This is a powerful story. Ezra and Bea, his older sister, live at home with their mom and abusive stepfather. One day, just a few months shy of Bea's high school graduation, Ezra wakes up to discover that Bea has run away, leaving behind an email address in a place only Ezra would know to look. What follows is a series of email exchanges between Ezra and Bea, as they discuss the circumstances that led to Bea's departure, what she is looking for, what life is like for Ezra, and what their pasts mean for their future -- and whether they will be in each others' lives in that future.

This books explores difficult topics, and the authors handled it deftly and with sensitivity. The way the author's structured the story was creative and worked well. The combination of these two great authors delivered a searing story that you will not want to put down until you see how it ends.

Highly recommended!

Sometimes I forget just how good YA fiction can be. Levithan and Niven are two of my favorite YA authors, so I was excited to see what they could do together. They have created two very memorable, believable, and engaging characters in Ezra and Bea. I loved the way their stories are revealed slowly throughout the book. From the surprising first event through all the twists and turns, I couldn't put this book down. The emotions are deep and real. The emotional and verbal abuse featured here is very believable and should be (unfortunately) familiar to many teens. I admit I was a bit put off by the format (emails) since so many books in that format have been fluff, pithy content, and without lasting impact. This one, however, is filled with touching emotion and detail that pulls the reader deeply into the story. Highly recommended for any fan of YA fiction.

I adore Levithan and Niven as authors - some of their previous books are my favorites. This isn't a favorite of mine but I still think it's a worthy read for young adults.

Bea ran away from her family leaving brother, Ezra, behind. An abusive mother and stepfather became too much. Bea leaves to find hope and Ezra winds up a couch surfer with friends.

The relationship with Bea and Ezra is realistic - two survivors of domestic abuse. I also think Ezra's story is the story of many couch surfers out there. Bea got lucky in her runaway story. Nothing horrible happens to her (and I'm so glad for her as a character), but the majority of runaways aren't as lucky.

I do recommend this for school libraries and think it leads to excellent discussions about abuse. I would caution that runaways are often not as fortunate as Bea.

Two months shy of her high school graduation, 18 year-old Bea disappears without a trace. She couldn’t take her abusive stepfather and uncaring mother one more day. So she left, but she left behind her younger brother Ezra.

The story is told through a series of alternating emails between Ezra and Bea. The siblings have a lot of emotions to unpack. Their mom has seeming turned against them since marrying her second husband. Their stepfather has made the household a nightmare of emotional and physical abuse. They haven’t heard from their biological dad since their parents split up. It’s a lot. But authors David Levitation and Jennifer Niven know how to write teen characters with care and emotion. Bea discovers she is not totally alone and that there are good people willing to help. Ezra learns that he doesn’t have to carry his burdens alone and to open up to those who care for him.

The email format of the book makes for short chapters and a quick read. Bea and Ezra come across as realistic teens- impulsive, petulant at times, scared, and yet still hopeful. This is perfect for teen readers looking for realistic fiction and fans of the authors previous works.

This is an important title that will definitely have a place in my high school library. Once I began this book I couldn’t put it down. I can see the style of the book (a series of emails primarily between runaway Bea and her brother Ezra) appealing to many YA readers. The difficult topic of emotional abuse by a stepparent and parent will raise awareness and build empathy. The LGBTQIA+ plot line adds additional tension.

I will recommend this book as a choice for my high school book clubs. There is so much to discuss before, during m and after reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man. I love both of these writers so, so much. I mean, more than I should. Something didn't work here. Siblings have a short hand. They wouldn't email each other this stuff. I think the emails could have worked, but there should have been regular, first person narrate. Who am I to tell two greats what to do? I know. I just think, the "here is what I am doing now" stuff works but the "remember when we were kids stuff didn't.
I wanted to love, love love it, but I kept stopping ever few pages and finding something else to do. That is never a good sign. I read Everyday and All the Bright Places in one sitting each.

Take Me With You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven is the story of 18-year-old Bea and her 15-year-old brother, Ezra. Told exclusively through a series of emails, it unveils the hidden lives of these two siblings, victims of a passively abusive mother and an actively abusive stepfather.

The story opens on a typical morning in this unhappy home, with Ezra attempting to eat his breakfast cereal in a manner which will not upset or provoke his stepfather. Then Ezra's mother discovers that Bea is missing. It appears that Bea, who has a history of running away, has disappeared for good this time. In the chaos that ensues, Ezra discovers a hidden email address that Bea has left for him so that he can continue to communicate with her.

As the email exchanges unfold, we learn about where Bea is and why she left and the people she meets. In the meantime, we discover how Ezra is coping with life without his sister, his other half in many ways, and the one person in the world who truly understands what life in their house is like.

