Review: SONG OF THE FIREFLIES by J.A. Redmerski

Title: SONG OF THE FIREFLIES by J.A. Redmerski 
Pub Date: Out now!
ARC received from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. 
Dannie says: *big pouty face here!* I wanted to love this so hard.

THE TRUTH WILL SET THEM FREE
Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray's wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who's ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can't bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She's done everything she can to keep him at arm's length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn't survive without him. Now she's back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right--until one night changes everything. 

Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there's a darkness driving Bray he can't ignore. Now in order to save her, he'll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality--even if it means losing her. 

WHAT I LIKED

The MCs. I liked them, but didn't love them. There were a few reasons for this that I'll get to below, but while I cared about what happened to both of them, I wasn't necessarily championing them or their relationship. 

That mental health was a theme but not THE story. I think it's a mistake in trend in both YA and NA to make stories that are just about [insert sick lit theme here]. So it was nice to see a story with a mentally ill MC where the illness itself was not the spotlight of the book. The handling of bipolar disorder itself made it a like, instead of a love. More on that below. 

WHAT I LOVED 

I really struggled to find a love in this book. And for a strengths-based critiquer, that's a hard thing for me to write. I was disappointed in a lot of this book, which really sucks because THE EDGE OF NEVER was one of my favorite NA reads for a long time. 

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF

Authentic handling of sexual addiction. It's easy for me to nitpick about the handling of addiction issues, having been an addictions therapist for nearly 15 years now. However, this isn't really about that. Krista and Becca Ritchie absolutely nailed both drug and sex addiction in their ADDICTED SERIES novels, and they're not therapists. This is a matter of the author doing enough research to make the story authentic. And for anyone who has ever met a girl who is truly addicted to sex, it's beyond insulting to their struggles and strengths to say "I like sex a lot" and call it an addiction. This really raised my hackles because it doesn't take a TON of research to do better than the author did in this case. 

Authentic presentation of bipolar disorder. The author hugely missed the boat here, too. And she missed an awesome opportunity to utilize the dual narrative POVs to present bipolar as it appears externally to a loved one as well as internally within a person with the disorder. In the case of Bipolar, these are two very different perspectives, particularly when the person is in a manic phase. So here again, I felt like the author didn't do her research and slapped a label on her character to give her an "issue" rather than do the work to make the disease feel authentic. I felt that she did attempt to rectify this in some of the very last chapters, but it was too late at that point. The opportunity had been messed up way before then, and the author had lost her credibility with me as a reader. The same went for the plot aspects of involuntary commitment and correctional suicide watch. 

Distinct narrative voice. (And yes, Dannie is harping on voice again.) Really, though, if you're going to bother to have two points of view, a reader should be able to tell the difference between them. There were many times when I had to skim back to figure out whose POV we were in. And when one of the characters is pervasively mentally ill and a self-diagnosed sex addicts, this really shouldn't be the case. I felt like the voice was spotty and muddy throughout the read. 

Not more but less chunky expository narrative. I felt like this book was heavy on the internal monologue but that that narrative was neither emotive or provocative. It makes sense when you have a depressed MC that she's going to be withdrawn and isolating. That's all the more reason to make that narrative jump off the page where both voice and content are concerned. There was a huge disconnect for me in this respect. 

More editing. And here I'm not talking about line editing, which you expect with an ARC to be spotty. I'm talking about big picture editing--characterization, plot, narrative voice, pace, etc.  Like THE EDGE OF ALWAYS, this feels more like a first draft than any sort of finished product. The potential is there but the execution is way off.

I'm willing to accept that I may be totally wrong here. But like I said, I loved the author's debut novel when I first started reading NA a couple years ago. This felt so off the mark for me compared to that, and made me feel like I wasn't just being biased here in my disappointment. 

But that's my two cents, for whatever they're worth. Let me know what you think!

Review: ME SINCE YOU by Laura Wiess

Title: ME SINCE YOU by Laura Wiess
Pub Date: Available now!
ARC received from MTV Books in exchange for an honest review
Dannie says: LOTS to love here!

Are there any answers when someone you love makes a tragic choice?

Before and After. That's how Rowan Areno sees her life now. Before: she was a normal sixteen-year-old--a little too sheltered by her police officer father and her mother. After: everything she once believed has been destroyed in the wake of a shattering tragedy, and every day is there to be survived.

