Waiting for Fitz by Spencer Hyde

3*


Addie, whose OCD has gotten so severe that it takes her 3 hours to get ready for school, must postpone her senior year when she is admitted to an inpatient adolescent psych ward. Her fellow patients include Didi who suffers from Tourette’s and pathological lying, Leah who is depressed after brain tumor surgery, Wolf who is in search of his “horse” and whose diagnosis isn’t revealed, Junior who has anger issues and seizures, and Fitz who has spent the last two years at the hospital for schizophrenia (or, more accurately, multiple personality disorder). Their days are full of both individual and group therapy, exercise, eating meals, playing Boggle, and watching movies. During the times they have to socialize, Addie and Fitz form a strong connection, bonding over literature and punny jokes. The humor is the coping mechanism they use to keep their illnesses from totally overwhelming them. When Fitz asks Addie to break out with him and travel to San Juan Island so he can make amends for the tragedy that landed him in the psych ward, she agrees and even smuggles in money she’s saved in a book by asking her mother to bring her more reading material. Unfortunately, once outside the safe confines of the hospital and without their proper medication, their walls come down and circumstances spiral out of control. The big question posed to Addie by one of her teachers, which is a thread running through much of the book, is what the characters in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” were waiting for. Will either Fitz or Addie find the answer after their ill-advised trip?


Author Hyde spent three of his high school years at Johns Hopkins for severe OCD like Addie’s, and many of the other characters are based on his fellow patients. The authenticity he brings to his writing as a result of his own experiences helps create a vivid and heart-breaking story, but also highlights the humor and humanity found in adolescent psych wards. In this respect, the book would be a great vehicle for bibliotherapy. Unfortunately, Hyde uses literary references from authors generally studied at the college level to sculpt most of the conversation between Fitz and Addie. Although liberally sprinkled with humor, the dialogue is ultimately too cerebral and theoretical for most teenagers, especially Fitz who doesn’t seem to have had much proper schooling and has very limited resources with no internet access and no library at his disposal. Unfortunately, most adolescents wouldn’t have the patience to sift through the dialogue to finish the book. So, although deserving of a large audience, it will be hard-pressed to find one.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan

5*

What do you do when the person you love most in the world asks you to help them die? This is the heart-wrenching moral dilemma 17-year-old Bobby Seed faces when his mother Anne, who is reaching the final stages of Multiple Sclerosis, asks him to end her suffering. For five years, Bobby has witnessed her struggle and decline and has become her primary caregiver, a burden he gladly carries because of his profound love for her. “Funny how no one ever uses the word “love” when discussing my case. I do what I do because she’s my mum; she’s the only one I have, so I wouldn’t mind holding on to her for a bit longer. That pure and that simple.” For Anne, however, the pain, memory loss, and feelings of sadness and humiliation that her son must help with her personal needs add to her despair, to “exist without living.”

During all this time, Bobby also shoulders the responsibility for his 14-year-old brother Danny who is developmentally-delayed. He doesn’t want to tell him that their Mom isn’t going to get better. However, when Anne can no longer communicate clearly and fears she will forget her sons, she makes her decision and asks Billy to tell his brother. Although Danny is slow, he isn’t, in his own words, “stupid” and has already researched the “right to die.”

Despite everything Bobby must juggle, he still wishes he could just be a typical teen without pity and allowances for his behavior. After joining the teen carer support group Poztive, Bobby meets other kids in the same situation, including American Lou who is an enigma. What is his mom suffering from that he won’t share and why does being around him make Bobby tingle? How will Lou’s experiences and potentially unhealthy influence on Bobby affect the major decision he has to make?

