Scan barcode
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
An intensely personal, introspective book about dealing with loss and mental health issues. This book is more of a character study than anything else---there isn't a whole lot of plot to speak of; instead, the book focuses on Dew's and Naima's personal journeys toward healing after loss and toward making steps to connect with the world despite mental health issues that make that very difficult. It's quite obvious that Ganger put her heart and soul (and a lot of herself) into this book. Dew and Naima are complete opposites in many ways: Dew is a marshmallow of a soul who just needs to get past some of his broken past, whereas Naima is distant and often angry (which made her a little difficult to connect to for me---but this is a personal issue I have with this type of narrator). Be prepared---Dew's and Naima's stories are heartbreaking.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
moniquemaggiore's review against another edition
3.0
This book was definitely a heavy topic book. There are two main characters and the story is told in the two main characters' point of view. Naima is a seventeen year old girl, dealing with the lost of her father, making both her OCD and anxiety worst than it was before. Dew is a sixteen year old boy, dealing with the lost of both of his parents making his anxiety work, but now he has PTSD. This book was character driven and not plot driven, which is why I think this book was extremely slow for me. It was definitely a slow start and I did not feel it pick up throughout the novel. I felt that the book often got off topic a bit so it was hard to stay into it. Ganger's writing and writing style in the book was really good, and I felt she did a great job capturing anxiety, grief, OCD and PSTD.
booksnbeanies's review against another edition
Book Review | Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
YA Contemporary
Wednesday Books | September 24th, 2019
3.5/5 Stars
We all have our quirks, but for Naima and Dew, they are very real. With the loss of her father, Naima's OCD and anxiety have gotten a lot worse. While living with her grandparents for the summer she meets Dew, who has lost both of his parents and now lives next door with his foster family. They are both still grieving on top of dealing with their anxiety and other things. This is a story of how two broken people help each other start to heal.
The two main characters in this book are quite different, but I liked them both. Naima has anxiety issues, OCD, and the death of her father didn’t help these things at all. Dew also has anxiety issues and really struggling with the death of both of his parents. Naima has a hard time letting anyone in, so although they live next door to each other all summer, this was not a quick and easy friendship. Dew tries his best throughout the story to find ways to help Naima or just make her smile, but it’s not easy and doesn’t give up.
At the beginning of this book, before the story begins, the author creates a connection between herself and the characters by explaining that she suffers from anxiety and some things like Naima and Dew. I think that this was such a good idea because if she hadn’t given that introduction you may have thought she was writing about things she knows nothing about and given up on the book.
I have to admit that I did almost put this book down. In the beginning, I was having a hard time with the transitions between Naima and Dew’s point of view, but then I got it. I also found Naima’s parts more interesting than Dew’s. Other than those tiny things, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
YA Contemporary
Wednesday Books | September 24th, 2019
3.5/5 Stars
We all have our quirks, but for Naima and Dew, they are very real. With the loss of her father, Naima's OCD and anxiety have gotten a lot worse. While living with her grandparents for the summer she meets Dew, who has lost both of his parents and now lives next door with his foster family. They are both still grieving on top of dealing with their anxiety and other things. This is a story of how two broken people help each other start to heal.
The two main characters in this book are quite different, but I liked them both. Naima has anxiety issues, OCD, and the death of her father didn’t help these things at all. Dew also has anxiety issues and really struggling with the death of both of his parents. Naima has a hard time letting anyone in, so although they live next door to each other all summer, this was not a quick and easy friendship. Dew tries his best throughout the story to find ways to help Naima or just make her smile, but it’s not easy and doesn’t give up.
At the beginning of this book, before the story begins, the author creates a connection between herself and the characters by explaining that she suffers from anxiety and some things like Naima and Dew. I think that this was such a good idea because if she hadn’t given that introduction you may have thought she was writing about things she knows nothing about and given up on the book.
I have to admit that I did almost put this book down. In the beginning, I was having a hard time with the transitions between Naima and Dew’s point of view, but then I got it. I also found Naima’s parts more interesting than Dew’s. Other than those tiny things, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
katielady's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
caveatlectors's review against another edition
5.0
I found Six Goodbyes We Never Said immensely tense, fascinating, and relatable. This book takes you for a walk in the shoes of two teenagers trying to get through life while coping with anxiety, grief, and food allergies. I’ve never read a book from this point of view and I must say, it’s refreshing to know we are not alone. We are a family with food allergies and find it difficult navigating while trying to have a social life. It had me crying at times and others laughing until it hurt. This has become a favorite and will be added to my books to read for comfort. I sincerely hope you read and enjoy this.
.
.
.
I received an advanced copy. All opinions & statements above are all my own.
.
.
.
I received an advanced copy. All opinions & statements above are all my own.
whitreadslit's review against another edition
3.0
*I received this book for free from Wednesday Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Publishing for reaching out to me to be part of this blog tour!
