Holly Jackson is a master of suspense, and her adult debut is fire, 🔥 I could not put it down.

Not Quite Dead Yet tells the story of Jet, who after being brutally attacked in her family home, has just one week left to live, due to a literal ticking time bomb in her head.

She could wallow in pity, or “live life to the fullest”, but instead she chooses to solve her own murder.

With the help of her childhood best friend, Billy, Jet will stop at nothing to find her killer, and anyone and everyone is a suspect.

I loved this book so much because it was unlike any thriller I have read before, and I have read a LOT. I was kept guessing until the very last page, and I didn’t see the ending coming, which is always a 5 star read for me. And the ending- woooow! 🫣

Jet is an unlikable character, but who wouldn’t be after everything she’s been through, but Billy was perfect!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an edge of your seat thriller, who loves short, fast paced chapters, or who has enjoyed Holly Jackson’s previous work- this is definitely her best one yet!

This releases, July 22nd, and it’s a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Jackson, the author, and the publisher, Bantam, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: July 22, 2025

Honestly… where do I even begin with this one? Holly Jackson has absolutely wrecked me, and I mean that in the best possible way.

Not Quite Dead Yet follows a teen named Jet Mason, who finds out - after surviving a brutal Halloween attack - that she’s got seven days left to live. Jet then grabs her bestfriend Billy and decides to hunt down whoever tried to kill her before her time runs out.

From the first page, I was hooked. Jet’s sarcasm, her sharp comeback, they actually had me laughing out loud, and then two pages later, I’m sitting there gripping my kindle, heart in my throat.

The pacing? Brutal. The twists? Savage. The last 10%? Let’s just say I wasn’t remotely ready for that. I genuinely sat there crying. I did not see any of it coming, and when I say Holly broke my heart, I mean she smashed it to bits, set it on fire, and kicked the ashes around.

And this is the first book of hers I’ve picked up? Yeah, I’m furious with myself for that.

The mystery itself was brilliant. Sure, I had a hunch about the killer halfway through, but that didn’t take the sting out of the reveal. If anything, it made it worse. This isn’t just some straightforward murder mystery. It’s about grief. About running out of time. About staring down the terrifying fact that you might not have really lived at all, and that hit far too close to home. Jet’s desperation practically bled off the pages. It wasn’t death she was afraid of, it was everything she was going to miss, and honestly, I find that so relatable.

The characters? Shady. Every last one of them. I didn’t trust a soul except for Billy, obviously, because he’s the absolute best. Loyal, sweet, decent. Genuinely want to protect him forever.

Holly Jackson writes with sharp wit, savage honesty, and that gut-wrenching emotional punch that leaves you absolutely wrecked. Not Quite Dead Yet didn’t just break me a little, it flattened me. And I’m not sure I’ve recovered yet.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Bantam, Holly Jackson and Penguin for the ARC.

Order this. Honestly. Let it absolutely ruin you.

#Bookreview #arc
#hollyjackson
#notquitedeadyet
#Bookstagramph
#booksta
#thriller

4.5 ⭐️ I read this in a few days. It had some slow parts but overall I love the whodunnit aspect. So twists I saw coming but most of them shocked the heck out of me. A great mystery thriller to check out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the gifted eARC.

Not Quite Dead Yet… but Definitely Experiencing Mild Adulting Issues

Holly Jackson’s Not Quite Dead Yet is like if Veronica Mars was having her worst day ever and then got hit by a bus, woke up post-surgery with a concussion, and said, “Hold my IV, I’ve got a murder to solve.” The premise is wildly fun: Jet has 13 hours to figure out who tried to kill her before the job gets finished and that ticking clock keeps things humming along nicely.

Jet’s inner monologue is full of dry wit and sarcasm, which makes you want to high-five her and maybe gently suggest she go back to the hospital. Her narration carries the story like a one-woman stage play with attitude and a suspicious amount of upper-body strength for someone who just underwent major surgery.

But here’s the thing: Jet is allegedly 27 years old, which is fascinating, because she reads like she’s two missed curfews away from a TikTok breakdown. Most of the characters feel like they snuck in from a high school drama set, and adulting? Nowhere to be found. You could swap out the adult scenes for high school scenes and nobody would notice.

