What do you think?
Rate this book
The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher
A boy determined to die. A girl determined to save his life.
After the death of his little brother, Grayson's guilt spirals his life into chaos; it's all his fault. He wants to rewind that night back. To erase the pain he's caused.
So he's decided; in twenty-four hours, he'll kill himself.
Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up with a a "literally insane" all-night adventure that will show him the beauty in the mundane.
Grayson doesn't know why the foster girl with the piercings, crimson locks, and fishnet leggings is helping, especially when he finds out she harbors dark secrets of her own. Yet as they spend his last night learning to let go of pain, Grayson may have a new choice to make.
But can he ever really be happy again?
Told in a heartfelt yet poignant style interspersed with quirky humor, The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is a YA coming of age romance about two people who need to get lost in order to find each other.
After the death of his little brother, Grayson's guilt spirals his life into chaos; it's all his fault. He wants to rewind that night back. To erase the pain he's caused.
So he's decided; in twenty-four hours, he'll kill himself.
Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up with a a "literally insane" all-night adventure that will show him the beauty in the mundane.
Grayson doesn't know why the foster girl with the piercings, crimson locks, and fishnet leggings is helping, especially when he finds out she harbors dark secrets of her own. Yet as they spend his last night learning to let go of pain, Grayson may have a new choice to make.
But can he ever really be happy again?
Told in a heartfelt yet poignant style interspersed with quirky humor, The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is a YA coming of age romance about two people who need to get lost in order to find each other.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2023
17 people are currently reading
1578 people want to read
About the author
Christopher M. Tantillo
5 books124 followersChristopher M. Tantillo earned his MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2017 and his BA in Creative Writing from SUNY Oswego in 2012. He considers himself a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things YA. When not reading or writing, he enjoys running, movie marathons, and binge watching the next greatest show. He's an avid fan of anything horror related, despite not actively writing in the genre.Benji
He enjoys witty banter, awkward conversations, tarot, tea, and has an unhealthy obsession with gelato. You can find him, and his doggo Benji (Benito), in Niagara Falls, New York, where he grew up. He hopes to spread mental health awareness and advocacy with his writing, and hopes that his stories can help to both entertain and heal. His goal is to inspire someone else's life with his characters and stories, like his favorites did for him growing up. He considers his primary genre to be Dark YA Coming of Age Romance. He will continue to write stories told from the POVs of teens dealing with mental health issues, which come in all shapes and sizes.
He has also published essays in The Weaving Knight, The Great Lakes Review, and Twenty-two Twenty-eight. He is self-publishing his debut YA novel, which won 2nd place in the Sara-Merritt Contest in 2017.
He enjoys witty banter, awkward conversations, tarot, tea, and has an unhealthy obsession with gelato. You can find him, and his doggo Benji (Benito), in Niagara Falls, New York, where he grew up. He hopes to spread mental health awareness and advocacy with his writing, and hopes that his stories can help to both entertain and heal. His goal is to inspire someone else's life with his characters and stories, like his favorites did for him growing up. He considers his primary genre to be Dark YA Coming of Age Romance. He will continue to write stories told from the POVs of teens dealing with mental health issues, which come in all shapes and sizes.
He has also published essays in The Weaving Knight, The Great Lakes Review, and Twenty-two Twenty-eight. He is self-publishing his debut YA novel, which won 2nd place in the Sara-Merritt Contest in 2017.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
April 1, 2023
I’m the author! I wrote this book! It might be the next best thing since the last next best thing you’ve read! I’m exclaiming every sentence I write! Aubrey forced me to rate my own book! Hope you enjoy the read, Ninjas! #TeamAubrey
September 18, 2023
Let me start off with the trigger warnings: depression, suicide, grooming, violence, self-harm, sexual assault, survivor’s guilt, underage drinking, drug use all involving teens.
With that being said- this book is truly a work of art. This book is so beautifully written. It is heavy and intense. I laughed, I cried, I threw my book across the room. It was a roller coaster of emotions and I loved it! There are many life lessons and beautiful quotes in this book.
I don’t want to get into too much detail about this book. Basically the main character Grayson wants to kill himself in 24 hours and durning that time he meets a girl name Aubrey who is determined to save him.
It addresses pain and mental health in a really truthful way that doesn't glamorize/romanticize mental illness like sooo many movies, books, songs do.
I think this book should be on everyone’s reading list!
; ❤️
With that being said- this book is truly a work of art. This book is so beautifully written. It is heavy and intense. I laughed, I cried, I threw my book across the room. It was a roller coaster of emotions and I loved it! There are many life lessons and beautiful quotes in this book.
I don’t want to get into too much detail about this book. Basically the main character Grayson wants to kill himself in 24 hours and durning that time he meets a girl name Aubrey who is determined to save him.
It addresses pain and mental health in a really truthful way that doesn't glamorize/romanticize mental illness like sooo many movies, books, songs do.
I think this book should be on everyone’s reading list!
; ❤️
January 19, 2024
I’m very conflicted about this book. I really wanted to give it a higher rating, but in the end, I felt that a potentially great story was let down by execution.
As per the blurb, Grayson’s life is in turmoil since the death of his little brother, for which Grayson (”Gray”) blames himself. Aubrey Fisher, a misfit foster child, comes into his life, and they spend 24 hours together.
There are powerful themes in this book - most notably suicide ideation. This has to be handled sensitively, and it was (the Acknowledgements at the back of the book explain that many of the themes are issues that the author has dealt with in his own life).
