Young Adult – Page 58 – My Good Reads

‘The Program’ – Suzanne Young

A dystopian novel with a bit of a difference.

At this point in time we are led to believe that suicide has become an epidemic. We’re not told why – though it’s laid at the door of our dependence on anti-depressants – but with so many teenagers killing themselves, society has turned to The Program as a way of controlling this problem. Anyone under the age of 18 who shows signs of being depressed/uncertain or even experiencing excessive emotion (tell me if I’m missing something, but I thought that was the expected result of lots of hormones and someone lacking life experiences on which to draw) is enrolled into The Program.

Sloane and her boyfriend James have experienced their fair share of tragedy. Sloane’s brother killed himself, her best friend is taken away as she’s depressed, another friend kills himself and James eventually succumbs to his emotions. One by one, everyone she relies on and interacts with is removed, and it is perhaps inevitable that Sloane is taken into The Program.

The second part of the novel chronicles Sloane’s experiences, and it is here that we get our strongest hints that all is not quite what it seems. Sloane is never entirely sure who to trust, and what feelings are caused by the obscene amounts of drugs pumped into her during this process. She comes to trust Realm, who seems like one of the good guys, but even that isn’t quite as straightforward as we think.

The final part of the novel focuses on what happens when Sloane is returned home. She doesn’t quite feel as she’s meant to, and she has the opportunity to regain some of her memories. Her dilemma is whether it is worth it when those she shared the experiences with have no recollection of the events.
This reminded me a little of ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, though here the actions are placed firmly in the hands of the adults who believe they are acting in their children’ best interests.

The Epilogue really sets up our interest in what comes next. I can’t wait to find out where this goes.

‘Paper Butterflies’ – Lisa Heathfield

If you read one book this year, I would urge you to make it this one.

Due for publication at the end of June 2016, this is the second novel by Lisa Heathfield (after reading this, I’ve already purchased a copy of her debut) and it is a genuine must-read.

When we first meet June she is ten years old. Her mother has died and she lives with her father, notably absent, step-mother Kathleen and half-sister Megan. The abuse she suffers at the hands of her ‘new family’ is horrific. Appearances are deceptive, and while everyone thinks June comes from a loving family the systematic humiliation she endures is beyond imaginable.

This is perhaps one of the most uncomfortable books I’ve read in a long time, but it was truly compelling. I felt I couldn’t leave June, much as I wanted to.
When June meets Blister (Jacob Wick) in the woods she gets a chance at happiness, becoming a part of a family that genuinely care for each other. Their friendship really was a crutch to sustain her, but I loved how together they retain a zest for life and laughter.

On one or two occasions June comes close to revealing the extent of the suffering she faces both at home and school. Nothing comes of it. When she finally plucks up the courage to seek help from the one person you would hope she can rely on, the cruelty of the rejection is scalpel-sharp.

I was desperately hoping for a happy ending for June. I wanted to feel there was a chance for good to win. What I got instead was a complete hand-over-my-eyes, stomach-dropping living-hell of an event. At the back of my mind I wondered if this was a step too far – hadn’t June suffered enough? But it certainly acts as a device to enable her to explore fully her feelings towards those who hurt her so much when she was younger.

The final section of the novel really forces us to think about how we as a society respond to events such as those described within this novel. The recurring image of butterflies was powerful, and I felt it fitting that the final words belonged to Blister.

Just, wow!

I cannot thank NetGalley and the publishers enough for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘A Monster Calls’ – Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.

This is a book that I feel is a must-read, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the subject matter is one that everyone will have to deal with at some point in time. In this novel, Ness perfectly sums up the confusion and uncertainty that we might experience when someone close to us is seriously ill.

Secondly, it is beautifully descriptive. There are passages that you will want to read and re-read as they simply capture a moment or a feeling, perfectly.

Lastly, the character of Conor. We witness his mother’s treatment through his eyes, and we get to explore how it feels to be living in this situation. He is very realistically portrayed, and Ness doesn’t shy away from the ugliness that Conor deals with. It simply is, and Conor has to come to terms with what he is living through.

