Something Like Happy by Sasha Greene

Nick tries to commit suicide driven by his depression and unfulfilling job, he climbs to the edge of a building...

Then Jade stops him, bearing the weight of her sister's suicide she wants to prevent anyone else going the same way.

Jade gets Nick to meet up with her and pursue her happy list from days out with Archie an old man
from an elderly folks home, to yoga and dinner dates together the pair find a unique kind of happy from such a horrible situation. But can it last?

This was a fantastic book all about the impact and choice of suicide. It was a deep and tearful read to get through but so much happened I flew through it in a day. A fabulous debut about an ever important topic.

Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Francesca and Mira were sisters with dark secrets.

Ben and Mira had a connection, a teen couple in secret as Mira and Francesca had a controlling dad.

Nick and Francesca, despite him being older and her teacher were infatuated with each other as Francesca believed herself to be special, a sort of saint reincarnated.

The girls suicide is a shock but after their cousin Connie's death they've never told anyone about until now leaving the paper trail of notes to Ben revealing to him why they were so unhappy in their lives.

This book was very strange and focused a lot on religion and Saint's which wasn't for me at all. I was intrigued by the mystery but most of the book left me feeling confused and lost and it didn't live up to my hopes and expectations.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Hannah was best friends with Kat, dated Zach and later fell for Justin. Justin then started the trail of unravelling events recorded on thirteen cassette tapes.

Clay listens to the tapes to try and depict his part within Hannah's suicide as she took too many pills two weeks before the box of tapes arrived on his doorstep.

She gets objectified as a woman with jokes amongst the class about hot or not girls and even having a peeping tom spying on her all the time until they catch him out. As the book goes on and the tapes unravel, the events leading up to her death become shrouded in sadness as she witnesses events she can't get over. Her efforts to reach out for support and help fall flat thanks to a useless guidance counsellor and poor Clay was a party that cared the most about Hannah from afar.

It was quite an emotional book but eye opening to the fact that we need to look closer to spot the signs and help each other through the tough times. It touches on real life hard issues that are becoming more openly talked about especially thanks to literature.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Finch meets Violet on a ledge, about to commit suicide they have to then meet with the school counselor after they both save each other. Yet the school rumour mill says she saved him more.

Charlie is Finch's best friend who has parents who are divorced and knows Finch well and all about trying to die before and having an abusive dad.

Violet was in an accident before and gets counseling by going to a mental health facility. She can't drive or cheer since the accident occurred as she lost her sister.
She and her sister Eleanor ran a website together in a fun magazine style while she still wears her sisters glasses since she died as she can't fully move on.

Finch and violet work on a project together and talk on Facebook where he nicknames her ultraviolet as a fun quirk.

Two broken people create a love and deep bond from misery and circumstance and while their parents banned them from seeing each other, they sneak around still to the point of throwing rocks on windows to sneak out.

But then he disappears and tragedy has struck possibly again...

This book was quite hard going in places as some parts of the story followed better than others to me and at times I did want to stop reading. Over all the storyline was great but could have been more on track with it in my honest opinion.

Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton

Megan has a secret, she'll never tell anyone, she's also a mute.

At school she's bullied by Sadie, Jane and Lindsay a group of bullies who used to be her best friends once years ago.

Megan's secret is to do with Hana whom she writes letters to apologising, she was her best friend and she witnessed her death.

When new girl Jasmine ditches Sadie and her friends she hangs round with Megan and doesn't make fun of her for being mute she is patient and calm.

Luke knows Megan's secret but as he asks out Megan only to be shot down after one date Megan starts to worry he could break their promise...

Open with each other, Jasmine confides in Megan that her family has been targeted by someone with something against them as horrible things start to happen to them...

Megan gets a huge crush on Jasmine and has to bury her feelings until they go camping...

A breathtakingly beautiful yet heartbreaking novel about self discovery, loss and grief, bullying as well as love and sexuality.

The subject of mutism isn't greatly used in young adult fiction so I loved that it was included here, the story is a gripping one as the mystery surrounding Hana starts from the word go and throughout it's never clear what happened just where and not why but we are free to speculate of course!

Touching and not easily forgotten.

We Are Young by Cat Clarke

When Evan and Billy attend their mum's wedding to Tim, they never expect the night to go how it does.