First, the good: I really liked the character of Aubrey. Her depth of emotion seemed real to me, and I wanted to get to know her better - there was a point in the book that I cried in response to learning something about her past. The story is told in the first person from the perspective of Gray, largely through dialogue, so the fact that Aubrey felt so alive to me speaks to the skill of the author. The supporting cast of friends (Kris, Jenna, Kyle, Tim, Reefer) were also well drawn (although Tim and Kyle seemed a bit interchangeable), and I could really feel the shared history between this friendship group: the glue that holds them together amongst the inevitable bickering and tension.
I also enjoyed the plot. The story of Aubrey and Gray’s escapades in this 24 hours was engaging and satisfying. And, although the ending was largely how I expected it, the journey carried me along throughout.
But, while I liked Aubrey, she had a wisdom beyond her years that I found jarring. She has a chequered background, and some questionable current behaviour, but she somehow has a crystal clear idea of what’s important, and what people need in order to get through life in the presence of severe emotional trauma. Some of her own traumatic background is touched upon, and contributes to her depth of character, but I just found it infeasible that she would be so worldly-wise given her age and life experience.
I also couldn’t connect emotionally with Gray at all - which is a problem, given that this story revolves around Gray’s intention to kill himself in response to the death of his little brother. This is also surprising, given that the story is written from Gray’s point of view (and doubly so given how real Aubrey’s emotions felt to me). My inability to connect emotionally with Gray meant that his intention to kill himself also didn’t seem real to me - it felt like an intellectual idea to end his life rather than a driving emotional need. So my personal experience of reading the story was that Gray was never in any real danger of taking his own life, but had an interesting and transformative 24 hours with the misfit kid from school. And, while I still enjoyed reading it, I’m sure this isn’t what the author intended.
The book is structured as a series of chapters, each covering one of the 24 hours. While this is a neat device, it meant that the story seemed to drag a little near the beginning where very little was happening in each hour. At one point it also meant that Gray ended up waking someone up in the early hours of the morning in order to have a conversation with them - which seemed like it had to be crowbarred into the remaining ‘per hour’ structure of the book in order to tie up some loose ends.
The style also got a little preachy at times, and there were a few too many “You see, Timmy” moments where the moral, meaning and conclusions of the story were explained in excruciating and slightly patronising detail.
So, for me, a potentially great story let down by execution.
As per the blurb, Grayson’s life is in turmoil since the death of his little brother, for which Grayson (”Gray”) blames himself. Aubrey Fisher, a misfit foster child, comes into his life, and they spend 24 hours together.
There are powerful themes in this book - most notably suicide ideation. This has to be handled sensitively, and it was (the Acknowledgements at the back of the book explain that many of the themes are issues that the author has dealt with in his own life).
First, the good: I really liked the character of Aubrey. Her depth of emotion seemed real to me, and I wanted to get to know her better - there was a point in the book that I cried in response to learning something about her past. The story is told in the first person from the perspective of Gray, largely through dialogue, so the fact that Aubrey felt so alive to me speaks to the skill of the author. The supporting cast of friends (Kris, Jenna, Kyle, Tim, Reefer) were also well drawn (although Tim and Kyle seemed a bit interchangeable), and I could really feel the shared history between this friendship group: the glue that holds them together amongst the inevitable bickering and tension.
I also enjoyed the plot. The story of Aubrey and Gray’s escapades in this 24 hours was engaging and satisfying. And, although the ending was largely how I expected it, the journey carried me along throughout.
But, while I liked Aubrey, she had a wisdom beyond her years that I found jarring. She has a chequered background, and some questionable current behaviour, but she somehow has a crystal clear idea of what’s important, and what people need in order to get through life in the presence of severe emotional trauma. Some of her own traumatic background is touched upon, and contributes to her depth of character, but I just found it infeasible that she would be so worldly-wise given her age and life experience.
I also couldn’t connect emotionally with Gray at all - which is a problem, given that this story revolves around Gray’s intention to kill himself in response to the death of his little brother. This is also surprising, given that the story is written from Gray’s point of view (and doubly so given how real Aubrey’s emotions felt to me). My inability to connect emotionally with Gray meant that his intention to kill himself also didn’t seem real to me - it felt like an intellectual idea to end his life rather than a driving emotional need. So my personal experience of reading the story was that Gray was never in any real danger of taking his own life, but had an interesting and transformative 24 hours with the misfit kid from school. And, while I still enjoyed reading it, I’m sure this isn’t what the author intended.
The book is structured as a series of chapters, each covering one of the 24 hours. While this is a neat device, it meant that the story seemed to drag a little near the beginning where very little was happening in each hour. At one point it also meant that Gray ended up waking someone up in the early hours of the morning in order to have a conversation with them - which seemed like it had to be crowbarred into the remaining ‘per hour’ structure of the book in order to tie up some loose ends.
The style also got a little preachy at times, and there were a few too many “You see, Timmy” moments where the moral, meaning and conclusions of the story were explained in excruciating and slightly patronising detail.
So, for me, a potentially great story let down by execution.
August 1, 2023
a 4.6 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🔅 rounded to 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was a beautifully written dark, coming-of-age YA book that deals with triggering concepts
(TW are mentioned on the first page of the book)
I have read a couple of books that deal with depression, the loss of a loved one, suicide and suicide intentions but non gripped my attention and gave me the satisfactory ending that this book had
And even though we have two main leads in this book, it is solely told through Grayson's POV. It is through his eyes we witness his downfall, torment, anger and aggression, love, hate, confusion and finally acceptance
Grayson is a highschool student in his senior year. He used to be fun, outgoing, surrounded by friends, in a loving relationship and a promising writing future. Less than a year ago, a dreadful night changed all of that. An accident occurred that took the life of his little brother, put his girlfriend's dad in a coma, and left his girlfriend Kris with a permanent limp. His father and mother's marriage becomes a constant fight and jab at each other after that.
