I really tried my best to finish this book, but there was just something off about it, maybe it was the writing style that didn't let me connect because my focus wandered a lot while I read it.

On the plus side, it discussed in detail topics that are difficult and aren't highly represented in stories we read, but the execution wasn't as smooth as it should have been and brought about confusion, which could be because I wasn't reading the final draft of the manuscript.

But I have to part way with it now as it's been months and I haven't gone back to read it.

This book was so hard to read but in a good way. These two kids are dealing with loss in there own way and they learn that everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. Not everyone just gets up and moves on and not everyone processes loss in the same way. This a beautiful story that everyone should read.

This was a dnf for me. I could not get into the characters and was overall very heavy, for an already heavy topic. There was no lightness to alleviate some of the heaviness.

Candace Ganger's story is full of heart and truth. Naima's story is one that I saw myself in, a story that easily could have been mine with a military father from Indiana. One blink, and I was in her world. Dew was beautifully crafted as well, and his disorders were portrayed truthfully. I love that this was a story about friendship, about soulmates that didn't have to be romantic.

My only issue is some of the writing was very choppy, and it didn't flow as well as I'd want. While the representation was on par, the plot wasn't something that kept my full attention. I stopped and restarted this book so many times before I could finish it.

It wasn't that the book was bad, it just felt like it was lacking *something*. Her emotional writing? Spot on. I just wish there was more to keep the audience's attention.

Prepare to become fully immersed in the story, invested in the characters' lives. Prepare to laugh and prepare to cry. The theme is the book is very prevalent in today's society; mental health, and it is addressed wonderfully.

(3.5 stars)

I haven't been this conflicted over a book in a long time that I can recall. To start with, I'd just like to say that I genuinely enjoyed the writing itself. Candace Ganger is able to weave words together beautifully, and I'd love to read more of her work.

The characters of Six Goodbyes We Never Said drew me in, but here's where some of the conflict starts: I really wasn't (and still am not) sure whether I actually LIKED all of the characters. By that I mean, they all seemed... rather cliche. Like caricatures. Or unrealistic, Dew especially. Things got better with that by the end of the book, I think, but overall it always kind of nagged at me and made me not enjoy the book quite as much as I think I would have otherwise.

The entire plot with Naima and her military father really tugged at me, though. I was raised a military brat, with my dad going on various tours when I was younger. Reading some of Naima's sections of the book was genuinely painful, and made me have to set my Kindle down for a bit. Again, Candace Ganger's writing style had a lot to do with that, and I really admire it.

Overall, this wasn't a bad book whatsoever, and I did enjoy it!

I love this book, it really help me to heal and deal with so much of my own personal baggage. Candace gave us a great plot and such well develop characters. I will always hold this book close, because of how it change my soul. yes i would recommend this always

I feel this book will tug at the heartstrings of everyone who reads it. It might be a hard read for some because of the issues it deals with or for others because of the way it is written with its dual POV and dipping back and forth in time; but it is regardless a read that will tug at your heartstrings.

I recommend this book & I feel that Six Goodbyes We Never Said would be a comfort read for those dealing with grief & those who are at a battle with their mental health.

Since I myself deal with the battle of mental issues, I was able to understand the emotions Naima Rodriguez was dealing with.

I was given a copy for an honest review. I would definitely recommend. My first read from this author Candace Ganger.

For me, the issue with this book was a matter of it's writing style. 

I was really excited to dive into a book with diverse representation, not only of a POC but also the mental health representation. But once I started the book I soon realized it would not be for me. 


The author tries really hard to have artsy and poetic sounding prose and it was just so confusing to follow. I didn't like the multiple POVs, Namia was mildly interesting but so angry and hurtful to those around her.  Dew was honestly just boring.   I just felt so detached from both of the characters while reading, which is the opposite of what one wants to feel like when reading a story like this.

In the end I gave up about 50 pages in and gave this book 1 star.

Mental health cannot be stressed enough. This was a beautiful book that is close to my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. <3

Unfortunately I did not finish the book. Halfway through I was still not able to connect with the characters and their stories.

I think the format of the eARC made this really hard for me to get into. It was a bit difficult to follow but I would love to try and read this one if I see it at my library.

Good book! Not my normal genre but I enjoyed it!
Thanks to Candance Ganger, Wednesday books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Naima Rodriguez doesn’t want your patronizing sympathy as she grieves her father, her hero—a fallen Marine. She’ll hate you forever if you ask her to open up and remember him “as he was,” though that’s all her loving family wants her to do in order to manage her complex OCD and GAD. She’d rather everyone back the-eff off while she separates her Lucky Charms marshmallows into six, always six, Ziploc bags, while she avoids friends and people and living the life her father so desperately wanted for her.