The evening turns sour when their new stepbrother, Lewis has been in a car crash with strangers and is in intensive care. What's even more strange is that Lewis doesn't ever hang out with anyone else so just who died?

This is a gripping book with mystery being the heart of the story as Evan tries to piece together just why the crash involved all people she knew and just what they were doing together. Evan is a likeable character and also a realistic teenager dealing with sex and relationships alike most teens do along with new step parents to deal with as well. There are references to drugs and suicide raising awareness of how they can go unnoticed but not without consequence.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Bernard

Two best friends at separate schools, Rosie and Caddy start to hang around with new girl Suzie who lives with her aunt, Sarah after she reveals about her past at home and how unsafe it was for her.

Rosie goes to school with her and introduces her to Caddy who soon gets dragged into Suzanne's life, hanging out at night going on long journey's as well as smoking, drinking and disobeying her parents.

Suzie has had a traumatic childhood thanks to her abusive father. Her brother, mum and social care all can't help her and after she attempts suicide previously can't see a positive future easily. When she and Caddy end up in an abandoned building and a serious accident occurs both girls bear scars from it, mentally and physically as well as a heavy dose of self blame for Suzie who goes off to try and end it all...

A very detailed look into trauma and its catastrophic effects on lives over time as well as how it effects everyone around them they influence.

The Unlikely Hero Of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

Set in room 13B primarily, this novel is all about Adam and his sudden crush, love and infatuation with Robyn, the new girl to his OCD therapy group.

In group, they are all assigned a superhero which they are addressed as by each other and group leader. It's inevitable that Robin and Batman are Robyn and Adam.

We see each one's struggle with their own rituals and past issues as they slowly open up in group with a lot of coinciding mental health issues not just OCD discussed from self harm, eating disorders, etc.

Adam has to write lists for his individual therapy sessions and through those we see his struggles and wishes along with his dosage of meds as the novel goes on, Robyn is getting better while Adam is sinking back into more rituals and habits.

Robyn also has a lot in her past from her mother's suicide to self harm and purging which show up as a surprise for Adam as he doesn't expect it but then again, he never expected Robyn until she walked into group one day.

Adam's home life is also poor as his mum is an extreme boarder and also starts to receive threatening letters in the post which turn out to be from a surprising person and a deep complex issue dealt with.

A lot of complex issues collide in this book which could possibly trigger sensitive people out there with frequent references made throughout to counting obsessively and being unable to enter your own house because of needing to follow rituals. However it is an open and raw look into the life of suffering with OCD day to day and was eye opening at how it can be so detrimental on day to day life and relationships. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the religious aspect as Adam introduces Robyn to Catholicism which I have no issue with but it didn't manifest into a hard-core plot involving Catholicism, Robyn was just opened to the idea and joined as did the group visiting the cathedral with Adam many a time.

By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead by Julie Ann Peters

Set over twenty three days, we learn of how suicidal Daelyn signs up to Through The Light, a website where people discuss their trauma's leading them to their suicide attempts. She also gets graphic into a list of ways to suicide she creates during the count down till her next attempt at the end of the twenty three days.

For Daelyn, we learn of the bullying from school for her size as she was classed as obese and so the girls made fun of and excluded her. She was also physically assaulted by a gang of boys at her last school. She also remains mute and tells the woes of going away to fat camp.

Now, at a new school, very quiet and withdrawn she hangs around or is followed a lot of the time by Santana a goth/alternative guy who has a pet rat who is persistent in getting to talk with her. He also confides in her about his own battle - cancer. He's also preparing a memoir video which he asks her to watch.

I thought this book was very intriguing and keeps you guessing obviously as to if she's going to commit suicide or not, get with the guy, or not as well as just what led her to this point in time. Sometimes it did seem a big dragging but it is a short read over all.

Losing Hope: A novel by Colleen Hoover

This is the same story as in Hopeless only from Holder's point of view on his sister's suicide and finding Hope.

As he writes letters to his sister in an old notebook of hers he documents life and his feelings day to day pretty much as he tries to understand what happened to his sister to cause her to commit suicide.

He also learns from a letter she left behind to him about the cause of her deep pain and how his family and his friend Hope fell apart for the one simple reason of a broken and selfish man.

