The Way I Used to Be Collection (Boxed Set): The Way I Used to Be; The Way I Am Now

The Way I Used to Be #1-2

by Amber Smith

A young woman struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault in the New York Times bestselling The Way I Used to Be and tries to move forward in its much anticipated sequel, The Way I Am Now —now available together in a hardcover boxed set.

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened, but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Following Eden through all four years of high school and beyond as she starts college, this deeply moving duology reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment of adolescence, first love and first heartbreak, and friendships broken and rebuilt, all while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

This hardcover boxed set
The Way I Used to Be
The Way I Am Now

816 pages, Hardcover

Published November 28, 2023

About the author

Amber Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels for young adults, including the international bestsellers The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now, as well as the critically-acclaimed and award-winning novels, The Last to Let Go and Something Like Gravity. Along with her middle-grade debut,Code Name: Serendipity, she also contributed to the award-winning YA anthology, Our Stories, Our Voices. An advocate for increased awareness of mental health, gendered violence, and LGBTQIA+ equality, she writes in the hope that her books can help foster change and spark dialogue. She lives in Ithaca, NY with her wife and their ever-growing family of rescued dogs and cats. Find her online at AmberSmithAuthor.com

Reviews

[isu ✮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ㅤ 3.5 pretend this is the way we met lol
«If a girl dies in a crowded room, but nobody sees it happen, did she ever really exist at all?»

[Lu ⋆⁺₊⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden, I lov u.

[Alissa Lucatero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved both of these books and characters were so relatable.

[Megha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Way I Used to be's Review :
How bad I wish I was her big sister instead of Caelin being her big brother?!
Also I did wish Eden's mom would've let her speak up instead of thinking she missed her period date ...

I'm so proud of her that at least, eventually she spoke up about the incident! This girl deserved and deserves more support than she was given. It wasn't her fault for her entire transformation into a bad girl!

Also, throughout the entire Sophomore Year, I felt so so bad for Joshua Miller. He didn't deserve what Eden put him through...but I also can't blame her completely for this.

I highly recommend this book and so here I'm giving it a 5 ⭐

The Way I Am Now's Review:
This book deserves a 10 freaking stars ⭐

Their relationship is built on so much understanding and like both Eden and Joshua are willing to put every effort on this relationship just not to drift apart from each other. 💖💘

They're my favorite duo of course, the way they managed to have faith in each other and the optimism that no matter what they're going to make it work out some way, somehow.

IT'S TRUE!
MAYBE THERE'S NO OTHER GUY LIKE " JOSHUA MILLER "
and his love for EDEN even knew no bounds.
ALSO, His Love for her is Love in its purest form...✨🥺

Imma ship them until my very last breath and these 2 books will alwayshold a v.special place in my heart from now on.

[Nazeefah Ziya Monia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Written...The way I feel ....Its a story told many times with Slightly Diff Points but ...Sadly a Story that happens an can happen to anyone ...

Something that people just _Should not ever have to go through

Where as In Reality _Is really Fucked up

But still Happens ...

No Women nor Child or man should go through

I hope in real life Healing Comes for those who faced such pain an comes back stronger ♡

An that There are guys like Josh that exists ♡




loved book 2 aswell _wasnt needed but shows Healing takes time alot of time ...an thats okay ♡

[Siesie Tuinfort · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish Eden had felt like she had people to talk to. It just shows how you can have people around you and still feel so alone. For me, the first book just kept getting heavier and harder, but in the second book, things started to look up a bit. That being said, I’m really expecting a third book!

[Cj A · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book is great loved it. It described what she went through very well. Second book she was kinda of annoying in my opinion but I understood why. The character development was amazing.

[Savannah Behrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITERALLY BEST BOOKS IVE EVER READ. Really sad at first and hard to read bc of her choices but second book is really good and has a happy ending

[Selena Manhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: rape and sexual assault, drugs, alcohol, mental issues… Do your research before reading.

I loved this book, it started my love again for reading, I lcoe the way the author wrote this book and decided it into freshman sophmore junior senior..