It took me awhile to get into this one. I wasn't able to read more than a few pages at a time for some reason, so maybe it just wasn't for me.

This book was very unlike anything I have read before. I found the characters to be interesting but had a difficult time relating to them. This, in turn, made it hard for me to enjoy the story. I felt like the author tried a little too hard to make it relevant (with all of the references to non-binary, gender fluidity, etc.) I did like the message that acceptance comes in many forms and was interested in how the characters interacted and touched each other’s lives. It is a book that I am sure many will love, but the story was ultimately just not for me. For a full review, please see my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

*I WAS PROVIDED AN e-ARC BY THE PUBLISHER FOR THE PURPOSES OF A BLOG TOUR. THIS DOESN'T AFFECT MY OPINION*

If you’re looking for an own-voices novel that pushes deep into the heart, this one is for you.

This book began with a note from the author that explains two things; one – why she wrote it, and two – the trigger & content warnings. I found that to be a really touching addition to this novel, as we are, for once, being exposed to some thought and generosity in the warnings department.

This book is not a love story. That’s something I’m not used to seeing, and I’ll admit, it kinda threw me off a little bit. It’s something we definitely need to see more of in YA, and I’m glad to see in this novel.

One thing that kind of set me off about this book, though, was the pacing. This book was super slow. And I mean, it took slow to a whole new level. I almost put it down because of that but ended up continuing it anyway.

The character development in this novel was great, and all in all, the plot came together nicely. For that, I rate this novel 3 stars.

This was a very emotional book to say the least. We have two characters who have had tragedies happen and who must learn to cope with their grief, and to try and continue to live their life. It wasn’t a perfect book, but the mental health representation was great. Naima had disorders like OCD, depression, and anxiety and Dew also had anxiety and panic attacks. So to have that rep and showing what it may be like to live with those disorders was very important and eye opening. Other pluses to this book included body positivity, feminism. What I didn’t like in this book was really how Naima treated Dew in the beginning. While I do see how he may have come off as creepy/slightly stalkerish, I still felt like she was unnecessarily cruel at times to him, when she knew he was going through his own issues. Their relationship develops more later on and there wasn’t really any romance between the two which I thought was great. As much as I love my romance, I felt like that was not needed between them in this book. Overall it was a really unique read, that really made me think and be grateful for the people I have in my life.

Thank you @WednesdayBooks for an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own. ⁣
⁣
Six Goodbyes We Never Said ⁣
By: Candace Ganger ⁣
@candaceganger⁣
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*REVIEW* 💔💔💔💔⁣
This book, y'all. The author prefaces with a personal note about mental health which I found extremely relatable. It's something I've dealt with for the last decade, and my life has been changed by mental illness. Six Goodbyes We Never Said is the story of two teens struggling with grief and mental illness. Naima has lost her father to war and never knew her mother. Dew has lost both of his parents to an accident and now lives with his adoptive parents. These two are connected long before they ever meet in a six degrees of separation kind of way. It's quite interesting and so tragic once you read and understand these connections. Naima travels with her stepmother to her father's hometown with his ashes. Here, she meets Dew. He has major social anxiety and is more comfortable speaking to a recording device than actual people. Dew tries to stay positive. Naima suffers from OCD, GAD, PTSD and depression. She is basically negative about everything. The story alternately relates the struggles of both teens individually and together. I've read numerous reviews saying the story felt choppy, disjointed and boring at times. I don't disagree because it is confusing and drags in places, but I think it's purposely written this way. How do anxiety and grief feel? How does OCD feel? I'm certain it's not smooth or even or exciting, and the story mirrors the hellish reality of mental illness. Naima and Dew have their own perspectives, but they help each other, too, in unexpected ways. I honestly can't explain. It's best just to read it. Whatever your feelings about this story, mental illness is extremely important, and I'm glad the author is so personally invested with these issues and treats them with such respect.

This book is such a beautiful portrayal of grief from two teenagers POV’s and the unique friendship they build to help them get through the tough times.