Also, don’t ask too many questions about logic. Jet sprints around, evades shady strangers, and reconnects with her shady ex while actively bleeding and high on morphine. Somewhere, a nurse is having a stress-induced migraine.

Plot-wise, the story gives you some solid twists, nothing earth-shattering, but enough to keep you guessing, assuming you’re willing to overlook a few “wait, really?” moments. The pacing hits some potholes in the middle, but picks up again just in time to race toward a finale that wraps things up like a crime-solving burrito: mostly satisfying, a little messy.

In the end, Not Quite Dead Yet is fast, fun, and full of snark, but it doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its clever setup. It’s not dead...but it could’ve used a stronger pulse.

4.5★

this was so good from the very beginning! i went in blind and i highly suggest doing the same, it made it so much more fun.

the plot was so interesting! i don’t think this is the only mystery novel where the girl tries solving her own murder, but i think this is a very unique take on it. the plot did start feeling like it was dragging at some parts for me, hence the half star deduction, but the payoff was so worth it. i guessed the “who” of the mystery, but definitely not the “how” or “why”. i also did not expect the ending to be what it is 😭 i really didn’t think holly would do that to me, and that’s my bad. also, this is her first adult novel i think, and it didn’t really feel adult to me besides the swearing. like if jet’s age was never said, i wouldn’t have questioned it if i found out she was actually a teenager.

my favorite part of the book was jet as a character! she is so funny. there are parts where i laughed out loud. she is also very smart and observant, which gives me pip vibes. there were some things she was doing that i thought was stupid that definitely compromised the actual investigation of her murder, but also understandable because the police force never does anything useful in books like these lol. the medical elements of the book regarding jet were very interesting as well, and i can tell that she did her research or got professional help for the medical stuff.

the romance subplot of this was my favorite in her books yet. billy is so cute, but not gonna lie he was a suspect for me for a second there 🤨 but he has been so down bad for her forever and i felt it. they kind of have an opposites attract feeling to them, jet being bold and billy being kind of quiet. but they work so well together has a unit. ugh i just want to give billy a hug.

i definitely recommend giving this a read when it comes out next week, JULY 22, 2025! thank you to bantam and netgalley for the free eARC ◡̈

"Not Quite Dead Yet" is "Succession" meets "Clue" and follows Jet, a 27 year old woman who is trying to solve her attempted murder in a week before she dies. This story contains many plot twists and dramatic turns, and will leave you on the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed the mystery, and how so many characters were turned into suspects. The story was easy to follow along, and had a lot of good thriller aspects. The ending was very good, and I thought the letters from Jet were a very sweet, heartwarming end to the book. However, I would have liked for there to have been a scene with Jet and her family that gave them more closure. While the murder solving was definitely important, it took away from Jet's time with her family, and I felt bad that her parents weren't given more opportunities to say goodbye to her. Also, Jet read very immature at times. I know she's supposed to be a young adult, but there were a lot of moments where she acted more like a teenager than a 27 year old woman.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson – Jet Mason is attacked in her home after a Halloween celebration. She must choose between surgery with a 10% chance of survival or a week with a ticking time bomb aneurysm. In that week, she might solve her own murder. What would you choose? Jet opts for the week and pursues clues with her good friend Billy. Several twists & turns etc. with some strange family dynamics and a few not so likeable characters. Will Jet have time to find out who killed her? This was the first book I’ve read by Holly Jackson. It was a good read. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of While the Getting is Good. 3.5 rounded up to 4.0

Loved this! I love how Holly just always keeps you guessing and when you think you know what’s going to happen, you’re completely wrong. I truly made everyone a suspect in my mind and only figured it out the second to last chapter. I just wish Jet wasn’t so obtuse about Billy!

