Neon is now in Aria’s bathroom having a breakdown. They are about to take their relationship to the next level … that is if he can get out of his head and back into her bedroom. Twenty-four minutes ago Neon was leaving work; twenty-four days ago Neon’s mom found her bra in his bedroom; twenty-four weeks ago …; twenty-four months ago ….

Twenty-Four Second From Now is a novel told in reverse. This book starts with now and slowly backs up to show the reader what was happening in Neon’s life to get him to that point. Reynolds did a wonderful job leading readers into the thoughts and actions of Neon and the people in his life. It was a little confusing at first, but once I understood what the story was trying to do, it was great. This is a short read that can be completed in one sitting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4.5/5 stars.

Look, Jason Reynolds can do no wrong. I was not, though, expecting to read a stream-of-consciousness memory of a teenage boy about to have his first time with his girlfriend. I also don't think I ever expected Jason Reynolds to write a novel that is literally about sex-positivity and healthy relationships. I want to recommend this book to my students, but also like....is it weird if I recommend this book to my students? The discussion of healthy relationships, sex advice, first times, etc., is SO good for young adults to read (and yes, I've done a whole research paper about this during my undergrad).

I also like the format of it, but it does take a second to get used to. You move BACK through the timeline of their relationship in the increments of 24 seconds, minutes, days, weeks, etc.

It was truly a beautiful, courageous novel.

Initial reaction: I haven't decided on a final rating for this yet, but it's likely to be either a strong 4 star read or 4.5 stars. I enjoyed getting to know Neon and his relationship with Aria. This is told in an interesting, reverse order way that allows you to have glimpses of the relationship between the main two, their families and friends, and ultimately Neon and Aria coming together before they...um...do the thing. Neon has to navigate awkward conversations from each person in his life - parents, older sister, grandmother - about what to do when they get ready, and you get a glimpse into Aria's family as well as their friend group. I think there may be some reluctant teen readers who find the reverse order a little difficult to navigate, but it makes sense with not just the vibe of the narrative, but also you get to know the characters and they're fun to watch. The scenes in each section/chapter are strong on their own and give a complete picture by the end.

Poor Neon having that conversation with his Mama in the restaurant though, lol. That was the worst (best?) I've seen in terms of having that talk. (I'll explain in the full review.)

Full review:

Jason Reynolds' latest book "Twenty-Four Seconds from Now..." is a much needed perspective in the measure of coming of age stories about first times. I think this is one of the more widely noted narratives that tackles the subject of a first time experience for a Black boy in a way that was funny, sweet, and approachable. I absolutely loved this book for what it offers and the unique way it tells its story. Although I think my biggest critique may be that there may be some readers who love this reverse order stream of consciousness narrative and others who may struggle a little bit with it. Matter of preference and/or making sure the reader get themselves oriented with the timeline if they happen to put it down and have to reorient. But let me make the case for why I think it still sticks the landing with that piece of it and everything else the story has to offer.

Neon is a great character to get to know, strong voice from the jump even when you realize he's seconds away from the big moment of doing "it" with his girlfriend of two years. He starts the novel understandably nervous, in the bathroom before a picture of an ugly dog named Denzel Jeremy Washington. (How I eventually learned the dog got his name had me rolling with laughter.) You can tell early on how much Neon cares for Aria, how they met, what their relationship dynamic is like and how they're getting ready for the next big step. One reason I think the reverse order works is not just for the theme it follows - 24 seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc. It's also because it gives you brief glimpses - snapshots of these interactions that are pivotal to Neon and Aria's relationship. Snapshots into their families, preferences, friend groups, high school activities (Neon's in Yearbook with Aria working on a project, also helps his dad with a bingo job) - things that are part of their everyday and history. And you also see the honest, sometimes very blunt conversations where Neon gets advice leading up to the moment from his mother, father, sister, grandmother and friends. (And of course the dog's there.) The narrative is a short one, so the snapshot and sequencing theme work for it, but I do think there may be some readers who may have to reorient if they put the narrative back down, pick it back up, and figure where they are on the timeline per the chapters.

It leans well into a POV from a Black boy who really is trying his hardest to get things right before the big moment. The narrative's strength is its portrayal of the vulnerability, awkwardness, and empathy that Neon has. Neon's voice pops off the page with authenticity - Reynolds consistently does a great job with this in his narratives. The moments between Aria and Neon between are sweet and sincere. But there are also moments, like in the convo Neon has with his mama in the restaurant, where you feel for him in the middle of a really, REALLY awkward public situation. His mother finds one of her bras in Neon's room, and poor Neon has to explain he was trying to figure out how to properly unhook a bra. (Neon's sister Nat has the best answer for it, if I'm being honest. Y'all can find that out for yourself and it's really obvious once Neon hears it.) But the scene is awkward 'cause his mama actually brings the bra she found in his room, puts it on the table in the public restaurant. The poor server has to handle this awkward too. If that isn't gold standard Black rom-com coded, I don't know what to tell you. I felt bad for Neon, but I was also snort-laughing.