Dew respectfully requests a little more time to process the sudden loss of his parents. It's causing an avalanche of secret anxieties, so he counts on his trusty voice recorder to convey the things he can’t otherwise say aloud. He could really use a friend to navigate a life swimming with pain and loss and all the lovely moments in between. And then he meets Naima and everything’s changed—just not in the way he, or she, expects. Candace Ganger's Six Goodbyes We Never Said is no love story. If you ask Naima, it’s not even a like story. But it is a story about love and fear and how sometimes you need a little help to be brave enough to say goodbye..

I really liked the style this book was written in. Altough the plot wasn't the most strongest one, it is a nice read about two teens who went and go through hard times after the loss of their parents, and have difficult adoptive family situations. It did took a little too long though for Naima and Dew to connect in the book, and I wonder why the author didn't let this happen earlier, they do meet somewhere in the beginning of the book, but as Naima is pushing everyone around her away, they go their own way again to later meet again, and this is where the story actually feels to really take of, where it earlier strands a little in repeating struggles within their home lives and in Drew's work at a coffee bar and the people around them
This it is definately not a book if you are in for something fun and light, but a more serious young adult novel, so if you are looking for something like that, this would be the right pick.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

I could not connect with the writing style and decided to put it down.

I wanted to like this one, it just wasn't for me. I related very little to the characters, and found them annoying at times. Especially Naima. I'm thinking I just wasn't in the right mind set for this one, but I do feel it is an important read due to the presentation of many mental health and sexuality topics.

I received this from Netgalley forever ago, but it got buried in the pile of other novels I have been reading.

<U> Six Goodbyes We Never Said </u> possesses a fantastic title, cover, and premise. That being said, the execution left much to be desired. I felt absolutely no connection to Dew or Naima, which was an absolute shame since their backstories were a hot mess of grief and intrigue. As far as characters go they were mediocre protagonists. That coupled with all of the missing pieces/explanations and the fact that the storyline felt stagnant resulted in this 2 star rating.

So. The two protagonists : You had Dew, who was adorable, respectful, compassionate, and just allaround a little ball of severe anxiety stalking people whilst clutching his recorder. He sounded very sweet, but also like a kicked puppy you would want to squeeze and comfort. He made me feel sympathy, not empathy. I should have felt more empathy for him. And as for Naima...I did not really care for Naima's ridiculously backwards and immature/cruel attitude much of the time, especially to her stepmother Nell, but I can see what the author was getting at with it. Still...nothing between Naima and Nell felt resolved by the end, so I took issue with that. The entire "healing journey" did not feel so healing to me, even for Dew. What was the point?

In a similar vein, I am not entirely sure I understood Violet's character role in relation to the protagonists...why was she important without being important, if you know what I am saying. She seemed over-the-top with her talk of auras and crystals, but her entire relationship with Dew lacked any sort of genuine depth - and did she love him or not? Was she catty with Naima or just loving and chill? What was with the end of her presence in the book? Heck, what was Naima and Dew's relationship, ultimately? I have so many questions!

Aside from all these character issues, the storyline also fell flat in general. It didn't feel like anything really happened, even though I know that Naima and Dew were supposedly helping each other through the grief process. Hmn. But why, other than the fact they were both orphans? I needed more background there. I would have also liked to learn more about the interactions between Naima's Dad and Dew, and why that was such a driving force in his desire to know her. There were so many ends that could have been tied up but were not! That's why this book ended up being just okay for me.

Sweet and quirky book about two neighbors both learning how to navigate life with loss and mental illness. It is refreshing to have more books available that deal with real life problems like these.

Naima uses anger and avoidance to deal with what she feels is true--she's the cause of her dad's death because she miscounted. She tries to control everything she's able to in life by following her rituals of six--always six.

Dew's anxiety cases him to struggle to vocalize his emotions as he processes the sudden death of his parents. To help him process, his new adoptive parents have given him a tape recorder to be able to talk things out.

Dew has decided that he and Naima should be friends because of their similar struggles. Which is NOT gonna happen if Naima can help it!

I enjoyed reading about the life lesson each character helps the other learn. However, since the book dealt with such heavy themes, and Dew was portrayed to be odd for having a more positive outlook, there was barely anything to break up Naima's ceaseless complaining. I had a hard time feeling drawn to finish the book.

Naima Rodriquez has just lost her father and it has turned her world upside down. She was upset after the last time he left and she hadn't been in contact with him the way she usually would have been while he was deployed. She decides to move in with her grandparents, since she is used to them and they are used to her quirkiness. When she discovers that her grandparents have a new neighbor, Dew and that he spent some time with her father before his final deployment, she may have to leave her comfort zone in order to find out what was going on with her dad in his final days.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.




This book was surprising for me. I wasn't sure what to think of Naima. I lost my father over 10 years ago, but under very different circumstances. I wish I had someone who I could have talked to like Dew who had been with my father when I couldn't be. Naima has a lot of quirks and she isn't too keen on new people. She was upset with herself about how she had been treating her father in her last days, but she wasn't pleased with how he treated her either.

This was a cute YA novel that was alright for me. I felt some parts could have been stronger. This is first book I've read by Candace Ganger, but I will read more of her titles.