When We Collided

Emery Lord is an auto-buy author for me. I fell in love with her debut, OPEN ROAD SUMMER, and every book I read from her is a wonderful and thoughtful experience full of growth, friendship, and a little bit of romance. After finishing WHEN WE COLLIDED, one of the things that I’m really starting to appreciate is how incredibly individual each book feels from is predecessor. Emery Lord’s writing is deep and powerful but still allows each character to let their silly side show and really tells a very realistic story without getting caught up in the dramatics that some young adult books tend to overemphasize. Each book has had a very different story to tell and WHEN WE COLLIDED may be the most powerful one yet. WHEN WE COLLIDED is the story of Vivi and Jonah but it’s also a story for anyone who’s dealt with grief, depression, mental illness, or really any hard times in their life. The reader learns that Vivi has recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and that Jonah’s father has recently passed away and his family is still grieving. WHEN WE COLLIDED chronicles the journey of these two characters throughout one summer as they crash into each other’s lives when they’re both at their very bottom and how they’re able to help each other grow and heal. The book is incredibly powerful. There’s so much emotion as Vivi and Jonah sift through their struggles individually and how once they start to open up, they’re really able to help and support each other by sharing their own personal hurdles. What I loved the most about WHEN WE COLLIDED was how realistic everything truly felt. Sometimes I have a hard time connecting to big families like Jonah’s (especially young children for some reason) but just like Vivi, I easily fell in love with each and every one of them. Emery Lord is able to bring even minor characters into full color and share their dazzling personalities with the reader. I also really appreciated all of the personal experience as well as research that went into Vivi’s character. I haven’t personally seen the effects of bipolar disorder in any of my friends or family members (that I know of) but I felt like this was an incredibly realistic and thorough view of what someone with this disorder might be going through. Experiencing Vivi’s emotional highs and escalation as she went through her manic period was truly an emotional roller coaster and as an observer, I was incredibly nervous for her throughout the book. I was afraid of what might happen when that mania finally came back down and feared for when depression might hit. Vivi has a naturally spirited and unique personality so there was also this blur and question of whether her actions were simply because she was such a sizzling personality or whether some of her decisions were affected by her disorder. I adored the relationship between Vivi and Jonah. It was such a sweet romance full of highs and lows and it was exactly what these two characters needed. Jonah needed someone who would break down the door and push themself into his life in order to really accept help and start to talk about what his family was going through. She opened Jonah up to acting a little silly sometimes and allowing himself to really act his age when there was so much weighing on his shoulders. Vivi needed someone a little grounded to reel her back in at times but still love her for exactly who she was. Jonah was able to offer her a peek into a big family and the loss of a loving father and these two really learned a lot from each other that they never set out to find. I could really go on gushing about WHEN WE COLLIDED but it’s a book that really must be experienced. It was so incredibly well-written and I love how it shares some similar elements of Emery Lord’s previous books (strong female characters, great friendships, tons of growth) and yet it truly stands on its own. It was such an emotional ride for me and one that I will absolutely continue to recommend. If you haven’t read any of Emery Lord’s books yet, start anywhere but make sure you do read WHEN WE COLLIDED as soon as possible!

(...) Favorite Character Jonah – His dedication to his family is incredible. He cares about his siblings and mother deeply, and is trying to hold everything together (even when he’s in way over his head). His sense of duty and responsibility to his family is admirable, even if it makes it harder for him to ask for help. Favorite Line As we discuss in the podcast, one of our favorite parts of this book is the exploration of issues not often talked about (especially around depression and bipolar disorder). Here’s one of my favorite lines that speaks to that “Why? Because you once told me you aren’t afraid of the dark places. I’m not, either, Vivi. You know that.” Fun Author Fact I’m interested in Emery’s views on feminism and how they’ve evolved over time. In a 2014 interview on HelloGiggles, Emery Lord discussed her views on feminism in teen novels. “My main goal is to write fully-formed, flawed girls. It’s hard for me to watch female characters who are struggling criticized as “whiny” or those who cry as “dramatic.” C’mon! They’re human. And in YA, they’re teens! So, I’m going to try to keep writing complicated girls as a means toward what I think is the most important thing: empathy.” I think Vivi definitely lives up to this – while she’s definitely flawed, is very clear why she has the challenges that she does, and you really empathize with both her and Jonah throughout the book. Is this worth a book hangover? Yes! This book a “fun summer romance” with deeper meaning. We both really enjoyed this book and recommend it! Read These Next For another story about teen romance with deeper meaning, check out My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga (our book chat here). Aysel is certain about one thing: she is ready to die. She just needs to decide how. While looking through online forums, she finds FrozenRobot, another teen looking for a suicide partner. FrozenRobot is perfect – he’s local, her age, and ready to kill himself. But as Aysel and FrozenRobot start to spend time together, she starts to see another side of him. Suddenly, she’s not sure she’s making the right decision.

