I loved how there were alternating perspective to this story, how Gretchen and Phoenix are able to lean on each other and just have that friendship anyone would love to have. And as you read the book, you get why it was titled like that. What a true masterpiece.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. I love that the book tried to tackle complex issues like PTSD, panic attacks, gang violence, immigration, and discrimination. I like that it was more than just a romance novel. There’s a lot to be said about the stories of immigrants, and I love that she wrote about brothers from El Salvador.

However, I do not think the romance story the book centered around was very realistic. At times, the interactions between characters did not make sense to me. Sometimes the characters didn’t feel developed enough, and it didn’t make sense why they said what they did. Also, many of the characters would get angry or hurt and get over it in the matter of one or two pages. There was definitely room for improvement there.

Overall, I liked the story and I thought it was interesting. It showed a lot of the hard truth to seeking asylum in America, but it was not overly dark or gruesome. It was a decent YA read.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This was such an interesting story. Our main characters are Gretchen, who suffers from PTSD from an attack, and Phoenix, who is running away from a gang life. I really like the alternating chapters since it gave me enough space to really get to know both of the characters and create a connection with them.

Not to mention the amazingly beautiful and lyrical writing style. Most YA books don't have this type of writing, maybe to ensure they are easy to read, but the author has her way with words. I was blown away by it.

I also really loved how easily author explains hard topics as anxiety attacks and such. It can be hard for people who don't have these problems to understand what the person must go through and this book portrayed it in a very understandable way. I don't say the author makes hard topics easy, she just knows how to portray them so other people can sympathize with it.

I was hoping this would be better than it was but I was just left disappointed wanting more of something

I loved this, I love modern takes in the genre that deal with real issues and real world things that can make books relatable to so many. The Radius of Us does just that perfectly.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Radius of Us by Marie Marquardt.

Gretchen is a young adult who is learning to face her new normal as a survivor of a violent assault. After months of therapy and staying home with high levels of anxiety, she is ready to re-enter the world with the support of her family, friends, and boy friend Adam.

Phoenix has just been released from detention into the care of a loving couple who want to help him reunite with his brother and permanently escape his violent home. He wears an ankle bracelet as part of the terms of his parole.

There is an immediate bond when Gretchen and Phoenix meet, but sometimes when two broken souls find each other, it comes with it's own unique set of issues, and in this case, unfortunate coincidences.

There was a lot I liked about this book. The characters were unique and had their own voice, there was great development. I had never read a story quite like this, so I enjoyed that as well. But I'm just too old for the drawn out DRAAAAMAAAA. I know that situations like this can be dramatic, but I also think that sometimes it's written in a way that's just too indulgent. Really my only complaint.

304 pages of pure bliss. There are so many things to love from this book! It tells the story of two different people with scary pasts: Gretchen, a girl who os attacked and has panic attacks since then; and Phoenix, a guy running away from gang life in San Salvador, protecting his brother all the while.
The story is sound and well-written, alternating chapters between the two main characters. Gretchen and Phoenix are really fleshed out, and I loved their story.
Also, I did dig the way in which "not easy" things are "easily" explained on this book: panic attacks, racism, love, moving from a hurtful part on our past, trust issues and so much more. The author is not passing judgement, she is giving voice to what being alive is and/or can be. This is one of the main reasons why I loved this book so much, is full of fire and truth, and is magistrally narrated.

A fast paced, easy to read, gut-wrenching young adult novel about a young woman who has endured a traumatic episode and an immigrant teen seeking asylum in the US. Told in alternating voices, the story unfolds and the tension builds slowly; slowly enough for the reader to get attached to both characters. Part romance, part gang story, part social commentary, this is a story that's current enough to capture young people looking for socially relevant books. It will also appeal to teens looking for a romance that's not too "sappy". Really liked it!

Was really excited about this one but was pretty disappointed.

An important portrayal of PTSD, mental health in general, and immigration.

