Jeff Zentner does it again with another heartfelt and relatable story. Beyond the typical love story, Jeff does an amazing job of showing familial love and dealing with grief. His characters are beloved and characters to be rooted for.

What do you say about a book that basically ripped your heart out, stitched it up carefully and placed it right back where it belongs? Cash’s story is going to sit with me forever. Normally I can find something irritating about at least one of the characters (aside from hating the characters we're supposed to hate). But this story? This crew? They’re all perfectly imperfect. It’s raw, it’s real, this is an excellent account of a small town duo getting to see another side of life to help them decide if small town living is how they want to spend their lives. This book gave me all the feels, from the deft handling of opioid addiction, grief, and that feeling of “otherness”. I can’t say enough good things about this book, and I cannot stop recommending it to everyone I know!

One of the most stunning, poignant novels of loss and grief and learning to live through the pain of life in order to see all the beauty admist the heartbreak. Jeff Zentner is a master at tearing you apart and then somehow finding a way to make you feel new and whole and better than you've ever been by the last page --- Goodbye Days remains my favorite of his novels, but In the Wild Light has taken second place (which is really saying something when there is not a single book in his portfolio that isn't a TEN OUT OF FIVE STARS read). This is a book that will stay with me for the rest of my life; the kind of book I'm grateful to have been able to read because it moved me and changed me and taught me so much I didn't even know I needed to know about the chaos that is the human existence.

4.5 emotional stars!

You would love this book if you like deeply emotional, character-driven young adult fiction that explores themes of grief, found family, and the complexities of love.

This story delivers a moving and beautiful tell of friendship facing the challenges of life in a small Appalachian town and then the struggles of attending an elite prep school in Connecticut, offering a unique exploration of identity, belonging, and the conflicts that arise when chasing new opportunities.

You may not like this book if you don't like slow-burn, character-driven stories. While it's emotionally resonant, it might not be the best fit for those looking for a plot-driven experience.

I personally loved this experience! The lyrical prose, the natural settings imagery, the beautiful, emotional imagery, the immersive atmosphere, and the relevant themes it explores.

Whether you're looking to shed a tear, find solace in relatable characters, or be transported by eloquent storytelling, this book offers something extraordinary!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

This book was so amazing that I nominated it for the South Dakota Teen Choice book list for the 2022-2023 school year. Zentner can do no wrong as an author.

Another gem by Jeff Zentner. I will always read everything he writes. His characters are both nuanced and delightful and the stories they tell and both unique and relatable. Can't wait for his next book!

A bit overstuffed but satisfying reflection on important flash points in a young person's life. Will add to the classroom library and expect this to be a popular title.

This is a very enthusiastic 5 star book for me. Jeff Zentner is one of those authors who have read a lot in the past, mostly because he keeps winning awards, but I have not really enjoyed his books. This was the exact opposite. I laughed, I cried...It really hit home for me.

This is very much a character-driven book with very little plot. It deals with some heavy issues such as the opioid crisis, wealth differences, and death. I loved seeing the relationships that Cash developed and how those were affected and changed throughout the book.

I will definitely be recommending this to the teens in my library. Being located in Connecticut, I think local teens will connect to the book while also getting a view into a rural, opioid-ravaged Tennessee town.

This was probably one of the best books I have read all year. Family, Grief, love, poetry, loss, friendship, true love, all wrapped up in this absolutely wonderful book. I have to listen to it and half read it and couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed how the author Inc. free verse poetry As a way for cash to get in touch not only with himself but where he came from.

Perfection in storytelling like only Jeff Zentner can do. Growing up, moving away from home, what makes a family, friendship, and relationships, and so much more.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for a chance to read to & review an ARC of this book!**

Please find my extended feedback below...along with some spoilers (beware).
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Things I Liked:
-The lyrical writing style.
-The cultural aspects of Tennessee.
-The friendship between the 2 main characters.
-The portrayal of grief.
-The values displayed by the main character (honesty, family, justice, etc.).

Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-Nothing! I really loved this book.

Overall, I gave this book 5 stars.

Jeff Zetner's books always make me cry (in a good way) and this was no exception. He just knows how to write a good story for teens, which is a rare gift.

Nothing in Cash's life has been easy in Sawyer--his small Appalchian town. His mother died because of her opioid addiction when Cash was a child. Now, as a teen, Cash is watching his Papaw deteriorate from emphysema while he and his Mamaw are powerless to help. Cash knows he's lucky to have his grandparents at all, to be on the river he loves, to have his summer work mowing lawns, to have these small pieces of safety and stability.

Sometimes it feels like the one bright spot is his best friend, Delaney. But Cash has always known Delaney will eventually leave--that's what happens when your best friend is a genius. When Delaney discovers a life-changing bacteria-eating mold in a cave, Cash knows she's headed for better things. Without him. And even sooner than he expected when she receives a full scholarship to Middleford Academy, an elite boarding school in Connecticut.

