Louder Than Words is a beautifully written story of friendship, forgiveness, second chances, and standing up for change.

There is a fine line between doing what feels safe and doing what feels right; this book delves into the struggles to find that median. 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.

Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood did a fantastic job of portraying the internal battle of right and wrong from the standpoint of a teenager who is hurting and still figuring herself (and her world) out.

I really enjoyed this book! 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. Jordyn was such a great character. I liked how committed she was to being a better person than she was before and also how she eventually took accountability for her actions. I LOVED Mila, Anton, Kaleb and Bryce and their friendship with her. Andrew ZAY. Zay was excellent. I 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.

CW: bullying, mentions of homophobia, mentions of suicide attempts, racism

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up is hard. Growing up in the digital age sounds horrible, and I'm glad I didn't have to do it. This book puts a real spotlight on one of the harder aspects of growing up (in my opinion), which is bullying.

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.

I'm hoping in the final version of this book there will be resources about bullying, suicide, and mental health in general. You never know who might read the book and find the exact information they need at that time.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jordyn had a tough year. She was expeled from private and she has a chance for a fresh start at a new school.

Jordyn is trying to be a better person due to her recent struggles. Unfortunately, she will come face to face with her past. A past she wasn’t honest about with her new friends.

Such a great coming of age story. Deals with so many issues that kids are dealing with today.

I felt such empathy for our main character, Jordyn. She was starting at a new high school after being expelled from her prior school for actions that have made her pledge to be a better person, and to speak up when she sees injustice instead of standing by, afraid to draw attention to herself. She does change, as evidenced by her actions, but what will she do if people find out why she was expelled when an anonymous podcast starts spilling the secrets of the students who go to her new school?

I liked that this book was so relatable to any teen who reads it. The problems the kids faced in the book are the same ones that affect kids in real life. I thought the story was told in a realistic way, and while the pacing was a bit off at times, I enjoyed reading it.

In summary, I liked this book very much and highly recommend it.

4/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Scholastic Press, Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood for the opportunity to read and review Louder Than Words.

When you’ve made horrendous mistakes, how can you start fresh? That’s Jordyn’s dilemma when she starts her junior year after being expelled from private school. She quickly finds a friend group, but can’t figure out when the right time is to share her past mistakes.

I can imagine this book will hit home for many high school students as the topics covered (primarily gossip and bullying) are highly relevant to their lives. I hope the published book will include resources for teens dealing with the traumas included in the book. This will definitely have a home in my high school library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.
It was beautifully written and the characters really came alive for me.
Great plot, powerful moments and to be able to see how everything came together.
The importance of words, speaking and being true to yourself while trying to grow is challenging in itself.
This book will be great for middle grade to high school.

Wish the book had references at the end where kids can get help if needed; or counseling, hotline.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic for the advanced ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for this book.

As an adult I did enjoy this book more than I thought I would.

It was about the hurtfulness of gossip and gave an insight into the teenage mind.

I think it would be highly educational for teens and would help then see the emotional affect there words have on their peers.

Recommend.

This was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the mystery though I figured it out very early on. I liked the messages of speaking up against bullying and doing the right thing no matter what the consequences. I thought this novel was all over the place and not really focused, however. Jordyn's drama over how her parents treated her felt whiny and she never made me feel as if I was on her side.

4.5/5.0
In a world with so many voice demanding attention, this book does a superb job of narrowing everything down to what is truly important. It is an insightful look at so many issues today’s teenagers must handle on a daily basis, from bullying, to personal identity, peer pressure and the need for acceptance, as well as choices - both wrong and right - and the consequences of those choices. And, all of this is accomplished within a story that is both engaging, and delightfully readable!

The plot revolves around Jordyn, a high school student who is entering public school after being expelled from her previous private school. She carries the guilt of past actions that nearly destroyed a life and is determined to change and be a better person. As she learns to stand for what is right, she makes friends from a diverse group but is still plagued with insecurity and fear. That fear is understandable considering the hotbed of gossip, innuendo and pressure that inhabit the very basis of high-school life. And, when the inevitable happens, Jordyn is faced with how one truly lives up to her desire to be better.