Naima has the toughest of exteriors but on the inside is a tornado of emotions that she’s not sure how to navigate. Her dad was just killed in action and after not speaking to him for months she’s not sure exactly how to feel other than to take things out on others, especially her stepmom. When she goes to live with her grandparents she meets the strange boy next door. He seems to know a lot about her but she knows nothing about him. As she gets to know Dew, she starts to discover the keys to coping with her father’s loss, and finds ways to open up about how she feels. Her journey through such an extremely emotional time is so well done in Candace’s writing.

Dew lost both his parents in a car accident and is now living with his adoptive parents Stella and Thomas. He is a quirky person who always finds his parents words coming to mind whenever he’s faced with any kind of challenge. He is full of wisdom and when he meets a man in the coffee shop he works at a year prior he finally figures out what he’s to do with his interactions with him. When he meets Naima he tries his best to befriend her despite how much she fights against him and by the end they’ve build a friendship only they could understand.

I loved the way Candace portrayed grief within these two teenagers and showed that despite the differences in the way each person grieves they can also find common ground in how they learn to cope with it. There were so many beautiful quotes throughout this book and it will definitely hit you in the feels. If you love books that encompass mental health, grief, and friendship than you’ll love this wonderfully written YA contemporary!

Six Goodbyes is an incredibly powerful novel, unlike a lot of the other YA stories I've been reading recently. It's honest and raw, there's no hiding from the truth here. Naima and Dew feel like real teenagers you might meet one day.

The representations of mental health conditions, specifically OCD and GAD, within the book feel very accurate and true to life. There were times when, although I haven't been diagnosed with either of those conditions, I found myself nodding along. I could see parts of myself within the (e-)pages of Six Goodbyes We Never Said.

Equally impressive was the way Candace Ganger didn't shy away from the difficult aspects of having a mental health condition. I often see fictional representations of people with mental illness often suffer from the tendency to either demonise or glorify struggle. Naima is a person who has mental health conditions, not a mental health condition attached to a person, if that makes sense.

One of my favourite things about the novel, apart from its brilliant representation of what it is like to live with mental health challenges, was the use of an unusual narrative technique. The normal chapters are interspersed with voicemails which add a little more variety.

A point to note before I sign off: this novel does deal with some serious topics and there were times when I had to put it down and come back to it later. There are full lists of content warnings available elsewhere on the web, so please do take a look at those if you feel the need to do so.

I'm very happy to be one of the bloggers invited to review Six Goodbyes We Never Said ahead of it's publication date - thank you to Candace Ganger, NetGalley and St Martins for the opportunity to take part!

What I Thought:
*I received this book for free from Wednesday Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Publishing for reaching out to me to be part of this blog tour! 

 When I first heard about this book, I was definitely intrigued. I have not read a ton of books that focus on mental health. The fact that both of the main characters are struggling with different diagnoses made for a very interesting narrative. Add in the fact that it is an #OwnVoices novel, and I was sold!

Of the two main characters, I liked Dew the most, but identified with some of Naima's struggle. I am generally not a big fan of reading characters that I don't really like, but I came around to Naima by the end. Dew was a special little sunflower the whole time, and I just wanted to give him a big hug.

I did wish that there was more interaction between Naima and Dew. It felt like their friendship didn't even really develop until pretty late in the game, and I wished that I could have gotten more of it, since their friendship was really fun to read about. Other than that though, I enjoyed all of the relationships in the novel. I loved Dew's relationship with his sister, and Naima's with her grandmother. I have always enjoyed a good family dynamic in a book.

I also learned a little bit more about living with mental health issues. It is so much more difficult than it appears on the outside. I think this is a very important novel, if for no other reason than to elicit compassion and understanding for those suffering through mental illness.



My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I gave Six Goodbyes We Never Said 3.5 STARS!

