I absolutely adored this story. The cast of characters was an absolute blast, and I loved how their lives intersected the way they did. This story definitely had its sad and heartbreaking moments, but was also hopeful and quite inspirational. I’m staying as vague as I can with my thoughts because I feel it’s best to go into this story with a blank slate. I promise you’ll be happy you did. I’m officially a hardcore Tamara Ireland Stone fan and will read absolutely anything she writes.

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!

I really love Tamara Ireland Stone. Her books offer such a unique perspective and do so in a way that captures her reader's attentions. Little Do We Know is no different. I can't wait until she releases another book!

When I first read this blurb, it got my attention. I've read a couple of books by TIS and enjoyed them, so obviously I thought this would be the same case.

I think, after reading several chapters, this was not my cup of tea. I've come to see that I'm not that interested in books where the main character is still in highschool, because I end up relating more to the parents than to the girl herself. So yeah, I'm basically publicly declaring that I am OLD.

This was a DNF for me, because as much as I tried, I just couldn't get my mind truly interested in what was happening. I know this was building to something, but the mystery wasn't really adding up to my interest, so I had to drop it.

I really appreciated that this was on a different topic. Faith isn't explored a ton in YA lit, and props to the author for handling everyone's journey respectfully. I also really loved the relationship between Hannah and Luke, completely platonic, supportive, and deep.

Tamara Ireland Stone is one of my favorite YA authors. Her characters feel like real people and the situations she places them in are very relatable. I read this book last year and bought a copy for my classroom library. It is seldom on the shelf as the students themselves rave about it.

An honest, unflinching look at teen friendships and relationships and how people respond to an unexpected crisis of faith. Readers will find themselves asking thought provoking questions about love, faith and forgiveness.

I am a fan of TIS but not so much of a fan of this latest novel. I enjoyed her writing but could not seem to connect to the characters or it’s story line.

Not my favorite nor was it what my students expected from this author. Sorry, but it wasn't for them. They tried to get into the book, but it didn't hold their interest.

I was sort of disappointed in this one. Every other book from Tamara Ireland Stone has blown me away and I thought this one had potential but just didn't grip me like her other books.

I love YA contemporary for books. This book felt absolutely real and totally relatable. One situation of the book was a bit too much and gave it an ick factor. But overall pretty good.

Little Do We Know is a touching and compulsive read. It’s told from the dual POV of best friends Hannah and Emory, who have drifted apart due to a fight. The description states that there is a boy caught in the middle, which originally lead me to believe that Hannah was interested in her BFF’s boyfriend (or they would soon become involved), so I was glad when it turned out to be that Hannah and Luke were simply friends in their own right. It was refreshing that Emory and Luke’s romance was more of a subplot and that the main story focused on Hannah and Emory’s friendship.

Both Hannah and Emory grew as characters throughout the novel. Hannah questioned her Christian beliefs, specifically whether or not they were hers or her parents’, and Emory confronted a traumatic event that happened with her mother’s fiancé and struggled with the decision of whether or not to tell her mother. The novel ultimately revolves around this event and the miscommunication between Emory and Hanna that occurred immediately after, but Luke’s subplot tied the story together and gave the two friends a reason to make up (which is why he referred to himself as “the glue”). I enjoyed the element of mysticism/religion in Luke’s story, how he died but came back to life and it shook his entire belief system.

The subplot I found problematic and felt didn’t add to the story was the budding romance between Hannah and her teacher (or teacher assistant? Doesn’t matter). He was 23 or 24 and had already graduated from college, and she was in senior year, so either 17 or 18. Even if she was 18, he was still her teacher she was still in high school, so I found it creepy he would be interested in her. I think the book could have done without that romantic subplot, since the friendship between Hannah and Luke provided enough substance to carry her story.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a YA book about friendship and the ways we can fall apart but find our way back to each other.

Emory and Hannah have been best friends and neighbors for their entire lives, but one day something happens that tears them apart. Hannah begins to question everything she has ever believed in, and Emory pours herself into her acting and her relationship with her boyfriend Luke. One night when Hannah finds Luke in his car unconscious right outside her house, she and her father do everything they can to save his life. He is clinically dead for three minutes, but then a miracle happens and he lives. Through Luke's recovery, Hannah and Emory will have to come to grips with the events of several months ago, or they may lose each other permanently.
I thought this book had great lessons about friendship and family relationships overall. The writing was descriptive and compelling, and Emory and Hannah's relationship was definitely one to learn from. One thing that bothered me about this book was the way Emory and Luke were willing to throw away their loving and intense relationship because of distance. The relationship between Aaron and Hannah was also disturbing because of the age difference and cheating, and the sexual abuse was just sad. I didn't care for the profanity and immortality portrayed in this book, and the attitude towards religion was offensive to me. I don't agree with mega churches like the one in this book and I know they have many faults, but I also didn't appreciate the blanket judgment passed on Christianity. Not all Christians are judgmental and intolerant. I know I have an unpopular view, but that's why I gave this book a three star rating instead of a higher one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Tamara Ireland Stone's books tend to be quietly powerful. Going into Little Do We Know, my expectations for the book were high, especially after how much I loved her previous books. As with her other stories, Little Do We Know was a deeply emotional book about two teens finding growing up. If you're looking for a wonderful coming-of-age story, this one should be on your list.