Except Delaney has plans of her own. None of which include leaving Cash behind. When Delaney tells Cash a scholarship is his for the taking he will have to choose between an unimaginable opportunity with the best friend he's ever had and his love for his grandparents and the only place he's ever called home.

As Cash grapples with everything he has to let go, he'll remember everything worth holding onto and learn new ways to dream bigger in In the Wild Light (2021) by Jeff Zentner.

Zentner's latest novel can be read as a standalone but is set in the same world as all of his other novels. The story here is most closely connected to Goodbye Days with direct references to those characters. Cash and Delaney are white, secondary characters include Cash's new friend Alex who is Korean-American (and also on scholarship) and Delaney's Brazilian roommate Vi who is wealthy leading to thoughtful commentary on income diversity throughout the novel. Cash's poetry-teacher-turned-mentor is queer and she and her wife also play key roles in the plot.

Cash's first person narration is eloquently introspective as he describes the river and nature he dearly loves but less self-aware when it comes to identifying his own wants and, as his world expands at Middleford Academy, understand what he needs to continue growing.

Cash is keenly aware of his past traumas and how they have shaped him and his loved ones in a small town where poverty is high and many have fallen victim to the opioid epidemic as he describes them, "Here we are, survivors of quiet wars." At the same time, Cash and especially his Papaw and Mamaw are free with their affection, their praise, and their unconditional love. In a world where toxic masculinity is still so dangerous it is refreshing and powerful to see a teenaged boy given space to cry and grieve and feel while also seeing the same things in his grandfather.

While Delaney is eager to start a new chapter, Cash is hesitant to embrace this new chapter and let himself imagine a world beyond his quiet life with his grandparents. Even as he makes new friends, joins crew, and discovers an unexpected passion for poetry, he's still waiting for the ground to fall out from under him the way it always does--a fear that will resonate with readers who have struggled with unpredictability and chaos in their own lives. On first glance, I don't have much in common with Cash, so it was a surprise when I identified so deeply with his story, his grief, and his dread of the next calamity. When Cash says "I have nothing in my life that isn’t falling apart," I felt it in my bones.

In the Wild Light is a quiet, meditative story about nature, poetry, love and all of the things that can save us. In the Wild Light is a resonant story about healing; the perfect book to see you through a rough season.

Possible Pairings: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne, Lawless Spaces by Corey Ann Haydu, The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg, An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi, The Deceivers by Kristen Simmons

One of the things I really liked about this title was the spotlight on life in a poorer community. And I love the relationship the main character had with his grandparents. It was overall a really good book and I will definitely recommend it to readers.

A great book about family, first love, lose, and overcoming obstacles in life. Really enjoyed reading this book as part of our county's High School Book Tournament (like March Madness but with books). I bought the book and will be adding it to our classroom book library. I know there are going to be some students that really enjoy this read.

I’ll read anything by Jeff Zentner. He really is an amazing author who writes stories that teens will relate to. Hand to students who enjoy other books by Jeff Zentner, John Green, and Neal Shusterman.

One of my very favorite reads of 2021. I found it on Netgalley and then went ahead and bought a copy when it came out. It’s just extremely, exquisitely well-written and I am betting that if the back cover summary even vaguely appeals to you, this book will end up drawing you in. (At first glance the plot may seem a little John-Greene-y but the characters and prose make it feel utterly unique.) I haven’t been so entranced by a YA contemporary book in ages, if ever - I would highly and widely recommend it.

Excellent book by Zentner. His writing is compassionate and thoughtful. The reader can easily connect with the characters and find themselves in some part of the characters, which really lends intself to teen readers.

I absolutely love Jeff Zentner's books and this one might be my favorite now! The initial premise with Delaney and her discovery was a bit unusual, but I think it perfectly sets up Cash and Delaney's best friend dynamic. I love Cash as the main character. He's the kind of character that you just root for through the whole story and his loyalty to the people he cares about was so beautiful. Papaw was an amazing character as well. I feel like I cried almost every time he and Cash had a conversation, but he also brought a lot of humor to the story.

There were a few things about this book that I really appreciated, in part because they were just excellent additions, but that was enhanced by the fact that I don't feel like I see enough representation of these things in YA lit. One was the inclusion of both Delaney and Cash's mothers dealing with substance abuse and overdose. It was handled with care and showcased the myriad of emotions that a family member of someone struggling with addiction can feel. I also loved that this book, and so much of Cash's heart and personality, were rooted in rural Tennessee. I don't feel like we see enough stories that aren't in urban or suburban settings, and Cash's love for his community and the natural beauty of his home could be eye-opening for a reader who hasn't experienced those feelings. I also loved that Cash became connected to poetry at school. It's beautiful to see a young character processes his thoughts and feelings through poetry in a totally realistic, modern way.

A new top favorite book for me! I will be recommending it widely.