Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .

A LOVE Story

By: Jason Reynolds

Narrated by: Guy Lockard

A Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
A New York Times Bestseller
Seven starred reviews!

“Jason Reynolds has done it again!...Fresh from start to finish…This is what it could be, should be, if only we were all as lucky as Aria. Girls (and everyone) wait for your Neon!” —Judy Blume, New York Times bestselling author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. and Forever...

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first. “Reynolds’s foray into romance is as spectacular as expected…Undoubtedly, a story for everyone” (Booklist, starred review).

Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.

Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step…yet, they’ve starting talking about…that.

Twenty-four days ago: Neon’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he’d figured he’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away.

Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They’re not candlelight and they definitely aren’t caviar, but they are her favorite.

And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!

Fresh and Refreshing

Loved this young adult experience from a boy's perspective. It tackled love and intimacy from a teen point of view that was not overtly sexual, profane, or pornagraphic. The story focused on how this young couple carefully came to the decision to be each other's first. I definitely recommend this book for parents and teens.

Just good stuff!

Jason Reynolds’s writing is just incredible. He needs to keep writing and writing and writing. Please! And thank you!

Good story

This was an interesting look at sex through the eyes of a teenage male. Stories are always told from the female perspective but no one really thinks or talk about what boys go through. This book would make for a great discussion.

Love Everything About It!!

Loved the honesty of a teenage boys relationship journey. Loved the open and honest conversations about sex and the openess of the mom/son convos or the sister/brother. Jason Reynolds did an amazing job showing that girls aren't the only ones who think about these things.

the topic and the storytelling

this was such a good book! I wish I had a teen to share it with!