DNF at 45%

I understand that Naima is grieving, but that doesn't excuse her behavior. Her OCD and GAD (as mentioned in the synopsis) are aspects of her life that she struggles with, but her treatment of Nell was inexcusable. Nell has been in her life for nearly a decade, obviously trying to make a family with her stepdaughter, and Naima was intentionally hurtful and unaccepting. I know there are children that behave similarly in real life, but it was very frustrating to read about. Nell made an effort to learn Naima's quirks and preferences, trying to be there for her however she could, but Naima was cold and indifferent. I really disliked this aspect of the story, and the portrayal of their relationship.

"...or why I use sarcasm and blatant disgust for her as a means of coping with all the things I hate about myself. It has nothing to do with her. I decide this is the first thing I like about her—how she ignores the very real fact that I do, in fact, like her (but don’t you dare tell her)."

Naima's attitude in general left a lot to be desired. She was easily annoyed by others, and only ever thought about herself and what she wanted. She was intentionally cruel and hurtful, which made me unsympathetic to her feelings. I'm not sure why Dew was so fascinated by this grumpy girl that only cared about her own miseries, but he was determined to befriend her despite the snarls and cutting comments. Dew was endlessly kind and thoughtful, and he always managed to put himself in other people's shoes. He imagined how they must be feeling in this or that scenario, and he reacted accordingly. He was patient with Faith (his new sister), understanding that she needed to be shown love despite her outbursts. He noticed fear and pain where others saw anger and aggression. I thought Dew was a remarkable character, and enjoyed his relationship with his adoptive family. His mental flashbacks and remembered sayings really made him a unique and memorable character.

I was a little confused by Naima's family and their dynamics. Her dad would stay with his parents while she lived with Nell and Christian (her stepmother and stepbrother)? Did he just stay with them briefly before deployments? Occasionally when Naima talked about him, it was like he lived separately from her, even when he wasn't deployed. Maybe I misread something, or the ARC was missing a detail or two, but I often found myself wondering where everyone was when the past was reflected on or mentioned.

Even Naima's grandparents kept Nell at a distance. They were polite and civil when she was around, but it was clear everyone wanted her to leave so they could reform their "unit" without her. Nell was married to their son for seven years. She has gone above and beyond for Naima, yet she's still treated like an outsider. Naima's father is also to blame, since he purposefully kept Nell out of the loop, or secretly confessed to his daughter that his wife and stepson "wouldn't understand" something. He perpetuated the problem.

Hiccup (the dog) had cataracts and was deaf in one year, but he was also violent. He attacked people's legs and bit until he pierced the skin. This is not okay. It's really not okay when the dog is around children. Naima's grandparents should have been more responsible with the dog, but he's aggressive with others on multiple occasions.

I really liked that the author chose to tackle mental health and the realities of living with a mind that's not entirely your own. I don't know what it's like to feel compelled to do things a certain way, or a specific number of times, and I've never experienced social anxiety, or an inability to breathe in large crowds. I thought those aspects of the story were wonderfully written and explained; however, Naima was a difficult character to like. She's mean because she can get away with it, and people let her because it's easier than the alternative.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on September 30,

Not a Traditional Romance
I love romance in novels, but I truly appreciated that Six Goodbyes is about healing and providing support instead of giving readers a traditional romance as the focus. This is incredibly compelling to find in a contemporary novel for teens because it's a reminder that there are so many facets to life, and while romantic love is wonderful, people need to be able to love themselves first. While there is romance in the novel, it's definitely not what I was expecting. I'm hoping to see a lot more of Dew and Naima in a future novel where we get the chance to see where their story has moved!

Dew Stole My Heart!
He was such a different character than I have previously read and I loved the way he chooses to see the world. He's been through so much but he doesn't let the bad things from his past overtake the way he looks at his future. Although he has his struggles, he is constantly trying to show kindness to others, often going out of his way to try to make others happy. Like Naima, he often becomes obsessed with things and is constantly trying to manage his social anxiety, but he never gives up the fight. I also loved his relationship with his second parents and sister. He's just such a beautiful boy.