This book spoke to me in a deep and meaningful way. It is a story that teenaged me needed way back when, as she was trying to navigate her way through some unhappy family dynamics. It's for anyone who has ever been made to feel "less than" - less than their parental expectations, less than a good student, less than what society deems "normal" or "proper." It's about the many different types of love and about the family you're born with, the family that may be forced upon you, and the family you choose.

CW: child abuse and neglect

Thank you to Random House Children's Books and NetGalley for providing this book for review.

Ezra thinks it is a normal day until he finds out that his sister has run away. She didn’t leave a note and left her phone in her room so she couldn’t be tracked. Ezra is now left in a house with a stepfather who treats him badly and a mother who could care less. In a place only Ezra would think to look he finds an email address. When he logs in he finds he can contact his sister. Bea may have left Ezra behind, but she is hoping to find someone who hasn’t wanted to be found.

Take Me with You When You Go is a stand-alone realistic fiction book that is written in an unusual format. This book is told from multiple points of view (primarily Ezra and Bea) through email exchanges and some letters. The format makes this a very quick read and I enjoyed the casual style of learning about these characters and what they were going through. Levithan and Niven have co-written a book that will tug at the heartstrings and have readers wondering what they would have done. I enjoyed this novel and expect readers who are fans of these authors will also enjoy it.

A “Shuggie Bain” for young adults dealing with topics like overcoming a difficult childhood, neglect and the unbreakable bond of siblings. When the older sister runs away from home she leaves her email address for her younger brother and that’s how they stay in touch. Yes perhaps things could have been different growing up but in the end you have to make the best out of your life regardless of your past.

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. The concept of reading a story only told through emails back and forth between the main characters seems daunting at best, but I've always loved both the authors and with the intriguing description, I couldn't pass it up.

Ezra and his sister Bea have had a rough life. Their dad left them at a very young age, and their mother is not really a mother. Its not until Bea takes her life into her own hands by running away do the tides turn, tossing everyone's life off the edge.

The way this book unfolds is wonderful, but sad at the same time. You find out pretty early on how hard things are for Ezra and Bea, but it becomes more and more heartbreaking as the book goes on. The story takes many twists and turns, all unfolding in emails, but easy to follow.

In the end, I felt somewhat like everyone got what they needed, or what was coming to them, although it could have been even better, but this is life. Still a very satisfying story.

My review will be live on my blog Book Confessions on 8-24-21.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I love David Levithan and I loved Jennifer Niven's first book, but I could not get into this one. I loved the format but it was just too slow for me. I might try again later, but as of now, this is a DNF for me.

There was a slightly slow start to this book- but once I got in, I was IN! Another brilliant and heartbreaking read from Levithan and Niven. The format of emails and the slow reveal was a nice change of pace. The topics dealt with, although difficult, are handled gracefully. I think a lot of teens will pick this up and it would make a great book talk for older teens. Excited to bring this with me on school visits next year

I flew through this book and enjoyed everything about it. While the perfectly-composed emails were a little strange, it seemed like the best way for the characters to communicate and stay in touch. I loved Bea and Ezra so much that I didn’t care! This is not the best fit for my lower middle school classroom, but I will definitely recommend it to former students who still ask me for book recommendations and all of my teacher friends in higher grades. I loved these two authors together and hope we get more!

This is a fast-moving novel in email form, describing the close sibling bond between Ezra and his older sister, Bea. When she disappears suddenly and without a trace he feels bereft and betrayed, but finds her secret email address in their mutual hiding place. Through the subsequent emails, the degree of debilitating and brutal dysfunction in their family is revealed, and our hearts go out to them for what they have endured from their stepfather. We also read about the relationship between Ezra and his boyfriend Terrence and his family, which is quite believably functional. The plot offers some twists and turns, and characters who for the most part are complex rather than stereotypical. There is plenty to think about in this novel, between the plot's surprises, the relationships that are not all black and white, and the impact of a family's secrets and betrayals.

Two big-name YA authors team up on a powerful novel about two teen siblings breaking away from an abusive home. Bea runs away from home just 2 months before she graduates high school, breaking all contact except an email link with her younger brother, Ezra. Their stepfather has been physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing the kids for years and their mother has been complicit. As Bea explores living away from this toxic environment, Ezra builds up the courage to break away too. (Ezra’s boyfriend is Black, all other characters are white)

The teens’ journey from cowering victims afraid to share their truth to empowered individuals seeking and finding support is beautifully conveyed through their own words (and the back matter provides plenty of resources for kids in abusive households).

