We'll Fly Away, by Bryan Bliss
Luke and Toby have always had each other’s backs. But then one choice—or maybe it is a series of choices—sets them down an irrevocable path. We’ll Fly Away weaves together Luke and Toby’s senior year of high school with letters Luke writes to Toby later—from death row.
Best friends since childhood, Luke and Toby have dreamed of
one thing: getting out of their dead-end town. Soon they finally will, riding
the tails of Luke’s wrestling scholarship, never looking back. If they don’t
drift apart first. If Toby’s abusive dad, or Luke’s unreliable mom, or anything
else their complicated lives throw at them doesn’t get in the way.
Tense and emotional, this hard-hitting novel explores family
abuse, sex, love, and friendship, and how far people will go to protect those
they love. For fans of Jason Reynolds, Marieke Nijkamp, and NPR’s Serial
podcast.
"Bryan Bliss has written an empathetic and stirring
novel about what it means to fight for the outcasts, the forgotten, and even
the hated, reminding us that we all have worth. That we are all
valuable."—Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking
“A poignant story of loyalty, abuse, and poverty . . . This
compassionate and beautifully rendered novel packs an emotional punch.”—Kirkus
Reviews (starred review)
“A smart, rugged, all-too-true story of friendship
under fire. Believable characters and page-turning tension.”—Chris
Crutcher, author of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
“This fast-paced read will have teens tearing through
chapters to find out why Luke is in jail. . . . The conclusion will leave them
devastated. This is [a] touching book about male friendship for fans of
Jason Reynolds.”—School Library Journal
“The unshakable and unconditional bond between the young men
is tested and proves true, a ray of light in the darkness of their
stories.”—VOYA