Gray feels responsible for the accident, so he withdraws within himself and isolates himself from everyone except his best friend Reefer
He is obviously suffering from deep depression and is planning to take out his own life thinking it is the best for everyone.
Enter Aubrey. A badass girl in his class who gives no attention (supposedly) to what people think of her and has this reputation of being a cruel person who inflicts harm on others for her pleasure.
for some reason, she sets her eyes on Gray and challenges him to spend a night with her roaming free and doing things out of their comfort zones
Their journey that spans less than 24 hours is not only about Gray but also Aubrey's salvation. Both have to come to terms with their past lives, choices, and repercussions of their actions.
I loved the writing of the book. The author did an exceptional job showing the deep relationship between Grayson and his little brother so we would understand the depth that his death has brought.
and although the time span is very short, what Gray and Aubrey go through and the things they discover about themselves forge a deep connection between the two
The words used are easy to read with no hidden meanings but so very eloquently put
"Maybe that's what is wrong with the world: too many people are trying to talk. To fill the silence. The fighting and lying, the excuses and the need to feel accepted"
There are also a couple of surprises along the way, one I figured on early and one of them I did not see it coming. No spoilers
Add to that the well-written side characters. I liked every one of them. Even the bully (you know as a character I mean) because he did serve a purpose. I could also see through Reefer (Brian) and how he is hiding his torment behind jokes and sarcastic comments.
HOWEVER (God I hate myself for this)! I did not like AUBREY. and I know many are #teamAubrey, but I beg the writer to understand that I am #teamKris
Aubrey is portrayed as this tough misunderstood person surrounded by Rumors. She is the one who "cannot save herself, so she decides to save Grayson instead". And in a way, she does. We discover along the way why she was able to do so and how similar and close to Gray she actually is.
The way she was represented is giving up a vibe of "do not judge others' looks and actions without knowing them and their story" which is a great message IF AUBREY WASN'T ALSO JUDGEMENTAL HERSELF.
So, for that, I did not like Aubrey. I wished Gray got back or at least did right by Kris. That girl went through hell and back. She lost everything in the accident and still had the decency to continue loving Gray and trying to be there for him over and over. The amount of hurt and harsh words Gray spewed on her! She did not deserve it. And she still wished him happiness with Aubrey. This girl is an Angel and so much better than Gray and Aubrey. She deserved a public apology not a stolen one under the blanket of night
so yeah, I am #teamKris
All in all, I loved this book. It had such a powerful message of hope and forgiveness
I wish Reefer would get his own book because as much as messed up what he did, I sympathize with why he did it
This was a beautifully written dark, coming-of-age YA book that deals with triggering concepts
(TW are mentioned on the first page of the book)
I have read a couple of books that deal with depression, the loss of a loved one, suicide and suicide intentions but non gripped my attention and gave me the satisfactory ending that this book had
And even though we have two main leads in this book, it is solely told through Grayson's POV. It is through his eyes we witness his downfall, torment, anger and aggression, love, hate, confusion and finally acceptance
Grayson is a highschool student in his senior year. He used to be fun, outgoing, surrounded by friends, in a loving relationship and a promising writing future. Less than a year ago, a dreadful night changed all of that. An accident occurred that took the life of his little brother, put his girlfriend's dad in a coma, and left his girlfriend Kris with a permanent limp. His father and mother's marriage becomes a constant fight and jab at each other after that.
Gray feels responsible for the accident, so he withdraws within himself and isolates himself from everyone except his best friend Reefer
He is obviously suffering from deep depression and is planning to take out his own life thinking it is the best for everyone.
Enter Aubrey. A badass girl in his class who gives no attention (supposedly) to what people think of her and has this reputation of being a cruel person who inflicts harm on others for her pleasure.
for some reason, she sets her eyes on Gray and challenges him to spend a night with her roaming free and doing things out of their comfort zones
Their journey that spans less than 24 hours is not only about Gray but also Aubrey's salvation. Both have to come to terms with their past lives, choices, and repercussions of their actions.
I loved the writing of the book. The author did an exceptional job showing the deep relationship between Grayson and his little brother so we would understand the depth that his death has brought.
and although the time span is very short, what Gray and Aubrey go through and the things they discover about themselves forge a deep connection between the two
The words used are easy to read with no hidden meanings but so very eloquently put
"Maybe that's what is wrong with the world: too many people are trying to talk. To fill the silence. The fighting and lying, the excuses and the need to feel accepted"
There are also a couple of surprises along the way, one I figured on early and one of them I did not see it coming. No spoilers
Add to that the well-written side characters. I liked every one of them. Even the bully (you know as a character I mean) because he did serve a purpose. I could also see through Reefer (Brian) and how he is hiding his torment behind jokes and sarcastic comments.
HOWEVER (God I hate myself for this)! I did not like AUBREY. and I know many are #teamAubrey, but I beg the writer to understand that I am #teamKris
Aubrey is portrayed as this tough misunderstood person surrounded by Rumors. She is the one who "cannot save herself, so she decides to save Grayson instead". And in a way, she does. We discover along the way why she was able to do so and how similar and close to Gray she actually is.
The way she was represented is giving up a vibe of "do not judge others' looks and actions without knowing them and their story" which is a great message IF AUBREY WASN'T ALSO JUDGEMENTAL HERSELF.
