*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*

I was a big fan of Ashley Woodfolk's first book, The Beauty That Remains, so I had pretty high hopes for When You Were Everything. I am happy to say that my hopes were realized :) This was a great contemporary novel about friendship and learning who you are. There aren't that many YA books out there that center on friendship rather than romantic relationships, so this was a huge breath of fresh air. 

The main character of this story, Cleo, was wonderfully complex. There were moments I really liked her, and moments that I was incredibly frustrated with her. She had such a big heart, but she was also quick to anger. She loved Layla, but she was also kind of jealous of her too. She wanted people to love her, but she also didn't want to tell them what she needed or wanted. I think she reminded me of me a little too much for comfort, which is probably why she frustrated me at times.

If you have ever had a friendship that went awry, either for reasons you can't quite determine or that you really, really can, this book will hit home for you. Friendships, especially in our formative years, have a huge impact on who we become as a person. When a friendship that you cherish changes and/or ends, it can be really difficult to deal with. I feel like this book encapsulates that struggle perfectly. 

As far as the other relationships in the book go, I really loved seeing Cleo's friendship with both Sydney and Willa develop. They came into her life at just the right moment. Sometimes making new friends can be weirdly difficult, but if you let them in it can be beautiful; I feel like this was illustrated perfectly in this trio's friendship. Also, Dom is such a great book boyfriend! He has his flaws, but so does Cleo. They both acknowledge their flaws and their communication is on point, which is also somewhat rare in YA. 

There are so many other things I could talk about, but I don't want to ramble on for forever. Suffice it to say, this is a great book about friendship, both losing an old friend and making new ones. 

Here are a couple of quotes that I loved from this book:

"I will choose them everyday that they choose me back, and I'll be the best friend that I can."

"Somehow I am a girl who makes all the wrong choices, but I am also a girl who aches in every way to be wanted despite my mistakes." 




My Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I gave When You Were Everything 4 STARS!

“An incredibly personal and emotional story about friendship, loss, and love.”
Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

The Story

Cleo and Layla have been friends since middle school. A bond made from the love of music and during a time where Cleo’s deepest sorrow, a void inside she thought seemed impossible to fill after the death of her grandmother.

But it’s their sophomore year of High School and Cleo and Layla’s friendship unravels over the course of the year to nothing resembling friendship at all.

My Thoughts

In the Author’s note, Ashley Woodfolk mentioned how difficult this book was to write. She noted it wasn’t only the challenge of writing a second novel, but the subject matter the second novel would shape into as well.

And you can feel it in the writing. That it’s personal. It’s painful like a thick splinter puncturing the skin driven in deep where it becomes difficult to remove without scars. It was as though Woodfolk took the sharp edged pieces of her own story of lost friendships and aligned those pieces perfectly with Cleo’s and Layla’s.

There were so many aspects of this novel that will have readers feeling, recalling and understanding Cleo’s story. From her ruined friendship to her own family falling apart, readers will instinctively be able to recognize the myriad of feelings packed into this novel like a gut wrenching punch.

Friendships can be tricky. There’s no roadmap or instructions on how to navigate the people we take into our inner circle. And sometimes, friendships are not always rooted in fertile soil. What is at times so agonizingly painful, yet so familiar is how Cleo comes to these crucial realizations that over the course of a friendship, people can change without us really knowing it until it’s too late. Even though one friendship is left in ruins, it doesn’t mean that there is no hope in finding new ones.

This book is a rare dark beauty that has no qualms of showing the ugly, unwanted, and earth shattering truths of ourselves and the people we once called friends.

Happy Reading Cece

"When You Were Everything" places the tumultuous friendship between Cleo and Layla up front, providing readers a refreshing alternative to the romantic relationship-centered the sub-genre is known for. i enjoyed this book so much and felt right alongside the characters as they attempted to move forward after a very emotionally intense friend breakup. I also loved that Cleo was obsessed with Shakespeare and that showed up in everything from her halloween costume to her flirting with a love interest. I loved that the characters were the right amount of smart/school-focused and rebellious. It was also lovely to watch Cleo and Dom dream about their immediate goals and implement plans to achieve them. Their goals come at a price, which i think is helpful for young readers to recognize.

"The thing I didn't realize about having a best friend while I still had one is just how wrapped up she is in everything. Every outfit I wear or song I listen to. Every place I go. Losing someone can leave you haunted."