Though this is a quick read, it is one that will remain with you long after the book has been put down.

‘Eleanor and Park’ – Rainbow Rowell

Having recently read a couple of Rainbow Rowell novels, it didn’t take long to sniff out another potential read. Most reviews of this were overwhelmingly positive, gushing even, which put me off a little. I was worried about not ‘getting it’ or not quite feeling as positive about it as I hoped to. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried. This quite hooked me.

I can overlook the fact that Eleanor and Park seem to fall in love overnight, and with virtually no contact, as the pair of them together were so earnest and lovely. Both misfits in their own way, they are great characters who just seem to find each other at the right time.

My main gripe with this novel was that I felt we dwelt on the relationship between Park and Eleanor at the expense of developing our understanding of their home environments/relationships. I can’t understand how all these people seem to know what Richie (Eleanor’s step-dad) is like, but do nothing about the situation. It could also have been interesting to flesh out some of the other characters who see something in both Eleanor and Park. These are not unlikeable teenagers, but they were in their own little bubble for so much of the story and yet there were clearly people who cared about them.

I also found it quite disconcerting to have such an obviously dated setting with regard to tapes and cultural references. I loved this, but wonder if it might be a little off-putting to contemporary readers.

Though the romantic in me hopes the words on Eleanor’s final postcard gave Park hope of them meeting again soon, I admire the fact that Rowell left us uncertain about what happens.

‘Every Exquisite Thing’ – Matthew Quick

With a title that contains a quote from one of my favourite stories ever (The Picture of Dorian Gray), I had a sneaky suspicion that this would be a book I’d enjoy. Sometimes it’s good to get what you wish for.

The story focuses on Nanette O’Hara, an introverted student who has toed the expected line all her life. A good student and a star soccer player, she is popular and comes from a comfortable background. Yet she always feels something of a misfit, and struggles to feel comfortable in her own skin.

This coming of age novel begins with Nanette being given a copy of The Bubblegum Reaper, a cult novel, with which she identifies heavily. When she learns that the author lives in her town she arranges to meet with him, and so begins an unusual friendship.

Booker helps Nanette start to question who she is and the place she will take in society. Her relationship with Booker, but also Alex and Oliver, focuses on them each finding their way.

It’s hard to sum up precisely what made this book work for me. I think the sense of self-doubt is something that many will identify with, and the pages crackle with humour (though sometimes of the dark sort). There are one or two moments that really throw the reader off-kilter, but it was touching and it certainly got me thinking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ – Sarah J. Maas

This is my first experience of reading Sarah J. Maas, and though I wasn’t sure about it initially it quickly became more entertaining.

When we first meet Feyre she is like Katniss in a new setting-desperately poor, relied on by her family and hunting to survive. When she kills a wolf she is focused on the money and sustenance it will provide. Unfortunately, her kill sets in place a chain of events that quickly become bigger than anything she could have imagined.

Living on the borders, Feyre has been conditioned to hate Faeries so when she is ordered to live in the lands of Prythian to atone for her killing one of them she is resistant. Now surrounded by Tamlin and his court, Feyre has to learn to live in this environment in order to keep her family safe.

As I read this it brought to mind well-known fairy stories, as well as popular contemporary stories. This could have been a rather trite romance, and the presence of other characters -Lucien and Rhysand- kept it interesting. I loved the background story hinting at an epic battle for control of a kingdom/intrigue, and the section where Feyre is trapped under the mountain fighting for her life was powerful.

Part of me still wonders if there is more to the story of Feyre’s mother as there are hints that she might be more closely allied to events than we first think. It would make sense of the decision taken at the end that keeps Feyre in the story.
While this perhaps won’t be classed as one of my favourites, I definitely want to continue reading the series.

‘Chimera’ – Vaun Murphrey

This certainly has an interesting premise.

Cassandra, 13, has spent eight years in captivity having witnessed her parents’ murders and then she is rescued by family that she didn’t know she had.

