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Showing posts with label Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Show all posts
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Powerful and Authentic, MG Verse Novel Offers Hope for Struggling Kids
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Jake Stacy isn't a typical teenage boy. He loves roller skating, musicals, volunteering at a nursing home, reading poetry, and hanging out with his beloved grandmother, his only real friend. At school, he's a target for bullies. At home, he's just as lonely, since his dad is never there and his mom struggles with debilitating depression. Then there's The Voice, which keeps up a constant monologue in Jake's head, reminding him of how weak and worthless he is, especially when he eats too much or doesn't exercise. When his loved ones finally notice how much he's struggling, Jake is admitted against his will to an inpatient facility that treats kids with eating disorders. Furious, he fights against his diagnosis (anorexia nervosa), his doctors, his therapists, and the other patients. It's only when he begins to learn how to battle against The Voice that he finally feels a flutter of hope. Can he really beat the eating disorder that is killing him? Will he finally find health and happiness?
Louder Than Hunger by John Schu deals with some tough, heavy subjects. Not only does it tackle disordered eating, but it also addresses bullying, anger, grief, addiction, hospitalization, self-harm, and more. These matters are discussed in a raw, realistic way, informed by the author's own experience as a teen with similar issues. Because of this, the novel rings with authenticity. However, it never gets too grim for its middle grade audience. Schu infuses the story with hope and encouragement. It also helps that Louder Than Hunger is written in free verse. While the words are still powerful, they're presented in a format that feels somehow lighter and more approachable. Reluctant readers will also be glad to know that although the book looks thick and intimidating, it's actually a very quick read. The novel is not just compelling, but it also teaches some vitally important lessons about conquering negative self-talk, seeking help from trusted adults and professionals, fighting to conquer addictions in spite of setbacks, being your authentic self, and treating others with compassion. In addition, unlike many stories I've read of this type, Louder Than Hunger paints hospitalization as a positive, helpful step toward regaining health instead of as a cold, scary experience that only makes problems worse. Schu credits his own stay in a facility for helping him overcome his struggles. For all these reasons and more, I highly recommend this book to all readers. It's powerful, important, and thought-provoking.
(Readalikes: I can't think of any other middle grade books I've read about eating disorders. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for intense/scary situations
To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of Louder Than Hunger from the generous folks at Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Friday, March 15, 2019
YA Romance-Made-in-the-Psych-Ward Novel Teaches Important Lessons
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When Addie Foster's obsessive tics and lengthy routines become too debilitating, the 17-year-old is admitted to the psych ward of a Seattle hospital to get help with her OCD. Surrounded by a group of teens battling schizophrenia, severe depression, delusions, and more, life at the facility is never boring. Addie is especially taken with Fitz, a boy her age who's smart, funny, and brave. Even though he's constantly fighting with the voices inside his head, Addie feels like Fitz is the only person who's ever really gotten her. A teenage romance kindled in the psych ward is not likely to go anywhere, but Addie doesn't care—she's just grateful to have a true friend on the inside.
Then Fitz asks Addie to help him break out of the hospital. For reasons he won't explain, Fitz insists he has to go to San Juan Island and it has to be now. Addie understands obsessions, but she's not too keen on breaking out, especially when she's finally making progress with her OCD. Still, she can't deny her new pal (who is maybe becoming more than a friend), so a plan is hatched ... Will it work? What will happen when the pair is on the outside trying to make important decisions without their medication, their doctors, or their hospital friends? Can their lives—their romance—ever really work outside the psych ward?
Waiting for Fitz is a debut novel by Spencer Hyde, a college professor who spent three years of his adolescence at Johns Hopkins being treated for severe OCD. His experience makes the book feel authentic. It also colors his fictional treatment of mental illness—he normalizes the issue without ever trivializing it. Hyde's sympathetic view helps the reader see the patients in his novel (and thus their real-life counterparts) as teens who are just like everybody else, even as they deal with unique problems. He preaches hope for those with mental illness, encouraging them to never, ever give up.
