"You'd Be Home Now" is impossibly good. "It made me cry on a bus AND a train" type good. The motivations behind each character's (and I hate to call them that because they felt so *real*) actions ring true in a way that grounds the book in reality, the way the best stories do. I felt like I knew these people, all of them; had walked around in their life for a while and loved and lost and hurt right along with them. Not a "cautionary tale for teens" (and praise God because another one of those is the last thing anyone stuck on this overheated rock needs right now), but a necessary addition to YA collections and a recommended purchase hands down.

You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow is a gut wrenching look at how addiction affects the entire family and community. It is rare to find an author who writes authentic teen characters, but Katheleen Glasgow nails it in this book. Emmy is the youngest of three kids. Maddie is the beautiful, perfect oldest, Joey is the middle brother, who struggles with addiction, and everyone wants Emmy to just be the good one, who takes care of her brother. And for a long time Emmy does take care of Joey: doing his homework, his chores, and covering for him when he’s high. Everyone knows it is impossible to be your own person and also try to be what everyone expects you to be.

This was a hard book to read sometimes due to the situations and feelings these kids experience. Emmy is such a shell of a girl for much of the book and I was so angry at the adults in her life who could not see that. The mom in the book drove me crazy with her demands on her children while also having blinders on to their problems. But everything in the book felt real and as though it could have happened. I do not want to give spoilers because there is a lot that happens in this book. It was wonderful to see Emmy grow as a person. Her essay at the end of the book to her English teacher allowed her to reflect on the growth she experienced over the last year.

Some might feel the book gets heavy handed about the amount of people in the town dealing with addiction or dealing with someone they love being addicted. But I bet if you pause and think about the people you know and love you will realize it’s not too much. Hopefully it helps people see that addiction is a disease and one we need to treat with compassion and empathy. This is a YA book, but one I think adults will get a lot out of too. I would like to read it with my teen to open up a discussion about many of the topics the author covers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. As with Girl in Pieces, this book will stick with me for a long time.

I seem to be in the minority on this book. I liked it. It isn't that. I didn't love it. I thought it was a bit predictable and I like to be surprised. Maybe I am oversaturated with stories of family and addiction. They are so timely and important. The characters have a realness to them but there was something that kept me at a distance from them. I wanted to know what would become of them but I did not want to know them. There was no real time when I read this and it pulled or pushed me. It was a story that was there. That's good for some times. It's nice to have comfortable even in uncomfortable situations. I don't know if I make sense and that is a perfect reflection of me after reading this book. I'm not sure why I liked it but did not love it. It will be an important read for some, I think.

If you're looking for a novel that will punch in you in the heart with all of the feels, run, don't walk to your nearest bookseller and grab You'd Be Home Now. This novel hooked me within the first sentences and didn't let me go. The story of Emmy and her family and her life in high school felt so relatable; even though I'm decades from my own personal experience, I definitely recognize so many versions of this in that of my students and my daughters.

Kathleen Glascow captured those feelings of being invisible or of being isolated, the burdens of addiction and secrets, and the desire to protect those you love, even if it may be detrimental to you that I found myself tearing up many times. She put you right there with Emmy and you couldn't help but feel her anxiety, her sadness, her desire, and her hope as it poured out on the page.

Now that I've found Kathleen Glascow, I'm going to be reading her earlier two novels with no doubt that I'm going to find myself tearful and fulfilled by the time I get to "the end".

This book was amazing. It was intense, filled with drama and heartache and hope. I read this in the span of a few short hours and didn't even put it down to eat dinner, because it was so enthralling that I had to know what happened. I have mental health issues, not addiction issues. But so many of Joey's problems were universal, and I feel for Emory, who is stuck in her siblings shadows. I'm glad that at the end she manages to start finding her way. 4.5 stars rounded up.

When I saw Kathleen Glasgow's latest up on NetGalley, I immediately hit request. I read How to Make Friends with the Dark earlier this year and was struck by how powerful the author's writing is. You'd Be Home Now definitely packs the same kind of punch. Emory is on her way home from a party when the car crashes and a girl dies. When she wakes up in the hospital, she finds out her brother Joey is messing with stronger drugs than she ever imagined and she has an injured leg.

As Emory tries to cope with her new normal, her brother is in rehab and every friend she's had has ghosted her. Once Joey gets home, Emory has to deal with her mom's strict rules and the start of a new school year all at once. Emory gets involved with the drama club and starts to find some new friends and a sense of purpose while trying to keep Joey safe and sober.

Of course, nothing goes as planned and what comes next is one of the more accurate portrayals of substance abuse and addiction that I have seen in a young adult book. I was really impressed with how the author dealt with the subject and could feel the pain both Emory and Joey struggled with. I had to take a few deep breaths while reading because I was so invested in the story and concerned about the outcome.

I hope that more people discover this author and her beautiful writing, especially because she tackles such tough topics in such a meaningful and thoughtful way. Definitely do not sleep on Kathleen Glasgow.

