That's Not What Happened
Written by Kody Keplinger
Narrated by Whitney Dykhouse, Megan Tusing, Almarie Guerra and
4/5
()
About this audiobook
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….
Kody Keplinger
Kody Keplinger grew up in a small Kentucky town. During her senior year of high school she wrote her debut novel, The DUFF, which is a New York Times bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Romantic Times Top Pick. It has since been adapted into a major motion picture. Kody is also the author of Lying Out Loud, a companion to The DUFF; Run; Shut Out; and A Midsummer's Nightmare, as well as the middle-grade novel The Swift Boys & Me. Kody currently lives in New York City and writes full-time. You can visit her online at www.kodykeplinger.com.
More audiobooks from Kody Keplinger
Shut Out Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lila and Hadley Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to That's Not What Happened
Related audiobooks
The Girl in the White Van Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Danger to Herself and Others Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5See All the Stars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Your Twisted Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best Lies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Six Months Later Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Before I Let Go Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Out of Reach Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5All in Pieces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Five Total Strangers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nobody Knows But You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Broken Things Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl on the Line Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Survival List Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We All Fall Down Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Love Letters to the Dead Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Things I Know Are True Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Unframed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Leaving Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Teen Killers Club Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Breath Too Late Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clique Bait Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Seven Dirty Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Will Save You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lies They Tell Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Say Goodbye in Robot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Morning Of Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
YA Social Themes For You
Powerless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If He Had Been with Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5They Both Die at the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Summer I Turned Pretty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reckless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hate U Give Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I Hope This Doesn't Find You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Firekeeper's Daughter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The First to Die at the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's Not Summer Without You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Butterfly Assassin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uglies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Powerful: A Powerless Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We'll Always Have Summer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Life With The Walter Boys Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If Only I Had Told Her Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Downstairs Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's Kind of a Funny Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insurgent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Weight of Blood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, Book 1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Allegiant Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Poet X Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Better Than the Movies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crank Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Every Last Word Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Allegedly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Four: A Divergent Collection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monday's Not Coming Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for That's Not What Happened
262 ratings13 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a powerful and impactful story about the survivors of a school shooting. The book explores the importance of speaking up and the consequences of silence. While some readers found the main character annoying, they admired her determination to uncover the truth. The ending was praised for its unexpectedness. Overall, the book is described as heavy and heart-wrenching, but also thought-provoking and well-written. Readers appreciated the multiple perspectives and the author's ability to create empathy. This title is highly recommended for those interested in stories of resilience and survival.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Siempre hay más de una versión en toda historia. Es una historia de esas que me gustaría que no fueran tan reales, pero qué son más comunes de lo que deberían ser. Llegué a este libro después le leer The Duff, no leí ninguna reseña por lo que llegue pensando que sería totalmente diferente, pero me sorprendió para bien. Definitivamente la autora tiene la capacidad de hablar de temas importantes de una forma natural.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is HEAVY and one you should take your time with.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Really heavy, but a great book. Heart wrenching for sure but I think that’s because it’s something that truly could have happened.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5@kidlitexchange #partner Thank you to #kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ????? That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger. 3 years after a mass school shooting 6 survivors are still trying to pick up the pieces of a heart wrenching day. Six, well five, because in a small town hate is too much when people want to believe things happened one way when in reality, that isn't how it happened at all. The struggles that each one of these survivors feel, the anxiety, the panic, and the strain of knowing becomes very real. Looking back through media and police reports one survivor realizes none of what was said is the truth. Setting in motion to tell the truth now, she realizes maybe the world just needed a story to hold onto. A lie set in motion to create a martyr, because the real world needs a reason, not the truth. Or do they? Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Was a wonderful book really loved the pov of the characters and all the perspective it can put out there