However, I struggled with the medium that was used: Bea and Ezra send unfeasibly long, wordy, and perfectly composed (even including dialogue) emails to each other that feel much more like a narrative rather than a message. I understand the reasoning behind doing it this way - twin individual narratives would not have allowed for their relationship to build and help each other - but as the teens I know barely use email these multi-page opuses feel jarringly unreal and I felt I was hearing the authors’ voices rather than Bea and Ezra’s.

Nonetheless, Levithan and Niven have important things to say about breaking away from abuse and understanding your own self-worth and the reader will be cheering on Bea and Ezra on their individual paths.

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

This book had me hooked from the start. It is told through a series of back and forth emails, which makes for an interesting reading experience. We have Bea (the older sister) who has runaway, in search of something she can't define, and then we have Ezra (the younger brother) who's life is falling apart. While I loved the two characters, I only wish we got to spend more time with the characters instead of just reading their correspondence between each other. Overall, I felt the story was powerful and heartbreaking, just the way I like it. Highly recommend for all the YA readers!

I confess that I would read anything by David Levithan or Jennifer Niven. I liked this novel, although it was not my favorite by either author. It is written as a series of emails and while this format is an interesting concept, and works since the characters are in separate locations, it grew tiresome for me. I wanted to be WITH the characters, not simply read their correspondence. That being said, this story can provide mirrors and windows for many readers.
Bea and Ezra's home is not safe. Their step-father is abusive and their mother does nothing to stop him. In addition, their mother does not provide any emotional security for the kids; they feel unlovable, weak, and have low self-worth. When Bea leaves home suddenly, she begins a quest to find herself. At first, she has a difficult time accepting any help as she doesn't understand that some people are just nice. But as she grows from her experience, she finally sees herself for who she truly is and who she can become. While Ezra was left behind to pick up the pieces of Bea's departure, he too grows and finally understands that he can move forward from the past and the pain to a brighter future.
Bea and Ezra wonder if their classmates and school personnel knew what was happening in their home. And they wonder how many others have a similar story. Reading this novel may help some students understand that they are not alone and that they can seek help. It can also help those in more fortunate situations to pay attention to those around them. Can they "see" a problem and provide support?
This novel can help us all view our neighbors with a bit more compassion. And we can all use a bit of compassion.

This book grabbed me from page one, and I read it all in one sitting! Ezra wakes up one morning to find his older sister Bea is gone; she’s vanished, left everything behind, including her phone, two months before graduation. While it isn’t a huge surprise that she left, Ezra is hurt because she left him on his own in an abusive home. The only thing Bea leaves behind for Ezra is a new email address she has hidden in his room as a way for him to reach her. This was a stand out read for me. It is rare to find a YA read that focuses on sibling relationships, and Take Me With You When You Go is centered on a brother and a sister. The two main characters are trying to safely get out of a dysfunctional and harmful home, and even though they are doing it apart from each other, they are still leaning on the other for support. The format of the book is told only through emails, mostly between Ezra and Bea. The voice of each character is strong and the pacing of the book is brilliant. There is a sense of urgency for the reader as the story unfolds. The email format often lends itself to helping build this feeling as we wait for a reply with the character! The love and hope these siblings have for and from each other make it a heart-felt read. I also loved the resources at the end.

I admire both of these writers, and they are both popular with the readers in my school. The email format makes for a fast read and will grab even the most reluctant readers from the beginning. The book addresses a serious and important issue with compassion that readers will latch onto. It will make for a great addition to my library.

Review coming. I accidentally typed the review for another book in this space. I will update my review soon.

Ezra Ahern wakes up one morning to find his sister Bea gone. She has vanished without a trace - taking nothing with her except Ezra's emergency stash of cash. No warning, no note, and her phone sitting conspicuously on her dresser. Their mom and stepdad are convinced that Ezra must know something, but all Ezra knows is that Bea has escaped the hell that is their home and he wishes he could, too. The one thing Ezra did find, but can't tell anyone else about, is an email address Bea left just for him.

Told through a series of back and forth emails, we see Bea searching for something she can't even define as Ezra's life falls apart. As the two siblings learn to navigate life on their own and confront past and present problems and secrets, the reader is drawn into their worlds. At times heart-breaking and at times heart-warming, this story is brilliant.Levithan and Nivens capture teenage struggles and voices perfectly.

Four stars instead of five because I just could not buy into the mom, she wasn't fleshed out enough to be believable for me. Now, I will be the first to admit that I had an amazing mom myself and I am also a mother of four kids so this could be totally my issue, not an issue with the book itself. However, I've also never been a gay teenage boy stuck with abusive parents, and yet I totally related to Ezra. So, I feel like she could have been better written. 4 stars

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys coming-of-age stories, YA lit, family dramas, and sibling love.


Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.