When I first heard about this book, I was definitely intrigued. I have not read a ton of books that focus on mental health. The fact that both of the main characters are struggling with different diagnoses made for a very interesting narrative. Add in the fact that it is an #OwnVoices novel, and I was sold!
Of the two main characters, I liked Dew the most, but identified with some of Naima’s struggle. I am generally not a big fan of reading characters that I don’t really like, but I came around to Naima by the end. Dew was a special little sunflower the whole time, and I just wanted to give him a big hug.
I did wish that there was more interaction between Naima and Dew. It felt like their friendship didn’t even really develop until pretty late in the game, and I wished that I could have gotten more of it, since their friendship was really fun to read about. Other than that though, I enjoyed all of the relationships in the novel. I loved Dew’s relationship with his sister, and Naima’s with her grandmother. I have always enjoyed a good family dynamic in a book.
I also learned a little bit more about living with mental health issues. It is so much more difficult than it appears on the outside. I think this is a very important novel, if for no other reason than to elicit compassion and understanding for those suffering through mental illness.
My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I gave Six Goodbyes We Never Said 3.5 STARS!
Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Publishing for reaching out to me to be part of this blog tour!
When I first heard about this book, I was definitely intrigued. I have not read a ton of books that focus on mental health. The fact that both of the main characters are struggling with different diagnoses made for a very interesting narrative. Add in the fact that it is an #OwnVoices novel, and I was sold!
Of the two main characters, I liked Dew the most, but identified with some of Naima’s struggle. I am generally not a big fan of reading characters that I don’t really like, but I came around to Naima by the end. Dew was a special little sunflower the whole time, and I just wanted to give him a big hug.
I did wish that there was more interaction between Naima and Dew. It felt like their friendship didn’t even really develop until pretty late in the game, and I wished that I could have gotten more of it, since their friendship was really fun to read about. Other than that though, I enjoyed all of the relationships in the novel. I loved Dew’s relationship with his sister, and Naima’s with her grandmother. I have always enjoyed a good family dynamic in a book.
I also learned a little bit more about living with mental health issues. It is so much more difficult than it appears on the outside. I think this is a very important novel, if for no other reason than to elicit compassion and understanding for those suffering through mental illness.
My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I gave Six Goodbyes We Never Said 3.5 STARS!
onepageatatime's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so hard to read but in a good way. These two kids are dealing with loss in there own way and they learn that everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. Not everyone just gets up and moves on and not everyone processes loss in the same way. This a beautiful story that everyone should read.
thebookishmel's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you NetGalley and Candace Ganger for an eArc in exchange for my honest review! ~
Full review on my blog here:
https://thebookishmel.wordpress.com/2019/09/22/blog-tour-six-goodbyes-we-never-said-by-candace-ganger/
Full review on my blog here:
https://thebookishmel.wordpress.com/2019/09/22/blog-tour-six-goodbyes-we-never-said-by-candace-ganger/
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the ARC!
This book was a lot different than I expected. Honestly, it's not really my kind of story. It's a good book, maybe I should give it another try later in the future. I just couldn't share these feelings with the characters right now.
I really liked this quote, tho:
“Equality isn’t a phase,” I’d challenge. “It’s a basic human right.”
This book was a lot different than I expected. Honestly, it's not really my kind of story. It's a good book, maybe I should give it another try later in the future. I just couldn't share these feelings with the characters right now.
I really liked this quote, tho:
“Equality isn’t a phase,” I’d challenge. “It’s a basic human right.”
annasbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
Would you rather listen to something that will break you, or always wonder what words may have been?
This book was an ARC given to my from the publisher and author through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity, and know that all thoughts are my own and do not reflect the author or publisher in any way.
Unspoilery Description/ Review:
Well, I don’t know if I’ve ever cried more in a book. Six Goodbyes We Never Said written by Candace Ganger is an amazingly crafted book that tells the story of two teenagers whose worlds collide as they deal with the loss of their parents. This book discusses grief, mental illness, and suicide, and it also contains mild cussing. These heavy topics are handled well in the book, but I do not recommend this book for children too young to understand these subjects.
Dew Brickman’s parents died in a car crash, and he was placed in foster care where Stella and Thomas adopted him. Six Goodbyes We Never Said shows Dew learning to accept his new family and say goodbye to his biological parents without having to forget the good times they shared. Dew suffers from social anxiety and poor time management, and I feel like many readers can relate to his awkwardness around people and desire for friendships.
Naima’s mother passed away when she was young, and her father just recently died while serving his country. She has always been different due to her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This young girl often feels trapped inside her own mind and routines, and she has gotten used to cutting people out of her life. Watching Naima struggle through her grief and mental illnesses is hard, but I believe the author wrote this book from a stance of understanding and openness that helps normalize the idea of these disorders. People with mental illnesses can feel represented by this writing because the author used her own experiences and crafted the story with such care. In addition, other people can still relate to pieces of Naima’s grief and struggles she has with her emotions and thoughts. I think this book is an important story for young adults to read and understand other people’s point of view. Everyone has baggage and a history. This book made me realize that everyone has things they are dealing with, and we just have to step into other’s shoes and accept people for who they are.
