If the young adult in your life is looking for a new addition to their summer reading list, Louder Than Words is the perfect choice.

Louder Than Words is the first collaboration between New York Times best-selling author Ashley Woodfolk (The Beauty That Remains, When You Were Everything, Blackout, the Flyy Girls Series) and acclaimed actress Lexi Underwood (Cruel Summer, Little Fires Everywhere).

The easy-to-read novel captures art’s impact and capacity to change the world. The book is from the point-of-view of high school student Jordyn Jones, an art lover with a secret.

Hoping to escape the drama and secrets that came with her old friends and school, Jordyn transfers to Edgewood High, hoping to create a fresh start and a new persona. However, on her first day of school at Edgewood, Jordyn learns her secrets aren’t far behind her. An anonymous podcast begins to reveal humiliating secrets and ruin Edgewood students’ reputations.

Jordyn knows she has to stop them before she becomes the next topic of conversation. Along with her new group of friends, Jorydn plans to stop the podcast and prevent it from exposing everything she’s worked so hard to hide.

The esteemed literary source Kirkus Reviews has dubbed the book a new-age “Gossip Girl-esque style tale.”

Blavity spoke with the co-authors to explore this transformative book, which presents the topics of accountability and change from a teen’s perspective.

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