Upon discovering she is a Weaver – which involves having use of some seriously enviable skills – Cassandra comes to realise that she has talents beyond those she is expected to have. It seems there hasn’t been anyone quite like Cassandra beforehand, though there are plenty of hints that some do know about her and have chosen to keep her ignorant for some reason.

Initially, the setting felt a little confusing. The story also began quite slowly but once Cassandra rediscovers her ‘sister’ and we see her emerging talents things get very interesting.

There are elements of the story that I would have liked further details about, but the way this ends does suggest that we’ll get that information…eventually.

‘Speechless’ – Hannah Harrington

Chelsea Knot starts the book as one of the popular crowd at school. Best friends with Kirsten, Chelsea is used to being able to say what she likes without having to think of the consequences. Unfortunately, she is also portrayed as a completely unpleasant superficial character.

The novel opens with a New Year’s Eve party. Something happens that Chelsea just can’t keep quiet about. The tone at the start is gossipy and fairly lightweight, but from the moment Chelsea opens her mouth to tell people what she saw a chain of events is set in place that has serious consequences.

The symbolism of this taking place at New Year isn’t lost on the reader-this book is about starting anew and changing yourself (or at least coming to accept who you really are).

The characters are, for the most part, fairly stock high-school stereotypes and I think this means it will appeal to its target readership. The crowd that Chelsea finds herself drawn to when she takes her pledge to be silent are one big happy family. They are better developed, and there were some great passages as we watch Chelsea get taken into the heart of this new family and come to terms with who she is and what she wants.

A quick read but one with a serious message to convey. I just wish that Chelsea hadn’t been such a manipulated character at the start as it did make it harder for me to accept unquestioningly her transition.

‘The Loose Ends List’ – Carrie Firestone

There’s no getting away from the fact that we’re all going to die some day. However it happens, we leave behind something of ourselves. This is a book that acknowledges the fact that, sometimes, we want to be able to control our last moments-whether it’s to preserve our dignity, or to minimise the suffering of loved ones.

When the novel opens, Maddie is preparing to go off to college. She is called to a family dinner where her beloved grandma announces she has pancreatic cancer and has booked for the family to spend the summer on a cruise. Only this cruise is all about those on board being allowed to choose their moment to die.

This could have been quite morose given the subject matter, but Firestone works hard to create vibrant characters whose joy of life allows them to focus on what positives remain.

While grandma could be seen as very manipulative, it definitely seems that she is engineering situations for those around her to find the strength to come to accept her leaving. The image of Maddie and Enzo surrounded by phosphorescence when they are kayaking will stay with me for some time, and I don’t think I’ll be able to look at a snow globe without thinking of this novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me access to this before publication.

‘Blood Of My Blood (Jasper Dent Trilogy 3)’ – Barry Lyga

The final part of the trilogy picks up where book two left off. We get to see what happens to our trio…although, at times, we might wish we didn’t.

I’ve read some reviews that criticise Lyga for just giving us more of the same here. I would have to disagree with those comments. Yes, there are some unpleasant details – and elements of the activity go beyond sadistic – but there didn’t seem to be quite the level of detail given simply to shock us. Here, if we’re being given graphic detail, it makes sense. This book focuses far more on the psychological elements again and I found this very difficult to put down.

Some readers criticise Lyga for boring us with Jasper’s fears that he’ll become his father’s son. With the revelations we get in this book I’d be more concerned if Jasper weren’t questioning his upbringing, mental state and ability to make socially acceptable decisions!

There are some great moments in this novel. Howie and Connie get to play pivotal roles, and though they are less involved than in previous books, they’ve got Jasper’s back and provide a semblance of much-needed normality for him.

I do think that, in reality, a lot of what transpires during the hunt would never happen. However, Lyga creates truly creepy characters and this was a chilling read.

I might discourage younger readers from picking this series up, for reasons that become obvious as we work our way through this. Overall, though the subject matter is deeply unpleasant it is a fascinating story, well-handled and resolved in such a way that we can sleep at night (albeit with the light on).