If she had known, on that Friday in March when she cut school, that a random stranger's shocking crime would have traumatic consequences, she never would have left campus. If the crime video never went viral, maybe she could have saved her mother, grandmother--and herself--from the endless replay of heartache and grief.

Finding a soul mate in Eli, a witness to the crime who is haunted by losses of his own, Rowan begins to see there is no simple, straightforward path to healing wounded hearts. Can she learn to trust, hope, and believe in happiness again?

WHAT I LIKED

The MC. She came off as bratty at first and I kind of didn't care what happened to her as a result, making her a like instead of a love. This changed as the book progressed, however, but at first I really was more invested in her father than the MC herself, which for a typical YA reader might be a huge problem (since they tend not to attach to the adults in stories as much as other teens.) That said, her brattyness lended itself to nice room for character growth.

Really engaging read once you get past the initial pace issues. (More on this below) but the story architecture was a little off balance, making the middle of the book feel very, very slow. Once the story picked up, though, it was unputdownable. 

WHAT I LOVED

The grittiness. This is my sort of read. There are very realistic emotions throughout and nice authenticity. As a result, however, the beginning is very intense, maybe too realistic for some readers, and probably not suitable for kids under fifteen or sixteen (info for my parent readers). This is a tough read, and it may be triggering for some readers who have depression or care about someone with serious depression or suicidal ideation. It would be a great book for a parent and teen to read and discuss together. 

I love that this is a YA story that focuses on family. So much of YA/C falls into the full blown romance category. And while there is a huge romantic component to this story (more on that below) the story holds water without the romance. I think this is a story that needed a voice in YA. 

Love the romance. It's exactly the right balance of sensitivity to the main story arc while not overstepping its boundary as a subplot. It's also a nice example of writing authentic and realistic teen romance where the characters fulfill a need for each other that's actually meaningful (a big pet peeve of mine in pink teen lit.)

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF

Story architecture feels a little wonky. The main character's journey doesn't really get rolling until the unexpected (sorta) twist with Dad, which feels too late in the plot arc for me. First third of book happens around MC more than to her in a way that made the pace there feel on the slow side. As I read, I found myself wondering whether teen readers would be engaged by the first third of the book. 

As a school counselor, I wanted more realistic/respectful portrayal of how school personnel respond to situations like this. The scene with bus driver, for example, is completely unrealistic. Bus drivers don't antagonize students or go looking for a fight because there are dash cameras right there to catch the whole thing. Also because if a school bus driver is looking for a fight there's usually one to be had with an intentionally antagonistic kid who is also looking for a fight. This might be remotely plausible in a middle school setting, but high school bus drivers tend to leave their students along and as a consequence the students do the same and everyone's happy as a result. So this scene totally pulled me out of the story. 

It's highly unlikely the press would show the video on the local news. Too glamorizing of suicide and they would have a serious lawsuit on their hands if a copycat trend started. Would it be available online? Sure. But not on regular TV news or even really on cable TV news. So here again I was pulled out of the story because this sort of thing just doesn't happen in real life.

 

I felt like there was too much normalizing of risk behaviors for YA in my opinion. The drinking and drug content is presented with the casual nonchalance you might expect in a new adult book. Regardless of the authenticity, when we write for teens I feel like we have an ethical obligation to do our best not to glamorize risk behaviors--unprotected sex, casual drug use, etc. Why? Because kids interpret this as condoning the behavior. And as a therapist who's seen too many kids die or ruin other people's lives with their drug use, that's not okay with me, as a writer or a reader, not to mention as a parent. This book was not nearly as normalizing as many others I've read, but it did stick out for me so I wanted to note it for my parent readers. 

All that said, I did really, REALLY enjoy this read. It has some kinks that might benefit from further finessing, but on the whole it was definitely a book I was glad I happened across on NetGalley. Read it and let me know what you think!

HOTHOUSE FLOWER Tour: A Character Interview with Ryke Meadows!

So this is a first for me, interviewing a fictional character here on the blog. But I think of any New Adult series I've come across, the characters in Krista and Becca Ritchie's ADDICTED series really pop off the page as organic people. (If you've been following the blog this year, you know I've become quite the giddy fangirl!) 

Ryke Meadows is one of my favorites. So let's pick his brain a little (by way of his creators) and find out more about HOTHOUSE FLOWER, their spinoff Calloway Sisters companion series, that comes out in five more agonizing days! And stay tuned for a giveaway at the bottom of the post!

Alright, Ryke. Tell us about yourself in [exactly] five words:

I don’t give a shit

Hmm...I should have said without cursing. You win that round. 