The ending is sweet and the pay off to the big moment is well earned, if a little quick to conclude. But I really liked "Twenty Four Seconds from Now: A Love Story" and think it sits well among Reynold's work for a YA audience, and anyone who enjoys teen rom-coms with memorable characters.

Overall score: 4/5 stars.

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

Have you connected with a character on a gut level? Do you feel like an author peeled back your skin to reveal their next character? That’s the type of read 24 Seconds is!

Neon is so relatable—wanting to not mess anything up on any level with his girlfriend and their first time.

The story unfolds in jumping back by increments of 24 — seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months. It’s a great telling of young love that wants to do it right.

Thank you to LibroFM for the Educator’s ALC audiobook of this title, as well as NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Books for a digital galley of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Jason Reynolds is a once in generation voice who I cannot get enough of. When I found out he wrote a YA romance, which was endorsed by the Queen - Judy Blume - I about fell off my chair to get on NetGalley.

I took this story in bites rather than inhaling it like I wanted to. I’m glad I did, because the story had time to simmer and I was able to reflect as I went.

Summary:

Neon is 24 seconds from doing *IT* with his first, and possibly only, love. He is panicking as we all do/did on this precipice, but as our hearts are already bleeding for Neon within the first pages as Reynolds introduces us to the boy we want our sons to become, the first love we want our children to experience. A boy so full of love and tenderness that we want his first to perfect. But, before we get to that, we get to step back 24 minutes, 24 hours, 24 days, and 24 months from “now” and get the full picture of this LOVE story.

My heart is full. I feel like I should reread this when I need to speak to my own children about their firsts, or maybe even read it with them if they would let me and not cringe to death.

This is a quick read if you prefer text, but the audiobook was lovely as well. I read this book in both formats and didn’t prefer one over the other.

This book is a future classic. Five stars. No notes.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds is one of my most anticipated reads of the year. This book is a love story following Neon and the very real emotions surrounding a teenager and their “first time”. The story is also told in reverse. I found that it was written in a way where despite starting from “the end”, I was curious about what led up to it all. We get the story entirely through Neon’s point of view which I love because we rarely get just the guy’s point of view. We also get to see Neon engage with his family/friends and learn about how he and Aria came to be. This book does a great job of discussing issues teen face without sound like a textbook. I’m looking forward to displaying this in my library.

There is a reason Jason Reynolds just won a MacArthur Genius Grant. His voice and prose is so powerful. Centering around the concept of the number 24 (weeks, seconds, days, etc) Neon and Aria discover love and live authentic teen lives. I believe this is Reynold's first step into romance and he handles it in true Jason Reynold's fashion, with the reader in mind.

I feel like this will become the consent manual that we hand to teen boys who need a healthy dose of romance and realism when embarking on their first, true relationship. And goodness, black boys deserve love & healthy relationships and to see such in a book! The story starts when Neon is in the bathroom in his head and about to go all the way with his partner Aria on their 2 year anniversary. While he's trying to get out of his head, he flashes back throughout the past two years and all the conversations he's had with his friends and family about relationships and sex--from his sister's advice to not treat Aria like another body, his mother's frankness about making sure they are emotionally ready while placing Aria's pleasure equal to his own, and his father's admonishing him to not do what he did and "sow his oats" while not prioritizing his relationship. Neon is also dealing with grief from his Grandy's death and enjoys reflecting on his grandparents love and the model they created for him. The writing is lyrical, comical, and so real. I can't wait to get this one into the hands of our teens!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-ARC! The book is out October 8th!

Twenty-Four Seconds From Now is a remarkable take on new experiences from the male perspective. As a female reader, I was captivated by the idea of such raw emotion in a high school boy because I have never held that perspective before. There were some parts that ran on a little long because the story is meant to feel like the awkward moments leading to romantic intimacies, but it worked well within the story and the intentions. It is a great way to show human emotions and sexuality in mature classroom settings to give female students insight into the psyche and the male students to feel heard or acknowledged. I would not recommend teachers use it in lower-level or immature classes, but there are many aspects that are valuable for students to better understand regarding empathy, vulnerability, and respect.

This is not a Jason Reynolds story style that I am used to. The story was well written with no specific sexual details but innuendos were present in the beginning and end. The main character is very relatable for teens and Jason Reynolds does a wonderful job of including relatable details for teens. The book was short and held my interest well as I waited to see how the back in time jumps related to the current time plot line. I look forward to reading more books like this from Reynolds.