Addie and Fitz are likable leads, although they are definitely not your average high schoolers. They're old souls whose unusual interests will probably not resonate with most young adults. While these oddities may alienate teen readers, it does keep the characters' developing relationship ... interesting. That being said, the first half of Waiting for Fitz really dragged for me. There's a lot of talking and philosophizing to wade through without much action to perk up the plot. In fact, the plot doesn't even really start until the middle of the book, which is (not) coincidentally when the story really begins to get engaging. The problem, I think, is that Addie has no real story goal so she doesn't do much, especially in the book's initial chapters. Fitz is the star of the show, making Addie's role in the story kind of murky. Despite the action picking up in the second half of Waiting for Fitz, I ended up not loving the novel. I did care about the characters and became invested enough in them to finish the book. All in all, though, this was just an okay read for me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Calvin by Martine Leavitt; OCD, The Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn; and Saving Sammy by Beth Alison Maloney)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Waiting for Fitz from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Friday, June 19, 2015
Crooked House Sometimes Sluggish, Sometimes Surprising
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Crooked House, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Erica Coleman mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
When Megan Kemp calls Erica Coleman with a plea for help, Erica responds immediately. She can't leave her best friend's daughter in the lurch, no matter how crazy Megan's story sounds. And it does sound a little loony. Megan, a sophomore at Delaware State University, is convinced someone is trying to kill her roommate, Liz Johnson. After the deaths of her parents, Liz inherited a ramshackle old mansion aptly named Crooked House. The recent victim of several "accidents," the young home owner seems to have become a target for someone with deadly intentions. But why? Has Liz's failure to restore her historic home finally pushed her impassioned neighbor over the top? Is an angry ex-boyfriend out for revenge? Or is Megan reading too much into a few unlucky mishaps?
As a former police officer and current private eye, Erica is in a unique position to help Megan and her roommates get to the bottom of Liz's recent misfortunes. Leaving her police officer husband in charge of the kids at their home in Farmington, Utah, Erica moves in with the college girls at Crooked House. Living with the roommates (while spoiling them with her scrumptious baking and obsessive cleaning rituals) gives Erica a chance to observe their goings-on firsthand. Something fishy is definitely going on. As Liz's "accidents" escalate in severity, Erica knows she must find out who's responsible for them—and quickly. One person has already died. Any one of the women at Crooked House could be next.
While I'm not huge on cozy mysteries, I do appreciate a story that's both entertaining and clean. So, when I read the plot summary for Crooked House, a new mystery by Marlene Bateman (Sullivan), I thought, why not? Not realizing it's actually the third book in a series, I dove right in. Maybe it's because I "met" Erica Coleman mid-series, but I didn't feel much of a connection to the obsessive-compulsive private investigator. She struck me as a pushy, overbearing, annoying know-it-all. I just didn't like her that much. Plot-wise, Crooked House moves along fairly quickly, offering a few surprises here and there. Prose-wise, however, the storytelling feels sluggish because of Bateman's over-reliance on telling rather than showing. The inclusion of LDS doctrine in the story gives it a unique slant. Although it's dropped in rather abruptly at times, the religious aspect never gets preachy, keeping the novel accessible to non-LDS readers. Another fun element is the recipes included in the book; they sound different and delicious. A winning combination, for sure. Overall, then, I found Crooked House entertaining, if not wholly satisfying. While I appreciated its PG-ness, its uncommon setting (not many novels are set in Delaware), and its yummy-sounding recipes, I would have liked tighter plotting, more dynamic writing, and a warmer, more likable heroine. Crooked House can definitely be read as a stand-alone, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I started with the first book in the series.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of the Sadie Hoffmiller culinary mysteries by Josi S. Kilpack [Lemon Tart; Pumpkin Roll; English Trifle; etc.])