Naima Is Harder to Connect With...
...but that's the point. One moment that stayed with me was when Naima talked about loving her body, but it was her brain she has a problem with, and this just completely broke my heart. She's such a strong, smart young woman, but there are aspects of her brain that she just does not have control of. Dew sees her in such a beautiful light and I loved that we slowly start to understand her and see her the way he does. She puts up shields because it's all she can do to protect herself from the harshness of the world around her. She's so different from Dew, but that doesn't make her less than anyone else.
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Overall, this was such a beautiful story. The premise and characters are so different from any other books I've read and I really enjoyed getting to both read the text and have my questions answered by Candace Ganger. She's even given me some new authors and books to read with her response to the 3rd question! Six Goodbye's We Never Said comes out tomorrow (September 24th!) and I'd highly recommend that everyone gives it a read.

Following the completely differing characters of Naima and Dew was a whirlwind of a book. I loved how polar opposite these characters are. Initially I did struggle with Naima’s character and how abrasive I found her in the beginning. However, as I read on, I began to love her as her walls began to fall down and she was open to becoming friends with Dew and finding different ways to potentially cope with her anxiety. I found Dew to be endearing, but sometimes a little intense at times, especially when he’s trying to build a friendship and get to know Naima in the beginning.

I found the dual POV to be vital for this story. Initially I was confused with the setting out of the dual POV’s as Naima’s was set out, and Dew’s wasn’t as obvious. I don’t know if this was just me being an idiot or the ARC kindle set out, but I did figure it out after the second chapter. The writing style is definitely unique and is like nothing I’ve read before. This is definitely the highlight of this book for me and why I would recommend it to anyone who is slightly intrigued by the sound of Six Goodbyes We Never Said.

Also, once I realised the importance of the title of book, I will admit I got very excited! I do believe that the own voices of mental health was done well to a certain extent. I believe that it was written as a good starting point for someone understanding OCD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I cannot comment on the representation for Latinx for obvious reasons.

I normally don’t struggle with a more character driven book, but I definitely did struggle more with Six Goodbyes We Never Said. I think it was because I did feel like majority of the book was just following Naima and Dew walk around town and go to their small jobs. However, the growth that both characters experienced, especially in the last quarter (maybe?), I absolutely loved.

This is such an important and deep book! There were a lot of different topics handled here that I think were really well done. Naima and Dew were such a wonderful set of teens and the growth of their friendship was just wonderful to see. Definitely loved the characters and the plot!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the opportunity to take part in the ‘Six Goodbyes We Never Said’ Blog Tour.

Six Goodbyes we Never Said is one of the most representative #ownvoices books that I have read. However, I must give a really big note here that this novel is extremely triggering, and although I will try my hardest to avoid triggers in my review, please take caution while reading this post. With representation of PTSD, GAD, OCD, Loss, Feminism, Body Positivity, Bi-racial, Latinix, depression, social anxiety, Ganger has certainly done an amazing job of building up out two main characters, Naima and Dew.

Naima and Dew both deal with different aspects of mental health; Naima deals a lot with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and GAD (generalised anxiety disorder) and Dew is shrouded in PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). I loved both these characters, but really struggled to read about Naima.

Outside of our two MC’s, all the side characters seemed hardly fleshed out - it was as if the author had put so much heart and soul into Naima and Dew that she had nothing but dregs to give to anyone else. It also took me a little while to get into the hang of figuring out whose POV I was reading as there are a lot of different media images in this novel, however after a few chapters it was easy enough to navigate and I really enjoyed it. Dew is certainly my favourite, he seemed so raw and real, but Naima seemed very cruel and hostile. Although grief does make people hard, I have to say that I struggled to read Naima just as I would struggle to approach someone hostile in the same room as me.

Another thing that shows through this novel, is the author’s personal connection to mental illness. Throughout the novel I was approached by feelings so raw and powerful that I felt they were my own, and for someone who struggles a lot with her own mind, I found this to be very confronting. However, I was aware that these tells would be in this novel, and so I hold no action against the author for this.

