Review: Plot Twist

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

The Hollywood Series #2

Genre: Romance Contemporary Contemporary Romance Adult Audiobook Fiction LGBT Chick Lit Adult Fiction Mental Health

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Pages: 336

Published: November 14, 2023

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Sophie is a romance writer dealing with writers block then her secret is out: she's never been in love. Now she's looking back at those she's dated to see if she can find a second chance at romance in the hopes it gives her some inspiration for her book. Dash is her best friends brother who is dealing with a stalker and sobriety and looking towards a new career. As they confide in eachother their feeling start to border in friends with benefits but hopeful towards something more.

This was such a fun read. I loved the two main characters and getting to know them. Dash was dealing a lot of pressure when it came to his family and it's sobriety and Sophie on the other hand was dealing with so much stress when it came to her writing job and with the deadline looming over. I loved the way the two interacted with each other and seeing that chemistry between the two where you can't help but root for them. Overall this was a really good book I really enjoyed it.

Review : All Things New

All Things New by Lauren Miller

Genre: Contemporary, Mental Health, Anxiety, Mental Illness, Young Adult

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Purchase Link : Amazon | BN | Kobo

Pages: 328

Published August 1st 2017 by Three Saints Press

Jessa has always felt broken inside, but she’s gotten very good at hiding it. No one at school knows about the panic attacks, the therapy that didn't help, the meds that haven’t worked. But when a severe accident leaves her with a brain injury and visible scars, Jessa’s efforts to convince the world that she’s okay finally crumble—now she looks as shattered as she feels. 

Fleeing from her old life in Los Angeles, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad, where she meets Marshall, a boy whose kindness and generous heart slowly draw Jessa out of her walled-off shell and into the broken, beautiful, real world—a place where souls get hurt just as badly as bodies, and we all need each other to heal.

ALL THINGS NEW is a love story about perception and truth, physical and emotional pain, and the messy, complicated people we are behind the masks we put on for the world, perfect for fans of ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. 

Jessa has been dealing with anxiety attacks on her own with her boyfriend until he wasn't there any more. When an accident leaves her with a brain injury and scars her father makes an offer for her to come live with him. It seems she didn't come out unscathed from the accident not only does she have scars but seems to be having hallucinations with those around her seeing them broken and scarred.  Now shes in a new school meeting new people making and a new love interest and still got to learn to get past what happens to her.

Not sure if I ended that description right but I think I'm going to stick to it. After reading this book its beyond me why it took me so long to actually pick it up because now that I've finished reading this I found it to be interesting, unique, unexpected and enjoyable. TBH I think it was the cover that drew me in and after reading the description I was curious how it was going to be. The description sounded generic like plenty books that I've read before but turned out there was clear differences that make this book stand out. It's not the greatest book (don't want to over hype the book) but it was pretty good it hooked me and pretty much wouldn't let me go to the end. There was interesting moments and I loved that this book didn't feel rushed. I loved seeing the progression of Jessa learning and changing over the course of the book and that it wasn't some insta love thing that solved every issue she has (hate when books do that) I loved seeing that slow change and seeing her improve. Overall this book was pretty good and I really enjoyed it.

Review : Words on Bathroom Walls

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mental Illness, Mental Health,

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Purchase Link : Amazon | BN | Kobo

Pages: 305

Published July 4th 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers

Fans of More Happy Than Not, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story will cheer for Adam as he struggles with schizophrenia in this brilliantly honest and unexpectedly funny debut.

Adam has just been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He sees and hears people who aren’t there: Rebecca, a beautiful girl who understands him; the Mob Boss, who harasses him; and Jason, the naked guy who’s unfailingly polite. It should be easy to separate the real from the not real, but Adam can't.

Still, there’s hope. As Adam starts fresh at a new school, he begins a drug trial that helps him ignore his visions. Suddenly everything seems possible, even love. When he meets Maya, a fiercely intelligent girl, he desperately wants to be the great guy that she thinks he is. But then the miracle drug begins to fail, and Adam will do anything to keep Maya from discovering his secret. 

Adam has schizophrenia and learning to cope with of seeing people who aren't there with a trial drug. He's in a new school and can actually start over with people who don't know him which is nice enough. At this school Adam meets Maya and he wants to be a better person and hide his schizophrenia. It was working until cdhis meds stop working and things start to slowly go down.

