Tag: YA novel about mental illness

Book review: Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2016

This story about first love is not only heartwarming, but also raw and emotional. It follows Henry Page, a bookish high school senior that has never had a girlfriend, is unexpectedly attracted to new student Grace Town, who brooding and mysterious, enters the school with a conspicuous limp, unwashed and unkempt, and wearing boys’ clothes that are obviously too big for her. After they end up co-editing the school newspaper, an attraction ignites.

Henry becomes quite enamored with Grace as she seems to be hiding a very broken part of herself. But Grace sends mixed signals and has a mysterious upbringing and when grief and love mix together, the outcome is unpredictable. It’s a roller coaster of emotion, and an inside look at how a teen might deal with grief after losing a loved one. It’s a bittersweet, believable look at unrequited love because as their romance blossoms, secrets about Grace’s past, and more importantly her present circumstances are revealed. Is she beyond his help?

This book has teen angst for days. I think what I did like about this teen love story is it was very messy. Young and everlasting love isn’t realistic, and this book touches on even if that is the case, an individual can still impact you immensely. The diverse characters with realistic motivations including endearing friendships and family relationships really make this YA romantic tearjerker that much more enjoyable.

Book review: How to Disappear by Sharon Huss Roat

HarperTeen, 2017

How To Disappear protagonist, Vicky Decker, suffers from “absurd shyness,” “self-consciousness,” and introversion. The fun, rousing read starts with her friend Jenna, who kept her safe from social circumstances, moving away, leaving her utterly friendless and nearly agoraphobic. Vicky employs her savvy with digital media to craft the persona of the confident, socially adventurous person she’d like to be.

This depiction of yoyeuristic isolation of social media is a way to understand more the inner thoughts of people who are suffering from being judged or/and afraid of attention. When I read this book, the familiar feeling is not easy to approach because of the amount of uncomfortableness that the main character went through. Basically she is afraid of calling attention to herself and being laughed at and judged.

I really enjoyed this book because it is very relatable, since everyone has a moment in their life where they just want to disappear and not care about anything else. However, as you keep on reading, you’ll eventually find happiness when she finally feels a bit encouraged and connected with others. The novel had great characters, high drama, suspenseful chapters and its realistic fiction also seemed like a thriller.

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Angela Grey is a writer with paranoid schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, and social anxiety. She has created memorable moving tales about the sometimes unexpected and challenging road to first love: Secret Whispers (a story about schizophrenia), Déjà vu (a tale about a teen with bipolar disorder), and Of Laughter & Heartbreak (a piece about obsessive-compulsive disorder).

Until my next post, why not check out my YA novels about mental illness, memoir writing, novel in verse, or even my Native American mystery series on Amazon, or follow me on Bookshop, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn, Bookbub , BookSprout, or AllAuthor.

Book review: Challenger Deep by Neal Schusterman

Thorndike Press, 2015

In recent years, mental health has become a rising issue in society, especially in youth. This story details mental illness, schizophrenia to be exact, showing real ups and down, not glamorizing it, and giving a real depth to it that is truly sad at times.

The narrative follows fifteen-year-old Caden on his journey to both the lowest point on earth and recovery. As a result of his mental illness, Caden seemingly lives in two separate worlds, one being the real world, and the other on a ship under the direction of a Captain.

This boy is written in a way that can also be understood by a younger audience as a YA novel that could also be read by mature primary aged readers. At the start of the novel, Caden’s parents try to cure his paranoia and anxiety through hobbies. As his schizophrenia worsens, Caden is hospitalized where he meets other teens, who all suffer from a variety of mental illnesses. It’s a potent, realistic, relatable narrative that connects to readers because of the utter honesty of one struggling with mental illness.

I recommend it to increase awareness of schizophrenia and those that struggle with it because it encapsulates the emotions of everyone involved.