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    What to Say Next
    What to Say Next
    What to Say Next
    Audiobook9 hours

    What to Say Next

    Written by Julie Buxbaum

    Narrated by Abigail Revasch and Kirby Heyborne

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    "What to Say Next reminds readers that hope can be found in unexpected places." –Bustle

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes a story about two struggling teenagers who find an unexpected connection just when they need it most. Nicola Yoon, the bestselling author of Everything, Everything, calls it "charming, funny, and deeply affecting."
      
    Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

    KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they?  I don’t even understand.
     
    DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her. 

    When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David.  Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

    Named a Best Young Adult Novel of the Year by POPSUGAR

    “Charming, funny, and deeply affecting all at the same time.” –Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star
     
    “Heartfelt, charming, deep, and real. I love it with all my heart.” –Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
    Release dateJul 11, 2017
    ISBN9781524709501

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    Reviews for What to Say Next

    4/5

    102 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Sweet and honest and unexpected. ☺️

      Recommended: yes!
      For those who want a different-than-usual read on high school, particularly for those who aren't neurotypical.

      A light read I completed in a sunny spot on the couch this lazy Sunday. I felt like I was in need of some realistic YA, rather than my usual magic-and-dragons fare.

      I always enter books that have a character who has a disability (or borderline disability of some kind, etc) with a bit of hesitation, because the story can so often just be brutal and cruel, even if that is sometimes realistic, in their depiction of those characters. It can also set incorrect images of people, which is frustrating and harmful. I have a limited scope of knowledge and experience with the matter myself, but this felt like a more respectful portrayal. It also didn't seem to use it as a cop-out, or a crutch to try to win sympathy readers; it was just a story of two kids in high school trying to figure out the difficult shit they have to face. Which in high school, can feel like damn near everything.

      Romance was ok. Sweet, and more realistic (although still some cliches of high school mixed in). There were two definite SWERVE moments, where I was actually saying to myself, "Whoa I didn't see that coming!" For me that is SUCH a treat, because I can usually predict every moment in a YA novel having read so many now. It was a delight to have not one, but TWO surprises!

      Was it predictable? 2/3 plot moments caught me off guard, so that's pretty good. The 1 other was inevitable.

      Was it good? I say an awkward "probably," because I think so, but also still have that nagging worry of the way David is portrayed. There were a good number of lines that made me laugh out loud, or highlight because it felt like a good point to remember and apply in my own life. I'd say that's good!

      Did I enjoy it? Yup! And I'm glad I took a day off my other book in progress to bang this one out, because it was perfectly suited to my mood today.

      Bonus, it made me feel so optimistic and productive! I got a lot done today! ...after spending most of it on the couch reading this, I kind of had to. ;)
    • 4/5
      Loved this! Book trailer in the works.
    • 5/5
      I had previously read Julie Buxbaum’s Tell Me Three Things and loved it. One of my favorite BookTubers raves about What to Say Next and since I really enjoyed the other book, I knew I wanted to pick it up. The beginning was a little slow and I was not really sure if this was going to be for me though. However; I was wrong.

      This story does follow the story of two teenagers: Kit and David. Kit is grieving the loss of her father. David is a high school student with Asperger’s and dealing with being different and bullied in school. Their stories collide as you witness the beginning of their friendship/romance.

      This had some twists and turns along the way. It was so real in many ways, but others was a little unbelievable. It made me smile and it made me sad. There are things that happen that were unexpected. I ended up loving this.

      Overall, I think this was another amazing read from the author.
    • 4/5
      I read this book to be a part of an online book discussion, One Book One Facebook, and although I probably won't join the discussion tonight I'm so happy I read the book! It was dealing with family tragedy during hard teenage years and a young boy with Aspergers. The book was well written and I enjoyed it and will recommend it to my reader friends.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with David (even if his name doesn't suit him) right away. He is such an interesting character to get to know. I like seeing how other people's minds work. Kit was such a lovable character too. My heart broke for her. I can't imagine losing a parent in high school and how that changes you.