"It's funny how sometimes your own hallucinations can hurt you without touching you or saying anything you didn't already know."

After reading the description of the book and hearing that it would appeal to those who are fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Which is my favorite book) along with a few others I knew this book was right for me. I just found myself so hooked to Adam as a character, this is my second time reading about a character with schizophrenia and I loved the different take in this book. Adam was a realistic type of guy who says what he thinks but then again, I can remember a few points there he pretty much was able to get that courage being that he wasn't telling anyone but writing it. I loved that he was self aware of what was going on and seeing how he dealt with what he was seeing. I thought it was interesting that little touch of what med he was taking and seeing it progressively get higher and how we was in certain states in how he was able to deal with certain moments of his schizophrenia. But I think the real eye opener for me was how people were treating him. Treating him as if he was a dangerous creature that shouldn't be around others which was tough and sad to see. It was a realistic and sad truth that many people think of this mental health issue is something to be afraid of. It just seems so strange to me. I got family members with different mental health issues so seeing something out of the norm is something that normal for me so seeing someone with a different issue, isn't intimidating or scary. So for a person to be scared or worried about a person with a different mental health such as schizophrenia is so strange to me. I would rather made it a learning opportunity and learn about the mental illness, rather then be afraid.

"Is it strange watching your world crumble around you, knowing there's nothing you can do about it? I imagine it's strange."

Back to the review, any who this book was a pretty enjoyable contemporary read and I enjoyed this. I think if you read Made You Up by Francesca Zappia you would be interested in this book as well with the POV of a character with schizophrenia. Or in general if you read and loved this book you might enjoy Made You Up as well. Overall Highly recommend you lovely readers to check out this book, I didn't think I would love this book as much as I did.

Review : The Definitions of Undefinable Things

Definitions of Undefinable Things by Whitney Taylor

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mental Health, Romance, Fiction, Drama

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Purchase Link: Amazon | Kobo | BN

Pages: 336

Published April 4th 2017 by HMH Books for Young Readers

This heartbreaking, humorous novel is about three teens whose lives intersect in ways they never expected. 

Reggie Mason is all too familiar with "the Three Stages of Depression." She believes she’s unlocked the secret to keeping herself safe: Nobody can hurt you if you never let them in. 

Reggie encounters an unexpected challenge to her misanthropy: a Twizzler-chomping, indie film-making narcissist named Snake. Snake’s presence, while reassuring, is not exactly stable—especially since his ex-girlfriend is seven months pregnant. As Reggie falls for Snake, she must decide whether it’s time to rewrite the rules that have defined her.

I've been stalling big time when it came to the review because honestly I didn't like this book much. I don't like writing reviews on books that I don't really like at all. All I can really thing is that this book was just okay. Not really something I'd recommend but do check it out and form your own opinion. What I might not like might be your favorite book so don't let my opinion stop you from picking up this book. The characters where good, I really loved how Reggie's character was quiet blunt, not the type of person who won't say what she really thinks. The one thing I do appreciate and thought was interesting was how depression was shown in the book, it really was realistic. I mean I read other books about characters that mention tid bits / stereotypes that the character with depression has and it doesn't really show. This book it was clear that they had their set of issues and it was interesting seeing how everything did eventually turn out. Overall this book was okay but just not something that I was really into.

Review : 10 Things I Can See From Here

10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Mental Health, Romance

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Purchase link: Amazon | BN | Kobo

Pages: 320

Perfect for fans of Finding Audrey and Everything, Everything, this is the poignant and uplifting story of Maeve, who is dealing with anxiety while falling in love with a girl who is not afraid of anything.

Think positive.
Don’t worry; be happy.
Keep calm and carry on.

Maeve has heard it all before. She’s been struggling with severe anxiety for a long time, and as much as she wishes it was something she could just talk herself out of, it’s not. She constantly imagines the worst, composes obituaries in her head, and is always ready for things to fall apart. To add to her troubles, her mom—the only one who really gets what Maeve goes through—is leaving for six months, so Maeve will be sent to live with her dad in Vancouver.