Vivi fell in love with Verona Cove when she moved there for the summer. She wasn't looking for love but love found her anyway. Verona Cove is a small beach town in California and with about 3,000 residents. Because Jonah promised little Leah she can paint pottery if she did all of her chores, the two end up at Fired Up. It so happens that Vivi works there over the summer. And this is where the story starts! When We Collided is honest and poetic. Emery Lord has a gift for capturing moments in a snapshot. Her descriptions are beautifully written and the imagery is strong. Life isn't perfect and Vivi and Jonah are able to complete each other despite their flaws. The slow build up from stranger to friend is remarkable. Vivi is vivid and so full of life. She is adventurous, humorous and free-spirited. Jonah is responsible and reserved. After all, he is one of the caretakers for his younger siblings. Vivi falls in love with the Daniels family but is smitten with Jonah. I enjoyed reading the dual POV novel. Lord writes the POVs wonderfully. I love how she transitions the dialogue so we see both Vivi's and Jonah's POVs. The way Lord tackles family dynamics is fantastic. Jonah comes from a family of five siblings. But his father passed six months ago and his Mom hasn't been the same after the death. The older children have to step up in terms of responsibilities in order to support the family whether it be working or babysitting the younger siblings. Vivi is an only child and lives with her artist mother. Jonah's POV is my favorite. Lord writes his voice perfectly. There is so much emotion and grit in this novel. The ending made me cry; it's a bittersweet ending. Lord has touched upon bipolar disorder in a way where everyone can understand. When We Collided is not a mental illness novel. It's a coming-of-age novel about finding who you are and how you can still persist even though you have some struggles and difficulties in your life. When life is tough, you keep moving forward. When We Collided is a MUST read! It's heartfelt and it's almost impossible not to fall in love with Vivi, Jonah and Jonah's family. The characters are real with flaws and all. If you're looking for a YA contemporary dealing with loss, friendship, love, acceptance, finding yourself and mental illness, When We Collided is the book to pick up! Vivi was here!

I am a HUGE fan of Emery Lord. It started from the moment I read the first few pages of her debut novel, Open Road Summer and continued to deepen after I read her second novel, The Start of Me and You. I honestly didn’t think it was possible that I could become an even bigger fan, but after reading When We Collided, my admiration and respect for her as a writer and person was solidified. Going in to When We Collided, I knew it would be a different read than her first two books. I knew that it tackled a difficult subject and portrayed a character living with a mental illness. But what I didn’t know was how deeply the story of Vivi and Jonah would move me. It’s a difficult story to read at points, but also an important one. I’ve never read anything that dives so deeply into the meaning of mental illness and how it affects not only the person living with it, but the people in their lives. Emery Lord’s writing is evocative and all-encompassing. Her ability as story-teller is taken to a whole new level in this novel. What I loved most about this book was that it was equal parts Vivi’s AND Jonah’s story. I adored the dual point of view and truly believe that it further strengthened the narrative of the entire book. We don’t just get one side of the story, we get two, and in this book in particular, I feel that hearing those two voices was vital to my reading experience. I got to know Vivi and Jonah so intimately through Lord’s writing and am so blown away by how she was able to craft two extremely distinct voices into a single story. The flow was seamless and the transition from one point of view to the other was effortless. Speaking of point of view, as much as I was invested in Vivi’s story, there was something about Jonah that just spoke to me. I have a feeling it’s because we’ve both experienced the same tragedy in our lives, so I felt a kinship towards him. But, I just couldn’t stop myself from yearning for Jonah to find a way through his OWN grief. The last chapter of this book is from Jonah’s perspective and it absolutely SLAYED me. I was in tears. It was beautiful. When We Collided will forever stay with me as a reminder that no matter how messy life gets, there will always be people I love surrounding me and ready to hold me up. In her third book, Emery Lord created the kind of story that her fans know and love her for, but also a story that needs to be read. Her words are thoughtful, informative and passionate, and it all comes together in the most beautiful way.