So, for that, I did not like Aubrey. I wished Gray got back or at least did right by Kris. That girl went through hell and back. She lost everything in the accident and still had the decency to continue loving Gray and trying to be there for him over and over. The amount of hurt and harsh words Gray spewed on her! She did not deserve it. And she still wished him happiness with Aubrey. This girl is an Angel and so much better than Gray and Aubrey. She deserved a public apology not a stolen one under the blanket of night
so yeah, I am #teamKris
All in all, I loved this book. It had such a powerful message of hope and forgiveness
I wish Reefer would get his own book because as much as messed up what he did, I sympathize with why he did it
December 24, 2023
I saw this author on TikTok talking about his book and it sounded good so I picked it up on audio. The narrator does a great job. This book is way better than I expected. It’s a YA book but every age will love this book. It deserves a 5 star review. The story flows well while dealing with sensitive topics such as suicide, depression, drug use, and others as Grayson deals with survivor’s guilt. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but I highly recommend this book. I bonded with the characters. They seemed so real. Christopher Tantillo is a beautiful writer.
It’s ok to not be ok. We are not alone. Life is worth living.
It’s ok to not be ok. We are not alone. Life is worth living.
May 24, 2023
Thank you, Christopher, for letting me read the ARC for The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher!
I'm so happy that I got to experience the adventures of Gray and Aubrey. They had one wild night, but a very important night that both of them needed. I've read many stories that throw characters together and try to make the audience believe that these characters were fated to meet, but The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is one of only a few stories that have actually convinced me this is true. Christopher did an amazing job of fitting their stories and experiences together like a carefully pieced together puzzle--each piece fitting perfectly. Even though Gray and Aubrey were only together for 24 hours, they were able to help each other so much. Gray finally realized that life can go on after tragedy, and Aubrey realized that there are people in the world that can love you for you. As a reader, this was magical because not everyone is able to see passed their inner saboteur, anger, and sadness to see that they are worthy of love. Thank you to Christopher for writing this emotionally driven story that gave me all of the feels! Y'all are not ready for the greatness that exists in these pages. It's a wild ride so buckle up and enjoy the ride!
I'm so happy that I got to experience the adventures of Gray and Aubrey. They had one wild night, but a very important night that both of them needed. I've read many stories that throw characters together and try to make the audience believe that these characters were fated to meet, but The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is one of only a few stories that have actually convinced me this is true. Christopher did an amazing job of fitting their stories and experiences together like a carefully pieced together puzzle--each piece fitting perfectly. Even though Gray and Aubrey were only together for 24 hours, they were able to help each other so much. Gray finally realized that life can go on after tragedy, and Aubrey realized that there are people in the world that can love you for you. As a reader, this was magical because not everyone is able to see passed their inner saboteur, anger, and sadness to see that they are worthy of love. Thank you to Christopher for writing this emotionally driven story that gave me all of the feels! Y'all are not ready for the greatness that exists in these pages. It's a wild ride so buckle up and enjoy the ride!
November 24, 2023
Wow!!!! I’m late I to the game in reading this book but, I’m so glad I finally got here!!! This amazing story starts with a young man who has decided that his life is no longer worth living. He has been suffering from depression since the accidentally death of his little brother, for which he feels responsible. On the day he’s planning his departure from this earth he meets a girl who he never seen coming. She’s like no other person he’s ever met!! This is the type of story that will stay with the readers. As a person who has suffered with depression and anxiety since I was young, I understood how the main male character felt in his darkest times. Please take the time to read this beautiful work of art❤️
August 6, 2023
Book Title: The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher
Author: Christopher M Tantillo
Genre: YA Dark Romance
Release Day: May 23, 2023
Format: Physical
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis: A boy determined to die. A girl determined to save his life.
After the death of his little brother, Grayson’s guilt spirals his life into chaos; it’s all his fault. He wants to rewind that night back. To erase the pain he’s caused.
So he’s decided; in twenty-four hours, he’ll kill himself.
Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up with a proposition: A “literally insane” all-night adventure that will show him the beauty in the mundane.
Grayson doesn’t know why the foster girl with the piercings, crimson locks, and fishnet leggings is helping, especially when he finds out Aubrey harbors dark secrets of her own. Yet as they spend his last night learning to let go of pain, Grayson may have a new choice to make.
But can he ever really be happy again?
Told in a heartfelt and poignant style interspersed with quirky humor, The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is a coming of age romance about two people who need to get lost in order to find each other.
My Thoughts:
This book grabbed me with just the words on the cover. One person. One night. One chance to save a life. However, I was four pages in and stopped and grabbed annotation supplies. This book moved me. The descriptive and emotional writing grabbed me. It was written with so much passion and purpose and was poetically written like no other I have read. It held me close, and I experienced this beautifully broken story from the first to last page. It was an emotional roller coaster. It brought up feelings I dealt with in my teenage years. It brought up emotions I thought I had buried so deep they would never surface. The characters, oh, these characters were everything. Their emotions, their grief, their heartbreak, and their loss just moved me. I loved most and felt pain for others.
If you have ever dealt with grief or guilt or that what if this had happened instead. You must read this book. If you are a parent, please read this book. If you are a person looking for a book that will forever change your outlook on life circumstances and choices, please read this book. This is my absolute top read of 2023, and I still think of Gray and Aubrey daily, even Reefer.
So grab your copy, a box of tissues, a coffee, or tea to warm your hands and enjoy this beautifully broken story that will last with you forever. #teamaubrey
Trigger warnings: anxiety, depression, drug use, grooming, underage drinking, violence, self-harm, survivor's guilt, sexual assault and suicide all involving teens.
P.S. As a reread, I listened to the audio book for this, and it was amazing. The narration by Eric Altheide was brilliant. He gave the perfect voice to Gray and brought these characters to life!
