How To Say I Love You Out Loud
Karole Cozzo
Swoon Reads
August 2015
5/5
This is a beautiful story about love and acceptance. It's Karole Cozzo's debut novel and it is safe to say that I'm officially a fan of her work and I can't wait to see what's next about her! I had the opportunity to interview her and she was as amazing as her work. Anyway, this is a touching novel that really makes you think twice about how you treat people who are different from you.
Jordyn is a girl who just wants to live the life of a normal teenager. So far, she's been able to keep her at home life completely separate from her school life. She has a secret that she won't tell anyone else, she has an autistic brother. Her brother Phillip goes to a private school specifically for children with disabilities. However, it's being closed due to budget cuts and all the students are going to Jordyn's school. Now Jordyn must come to terms with the possibility of her secret being known by her peers. Meanwhile, she's also conflicted with her feelings for Alex, a close friend who she shared a moment with over the summer. But how can she be with Alex when she's keeping this secret?
Why I enjoyed the book:
- It handles disability in a realistic way.
Cozzo has clearly done her research. She actually has been a counselor for the siblings of kids with disabilities, and her experience is evident once you read the book. It really gives you a different perspective once you see things through Jordyn's eyes and I thought that was unique and wise.
- One word: Alex
He's smart and caring plus he does so much for Jordyn. He desperately wanted her from the time that they first shared a moment at camp, but once she wanted to be just friends, he accepted that. Sure, he got a girlfriend who was a total jerk but Jordyn did wrongly jerk him around. Anyway, he's a great character who I really loved.
- Jordyn finally opening up
At first, she's a little hard to like considering the fact that she pretty much lets her peers talk smack about her brother and that really got to me. I understand that autistic children aren't easy to be around, but literally all of the teens in this book automatically made fun of them and it bothered me that not one teen was sticking up for them. Finally, Jordyn reaches acceptance and I was so relieved once that happened.
This book resonated with me personally because in high school, I was a peer tutor to severely autistic children. It really opened up my eyes to how incredible and loving these children are. I recommend reading this because of the beautiful writing. It's not only realistic, it also has some moments that are bound to really get to you. It managed to make me tear up towards the end, but it also made me laugh as well. Make sure to pick up How To Say I Love You Out Loud, it's just a unique book that is unlike anything I have ever read before.
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