A review by chelseyjleon
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles

2.0

I honestly want to give this book something between a 2 and a 3. There’s something about it that just fell short for me. I enjoyed some of the imagery the book used, and the cover is absolutely stunning. But, the first chapter just felt disjointed from the rest of the book and was never really revisited ever again which made it all feel flat. There are quite a few times where scenes happen in this book, but they don’t all connect together. It also feels a taste like the book was trying to tackle too much at once, like how Dear Martin felt for me. I found myself being taken out of the book and having a ruined suspension of disbelief just because.... like, clearing these things happen, and Black Lives Matter forever and always, a-freaking-men, BUT the events of this book just don’t hit like they should. They just don’t have that real feel to me. And, the ending felt incredibly rushed and wasn’t satisfying at all. I just wish there was more power to this read, I guess. It was just missing that oomph for me. I wanted a bit more from it.