As a school librarian in Texas, I was soooooo nervous when I began to read this novel. Yes, sex as a teenager has merit and needs to be discussed safely with students, but in our current political climate, I knew for sure I would not be able to purchase this book for a school library. Then I continued the story. Jason Reynolds found a way to address losing your virginity with such care and grace it was mind blowing and appropriate for school libraries. I absolutely loved this novel. True to Reynolds's creative nuances, the format of this story was a challenge as the plot unfolded backward at varying speeds of time lapsing, but once I understood and got into the groove of how the narrative was being revealed, I was hooked. I loved the friendships and the banter about sex between the friend group allowing space for so many different perspectives include backgrounds, genders, and sexualities. I enjoyed the complicated family dynamics and the thoughtful conversations about sex had with adults and getting the perspectives of different generations of people. I loved the conversation around dating and having multiple partners and the importance of communication and transparency in this type of relationship. The topic of consent and unselfish lovers and how love looks different for different partners was wonderful. It was such a refreshing and approachable book. It showed the importance of adults having these conversations with kids while also allowing them the space to explore and live their lives in a safe and informed manner. And the it was funny! Everything about this book was dope. Loved it. Thank you Jason Reynolds for being your amazing bold self and giving the kids what they need despite it all.

It’s hard to choose a “favorite” book by Jason Reynolds because each is so different in style and subject matter. But this one… whew!
The way-too-quick recap is that it’s Judy Blume’s Forever told from the male perspective. And I love that he dedicates the book to her. But of course it’s not a Judy Blume retelling. It’s the story of Neon and Aria, who have been dating for two years and are on the brink of having sex for the first time. It’s the story of how their relationship came to be, of the influences in their lives that have brought them to this moment, of the ways that Neon’s parents and grandparents have raised him to think about sex, of conversations within his friend group, of the swirl of conflicting emotions he feels, of so many things that go through his head.
And we get to be there for the journey, for the anticipation and the awkwardness and the serendipitous events that have brought Neon to this moment.
I am so excited for teens to read this.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books, for the electronic arc.

Jason Reynolds is an auto-read author for me. I was thrilled to receive this ARC and am happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Every character felt developed, even if they were side characters. The prose was beautiful (as usual for Jason Reynolds). What I really loved was the sex-positivity. It is so important for teens to read about relationships and sex in a responsible and respectful way. I think a lot of teens will really benefit from reading Neon’s conversations with his parents, sister, friends, and girlfriend. I sincerely recommend this book for any teen or YA collection. Our kids are really going to benefit from this novel!

Wow! Where do I even start? First and foremost, I am a Jason Reynolds stan for life. I know when I pick up anything written by Reynolds that I am in for a treat that will take me through a roller coaster of emotions. This book will connect with every single student who picks it up. I will without a doubt be purchasing multiple copies. This is a wonderful book to place in the hands of our male readers and struggling readers. It will hook them. This is more than a romance, it addresses tough conversations, friendships, love, and loss. I cannot wait to experience this book in audio form and hopefully with Jason Reynolds narrating. Teachers, librarians, and parents read this book with your student!

A huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for this arc!

I want to scream from the rooftops about how much I loved this. We are so lucky to live in a world where Jason Reynolds writes for young adults. This book is absolutely hilarious. If you’re a librarian wondering about the age-level appropriateness of this one, my honest observation is that if the teenager has watched any PG-13 Will Ferrell movie, then they can handle this book. I can’t wait to promote this book in my high school library.

This novel is skillfully written and may be considered Jason Reynolds best yet. The length is approachable for all readers; although, I’m not sure if struggling readers will appreciate the story being told in reverse. There is great humor and relationships throughout all the characters. It is refreshing to see Neon have a healthy relationship with his parents to have the hard conversations about sex. It is also wonderful to see an example of a drama free dating relationship with Neon and Aria. This book is a fresh take on storytelling.

Jason Reynolds hits it out of the park every time. He can somehow get into the head of today's young people, and he uses that ability to write stories that are completely authentic and needed. You don't even feel as though you're reading a book in Twenty Four Seconds From Now - it's like you're in the room listening as someone bares their soul to you. This is a book that a lot of teenagers will enjoy, and this is yet another book by Jason Reynolds that will resonate with a lot of young people.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley!

