Review: EVERY LAST WORD by Tamara Ireland Stone

Title: Every Last Word
Author: Tamara Ireland Stone
Published: June 16th 2015
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
POV: 1st person
Pages: 368
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Format: electronic ARC
Source: Netgalley / Publisher
Rating: Loved

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling. 

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Highlights: Beautifully written and powerful, Every Last Word is an exceptional story. Mental illness can be difficult to write, but Tamara Ireland Stone does so in a respectful, realistic way. Sam is such a realistic character, and an easy narrator to like. The rest of the characters are vibrant, and I love the idea of a hidden high school poetry society. I tend to be excellent at guessing twists, but this novel took me by surprise in the end. I especially appreciate the fact that Every Last Word encourages seeking professional help - that's a message that isn't always included in novels dealing with mental illness, so I'm glad to see it here since it is so important. 

Lowlights: I can't think of anything that really stuck out in a bad way. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. 

Final Thoughts: Every Last Word  is a special story that will make you laugh, cry, and wish you had your own secret poetry society (I WANT ONE SO BADLY). I'd recommend giving it a chance and checking it out!

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher for review consideration. 

This is no way affected my opinion of the novel. 

Mini-Review: CHALLENGER DEEP by Neal Shusterman

Title: Challenger Deep
Author: Neal Shusterman
Published: April 21st, 2015
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
POV: 1st person
Pages: 320
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: electronic ARC | Hardcover
Source: Edelweiss | Purchased
Rating: Highly Enjoyed

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence, to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

A captivating and powerful novel that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by one of today's most admired writers for teens.

An unflinchingly honest, Challenger Deep delves into the shadowy and murky depths of mental illness, and does so in a creative yet respectful way. Chapters switch between what readers might call reality (Caden's everyday life | life in a hospital) and fantasy (Caden's fantastical journey to Marianas Trench, traveling on an ominous ship with quite the group of characters), but both are very real to Caden. The short chapters offer abrupt, brief glimpses into the mind of a young man who is struggling to navigate the world and his thoughts. This is a story unlike any other, and Challenger Deep is truly an incredible novel.

Highlights:  Caden's personality shines, his struggle is prominent, and I felt for him so much. The side characters are equally well written. While the ending is one of optimism, I appreciate that Shusterman also acknowledges the fact that mental illness is a battle - sometimes you end up right where you began, starting from scratch. But other times, you do get better (and I especially loved the support system that Caden has in this story - friends, family, doctors). The drawings, by Shusterman's son, add an even more authentic touch to an already impressive story, 

Lowlights: It takes a little time to adjust to the style of this story, since the chapters are so short and the switches happen regularly. The writing style is probably going to frustrate some readers, but if you can get into it, this story is incredible.

Final thoughts: Challenger Deep is an important story that expertly uses creativity to explore mental illness. I highly recommend this novel, it truly is excellent.