This book is more around his sister's story and obviously his feelings as he meets Sky and understands Karen's role in her life over the years since she was taken. It was pain to see how much all the children and both families were broken by the events that took place but Sky and Holder in a way restore some Hope into their lives as a couple together, strong.

Once again it was a great and dramatic read with a fantastic plot full of twists! I loved Losing Hope and Hopeless and suggest you read them!

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Starting public school brings joy to sheltered homeschooled Sky, as she meets Breckin a gay wannabe Broadway star who's also adopted and she copes without best friend Six being around.

She doesn't bank on meeting Holder, a bad boy know for getting into fights who's lost his sister recently to suicide linked to her past, yet the two find a chance meeting changes both their lives for the worst and better.

Karen adopted Sky but all is not as it seems, as Sky and Holder get closer, Sky can't cope with her flashbacks and realises her life may just have been based on lies...

Yet again outstanding plot twists from Colleen with a dramatically heart breaking and mending detailed read about a tragedy with a partial resolution.

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

What a book, I was very intrigued to read this one so much since it has been so popular I thought I'd give it a read too, as usual and it didn't disappoint though it was a bit odd in places.

When Delia 'dies' suddenly, Julie's life takes a turn to trying to find out the truth surrounding her old friends death. Originally deemed as suicide, as a note is found as well as the circumstances she supposedly died in are her worst fear, fire.

Julie takes it upon herself to discover just what happened, this is where her boyfriend, Delia's boyfriend and stepfather become suspects to Julie for playing a part in Delia's death somehow.
There's also the fact that the voicemail left to Julie sparked her trying to find out what happened and somehow led off to everything that happens.

It started off better but unfortunately to me seemed to get worse as it went on in a lot of area's. I will say that I did like the twist at the end and a huge twist surrounding the Delia suicide mystery as well.

Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

This book focuses on the life of fifteen year old Jeff, he meets Sadie within the hospital. Sadie tried to commit suicide before being admitted and does have some disturbing things to say at times, however she made Jeff feel happier at having a friend.

A new admission of a young jock guy, Ranken makes Jeff finally face up to the reason he tried to really kill himself and face the fact that *spoiler* he likes guys.

The reasons behind his admission and his suicide attempt which landed him in there become clear and obvious that he felt he would be judged and outcast, especially by his friend, Amy on the outside as he made an embarrassingly unrequited pass at her boyfriend.

The book was good and tackled two delicate topics in one very well, I would have liked to have seen how Amy felt when Jeff came out from treatment however.

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Luce is a pastor's daughter, captain of the swim team despite her asthma and has a doting boyfriend, Lukas.
Yet, her mum fought breast cancer, to the knowledge of everyone as she is also the school nurse as well as pastor's wife.
For Luce, Prom was magical until doubts bubble up towards her mum's condition after the concerned head principal approached her.

After a double mastectomy they learn the cancer has spread to her mum's lymph nodes and so her parents ask her to keep things normal and go and work as a camp councillor for the summer at camp where she usually goes. She worries about her mum of course but goes to camp especially as her boyfriend has paused their two year strong relationship.

At camp she has a good time and makes friends with Anna, a fellow councillor. However the kids at camp have a lot of issues such as underage pregnancy, health conditions, being transgender, suicide and dead parents. At camp they can escape the bad and enjoy the activities on offer.

Then trumpet player Henry Jones sets Luce's pianist heart a flutter which is great, until Lukas turns up!

Cue a lot of drama ahead, a family secret found out by accident and then an emergency in the hospital the force of love within a family has never been stronger.

The books deals with teen pregnancy and the pressures of cancer on a family and the individuals it shows the good and bad of each and the way things get better or worse before they can flip around again and again but love around you never changes, never wavers.

A great new novel by Emery Lord, thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review it for them!

This Careless Life by Rachel McIntyre

After finishing her A levels, going to prom and stressing over the infamous, 'him' of her story, she is visited by Cass, whom is a TV producer, calling on Liv and her friends, Declan, Hetty and Jez to take part in a new TV show, This Careless Life.

Liv applied to take part after spotting an advert online when she was uploading her latest YouTube tutorial. She comes from a very rich family whom own vast amounts of land and many racehorses.

She didn't know however, her biggest secret was about to be exposed, a picture of a dead girl surrounded by paracetamol packets.