What did you want to be when you grew up when you were 5? 10? 15? 20? And now?

5: Can’t remember. My mom had plans for me though, I’m fucking sure.

10: rock climber

15: I just wanted to go to college and leave everything behind

20: rock climber

Now: I want to be there for my brother. And yeah, I still want to fucking rock climb.

If you had a magic wand and could change any three things about your life, what would they be? (Stop focusing on the word “wand”, that’s Lily’s job.)

*laughs softly and combs hand through thick brown hair. Slouches further in chair* I’d want my brother to be sober. I’d want his girlfriend to be healthy. And I’d wish that Daisy was a few years older.

What is your best hidden talent?

Making a girl…you know. *jaw hardens* Daisy’s parents are going to fucking read this. *shakes his head*

*Smirks* Right. Moving on. What were the best and worst parts of starring on Princesses of Philly?

The fucking media was the worst, no offense. And Julian, that fucking…*glares* and Scott. I pretty much hated the whole thing. Try living in a house with three crazy girls and three other assholes. I was ready to fucking leave. There were no “best” parts of Princess of Philly.

What’s your favorite thing about Daisy?

*looks over shoulder* Is she around here? Fuck… *sighs, turns back to Dannie* It’s easier to answer these kinds of questions with her.

I guess, without anyone chewing me out afterwards, I like her energy. I like hanging out with her. *shrugs* She brightens a fucking room when she’s in it.

Listen to you, being all adorbs. Okay, so what's your least favorite thing?

*slouches and smiles* Do you have all day? She can be way too fucking optimistic, impulsive, daring, easily excitable, which can be fucking cute but it can get annoying, and she’s too curious. *pauses* I like that she’s energetic, but sometimes, she needs to sleep. That’s important.

What is each of your costars’ greatest strengths?

Connor can break up almost any fight. Even for being a conceited prick and know-it-all, he’s usually right. *grimaces* Fuck. Don’t tell him I complimented him.

Who’s next? Rose? She’s really loyal. She’d drop everything if her sisters needed her.

Lily is a fucking goof. *smiles* I say that with affection. She’s the heart of my brother. I don’t think he’d be here if she wasn’t in his life.

Lo’s strength is to keep Lily standing. One really can’t fucking exist without the other.

And then Daisy. She has a really good soul, really sweet, probably too fucking sweet. Her kindness is her greatest strength but also a big weakness. She has a bad tendency to let people walk all over her

What’s your greatest strength?

I don’t know. Maybe I’m still trying to figure that one out. I’m sure Cobalt knows this answer. *takes out phone and texts* *Buzz.* He said… *laughs dryly* My greatest strength is pissing on my territory. *tucks phone in pocket* That’s coming from a fucking genius, everyone.

What’s your Achilles’ heel?

*shrugs* Ignoring my problems, probably

You have one day left to live. How do you spend it?

If you asked me this five years ago, I would have said alone, rock climbing. Now, I’d rather spend it with the people I love most.

And now, on to my traditional questions, stolen from James Lipton:

We already know what your favorite curse word is. So what is your *other* favorite word?

Carabineer

Ooooh. Good one! What is your least favorite word?

The fucking c-word. And yeah, I’m not saying it.

Thanks for that. :) What turns you on?

Restless spirits

What turns you off?

Misogyny

What sound or noise do you love?

Birds in the morning

What sound or noise do you hate?

Whining

What profession would you most like to attempt?

Ice climbing

What profession would you least like to attempt?

Law

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear G-d say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

“Welcome to fucking Heaven.”

Title: Hothouse Flower

Author: Krista & Becca Ritchie

Series: Calloway Sisters #2 (Spin-Off of the Addicted series)

Pub Date: March 28^th, 2014

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18308266-hothouse-flower?from_search=true

Amazon: Link not available until March. 28^th

Ryke Meadows, meet Daisy Calloway ... she’s all grown up. 

Twenty-five-year-old Ryke Meadows knows he’s hard to love. With a billion-dollar inheritance, a track-star resume, and an alpha-male personality—he redefines the term likable asshole. But he’s not living to make friends. Or enemies. He just wants to free climb three of the toughest mountains in Yosemite without drama or interruption.

And then he receives a distressed call from a girl in Paris—a girl that he has never been allowed to have.

Daisy Calloway is eighteen. Finally. With her newfound independence, she can say goodbye to her overbearing mother and continue her modeling career. Next stop, Paris. Fashion Week begins with a bang, and Daisy uncovers the ugly reality of the industry. She wants to prove to her family that she can live on her own, but when everything spirals out of control, she turns to Ryke to keep her secrets. 