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and very mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-copy of Crooked House from the generous (and patient!) Marlene Bateman. Thank you!
Monday, September 09, 2013
Miss Monk on the Small Screen? Never Fear—You Can Still Find Him in Your Library (He'll be the One Dusting the Lightbulbs).
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
If you've seen an episode of the t.v. show Monk (and who hasn't?) you'll understand why I love its title character so much. Adrian Monk, especially as portrayed (to perfection) by the incomparable Tony Shalhoub, is quirky, fun, hilarious and just all-around charming. If you're not familiar with OCD-afflicted Detective Monk, never fear, you can watch the series on Netflix. If you've seen every episode and still can't get enough, no worries, you can check out the 15 Monk mysteries Lee Goldberg wrote. Bummed that Goldberg's moved on? Not a problem. Hy Conrad, one of the original writers of the t.v. series, has taken over where Goldberg left off. Mr. Monk Helps Himself is the first of Conrad's Monk novels and, guess what? Reading it is just as delightful as watching Monk solve cases on the small screen.
Like the other Monk novels, this one is narrated by Natalie Teeger, Monk's assistant. Having returned from a sojourn in New Jersey, she's back in California helping Monk keep his OCD in check long enough to aid the San Francisco Police Department with their toughest cases. Determined to become more than just Monk's babysitter, she's studying for the exam that will make her a licensed private investigator. Once she's legal, Natalie will become her boss's partner. Until then, she's the "unlegendary, underpaid and overworked ... assistant to a brilliant and very stubborn six-year-old" (2).
To get a little breather from her hectic life, Natalie sneaks off to a seminar led by a successful self-help guru named Miranda Bigley. She purposely lies about her whereabouts so her boss won't pester her to dust his already spotless lightbulbs or call fifty times to moan about his newest phobia. And yet, somehow, he finds her. Monk's raving about cults when Miranda walks right off a seaside cliff, plunging to her death. The police call it a suicide, but Natalie knows better. How could someone who spent her life helping people find happiness be miserable enough to kill herself? It makes no sense. No one else seems to care about poor Miranda, especially not Monk, who's hard at work trying to catch a serial killer. Natalie won't give up on it, though. She's going to find her heroine's killer if it's the last thing she does. With two cases to solve, an exam to study for and Monk to hand-hold, Natalie's got a lot on her plate. Can she do it all and pass her P.I. exam, too? Or is she destined to be Monk's babysitter forever?
As you can probably tell, the book remains true to the lighthearted tone of the t.v. series. Not that it doesn't have its gory parts. It does. But, overall, Mr. Monk Helps Himself is a quick, enjoyable read that won't tax too many of your brain cells. If you're looking for a complex, nuanced mystery, look somewhere else. If, on the other hand, you simply want a funny, upbeat story, well, you've found your next read. Whether you're an old Monk fan or a new one, chances are, you're going to enjoy the ride.
(Readalikes: I haven't read them, but I assume the Monk mysteries by Lee Goldberg are very similar)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and sexual innuendo/references to sex
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Mr. Monk Helps Himself from the generous folks at Obsidian (a division of Penguin) via those at Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. Thank you!
Friday, June 14, 2013
I Was Totally Loving It Until ...
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Danielle Levine's used to feeling like an outcast, even at her special school for "high-potential kids with learning disabilities." Even there, her OCD makes her a total freak. How does the 18-year-old with the unruly red hair deal? By chronicling everything she thinks and feels in exhaustive detail. She collects her writings—school essays, e-mails, letters, personal "me-moir" entries, etc.—in a perfectly organized, color-coded binder she hides under her bed.
Since Danielle doesn't have much of a life in the first place, she's not expecting anything different from her senior year of high school. She'll do what she always does—blend into the scenery, lust after gorgeous Jacob Kingston from afar, and, above all, keep her weird, obsessive rituals to herself. The one place she can't seem to restrain herself, though, is in the essays she writes for English class. That's how she ends up in an off-campus social skills class with kids who are even less communicative than her. Her last year of high school cannot possibly get any worse, can it?