A lot can happen when a family is quarantined for a week over the Christmas holiday, and that is exactly what happened in this book. Olivia, one of the Birch daughters, is home for Christmas for the first time in years. She has been working as a doctor fighting an Ebola-type crisis in Liberia called Haag and has to be quarantined to make sure she doesn't have the disease and spread it to the US. This book is about secrets and the ramifications once they are revealed, and everyone in the family has a secret. The story is told in alternating voices from the various members so the reader learns what is going on in each person's mind and what has happened in the past. The family has some typical relationship problems like sibling rivalry and a husband and wife who have drifted apart, but as two non-family members arrive all the secrets are unleashed. The characters and often comedic story are engaging and well-told and as a result of the secrets coming out, there is growth among the family members. This is a delightful book that will keep you turning the pages.  This book will be coming out October 17, so mark your "to read" list now.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 25%

I've tried to read this book for the third time now, and I'm officially giving up.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I was really intrigued and wanted to read it. I really wanted to read more about both characters, especially Pheonix, being an immigrant myself I wanted to read his side of the story.

Instead what I got was an insta-love romance that just made me cringe and eye roll at almost anything that happened. As the romance become more important in the story, I realized that I couldn't read this book anymore.

I've read some lovely reviews about this book, unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

I tried reading this book but I didn't feel the characters as much as I would like. Maybe another time. DNF

It's a pity that the characters were so flat, and the POVs were so bland. DNF.

First Thought After Finishing: This book tackles a lot of issues, but it does so with sensitivity and reason and as part of the overall story.

Gretchen is recovering from the ninety seconds that changed her life and destroyed the illusion of safety. She rarely goes out other than to babysit for her cousins. One day, she thinks she sees her attacker again, only it's not him. It's Phoenix, an asylum seeker from El Salvador. He knows better than to get involved with Gretchen--or anyone--he needs to free and care for his brother and figure out the future. Only the universe has other plans for them. As the radius between them shrinks, both realize that secrets can only stay hidden for so long, and in order to move forward, they have to confront their past.

I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting, but I did not expect to love it as much as I did. Gretchen and Phoenix both have their own backgrounds and experiences. Phoenix's story in particular broke my heart, especially when considering for how many people that life must be a reality. Phoenix had incredible strength and integrity, and I just wanted to reach through the pages and give him a hug. He wasn't always perfect, but he is definitely a good guy who deserved some good in his life.

Then there is Gretchen. I enjoyed reading her journey of coming back to life. What I loved most is that although Phoenix helped her and gave her incentive to take back control, she did not drastically change just because of a boy. She had good friends, a supportive family, and she was willing to accept help. She was adrift just as much as Phoenix, and that is what made them work so well together.

Beyond the couple, I loved the dual POVs in this book as well as the occasional flashbacks. There were moments of fun and general kindness in the midst of all the heavy issues, and those moments also carried emotional power. If I had one complaint, it would only be the ending, because I wanted to see ore from the characters. Still, although their tumultuous journeys found some resolutions, I find myself thinking about Gretchen and Phoenix and hoping that they would have happiness in their fictional future.

Most Memorable Aspect: Gretchen and Phoenix were so perfectly matched. Circumstances brought them together, but they make sense as a couple. I loved that they needed each other and that their relationship had balance.

A fictional snapshot of real life for so many teens, The Radius of Us is an emotional, intense read, and one that is well worth it. I want to read more books like this one and more from Marie Marquardt. If you want a book where you will feel a connection to the characters and their connection to each other, look no further.

DNF- Couldn't get into the book. Found it might be a little young for me.

An interesting story, and it will definitely raise awareness of some key issues. Sadly, I didn't feel as invested in the characters as I wanted to. At times it felt too obviously manipulated, and I felt the involvement of Ari made it a little less believable.

What a beautiful, heart-warming, gut-wrenching novel... I'd heard so many good things about The Radius of Us, so when I was sent the book to review, I was expecting great things. I hopes were high and I really wanted this book to live up to the hype that surrounded it.