At the end of the novel, I found that I was slightly confused by the use of all these mental health representations, but I am certainly better off for reading this novel. Again, please know that before you read this book, it is very confronting and may trigger some people.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Content warnings;
Social Anxiety, OCD, Depression,
GAD, PTSD, Death, Grief, Loss,
Thoughts of Suicide

Diversity Rep:
Latinx, Depression, OCD, Bi/Pan

Knowing that there were very personal pieces of the author included in this book – by means of the characters that we read about – I feel like this book was even more heartbreaking to read than usual. I say this because being someone that is not only Latinx, but also suffers from depression and anxiety, it’s like a mirror that reflects part of what I go through, even if it’s not exactly the same, and wondering if there are people out there that can understand me the way that these characters want to be understood.

It’s an interesting and emotional feeling, and I feel like that’s one of the first things you should do before you read this: get in the right emotional head space.

Some people can read things that reflect their own lives and be okay, compartmentalizing the book and real life and things are fine. Others, like me, start to feel more for these characters and start to see themselves in the book somehow. It’s a weird feeling, and I don’t know what that says about me as a person, but I know I had to stop a few times while reading this to compose myself and remember I wasn’t reading about me in an alternate reality.

That’s the thing about absence – it sinks into your skin, clinging to the bone until it’s so much a part of you, you can no longer tell where it ends and you begin. You are the FLOAT phase.

*FLOAT phase: Fallen Loved Ones Awaiting Transfer

Having family members die during their service in the military, I understood this feeling so well. It’s one of the things that I fear every time my husband was deployed, and I wouldn’t hear from him for months at a time. I tried not to think about it – I didn’t want to jinx anything after all – but in the back of my mind, I always wondered if that was the last time I saw him. If that was the last time I’d ever talk to him. Thank goodness, he’s still here, he’s still alive, and he’s okay for the most part. Not everyone gets so lucky. Naima Rodriguez wasn’t lucky. She wasn’t expecting her father to leave her a voicemail talking about a surprise he had for her when he got back, only to get the news that he wasn’t coming back alive.

Sometimes you don’t think about that until it’s right in front of your face.

Then there’s a situation which I could never imagine being in: losing both of my parents at the same time and effectively being alone in the world. This is what happens with Dew, who now has to learn how to be a part of a different family, because the one he knew is gone forever.

Both of these characters are experiencing extreme loss and grief. This story tells us how they learn to deal with that grief on top of everything else they have going on in their lives. It’s not easy. It’s not a picturesque story line where things line up the way they need to in order to come to a clean conclusion. Life just isn’t like that. But the journey that they do go on feels real enough, that I couldn’t do anything but support them and root for them to get through their hurt, and learn to live with it.


I wanted to put here that I really appreciate Ganger’s beginning note. Not only does she include the content warnings from the get go, but she also explains how she shares many of the characteristics of Dew and Naima, most notably their mental illnesses. Seeing an author be so open and truthful about what they are experiencing, writing about it in such a public forum to allow others to digest and understand them from this point of view, and to be so vulnerable to society like this extremely brave, and I think this made me appreciate these words much more.

Thank you for reading, and may Six Goodbyes serve as permission to speak your truths – the good and the painful. ~ Candace Ganger’s Author’s Note

If you're looking for a book featuring #ownvoices mental illness and biracial rep, look no further than Six Goodbyes We Never Said! Naima and Dew's experiences reflected my own in many ways. I enjoyed their uniquely different perspectives on mental illness and grief.

Naima and Dew's mental health experiences are not EXACTLY like mine but it doesn't have to be for me to feel a connection with their collective stories. So my final message is to let teens with all mental disorders tell their story and let them exist.

Book Review | Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger

Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
YA Contemporary
Wednesday Books | September 24th, 2019
3.5/5 Stars


We all have our quirks, but for Naima and Dew, they are very real. With the loss of her father, Naima's OCD and anxiety have gotten a lot worse. While living with her grandparents for the summer she meets Dew, who has lost both of his parents and now lives next door with his foster family. They are both still grieving on top of dealing with their anxiety and other things. This is a story of how two broken people help each other start to heal.