Jason Reynolds takes you inside the mind of a high school senior boy, Neon, who is about to have sex with his long term girlfriend, Aria, for the first time. The ensuing chapters take you back in time to demonstrate how they reached this point. Let’s face it: teens are having sex in middle school. This book is not explicit in any way. It is deep. It is thoughtful. It is needed. Reynolds’ approach will help teens understand that sex really is a big next step in a relationship. It’s important to be thoughtful about it - both for yourself and your partner I love that Neon has parents who have talked to him about sex, about being aware of his partner’s needs, and about staying true to himself. This book is a life lesson. It will definitely be in my high school library. The Jason Reynolds fans will be thrilled.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this book purely because it was Jason Reynolds, and who doesn't love him? I, unfortunately, have a kind of Love-Hate relationship with this book. I'm not a fan of the topics presented, but I love Reynolds writing. He has such a magical way with words and character development. As a middle school teacher, there is no way this book will go in my classroom. I'm not even sure I would put it in a high school classroom just because if the content. I really wish I could have liked this book more than I did. I might try it again in a few years to see if I liked it better, but this one wasn't for me. I see the possibilities for this book, I understand it, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Like other books by Jason Reynolds, this book is SO good. The narrative structure is an interesting way to have flashbacks to let the reader into who the characters are and what brought them to this pivotal moment in their relationship. This is sure to be a classic in the YA genre and has characters to love and root for.

Falling in love and being a teen in general is awkward and complicated and joyful and frustrating, and Reynolds, as usual, captures it all with eloquence and empathy. This book will both amuse and comfort teens as they travel backward in a story so creatively crafted to show how Neon’s relationships with his grandparents, father, mother, sister, friends, and girlfriend ebb and flow in the chaos of emotions that come with the different types of love. Tweny-Four Seconds from now.,, is the much-needed story for teen boys that Judy Bloom’s books were for pre-teen girls in the 70s and 80s.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this important work.

I am a huge Jason Reynolds fan and have loved almost all of his books so when I saw his latest, Twenty-Four Seconds from Now... available for review from both NetGalley and LbroFm's Educator ALC program, I requested it immediately. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed. I inhaled this book in under 24 hours. It is sweet, funny, and oozing with positive Black representation. This is the story of a teenage couple, Neon and Aria, who have reached a milestone in their relationship - deciding to have sex after 2 years together. The story is told by Neon in a unique way. It's told backward from 24 seconds before the big moment, then 24 minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months. Through this format, the readers learn about Neon and Aria's relationship as well as their relationships with their friend group and families. Neon especially has an amazing family and support system that teaches him about consent, respect, and healthy sexual relationships. This is a great book with a great message for older teens.

Huge thanks to Simon and Schuster, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, and LibroFM's Educator ALC program for review copies of both the ebook and audiobook editions of Twenty-Four Seconds from Now.

I generally enjoy Jason Reynold's writing style and the themes he addresses in his books for young adults. While this didn't completely wow me, I recognize that I'm not the target audience, and I hope it does wow teen readers. Neon is a vulnerable Black teen, and there's so much value in having characters like him as the center of a YA book. I also loved the examples of Black families and relationships that are presented.

The format of this book, telling the story backwards, is interesting but also risky. I thought the idea was cool, but it ended up making it harder for me to follow and really fall into the story. I was tempted to go to the end and read it "backwards" meaning in order of how it really happened.

I will always read anything Jason Reynolds writes. I think this book is a great book to put in the hands of teenagers. It displays healthy, loving black teenagers in love with all sorts of beautiful friends and family members by their side. As an adult reading, I am very clearly not the audience, so I did not like it as much as I think teenagers would — which is fine!

3⭐️

Neon navigates the awkward, hilarious, and heartwarming moments leading up to a significant milestone in his relationship with Aria. As he grapples with insecurities and expectations surrounding intimacy, each countdown—months, weeks, days, minutes, and seconds—reveals the pressures of young love and growing up.

I loved how this novel was written with the 24 seconds, minutes, hours, days, months. It was so beautiful and I truly enjoyed the ride. Telling the story backwards was perfect because you learn SO much quickly.

Neon is just a good kid with a good head on his shoulders who loves his girlfriend and is nervous and excited to be intimate. I loved his POV and seeing inside his brain.

There are so many moments I snort laughed and so many moments that had me in my feelings. The ending was so well earned and perfect. Fully recommend! Really excited for my preorder 🥰.

*I was provided a digital copy of this book for review, all thoughts are my own.*

I am a huge fan of Jason Reynolds. As a high school librarian, he is one author I consistently recommend to students and one they always like to read. However this book did not work for me due to the format. It starts at present day and goes backwards, which is a creative way to tell a story, but not one that I enjoy, and in this case, the whole story felt flat. When the story doesn’t get told in a linear pattern, it makes it challenging for readers to keep up. The reader doesn’t have time to get invested in the characters, and when you finally get the plot line, it changes in the next chapter. If I am always trying to figure out what is going on, the book is not going to be an enjoyable one. In my opinion, this book would have worked a lot better if it had started with the grandpa’s funeral and moved from there.

Jason Reynolds is just an amazing writer and this book is no exception. The realism and honesty in the writing makes the story one that students/teens will connect with. The relationship that the main character has with his family members and their open discussions are refreshing and something that will hopefully provide teens with the confidence to think through their decisions and talk to others about them.