Carver Briggs' life has gone from nearly perfect (he's looking forward to spending his senior year with his three best friends. He's got a big sister who he considers a friend as well, and parents who love him) to something worse than he could ever imagine.
In the blink of an eye a text message changes everything. Carver texts his friends Mars one day, knowing that three friends: Mars, Blake and Eli are out together. He also knows that Mars always answers his texts right away. Except for this time Mars was driving when Carver texted him and he tried to reply. And texting while driving resulted in the three boys dying in a car accident.
Carver is grieving. He is also worried that he is going to be charged with negligent homicide.
Zentner does an amazing job of developing Carver's character and allowing him to deal with his grief in an authentic way. I so appreciated the way Carver would remember different things about his friends, silly times they spent together. I enjoyed the way Zentner had each friend's family grieve in a different way, showing that there is no right way to get through a death.
The idea of negligent homicide is something that is also explored and should give teen readers something to think about when the idea of texting while driving arises.
I can't say enough good things about this novel. Goodbye Days will be published in March. Pre-order your copy immediately.
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