It can.
Danielle has a place to vent all her anger, humiliation, self-loathing and fear, not to mention a cool aunt who always gives excellent advice. But, Danielle still longs for a real friend, someone her age who understands her. Jacob would do very nicely. Too bad that option's about as likely as Danielle fitting into a pair of size 2 jeans. Fortunately, friendship is closer than it seems. So is happiness. Even for a chubby ginger with a major case of OCD.
The first thing that drew me into OCD, The Dude, and Me, a debut novel by Lauren Roedy Vaughn, is the voice. Vaughn's a high school teacher English teacher, who's definitely got the lingo down. Danielle feels authentic, like a real teenager struggling with all the problems with which real teenagers struggle every day. But, it's her painfully distorted view of herself that makes her so sympathetic. Because I found Danielle such a compelling heroine, I enjoyed all her jottings about life, love and The Big Lebowski. In fact, I was loving everything about the novel—until Daniel came along. Not only does he embody one of the biggest clichés in contemporary YA lit, but he also has some disturbing quirks and illegal hobbies. Why those things needed to be mentioned is beyond me, since honestly, they contributed nothing to the story and made me think less of both Daniel and Danielle. Call me a prude, but there you go. Overall, I found OCD, The Dude, and Me engrossing, but the Daniel thing really derailed my enjoyment of the book. Which is a real bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little bit of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), sexual innuendo/content and depictions of illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of OCD, The Dude, and Me from the generous folks at Dial (an imprint of Penguin Books) via those at Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Thank you!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Creepy Cryer's Cross An Entertaining Spine-Tingler
(Image from Barnes & Noble)When a high school freshman from Cryer's Cross, Montana, disappears, it rocks the tiny
town to its core. Despite days of searching the area, no one can find a trace of the missing girl. It could be she just ran away, but, to 17-year-old Kendall Fletcher, the whole thing feels sinister. Kendall knows she won't rest easy until she finds out what happened to her classmate - not because she was particularly close to the girl, more because her OCD makes coping with ambiguity difficult. To say the least.
The town's still reeling from the first disappearance when another local teen vanishes. This time, it's someone much closer to Kendall's heart. This time, she knows it's foul play, because 17-year-old Nico Cruz - her boyfriend - would never leave without telling Kendall. Even with the rumor mill suggesting Nico ran off with the missing girl, Kendall's resolute: Something terrible happened to Nico. It's only when Kendall realizes the two missing teens both used the same school desk that she starts to connect some dots. When she notices messages scratched into the desk's wooden surface, messages that plead for help, she knows she's found a vital clue in the mystery of the lost kids. It's when she starts hearing their voices seeping out of the desk, though, that she begins wondering if she's completely crazy. Because if she isn't, then she's dealing with something old, something evil, something not of this world. It's all tied to a dark Cryer's Cross secret - one that no one wants to acknowledge, let alone let out. The closer Kendall comes to figuring it out, the closer she comes to becoming the next victim ...
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann is a creepy little tale, with some original touches that make it memorable (I don't know about you, but I've never read a story about a haunted desk before). It moves quickly, keeping the reader interested, if not surprised. Kendall's a sympathetic character, whose OCD makes her unique, while giving her personality added depth. Predictability and a rather anticlimatic ending did sour this one a little for me - overall, though, I found the book entertaining, albeit in a Halloween-ish, nightmare-inducing sort of way. Which is why I read it during the day. With the lights on. While hiding under my bed. Ahem. You know you're a wimp when ...