When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk gave me all the feels. It is very rare to see friendship break-ups be the main plot in books. so I have been anxious to read about the one between main character Cleo and her ex-best friend Layla since I first heard about it last year. Because as much as I've read about romantic breakups over the years, I'd had yet to read a book about breaking up with a best friend. And this one felt so realistic to me.

With the timeline moving between then and now, readers see the actions that led up to the inevitable demise of Cleo and Layla's friendship, as well as how Cleo is dealing with the fallout. Weaving through the background is a sub-plot showing the blossoming of a potential love thang between Cleo and the cute new guy Dom as well as a new friendship with Syndney and Willa, but I love that the friendship between Cleo and Layla is the main focus.

Woodfolk's beautiful writing within this book explored Cleo's innermost feelings so raw and realistically. Maybe she did crappy things that caused a rift in the relationship between her and her best friend, Layla. Perhaps Layla had gained the attention of a new crew and it made Cleo feel threatened. And maybe Cleo didn't always say or do the right things. But her feelings were valid throughout the story and I was able to sympathize with her because I've had a couple of bff breakups in my life as well. There's always miscommunications, unclear intentions, and boundaries we aren't even sure we're crossing until it's too late.

Woodfolk walks us through the story of Cleo and Layla's friendship in a way that many young adults will be able to relate to. While there were times I felt the pacing was slow, Woodfolk's three-dimensional characters who jumped off the page making themselves seen and felt more than made up it. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about the downside of friendship and what happens when best friendships fall apart and fail us.

Major thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC of When You Were Everything in exchange for an honest review.

This book hits so close to home. I’m honestly having anxiety while reading how their friendship falls apart. The way Woodfolk talks about the subtly of how Cleo and Layla are drifting apart is superb. The fact the Cleo is aware of it is heart wrenching because then she questions if she could have done something differently. I have no finished the book because of my own friendship falling apart in high school, I think I basically have PTSD from it and this book it drudging it all up again. I will finish this book but probably not before the publishing date but I am loving this and will most likely recommend it. I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When You Were Everything was a heartfelt exploration of the heartbreak of losing your best friend. Cleo was a sympathetic protagonist but also realistically flawed. Although she wasn't completely blameless in the falling out between her and Layla, she still had just reasons to feel hurt and betrayed by Layla's actions. The romantic subplot with Dom was well done, and the new friendships Cleo made with Sydney and Willa and her insecurities surrounding developing those connections felt realistic. There aren't very many books that deal with the grief of losing a friend because friendships are often seen as less important and intimate than romantic ones, but this book really delivered a compelling exploration of those feelings and how friendship breakups can hurt just as much as romantic ones.

What I appreciated about this book is that it reminds us that not all love stories are romantic. The ending of a friendship can be just as, if not more, devastating. This story tells about Cleo and Layla through varying timelines.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

High school friendships can be difficult to maintain and Woodfolk illustrates this well in he heartbreaking, yet very realistic novel.

This book was beautifully written though the pacing was a little slow at times. Cleo and Layla have been best friends for years. But once Layla starts hanging out with the chorus girls she gains a little more confidence and starts hanging out with Cleo less, Not to mention Layla's new friend Sloane doesn't seem to like Cleo at all and turns the other chorus girls against her.

While reading it I wanted to judge Cleo for how selfish she could be at times but then reminded myself that sometimes I have those same feelings of jealousy. I recognize that urge to not want to share a friend with everyone else. To feel a little possessive over them. But at the same time it seemed like Cleo wanted to hold Layla back. Like she couldn't handle Layla rising above her stutter and being the shining star for once.

I think this books does a great job exploring all different types of loss and the building of different relationships.

I received this book from Netgalley and Random House Children/Delacorte Press in exchange for an hoenst review.

When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfork brought me back to my high school days. It brought out all the feels that those days gave me. When Cleo starts realizing that she might be losing her best friend she begins having a hard time dealing with life. Not only is she losing her best friend but her parents are also separating. This books deals with alternating dates "Then" and "Now" Then talks about how her friendship ended and Now deals with the present day Cleo. I also enjoyed the diversity in this book and a great story line.

Thank you Netgalley and Delcorte Press for providing an ARC of this book for an honest review.

