Neon’s voice resonates in this story of love and desire and the apprehension that accompanies both, yet is so rarely examined from the male perspective. Reynolds tells Neon’s story in reverse, in multiples of 24, exploring the love story that led to Neon and Aria’s decision to have sex, backtracking to understand the agency of the choice and the affection, relationships, and support that brought them both to this moment in time. Neon’s story begins at the mirror, reflecting his fear, his decision to have sex with his girlfriend, before we understand all of the moments that led to this one. Reynolds’s writing is as vibrant as ever. Neon’s voice is authentic, exploring his growing feelings for Aria, supported by the advice and the care of his family and friends. LOVE is written in capital letters on the book’s title because the book honors the centrality of Neon’s experience of love in all of its forms.

A love story to love, family, friend, romantic, all the types of move. In Jason Reynolds’s trademark style he plays with time as we see Neon freaking out a bit about having sex with his girlfriend of 2 years Aria. We meet Neon’s amazing family who all love,support and try to understand each other. This is truly a magical story: a book with no drama, no trigger warnings needed- just pure happiness and love.

I can’t believe I”m saying this, but I read a romance book that did not include a single murder… AND I LOVED IT. I’ve said before that I would read an instruction manual if Jason Reynolds wrote it, and I knew I had to put my money where my mouth is when I saw he was coming out with a YA romance. And y’all, I am so happy this book exists. It is so touching and precious and sweet and exactly what our young people need to read as a realistic expectation of first loves and physical relationships.

I wish Jason Reynolds was in love with me, because the words he writes are just so poetic and beautiful. Can he just write a book of love poems so we can pretend they’re about us and force our partners to read them out loud? Anyway, I digress. Yes, the writing is gorgeous, but so are the characters. The healthy relationships that Neon (our protagonist) experiences with his family are so wholesome and inspiring. I actually think that this would be a great book for parents of teens to read, because it shows a very real example of how parents can communicate with teens - and how they need to be the ones to initiate those conversations!

This book is told in retrospect, beginning when Neon and his girlfriend Aria are about to take the next step (and he’s freaking out in the bathroom) and going back through their relationship. As always with Reynolds’ writing, everything connects in the most beautiful and natural way, and the book as a whole is so satisfying. It’s a great picture of what life is like when you’re young and in love and wondering what the future holds after high school. A must-buy for any high school library, and a great read for anyone who has ever been in love.

Oh I loved this book. I loved the format and the trend of 24. I love Reynolds’ writing style and how you could feel how the characters were feeling. He really captured the feels of teenagers about to take that big step. A definite must buy for my HS library.

Jason Reynolds is 100% magic. From Neon to Aria, from Gammy to Neon's friends, every single character was beautifully and fully drawn. I didn’t want this book to end, but when it did, it was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

I love all of Jason Reynolds' work and was so excited to read his first YA romance, To me, this felt like more than a romance though. It does not rely on tropes and instead roots the reader firmly in the mind and heart of Neon, a teenage boy who is on the brink of taking his relationship with his girlfriend to the next level. After reading the description, I was a little worried this would veer into American Pie-type territory, but I was an idiot to be worried about that. Jason Reynolds tells this story with such care, compassion, and humor and it is going to resonate with teen readers in the best way. I really loved how various members of Neon's family supported him and shared their own perspectives and experiences with sex--all young people should have access to that kind of openness and honesty.

As a school librarian in Texas, I was soooooo nervous when I began to read this novel. Yes, sex as a teenager has merit and needs to be discussed safely with students, but in our current political climate, I knew for sure I would not be able to purchase this book for a school library. Then I continued the story. Jason Reynolds found a way to address losing your virginity with such care and grace it was mind blowing and appropriate for school libraries. I absolutely loved this novel. True to Reynolds's creative nuances, the format of this story was a challenge as the plot unfolded backward at varying speeds of time lapsing, but once I understood and got into the groove of how the narrative was being revealed, I was hooked. I loved the friendships and the banter about sex between the friend group allowing space for so many different perspectives include backgrounds, genders, and sexualities. I enjoyed the complicated family dynamics and the thoughtful conversations about sex had with adults and getting the perspectives of different generations of people. I loved the conversation around dating and having multiple partners and the importance of communication and transparency in this type of relationship. The topic of consent and unselfish lovers and how love looks different for different partners was wonderful. It was such a refreshing and approachable book. It showed the importance of adults having these conversations with kids while also allowing them the space to explore and live their lives in a safe and informed manner. And the it was funny! Everything about this book was dope. Loved it. Thank you Jason Reynolds for being your amazing bold self and giving the kids what they need despite it all.

It’s hard to choose a “favorite” book by Jason Reynolds because each is so different in style and subject matter. But this one… whew!
The way-too-quick recap is that it’s Judy Blume’s Forever told from the male perspective. And I love that he dedicates the book to her. But of course it’s not a Judy Blume retelling. It’s the story of Neon and Aria, who have been dating for two years and are on the brink of having sex for the first time. It’s the story of how their relationship came to be, of the influences in their lives that have brought them to this moment, of the ways that Neon’s parents and grandparents have raised him to think about sex, of conversations within his friend group, of the swirl of conflicting emotions he feels, of so many things that go through his head.
And we get to be there for the journey, for the anticipation and the awkwardness and the serendipitous events that have brought Neon to this moment.
I am so excited for teens to read this.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books, for the electronic arc.