When We Collided by Emery Lord deserves so much appraisal. I just can’t seem to get my thoughts together after reading it. This novel is so important and it speaks volumes to my heart and I’m sure it will too, to so many others. When We Collided as Vivi would say, was filled with spectacularity and burstsomeness. . This novel was bold, funny, sad, raw, and courageous. It’s told in two POVs. Vivi and Jonah. Which was very well done. I’m usually not a fan of POVs but Emery Lord does it beautifully. This book tackles strong mental health issues, as in grief, depression and bipolar disorder. Not a lot of YA books tackle this important issue and that’s something that really needs to chance. We need MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS. That are done so gracefully and that are straightforward. That is real and informative. That is, what we need. This book has touched me profoundly and there really isn’t much for me to say. Except that I’m still reeling from the roller-coaster ride of emotions that this novel has left me. I’ve never read anything by Emery Lord before. But I am positive that, that, will change. Because Emery Lord has just become one of my favorite authors. I just want to thank Emery Lord for taking the time to write about Mental Health and putting it out there for the whole world to see. This book has fastened itself into my soul since I finished reading it and I know it will stay wedged in my heart for a very long time. To celebrate the love that I have for this book, I'm doing a giveaway. So don't forget to enter at the end of this post. My favorite quotes from When We Collided. I like to hear who I am each day. The term of endearment is like a fortune cookie at my favorite Chinese restaurant –Vivi It was supposed to appear effortless. Like a feast at Hogwarts. Wait, no! I don’t want to be Dobby in this equation. Jesus. –Jonah My siblings are locked into her, rotating in her orbit. I am, too. It’s like I can’t look away. –Jonah He’s the ring to my Frodo, the wardrobe to my Lucy Pevensie. –Vivi Jonah Daniels and his gaze are enough to make a girl feel like she emerged from a huge seashell in the middle of the ocean, like the painting of Venus, surrounded by sea foam. –Vivi But what I mean is, depression, it settles like a shadow over your body while you sleep, and it mutes every frequency into blackness, into fog. Everyone thinks you can’t laugh when you’re depressed, but I couldn’t cry either because I couldn’t feel. –Vivi

This is exactly what I needed. I don’t know, school is kicking my ass this semester. I feel like I haven’t been able to sit down and read a book in months. And I probably won’t read another one for another few weeks. This book was by no means perfect. The instalove was real and sometimes the relationship angst got to be a bit much. But overall I really adored these characters and I thought they were very realistically portrayed. Vivi and her mom just moved to Vera Cova, a small town in California, when she meets Jonah. (This is where the instalove comes in.) Jonah recently lost his father and is trying to take care of his siblings and mother, who is struggling with depression. Vivi Alexander is vivacious, high on life, and she has a bipolar disorder. She’s got this artistic soul, she can be selfish, immature, and so I can understand why some people don’t like her or can’t sympathize with her. But I do think Vivi is an amazing portrayal of a teenage girl living with bipolar disorder. Then we have Jonah Daniels. I adored him and his family. Jonah has five siblings and I loved how each of them had their own distinct personalities and their dynamic with each other. I also enjoyed how loud they were and their love for food. Lord managed to paint this vivid portrayal of mental illness and I liked how it was talked about so openly (because this needs to be talked about). We got to see two different sides of it. Someone living with it firsthand and someone living with it through a loved one. I also thought the ending was so perfect for the characters. (view spoiler) Filled with vivid characters and one of the best depictions of mental illness, this book can get frustrating at times, but it’s honest and I recommend it.