❝ Billy, this past week, I haven’t really been dying. I think, maybe, it’s the opposite. I’ve finally been living. And that’s all because of you. ❞

⊹₊⟡⋆ Not Quite Dead Yet ⏳

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ~ 4.5


౨ৎ spoiler-free review

⟡ preread ⟡

⠀⠀⠀ ⌕ this is my first Holly Jackson book!! thanks to NetGalley for the arc! read my review on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7365848447


✑ overview

⠀⠀⠀ ↳ Jet, a twenty-seven year-old, has been brutally attacked on Halloween night. Diagnosed to die in a week’s time, she is determined to solve her own murder before it’s too late.


✶ my thoughts

⠀⠀⠀ ❥ that ending messed with my feelings, but I absolutely loved every second of this book! It was tense, fast-paced, emotional, and the characters were flawlessly done.
⠀⠀⠀ ❥ the way that Holly Jackson balanced the plot and characters was beautiful, and it kept me guessing at every point of the story.


❖ characters

⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Jet •⠀⠀ “Because, Billy, this past week, I haven’t really been dying. I think, maybe, it’s the opposite. I’ve finally been living. And that’s all because of you. You showed me. It’s the best thing that anyone’s ever done for me, and I’ll never forget it.”⠀⠀ ~~ Jet was an amazing character. Her determination fueled the plot, and yet she still felt so compassionate and authentic. I also loved the detailed aspect of how she was slowly losing ability to function, and how that actually affected the story and characters.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Billy •⠀⠀ “I think this has been the worst week of my life, because I’m going to lose you, and I don’t want to lose you. But, it’s also been the best week of my life, because I got to spend it with you.” ⠀⠀ ~~ Billy was the actual sweetest, and I adored every scene with him. The way that he broke through Jet’s tough demeanor, and how he was so patient with her as she solved the murder showed him as such a loyal and understanding friend. The ending with him shattered my heart, and his song for Jet was so heartfelt. ✶
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Luke⠀⠀ ~~ Luke was such an elaborate character, and a lot of the mystery was surrounding him and what happened to Emily and his obsession with the Mason Construction company, which added extra complexity.


◗ plot

⠀⠀⠀ ✦ Everything was so twisty, and even when the characters had a lead, everything got mixed up with new discoveries, which made it so hard to guess the real murderer.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ I also thought it was clever how even when the mcs had the objective of finding the murderer, they uncovered other secrets about the Mason family and company, it just added another layer of depth.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ I loved the way the chapter endings were written, they were all so fast-paced and kept me hooked the entire time.


⭑ worldbuilding

⠀⠀⠀ ↠ every part of the Woodstock community and their neighborhood felt so realistic, and all the family connections felt authentic.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ I also loved how it was set in 2025, and how some parts were connected to what’s going on right now, like how Billy sang Stick Season by Noah Kahan at the bar, and how they played the song in the truck.
⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

➶ my recommendation

⤷ ⟡ age rating: 14+
⤷ ⟡ content warnings:
⠀⠀⠀— language ~ 9/10
⠀⠀⠀— romance ~ 3/10
⠀⠀⠀— violence ~ 6/10 - murder, assault with weapon, arson, drowning, gunshot
⤷ ⟡ Best for readers who love tense mystery with subtle romance subplots


☾ final verdict:

Not Quite Dead Yet read like a young adult mystery thriller, which I loved, and I especially loved the emotional aspects, characters, and the fast-paced plot.


Not Quite Dead Yet — 2025
~ ∘₊ ✦

I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters to be less adult for what's supposed to be the author's first adult book, but I still really enjoyed it. I would say this is more of a YA book but can be enjoyed by all. There were some good twists and turns and it kept me captivated during a beach day. I will definitely be purchasing this for my HS library.

Tragic, sad, suspenseful, and unputdownable (unless you have kids, like I do, then you have to, sadly).

I think I've read just about everything by Holly Jackson and have loved it at this point.

Jet is trying to solve her own murder, and she has about a week to do it. Billy was my absolute favorite tbh.
There is A LOT of swearing (I know some book readers don't like swearing, so be warned!)
This is a good Halloween/thriller for the Fall, as it takes place on Halloween night and it's on the longer and slow-burning side.

There is so much I want to talk about but don't want to spoil anything. The Ending?! THE ENDING!!!!
I loved this book.

Jackson, as per usual, tells a really, really, thought out story, with a lot of details and atmosphere to where I can picture it happening in my head like a movie.