Author: Christopher M Tantillo
Genre: YA Dark Romance
Release Day: May 23, 2023
Format: Physical
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis: A boy determined to die. A girl determined to save his life.
After the death of his little brother, Grayson’s guilt spirals his life into chaos; it’s all his fault. He wants to rewind that night back. To erase the pain he’s caused.
So he’s decided; in twenty-four hours, he’ll kill himself.
Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up with a proposition: A “literally insane” all-night adventure that will show him the beauty in the mundane.
Grayson doesn’t know why the foster girl with the piercings, crimson locks, and fishnet leggings is helping, especially when he finds out Aubrey harbors dark secrets of her own. Yet as they spend his last night learning to let go of pain, Grayson may have a new choice to make.
But can he ever really be happy again?
Told in a heartfelt and poignant style interspersed with quirky humor, The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher is a coming of age romance about two people who need to get lost in order to find each other.
My Thoughts:
This book grabbed me with just the words on the cover. One person. One night. One chance to save a life. However, I was four pages in and stopped and grabbed annotation supplies. This book moved me. The descriptive and emotional writing grabbed me. It was written with so much passion and purpose and was poetically written like no other I have read. It held me close, and I experienced this beautifully broken story from the first to last page. It was an emotional roller coaster. It brought up feelings I dealt with in my teenage years. It brought up emotions I thought I had buried so deep they would never surface. The characters, oh, these characters were everything. Their emotions, their grief, their heartbreak, and their loss just moved me. I loved most and felt pain for others.
If you have ever dealt with grief or guilt or that what if this had happened instead. You must read this book. If you are a parent, please read this book. If you are a person looking for a book that will forever change your outlook on life circumstances and choices, please read this book. This is my absolute top read of 2023, and I still think of Gray and Aubrey daily, even Reefer.
So grab your copy, a box of tissues, a coffee, or tea to warm your hands and enjoy this beautifully broken story that will last with you forever. #teamaubrey
Trigger warnings: anxiety, depression, drug use, grooming, underage drinking, violence, self-harm, survivor's guilt, sexual assault and suicide all involving teens.
P.S. As a reread, I listened to the audio book for this, and it was amazing. The narration by Eric Altheide was brilliant. He gave the perfect voice to Gray and brought these characters to life!
January 17, 2024
This was a 6 star read for me and is highly likely to be in my top 5 books for the year.
The Night I Spent With Aubrey Fisher tackles some extremely dark subject matter (check your trigger warnings!!!) in such a powerful way.
Grayson Falconi has decided that in 24 hours he is going to kill himself. After his brother died, he blames himself and the guilt and grief is just to much for him to bear. Enter Aubrey Fischer, troubled foster girl with dark secrets of her own. She takes Gray on a night of adventure designed to show him that there is still a life beyond the extreme depression and anxiety he is feeling.
When I tell you this book gave me all the feels, I mean it. It was heartbreaking, intense, funny, and so much more. At one point I even cried. As someone who has dealt with depression and anxiety since I was a teen, and while I haven't experienced it on this level, I could definitely relate to Gray and Aubrey. They are extremely loveable characters and I found myself rooting for them throughout the book.
Christopher M. Tantillo's writing is both moving and smart. I look forward to reading his new book, Keep You, that comes out in May.
#teamaubrey
The Night I Spent With Aubrey Fisher tackles some extremely dark subject matter (check your trigger warnings!!!) in such a powerful way.
Grayson Falconi has decided that in 24 hours he is going to kill himself. After his brother died, he blames himself and the guilt and grief is just to much for him to bear. Enter Aubrey Fischer, troubled foster girl with dark secrets of her own. She takes Gray on a night of adventure designed to show him that there is still a life beyond the extreme depression and anxiety he is feeling.
When I tell you this book gave me all the feels, I mean it. It was heartbreaking, intense, funny, and so much more. At one point I even cried. As someone who has dealt with depression and anxiety since I was a teen, and while I haven't experienced it on this level, I could definitely relate to Gray and Aubrey. They are extremely loveable characters and I found myself rooting for them throughout the book.
Christopher M. Tantillo's writing is both moving and smart. I look forward to reading his new book, Keep You, that comes out in May.
#teamaubrey
March 21, 2023
“The glue in life is everything.”
Thank you so much to Christopher for letting me read this ARC it was amazing! It was my first time reading an ARC! This book was a great read and it had me hooked. The writing style is very easy to read and most of the banter made me laugh out loud! The whirlwind of Aubrey Fisher- absolutely fantastic. The character development in this book is phenomenal; I loved that each character had a personality and you could see that in the book. Oooh and the trouble they get in- this book kept me on my toes! I did get emotional at some parts and gasped at others! The message that this book tells is absolutely beautiful. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to some of the things in this book.
“Life isn’t easy––it’s a puzzle, and everyone is just trying to figure out how all the pieces fit.”
I normally read Fantasy books but the teaser for this book had me wanting to read it and I’m glad I did! Definitely 5/5! I honestly couldn’t put it down!
Thank you so much to Christopher for letting me read this ARC it was amazing! It was my first time reading an ARC! This book was a great read and it had me hooked. The writing style is very easy to read and most of the banter made me laugh out loud! The whirlwind of Aubrey Fisher- absolutely fantastic. The character development in this book is phenomenal; I loved that each character had a personality and you could see that in the book. Oooh and the trouble they get in- this book kept me on my toes! I did get emotional at some parts and gasped at others! The message that this book tells is absolutely beautiful. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to some of the things in this book.
“Life isn’t easy––it’s a puzzle, and everyone is just trying to figure out how all the pieces fit.”
