Twenty-four seconds from now... : a love story

Title:

Author:

Summary:

"Neon is freaking out... Twenty-four months ago, a feisty, fangy little dog chased him around a cemetery. Not Neon's finest moment. Except, chasing the dog chasing Neon was... Aria. Way more than fine. Twenty-four weeks ago, Neon and Aria, who are most definitely a THING, are thinking about connecting on a whole other level. Twenty-four days ago, Neon tries not to die of embarrassment in the diner as his mother gives him a whole lot of things to think about before... before... Twenty-four minutes ago, Aria's parents are out for the evening, and Neon is in, with a bouquet of chicken tenders (Aria's most favorite thing besides Neon!) as tonight's the night... Right now, Neon is freaking out. Photo of the feisty, fangy dog staring fiercely at him. And Neon & Aria aren't going to be doing anything if Neon can't get out of his head full of what-if what-if what-ifs... and trust that his love for his girl is enough." -- Jacket flap

Audience:

Ages 14 up. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Grades 10-12. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

239 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Romance fiction.

Subject Term:

Dating (Social customs) -- Fiction.

First sexual experiences -- Fiction.

Man-woman relationships -- Fiction

Publisher:

Atheneum,

Publication Date:

2024

ISBN:

9781665961271

9781665967112

Publication Information:

New York : Atheneum, [2024]

Call Number:

YA REYNOLDS

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003754911	New Young Adult	REYNOLDS Jason	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A New York Times Bestseller

"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 unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

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!

Author Notes

Jason Reynolds is the author of When I Was the Greatest, for which he won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. His debut middle grade book, As Brave As You, was awarded the 2016 Kirkus Prize for young readers'. His other works include Boy in the Black Suit, and All American Boys.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Reynolds is back with his first romance novel, a heartwarming story about first loves and first times, told in reverse. Twenty-four months ago, Neon Benton first laid eyes on Aria Wright, looking fine in her sweatpants, T-shirt, and ponytail, after being chased away from his grandpa's funeral by her dog. Fast forward two years and Neon finds himself locked in Aria's bathroom, stressing about the correct way to open a condom and the intricacies of how to unhook a bra, because 24 seconds from now, they are going to, you know. In between, their relationship unfolds in a series of moments and important conversations. Neon seeks advice from all the important people in his life: his energetic friend Dodie, his older sister Nat, and his caring and up-front parents. The romance of these two Black teenagers is told openly and honestly. Neon takes such care in wanting to do right by Aria. The conversations with his parents are stand-out moments in the story, as Neon navigates his own feelings and the fervor of wanting to do things right. Reynolds has single-handedly set the standard for all young women on the type of guy they deserve. VERDICT A present-day Judy Blume's Forever, this novel has been set up by its author to become a modern classic.--Amanda Harding

Publisher's Weekly Review

Reynolds (Long Way Down) astounds in a sweetly hilarious story of two Black teens preparing to take a huge first step in their relationship. Twenty-four seconds before this book's start, 17-year-old Neon Benton and Aria, his girlfriend of two years, were kissing on Aria's bed. Now, Neon is hiding in Aria's bathroom, lamenting the complications of opening a condom and unlatching a bra as he nervously anticipates their "first time." In frank stream-of-consciousness prose, Reynolds rewinds the teens' heartfelt romance to showcase its development in reverse: 24 hours before, Neon was avoiding his homework by scrolling through videos he'd recorded of his classmates. And 24 days earlier, Neon was strolling the neighborhood with Gammy and the family dog, Denzel Jeremy Washington. As events roll backward, Neon has conversations with numerous richly wrought supporting characters, including his effervescent musician friend Dodie and his open and loving sister Nat, all of whom regale Neon with their thoughts on sex and love (with varying degrees of embarrassment and enlightenment for Neon). Sex-positive messaging encourages vulnerability in personal exploration as well as open conversations about bodily autonomy and consent. Authentically tapping into the way teens think, Reynolds delivers a mighty exaltation to Black love in this moving story of one boy's growth and the community that fosters it. Ages 14--up. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)