Vancouver brings a slew of new worries, but Maeve finds brief moments of calm (as well as even more worries) with Salix, a local girl who doesn’t seem to worry about anything. Between her dad’s wavering sobriety, her very pregnant stepmom insisting on a home birth, and her bumbling courtship with Salix, this summer brings more catastrophes than even Maeve could have foreseen. Will she be able to navigate through all the chaos to be there for the people she loves? 

All I knew about this book was that it had a characters with anxiety and I've seen one or two people mention the book with no opinion so I sought out to see for myself how good this book was. Plus, have you seen the cover its bright af and I love a good cover that can catch my eye. Plus without the cover its yellow, I rarely come across a book with a yellow cover, or at least undercover part so it appealed to me. Plus that little detail of the owl was cute.

Trust me when I say all you have to do is read the first page to the book and you'll be sucked in.

I found the main character interesting, slightly annoying with her nagging but I got used to her quirky behavior,even saw myself a bit in her with her constant worrying. I thought it was interesting seeing her life with her fathers side of the family being that her mother was off to Haiti for six months. I loved seeing how her brain worked in general, must be exhausting thinking the way Maeve does. I'm a worrying sort of person but it didn't seem to stop when it came to her. I enjoying seeing how wierd and awkward things turned out for her and Salix. I loved how understanding Salix was when it came to Maeve. I loved seeing Maeve finaly speak out in different situations when something bothered her.

Then there comes that point in the book nearing the ending with her friendship with Ruthie. There was a topic that surprised me. I'm not sure why it did, I was confused at first and thought about how I never heard about situations like that. I suppose what comes after should be clear about what it is (ARG so difficult I know I'm being vague but I want to talk about it and not sure how, especially since I don't want to ruin the book for you readers who haven't read the book yet) But that situation was clear, but okay I was just as confused at Maeve and I was happy that Salix was there to clearly state things and I just really loved how it turned out. Nicely handled situation.

Overall I enjoyed this book it was really good and I had a hard time putting down the book. Highly Recommend.

* *I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.* * 

Award-winning author Carrie Mac is well-known for her adeptness at captivating young adult audiences; she has written ten books for young adults, and won the 2010 Sheila A. Egoff Book Prize for her previous work, The Gryphon Project. She lives with her family in Vancouver, BC.

Review : Blackbox

Black Box by Julie Schumacher

Genre: Mental Health, Family Life, Contemporary, Depression,

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Purchase Link: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Pages: 176

WHEN DORA, ELENA’S older sister, is diagnosed with depression and has to be admitted to the hospital, Elena can’t seem to make sense of their lives anymore. At school, the only people who acknowledge Elena are Dora’s friends and Jimmy Zenk—who failed at least one grade and wears black every day of the week. And at home, Elena’s parents keep arguing with each other. Elena will do anything to help her sister get better and get their lives back to normal—even when the responsibility becomes too much to bear.

Elena was the happy-go-lucky child. Meanwhile Dora I was just try and quiet type. So you can imagine everyone's surprise when Elena tries to commit suicide and lands in the hospital diagnosed with depression. After coming out of the hospital Dora isn't sure what to think of her sister. The family as a whole is starting to crack under pressure. All Dora can think about is trying to save her sister. 

I thought it was interesting getting seeing how Elena and her family was impacted by her depression. Seeing through Dora's eyes as she was watching her sister and trying her best to help her. It was tough seeing Dora goes through what she was going though and being alone through the process. Her family seems to be ripping apart but at least she was able to make a friend in the process. It was interesting getting his perspective on the situation and seeing how he was helping Dora but listening to her problems. It was good she was at least had someone to talk to when she could trust no one else. And that ending. It was so sad and hard to read, and at first I was confused thinking that's it? But then at second thought it really a good ending to the book. Overall if you are looking for a good book that I was an accurate picture of families dealing with family members with depression I think you should check this book out. It was a pretty good book.