It is poignant, extremely relevant, heart-breaking at times and absolutely uplifting and enlightening. It is a book that will resonate with every adolescent who reads it. And, while the authors do succumb at times to the very stereotypical cliches that they work to disband, they do an amazing job of capturing the very essence of teenage life and weaving profound lessons into this beautifully penned story.

Louder than Words is the story of Jordyn, a high schooler who has started at a public school after being expelled from an exclusive private school. We don’t know exactly why she was expelled until late in the story, but we do know that Jordyn is determined to be a better version of herself at this new school, and she is doing that by standing up for justice. Soon, Jordyn finds herself in the middle of a circle of friends with strong beliefs, minds, and spirits. And at the same time, Jordyn is scared they won’t accept her if they know her whole history.

Louder than Words is a quick, easy read. The characters are likable and there are some powerful moments. However, for me, this book was entirely too predictable. From the first few pages, it was obvious how the story would unfold, even who the villain was, and I was right about every detail. For that reason, it was an underwhelming read, despite the fact that I wanted to like it more. Ultimately, I give it a lukewarm recommendation. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“You don’t want to speak for anyone—because voicelessness isn’t real. You want to make sure you’re using your influence to elevate voices that are normally silenced. It’s a subtle but big difference.”

“Powerful people have always wanted to stay powerful. Powerless people have always been mad about their lack. Both are capable of doing bad things if they feel like they’re losing ground or if something scares them.”

This was SUCH A GREAT READ. I can see this story being very popular amongst my teen patrons. This was a great plot and a great read and the whole thing all together was just amazing. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone!

This was a very neutral read for me. I didn't hate but I also didn't love it. It wasn't a terrible read. Jordyn is all about new year, new me as a new student at Edgewood High. She doesn't want to make the same mistake that got her expelled from her old high school with her new group of friends. However, a messy, gossipy podcast might ruin her chances at starting over. I think this can be a very relatable book for young audiences about friendships, keeping secrets, and wanting to fit in. This is also a book about redemption and forgiveness. One part of the book I didn't understand was including the inner thoughts of one of the side characters that you won't know who it is until the end. I don't feel it was necessary or added anything to the story. This book wrapped up pretty nicely. Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic for the advanced ARC.

This book is one every young preteen and teenager should read! Ashley Woodfolk and Lexi Underwood bring about the harsh realities of today's youth in this compelling novel of second chances. The theme of finding your voice and realizing that saying nothing can be as harmful if not more when bullying is occurring is so well written. They are able to display the troubles and worries along with the lack of voice young adults have in society. I would definitely have not only my own children read this but also any middle grade to high school aged child as they are sure to connect to some character in some way. Definitely a book that will grace my bookshelf.

Absolutely amazing! Jordyn had a tough year and was expelled from her high school. She transferred to a new school which was to be a fresh start for her. But she held back secrets from her previous life which inevitably came to light nefore she could tell them. Jordyn really did try to be better and speak the truth but a podcast threatened to betray her secrets. Beautifully written and the characters really came alive for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was fabulous! It was such an interesting take on a subject that is super apparent in today's society, especially with teenagers like me. I loved seeing their solutions to the podcast, good and bad, and how people coped with it. It also contained a super interesting mystery, and the plot twists at the end were crazy! Overall, this book was great, and I really loved the take on gossip that it took.

Jordyn Jones walks into Edgewood High expecting a fresh start- no one from her old life and nothing but her own path in front of her. Unfortunately, that is not the reality she finds. Instead she walks into a school where her past is questioned as a result of the school's anonymous podcast, Tomcat Tea- where students are put in the public eye as the unknown hosts ruins reputations without hesitation.

Jordyn manages, in spite of rumors, to make friends and to connect with a cute boy. But someone wants her to stop putting herself out there and threatens to expose the truth of her past.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt realistic in terms of how rumors spread within schools. As is typical of YA lit, there were teachers who felt completely unreal to me. As an educator, it is hard for me to suspend disbelief at times when teachers in books are doing things like listening to a tea-spilling podcast and not taking action to try to stop it.