I normally read Fantasy books but the teaser for this book had me wanting to read it and I’m glad I did! Definitely 5/5! I honestly couldn’t put it down!
May 23, 2023
First off, I would like to give a big thank you to Christopher for sending me the ARC of “The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher”.
This book was so well written for his first book! The amount of detail is amazing. YA romance/coming of age isn’t a genre I would usually pick up, but I’m so glad I gave this one a shot!
I was hooked from the very first page, and had a hard time putting it down. I loved the story and the characters (absolutely loved Reefer, his character was so funny). The message this book tells is SO important & beautiful.
This was one of my favourite reads of 2023 so far, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Christopher!
This book was so well written for his first book! The amount of detail is amazing. YA romance/coming of age isn’t a genre I would usually pick up, but I’m so glad I gave this one a shot!
I was hooked from the very first page, and had a hard time putting it down. I loved the story and the characters (absolutely loved Reefer, his character was so funny). The message this book tells is SO important & beautiful.
This was one of my favourite reads of 2023 so far, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Christopher!
June 29, 2023
I saw this book on TikTok and decided to take a chance on it. I’m so glad I did!! I think this book should be a required reading for high school students. The overall message is very positive given the subject matter. I’m usually really critical of endings, but this ending was perfect. It felt realistic and not rushed. Best book I’ve read so far this year!
June 6, 2023
Wow, what a beautiful read!🖤🩷💙 This is truly a coming-of-age book that I just wish was available when my loved ones and I were in that part of our lives! This book really hits home with a lot of relatable feelings that we all have and can’t put into words or feel uncomfortable to express. Even though this is a “coming-of-age” book this book allows the reader to reflect and gain new perspective of past & even current trauma/events. Whenever, I do anything read, watch, listen, move I want to FEEEEEEEEL IT TO MY CORE. This book did just that. I adored the characters and their relationships and roles they played in portraying this author’s message. The love and pain that was felt and experienced throughout this story and not just swept under the rug was beautiful.
The writing style was just magnificent! Poetic yet understandable! *chef’s kiss*
Lastly, props to the author for being unafraid to express a topic that they are passionate about and spread awareness, and showing that it can be through our connections with one another that helps heal ourselves! I believe this book to truly be a wonderful part of not only of peoples’ book collection but in their hearts and souls. Well done and thank you for making me feel. 🖤💙🩷🐚👏👏👏
The writing style was just magnificent! Poetic yet understandable! *chef’s kiss*
Lastly, props to the author for being unafraid to express a topic that they are passionate about and spread awareness, and showing that it can be through our connections with one another that helps heal ourselves! I believe this book to truly be a wonderful part of not only of peoples’ book collection but in their hearts and souls. Well done and thank you for making me feel. 🖤💙🩷🐚👏👏👏
May 23, 2023
This was SO GOOD!!! I loved everything about this book. It was beautifully written and the way the author wrote everything that has to do with Mental Health was phenomenal. This was such an easy read, i was captivated the entire time and felt like I was immersed in the story.
July 2, 2023
This book reminded me of when I was younger, it brought back amazing memories when I was at the fair riding the rides. It also reminds me of how I am now the anxiety, panic attacks and the depression. I don’t hit myself. I would use a rubber band when I was younger to pop my wrist, now my cope is to read and to read for endless hours at a time to escape the real world. Reading this book just makes me realize why I would never judge anybody that I don’t know because you really have no idea what anybody is going through. Now I live life to the moment and spend as much time with my daughters as I can because you have no idea when life will take a turn and I want to live it to the fullest
April 3, 2023
This was seriously one of my favorite books I have read this year!
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
There is a trigger warning to start the book concerning self harm, suicidal ideation, grief, depression, anxiety, sexual assault and drug use.
Gray and Aubrey are the perfect pair for each other at the perfect time and their adventures made me smile, laugh and cry. I can see this book turned into a movie that I would be first in line to buy a ticket for or stream.
Chris did an excellent job of keeping me entertained, questioning and feeling all the feels. The descriptive writing was the exact right amount to really help paint a picture and the characters were written so well that I am still thinking about them even after finishing the book.
I hope to see Gray and Aubrey again in the future and I can't wait to see what else Chris comes out with. His debut really hit it out of the park.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
There is a trigger warning to start the book concerning self harm, suicidal ideation, grief, depression, anxiety, sexual assault and drug use.
Gray and Aubrey are the perfect pair for each other at the perfect time and their adventures made me smile, laugh and cry. I can see this book turned into a movie that I would be first in line to buy a ticket for or stream.
Chris did an excellent job of keeping me entertained, questioning and feeling all the feels. The descriptive writing was the exact right amount to really help paint a picture and the characters were written so well that I am still thinking about them even after finishing the book.
I hope to see Gray and Aubrey again in the future and I can't wait to see what else Chris comes out with. His debut really hit it out of the park.
May 16, 2023
First off, I would like to thank Christopher for sending me this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This book is definitely one that will stick with me for a long time as it had a beautiful message. This book was very well written, however, always make sure to read trigger warnings before reading as this book does discuss depression, suicide, self-harm, etc.
For someone who has lost a family member to suicide and has grown up around mental health issues to then being diagnosed with anxiety myself, I absolutely loved this book. It shows that everyone is going through something but that there is always sunshine after it rains. To anyone dealing with mental health, always know there is someone to reach out to for help and that YOU matter.
I am going to leave two of my favorite lines from the book:
“Everyone is a little broken inside.”
���Life isn’t easy - it’s a puzzle, and everyone is just trying to figure out how all the pieces fit.”