Thank you so much for this ARC Holly Jackson, publishers, and Netgalley. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

First of all, I’m so honored to have gotten an ARC of Holly Jackson’s book! I was so shocked when I got the email, but so extremely happy.

I sadly didn’t get connected to this one as much as her other books. I still think it is worth the read if you love her books, but I would suggest reading any of her other books first.

Maybe it’s because we knew Jet was dying from the beginning that I was making myself not get attached to her, but I just didn’t get very invested. The whole time I was reading I was trying to convince myself that it would turn out okay and she wouldn’t actually die, but I didn’t feel overcome with emotions at the end.

I liked her and Billy together, but even still I didn’t really feel the connection that much between them. There was not a lot of chemistry! Maybe because it was one-sided for the most part. We didn’t really see a lot of her and Billy’s friendship and then building to something more. We were told more than shown how much they liked each other. All we saw them do together was figure out her murder, which is the whole point of the book, but the ending wasn’t as emotional then because of that.

I was curious to see what happened to her and was trying to figure it out, but that was about all I cared about. Sadly this one was kind of predictable to me! I didn’t know the ins and outs of why everything happened, but I had my suspicions, especially as things kept on getting revealed. I’m glad there was lots of foreshadowing because that is how plot twists should be, but it didn’t make me guess like her other books.

It was very rushed at the end. That could be symbolic that sometimes our life just ends and we don’t get any more chances, but even the last couple of pages were sped through really quickly. Which is also how these things go in real life sometimes, but it still gave me whiplash.

Holly Jackson is still an amazing writer and I will continue to read every single one of her books as I LOVED the rest of them, but this one didn’t do it for me. I think it was because I didn’t care that much about the characters and didn’t fall in love with them. You will be absolutely devastated if you connect with these characters, unlike I did.

I am sharing my review on Goodreads on July 19, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7329434766?book_show_action=false

I wanted to love this book—who doesn’t love a good twist on the afterlife and justice? The premise is undeniably intriguing: a teenage girl wakes up dead and must unravel the mystery of her own murder, piecing together clues from the living world while wrestling with the fact that she’s no longer part of it. It had all the makings of a chilling, emotional thriller... but for me, it just didn’t deliver.

Let’s start with the positives. The concept is clever and unique, and the pacing was solid. The author drops enough breadcrumbs to keep the story moving and the stakes reasonably high. There’s some solid atmosphere—eerie, tragic, and occasionally poetic. And I appreciated that the main character isn’t passive in death; she’s determined, fiery, and surprisingly funny in moments.

But here’s where things fell apart for me: the execution never lived up to the premise. The plot leaned heavily on familiar YA tropes—mean girls, secret crushes, conveniently overlooked clues—and some of the reveals felt either predictable or forced. More frustratingly, the emotional depth just wasn’t there. I never felt truly connected to the protagonist’s grief, fear, or fury, and the supporting characters lacked nuance.

I also struggled with the tone. It couldn't decide if it wanted to be haunting and introspective or fast-paced and cheeky, and the inconsistency made it hard to invest fully. The writing itself was fine—readable, competent—but not memorable.

To be fair, I can see how readers who love paranormal thrillers with a strong female lead and don’t mind a bit of teen drama might really enjoy this. It just didn’t click with me the way I hoped. The story had spirit (pun intended), but in the end, it left me feeling a bit... ghosted.

4.5⭐ (review will be posted on social media the day of the release date)

Thank you Penguin Randomhouse and to Ballantine for an advanced e-ARC of this book.

Like many others, I have been an instant fan of Holly Jackson ever since her "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" series. However, I truly believe that this book may be her best yet. This book shares many of the similar aspects of her previous books: convoluted secrets, suspense, and twists and turns (even to the very last second). She effectively combines all of these components in Not Quite Dead Yet.

Have you guys ever had to refill your hydro water bottles because you chugged the entire thing because you felt dehydrated? No? I sure did!!! I did not expect to cry that hard in the end. Billy was the unsung hero of the entire story, the friend who stuck by Jet to the very end. Even at the end when he tried to lie to her, to try to make her feel like she accomplished what she wanted to at the very end? Gutted me. Truly.