I usually love Jason Reynolds writing. I just wasn't drawn in while reading this. It is a short and quick read. I just couldn't get into it. The story didn't grab me and pull me in. It was a good story, just not for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Atheneum (of Simon and Schuster) for the eARC.

Jason Reynolds has done it again. I couldn't stop reading Twenty-Four Seconds From Now. Reynolds takes a topic that is very real for teenagers and very taboo for many adults and presents it in a way that expresses life's big events and challenges. Reynolds's makes no judgement about what his characters do, he just leaves it there for the reader to digest. I highly recommend this book.

Loved the story line and the characters that Jason Reynolds portrays. Definitely not the usual Jason Reynolds content that I am used to.

I absolutely love Jason Reynolds. This is his first YA romance book and is nothing like he has ever written before. The story is of two characters, Aria and Neon that are wanting to take it further into their relationship. The story is told in reverse order. I did like that about this book because it leads up to how everything just falls into place with their 2 year anniversary. Jason portrayed these two characters very well. Neon is a gentlemen and is a great representation of how a young adult should act. Aria is a sweet, girl next door, take her home to mom young woman. This book portrays a lot of emotions that young adults face when wanting to take it to the next step. Ya know, that awkward "what do I do" phase.

This is a very cute story, however, this books age range is 14+, grades 9-12. I would have to say it is more grades 11-12 and definitely not age 14. As a mom of a 13 year old, I would not want him reading this next year. The language is real and raw. As a teacher, I would be very limited on who would and could check this out.

Another amazing book by Jason Reynolds. This book follows Neon and Aria over the past 24 months as their lives collide in high school, leading up to their senior year close to graduation. The writing captures the emotions of Neon as he deals with his parents, his grandfather's death, his grandmother's fading memory, and his friends at school and their online yearbook project. The story shows how relationships can be - with your first love, family, friends, and others. I can't recommend this book enough.

I've been obsessed with everything that Jason Reynolds has ever written for a long time and this one is special. I love the timing of the storytelling, I love that it's about love and the awkwardness that comes with being in love as a teenager and I especially love that it's a love story told from a teen boy perspective. There is just something so tender and lovely and wonderful about this book.

Jason Reynolds is a master at conveying authenticity when it comes to his characters. Readers are drawn into to the story by the light and sometimes humorous banter between the characters. It's rare to find a male protagonist in a YA story and Neon is someone that readers will fall in love with. Teenagers will find the plot intriguing as it centers around Neon and Aria finally deciding to "do it" after dating for two years. The story begins in the present and then flashes back in increments of twenty-four (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months) as the background of Neon's and Aria's love story is delineated.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now tells the story of young love and the big decisions that are sometimes required when navigating this. The characters are relatable and likeable and teens will find common ground with the characters both main and secondary as they navigate their way through the tough issues teens deal with on a daily basis. The content may be too much for teens on the younger side as it deals with sexual activity in teens but the story is told in a wholesome and relatable way.

At first I thought this book was missing some of the profound moments that other works from him contain. I mean, what does this book hold? It has a teenager who dates his girl for two years before they decide it’s time to consummate their relationship. He has frank discussions with his parents. He has thoughtful internal dialogue with himself and deeply cares for this girl. He goes through the moment of using a condom and actually rehearses so he won’t make a mistake when the time comes. Then I realize- these ARE the profound moments. I wish other teens considering their first time (or any time) would be as careful as Neon, and had people to talk to like Neon.

I’m sure that there will be those who don’t like the book because of its content. It’s not graphic; the worst that it contains is a few words of profanity and a mild, quick discussion of mast****tion. This book is not a “how to” manual at all. Some students may even be disappointed because they wanted more details. It’s more of Reynolds showing Neon’s mind and the thoughts leading up to his big decision in good detail.

This is a really unique perspective on two teens deciding to take a big step. The perspective slowly moving out in increments of 24 showcases a type of thought and consideration that I don't think are normally attributed to teens taking the next step in their relationship. And to clarify by next step I mean having sex, so if you're looking to avoid content this isn't the place for it, but nothing is explicit or even happens on page, but there is a lot of talking about it either directly or without stating what it is exactly.