For someone who has lost a family member to suicide and has grown up around mental health issues to then being diagnosed with anxiety myself, I absolutely loved this book. It shows that everyone is going through something but that there is always sunshine after it rains. To anyone dealing with mental health, always know there is someone to reach out to for help and that YOU matter.
I am going to leave two of my favorite lines from the book:
“Everyone is a little broken inside.”
���Life isn’t easy - it’s a puzzle, and everyone is just trying to figure out how all the pieces fit.”
July 20, 2023
ABSOLUTELY loved it!! What an amazing debut novel, I can't wait to see what else Christopher gifts us with. The characters were well developed, and I truly felt something for each one, whether it was empathy, dislike, embarrassment, anger, etc... The night that Grayson spent with Aubrey was magical! I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I myself struggled with, and continue to struggle with, anxiety and depression, as I'm sure many people do and I can say from the bottom of my heart that I wish I had had someone like Aubrey to help me realize certain things about myself and my life back then. But being an 80's child, I just "dealt" with it like we all did from that generation. So I wish to thank you, Christopher, for this amazing book, and I will never forget Grayson and Aubrey (Reefer, Jenna, Kris, Kyle, and YES even Tim, the ass) Can't wait for the next great masterpiece!! ❤️
April 2, 2023
I was given a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. (Thank you, Christopher!)
This is a YA dark romance/coming of age book, which isn't my usual genre, but I do enjoy a good YA book every now and then. This is the first book by Christopher Tantillo and its safe to say it will NOT be his last.
The characters were incredibly likeable, you find yourself rooting for not only Gray and Aubrey, but all of the characters you meet in this wild adventure. By the end, I was wishing there was already a sequel so I could dive right back into that world. This book was emotional and also funny at times, and I am always so impressed to read books that have both seamlessly woven into the story.
I highly recommend this to YA fans, and just fans of well written, captivating books in general.
This is a YA dark romance/coming of age book, which isn't my usual genre, but I do enjoy a good YA book every now and then. This is the first book by Christopher Tantillo and its safe to say it will NOT be his last.
The characters were incredibly likeable, you find yourself rooting for not only Gray and Aubrey, but all of the characters you meet in this wild adventure. By the end, I was wishing there was already a sequel so I could dive right back into that world. This book was emotional and also funny at times, and I am always so impressed to read books that have both seamlessly woven into the story.
I highly recommend this to YA fans, and just fans of well written, captivating books in general.
April 14, 2024
2.5 stars.
This book came highly recommended from multiple book pals. I think my expectations were too high, because it did not meet the mark for me, unfortunately.
I am not the demographic for this novel, so that had a bit to do with my enjoyment level of the book. It is YA, and the writing is very YA. I did not connect with the jokes or the characters. I actually did not care for any of the characters, especially Grayson, the main character, and Reefer, his best friend. I thought they were extremely immature, annoying, selfish, etc. Which I guess is fine when you are young, but I have read annoying characters before where it didn’t ruin the story for me. These characters did.
What I did enjoy about the book was the way it ended. Warning - some spoilers ahead!
********
I liked the inclusion of how Grayson got closure with all his old friends. Being young and losing your whole friend group after a traumatic incident… is wild. And losing family in that process, too. I can’t say I know how I would have acted as a senior in high school going through this. The author kept me turning the pages because I had to know, that’s a plus. I enjoyed the ending, and how young love wasn’t put first. The bonus Christmas chapter was good!
This book came highly recommended from multiple book pals. I think my expectations were too high, because it did not meet the mark for me, unfortunately.
I am not the demographic for this novel, so that had a bit to do with my enjoyment level of the book. It is YA, and the writing is very YA. I did not connect with the jokes or the characters. I actually did not care for any of the characters, especially Grayson, the main character, and Reefer, his best friend. I thought they were extremely immature, annoying, selfish, etc. Which I guess is fine when you are young, but I have read annoying characters before where it didn’t ruin the story for me. These characters did.
What I did enjoy about the book was the way it ended. Warning - some spoilers ahead!
********
I liked the inclusion of how Grayson got closure with all his old friends. Being young and losing your whole friend group after a traumatic incident… is wild. And losing family in that process, too. I can’t say I know how I would have acted as a senior in high school going through this. The author kept me turning the pages because I had to know, that’s a plus. I enjoyed the ending, and how young love wasn’t put first. The bonus Christmas chapter was good!
September 10, 2023
This was a BEAUTIFUL story. This very much gave me John Greene- Paper Town vibes but obviously a bit darker in content.
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS
The way Chris showed the development of these characters was absolutely beautiful. The way Gray grew to love and understand not just himself but everyone around him was just absolutely perfect.
This story had me laughing and crying along with the characters 🤭. I hope we get more Aubrey and Gray in the future because I need more 🤭
Thank you Chris. For this absolutely beautiful story. I can’t wait to read more from you.
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS
The way Chris showed the development of these characters was absolutely beautiful. The way Gray grew to love and understand not just himself but everyone around him was just absolutely perfect.
This story had me laughing and crying along with the characters 🤭. I hope we get more Aubrey and Gray in the future because I need more 🤭
Thank you Chris. For this absolutely beautiful story. I can’t wait to read more from you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2025
4.5 stars. At first, I felt like the feelings and dialogue were too big for these teens, and they'd slip into something more age appropriate, but the more I read, the more I remembered feeling and talking exactly like that. I was transported back to my angsty, emo teen days, and it sucked me right in. Bonus points for the Pump up the Volume reference 🙌
(My only regret is that I didn't get to this sooner after my lovely friend Megan gave me a copy.)
