Every Star That Falls by Michael Thomas Ford


Every Star That Falls
Title : Every Star That Falls
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0063256355
ISBN-10 : 9780063256354
Language : English
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 416
Publication : Expected publication September 5, 2023

This much-anticipated sequel to the acclaimed fan-favorite novel Suicide Notes is a funny, touching look at what happens when you give up trying to be someone people want you to be and become exactly who you are. Jeff spent forty-five days in the psych ward of a hospital after a suicide attempt. Now that he’s home and has accepted that he’s gay, he’s ready to reenter his life feeling stronger and more comfortable being his true self than ever before. But it’s hard to come back to an old life when you have a new perspective on it. Returning to school is complicated, and his mother’s anxiety isn’t helping. Jeff will also have to figure out how to reconnect with his best friend, Allie, whose boyfriend he kissed before he went to the hospital. To make things even more complicated, a fellow patient from the ward suddenly appears at school, which brings up all kinds of mixed emotions for Jeff. Luckily, he’s got new friends from a local community center for queer youths to help him through it all. And some may turn out to be more than just friends… *** "Generous, wry, and big-hearted. A touching and riotous journey through the legacies of pain and the wonders of connection."—Eliot Schrefer, two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author  "Michael Thomas Ford put me through it with this stunning sequel. A touching, funny, and thoughtful exploration of how we move on from our toughest choices and embrace what makes us unique, even if we're imperfect."—Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue “In Every Star That Falls , Ford examines with heart and compassion not just what it is to be queer, but the ways in which queerness changes relationships and frees us.”—LC Rosen, author of Jack of Hearts and Camp “ Every Star That Falls is an extraordinarily fun and wild ride that will make you laugh and cry on numerous occasions. There is no way to tell what happens next but each chapter comes with a wonderful surprise that keeps you hooked into the moment. The book brings you a lot of things—complex characters, intricate relationships and a beautiful message for the new generation. It’s the kind of story that genuinely reflects the growing complexity of life for young people.”—Vincent Tirado, author of the Pura Belpré Award–winning Burn Down, Rise Up "A sweet, loving, joyful celebration of queer identity! Queer joy is real, and we deserve happy endings, too!"—Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of The Bridge and Destination Unknown “Packed with charming characters and witty narration,  Every Star That Falls  is a moving story about boldly—and proudly—becoming your true self. We've waited fifteen long years for this sequel, and it was  so  worth the wait!“—Phil Stamper, national bestselling author of  The Gravity of Us  and  Golden Boys "Brimming with humor and refreshing boldness, Every Star That Falls is a modern yet timeless exploration of what it means to exist authentically in the world. These characters will grab you by the heart and remain with you long after the last page is turned."—Brian D. Kennedy, author of A Little Bit Country

Every Star That Falls Reviews

  • ancientreader

    I'm excited about this one: it's the sequel to Ford's Suicide Notes, which I liked enormously -- it's nominally YA, I suppose, but it felt richer to me than what I think of as a YA vibe.

    -----

    Well, what does happen after Jeff gets out of the hospital in Suicide Notes and embarks on life as a young gay man in high school? Without too many spoilers: he joins a queer youth group and makes some new friends, two of whom he would like to date; he encounters Rankin, with whom he had that quasi-nonconsensual sex in the hospital and who is now attending the same high school; he deals with being out, both about his queerness and (to his friends) the suicide attempt; and he negotiates a new relationship with his rigid and overprotective mother, who turns out to have her reasons.

    I'm of two minds about how this all plays out. Some aspects of the story worked really well for me -- the Rankin storyline, in particular, but also the general emotional tone of Teen Drama, which I think Ford nails. Others I was less sure about. Jeff falters a few times, but in general he struck me as rather wiser than is plausible for someone in his mid-teens, despite the maturing effect of his experiences. And there was a certain amount of what I think of as shoehorned diversity: a small cast of characters with One of Every Kind.

    The biggest problem from a narrative point of view was that I intensely disliked Chrys for most of the story, because they are a self-righteous little prig, unwilling to make allowances for Jeff's history and the fact that he's coming out in the aftermath of, you know, a suicide attempt. When Jeff and Chrys finally clear the air, Chrys acknowledges that they didn't appreciate how shitty their Very Important Principles made Jeff feel, but there is a looooooong stretch of, well, Jeff feeling shitty because he's not living up to Chrys's standards of outness, and I felt so bad for him that I never quite forgave Chrys.

    So: one the one hand, kind of programmatic and implausible; on the other hand, I can 100% see queer kids clutching this story to their hearts, because Jeff is brave and inspirational and encouraging. And this isn't a book for jaded old people like me; it's a book for queer kids and their friends.

    So: 3 stars for me, but 4 stars for the readers who need it, deserve it, will take courage and comfort from it. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

  • Meredith

    First off- HUGE thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I have wondered about Jeff since I first read Suicide Notes. I always wondered what the second part of his story would look like. Was everything a little too perfect? Maybe. I am not much of a happily ever after person, but somehow this happily ever after felt right. Happiness, acceptance, recovery, inclusion… is something that I would wish for every child and young adult struggling with their identity. The hope this book brings is much needed.

  • Grey

    I AM SCREAMING. I discovered Suicide Notes not too long ago and now there's a sequel?!?!?!?!