Growing up, Hannah and Emory were neighbors and inseparable best friends even though the two could not be more different. Something happened that tore the two apart and Little Do We Know tells the story of how they are living their lives after the fallout. Friendship was a strong theme in this book and it was done beautifully. Even when they were not physically in each other's lives, you could tell the influence that these two friends had on their lives and the decisions they made. It was obvious that these two were important to each other, so I was dying to figure out what caused them to go separate ways. I will say that the reason fell a little bit flat for me, but it was understandable.


Like I mentioned, Hannah and Emory could not be more different and Tamara Ireland Stone did a wonderful job at fleshing out their characters. Hannah comes from a Christian background, with her pastor dad leading the Christian school that she attends. The religion has always been in every part of her life and she has always been a strong believer. In Little Do We Know, we begin to see Hannah question her faith. It was portrayed delicately and realistically, which was important to me. As the story progressed, we got to see Hannah grow and her individuality began to shine through.


Emory didn't have any religious ties, but she was always kind and respectful to Hannah when they were friends, often times even lending her a support at her events. At first glance, it seemed like Emory's home life was easier and maybe less stifling than Hannah's, but we eventually discover that she had her own issues that she couldn't share. For spoiler reasons, I won't reveal what they are. Much of Emory's story was tied to her boyfriend, Luke's. After an accident nearly kills Luke, Luke's change in attitude and Emory's desire to go back to how they were before the accident, causes strains in their relationship. Luke eventually found solace in religion and this seemed to affect Emory.


Luke and Emory's relationship was one of the highlights of Little Do We Know for me. Their relationship was positive and genuine and even when they had issues, I never stopped believing in the power of these two to strengthen each other. Hannah also found a love interest in the book and that relationship I was not a fan of. She began a romance with her music/choir teacher and though, by the end of the book the relationship ended, I felt like it wasn't handled with care. In my opinion, the other should have shed more light on the power imbalance and the impropriety of the relationship.


All in all, this was a lovely story about friendship, love and religion. I recommend this one to any YA reader.

Enjoyed the book and have read others by this author, but this one is a bit too mature for my middle grade audience.

The the chronological order of the book was a bit hard to fallow. Additionally, I wish that the relationship between the characters Hannah and Luke had developed rather than just bamn not they are friends. The redeeming factor of this book for me was the character Em and her friendship with Hannah. It was warm and truly relatable to any 16 year old. About the pressures of family and how a best friend is so important at that age.

Little Do We Know was a completely wonderful and surprisingly addictive read. Typically, contemporary YA is kind of a hit or miss for me, but this novel was definitely a hit. I loved the story line and the characters, and I thought Stone did an amazing job covering some touchy topics. The characters we complex and the setting of the novel was perfection.

This novel hit home for me because I grew up in Christian family and attended a Christian private school. While I never questioned my faith, I still felt a unique attachment to Hannah's character. I loved how even though Hannah and Emory were battling the need to remain angry with each other, they continued to long for their friendship also. The relationships in this novel were so well crafted and I absolutely adored how the novel ended.

All in all, Little Do We Know was a fantastic contemporary read filled with complex relationships and character growth. I would highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy contemporary YA. Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3.5/5

Excuse me, Tamara, but I would like my heart back. And in one piece instead of the little parts you burst it into with this gorgeous book.

Alright, now that you know you’re going to need to invest in some Kleenex stock to get you through this read, let’s talk about all the reasons why you should be reading it.

1. We all know I am big on character driven stories and LDWN is full of characters you want to love from the minute you meet them. They’re genuine. Multi-faceted. Full of human experiences and emotions, complicated in the best way. I loved Hannah and Emory and I also loved Luke (who’s the glue now?). I dare you to read this story of friendships and relationships and not fall for each of them.
2. LDWN is a look at the complexity of faith, from the lens of believers, questioning believers, and non-believers. Faith is a tough subject to broach because readers will bring their own biases and feelings around it. Tamara does a beautiful job of keeping the story objective from the faith angle while also exploring some of the blinders.
3. There are parts of the book that were unexpected, especially for non-Tamara readers. I enjoy the fact that the ducks don’t all line up in a row. We are, in fact, human and imperfect.
4. This is, at its heart, a story of female friendship. What a beautiful look, too.

This might be my new favorite Tamara book!

LITTLE DO WE KNOW by award-winning author Tamara Ireland Stone is an emotional and compelling young adult novel that explores faith, doubt and relationships. High school Seniors Hannah and Emory were inseparable best friends until a traumatic event, a huge fight and some uncomfortable truths drive them apart. Hannah has been raised to embrace her Christian faith and trust her parents' guidance – her Dad is the principal of her faith-based high school, but she starts to question her faith and becomes infatuated with a teacher at the school, reflecting her vulnerability and immaturity. Emory is driven and focused on her acting career, applying to UCLA, and on her intimate relationship with boyfriend Luke. When Luke undergoes a near death experience and turns to religion while questioning his own values, an even greater tension develops between Hannah and Emory. Alternating narrators, Stone seeks to develop realistic, relatable characters who care for each other while also being self-centered and immersed in their own issues. LITTLE DO WE KNOW respectfully explores the questions of faith which teens often face, with one character noting "I think the world would be a better place if people stopped every once in a while and questioned everything they thought they knew." In addition, Stone deftly prompts readers to examine inappropriate relationships since both young women are let down by men in their lives. Booklist recommends LITTLE DO WE KNOW to "readers looking for a nuanced treatment of religion;" this title received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Complex novel , thought provoking. Appreciated the friendship dynamic, book needs to include a content warning for abuse/assault. Video review is here: https://youtu.be/Adu0UcUhIgA?t=3m50s