Conaghan has gifted us with a story that is life-affirming even in the face of suffering and death. The love between the mother and her sons and between the brothers is intensely moving while, at the same time, full of sarcasm and humor. The descriptions of the disease are written with dignity, honoring both the victim and her sons. There are also several beautiful poetic verses written by Bobby interspersed throughout. (With an Advanced Reader Copy, it’s unclear how they’ll appear in the published book.) This is a valuable and worthy addition to YA literature on death and is essential for any library that serves teens.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bloomsbury YA through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ask Me to Stay by Terri Osburn

5*

Since best-selling first-time author Liza Teller has writer’s block, she accepts a ghostwriting assignment to pay the bills. As she arrives on South Carolina’s desolate Haven Island, she begins to question the judgment of leaving herself at the mercy of strangers. Little does she know that it’s not physical risk she need fear, but something potentially more destructive. She’s there to pen the memoirs of Ray Wallis, a long-time recluse who doesn’t show up in her research. The first person she encounters after disembarking the ferry is a surly bear of a man, Kendall James, who resents that she’s profiting from Ray’s story with revelations that might put him at great risk. Unsurprisingly, the passionate anger between them soon evolves into something more. 

Osburn does a masterful job of blending a suspenseful mystery with a budding romance while introducing an unforgettable cast of characters, including Amos the pit bull, and the beautiful South Carolina flora and fauna.  It’s a cautionary tale of not judging by first impressions and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. There are moments of both sadness and joy, as well as some steamy scenes. It all adds up to an absorbing tale not soon forgotten. Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin

2*

Sous chef and perfectionist Rosie’s world is rocked when her cheating husband announces (on her birthday) that their marriage is over. He accuses her of lacking spontaneity, so her drunken reaction is to blow her life savings on a vintage pink van (RV/food truck). Eager to leave the pressure and gossip behind, she joins the Van Lifers forum, meets Oliver who suggests she follow the festival circuit, and hits the road. As she travels the UK, dispensing her tea blends and comfort food, she finds friendship with Aria (a fellow wounded soul), a potential love interest in Max, and a colorful cast of characters who sell everything from dreamcatchers to porcelain teapots. The journey is more than miles, though – it’s also about self-discovery and self-esteem building, forgiving herself, and letting go of her OCD tendencies so she can experience the joy she’s been missing. The question is whether she’ll be able to maintain this nomadic lifestyle or if she’ll go back to her well-laid plan for marriage, home, and kids.

This story starts strong with all of the familiar chick lit elements of broken marriages and cheating, life overhaul, and new romance but devolves into amateurish writing. Unfortunately, Rosie’s naivete concerning her online relationship with Oliver, combined with her willingness to believe the nasty and unsubstantiated rumors about Max, lead to a pseudo-love triangle that fails to engage the reader. Rosie treats Max shabbily, even within the bounds of platonic friendship, so the ending seems rushed and rather improbable. The entire premise of being able to set up shop and sell food at major festivals without proper permits and expensive reservations is implausible as well. Fans of Jenny Colgan and Phillipa Ashley might enjoy the book, but it suffers in comparison. 2.5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

4*

As Ariel Stone begins his senior year, he is on a steady course to valedictorian, his ticket to Harvard and a good life beyond. He’s precariously balancing a massive course load, sacrificing lunch and much of his social life, barely hanging on to first chair violin in orchestra as he bloodies his fingers to perfect a new piece, volunteering at the animal shelter, and observing the Sabbath and celebrating high holy days with his family. It’s getting harder to maintain this effortless façade, but he can’t let his peers smell weakness or he’ll lose his edge. So, when he fails his first calculus quiz, his anxiety goes through the roof. For the first time, he’s going to need a tutor to help him improve his grade, but the last person he expects to rely on is Amir with whom he’s never gotten along. He figures pulling all-nighters, skipping out on plans with friends, and sticking to a strict schedule is the right plan…until the insanity starts taking a toll. He reluctantly asks Amir for help and, as he begins to question if the pressure to succeed is worth it, he also realizes that Amir might be the best thing that’s happened to him.

Silverman has done a masterful job of highlighting the insane pressure put upon kids to get into the best colleges, beginning in grade school and escalating to the point of making themselves sick or worse. Like so many teens, Ariel thinks he’s alone in his anxiety, but, as the story unfolds, we see that the kids he’s competing with are also stressing over parental and self-imposed expectations.  The adults, from counselors like Ms. Hayes (who advocated skipping lunch to cram in more classes) and the orchestra director who demands perfection to parents who are woefully ignorant of their children’s escalating anxiety, are greatly to blame. 

