Jennifer Niven and David Levithan are both big names in YA literature so when I saw Take Me With You When You Go as an upcoming release, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read and review it. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by either of these authors so I was pretty excited to pick this title up.

Something a bit unique about this book is that it is made up of a series of e-mails between a brother and sister, Ezra and Bea. This form of communication is the only way they have been in contact with each other since the day Bea disappeared–a day that left Ezra feeling even more abandoned and unsafe than usual. The siblings have always had each other to go to when their home doesn’t feel safe, but now Ezra has seemingly been left behind by his sister, who has had enough of their less than desirable home life.

Through these e-mails it quickly becomes clear just what the siblings have been dealing with and why Bea felt like she had to leave. Unfortunately, her decision to leave her brother behind in an abusive home may not have been the best plan, as Ezra has relied on his sister for protection and solace when life at home gets rough. Feeling vulnerable and abandoned, Ezra finds himself letting friends into his life in an attempt to escape the hell that makes up his life at home.

There are lots of tough topics and situations that come up in this book, and personally I found it to be a very immersive experience, to the point where I found myself wanting to offer Bea and Ezra a helping hand. Though it was a bit difficult to read about some of the things that the siblings had to go through, I think this book is an eye-opening read that, unfortunately, may hit very close to home for some. I would recommend making sure you are in a good space mentally before picking this book up, as it is very realistic and may be triggering for some readers.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  8 religious exclamations; 10 mild obscenities; 1 religious profanity; 2 derogatory names; 45 scatological words; 15 anatomical terms; 51 F-Word derivatives. 

Violence/Gore:  A mention is made of a minor having an irrational fear that their stepdad might murder their family; a report is made of a minor being upset that their girlfriend broke up with them so they got in their car and sped away, eventually hitting a tree; a minor is described to get into an argument with their parents, minor slaps mother and stepdad is described to hit stepdaughter; a brief scene occurs where a stepdad approaches his stepchildren and gets verbally and physically violent with them; a mention is made of an adult being in possession of a gun; a minor is angry and attempts to burn their house down by setting a roll of papers towels on fire; a scene occurs where it is mentioned that a mother is physically violent with their child; a brief scene occurs where a conversation about sibling violence is had, a girl claims her brother broke her jaw and it is later revealed that her brother has been physically violent for some time, some blood is mentioned; a man breaks his stepchild’s belongings out of anger in a brief scene; a man is physically violent in a brief scene of a fight with his stepson, some blood and minor injuries are mentioned.

Sex/Nudity:  A brief scene occurs where a minor is made aware that her house is empty and she mentions that an empty house is perfect for cuddling with a significant other; a brief scene occurs where the reproductive organs of mammals and humans are referred to; a brief scene occurs where a child mentions defacing some documents with lewd drawings; a mention is made of a boy kissing another boy and enjoying it; a reference to a boy being a good kisser and also good at getting girls pregnant is joked about between minors; a brief scene occurs where a girl observes her friend and boyfriend talking and it is mentioned that she is relieved they aren’t kissing or in throes of passion, then she witnesses them kissing briefly; a brief scene occurs where it is implied that a young man and woman have sex in a college dorm; a reference is made of a man cheating on his wife; a girl refers to herself as sexy.

Mature Subject Matter:

Runaways; kidnapping; abandonment of children; domestic abuse/violence; child neglect.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Minors are mentioned to possibly have been on drugs; a minor mentions that they want to get drunk; a reference is made to someone being a raging alcoholic.