(Readalikes: Um, I should be able to think of lots, but nothing's really coming to mind. Ideas?)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (a few F-bombs plus milder invectives) and violence
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Saving Sammy Hard to Believe, Even Harder to Forget
"I look in the mirror, and I see a stranger. I look at the green eyes that used to sparkle back. All I see is sadness and exhaustion. If I look long enough, they fill with tears, but I don't have time to look. I am in a constant state of motion. I'm dispensing meds, or ordering meds, or trying to remember something about the meds. I'm e-mailing doctors and asking questions. I'm trying hard not to scream at them with the words I type. I call my friends and sob, but not for me. I sob for him: that life could be so unfair, that he could be so brilliant and so trapped. Then he calls to me and I go to him, and I know that I will lie again and tell him there is hope" (138-39).
How many times have you heard someone laugh off his eccentricities with a flippant, "Oh, that's just my OCD coming out?" How many times have you chuckled knowingly, remembering your own neuroses - the way you have to make your bed just so, or how you can't stand it if the toilet paper is on the holder in the improper position, or the way that you can't stop yourself from
sweeping up every crumb that hits the floor as soon it lands? I dare you to laugh about OCD after reading the first four pages of Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD by Beth Alison Maloney. You won't. I guarantee it.Maloney's story begins the summer her middle son, Sammy, turns 12. A smart, happy child, he enjoyed competing in mathathons, playing Dungeons & Dragons with his friends, and hunting for treasures along the shoreline near his home in Kennebunkport, Maine. Then, Maloney buys a new home, moving herself and her three boys away from the beachfront rental home they'd come to love. His parents' recent divorce, plus the stress of moving, seems to traumatize Sammy. Beth watches as he takes up strange behaviors - walking around with his eyes shut, navigating only with his hands; refusing to sleep in his new bedroom; avoiding physical contact; spinning, hopping and jerking at odd times. What begins as puzzling soon becomes alarming. Sammy's compulsions start to take over his life - he can't leave the house without performing a complicated routine; he won't shower, brush his teeth, or change his clothes; he can't stand having windows open or the sight of bare feet or the sound of loud breathing. He apologizes constantly for inconveniencing his family, but he can't seem to control his need for things to be a certain way.
Terrified, Beth searches for a doctor willing to see Sammy, finally landing in the New Hampshire office of psychiatrist Dr. Drill. His diagnosis? Obsessive compulsive disorder. The answer makes sense, but Beth's still troubled. With its sudden onset and no family history of OCD, she can't fathom how her son ended up with the condition. Still, she follows the doctor's advice. As Sammy's symptoms get worse and worse, Beth knows there's more to it than OCD. Second diagnosis? Tourette's. Despite the usual medications used to treat the disease, Sammy's still no better. His obsessions keep him confined to the house, where the family has to walk on eggshells so as not to disturb his fragile psyche. Exhausted, depressed and terrified, Beth vows to help her son. No matter what it takes. When her research leads to a controversial study linking OCD to strep throat, she thinks she's finally found her answer. The only problem lies in convincing Sammy's doctors. With stubborn determination, she braces herself for war, battling doctors, researchers and anyone who stands in the way of her son and the cure she knows is out there. Long after others would have given up, she fights. She won't stop until she has her Sammy back. And she doesn't.
Saving Sammy is an incredible, absorbing story that is as troubling as it is inspiring. My heart ached for the boy whose compulsions made his life a living hell; for his brothers, who dreaded being at home; and especially for Beth, whose agony is palpable. Her story is a rebuke of the doctors who stubbornly refused to look beyond their beloved studies, letting patients suffer before allowing themselves to move past their foregone conclusions. It's a call-to-action, urging parents everywhere to stand up for their sick children. Mostly, it's a testimony to the strength and perserverance of a mother who refused to back down. And to the boy she brought back from the very brink of insanity. It's a story you're not going to believe, and one you won't soon forget.
Grade: A
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mature themes
To the FTC, with love: I received Saving Sammy from TLC Book Tours. The fact that I received the book free of charge has nothing to do with the way I graded it - I gave it an A because that's exactly what it deserves.
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