemed a little too "on", a little too "perfect", especially in the way he looked at his foster sister Faith. But the way he watched his family form was touching, I loved his positive view of the world and his acceptance to see what was under the surface.

I know this book wasn't for everyone, it does get a bit tedious at times with some repetition. Once Naima gave Dew a chance, the book picked up and I would have liked for them to meet sooner. Despite those small issues, I loved this book. It was witty and poignant, and very thoughtful. Naima's way of playing "Would You Rather" to stay connected to her father was amusing. She's so much stronger than she realizes and I love how assertive she is. She's actually really funny when you get past the tough exterior. I'm not sure where her PTSD comes from as it would be too soon to diagnose after the loss of her father, but as a sufferer, I can relate to her struggles. Very nicely done.

I am really enjoying the stories that are being told in contemporary young adult literature, and this novel is no different. The two main characters, Naima and Dew, have both suffered the horrible and tragic loss of a parent, and unfortunately, neither is coping with the loss well. Naima is … prickly and angry, and Dew is nervous and anxious. Dew is determined to cheer up Naima and become friends with her, and Naima is determined to be angry.

There is a lot going on in this short novel, but I love it, because it can relate to so many teenagers: the loss of a parent, dealing with foster care, dealing with a sibling in pain, growing up, dealing with a stepparent, mental illness. I flew threw this novel, and felt the characters were realistic and charming, even when they weren't. It is a sad story, but a positive ending, and in addition to being an enjoyable read, I also think it is an important read. I look forward to having it in my classroom library.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and title and received an ARC from Netgalley. The writing style was all over the place and hard to follow. I liked that the book talked about OCD and anxiety but just didn't feel any connection with the characters.

trigger warning: discussion of suicidal thoughts and panic attacks

Personally, I don't think this book was for me. It was a sort of coming of age novel that was just, lacking. Contrary to that though I think that if someone read this book at the right time in their life right when they needed it, I think it could be great. But, to me I was forcing myself to keep going and going and I found myself reading but not retaining. On the plus side though its an own voices portrayal of OCD which I have never read before! As I said before I think this could be a great book or a terrible book all depending on the reader.

I don't think I would recommend this book, but I don't think I would tell someone not to waste their time with it either. Therefore I'm giving it a three stars.

I was really excited about this one at first, but then the reviews and ratings started to drop....I am not willing to devote time to this book after seeing reviews.

This novel was a truly wonderful read. The characters of Dew and Naima felt so real and relatable. This is a story of grief, and pushing through and realizing that the people around us play such an important role in our mourning process. It is about helping people going the something traumatic, even if you are experiencing the same thing, and finding healing in that.
Also, the themes of love, family, and friendship helping us through the most difficult points in our lives stand out.
I also appreciated how the author handled the issue of mental health in teenagers, and the way their families supported them.