This was a simple, relatable story told (mostly) backwards. I liked seeing the main relationship develop and found all of the characters likable. It's not a twisty, suspenseful tale, which was kind of a relief. All in all, I thought it was sweet and refreshingly realistic, especially for a YA book.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

ARC review of Twenty-Four Seconds from Now... Jason Reynolds has done a phenomenal job of dipping his toe in the YA world. Realistic and relatable. story of high school seniors Neon and Aria planning to take the "next step" in their relationship. A beautiful story of a young man coming of age and figuring out how to deal with real emotions as he navigates the desire to have sex for the first time. The book goes backwards 24 seconds, 24 minutes, 24 days, and 24 months to tell the story of a relationship. It's a must read for YA's and adults alike.

Although I was not the target audience for this book, I am really glad it exists. I hope lots of young people read it. It's too old for my middle school.

This was my first Jason Reynolds read not to be five stars. However, it was still a fantastic book. The relationship was beautiful and the characters felt multi-dimensional.

Neon meets Aria and they hit it off. Now 24 months later they are ready to take their relationship to the next level, physically. This is a sweet love story from a boy's perspective on what a relationship looks like.

Jason Reynolds never misses in my book. I love that this book tackled a subject that can be taboo with teenagers. I heard him speak on this and I'm so glad he wrote about a guy's first time being intimate. The relationship between him and his girlfriend seems very authentic and real. They are still very much kids, and I love that the guy is portrayed as being so thoughtful about the whole experience. They're in a committed relationship which is a great thing to be portrayed.

A love story told in reverse. I love that this is told from a teen boy's POV in the moments, days, weeks, leading up to a big romantic moment.

As much as I love this book and the topic, I'm a librarian and in today's world, I don't want to put my job at risk for this book. It's sad but true.

Jason Reynolds is a phenomenal author and I think this is a great addition to his list of works. Twenty-Four Seconds from Now follows a young couple about to have sex for the first time. However, this novel uses an interesting structure where it flashes back on important moments in their lives and relationship prior to the "big moment." I didn't always love the structure of the story - I think at times it felt more like a gimmick than an important part of telling this story - BUT I did feel like it kept me hooked. Ultimately, the characters, their relationships, and the importance of the topics explored in this book make this a win in my eyes.

I loved Neon & Aria’s story, including their friends & family members. Everyone was fully fleshed out, fun, and full of quirks/life lessons. I felt like the ending came too fast & the premise may be a little tough to booktalk (ha ha).

Because this book is already out, I cannot properly give an advanced review for people to determine if they want to buy this.

I appreciate the POV of this story though I wish it was longer and had more substance. They style and length made it hard to connect with the characters but I think this is a worthwhile book for library collections as we don't often see books like this on this topic. Not my favorite but will be adored by others.

This is a humorous coming-of-age romance, told from a fresh perspective, with characters you won’t stop thinking about. Twenty-Four Seconds From Now refers to the amount of time Neon gives himself in the bathroom to clear his head before joining his girlfriend, Aria, as they take the next step in their relationship. That is if Neon can get the anxious thoughts swirling around in his head to take a break. They both planned this, so why does it suddenly seem to carry so much weight? Reynolds takes readers on a lyrical journey through Neon and Aria’s relationship, from when they first met, 24 months ago, to every careful thought put into their plan for today. Neon is sweet and cautious, subverting ideas often associated with teenage boys and sex. Neon's family are close and open with each other, willing to have uncomfortable conversations to pass on wisdom and help him learn from any of their mistakes. This book is kind of like "what if a young person asked some questions about sex and nobody was weird about it?"

Jason Reynolds is renowned for writing authentically about important topics in a way that's not only approachable for teens but feels relatable and real -- this one was no different! I really enjoyed seeing Reynolds take on such a challenging topic of sex and the ways he was careful to be considerate about both genders and dodge stereotypes while also addressing them. Not only that but the structure of this one was totally unique -- told in 24 something increments in largely reverse chronological order. This would be hard -- both in terms of topic and in terms of structure -- for anyone to pull off but Jason Reynolds is a master and it shows in this book. I really loved the conversations that were had on a number of levels -- boy-boy, friend-friend, sister-brother, mom-son, father-son, boyfriend-girlfriend, etc. I hope that teens aren't too afraid to pick this one up because I think it's so worthwhile for anyone who does. This is a great addition to any public or secondary library and it would be great to leave in your teen's room when you know they're considering elements of their sexual life but maybe not as ready to talk about it as these characters are. Reynolds, as always, opens the door to important conversations with this one.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Twenty-Four Seconds from Now is a gorgeous novel about two teenagers who are going to have sex the first time. The conversations that take place with the adults are open and honest and the friend group is relatable. Jason Reynolds writes frank, open, and readable young adult novels.

I loved this book! Jason Reynolds does it again with this stunning black boy love story. Everyone should read this books. Neon is such a great character and loved his relationships with his friends and family. Thank you NetGalley for this early copy. 100% recommend.

Reynolds nails a romance from a teen-boy perspective beautifully. As always, poetic and authentic and funny and warm - a great exploration about teenage sexuality for the audience.

This was such a beautiful story! This is my first book by this author but I will definitely read another. It tackles an uncomfortable situation wonderfully. It’s still awkward but very true to life. I loved the voices of the teens. They seemed like real, relatable teenagers and each of the characters added something to the story. I also loved the structure of the story. Perfect for adults and teens.

Thank you to Net Galley, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, and the author, Jason Reynolds, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This books starts in the present with teenagers Neon and Aria who are in love and going to have sex for the first time. Then it keeps going backwards. We get the details of the main character, Neon’s life as well details about his relationship with Aria. The side characters are not well developed, but also not really important to the story.

24 months ago he met Aria at his grandfather’s funeral after her dog interrupted the service. 24 weeks ago, Neon and his dad have an honest talk about relationships. 24 minutes ago he left his job to head over to Aria’s house. 24 seconds ago he nervously was ready to take his relationship to the next level.

This is probably to mature for middle schoolers, but high schoolers will enjoy it.

This is an author that I love. He has an incredible voice and comes at sensitive issues with compassion, hope and love.
This story is no exception. His depictions of family dynamics is both serious and loving. The boy - girl relationship is looked at in a physical as well as emotional way. I loved how his friends and family supported him and guided him throughout the book.
The story unfolds in the present time and goes back in time. It works in the story but is a bit confusing at times. The plot line was pretty straight forward without many distractions. I think it could have used some relationships that were not so perfect to counterbalance things.
This is a hopefully romantic book with no real angst. Just a simple love story.
Enjoy!