Review : Girl In Pieces

Girl In Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Mental Illness

Purchase link: Amazon | B&N

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Pages: 416

Expected publication: August 30th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The thick glass of a mason jar cuts deep, and the pain washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

This was a pretty tough book to read. Seeing everything that this character was going through it was hard not to care for her. At some point I wanted to yell at her some of at some of her life choices. She seems to find herself with the wrong type of people who can make things worse rather then better for her. Shes young and still learning and needed someone to be there. Someone responsible who can help guide her in the right direction. It was hard seeing her the way she started and seeing her get better but once she got out then things started to go down more and it was just though to read. It was hard seeing her trying to improve herself and things just get shot down an nothing seemed to go her way. When it came to that ending I loved how real it was. Things just didn't suddently turn out perfect and her life is all great. Overall I really loved this book and found it hard to put down. It was dark, emotional and I really found myself hooked from the very start. I recommend you lovely readers to check it out.

Blitz : The Silver Lining Playbook

The Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Movies, Drama, Realistic Fiction

Pages: 289

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Purchase Link:

Published October 16th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

In this enchanting novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat's mind, showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. As the award-winning novelist Justin Cronin put it: "Tender, soulful, hilarious, and true, The Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful debut."

I enjoyed reading this, when I tried watching the movie after just couldn't. I had watched the movie before not knowing about the books existence. I enjoyed the movie before reading. But after... can't say the same, kept cringing at the differences and would'nt continue watching the movie. I did like the book it was enjoyable and I liked getting to know in depth of what was going on with him and what was going on in his minds through the downfall and through its days where things were going good.

I was originally reading this book for the #booktubeathon read & watch a book to movie and I chose Pride & Prejudice as my choice. After so long of not reading it this challenge gave me that push I needed. I loved that book and I loved this book but I did not enjoy that movie. I'll end up watching Pride and Prejudice as my read & watch the book movie challenge.

Now tell me lovely readers are you following along with this challenge? What books have you read. Are things going as you'd hoped. What book to movie challenge did you pick leave your comments below!

Review | Mental Health : Wintergirls

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary,Mental Illness, Mental Health, Death, Psychology,

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Pages: 278

Published : March 19, 2009 by Speak

Purchase link: Amazon | B&N

The New York Times bestselling story of a friendship frozen between life and death 

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in fragile bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the thinnest. But then Cassie suffers the ultimate loss-her life-and Lia is left behind, haunted by her friend's memory and racked with guilt for not being able to help save her. In her most powerfully moving novel since Speak, award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's struggle, her painful path to recovery, and her desperate attempts to hold on to the most important thing of all: hope. 

I'm almost very sure that this book should come with a trigger warning. I can honestly say it was tough to read at times seeing the main character go deeper into her illness, see her tear herself apart mentally and physical. Seeing how she was affecting her family and such. This book was interesting and heartbreaking and I enjoyed the book.

Review : Challenger Deep

Challenger Deep By Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Mental Health, Psychology, Fantasy,

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Purchase Link: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | BAM

Pages: 308

Published April 21st 2015 by HarperCollins

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. 

Another great book that did romanticize the illness. This book left me confused and amazed by what was going on through his mind. I haven't come across a character was was quiet this deep in his illness was it was surprised what he though was going on, I'm actually surprised that the parents didn't get him help sooner because the way he was acting I think his parents should've at least had him checked out before things progressed as it did.Overall a really great and interesting book.

Review : Made You Up

Made You up by Francesca Zappia

Genre: Young Adult, Mental Health, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads: Click
Purchase Link: Amazon
Pages:448
Published May 19th 2015 by Greenwillow Books

Synopsis:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal. 

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

Review:

At a very young age Alex was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a battle with herself constantly by reassuring herself what is real and what isn't. She looks forward to a new year in a new school and will try everything the can not to get sent to a mental house.

This is one of those books that I can honestly say I loved and really enjoyed. I thought that it was interesting getting the perspective of a person with schizophrenia and constantly seeing that battle that faces when shes trying to figure out whats real. I loved that she followed her gut for most situations. I loved that she founds people who can understand and help her. I for the most part wasn't sure how to feel about her parents and younger sibling and and surprised toward the ending. I guess in the back of my mind I suspected something off but didn't really stick to it and was surprised my guess was correct. This is a character that'll keep you on your toes wondering if what shes seeing is real and I find that interesting getting to see a unreliable narrator feeling and being confused just as she was. Overall a great story, I'm not sure how I came across it but I'm sure glad I did and recommend you lovely readers to check it out.