The two main characters in this book are quite different, but I liked them both. Naima has anxiety issues, OCD, and the death of her father didn’t help these things at all. Dew also has anxiety issues and really struggling with the death of both of his parents. Naima has a hard time letting anyone in, so although they live next door to each other all summer, this was not a quick and easy friendship. Dew tries his best throughout the story to find ways to help Naima or just make her smile, but it’s not easy and doesn’t give up.


At the beginning of this book, before the story begins, the author creates a connection between herself and the characters by explaining that she suffers from anxiety and some things like Naima and Dew. I think that this was such a good idea because if she hadn’t given that introduction you may have thought she was writing about things she knows nothing about and given up on the book.


I have to admit that I did almost put this book down. In the beginning, I was having a hard time with the transitions between Naima and Dew’s point of view, but then I got it. I also found Naima’s parts more interesting than Dew’s. Other than those tiny things, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Naima came into the world the day her mother left it, and that is the very essence of Naima’s heart – existing because of, and in spite of, loss.”

There are no two people less alike than Naima and Dew. Naima’s father, a Marine, has just died in the line of duty, and she’s come back to his hometown for his memorial. She’s also biracial Latinex, bi or pan (it isn’t specified), and has OCD and GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), so you could say she has more than enough to deal with. She’s also ferocious and fiery and combative and would rather die than listen to strangers give her sympathy and condolences. She would rather be alone and avoid the rest of the world.

Dew just lost both of his parents as well, and is still trying to process through it all. Lacking friends, he uses a voice recorder to put down all of his inner turmoil. But it’s not enough – he’s determined to find a real friend to help with the bad times and to celebrate the good times – the silver linings. He greets everything and everyone with a positive attitude, all the while pushing his anxieties down to try and keep them hidden.

Maybe Naima and Dew have more in common than they want to admit. And when Dew meets Naima, he’s determined to make her his friend…whether she wants to be or not.

“Find a connection; something similar enough that all the differences bounce off the table completely, like Ping-Pong balls. If we look past things that divide us, humanity will find a way to shine through.”

I really enjoyed this read. The rep alone made it a standout in my mind, especially from a mental health standpoint. In the Author’s Note (one of my favorite parts of this read) Granger makes a point to stay which parts of herself she put into Naima and what she put into Dew. It made the whole story so much more personal, relatable, and I was that much more invested. I especially appreciated the list of trigger warnings she included. This should be STANDARD, people.

My favorite part about this story had to be the characters. I want to put both Naima and Dew in my pocket and protect them forever and ever (but Naima would hate that). I see parts of myself in each of them. In Naima, how hard it is for her to let people in and how ferocious she is; her need to strike out when she isn’t sure why. Even in some of her OCD ticks. In Dew, his anxiety really struck home for me. I felt like I was looking in a mirror. And to me, finding yourself in the pages of a book is what it’s all about.

“Inside the panic I’m not the ruler of my universe, but a prisoner.”

This is such a great look at how teens can struggle to navigate the waters after tragedy strikes. And how important friendship is, even when you may not know it. Above all, it’s such a beautiful story of finding love and learning to let go. While it isn’t a perfect book, people aren’t perfect – and sometimes, those imperfections are the best parts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

“If you want to count the time, start with now. It’s all we’re guaranteed."

Six Goodbyes We Never Said released on Sept 24, 2019.