There are a couple of concerns worth mentioning. Although the relationship between Ariel and Amir develops at an appropriate pace, revealing several characters’ sexual preferences in the first few pages seems gratuitous. The plethora of Yiddish terms without translation might also cause some confusion for many readers. However, neither of these minor faults detract from this story that is so relevant to today’s teens. Highly-recommended.



I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Cinderella Countess by Sophia James

4*

Once upon a time (actually 1815), there was a beautiful, independent young woman of unknown origins who lived and worked as an herbalist in the worst part of London. One day, a handsome, rich aristocrat arrived at her door asking for help in curing his sister who has a “wasting disease.” Thus begins a tale that vaguely resembles the Cinderella we know with some pretty major twists. Instead of a wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Annabelle Smith lives with a kindly aunt and is being targeted for death by an unknown assailant. Lord Lytton Staines, the Earl of Thornton. is an unlikely Prince Charming who knows that falling in love and marrying a lowborn woman, especially one who is being less than truthful, is not a possibility in his world. However, he can’t ignore his natural instinct to protect her, so they keep being thrown together. What will it take to clear the path for a happily ever after?

The Cinderella Countess (the third book in the Gentlemen of Honor series) is not just another entry into the crowded Regency romance genre, but a compelling mystery and a love story with modern sensibilities. There are some instances that are less than historically accurate such as the Earl’s mother opening the front door and shouting about prostitutes and later the Earl himself welcoming Annabelle to his door because there is no servant present, the family estate being lost in a card game when these were generally entailed, and the Earl owning businesses which was very much frowned upon by the haute ton. However, these don’t detract from a story that features strong, well-defined characters, a series of attempted murders, and the mystery of where Annabelle really came from. This is a very worthy addition to the historical romance field.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin – Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

California Girls by Susan Mallery

2*

It’s not always sunny in Southern California especially for three sisters who all get dumped over a single weekend. Finola is a TV talk show host whose husband Nigel announces his affair with a young country-pop singer just minutes before she’s supposed to interview her live. Zennie. an OR nurse, is on a 4th date with Clark when he walks away after questioning her lack of enthusiasm and her sexual preference. Ali, the youngest and least attractive, hears the news of her broken engagement, not from the groom, but from his brother, Daniel. In the ensuing months, each one’s lives is on a trajectory of self-reflection, personal growth and wish fulfillment. The paths they take will either bring them together or tear their family apart.

Generally, Mallery’s books are filled with charming characters, strong, affectionate friendships, humor and some minor to major roadblocks to happily ever after. This was a less-than-successful departure from that formula. Most of the supporting characters were appealing, but the central family, including the judgmental and non-supportive parents, were defined by egocentrism, denial, or low self-esteem. Rather than eliciting eager expectations, the dialogue is anxiety-inducing and the story’s lack of depth makes it difficult to engage. Not Mallery’s best effort.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Mira through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena

Susan is the good girl: an innocent Indian Christian newly-transplanted from Saudi Arabia to Mississauga, Ontario, eager to please her parents by getting excellent grades, obeying the rules, and staying out of trouble and away from boys. Malcolm is the bad boy: a Canadian-Indian Parsi troublemaker, former alcohol and drug abuser, and angry teen since his mother’s death two years before. Despite her sheltered background and his apparent disregard for authority and responsibility, they’re drawn to each other. As Susan shares her dream of becoming an artist in defiance of her parents’ plans and her anger over their possible divorce and Malcolm (“The One Without a Future, according to every adult in his life”) reveals his father’s abuse, neglect, and adultery while his mom was wasting away from cancer, they start to have a positive influence on each other. Then that trust is broken. With time and determination, will they get a second chance?

Bhathena has written a riveting teen romance that goes beyond the standard meet cute, break-up, and  reconciliation formula. In choosing to tell the story from the points of view of both Susan and Malcolm, she’s given readers an intimate view of the damage that parental expectation, alienation, and selfishness have on children. All of the characters are well-developed and both Susan’s art and the various Indian religions are also key elements that drive this culturally-diverse story. Highly recommended and a first choice for libraries that serve teens.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.