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've had this book on my TBR for a while and finally decided to read/listen it. This isn't a story of a school shooting, this is the story of the survivors. And simple tale can effect a lot of people. I really liked his this book was written and look forward to reading more of this authors books.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
At the heart of this book, it all comes back to the fact that not only do we all have a voice, but that we all should be heard. The best intentions that Lee had going in to the letter writing, or a better term is victim accounts, not every is always ready to face the experience again. It can be amazing when the truth is out, but it also has to be when you're ready, when it's your choice. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I started this book mainly cause I needed something to listen to while I’d work. I had already read another book based on a school shooting a couple weeks ago which I rated 3 stars but this book was so much better. Although the main character ‘Lee’ annoyed me sometimes throughout the book, I couldn’t stop admiring about how much she wanted to get the truth out there, even if it was a bit too late. I really liked the ending, I won’t give it away. Honestly, I don’t blame Lee for not speaking up earlier but if I were her, I probably would of just kept everything to myself considering what she didn’t want, happened anyway so her saying anything really was pointless but I completely understood why. Anyway, I loved reading about the stories of all the victims and survivors. And I absolutely loved how the author decided to not give the shooter a name as he wasn’t the victim. I just really loved this novel. Not enough to give it a 5 star rating but 4 or 4.5 is probably what i’m gonna give it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5My feelings on this book are a bit mixed. I found it compelling and I finished it fairly quickly. The portrayals of PTSD and consequences of surviving an active shooter seemed insightful and the descriptions were powerful but not overwhelming. Where it fell short for me was in the pacing, the time jumps, and vague foreshadowing. The story moved from present to past to later present to hints of the future without clarity and seemed unnecessary. Additionally, the "truth" seemed so not important enough for the narrator to write a whole novel to "correct." The analysis of the consequences of a school shooting and the effects on the survivors and mourners is fascinating and powerful but the slow pacing, the vague hints, and the rather pointless "truth" really damaged my overall impression.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I was keen to give this book a go when I read the premise as it dealt with the aftermath of a school shooting. However, even though I liked how the author gave the survivors a voice through their letters, the book lacked emotion. I felt sorry for the way the survivors had to battle with their guilt, grief and fear, but I never really connected with any of them.My favourite character was Denny and his guide dog, Glitter. He made me smile on more than one occasion, but some of the 'holier-than-thou' attitude shown by many of the secondary characters towards Lee and Kellie was irritating, especially when they refused to believe the truth when Lee and Kellie tried to tell their stories. Instead they glorified Sarah's death, seeing her as a martyr when really she was just a scared, young girl hiding in a toilet cubicle with her best friend.Overall, an okay read but not a great one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a young adult book that deals with a school shooting in a unique way. Lee was in the girl's bathroom with her best friend Sarah who was shot and killed. Somehow a story was made public where Sarah had a verbal exchange with the shooter during which she declared that God was watching over her. However, Lee knows the truth and finds it more and more difficult to go on, letting people believe what is a lie. Making the situation more difficult was the fact that there was another girl in the bathroom who was also shot, but did not die. She claimed to have made the statements which made her and her family the subjects of abuse. This was an interesting look at a school shooting and its ramifications to all involved.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A very smart and mature young adult novel about truth. There is a mass shooting at a high school and several students are killed. As the story develops one of the victims was portrayed as confronting the shooter and dying as a martyr. She is a Christian and a cross found near her body was presumed to be hers. However there was a surviving witness who knows that the accepted story is not true. The crux of the novel is about how people want to believe what they want and not necessarily what reality is.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I really like the concept for this book. I do agree that the victim's stories do get lost in translation from the media coverage. The media does not cover the whole story. In fact, the media only really focuses on the carnage. There is not a lot known about the survivors or really what they experienced in those moments. So sad when you think about it that survivors are turned into heroes who we may never have known their names if no mass shooting had never happened. Kellie and her friends are survivors. Her friend, Sarah was not so lucky. Yet, Kellie knows the truth about those last moments before Sarah was killed as she was in the bathroom with her. Sarah's parents are writing a book about their daughter. Kellie is about to graduate and she feels she might get the truth off her chest. Even, if it means that Sarah is not known as a martyr. Again, I liked the concept for this book. What didn't work for me was the most important factor...characters. I could not grow any emotional attachment to any of the characters. I kind of felt like Kellie was trying to turn the truth into her moment. A part of me after learning the truth was like what was the point, it did not change anything. If I could have experienced that character attachment, then, I would have felt stronger about this book.