As Daisy struggles to make sense of this new world and her freedom, she pushes the limits and fearlessly rides the edge. Ryke knows there’s deep hurt beneath every impulsive action. He must keep up with Daisy, and if he lets her go, her favorite motto—“live as if you’ll die today”—may just come true.

New Adult Romance: recommended for readers 18+ for mature content

***Authors' Note***

Hothouse Flower is a spin-off of the Addicted series. Kiss the Sky is required before reading, and we strongly recommend reading the Addicted series before this spin-off. 

Addicted Series Recommended Reading Order

Addicted to You (Addicted #1)

Ricochet (Addicted #1.5) 

Addicted for Now (Addicted #2)

Kiss the Sky (Spin-Off)(Calloway Sisters #1)

Hothouse Flower (Spin-Off)(Calloway Sisters #2)

Thrive (Addicted #2.5)

Addicted After All (Addicted #3)

About the Authors

Krista & Becca Ritchie write New Adult books that make you cringe, gasp, and go ooh-la-la. (If you do that sort of thing.) They are currently working on the spin-offs and final books in the Addicted series. Connect with them on twitter and their website: kbritchie.com 

Enter to Win:

$15 Amazon Gift Card & 3 Kindle Ebooks of Hothouse Flower

**open internationally**

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Review: BREAKING NOVA by Jessica Sorensen

BREAKING NOVA by Jessica Sorensen

Author's: Goodreads   Website    Twitter   Facebook

ARC received from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. 

Pub Date: September 3, 2013

Dannie says: Now THAT'S what I call New Adult Contemporary!

Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next . . . until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life-but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life . . . but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

What I Liked

The characters. I never fell in love with either of the MCs, so I can't really claim them as a love, but I did like them and want to read their stories. I found them to be very authentic of addicts and trauma survivors, so I guess they're a strong like bordering on love.

The raw, rich emotions. This is a tough read. It's a real read, but a tough one. So, yeah, it's my sort of book. I think it may be triggering for certain readers--those dealing with addictions primarily, but also readers who have experienced depression. Out of concern for those readers, the emotional arc of this book is a like rather than a love, because I think a little more hope--even if only in one of the secondary characters--would have balanced out the story arc as well as eliminate my concern that this book should come with all sorts of resource links. 

What I Loved

The authenticity. I'm wondering how this will play to the target audience, but as a substance abuse counselor and prevention advocate, I felt like this book was a pretty stellar argument about the addictive properties of marijuana that a lot of our culture is trying to ignore. The details, emotions, and thoughts in this book ring very true with my clients' experiences and I think a lot of teens who have felt the sort of grief and loss and trauma Nova and Quintin have will find them real and relatable. 

The hook and plot. I usually hate prologues, but in this case I felt like it was necessary and it worked. I was hooked from the end of the first scene and the prologue was so well-executed.

The rich, real setting details. Whether the author spent a minute or two in dens herself or thoroughly did her research, the places and things detailed add wicked authenticity to this read for me. I'm pretty critical when it comes to this sort of stuff--because I've seen a den or ten and know plenty of kids who grew up too fast there. A critical teen who wants to nitpick on how real the story is will have a hard time scratching apart this one.

The writing overall. I've read all of Sorensen's books to date and this one is far and away my favorite. Part of that is the content--this is the kind of stuff I write so it's also what I like to read (and usually pick apart but there wasn't much to do here). But plotwise and description wise I just felt like this book is her best yet. And I am itching to get my hands on the sequel ASAP!

What I Wanted More Of

Closure at the end. I'm not a big fan of cliffhanger endings, even in series. For me, I'm left feeling cheated out of a complete story arc, and I definitely felt like that in these pages. The teaser for book two at the end did NOT help at all! 

Faster pace. It's a tough balance--writing a book about depressed teens, struggling to keep their heads above water without feeling depressed and like you're drowning along with them as a reader. For me, the pace fell a little short, but I'm not sure all readers will agree. 

Short story long, this is a great read--albeit possibly triggering--and I cannot wait to see what happens next! Add it to GoodReads and order via these links! 

Fangirl Friday: Promise Me Something by Sara Kocek

Fangirl Friday is a feature here on the blog where I talk about kickass reads and what I like about them. And this time, I'm also including a giveaway courtesy of the author and the awesome people at Albert Whitman Teen. Stay tuned for more info at the end of this post! 

PROMISE ME SOMETHING by Sara Kocek

Author's Website   Goodreads   Twitter   Facebook

ARC from Albert Whitman Teen in exchange for an honest review. e-Books are made available via Open Road Media.

Pub Date: September 1, 2013

Dannie says: Promise me you'll read this one because it's just so good. 

Book Blurb:

As if starting high school weren't bad enough, Reyna Fey has to do so at a new school without her best friends. Reyna's plan is to keep her head down, help her father recover from the car accident that almost took his life, and maybe even make some friends. And then Olive Barton notices her. Olive is not exactly the kind of new friend Reyna has in mind. The boys make fun of her, the girls want to fight her, and Olive seems to welcome the challenge. There's something about Olive that Reyna can't help but like. But when Reyna learns Olive's secret, she must decide whether it's better to be good friends with an outcast or fake friends with the popular kids. . . .before she loses Olive forever.

Just for starters let me say that despite having to be up at 7AM with the one-year-old, once I started reading this around midnight, I didn't put it down until I finished. The next morning hurt.

Worth it.

What I liked:

Tim, for starters. He ended up being one of my favorite characters. I would have loved to see Reyna become friends with him earlier in the book. As is, it felt like she was using him to a certain extent, and I would have liked to see their relationship grow more gradually.

I liked and wanted more denouement where Reyna's feelings of guilt were concerned. I think survivor's guilt and self-blame is a huge factor when teens' friends attempt or commit suicide. And I would have liked more "on-screen" resolution as far as that went. But that's the therapist in me more than the reader.

I also dug the way the subject matter was handled. I felt that Reyna's reactions to the sexual identity issues that came into play were very authentic and courageous on the author's part, though I did not always follow her thought process.

What I loved:

First and foremost, the characters. I loved Reyna's journey as far as identifying the values and characteristics she wanted in people she called friends. I liked that none of the characters were cookie-cutter-cliches. Even the minor players were multi-faceted. I especially felt that Reyna was a very tangible and sympathetic MC, and I enjoyed reading her story.

As a mom and a therapist, I felt that Kocek did a great job of confronting the realities of suicidal ideation in one's friends without crossing the line into preaching. And I think it's super important that the book addressed the legal consequences of some of Olive's choices. That's not something I've seen done much in YA and I was glad to see it here. And while I wasn't surprised at the plot twists, I think that's writer and adult bias that won't apply to much of Kocek's target audience.

Finally, I loved that Reyna's values were portrayed in a way that was fair and allowed her to be a character either side of the aisle could rally behind. I think when we see conservative/moderate teens in YA, they tend to be portrayed in an extremist way that isn't an accurate reflection of these youth. And I loved that part of Reyna's journey included a though exploration of her own belief system.

What I wanted more of: WARNING SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS

I felt like it was too convenient for Levi's parents to be gay. I also think his perspective would have made more impact were that not the case. Instead, it almost seems like the only people who empathize with gay kids in this read are other gay teens and teens with gay parents. That probably was true about five to ten years ago, but that's not my experience with the teens I see at work.

I wasn't crazy about the way things were resolved between Reyna and her parents. My reading left the impression that Reyna's dad and would-be-stepmom were right about everything and Reyna's feelings were invalid, which I found to be both unrealistic and inaccurate. For me, the better ending would have been one without resolution. Sometimes our parents do things we don't understand, things that feel really unfair, and we don't have to agree with them or apologize for our feelings. We just have to learn how to deal.

I wanted more resolution where the besties were concerned. Not externally with the girls themselves so much as within Reyna. It felt, for me, like a loose end.

I wanted to be in Reyna's head a little more where the sexual identity issues were concerned. Like I said before, I loved that we saw a character arc that included her questioning and identifying her own moral code. But I feel like, particularly in a late Middle Grade or young YA book, that sexual identity is a major developmental issue, and I would have liked to see Reyna's cognitive dissonance regarding the conflict between her faith and her friends' sexual identity. Despite Olive confronting her on the matter, I didn't feel like we experienced Reyna's thought process enough there.


Short story long:

I really loved this book. I think the perspective is original, the characters are complex and engaging, and the plot has some great twists and turns. The pace is just right, and the social concerns are handled in a way that is both age-appropriate and pertinent to today's young readers. Good stuff, people! Add it to your Goodreads and pre-order now via the links below.

Tomorrow you can check out another review and giveaway over at The Random Thoughts of Crazy Mandy and an interview with Sara at Starry-Eyed Heart Book Blog. You can find the entire roster of blogs included in the Sara Squared Book Tour HERE. And don't forget to enter the rafflecopter drawing to win an autographed copy of this kickass read! (Sorry international peeps--USA and Canada only for the raffle on this one.)

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Fangirl Friday: FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick

Fangirl Friday is a weekly feature where I talk about kickass books and why they rock. 

FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick

ARC received from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pub Date: August 13, 2013

Dannie Says: Holy Crap. (Actually I said it aloud eight different times while reading, because holy crap is this a fantastic, important book. )

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.
But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart--obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.
In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made--and the light in us all that never goes out.

What I liked:

Quick has killer voice but the more of his stuff I read the more similar it sounds between books. At first I worried I was going to get sick of it, reading it so close in time to SILVER LINING's PLAYBOOK, which I just finished last week. But I can't imagine a voice more appropriate to the narration than this. 

Quick's books tend to be heavy on narrative which for me always slows the pace, but it didn't this time.The writing is just so good. I wanted to read ALL the words! I loved his use of visual imagery. So, as I grapple for things to critique in this review, I'd say more dialogue and less narration, but that's more my personal preference than an actual critique of the work. 

What I loved:

Writers, if you need an example of a good hook, this one is epic. Not only does it make you want to turn the page, it makes you want to know how the story will end--I felt a page-two commitment to reading it from start to finish. And because the writing is so beautiful, it wasn't the sort of thing where I wanted to skip to the end to find out what happened.

One of the things I love about Matthew Quick's books is his careful respect of people experiencing mental health issues while simultaneously portraying the darker realities of mental illness in an authentic way. That's an extremely difficult balance to strike, one I struggle with myself despite my clinical background. 

I think he does an amazing job here of making you sympathize with a character that can be interpreted as an antihero, while at the same time not justifying or excusing his deplorable behaviors. He does an exquisite job laying out Leonard's thought processes in a way that is both intense and organic. It is such a delicate balance and for me he does it perfectly. He got a lot of props for doing this well in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, but I think he does it even better with LEONARD.The bravest part of that is his completely candid approach, which probably get this book banned from all kinds of places, but this is why kids will read it anyway. 

What I wanted more of:

Uh...the whole thing. But that's not very constructive, is it?

***SPOILER ALERT IN NEXT PARAGRAPH***

As evidenced in the acknowledgements included with this ARC, Quick obviously did his research and consulted a lot of mental health professionals. The only possible error to pick at--and it may not even be an error. I've never practiced in Pennsylvania so I can't say--is that all educators have an ethical and legal obligation to report sexual abuse to law enforcement in addition to social services. So I'd expect some law enforcement involvement at the very least, particularly when the teacher can't reach Leonard by phone. I also think Herr Silverman's promise not to tell anyone is a mistake for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that lying to a suicidal kid can tip the scale for him. But, like I said, the laws vary by state, so this may not be an error at all. And, in fact, it's an authentic error because I know plenty of teachers and counselors who have made this unkeepable promise. It stuck out to me as a clinician because I think we make a mistake as adults when we agree to keep secrets for young people--whether it's from their other parent, their teachers, or whomever. Positively intended or not, they can be damaging. 

ANYWAY...[/tangential soap box]

On a related note, it's probably important here to talk about content, as I know a lot of my readers are parents. Make no mistake, this is an extremely gritty, real, and difficult book to read. It is not a summer beach read, fluff, light-hearted or anything of the sort. (Translation: this is my kind of book, but it may not be for everyone.) My instinct is that LEONARD is best categorized as 'upper YA' because it is edgy, emotionally intense, with strong language and occasional graphic content. At the same time, I feel like putting it in that corner of YA would dissuade parents from letting younger teens read, when they might benefit from doing so. What I concluded is this: this book is appropriate for teens at the 9th grade reading level. It is invaluable if the parent reads it, too, and discusses it with them.

It could save lives if teachers read it.

Short story long, be extremely jealous you have to wait until next week to purchase this one. In the meantime, use the links below to preorder, like, and add to Goodreads. This book will challenge your thinking and make you think some more. I'd especially recommend it for educators, because I think Matthew Quick gives voice to a lot of legitimate feelings today's teens experience in the classroom.

And you want to know a secret? *whispers* I think I liked it better than The Fault in Our Stars. Which I've never said about any book. Ever. 

No lie.