Jason Reynolds is an auto-read author for me. I was thrilled to receive this ARC and am happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Every character felt developed, even if they were side characters. The prose was beautiful (as usual for Jason Reynolds). What I really loved was the sex-positivity. It is so important for teens to read about relationships and sex in a responsible and respectful way. I think a lot of teens will really benefit from reading Neon’s conversations with his parents, sister, friends, and girlfriend. I sincerely recommend this book for any teen or YA collection. Our kids are really going to benefit from this novel!

Wow! Where do I even start? First and foremost, I am a Jason Reynolds stan for life. I know when I pick up anything written by Reynolds that I am in for a treat that will take me through a roller coaster of emotions. This book will connect with every single student who picks it up. I will without a doubt be purchasing multiple copies. This is a wonderful book to place in the hands of our male readers and struggling readers. It will hook them. This is more than a romance, it addresses tough conversations, friendships, love, and loss. I cannot wait to experience this book in audio form and hopefully with Jason Reynolds narrating. Teachers, librarians, and parents read this book with your student!

A huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for this arc!

I want to scream from the rooftops about how much I loved this. We are so lucky to live in a world where Jason Reynolds writes for young adults. This book is absolutely hilarious. If you’re a librarian wondering about the age-level appropriateness of this one, my honest observation is that if the teenager has watched any PG-13 Will Ferrell movie, then they can handle this book. I can’t wait to promote this book in my high school library.

This novel is skillfully written and may be considered Jason Reynolds best yet. The length is approachable for all readers; although, I’m not sure if struggling readers will appreciate the story being told in reverse. There is great humor and relationships throughout all the characters. It is refreshing to see Neon have a healthy relationship with his parents to have the hard conversations about sex. It is also wonderful to see an example of a drama free dating relationship with Neon and Aria. This book is a fresh take on storytelling.

Jason Reynolds hits it out of the park every time. He can somehow get into the head of today's young people, and he uses that ability to write stories that are completely authentic and needed. You don't even feel as though you're reading a book in Twenty Four Seconds From Now - it's like you're in the room listening as someone bares their soul to you. This is a book that a lot of teenagers will enjoy, and this is yet another book by Jason Reynolds that will resonate with a lot of young people.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley!

I usually love Jason Reynolds writing. I just wasn't drawn in while reading this. It is a short and quick read. I just couldn't get into it. The story didn't grab me and pull me in. It was a good story, just not for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Atheneum (of Simon and Schuster) for the eARC.

Jason Reynolds has done it again. I couldn't stop reading Twenty-Four Seconds From Now. Reynolds takes a topic that is very real for teenagers and very taboo for many adults and presents it in a way that expresses life's big events and challenges. Reynolds's makes no judgement about what his characters do, he just leaves it there for the reader to digest. I highly recommend this book.

Loved the story line and the characters that Jason Reynolds portrays. Definitely not the usual Jason Reynolds content that I am used to.

I absolutely love Jason Reynolds. This is his first YA romance book and is nothing like he has ever written before. The story is of two characters, Aria and Neon that are wanting to take it further into their relationship. The story is told in reverse order. I did like that about this book because it leads up to how everything just falls into place with their 2 year anniversary. Jason portrayed these two characters very well. Neon is a gentlemen and is a great representation of how a young adult should act. Aria is a sweet, girl next door, take her home to mom young woman. This book portrays a lot of emotions that young adults face when wanting to take it to the next step. Ya know, that awkward "what do I do" phase.

This is a very cute story, however, this books age range is 14+, grades 9-12. I would have to say it is more grades 11-12 and definitely not age 14. As a mom of a 13 year old, I would not want him reading this next year. The language is real and raw. As a teacher, I would be very limited on who would and could check this out.

Another amazing book by Jason Reynolds. This book follows Neon and Aria over the past 24 months as their lives collide in high school, leading up to their senior year close to graduation. The writing captures the emotions of Neon as he deals with his parents, his grandfather's death, his grandmother's fading memory, and his friends at school and their online yearbook project. The story shows how relationships can be - with your first love, family, friends, and others. I can't recommend this book enough.

I've been obsessed with everything that Jason Reynolds has ever written for a long time and this one is special. I love the timing of the storytelling, I love that it's about love and the awkwardness that comes with being in love as a teenager and I especially love that it's a love story told from a teen boy perspective. There is just something so tender and lovely and wonderful about this book.

Jason Reynolds is a master at conveying authenticity when it comes to his characters. Readers are drawn into to the story by the light and sometimes humorous banter between the characters. It's rare to find a male protagonist in a YA story and Neon is someone that readers will fall in love with. Teenagers will find the plot intriguing as it centers around Neon and Aria finally deciding to "do it" after dating for two years. The story begins in the present and then flashes back in increments of twenty-four (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months) as the background of Neon's and Aria's love story is delineated.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now tells the story of young love and the big decisions that are sometimes required when navigating this. The characters are relatable and likeable and teens will find common ground with the characters both main and secondary as they navigate their way through the tough issues teens deal with on a daily basis. The content may be too much for teens on the younger side as it deals with sexual activity in teens but the story is told in a wholesome and relatable way.