(My only regret is that I didn't get to this sooner after my lovely friend Megan gave me a copy.)
August 21, 2024
Such a melancholy yet beautiful story. It’s funny how I didn’t cry throughout this whole book until it was done and I reflected on it as a whole. I found it a little hard to feel fully immersed with the characters because they were so young, the msg was so deep nonetheless.
September 25, 2023
The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher by Christopher Tantillo
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Synopsis: After the death of his little brother, Grayson's is overcome by guilt. He wants to rewind time and erase the pain he's caused. So he's decided; in twenty-four hours, he'll kill himself. Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up, does Grayson learn to let go of the pain and have a new choice to make?
TW: Death, Suicxde, Grief, Mental health (Depression)
Review: I loved this book not only as a mental health professional for an individual that struggles with mental health. Chris did a beautiful job of showing the reality of the struggles of mental health and the level of numbness and dissociation goes into the decision to end ones life. There are soooo soo many things I loved about this book but I will leave this review with a strong disclaimer for parents to read for your babies (children, teens, students, etc). Chris has beautiful writing and I can't wait to read all of his upcoming books!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Synopsis: After the death of his little brother, Grayson's is overcome by guilt. He wants to rewind time and erase the pain he's caused. So he's decided; in twenty-four hours, he'll kill himself. Then mysterious and reckless Aubrey shows up, does Grayson learn to let go of the pain and have a new choice to make?
TW: Death, Suicxde, Grief, Mental health (Depression)
Review: I loved this book not only as a mental health professional for an individual that struggles with mental health. Chris did a beautiful job of showing the reality of the struggles of mental health and the level of numbness and dissociation goes into the decision to end ones life. There are soooo soo many things I loved about this book but I will leave this review with a strong disclaimer for parents to read for your babies (children, teens, students, etc). Chris has beautiful writing and I can't wait to read all of his upcoming books!
April 21, 2023
Very gripping coming of age story following Gray and Aubrey. Was given a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks Christopher! The ONLY reason I am giving this book 4 stars is because I can’t give it 4.75 stars on this app which is my true opinion of this novel. Knocking a quarter of a point solely due to the triggers that personally made me take time away from the book before I could go back and finish it. Hence, not making it a personal 5 star rec for me. That being said I do feel like everyone can enjoy The Night I Spent with Aubrey Fisher! If you like John Green, Jay Asher, or Suzanne Collins definitely give Christopher M. Tantillo a try! You won’t regret it and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Christopher!
May 29, 2023
I was given an amazing opportunity to get the audiobook form of this book from Chris as an Arc in exchange for honest feedback/review.
Do I think you should read this book? Absolutely! It’s a coming of age story that I didn’t think I’d need in my life as a woman in my late 20’s. The way Chris weaved this tapestry of a novel was a breath of fresh air. I was spending each morning of my drive to work wondering “What’s next? How badly do I really need to know this answer to this part before I get in trouble for being late to work?”
Chris this was an honor and a pleasure to read and I look forward to more of your books being released!
Do I think you should read this book? Absolutely! It’s a coming of age story that I didn’t think I’d need in my life as a woman in my late 20’s. The way Chris weaved this tapestry of a novel was a breath of fresh air. I was spending each morning of my drive to work wondering “What’s next? How badly do I really need to know this answer to this part before I get in trouble for being late to work?”
Chris this was an honor and a pleasure to read and I look forward to more of your books being released!
May 30, 2023
UNIQUE, POWERFUL, REAL!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5
This story is one that will stick with you! Important to read, super real and raw. It’ll take you through so many emotions. Definitely recommend if you know somebody/someone who hasn’t been feeling their best due to trauma(bullying, grief, etc). Such a great book, it can help so many as well as become a teaching/eye opening book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5
This story is one that will stick with you! Important to read, super real and raw. It’ll take you through so many emotions. Definitely recommend if you know somebody/someone who hasn’t been feeling their best due to trauma(bullying, grief, etc). Such a great book, it can help so many as well as become a teaching/eye opening book!
May 20, 2023
This book definitely grabbed me from the first page. The prose is beautiful but still accessible. You will feel like you know these characters personally and you will FEEL what they feel- for better or worse- as this is a darker coming of age story. Please check the trigger warnings as this book deals heavily with the themes of death and grief. I know I will be thinking about this story for a long time. I loved the ending so much. I was worried for a bit about how it would tie out but loved the direction it went. Fair warning, if you aren’t a fan of open endings, you might not love it as much as I did but I thought it was perfection. The central theme of this book is that life is messy sometimes but there is always beauty to be found. It wouldn’t have made sense to tie everything off with a pretty, perfect bow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2023
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story sounded interesting so I stepped out of my normal genres to give it a try. I was not disappointed in the least! This really had me in my emotions, it took me back (way back) to my tumultuous teen years and I could really relate to the angst and pain on several levels. The story kept me guessing and the ending had me in tears! And this is the author’s debut novel.. I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us!
The story sounded interesting so I stepped out of my normal genres to give it a try. I was not disappointed in the least! This really had me in my emotions, it took me back (way back) to my tumultuous teen years and I could really relate to the angst and pain on several levels. The story kept me guessing and the ending had me in tears! And this is the author’s debut novel.. I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us!
March 24, 2023
Very well written for his first book! I loved the concept of the book! People come into your life for a reason! I think there are many life lessons from this book! Thank you Christopher for the Arc!! First time!! Can’t wait til comes
Out so I can keep recommending it to people! Can’t wait for it to be turned into a Netflix series because it should be
Out so I can keep recommending it to people! Can’t wait for it to be turned into a Netflix series because it should be
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews