Rex Ogle hits it out of the park with his first young adult fiction novel. This story told in verse is a ode to friendships that are like family, but also a warning that sometimes staying loyal may not be what is best for us. Great messages for teens and and engagin read.

Wow. This book took me for a ride so the title can work more than one way. I thought I knew what was going to happen in the end and it flipped. I went to sleep with a heavy heart after reading this. Absolutely incredible.

I loved the formatting of this novel. It gave the feeling that I was reading poetry from the start and that made it really intriguing and fulfilling to read. I was happy to read the Author’s remarks at the end and realize that they started with writing poetry. This novel was a page turner and quick read which is great for YA audiences. Rex Ogle did a wonderful job with painting the picture throughout the entirety of this novel. I only wish that we could have had a different ending, but that is exactly the point. There were so many times where I wanted to speak directly to the characters and ask them questions and tell them that they knew better. This novel is very relatable and I will definitely recommend and discuss it with other readers.

When We Ride is a YA book that I would highly recommend. The author did a fantastic job throughout its entirety of this book.
Two best friends who couldn’t be any more different. Both being raised so different and both facing issues because of it. I love how it takes you through such a ride of what is happening to their friendship, and in the end, the loyalty never ends.

This was a great ride (read), i love the way it was written out. It felt i was reading a playbook, the book isn’t really my cup of tea, but i will recommend it to people who enjoy this kind of reading.

I got this book from NetGalley, and I probably wouldn't have gotten it if I read the description more carefully, which would've been a mistake. I generally choose not to go for YA books, because I know they're not meant for me, and I generally go against In-verse and poetry, because I'm not into it.

Very small parts of this book made me feel like I was reading a typical YA book. Which is a good thing. My only complaint is really that it was in-verse. A lot of the time it just felt like there was a random unnecessary cut in the lines, but maybe that feeling is just me. Maybe I don't fully understand the art.

But also
maybe
it doesn't make
any sense.

I really enjoyed reading about Benny and Lawsons friendship and how it shaped each of their lives. In life sometimes you don’t pick your friends, they pick you and that’s sorta what their friendship was like. Although opposites they balanced each other out in an unspoken way. They truly saw one another for they were and not how everyone else perceived them. Rex Ogle captured the true essence of friendship in this and demonstrates how raw life can be when you love someone who may not see themselves as you do, with this emotional moving story.

Two teenage boys struggle to cope with a seemingly inescapable set of tragic life circumstances.

The first-person narrative conveys an innocent sense of transparency through its simplisitic yet gritty tone. The resulting authenticity evokes an overwhelming feeling of empathy for its readers.

You find youself rooting for the overly-responsible narrator who assumes the role of care taker while simultaneously oozing age-appropriate naivety. We cheer over his developed internal strength as he begins to adhere to a personal moral code. We see him start to demonstrate the wisdom gained from his dark experiences.

And, we cling to the plot as it unfurls. I couldn't move through the pages quickly enough.

The resounding ending leaves a lot to ponder. How do we deal with the cards that life has dealt?

I recommed this read as a quick yet deeply thought-provoking evening or weekend pick.

Review of When We Ride by Rex Ogle

Rex Ogle delivers another powerful and emotionally charged novel with When We Ride (Norton Young Readers). This gripping story captures the harsh realities of growing up too soon, navigating friendships in uncertain circumstances, and facing the weight of addiction. Ogle’s writing is both raw and poetic, making the novel impossible to put down. At its heart, When We Ride is about survival, resilience, and the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood. A short but deeply impactful read, it lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for providing a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

WHEN WE RIDE by Rex Ogle left me shell-shocked. It shouldn’t have because I know the facts but seeing it fleshed out in two likable young men is more powerful than reading grim newspaper accounts. Brothers they were, for better or worse.

If this is the reality playing out in some of our high schools, maybe most, then this book should be required reading. And since it is in verse, I mean “read” properly, in the oral tradition. Out loud. It is a play behind the covers. Teachers can point out the way the oral tradition developed in ancient times, from poetry to many centuries later, the novel. This book provides many “teaching moments.” As above, for better or worse.

With thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Co. for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this as an ARC from the publisher. I don't know quite what I was expected when I picked this one up, but I was absolutely blown away. I've never read anything by Rex Ogle before, but I sure will now.

At first, I was kind of put off by the formatting of the book. It bugged me for probably the first 10 pages. But once I settled in and stopped fighting it, I could really appreciate how it was controlling the pacing, steering the reader through the story and forcing them to stop on all of the points that were supposed to make you stop and really think.

I love that it didn't rely on stereotypes or tropes. I love (and hate) that it made me struggle through difficult thoughts and emotions. There was never a point in the story where I was thinking "you idiot, why didn't you just [x, y, z]." You might think it for a split second until you realize that [x, y, and z] aren't options, either. Benny's mom at Christmas absolutely broke my freaking heart.

I'm amazed at how Ogle was able to develop characters so thoroughly and to weave a plot line with so many interesting facets to it with so few words. Just a few little snippets of paragraphs on a page with forced spacing, and it just painted this profound picture that would be so much less if he had filled up the page with words trying to get us there. It's sad, a little depressing, with glimmers of hope, and feelings of unfairness for who wins and who loses and who doesn't have choices that are any good to make. Just like life.

It was a quick read, but it's really sticking with me. Things happened so quickly, and so powerfully, and then the feelings kind of crash into each other and all sneak up on you. I was fine when I finished reading it (sad, but fine), and then twenty minutes after I finished reading, I found myself with tears coming down my face.

Don't pass this one up.

This book was incredible. I often find that researchong older YA 'for boys' to be a reall challenge, and finding YA that deals with serious topics tob e even harder. However, When We Ride dealt with many issues and it was done in such a beautiful way, I loved it. This title will definitely become one of my 'easy hand sales', and I'd love to see more books in the same format. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for access.

Big thanks to NetGalley & the publisher W. W. Norton & Company for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

This story follows two best friends Diego and Lawson, growing up together and taking to very different paths with incredibly similar circumstances. These boys are both raised by single mothers after their fathers left, figuring out how to financially support themselves through entirely different means, all while living across the street from one another. Diego is being encouraged by his mother (who works multiple jobs, has given her car to Diego, and is struggling with alcoholism), throughout the story to focus on his education so that he can become the first one in his family to go to college and create a better future for himself. Diego struggles with the systematic inequalities he faces due to race and familial income, all while Lawson takes another path by selling drugs to make money, and continually ingratiates himself to Diego for him to drive places to deal.

This was my first full length prose intended for a YA audience, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was completely blown away. This was a super quick read (only took about an hour!), but was compelling enough to not have me put it down once. I was definitely skeptical of the format and whether or not I'd be drawn in, but I found myself completely enamored by the storytelling Ogle manages throughout. There were moments throughout that pulled at my heartstrings in a way that I certainly was not expecting. This is the kind of storytelling that will truly impact younger generations and will certainly change some lives in the process. My literal only complaint was that the formatting of this ARC for Kindle was a little difficult to read due to the stylization of the tire tracks, but after checking the NetGalley Reader I can confirm that it was solely an issue for that medium and am certain it will be revised for the full kindle version with standard release.

This novel in verse was written so well, it's been a really long time since I've read a book in this format and instantly enjoyed it. The ending however really made me hate a certain character in this and I think that's the point. This a real great PSA about selling drugs and enabling people because you love them. Great representation of male friendship as well. Also shows hardships about how poorer people without connections struggle to rise out of their poverty. Really loved the main character and how he had a wide array of emotions instead of the regular man has no emotions, he felt real and I really appreciate that in books. Highly recommend to anyone who likes Ellen Hopkins.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc! I simply could not put this one down, I was too enamored by the stylistic choice, the novel-in-prose being something I’d never read before. Interestingly enough, it was incredibly easy to follow along, and the emotions conveyed throughout really hit home.

The story itself follows two boys in their senior year, best friends, who veer into wildly different paths, yet remain close to one another. One becomes increasingly wrapped up in selling drugs while the other looks toward his future, every day hoping for things to get better for the two of them. It accurately portrays the lengths we go for our friends, for our selves, and for our families.

I am one of those people who believes the less said the more feeling is behind it and this one, while sparse in prose or description, was able to show me everything I needed. I thought this book was simply beautiful.

This book was short and sweet and definitely emotional. One the main themes in this book is loyalty, it makes you think and want to examine the relationships that you have. Will you allow toxic relationships to ruin your life? This book gives new meaning to the phrase "loyal to a fault"- beautifully written and definitely recommend.

This is unlike any novel I’ve read before. The unique formatting really enhanced different parts of the story. I believe this book could resonate with teens around the world. Benny is caught between trying to do what’s right and being there for his friend Lawson. His mom, a recovering alcoholic who works two jobs to make ends meet, just wants him to be better than she was. This is a beautifully tragic story.

-- This is a glimpse of my original review. Please take a read of the whole thing on my blog!

This book made me sad. It just fell into this stereotypical American trope of young men getting sucked into a life they never wanted for themselves and the colored-kid (in this case Mexican) only seems to achieve something because of the home life they come from.

Good book. Would I call it poetry, no maybe not — although I’m awful judge of modern poetry, so maybe I’ll stay away from that aspect. I liked the way it was written. I think if a teacher wanted to introduce the way things can go from bad to worse in a short period of time, this book could definitely introduce it.

I came into this book knowing that Rex Ogle is a wonderful writer, and this one did not disappoint. In this book we meet a boy with some similarities to Rex' own life in terms of the financial struggle and Latino heritage, but at the point where the story begins, his mother has become fully supportive of Diego (Benny) and believes that he will be able to make a change in his life through education. No father is present.

The tension in this story is the hope that Benny will live up to this opportunity (and he is actively following this dream by working hard for his grades as well as working in a diner to save for it) while worrying about his friendship with Lawson, his neighbor/best friend/"brother" who feels he is responsible for his mother and himself and turns to making "real money" by selling marijuana, and eventually more dangerous substances. The worry is present for the whole story as Benny continually tries to maintain his friendship with Lawson and help him try to find a different path while also protecting his own future.. The ending was both disheartening and hopeful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

As a reader and an educator, I am a huge fan of Rex Ogle's work. His own stories and the way he tells the stories of others are so needed by young people today. When We Ride is a beautiful novel in verse about two best friends who are seemingly headed in very different directions after high school. Teen readers will be able to relate to at least of the struggles the boys face in their friendship and though it is a tough story, I think it's an important one. I will absolutely be ordering a copy for my classroom library!

This is a huge compliment to the author, but this book ripped my heart out in a way that typically only Jeff Zentner has been able to do. If you know, you know.