      I felt there was a honesty to this book. It wasn't easy for Kit to sit with David and it was easy for David to have her there. High school is hard, it sucks and the only people who love it are usually the ones making the others hate it. I liked that Julie Buxbaum gave David and Kit the ability to stand up for each other. I think if either one would have let some things go the whole book would have been ruined.

    • 4/5
      Kit Lowell, 16, lost her father in a car accident a month before the beginning of this very good novel for young adults. Suddenly she finds it hard to be “normal” around her friends, or anyone else. As she explains:

      “They were all chatty, sipping their matching Starbucks lattes, talking about what guy they were hoping was going to ask them to junior prom, assuming I just had a bad case of the Mondays. I was expected to chime in. I am somehow supposed to have bounced back.”

      She just can’t. She feels so much pain, she finds it hard to get from one moment to the next: “Time has turned interminable and impenetrable, something to be endured and passed through, however possible.” It’s very hard for someone not going through a loss of someone close to know just how hard it is.

      Kit’s dad was big on having provisions stocked in the house in case of emergencies, but after his accident, she realized:

      “. . . we all walk around pretending we have some control over our fate, because to recognize the truth - that no matter what we do, the bottom will fall out when we least expect it - is just too unbearable to live with.”

      Because Kit couldn’t abide even trying to be “normal” at her usual lunch table at school, she started sitting with David Drucker, a boy in her class with a borderline case of Asperger’s (as he himself describes it). Kit said “I chose David’s table for his silence and for his refuge.” But David feels he should say something even though he has no skill at “chit chat.” He begins to talk to Kit about things that matter, rather than the usual teen banter. He also doesn’t mouth platitudes about what happened to her dad; he allows it wasn’t fair, and talks to her about death and heaven and science versus religion.

      His conversation helps Kit, and hers helps him. As it happens, not only has David always had a crush on Kit, but he savors having a friend:

      “Here’s the thing about making a friend I didn’t understand before I started talking to Kit: They grow your world. Allow for previously inconceivable possibilities. Before Kit, I never used the word lonely, though that’s exactly what I was. My mind felt too tight, too populated by a single voice. . . . my consciousness . . . still longs for personal connection. Just like everyone else’s.”

      But the other kids, especially the bullies, hate that pretty and popular Kit is hanging out with such a “loser” instead of them, and they take their revenge. Both Kit and David are at risk of floundering now. Fortunately, David’s family is strong and supportive toward him, as is Kit’s mom toward her. Kit’s mom tells her: “The thing is, sometimes people grow from breaking.”

      Kit has a lot to think about with respect to her group of friends and with David: “We are left to choose whether to grow or to wither. To forgive or fester.” Kit’s mother advises her: “One of the few perks of the shit so monumentally hitting the fan is you discover who your real tribe is. It’s the only way through. So make sure you find yours, Kit.”

      Evaluation: This is a lovely story, full of humor as well as heartbreak. Like Rainbow Rowell, Buxbaum has a way of making an unlikely and unexpected adolescent relationship seem convincing and authentic. The two main characters have a number of problems to overcome, but are so charming and smart and funny that each of them becomes irresistible to the other (and to the readers). You will find yourself rooting for both of them. This moving story was a delight to read.
    • 4/5
      A realistic fiction novel, What to Say Next alternates between David and Kit’s points of view.

      Kit’s life has made a left turn, and she doesn’t know how to handle it; so, she chooses David. Kit is floundering. Her father died suddenly leaving Kit stranded, isolated, unsure, and lonely. She chooses to sit at David’s table one day at lunch instead of her normal table. He’s confused when Kit sits because he has sat alone for 622 days. David has Asperger’s Syndrome, so he is very literal and doesn’t understand social cues or facial expressions, which is why he’s always alone; he even wears headphones to drown out the noise that makes school chaotic for him. He also has a notebook where he records his observations and the rules his sister, Miss Popular, has given him concerning behavior with people. He has pages on all people, including Kit. When she sits down, he’s surprised. Unlike everyone else who doesn’t know what to say about Kit’s father, David says, “Your Dad shouldn’t have died. It’s really unfair.” This honesty and acknowledgement of her loss comforts Kit, so she chooses David every day.