So well-written. Like many others, we all thought we were going to read a book about a girl who was going to cower at the face of her terminal diagnosis, but ended up restarting her life and began living again? I loved this ending so so so much. This may be my favorite thriller of 2025. MUST READ!!!!!

Jet's restless search for a sufficiently meaningful life comes to a screeching halt when she's beaten half to death. Her injuries are such that she will have a fatal aneurysm in the next week, so she spends her final days solving her imminent murder. Her wrecking ball of an investigation turns up all sorts of sordid secrets, but which of them got her killed? At her side is her childhood best friend Billy, whose absolute devotion to Jet is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in this context. Prickly Jet's hard-won growth is satisfying, and the breakneck pace leaves no time to consider plausibility.

Holly Jackson has a winner here. The suspense is incredible. I mean, how often do you get inside the head of someone who's already been murdered, and is going to die any minute? And has the determination to make every second count? I really rooted for Jet, to find the closure she sought, but I also really hoped there would be a medical twist and she'd survive the book. A first-rate thriller, and an original take on the genre.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Thank you to NetGalley and the Random House Publishing Group for letting me read this early in exchange for a review :)

To start off I really did enjoy reading this book. Although the book started off slow it picked up toward the end, which is something I do like when I'm reading. I found the whole concept of this novel fascinating and a fresh idea to other murder mysteries I have previously read.

🚓🚨 Plot 🚨🚓
The plot of this book was very thought out and was very well executed in Holly Jackson's writing. From the beginning I was very curious to see how this all would play out before her time was up. As I said above, this does start off a little slow. But, this is pretty common in a lot of books and it's not something I dislike nor was it done poorly.
I really was happy that at the end Jet actually did die. Not because I didn't like her character but I was glad she wasn't magically cured of in her case an incurable condition.
All of the characters were written realistically and everything they did fit each of their personalities.

The only real thing I noted down was that in some points the fmc and mmc didn't feel like they were 27-28 y/os. Sometimes they felt younger like late teens to very early twenties. For her Adult debut novel it's not a huge issue and it is something that can be looked over.


₊✩‧₊ Jet ₊✩‧₊
I liked Jet's character, she isn't my favorite Holly Jackson protagonist but she was a very well written character. She felt realistic, in that she wasn't perfect and had flaws like everyone in the real world does. I found myself relating to her mindset of that she'll "do it later" because she has time, until she doesn't.

₊✩‧₊ Billy ₊✩‧₊
I loved Billy's character, he deserves the world. He was always helping/supporting Jet in her endeavors and cared for Reggie and her car. He overall was just a very kind man and he was for sure my favorite character from the book.

₊✩‧₊ Luke ₊✩‧₊
Never really cared about him, I wish he realized how much he cared about Jet before she died.

₊✩‧₊ Sophia ₊✩‧₊
Hate her. I wish we would've been able to know what really went wrong with her and Jet's friendship and why they fell out. But, this took place over seven days so obviously we didn't get to know everything.

Jet's Mom and Dad:
I was pretty neutral with her dad Scott, I don't think we ever had a reason to dislike him. However, I teetered more into dislike for her mom Diane because of the things she said after the sister died.





mild spoilers
mild spoilers
mild spoilers





As an avid crime show watcher I was pretty proud of myself for clocking the killer within the first 6%. I have the screenshot of the note I made when I first started to suspect them 😂. Even though I saw the killer coming from a mile away I did really enjoy reading how this played out. The other twists and turns that came out of the woodwork were very entertaining to read and learn about. I figured Luke was hiding something but, I didn't completely understand why yk who would help him until the end where it all clicked.


