With the end of the year coming to a close, and the endless amount of parties celebrating the new year, I believe this is a good book to read. That Night by Cecily Wolfe looks at how an overdose effects people after the death of a loved one. It is something that is important to remember when going out to party. You want to be smart and safe when it comes to drinking and drugs.

That Night

Author: Cecily Wolfe

Genre: YA Contemporary

Date of Publication: July 4, 2017

My Rating: 3.5 pens

Goodreads Synopsis: Drug overdoses don’t happen to girls with good grades and athletic prowess, with longtime friends and a devoted boyfriend. Or do they?

When high school seniors Cassidy and Sarah, along with Kayla’s boyfriend Paul, discover their best friend Kayla unconscious at a party, the idea that they have lost her to a heroin overdose is unbelievable. She didn’t use drugs, except the pain medicine prescribed for a soccer injury, and she had no reason to accept any from a stranger. The month that follows her death is filled with anxiety, sadness, frustration, and questions. Answers won’t bring Kayla back, however, so as Cass and Sarah struggle with the insensitive but predictable behavior of parents, classmates, and teachers, Paul falls into a depression that leads him down a dangerous path. With Kayla’s younger sister Mia in mind, the three of them work towards forging ahead without the girl who has held them together since elementary school.

Topics and Triggers: Overdosing, Friendships, Relationships, Grief

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | Book Depository

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I received a copy of That Night from the author Cecily Wolfe in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book shows a realistic version of what happens at a party even after doing heroin only once. The effects of that one choice on your friends and family and the community as a whole. It really makes you think about the consequences of your actions. So let’s get to my thoughts.

• Emotions

There is a lot of heavy emotion in this book. We get the perspective of three characters. Kayla’s friends Cass, and Sarah, and her boyfriend Paul. All who struggle after their friend Kayla overdoses on heroin at a party. Each character and their family have their own difficulties with dealing with the death and it pulls at your heartstrings as you read each perspective.

• Real Effects of Drugs

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember the last time that I read a book with drugs or overdoses or anything of that nature. It hasn’t ever been something that has interested me. But when I was contacted about reading this book, I figured I would give it a try. I’m glad I did. This book taught me a lot about how people grieve and act after a tragic event. Whether it is for sadness or personal gain. It also makes you think about how your actions affect others. It is realistic and very educational.

• Nicknames

These characters had so many different nicknames. Seriously. In one paragraph two of the characters were referred to by the full name and their nickname. Interchangeably. At first, I thought there were different characters but that wasn’t the case. It felt awkward and confusing until the nicknames were mainly used a few chapters in.

• Perspective

The story takes place in the third person which I believe is a good way to tell this story. The problem I had with it was that sometimes the story felt like it switched perspectives mid-paragraph making it hard to know who was narrating that section.

• Vague

The basis of this book is to look into the effects that overdoses have on people. However, I felt like more details could have been provided at the end to wrap everything up. I feel as if there is a major cliffhanger at the end where I am not sure what happened to each character.

That Night is a wonderful book that looks into the effects of overdoses on family and friends. It is informative and makes you feel the effects just as the characters feel them. Although sometimes the perspective of the chapter was a bit unclear, the story still held a lot of emotion. I recommend this book if you want to learn about the effects of an overdose on the people around you.

What do you think about this book? Let’s talk in the comments below!

 

 

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