Book Review: Ryan's Bed by Tijan

Summary:  
I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident.

I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left...

I didn’t.
I didn’t jump out.
I didn’t get embarrassed.
I relaxed.
And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved.

I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept.

The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed. If I could've stayed forever, I would have.
He became my sanctuary.

Because—four hours earlier—my twin sister killed herself.


Release Date: January 2018
Age Group: New Adult, Contemporary
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Reviewed By: Nat

Review:
I've read most of Tijan's books and what draws me each time is how strong the women are in the face of absolute madness. Seriously, some of the plots are just straight nightmares but she has a way of developing these women, it's almost like a rebirth by the end.

Ryan's Bed is not my typical kind of read because I don't like to cry buuuutttt I couldn't resist a Tijan. It was a heavy read in the sense of the topic- suicide but not in the way I thought. It is told in the POV of the surviving twin. The story really captures you in the thoughts and mental processes of the grieving who are left after someone leaves in such an unexpected, harsh way. Mackenzie's voice really hooked me and it was like a roller coaster of emotions, self discovery, grief and hope. There were times when I busted out laughing and then others where I wanted to reach into the book and choke a kid. I hate bullies. But I never got choked up until the very. last. page. What a punch in the gut! The final twist and the final piece of Mackenzie was perfectly laid out. 

Novella Please:
Now, I know that this is a standalone and I am totally cool with that BUT there must be a novella or something for Ryan's backstory. You get bits and pieces of his trials and tribulations and in true reader fashion, I simply want more!

Young Adult or New Adult?
I know that this is labeled a YA because of the age of the characters but the content (i.e. sex) makes it a New Adult for me. It's not one I would recommend to the teens but I would tell my girlfriends about it. For a YA that focuses on loss (not suicide but similar grieving processes) I would recommend The Girl Next Door by Jared Reck