all in all
- I hate sophia
- I hope Reggie is doing well
- Billy is the best

thank you to netgalley and random house publishing for this arc! this book immediately grabbed my attention. first, the cover and premise are so intriguing. who wouldn’t be drawn in by a book about a woman solving her own murder? the fact that it was written by holly jackson, an absolutely brilliant writer, was just the icing on the cake. however, i do have to say right off the bat that i did not enjoy this read as much as i thought i would. after the first sitting with this book, i found that i was really not excited at all to pick it back up. i think the fact that you knew right from the jump that jet will die really threw me off and made me much less invested in the story. there is still the mystery of who killed jet and why, but in a way, you already know the ending. aside from that, a lot of the book felt drawn out to me. the beginning was strong and the ending was strong, but from about 25-75% through the book, it just kind of felt like it dragged on. i’d also just like to note that there are a ton of “f-bombs” in this book, so if you don’t really like cursing in novels, this one may not be for you.
now on to the things that i really enjoyed about this book. jet mentions multiple times throughout the first chapter (before the attack) that she “has enough time” or “has all the time in the world” to figure things out in her life, but just knowing the plot of the book, we know that not to be true right from the jump. this really made me connect to jet, as this makes her feel so realistic and thus a much more powerful and impactful character. she is also absolutely hilarious! at multiple points in this novel, i found myself laughing out loud, which does not happen often for me. one thing you can be sure of when reading a holly jackson novel: you’re going to have a memorable protagonist! sometimes in a book with a major event, such as this novel with jet’s attack, the way that the author writes the event itself just doesn’t land for you as the reader, which can throw off the rest of the story because the major event doesn’t feel as dramatic or exciting as it should. this is definitely NOT an issue i faced with this book. the details of jet’s attack were so real and visceral. i mean, the detail about the dog screaming as jet was lying on the ground? CHILLING!
toward the end of the book was where i really started to enjoy it. the letters jet wrote to her family before she died was such a nice touch, and i really appreciated that the letters were shown as photos rather than having them typed up, as jet had mentioned that she had to write them with her left hand and you could really see how she struggled with writing the letters and still pushed through anyway. the fact that she wrote a letter to her dog had me incredibly emotional (even more emotional than her actual death scene), and the comic relief of her letter to sophia was much needed (and deserved)!
i have some mixed feelings about the actual ending. i got to 91% of the book and when we still didn’t know what actually happened and why, i was genuinely worried it would be a “we’re not going to tell you what actually happens because sometimes in life you don’t get all the answers” ending, but luckily, it was not! billy’s confrontation with jet’s killer was so powerful and the fact that he kept channeling jet to give him confidence during it was such a great detail. i do think that the ending was sort of rushed, though. the actual confrontation felt like billy spewing all of the details out just so we could learn what actually happened (which did end up serving a purpose, as it was all being sort of recorded), and what happens after felt a little bit random. this definitely isn’t an ending where everything is tied up in a cute little bow and you get to see everyone go on about their lives afterward, but i’m not too bothered by that.
overall, it was a pretty good read. the ending and jet’s and billy’s characters really made it for me. there were quite a few times in the middle of this book that i felt really bored and not invested in the story, but i am still very glad i read this book. jet will definitely stick with me for the foreseeable future!

In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.
You always think you will have time but for Jet, she suffers a catastrophic head injury on Halloween night. Determined to finish something, Jet sets out to solve her own murder.

Immediate hook for the plot but getting into the book, a slow drag. I wanted to feel the tension and connection - the tension was there and a connection to best friend Billy but not so much Jet, which is a shame since she’s dying. I was rooting for her, did I think there would be some miraculous recovery, no but I did hope she was successful in solving her murder.

I enjoyed the book but it needed a bit more of a push for the adult debut. I think the overall reception will still be good bc of the AGGGTM following and I will absolutely check out future works! The book was at its best at the ending and Billy was the MVP of the book for sure.

Thank you to author, Holly Jackson, NetGalley and publisher Random House for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I flew through it and found it hard to put down. The mystery was engaging enough, and it was a unique and original plot line with our main character trying to solve her own murder.

While I did predict the ending, there were still plenty of plot twists along the way that I didn’t see coming. The ending also pulled on my heartstrings in ways I wasn’t expecting, which I always love with any genre! I’m here for a good romance sub plot.

The main reason I had to drop a star was the main character’s inner monologue. While this is marketed as an adult book, I felt like the characters read very YA. This wasn’t necessarily bad, but it just was hard for me to connect or relate to them as adults.