      With alternating chapters, the reader sees relationships and school from different points of view. Because Kit is smart, David can spend time with her. David has to have logic and intelligent conversation because of his Asperger’s. He doesn’t know how to “do” small talk or understand that others aren’t as smart. Of course, he’s been bullied but Kit has never participated, so he feels comfortable with her. He has also always believed she was the most beautiful girl in the school. Because he is comfortable with Kit, David agrees to figure out the truth about the accident that killed her father; he really wants to help.. They both believe science and math can determine what happened. She knows how he died, but she wonders if anything could have been changed to make a different outcome. Different scenarios go about her head as to what could have prevented the death.

      I really liked the novel because of David. Kit has patience with him, which shows that someone with Asperger’s can participate in life instead of being left on the edges of participation. There’s a learning curve to both sides. You’ll easily know what happened to her father and will relate to choices we all make to save/maintain relationships with friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, and family when encountering hardships. I like the message in this novel--it’s honest, hopeful, and real. Life isn’t easy and we make allowances for all of our quirks in order to be friends and care for each other.
    • 5/5
      Have you ever loved a book so much that every time you see the cover of it you just sigh happily?  Perhaps even swoon?  That is my current state with What to Say Next by the very talented Julie Buxbaum.  She has a way of hitting a reader right in the feels.  I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I felt a wide range of emotions.  I had this similar reaction with her previous book Tell Me Three Things (which I also highly recommend).  Also, there was a big plot twist that was unexpected and essentially had me locked into the book, racing along until the perfect ending.

      This was a great book that dives into the tumultuous waters of high school drama and then the riptide of loneliness catches you and makes sure you stay.  It made me feel the grief, loneliness, and hope that the main characters, Kit and David, felt.  These two were opposites in many ways, yet each of them have their worlds flipped upside down, which brings them together.  It is a fresh reminder of the discomfort of finding yourself at the brink of adulthood.  It abuses the heart, really, as it is heart-wrenching at times, yet you feel your heart swelling at other times.   All in all, a must-read that is different from other YA romance novels in that it presents an exceptional approach of mixing humor with grief to the common struggle of finding yourself.   

      I enjoyed that there were unique attributes about the characters that set them apart from the general population in the book, particularly David's Asperger Syndrome attributes.  I cannot say whether or not these features were accurate, however, I do enjoy the respectful and charming way of which his character was developed.  I would recommend this for any reader high school age and older who is a fan of innocent romance and deep situations.  I would also recommend this book for readers who are fans of math and science as David's narrative is heavy in those fields.  On the other hand, it was not so heavy that those who are not strong in the math and science fields (including yours truly) could not follow along.

      For those who may be offended: there was foul language, brief violence, infidelity, bullying, alcohol use, brief mention of drug use, and an overarching theme of grief.
    • 4/5
      I must say, I was surprised at how quickly I devoured this book. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. I loved both Kit and David, especially David, and soon found myself caring deeply for them both. They had their battles, David with Asperger's and Kit with the death of her father, yet their friendship developed out of tragedy. I loved watching their relationship form and blossom. It was so cute and endearing and believable. Their stories wove together seamlessly, and I was moved by their gradual attraction to each other despite being implausible at the start of the novel.

      "What to Say Next" was narrated by both Kit and David, which I enjoyed, as it gave an insight into their thoughts and feelings. They had unique voices and I loved how David saw the world with mathematical logic and always spoke his mind, often with brutal honesty. He knew he wasn't 'normal' and didn't socially fit in at school. Instead he was often ignored or labelled 'weird'. However, it was his honesty that Kit appreciated when she felt no one else knew what she was going through.

      I also loved that both Kit and David had strong family connections, something you don't always find in YA novels and Lauren (Miney), David's older sister, was one of my favourite characters. She was always there for him providing both emotional and practical support, especially through social mindfields, by giving him instructions, advice and a notebook of dos and don'ts.