Many thanks to Delacorte Press for an advance copy through NetGalley.

This book was sad, but definitely well written and worth the read. Characters are easy to get into. It's not a short read, but it isn't a long read either. You might get hooked.

Okay hear me out! I normally don’t go after this type of books because they always make me so so sad and I don’t really know what to think, addiction is such a harsh topic to read and talk about but the way Kathleen wrote about it was perfect, you could tell she did her research in order to make an amazing book.

I loved this book so much and the we I connected with Emory was incredible, I finished it in just a couple of hours because I felt so close to her and wanted a happy ending, even tho sometimes life doesn’t give us one. I can’t wait to share this book on my booktok: @betweenthepagesfl.

This book was incredible and I would recommend it for sure! 😊

This was a captivating book from the start! The characters were believable and likable. I read this book in 1 1/2 days. I needed to k ow what happened next. The struggles the teens faced were honest and sad.

You’d Be Home Now is the first book I’ve ever read by Kathleen Glasgow and she did an amazing job. Books like this are certainly never easy to write, but Kathleen did a fantastic job with it, despite the fact that she made me cry a lot. This is an intriguing story of a town, its tragedies, and the difficult events that occur in everyday life. These are imperfect and naive characters. They seek support. Is their family strong enough to support them through their difficulties?

In a matter of seconds, the lives of four teens are changed forever. It all started with Jeremy, Candy, Emory, and Luther getting into a car accident after a party. Candy, on the other hand, did not make it. Emory was taken to the hospital with a shattered kneecap, and Jeremey was high on heroin, so his parents decided he needed help and he was admitted into rehab. Luther, on the other hand, lost an eye and was sent to juvie.

What will happen now, though? Emory adores her brother Jeremey and desires for his well-being. Will she, however, forget about herself? Her own problems? When school starts, what will happen? What will her classmates say? Is her brother ever going to be the same again? What happens if he does have a relapse?

Addiction is a common occurrence, and people require all of the assistance and support possible. It will never be simple to overcome addiction. Every addict is different, and you never know what will happen next. Keep an eye on what you say to addicts. You never know if what you say will trigger a relapse. Addicts require time to heal from their experiences and should not be forced to do everything at once. It can overwhelm and drain them, as you will see in this story. Never make light of someone who is addicted. Young people enjoy all of the drama and gossip, but one day they will need to shut the fuck up and worry about themselves instead. Your words can and will hurt someone, and more people need to realize that.

Don’t act like you know everything because the truth is, you don’t.

Really enjoyed this!!! This was definitely heavier than I was expecting. It read a little on the younger YA side but slowly grew into something more mature and heavy-hitting. I enjoyed our main character’s journey as she deals with her own issues with a toxic relationship while trying to help her brother during his recovery from drug use. This touches on some really important societal issues and gives you a glimpse into how substance abuse can not only affect one family, but an entire down. Heartbreaking and powerful.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! Kathleen Glasgow always tackles important issues with such grace, and this book is no different. Her writing is so effortless and realistic, and you’ll be sure to be immediately drawn into the story.

This book approaches addiction so realistically, especially when looking at Emory’s relationship with Jack. After Jack goes to rehab, his family believes if he just sticks to certain rules, he’ll be cured of his addiction. He’ll be able to get back to a normal life. However, as Emory learns more about addiction and watches him struggle, she realizes that this isn’t the case. Addiction isn’t something easy to overcome, and those who struggle with it need flexibility.

In addition to Jack’s own struggles with addiction, Glasgow also shows how this is a systemic problem as well. Jack’s story is one that, unfortunately, a lot of people will probably relate to. Prescribed an addictive drug. We see this in an entire community in Mill Haven, and this is happening in small towns all over the country.

While the book maybe didn’t quite need to be as long as it was, I think the events included at the end were important in giving all of the characters closure. We see how parts of a community can come together to support each other, and we get to see high school students taking a stand for themselves. Emory also gains the courage to make her voice heard, and when she does, it’s such a powerful moment in the story.

Glasgow’s books are always sure to take an emotional toll, but they are an important addition to the YA realm. The issues are hard-hitting, important topics, and I hope that these stories will make it into the hands that need them.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel! I have devoured Kathleen's other two works, and they have absolutely ruined me in the best way. So, when I saw this one up for request, I jumped at it, knowing that I needed her raw lens of the world right now. I connected to Girl in Pieces because of the self-harm aspect, as well as the protagonist's need to figure out who she was and gain her agency back. I related to How To Make Friends With The Dark because I too have needed my family and friends to help me out of the all-consuming darkness I was facing. I wasn't sure how this particular novel would speak to me, but it may have hit harder than the other two combined.

