I picked up the novel “The Way I Am Now” by Amber Smith and couldn’t put it down. I read all 432 pages within two days. Eden, the young female protagonist along with her boyfriend, Josh, didn’t let me put down their book. I became infatuated with their soul-stirring relationship. The start of their relationship wasn’t so easy when Eden’s life drastically took a turn in high school, as shown in the first novel “The Way I Used To Be”. Now she is entering college struggling to regain her strength after being assaulted in high school. Eden and Josh’s relationship becomes hard to balance as she enters college. The sequel came out last November making the touching themes evermore relevant. The themes and reliability of the book make it hard to put down. The mature themes give the book full thematic depth any reader could ask for, although it can be considered a sensitive read. However, the inseparable supportive relationship between Eden and Josh leaves the reader with a warm heart.
The novel delves into numerous weighty subjects, social changes, friendships, self-blame, and bullying, further enhancing its significance. The author, Amber Smith, captivates readers by neatly changing the character’s point of view letting me better understand the characters and themes.
This technique allowed me to feel one-on-one with the characters, providing great insight into Eden and Josh’s relationship. However, as I kept flipping the pages I felt that Josh grew while Eden remained constant. This is the only critique I have, as Eden seems to be stuck in the mud, unchanging from her experiences. If you can get past this then it’s a phenomenal read for young adults. The emotional and striking aspects of Eden’s story, though common for some, helped me stay involved in this novel. The passionate relationship between the main characters left me with a sense of peace in the end.
Overall, Smith doesn’t need to drag the series out, but I will miss Eden and Josh’s relationship. Smith helps the readers stay engaged by skillfully changing the characters’ perspectives throughout the book. This way of writing gives me all the information I need to stay wrapped up in this story. This novel is a compelling and moving read for young adults. Adding in heavy subjects Smith allows me to better understand a story like Edens. As the story concludes I feel as though I learned all I needed to know about Eden and Josh’s complex yet loving relationship.
