3.5

I feel like nothing was ever really revealed? A “truth” was built up but given away and then dragged out as if it were never revealed. There wasn’t a lot of shocking moments or moments where I felt emotional. A little bit underwhelmed...

My grandfather often said that there are three sides to every story—his side, her side, and the truth. This book is a perfect depiction of such. Not to mention, it’s heartbreaking and eye opening to how one moment can stay with you forever.

I’ve never read anything by this author before, of course I’ve seen the other books about but never picked them up something I will be rectifying on my next trip to the book store. That’s Not What Happened is a very prominent book for today’s society. It discusses how we have control of our narratives and when we get to decide to tell them - show people who we really are and the letters were a good way of demonstrating this.

3.5

A really powerful story that features different peoples’ responses to traumatic events. Loved that the shooter was never named. He shouldn’t be glorified for his work and Kody Keplinger did a wonderful job showing that.

This had a good story but was heavily focused on the main characters sexuality which was super confusing and jarring with the man subject matter being a school shooting. It was just a lot going on. It made it hard to really connect with each of the characters.

*3.25*

Overall I liked this book. It was sad and certain parts actually made me cry especially with similar things happening right now. One thing I didn’t like was at the beginning it built up so much suspense but not to the point where I wanted to keep reading but to the point that I just got annoyed.

It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story--that she died proclaiming her faith.

But it's not true.

I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight . . . but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did--and didn't--happen that day.

Except Sarah's martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don't take kindly to what I'm trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what's right. I don't know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up . .

This is a book, that you must read.

I have read few books about school shootings, but none of there was written way that THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED . It was different and unique because it took 3 years after the showing, and it showed how it affected everyone, especially Lee. I can’t even imagine to go through something that tragic, I think if were me, I wouldn’t be able to go back after. Lee might had her moment, and to me she was brave. It takes a lot to do what she had done, and reading those letters, seeing what others went through that horrible day, it can’t be that easy, to bring up those memories. THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED was very hard book to read, but then the subject is hard to read about it. While reading it, you feel the fear along with those characters, especially once you read the letters and about the victims of shooting, who weren’t lucky. I felt like I was there along with them. Despite being a difficult subject to read about, I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to find out how it would all end.

I loved that this book wasn’t only told in Lee’s point view, but through letters and on occasion about the victims. It gave us a better view of how they were, as a person prior to the shooting. Like Lee, I wondered why Miles didn’t want to write the letter. Was it because he didn’t want think about what happened that day, or was it because he was hiding something? I did not like how Lee was pushing him about it, I understand why she did, but when it became clear that he didn’t want to, she should let it go. I was as surprised as Lee was when he did write it. I do believe that he only did it because of her. It was clear from the start how he felt about her. I wished that Lee realized sooner than she did, about how she felt about him. I was rooting for her to figure that out, all through the book.

I hated how others started to treat Lee, just because she decided come clean, about Sarah and what actually happened that day in the bathroom. Why would she have a reason to lie about that? It did make me wonder, if people would believed her if she came clean right away, or if she would have go through same harassment. Out of all characters, besides Lee and Miles, Ashley was one of my favorites. I loved how was always checking up on everyone. Even when she was angry with Lee, she encouraged to tell Miles how he feels about her. I feel as if Ashley is a type of person that everyone want be friends with, a friend that is always there for you. I wasn’t happy that she didn’t believe Lee, but at the same time, I understood it. She felt guilty, at least that is the feeling I got.

THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED is not the first book that I read by KODY KEPLINGER she had became one of my favorites back in 2012 when I read her debut novel, THE DUFF That book had a high impact on me, and I always look forward to her books. I wasn’t disappointed. KODY KEPLINGER did it again. A book that will have you thinking long