But this starts off a trail, all linked to the four auditioning and linked together they unravel a mystery surrounding this audition.

This book is like a modern inspector call's with added social media influence to expose events. It was a great, intriguing mystery which made it a page turner and gripping!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Reckoning Daze by Michael Beaulieu

Lindsey is a nineteen year old struggling actress. After the series she is starring in is cut short, she finds herself unsure of what's to come next for her.

Lindsey battles with anorexia, also with a diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder and heavy drug abuse, she talks a lot about her mother whom passed away and competing against her in terms of weight as she used to make Lindsey think she was fat by name calling her.

After a night out with her friends, they find one of their friends dead, unable to revive them. So just what happened?

Well, it's a shocking ending and shows how you can never fully know those who grow closest to you as secrets come to light between Lindsey and new love, Mark.

Lindsey is extremely self destructive in her behaviour towards herself as those closest to her pass away, her boyfriend included as Jesse committed suicide, she feels guilty and responsible so turns to self harm, drugs and anorexia to keep control as much as she can.

Its a very crazy book, I suggest you're late teens at least to read this to handle the issues raised. I found it good but a bit too much in parts. It does however show how sick the world can be.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Love Me Not by M. J. Arlidge

Set in Southampton, nine months after being in prison, DI Helen Grace is back out there fighting crime. Emilia our junior crime reporter disgraced from previous actions, is looking to turn her career around.

Sonia is a polish mum and wife apprehended on her way to work as a probation officer by a couple on the road whom shoot her dead in the chest and leave her to be found by Helen.
She is the first victim of many within the twenty four hours.
Alan Samson was a  respected pharmaceutical for his family business for over thirty years then found brutally murdered whilst there's a woman and her baby trapped in his shop too.
He's the second victim of brutal murder, whilst the woman provides crucial information for DI Helen.

A story of two criminals, two lovers, who've faced too much wrong done to them to let things lie. They have hearts of stone with cold grudges towards the victims and towards each other...

A dramatic, thrilling, shocking story of how much love can get you so far but how much more hate can cause trouble and change lives forever.

Another fantastic installment to the series I've loved so far!

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Paperweight by Meg Haston

Stevie is our main character in this book, her brother Josh has passed away and now her dad has sent her to a retreat clinic for eating disorders. The distinct first feel is she's having a tough time coming to terms with events and has been drunk too much to cope with her feelings previously as well as impulsively cutting her hair in to an uneven crop thanks to her friend and sort of girlfriend of sorts, Eden.

We follow her on her journey to the retreat where she stays with twenty girls in total admission, four to a cottage each. She meets her therapist who is coincidentally called Anna when Stevie is suffering with what she believes is anorexia, then later her diagnosis is bulimia nervosa. In memory flashbacks, her mum seems to have controlled the household's food choices and is a perfectionist. She has abandoned Stevie and her dad to go live in Paris with her new boyfriend.

She has plans for twenty seven days time from her supposed, sixty day admission as it's the one year anniversary since she believes she killed her brother, Eden was there the night he died but not at the scene of death, she did however cause a scene just before.

Now though, Stevie plans to commit suicide and join her brother as she feels guilty living.

This book dealt with really strong issues, death, suicide, eating disorders, abuse, manipulative behaviour, love and LGBT related issues around that. It was well crafted but I do feel in part, for readers who are sensitive to eating disorder talk and about foods and food types etc, do not read it or be mindful reading it. It again proves how true to eating disorder talk it is though and really shines light on the situations eating disorder sufferer's go through.

I really did enjoy this book and it's already one of my top for the year so far!

Cry For Help by Cathy McGough

Firstly, the gorgeous colour and imagery of the cover drew me to want to read this particular book and so I was sent it digitally to review.

This book really is an interesting read, there are supernatural characters from witches to vampires and fairies as well as gnomes and elves who are all seemingly watching over the humans from somewhere with G.O.D and Lucifer actually working together, which is shocking!
However the reason they are watching over the humans is apparent as the story evolves and we find that each person we are introduced to for whatever differing reasons no longer wants to live.
The book may seem fantasy to begin with but touches on real issues around the subject of death, suicide, mental health and the stability in the way we view the world and how we each view things different to others.
I recommend this book if you want to read something powerful and different to the normal.