Ninety seconds can change a life — not just daily routine, but who you are as a person. Gretchen Asher knows this because that’s how long a stranger held her body to the ground. When a car sped toward them and Gretchen’s attacker told her to run, she recognised a surprising terror in his eyes. And now she doesn’t even recognise herself.

Ninety seconds can change a life — not just the place you live, but the person others think you are. Phoenix Flores-Flores knows this because months after setting off toward the U.S. / Mexico border in search of safety for his brother, he finally walked out of detention. But Phoenix didn’t just trade a perilous barrio in El Salvador for a leafy suburb in Atlanta. He became that person — the one his new neighbours crossed the street to avoid.

Ninety seconds can change a life — so how will the ninety seconds of Gretchen and Phoenix’s first encounter change theirs?

At first, I thought that this book would follow the usual tropes of a YA novel - I'm not bashing YA in any way at all, by the way, I absolutely love the Young Adult genre! These tropes are normally, girl meets boy, the boy is 'dark and mysterious', the girl is troubled but gets all better when she meets said boy. Now, The Radius of Us does follow similar lines to these tropes but Marquardt does it in such a unique and amazing way... Our main female character - Gretchen - suffers from PTSD and it scared to step foot outside of her house because of what she's been through. Our male protagonist - Phoenix - is from El Salvador and runs away from there to America with his little brother, Ami. That's just a tiny amount of background on the characters.

They are so well written and they have so much depth. A character with a mental illness and an illegal immigrant. But it isn't these characteristics that create the depth with characters; they're just so real. Immigration is a big part of today's socity, refugees fleeing the horrors of their native country; they want to find a better life. I think that Marquardt portrays this horror perfectly and with such a real background story as well. El Salvador is a beautiful place, but gangs run the streets and criminals are always deported to there. Marquardt conveys this beautiful yet dangerous place in such a brilliant way, it really made me feel for Phoenix.

I haven't suffered from PTSD myself, nor have I ever experienced it third-hand, but I do feel like that Marquardt represented it in a non-problematic way and that the character arc of Gretchen wasn't forced or rushed. As was Phoenix's character development.





"Whole Foods. That's the crazy-ass grocery store where people pay eleven dollars for a piña that's already cut up. Eleven dollars! The first time Sally took me there, I wandered around, my jaw hanging open. Where do these baycuncadas get all of their money? And why en el nombre de Jesús would they spend it on a cut-up pineapple, when there is a perfectly good whole pineapple sitting right next to it for one-third of the price?"

"For all I know, the dirt we're about to pour into these raised beds came from El Salvador. Home Depot probably sent people down there to dig it up for free, and now they're selling it to me in Atlanta for eight dollars a bag. That's messed up."

- Marie Marquardt, The Radius of Us





This book is about love, acceptance, fear, hope, and learning that it's ok to lean on those around you when you feel like you're about to fall. We learn about the horrors of the immigration system with the U.S (which also applies to the U.K as well!), we learn about the horrible way refugees are treated by the government and society, and we learn that sometimes, we just have to trust that one person to make ourselves feel better.

I also loved how Marquardt used the cultural appropriation to convey Phoenix's world. He spoke in Spanish, which meant that I had to use Google translator - but it also meant that I got to learn a few Spanish phrases which was great! We are also introduced to Spanish foods and I am now dying to try a pupusa. I feel like I need them in my life, so it looks like I'm going to be going on a little search to see if anywhere by me sells them!

The Radius of Us is such an important book to read. It tackles so many issues that are prominent in modern-day society, and I know that I've mainly talked about how the representation of immigration was fantastic throughout the book, but it also tackles mental illness which is also very important, and is an issue that I'm noticing is continuing to be shown in Young Adult novels.

As aforementioned, this book is very important to read and I urge everyone to go online or go to their local bookstore and pick up this book. I promise that you won't be disappointed!

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review