This was a solid listen! I love that Lexi Underwood narrated this book which made the experience more enjoyable! Loved the distorted voice during the podcast episodes! Great storyline with normal teen high school drama like Gossip Girl! The ending didn’t land because it felt rushed and no consequences! Other than that still worth the read!

Louder Than Words by Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood is a powerful and evocative exploration of the struggles young people face as they navigate grief, identity, and the complexities of friendship. The dual perspectives of the protagonists provide a rich emotional depth, allowing readers to connect with their journeys of self-discovery and healing. The authors’ lyrical prose beautifully captures the highs and lows of adolescence, making this book a compelling read. Perfect for those seeking a heartfelt narrative about resilience and the strength of community.

So i felt this book Louder than Words was good. Is it something that we’ve read before in a coming of age novel? Yes and no. What made this similar is that we have this new girl who comes to a new school, shy and trying to assign herself a new identity because of something she was involved in that was not good. It touched on bullying, racism, classism, toxic friendships, and of course building new friendships/relationships. What made this so unique was the mean girls/gossip girl element. Loved it! I followed along to this with the audiobook and it was such a smooth transition. I loved how the narrator changed up the voice and the acoustics for certain POV’s.

The tomcat tea what made it so interesting too is the fact that i did not guess at all who was the person behind the gossip blog. That’s pretty good considering I read a bunch of thrillers/mysteries and guess most of them.

This book was an easy 5 stars for me! It hit on so many different topics like racism, toxic friendships, bullying, feeling like you aren’t enough and just standing up for yourself and what you believe in. I feel like I could relate so much to this book especially during my middle and high school years.

This book went back and forth between present day and what happened before Jordyn transferred to her new school, Edgewood High, but it was an easy read and didn’t confuse me at all. When Jordyn went to her new school and rumors started quick about her on the podcast, I just knew it had to be someone close to her spreading the rumors. They knew too much! I also didn’t trust any of the friends in her circle that she made. I was skeptical of all of them. Starting a new school and not knowing anyone is already scary enough and what Jordyn had to deal with at her new school, I have felt and it sucks!

Mr. Roderick can go to hell. What a sorry ass excuse for a teacher. He should’ve been fired! My fav characters would have to be Jordyn, Kaleb and Izaiah. Kaleb gravitated to Jordyn from day one and him and Izaiah had her back from the beginning. I didn’t like how Jordyn’s parents didn’t believe anything she said until her aunt talked to them. 🫤

Finding out who the podcaster was, was a big surprise to me. I definitely had my mind set on someone else. This book taught me a lot though and I was proud of Jordyn for wanting to change. I hate how she didn’t stand up for Bree, but I understand how it is when you want to have friends so bad that you won’t intervene when someone is wrong, because you don’t want your “friends” to be mad at you!

This is all around a really good book. I would read this over and over and recommend it every chance that I get!

This wasn’t bad, it was just really like…basic for lack of a better word. There wasn’t anything new that it offered to bullying and those suffering from it. And the story was basically the same, got caught, switched schools, it caught up to her. It was just fine.

The other half of this story, the unknown podcaster was the part that I loved the most. I didn’t guess who it was, so that was good. I think I realized who it was at the same time she did. That part was good. I liked the way they changed the voices and used the tech in the audio as well. I love any type of audiobook that uses the board and adds effects. And in a book like this, it was a must. I’m glad they used it. The person who was doing it was a hypocrite and a piece of work. I think if I had rolled my eyes any harder while they were talking, they would have rolled out of my head.

Like I said in the intro, the bullying part was basic and it really didn’t have to be. SMALL SPOILER: Although she wasn’t the main one doing it, she was guilty by association. But that was never talked about. Why wouldn’t you talk about that? I mean you brought it up and made sure she said she just sat there, why not give a small talk/lesson about what that means? I mean I know she said she felt bad, but she needed some kind of parental something. They were too busy telling her to move on from that school and what happened instead of telling her that in certain states, with some crimes, she could have been arrested for just being in the vicinity.

Then there was the racist teacher. Was he there just to be a distraction? Just to show how the two of them became friends? There was potential for that to be explored as well. Even if it was just to show that the kids wouldn’t be believed.Yeah they had some of that convo in the class, but it wasn’t explored more than that and it could have been. (And no I don’t think this book HAD to teach us about race, I’m Black I know what racism is. But you all brought it up. Why give this watery explanation?)

I guess what I’m trying to say is this book just left me wanting more. It wasn’t bad and the writing style was ok, but every thing that happened in this book has happened in something else before. And usually I think like, “Ok well that makes sense. I read over 200 books a year. Something’s going to be the same. But this was too much of the same and it got monotonous.