I saw myself in Emory, this soul longing for connection. I have felt her invisibility, her instinct to hide and pretend. I have been that girl who chased after boys who ultimately wanted nothing from her in the same way that she wanted from them. I threw myself into theatre in college and it was an undeniable escape. Watching Emory do the same as her life was crashing around her, whether she took it voluntary or not, took my breath away. Simon, the theatre director, tells her that she's 'invincible in someone else's skin', and that in itself is a kind of addiction. Which, as you may have guessed by the cover, is the driving force of this story. It mainly follows Emory's brother, Joey, and his dependency on opioids-- but the inhabitants of Mill Haven are riddled with their own vices if you know where to look. Emory's dad struggles with alcoholism. Her mom, with power, money, and control. Luther Leonard with revenge. Gage Galt with secret rendezvous. The list goes on and on and on.

This is a powerful story that shows you just how many ways one can grapple with this life that we've been thrust into. Life is not always that happy song-- it is sometimes a slow and menacing dirge. Some of us find healthy ways of coping, but others are not as fortunate. If you are only able to take away one thing from Emory's tale-- I hope it's the plea to be kind to the homeless person on the sidewalk. The kid who wears a scarf indoors and in any sort of weather. The girl who made a mistake with a boy that she thought saw her. The brother who tried his best but still fell short. Kathleen's novels are hard to describe, but what I do know is-- they shy away from sugar-coating and are more genuine than any other novels I've ever read. I highly recommend this book.

Okay, when I started this book I wasn't really expecting to like this book as much as I ended up doing. The beginning felt a bit confusing and I had a lot of questions. However, as this book kept going things just started to feel a lot more clear and there never was an info-dumpy moment. I really liked ou main character. I thought she was a very interesting and realistic character. I also really liked the cast of side characters. Again, they all felt really realistic. Some might have been frustrating to read but their motivations were understandable and I loved the growth they went through. I also really liked all the different things going on in this book. It all just blend together really well. The last 25% or so from this book just made me cry, like a lot. This book was just really well written and I loved how little details came to the forefront in the end and everything just made sense. I know this review is terrible but it's kind of hard to talk about this book without spoiling anything.

First off, thank you to @netgalley and @delacortepress for my advance copy! I was a huge fan of Girl In Pieces so I was very excited to read this one!

This is heartbreaking you guys. Set in a small town where everyone knows your business, the novel really explores the profound love a sister has for her brother and the rippling effect that drugs/addition have on ones life. The book starts off with a bang-literally-a car full of teenagers crashes into a tree. From that moment on you are hooked. It’s raw, humanizing and engrossing. I literally couldn’t put it down. She does such a wonderful job of fleshing out the characters and making you feel their emotions and what they are going through. She didn’t shy away from the mistakes and the ugliness some of the characters display which made it feel real. It was a wonderful representation of the devastation drugs have on a family and town. I will say that it is one huge trigger warning. If you have experienced addition personally or through a family/friend just know that it is difficult and may cut to close to home. Another masterpiece @misskathleenglasgow !

This has a really good theme, plot, and interesting characters. If your goal was to make your audience cry of relief, sadness, and happiness (so basically a trail of emotions) you have succeeded! This was really good and I cannot wait for any new books you have in mind!

To start, this had me in heaps of tears! The emotion that sinks straight into your heart from the page is achingly beautiful. This hit the realistic portrayal of the impact surroundings have on a person right on the head. Time moves so slow when everyone is telling you to hold onto your days, to slow down. Friends pass, and you become perceived as someone completely different when you don't even know who you are yourself. You might not even know, but that's the anguish of life, also the beauty of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of You'd be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of You'd be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow.

Emmy's life has come to a literal screaming halt after getting into a terrible car accident that took the life of one classmate, while her brother was behind the wheel and full of substances. Now school has started, her love interest won't acknowledge her in public, and people view her as a pariah because of what her brother Joey did. On top of that, she's constantly worried about her brother and whether or not his addiction will relapse. Everyone in the family is on pins and needles.

This was such a good YA novel that addresses so many topics. Sexploitation, drug abuse, addiction, driving under the influence, romance, family issues etc. I felt like all of the characters were fleshed out well, and written really fairly. I rarely believe in bad guys, most people are just doing their best in the place that they are at. I can see why Glasgow is a popular YA author, I look forward to reading more of her material,

You'd Be Home Now
by Kathleen Glasgow
Published Sept. 28, 2021

This book is a great YA BOOK! The characters are true to life and believable. My heart hurt when they hurt and celebrated when they celebrated. Glasgow did an incredible job of nailing the teen experience and she did it in a way that was not off-putting to adult readers. The topics written about in this book are important ones and not only for teens. Everyone will be able to find at least a little of themselves in these pages. I imagine reading this book will bring comfort and a sense of inclusion to most people who read it. In addition, there are resources listed at the end of the book for anyone who may need them. This is a fantastic book that I will recommend over and over again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

This is a very realistic portrayal of dealing with a loved one who suffers from addiction. It is a heartbreaking coming of age story that will give you all the feels. It was the perfect read for me at the perfect time.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.