After having read and loved two novels from Emery Lord, I was really looking forward to whatever she would be releasing next, because I knew I was going to love it. I was not, admittedly, prepared for When We Collided. This book completely bowled me over, friends, and in the very best way! It is such an Emery Lord story, at least in terms of writing style and the way her characters – these new friends for us readers – are brought to life. But, yet again, it’s also a very different story from her previous work, thanks to the unique plot and circumstances. I really loved it, and there’s no doubt in my mind that many of you will too. When We Collided tells the story of two teenagers as they experience a life-changing summer. Vivi is determined to have a magical summer of freedom in the picturesque little coastal town she and her mother are currently in; she’s confident that everything is okay now, that she is okay now. Early into the summer, she meets Jonah. Jonah is struggling to balance his responsibilities, particularly working at the family restaurant and filling the parental gap left behind by his parents. To him, Vivi is unexpected, vibrant and just what he needs; to her, Jonah is stable and kind and patient and what she needs. Together, these two have a summer that neither will ever forget. I know I’ve made this novel sound like a teen drama. While it does feature teens with their fair share of personal drama, it is also, simply, more than that. There’s such complexity to both Vivi and Jonah, both of whom are strong, admirable teens who are dealing with difficult situations best they can. Apart from falling head over heels in love with both of these characters (flaws and all), I fell in love with their summer – where they spent it, what they did, who else was in their orbit. Everything was just painted with such vivid strokes with each word, and it leapt off the page in a way that made this story completely immersive. If I haven’t made it clear, When We Collided is an incredible story. (It makes her three for three with books when it comes to this reader!) If you are craving a contemporary young adult novel that will introduce you to amazing new characters and reel you in with an emotional, complex, unputdownable tale, then look no further. When We Collided is the story for you.

THE STORY | Vivi is colorful. Everyone she meets isn’t likely to forget her. She’s got an infectious, take-charge personality and this is what Jonah most likes about her. Into his unusual family that hides scars and secrets, Vivi inserts herself without blinking. She doesn’t shy away from his problems, and she doesn’t find his life too “messy.” Quite the opposite. Vivi is afraid of Jonah’s life. In fact, she embraces the chance to get to know his large family, and Jonah, well, he’s special. What he doesn’t know is Vivi understands everything he’s dealing with. Only question is, how soon will Jonah realize what Vivi hides? Warning! This review will have vague spoiler-y discussion. REVIEW | Going into a novel written by an author with a book you’ve previously read and enjoyed is something of a risk. There’s always that question mark: will I like this novel as well as book [x]? The example in this case is that I’d read and loved The Start of Me and You a while back. Since then, I collected Emery’s novels, but hadn’t read another by her. This all changed when finally I picked up her YA drama, When We Collided. Unfortunately, for all my gushing of ‘Me and You,’ I don't have the same feels for When We Collided. The story takes a more serious approach than my prior experience with Emery’s writing. Or perhaps it’s just a more bittersweet approach. I understand what Emery attempts with this novel, but I feel like it comes across as a kind of “version” of John Green’s Paper Towns. Don’t misunderstand, ‘Collided’ is quite different. But at the same time, it has the same kind of vibe as a John Green novel. “Even the constellations can see us now: we are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know.” ― Emery Lord, When We Collided That said, I like the general “idea” of the plot. The characters are quirky which means they’re also quite memorable. Sadly, beyond this, this novel and I really don’t get alone. It’s not that it’s badly written or the story is bad, it’s more personal preference and style. What is good is well done. It’s just, the ultimate conclusion isn’t my cup of tea. Yet, I do understand the importance of the end. Plus, to be fair, I “spoiled” myself on the ending which means I kind of had to “pressure” myself to push through the book. This is a place a reader never wants to be in. Contrary to all I’ve said, When We Collided does have merit. It’s not badly written and the characters are colorful. Though the romantic in me is heartbroken, as I say earlier on, I do understand the need for the book to end in the place it does. Still, for a girl who expected this to be more akin to The Start of Me and You, this doesn’t live up to expectations. Content: There is thematic material in the novel such as depression and mental health topics. Vivi and Jonah also have a physical relationship. Nothing is graphic, but there is suggestive conversation, and a scene that makes it clear what’s going on. Profanity is frequent, and does include the f-word. The novel would receive a hard PG13-rating.