Real rating 3.25

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

"I want to believe it's possible, to forgive someone but still hold them accountable. To not hold grudges, but to still hold on to the truth. To address toxic behavior without deciding the person is bones-deep bad."

This book feels so relevant for the time we are living in. My only real dislike was that the reveal of the identity of the podcaster was a little too Gossip Girl for me.

This books boasts two mysteries - who's behind the hurtful Tomcat Tea podcast and just what did Jordyn do at her old school? Of course, Jordyn knows the answer to the second question, but so deep is her shame and regret that it takes the book a while to fully reveal what happened.

The theme of bullying and how there's more than one way to be a part of that problem rather than the solution is an important one and authors Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood show deft hands in exploring it. The resolution of Jordyn's personal mystery ultimately felt quite satisfying, though the mystery of the podcaster's identity was less so. Still, an engrossing and important read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the eARC.

I have been on a YA kick lately. Louder Than Words does not shy away from the cost of bullying on teenagers. My heart ached throughout this book, they did such a great job portraying real feelings! So good. Will highly recommend

Louder Than Words by Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood is a read I think many teens and young adults can relate to. In "Louder Than Words," we find main character Jordyn at a new high school. full of anxiety. After being expelled from her last school, Jordyn hopes to reinvent herself. From making new friends, finding her place in her new school, and learning to use her voice, Jordyn embarks on a journey of acceptance and forgiveness. I enjoyed reading about this character finding her voice and standing up for what's right above all. At times, I was concerned with the pacing of the book, as it was a bit slow. Overall, I liked the book and how it conveyed standing up for what's right in this digital age.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

3.75 stars

Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood's Louder Than Words takes a head-on look at bullying and the cost of rumors.

Jordyn is ready to become someone new at her new public school. Private school, and all the events that occurred there, are definitely in her past. But her new classmates seem to already know who she is, even if they don't know what's she's done. How? A gossip-fueled podcast that spills the tea every week. Jordyn tries to ignore the podcast, but its effects are undeniable, especially when her new friends' and potential love interest are called out and someone's future is jeopardized. Jordyn wants to do good in the world, and works to overthrow the podcast...even if it means doing something against the rules in the process.

This YA novel has an incredible cast of characters. From Jordyn's family to her new friends to the people at her old school, each character is fully developed, feeling lifelike and realistic. Jordyn's first person narration gives the reader insight into her thoughts, motivations, and feelings.

Jordyn's mysterious past makes for a compelling premise. Why is she so worried about being perceived as a good person? What caused her parents' to mistrust her? The authors slowly reveal Jordyn's backstory through flashbacks, while Jordyn herself struggles to move on, especially with new rumors swirling about herself and other students.

While tough topics like bullying, outing, and mental health are addressed, the overall tone of the novel isn't overly heavy. Humorous, romantic, and heart-filling family moments balance out the heavier aspects of the plot. Ultimately, this story is full of heart and has a great message on how to address past hurts, and how to heal oneself through forgiveness.

Those emotionally heavier plot elements are addressed head-on, yet with tenderness. Though some bullying is seen on the page, mental health struggles and outing are shared via dialogue rather than immersing the reader in the trauma. This allows the reader to understand character motivations and develop a deep understanding of the world, without laying the trauma on them. This shows great care for the reader, while also honoring the hardship of those who have experienced these issues in real life.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is the friend group Jordyn finds at her new school. The way these characters interact with one another is so authentic, and made me miss my own core friend group from my school days. The way these characters are so open and comfortable with one another, and how they handle intra-group conflict, is authentic and realistic. The blossoming romance between Jordyn and soccer star Zay is a fun bonus, but for me the heart of this book are the friendships Jordyn works to build.

The premise of art as a form of protest and general social activism are handled well, modeling both how to, and how not to, be a student activist. Seeing the characters standing up against racism, homophobia, and other kinds of prejudice is heart-filling, and (in some ways) can provide a helpful map for teen readers on how to do the same.

Thank you to the authors, Scholastic, and NetGalley for an advanced digital ARC such that I could share my honest opinion.

Teen Vogue named Louder Than Words, "A new age Gossip Girl" and I already knew I was going to love it!! This middle grade novel is a collaboration by well-known author Ashley Woodfolk and acclaimed actress Lexi Underwood. It is a page turner but also possesses a lot of warmth and humor. The authors describe it as a novel that "tackles the complexities of being human by examining the choices and mistakes we all make, the forgiveness we all need, and the redemption we all deserve". And I describe it as a must read for all young readers!!