      Despite its cover "What to Say Next" is more than a light, fluffy romance. It deals with some serious issues as well as having some lighter, very humorous moments. Well written, this charming, heartwarming book will especially delight fans of "Eleanor and Park".
    • 4/5
      Buxbaum, Julie. What To Say Next. 8 CDs. unabridged. Books on Tape. 2017. ISBN 9781524709518.

      Compelling, uplifting, and utterly engaging. Bestselling teen author, Julie Buxbaum (Tell Me Three Things) writes a charming opposites attracts romance between a popular young girl and a socially awkward and isolated young man on the autism spectrum. After Kit's father tragically dies, she finds herself receding and unable to keep up with the pressures of social life. Unable to deal with the mundane daily gossip and social climbing she decides to sit with David, an outcast, someone she knows will not pester her. Slowly and over the course of a few weeks the two find they have more in common then they could ever fathom. They begin to trust each other with secrets that they can't tell anyone else and Kit enlists David to help her figure out the exact reason her father died and the accident project is born. Little do they know how much it will complicate things. Wonderfully narrated by Kirby Heyborne and Abigail Revasch, both whom manage to bring their characters to life. Kirby has a flat monotone voice perfectly fitting the complicated character of David and Abigail narration is young and refreshing. Refreshing, honest, and charming. For fans of Rainbow Rowell and Jennifer Niven. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN
    • 5/5
      David Drucker, a high school student who self identifies as different and is suspected to have Aspergers Syndrome and Kit Lowell, a half Indian half American relatively popular girl strike up a highly unusual friendship one lunch hour when she sits at his table, mostly in an attempt to escape the normal cafeteria banter. It has been one month since her father died and she just can't even stomach pretending to get back to normal. So she avoids her besties and sits with David.
      That's the beginning and I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time but slower because it is just THAT good.
      David is so convincingly illustrated that he has bits and pieces of every socially awkward boy I've ever known. His refreshing honesty made me cringe and smile at the same time and trust me, there are David Druckers out there, but they're in their invisible phase. Kit is a heartbreaking mixture of sadness and uncertainty and emerging maturity and fierce independence.
      In case you think that's all there is to the book, trust me, it isn't. "What to say next" is much more than just two unlikely characters meeting and deciding they like each other. I won't say more because I despise spoilers, but I will tell you that I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much, and for a YA librarian to say that means a lot!
      I will warn that it is best for a teen audience - I would say mature Gr. 8 students and up. I wouldn't want my middle school students asking me to explain this sentence from page 197:
      "Though my mother and Mrs. Drucker are equally attractive, what Justin would call MILFs, they have very different styles.
      It's too bad because there are some very appropriate messages and character building moments in the book that would make GREAT discussion points, but I'd still save if for 13 and up.
    • 5/5
      After reading so many positive reviews about this book, I just couldn't not read it. So thank you to everyone that already wrote a review on this book for motivating me even more! Without those reviews, this book would have ended up in my endless pile of TBR's and only the skies know when I would've finally picked it up...

      When I started reading, it wasn't long before I figured out how different Kit and David are. I really felt like a spectator watching how both of them tried to figure out how to interact and understand one another. This may sound like a bad thing, but believe me when I tell you it wasn't a bad thing at all. On the contrary.
      This book needs you to be a spectator to understand how people view others, judge others so quickly and often don't bother putting in the effort to understand. Understand something? Someone? No. Just understand. Everything. Anything.

      I laughed out loud reading this book - actually, I think I snorted once. - and I even put it aside at certain points because I some things were so frustrating to read that I just... Couldn't. But that made me love What to say next even more.

      "Much like ordering steak and naming children, language seems inherently and irrationally optimistic; we just assume other people understand what we are talking about."

      I won't say anything more about this book, simply because I don't want to risk spoiling even the smallest thing if you haven't read it yet. But I'm asking you to go to the bookstore, buy this book and read it.
      This is a book everybody should read because it will change your views on many things. You'll be more conscious of the things you do, say, think.
      What to say next perfectly portrays one of the biggest problems in our society. Misconception, misunderstanding and the fear of everything out of the ordinary.
      Especially the latter.

      This is a 5/5. Or a 10/5.

      Kathy

      I paid full-price for this book. This is my honest review for which I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.