4.5 stars! This was so good. Sometimes I struggle with multiple timelines, but this one was done well and was easy to follow. I loved seeing a book centered on female friends, instead of focusing heavy on relationships (though there are some) and this was just the kind of contemporary that I would love to see more of.

I really enjoyed this book about a painful friendship breakup. I liked the way the structure of the book, with some parts labeled "Then" and some labeled "Now' allows us to see the slow unraveling of the relationship as well as the aftermath. The characters felt real and relatable. These friendship breakups are such a common part of growing up, especially for girls, that I'm surprised we don't see more books like this one. This is a much-needed addition to my high school library.

It’s refreshing to read a contemporary YA novel where romance takes a backseat. In When You Were Everything, the focus is on friendship — or more specifically, on the end of friendship.

Few things are more traumatic for teen girls that losing a best friend. In When You Were Everything, we witness the pain and sorrow and rage that occurs when besties forever, Cleo and Layla, fall apart.

It can beard to read at times, specifically because it’s so relatable. The scenes of bullying are quite uncomfortable and disturing, and Cleo’s feelings as she’s isolated and tormented ring very true, in a sadly timeless sort of way.

I enjoyed seeing how Cleo opens herself up to new friendships and learns to see what’s in front of her instead of living inside her own head so much. There’s a sweet romance too, but it’s less important than what Cleo learns about herself and about friendship.

The cast of characters is nicely diverse, and I liked the way the story includes the importance of family and the impact of parents’ and grandparents’ support, love, and involvement. Despite the sadness of the end of a friendship, the book ends on a hopeful note.

Definitely a recommended read!

I had the privilege of hearing Ashley Woodfolk speak at PLA 2 years ago and absolutely loved her first novel. I was thrilled to get a chance to read her second novel early. It did not disappoint. Ashley Woodfolk manages to capture the heartbreak and heartache that comes with teenage friendships. These friendships can be just as intense as romantic relationships and that comes through in When You Were Everything. I think it's important that Cleo is not portrayed as an innocent bystander in the dissolution of her friendship. She is not perfect and eventual ly accepts responsibility for her part in the end of one of the most important relationships in her young life. Solid YA title.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC.
I had to finish this book and ended up reading the whole thing in a day--I just had to know how it all turned out. This back-and-forth-in-time train wreck of a friendship breakup was that compelling. I found this story of love, loss, hurting each other and then moving on to be a great story for teens and middle-aged ladies. Recommended.

This was a beautifully crafted story of a friendship coming to an end. That's what happens as you get older and move through high school. Getting to see how the friendship became fractured alternating to the aftermath was really well done. 

The other positive to having alternating time lines was seeing the blossoming of other, new relationships. The journey that these characters go through was wild, especially with the protagonist Cleo. She has her moments when she is very unlikable, you just want to scream. The awful things she says to her classmates, friends, and family, You would never think she could redeem herself. Her development is what makes this such a relatable and incredible story about not being afraid to let others into your heart.

Have you ever had a friendship fall apart in front of your face?

When You Were Everything perfectly captures the pain of losing a friendship. This novel by Ashley Woodfolk encompasses every messy detail of picking up the pieces and rebuilding trust after feeling left behind by the person you care most about.

This book had me in tears, remembering past friendships and rethinking where things went wrong. The characters had me questioning my own decisions while cringing at the choices they were making. The story is a great reminder of the importance of friendship, trust, and keeping an open mind and heart in the most difficult times.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Layla entered her life at time when Cleo really needed her, and now, as her family was falling apart, she was gone. Once she was Cleo's everything, but now, they were veritable strangers.

I am so happy to be seeing more and more of these friend breakup stories. I bet many people have experienced a painful end to what they thought was a lifelong relationship, and therefore, many will be able to relate to what Cleo was going through. In fact, my heart ached, often, as I read this book, because I have been there, and it wasn't any easier watching it happen to someone else.

Cleo was this "old soul", who I instantly loved. She adored The Bard, and was often found listening to classic jazz due to the influence of her beloved grandmother. Cleo was happy living in her bubble with Layla, but unfortunately, Layla was changing, and wanted to expand her social circle. This was a case of two people growing apart, and though there's no crime in that, both Layla and Cleo had quite a few missteps, until their friendship reached a rather irreparable point.