Giving big Gossip Girl vibes but make it a podcast this book delves into the importance of speaking out and the consequences of being a bystander when something wrong is happening / someone is doing something bad.

After her expulsion from her previous school Jordyn has the chance of starting new. In her new school she immediately clicks with a group of friends and she seems able to leave behind the painful memories and start fresh.

Except there’s a podcast that’s slowly releasing the students’ secrets, no one knows who will be next, and this brings Jordyn’s biggest fear to life: her friends and the school finding out why she was expelled from her previous school.

When one of the people close to her gets targeted by the podcast Jordyn feels like it’s her duty to stand up for them. With the help of her friends and using art as a form of protest they will try to bring the podcast down.

I really enjoyed this book! The mystery of what got Jordyn expelled and who the podcaster is made it an intriguing read that hooked you from page one. I loved how the book touches real life situations and the character development Jordyn goes through, highlighting the importance of knowing how to speak up and when to open up the spaces for others to speak up.

This books feels relevant but at the same time is an easy read that while it makes you think it won’t leave you spiraling, instead it will inspire. Plus the twist at the end gives it the perfect ending!

Overall, I enjoyed this story of smart teens navigating life in real time as well as online. Jordyn carries a big secret, and while she is trying to make things work in her new school, that specter follows her in spite of her every effort to quash it.

Thankfully, the authors, Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood, take Jordyn through the processes she needs to navigate to find the truth, which ultimately sets her and her friends free.

Louder Than Words by Ashley Woodfolk; Lexi Underwood was a wonderfully written story.
This is one book I believe most YAs will just enjoy. It’s realistic and engaging.
Most will probably relate a lot to it.
I couldn’t have loved any more than I did.

Thank You NetGalley and Scholastic Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thanks for the free book! @coloredpagesbt @netgalley

Our main character, Jordyn, is learning how to forgive while striving for accountability in herself and those around her. She is trying to make the best of her second chance and struggling with the decisions that landed her there in the first place. It was such a good look at how bullying, gossip and even just being a bystander can really ruin lives and how important it is to not only speak up, but act. did figure out who the mystery gossip podcaster was early on, but it was still such a good twist! I also loved how the book focused on redemption and second chances. I think this is such a great YA book

I think the authors did a great job of bringing all the main characters to life. The descriptions and dialog seemed spot-on for high-schoolers nowadays.

It was hard reading parts of it, which is to be expected, and uplifting to read other parts. I think so many people (all ages, adults too) suffer in silence from bullying which can lead to devastating and life-altering decisions.

3 stars

This is not a bad book, but for a superstar like Ashley Woodfolk - whose works I've loved consistently - I'm coming out of this read feeling underwhelmed.

Jordyn, the m.c., had a tough time last year, and this appears to involve hanging around with not the right crowd and ultimately getting expelled. Now, she's starting another school and attempting an internal glow up, but she can't seem to shake the baggage of her past choices.

For me, this moved so slowly. I typically read books of this length/format in a day or two. It took me over a month of reading here and there to make my way through this. I just could not get invested in Jordyn's struggle, the subplot, or the "mystery."

It pains me to write this since I do love Woodfolk so much, but this one was just an okay read for me.

This book really delves into the importance of speaking up for what’s right and staying true to your values.

The one thing I genuinely enjoyed about this book is how committed Jordyn was to doing better. To not be a bystander to bullying and harassment even when we was faced with her past resurfacing.

I can say that I couldn’t predict correctly who the podcaster was. I had my theories, but I’m happy I didn’t get it right.

It did frustrate me how little her parents believed her, and how it took her aunt to kinda chew them out to hear her story and what really happened.

Overall this was a solid read! I was hesitant with the beginning if I was going to actually get into it or not, but to my surprise it did pick up and I was locked in until the very end!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. It ended up being too predictable and a little cheesy. I would maybe recommend this to middle school aged kids, but definitely not high school.

Now this was definitely Jordyn’s redemption story and I enjoyed reading on how she changed for the better and right her wrongs to get forgiveness. I also liked the tomcat tea element to it definitely reminded me of gossip girl with less drama.

Jordyn is the new girl at a public high school in Washington, DC after being expelled from her private school for unknown reasons. After a shaky start, she finds her people and things are going really well for her. But is everything about to fall apart for her again? Although a bit formulaic, there is a good message in this book and some good tension as well. Jordyn is Black and has a diverse friend group. This is appropriate for 6th grade and above.