This Is What I Want to Tell You

Fifteen year old twins, Noelle and her brother Nadio are alternately telling their sides of a story that is very much told like a confessional. Their best friend Keeley returns from her summer abroad and is completely changed. Noelle is resentful of Keeley, because of her wealth and all the opportunities that she gets to have. Nadio on the other hand, has started to find Keeley attractive. Nadio and Keeley start having a secret romance, while Noelle finds a relationship with the wrong sort of boy, Parker. Every character has their own secrets in This Is What I Want To Tell You and it makes it a compelling and interesting book. To say that I loved this book, is an understatement. It is the kind of book that makes you think. Noelle reminds me of one of my best friends and I love that. Nadio is amazing and sweet. Keeley is rad. I loved how real her characters were. The plot was really interesting and moved really fast. I finished this book in about four hours. This Is What I Want To Tell You is really different and amazing. Stone's writing is amazing and I loved it. I recommend this book and you should really check it out.

I can't remember the last young adult novel that read, but this one will stick in my memory for a long time. Reading it invoked vivid memories of my high school years, making me think "yes, I felt that way too." It is a great book and I found myself reading certain passages aloud to friends in the same room. Revisit high school by reading this book, or pass it along to a teenager in your life - I think many people can relate to the feelings of the story.

At first I wasn't sure how I would feel about the book but I have to say, if you're wondering whether or not to keep reading-- definitely go on! I loved the alternating point of view between twins, Noelle and Nadio, and the way the story grows. It's an intense but beautiful read.

Noelle and Nadio are twins. Noelle and Keeley are best friends. Keeley spends the summer in Europe with her family. This story is what happens after Keeley returns. Upon her return, Keeley knows something is different with Noelle. Their friendship is not smooth anymore. There's too much space between them and no words can be used to bring them together. Noelle finds a new friend, Jessica, while Keeley is away. It's because of this friendship she meets Parker. Parker is Noelle's secret. She doesn't speak of him with Nadio and certainly not with Keeley. As her feelings for Parker intensifies, Nadio and Keeley are starting a new love themselves. Keeley is conflicted with keeping their relationship a secret from Noelle. She's also struggling with an event that occurred during the summer that can negatively impact her relationship with Nadio. When Noelle discovers their relationship, she reacts in such a volatile way, that all parties will begin to question the closeness of their friendship. I have to say, I wasn't sure if I liked Noelle or not. She kept her relationship with Parker a secret, but yet was angry with Nadio and Keeley for keeping their relationship a secret. It wasn't until I saw how scared she was of not having a chance to live, that I started to warm up to her. Nadio has an interesting role in the story. Not only is he the twin brother and the best friend's brother, he's the man of the house. Nadio's father left the family and Nadio isn't sure how to be. He questions his feelings, he isn't sure what to do and blames his father for this. He begins to write letters to his father as a way to figure out who he is as a son, a brother, a boyfriend and an individual. Nadio is conflicted with his new feelings for Keeley and his loyalty to his sister. This Is What I Want to Tell You illustrates the repercussions on a relationship that is strained by jealousy and secrets.

I was hesitant at first to read this novel because I thought maybe I would be too old for it, though I do remember being a teenager and I work with teenagers. So I opened with the expectation that I would enjoy it maybe, but not be particularly emotionally invested. But the minute I started reading, I was completely hooked by the plot, the characters and the depictions of friendship, romantic relationships and family. This novel captures the anxiety and the intensity of being an adolescent so well, it made me remember things I haven't thought about in years and also made me re-empathize with the students I work with everyday. Heather Duffy-Stone writes in a way that reflects the way people really talk and really think -- she is very skilled at making the inner lives of the characters visceral and relatable. This book could be read by people of any age, but any teenager in your life would benefit from this story and the thoughtfulness with which these heavy themes are addressed. In Duffy-Stone's careful hands, the novel is impossible to put down, but also important in its insights about the process of becoming an adult and figuring out who you are.