Tell Us Something True by Dana Reinhardt

Tell Us Something True is a great read because it has beautifully developed characters and a true and honest story. The way in which Dana Reinhardt manages to make the reader feel many different emotions towards River is a testament to her writing.

The story starts with River getting dumped my his girlfriend Penny on a boat in the middle of a lake. River does not take this very well and at first refuses to leave the boat and refuses a lift home. The problem is home is ten miles away and River cant drive and wont take a bus, the only option for River is to walk. While walking he notices a support group for teens called Second Chance. The people in the support group have a range of problems that include drugs, shoplifting and eating disorders, even though River has none of these problems he still attends the group for support, by lying to them and telling them he has an addition to weed. In the group he notices Daphne and he really starts to fall for her, but he continues to lie to her and there is only so many lies you can tell before getting found out.

When I first met River I felt sorry for him with the breakup from Penny, but then after a while I found him to be annoying because he was in denial with the breakup and he started to become obsessed with her. I just wanted to shake River and tell him to move on. Thankfully after attending the support group he does start to move on and develop as a character. I started to like him more and more as I read on and I didn’t want anyone to find out about the lies he told just so he could have some happiness. Reading this book you definitely do go on a rollercoaster of emotions with River, and even though you find him annoying and creepy it doesn’t stop you from reading because he is such a great character.

Tell Us Something True is about 180 pages, I thought that perhaps the story would suffer because of the small number of pages. My worries soon evaporated once I started the book, Dana’s writing is descriptive and engaging. Dana definitely makes the most of the 180 pages and fills them with beautiful words to make a brilliant story. She manages to tell and full and real heartfelt story without leaving anything out. The only part I could moan about was that Rivers school friends were not developed enough, but because everyone else was I can left that one point pass. I managed to read this book in a few hours because the writing was so good I just got absorbed and didn’t want to put the book down until I finished. Dana’s writing does have a John Green vibe but that’s not to say she is a direct carbon copy because she does have her own style which makes this book brilliant.

This was my first Dana Reinhardt book, but it wont be my last. I will be checking out other books by her because she is able to write and create stories that are full of heart, honest and real. I am so glad I got an opportunity to read one of her books because it has made me aware of a new author I need to watch out for.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a beautifully developed coming of age YA book that makes you feel a whole load of different emotions.