*All quotations taken from an ARC and are subject to change prior to publication

This was a book that was really hard for me to rate. It had so many topics that many can relate to and I did love how much representation was in the book.
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Grief and anxiety were huge topics in the book, mental health overall was a huge part of it. Both of the main characters have lost their parents and as expected have a hard time adjusting. They deal with it in different ways.
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Told in dual perspectives we get to know Naima and Dew. Some parts of the book are written in a way that allows us to see what is going in the MC’s head. Naima, is angry and pushes away people after the death of her marine father. Dew, whose foster parents live next to Naima’s grandparents is battling his own battles. But while Dew hopes to connect with Naima despite his social anxiety, Naima wants nothing to do with him. Naima was harder to like because she was mean in various parts of the book.
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This book highlights the fact that people deal with things very differently. Although I didn’t agree with some of Naima’s actions I do think her character was very realistic as well as Dew’s. They are young high school kids trying to navigate through a bunch of feelings. I also loved that it had bi-racial characters. While writing this review I actually found myself liking this book even more. Has that happened to anyone? My rating actually went up while writing this review.
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If you read this book just be aware there might a lot of triggering subjects. PTSD, OCD, Anxiety, GAD, Grief. Thanks to @netgalley and @st.martinspress for my review copy. If you pick up the book please take the time to read the authors note. Most of the topics in the book are things she deals with herself.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger & inviting me to join this blog tour!

Confession? I barely wrote any notes on Six Goodbyes We Never Said, because I was too engrossed by the beautiful writing of Candace Ganger. #couldn’tbebothered.

With each word, sentence, paragraph, chapter — it’s clear just how much emotion Ganger put into her work. Six Goodbyes We Never Said is a perfect #ownvoices read for those well-acquainted with OCD, GAD, Depression & Social Anxiety. Ganger knows what she’s talking about when it comes to mental health, which is definitely helpful when it comes to relating to the characters.

Six Goodbyes We Never Said centers around two characters — Naima & Dew; both dealing with grief & their own mental health. Personality-wise, Naima and Dew are complete opposites. However, as they’re both dealing with similar situations — they are exactly what the other needs. It takes time for these two to come together, but it’s the relationship build-up that makes this story a fantastic & emotionally-packed read.

Besides the two main characters, there are others that add to this read. Dew’s sister, Faith, is absolutely obsessed with the WWE & Rick Flair & runs around the house screaming woooo. Relatable. Violet, a coworker of Dew, is eccentric & into auras, palm reading & all that fun stuff. Naima’s family is extremely supportive & are the kind of relatives I would love to have.

It was wonderful seeing the relationships build throughout Six Goodbyes We Never Said. Naima & Nell’s (stepmom) strained relationship doesn’t necessarily reach a high point, but there’s a definite growth between beginning & end. Dew & his relationship with Faith absolutely warms my heart. Ganger does a wonderful and realistic job at both character & relationship development.

I definitely recommend this book & I feel that Six Goodbyes We Never Said would be a comfort read for those dealing with grief & those who are at a battle with their mental health.

"Everyone needs that person. The one who sees you stuck between the minute and the hour hands of your most painful moments, and reaches out for you."

This is one of those books that sneaks up on you. I started it after a few intense reads and struggled a bit with connecting to Naima so I set it aside for a few days, took a breath, and restarted. And then BAM! I'm so glad I picked it back up on the weekend because once I restarted I couldn't put it down. This book took hold of me, took a piece of my heart, and just reflecting on it now has me tearing up. It's one of the most powerful YA books I've ever read and probably the first time I've ever read a book where I wished I wasn't the empath I am. But I'm enriched for having read it and am in awe of Candace Ganger.

At the center of the story are Naima Rodriguez and Andrew "Dew" GD Brickman. Two souls on the same hellish collision course with the worst thing in life, death. They are both experiencing tremendous and ferociously palpable grief that drives their paths towards and yet away from each other. Naima, traumatized by loss and life is riddled by OCD, GAD, and PTSD. Dew shares many of the same inflictions and as similar as their situations are, couldn't be more different. But trust me, you need to get to know them. There's something in both of them that the reader can connect with, you'll want to experience their journey and see them safely off on their paths toward happiness and health.

I really can't stress how incredibly well this book is written. Ganger's writing is prolific and beautiful. Her style is clever and makes the story the immersive experience it is. My heart clenches at the thought of it, of Naima and Dew 's pain, of the cathartic release it inspired in me - yes, that response! This is a book worthy of the 5++ star, re-read status. And as for those books that I and those books that I thought were intense, just fell a notch or two in comparison.