I loved this book because of how real and raw it felt. This book made me cry because of all the hard issues that it deals with; however, I finished this book feeling hopeful. The author did an amazing job showing that dealing with grief is a continuous process, and I felt like this book ended in a beautiful conclusion. I highly recommend this book to others.
Thanks for reading!
Some Amazing Quotes:
“‘Grief will kill you if you let is. Some things are out of our control.'”
“I’m fat. Not pudgy or plump. Not thick or curvy. I was born with gorgeous, insulated layers. I’ll likely always have them and I’m good with that…and anyway, when I look in the mirror, I see my worth. I’m capable, strong, fierce. I’m a goddamn beautiful powerhouse not to be fucked with. you don’t have to be thin to love yourself (fact), and I love my body, for the record.”
“‘You should be polite enough to ensure proper pronouns before declaring the title of ‘god.’ You don’t know how the dog identifies.’ He snickers. ‘I’m not joking. Don’t be ignorant.'”
“Would you rather be alone for the rest of your life? Or only have annoying people surrounding you, forever?”
“If you wish on an airplane, as Dew’s father suggested, your heart and soul are guaranteed to be momentarily in flight, landing safely in a designated wish zone…”
“You’re a cracking fire [that] dark can’t break.”
“Would you rather live for a thousand years without the ability to feel joy, or die young but be filled with it?”
“Of all the things that scare me, it’s fear I fear the most. The way it pins me against a wall so I can’t move or breathe. The way it tells me I can’t do the things I know I can. I will look fear in the eye, and this time, I won’t blink.”
This book was an ARC given to my from the publisher and author through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity, and know that all thoughts are my own and do not reflect the author or publisher in any way.
Unspoilery Description/ Review:
Well, I don’t know if I’ve ever cried more in a book. Six Goodbyes We Never Said written by Candace Ganger is an amazingly crafted book that tells the story of two teenagers whose worlds collide as they deal with the loss of their parents. This book discusses grief, mental illness, and suicide, and it also contains mild cussing. These heavy topics are handled well in the book, but I do not recommend this book for children too young to understand these subjects.
Dew Brickman’s parents died in a car crash, and he was placed in foster care where Stella and Thomas adopted him. Six Goodbyes We Never Said shows Dew learning to accept his new family and say goodbye to his biological parents without having to forget the good times they shared. Dew suffers from social anxiety and poor time management, and I feel like many readers can relate to his awkwardness around people and desire for friendships.
Naima’s mother passed away when she was young, and her father just recently died while serving his country. She has always been different due to her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This young girl often feels trapped inside her own mind and routines, and she has gotten used to cutting people out of her life. Watching Naima struggle through her grief and mental illnesses is hard, but I believe the author wrote this book from a stance of understanding and openness that helps normalize the idea of these disorders. People with mental illnesses can feel represented by this writing because the author used her own experiences and crafted the story with such care. In addition, other people can still relate to pieces of Naima’s grief and struggles she has with her emotions and thoughts. I think this book is an important story for young adults to read and understand other people’s point of view. Everyone has baggage and a history. This book made me realize that everyone has things they are dealing with, and we just have to step into other’s shoes and accept people for who they are.
I loved this book because of how real and raw it felt. This book made me cry because of all the hard issues that it deals with; however, I finished this book feeling hopeful. The author did an amazing job showing that dealing with grief is a continuous process, and I felt like this book ended in a beautiful conclusion. I highly recommend this book to others.
Thanks for reading!
Some Amazing Quotes:
“‘Grief will kill you if you let is. Some things are out of our control.'”
“I’m fat. Not pudgy or plump. Not thick or curvy. I was born with gorgeous, insulated layers. I’ll likely always have them and I’m good with that…and anyway, when I look in the mirror, I see my worth. I’m capable, strong, fierce. I’m a goddamn beautiful powerhouse not to be fucked with. you don’t have to be thin to love yourself (fact), and I love my body, for the record.”
“‘You should be polite enough to ensure proper pronouns before declaring the title of ‘god.’ You don’t know how the dog identifies.’ He snickers. ‘I’m not joking. Don’t be ignorant.'”
“Would you rather be alone for the rest of your life? Or only have annoying people surrounding you, forever?”
“If you wish on an airplane, as Dew’s father suggested, your heart and soul are guaranteed to be momentarily in flight, landing safely in a designated wish zone…”
“You’re a cracking fire [that] dark can’t break.”
“Would you rather live for a thousand years without the ability to feel joy, or die young but be filled with it?”
“Of all the things that scare me, it’s fear I fear the most. The way it pins me against a wall so I can’t move or breathe. The way it tells me I can’t do the things I know I can. I will look fear in the eye, and this time, I won’t blink.”