I loved the way Woodfolk took me back and forth, between the past and the present. I watched as, bit by bit, this once solid friendship unraveled until the bond was lost forever. Present Cleo spent a lot of time reflecting on what had happened, and what she did wrong, as she tried to rebuild her life without Layla. I felt like I was going through the stages of grief with her, which seemed really appropriate, as the death of a friendship can be such a profound loss for many.

I found myself more sympathetic towards Cleo, since I was always the one left behind, but I also understood Layla's need to stretch her wings. Needless to say, Cleo's loss was deep, but it also led to some wonderful new things for her.

Without Layla to rely on, Cleo also began forming new friendships. She found people, who shared her passions, and appreciated her view of the world. She began to push herself, to put herself out there, working in the diner, and even finding some romance. This was not a smooth journey for Cleo. She was wounded and gun-shy. She was struggling with trusting and understanding why these people would want to be her friend. It was parts like these that pained me, but I understood her need for self preservation.

I read another friend breakup story not too long ago, and I feel like Woodfolk's was more successful for me, because of the amount of time spent on the post mortem part of the relationship. It was also more hopeful, and acknowledged that, though, a relationship had ended, it could still be an important part of your life.

Overall: A relatable story of the demise of a relationship, which was painfully honest, but hopeful.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars!

"Somehow I am a girl who makes all the wrong choices, but I am also a girl who aches in every way to be wanted despite my mistakes."

I took a chance on Netgalley. Fully thinking that I wouldn't be accepted, because my ratio still isn't at an 80%, and doesn't really look like I'd get accepted to anything. But imagine my surprise, when I got an email notification saying that I was accepted into reading an ARC of this book.

This book was good-but I did have some issues with it-towards the end. I liked the overall message it sent that sometimes actions can affect friendships for better or for worse. 

I saw something on Twitter like last year or what not about something giving brown eye people some love-and I do feel like this book does. The author mentions brown-eyed people a lot, and I think that's really cool.

The pain behind getting ghosted, and losing your best friend. That stuff is always painful and messy because you're confused. I was confused when all my best friends cut me off after 6th grade. Hell, I lost almost everyone in 5th grade because of rumors. So I do know how messy losing friends are.

You spend so much time with these people you call friends. And than, one day-they cut you off. You're left with no answers, and no one talking to you. Everyone cuts you off with no answers or if you're lucky you get blamed by toxic friends. Both are pretty shitty if you ask me.

There was this part that was completely shitty behavior if you asked me, but I understand where she was coming from. Her best friend was hanging out with people (which is just fine), but was purposely leaving her out. I understand the behavior, but what happens afterwards was still so shitty. How can you do that to your best friend?

I'm really loving this format though. I've only seen it once and that was with Monday's Not Coming, but this book just makes it entertaining. Highlighting both Cleo's feelings of jealously to her friend and trying to move on from the pain that was involved in the breakup. 

I think it was nice, but it does show what people do out of anger and jealously. It doesn't excuse their behaviors, but we all make mistakes-some just cost their friendship.

I kinda just want to add this side-note. Can we talk about the girl-on-girl hate in this book? Honestly, I just want to applaud that because it is realistic. Girls are often really petty to each other, and it does seem what girls could do to each other. Wreck not only one, but more lives involved if they wanted to.

The characters were really gray especially Cleo. I liked her a little bit, but she did made terrible decisions that overall affected her. All the characters were grey, and seemed to be developed.

The fact that Cleo loves Shakespeare? I find that really awesome and I love that she makes all these Shakespeare references. It's just really cool and the way she describes on why she likes it. It's just so hard not to love. I'm not a Shakespeare fan, but I think it's cool that she does.

I didn't really like the ending. It was nice and all, but didn't really fit with the book. I'm talking about the one specific part that was brought up. Like what was the point in that, besides bringing up the closure on why Cleo's parents got divorce? Though, I did appreciate the ending-ending. It was really satisfying about Cleo no longer holding onto her old friendship, and simply enjoying the new ones.

Just about everyone has gone through an awful friend breakup, but no one ever talks about it. Reading this book felt so validating and it was so fresh to read about these feelings that are so rarely spoken about. The writing and story was so realistic and emotional and was way too relatable. Also it was so nice to see that the main character could admit that she did wrong too. I was ready to have to read an annoying, can-do-no-wrong MC, so I was relieved that this book went deeper than that. Also, I loved having a main character with a speech impediment, I've never read a character struggling with that and it was so nice to see.