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What: Nowhere Near You (Because You’ll Never Meet Me #2) by Leah Thomas

Who: Bloomsbury Childrens

When: March 1st 2017

How: A copy of this novel was provided by Bloomsbury Australia for review.

Following up her acclaimed debut, Because You’ll Never Meet Me, Leah Thomas continues the stories of Ollie and Moritz in another heart-warming story of unique friendship.

Ollie and Moritz might never meet, but their friendship knows no bounds. Their letters carry on as Ollie embarks on his first road trip away from the woods–no easy feat for a boy allergic to electricity–and Moritz decides which new school would best suit an eyeless boy who prefers to be alone.

Along the way they meet other teens like them, other products of strange science who lead seemingly normal lives in ways Ollie and Moritz never imagined possible: A boy who jokes about his atypical skeleton; an aspiring actress who hides a strange deformity; a track star whose abnormal heart propels her to victory. Suddenly the future feels wide open for two former hermits. But even as Ollie and Moritz dare to enjoy life, they can’t escape their past, which threatens to destroy any progress they’ve made. Can these boys ever find their place in a world that might never understand them?

How do I even begin to talk about this book that I love so much? When I read Because You’ll Never Meet Me for the first time, I rated it four stars. I loved a lot about the book, mostly the two boys. Because it had been so long since I read the first book I decided to re-read it in preparation for Nowhere Near You. And I rated it five stars the second time because I just love that book a lot? And Ollie and Moritz were somehow even more special the second time around? Because You’ll Never Meet Me seriously cemented itself as one of my all time favourite books upon the second reading.

And then when it came time to read Nowhere Near You afterwards, there was a slight feeling of wariness on my behalf because I had just discovered that these boys mean so much to me, and we all know that second books can be not-so-great. Well, I can honestly say that Nowhere Near You was just as good as its predecessor. The tone was still the same, the boys were just as special and lovable, and everything was perfect.

Nowhere Near You is quite different to Because You’ll Never Meet Me because Ollie is out in the world (!!!) and Mo is attending a new school. I thought I wouldn’t like this, because so much of the first book’s beauty was in the fact that the boys were such outcasts and found friendship and love in each other. But this didn’t change. Even though they grew as people, their friendship stayed the same, and they were still each other’s ~person~.

The themes in Nowhere Near You were quite a bit darker than Because You’ll Never Meet Me, but I was okay with that. The boys were learning new things about themselves, and about the people around them, about the world, and about the lab where they were subject to terrible things. If anything these darker elements made me want for their happiness even more than I had before, which should have been impossible.

Moritz’s love for Ollie is hands down my favourite aspect of this series. It broke my heart when, relatively early on, Ollie asks Moritz to stop talking about how much he loves him. I was in actual pain. I don’t want to give too much away in terms of what happens regarding this but I can say that I was extremely happy and that if people don’t see it then they are erasing identities because yes.

I honestly and truly and wholeheartedly need a third book in this series. I cannot live without more Ollie and Moritz. There were so many questions left unanswered, and I need to know how everything pans out. I want more from my boys. I want more of their happiness, and their love, and them growing up. I sincerely hope this isn’t the last I am going to see of them because they mean a helluva lot to me (they feel so real. So very real).

If this review hasn’t convinced you to read this series then I am not doing my job very well. Because you should read this series. You need to read this series.

© 2017, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.

trigger warning:  reference to death of mother (via cancer), death of a friend (via cancer), reference to bullying, reference to attempted drowning, forced drug use, attempted sexual assault, bus crash (no deaths, only injuries), physical assault, use of ableist language, and depictions of anatomy (external heart) in this novel

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Posted on: April 7, 2017 • By: Chiara

17 Responses to Nowhere Near You by Leah Thomas: A Perfect Sequel

  1. I tried to read the first book and I DNFed it but you have me SO curious about the sequel. I might have to go back and give the first book another shot someday. I’m so glad the sequel was worthy though!

    • Chiara says:

      To be honest, when I first read the first book I almost DNFd, as well! After the first 60 pages it really picks up. I really hope you do try it again one day, Lauren!

  2. I have to review this book very soon too and I can’t wait to, especially after hearing such amazingly positive things! Plus that cover is such a beauty and I cannot wait to read it! Thanks for sharing! <3

  3. I absolutely adored the first book – it was so gorgeous and the characters were incredibly unique and wonderful, but, for some dumb reason, I decided against reading this one??? Clearly, I was so wrong to do that based on your review, and I’m ordering this super-soon, BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE BOYS’ FUTURE LIFE. They both deserve all the happiness in the world. *cries* Anyhow, wonderful review!

    Veronika @ The Regal Critiques

    • Chiara says:

      Oh no! This is definitely worth the read. It doesn’t suffer from Second Book Syndrome at all. And even though it is quite different from the first, it still has the same beautiful essence that Because You’ll Never Meet Me had. I really hope you enjoy it, Veronika! And thank you :D

  4. Megan says:

    Great review! Also, I love your cat rating system SO MUCH! <3
    Megan @ http://wanderingsofabookbird.blogspot.co.uk/

  5. Kayla says:

    I honestly felt like the reread made it better for me, too! There were so many little details that I never noticed the first time around, just because the story is so layered and setting itself up for the future without getting bogged down in details. But there were some things I noticed that aren’t even addressed until book two, that are just casually dropped there!

    • Chiara says:

      I have hardly ever read books that are so layered! Like, at first you just think it’s about these two boys writing to each other but it is SO MUCH more than that. It is everything <3

  6. Dina says:

    I thought I knew a bit about this book, but it seems like I am confusing it with something else. For whatever reason, my brain immediately shipped the characters the first time I heard of this book. So, I have expectations, dang it. Did I mention that your trigger warnings help me a lot? Seriously.

    • Chiara says:

      Oh, I immediately shipped them back when I first read the blurb of the first book, as well! You will be rewarded if you read it, Dina :D Ah, I’m so glad (I will mention that I accidentally forgot to include the use of ableist language in these trigger warnings and thought I would let you know in case that is one of yours). <33

  7. For some reason I had no idea that Because You’ll Never Meet Me had a sequel, but now I’m super excited to go read it! Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! <3

  8. Nowhere Near You stole my heart so completely, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it too. Thank you for introducing this series to me in the first place! I don’t think my heart will ever be able to rest unless there is a third book. I have so many questions I need answered. But mainly I need to see more of Ollie and Moritz, even if it’s not in the way I hoped for or expected. They are so sweet <3

    • Chiara says:

      It was so beautiful, right? Absolutely no problem! I’m only glad that you love them as well :D I won’t, either. There were so many questions unanswered in this book and we need more of the boys!

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