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Out of Reach
How do you find someone who doesn’t want to be found? A girl searches for her missing addict brother while confronting her own secrets in this darkly lyrical novel.
Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home.
Rachel’s terrified—and she can’t help but feel responsible. She should have listened when Micah tried to confide in her. And she only feels more guilt when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is nearby and in danger.
With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.
Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home.
Rachel’s terrified—and she can’t help but feel responsible. She should have listened when Micah tried to confide in her. And she only feels more guilt when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is nearby and in danger.
With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2012
59 people are currently reading
4919 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Arcos
8 books234 followersCarrie Arcos is a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature for OUT OF REACH; her fifth novel SKYWATCHERS will be available August 2020. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. For more information, check out her website: carriearcos.com
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February 13, 2013
The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews
WARNING: This review may contain, foul language, spoilers, general rantiness, and an over use of angry gifs.
I really wanted to like this book. Truly, I did. But it pissed me off and I can’t say that I will be recommending it to anyone. In fact, I have already told several people to steer clear. Let’s do the basics first. Out Of Reach is the story of Rachel’s journey to find her wayward brother. She enlists the help of his bestie, Tyler to assist her and they head out to search in the areas she thinks he might be. A few weeks before, she received an anonymous email stating that her brother was in a lot of trouble and she should come and try to help. Why she thinks she will be able to find her brother by simply looking on street corners in a single day was beyond me, but hey, more fucking power to her misguided hope.
I started off really enjoying this novel. Rachel didn’t seem so bad and I was intrigued by Tyler. There was obvious chemistry between the two though Rachel does her best to deny it. Plus, I was hoping she would find her brother, bond with Tyler over the experience, and things would end more or less happily.
I know, it was a goddamn pipedream, but I try to start every novel from a happy place…..unless I’m reading it because I want to be depressed, but that is a different matter entirely. The further I got into this book, the more irritated I became. The more I read about Rachel, the more my dislike started to creep in. She gives these flashbacks from when they were younger and her and Micah (her brother) were just sssssoooo close. But here is what I don’t get, if you were so bonded and lied to your parents for each other and all this other shit, then why did you wait all goddamn summer to start searching for him?
Micah disappears at the very beginning of summer and you just write it off, knowing his a goddamn drug addict, because your parents assure you he is fine and you don’t think you should waste your time on it?!?!?!
And now you are all of a sudden worried because you got an email? Lady, I just can’t even begin to describe how much this angers me. This bitch ends up being one of the most self-center, egocentric, moronic heroines I have ever read about…and that statement includes Bella fucking Swan. Oh yeah, I went there. Anyway, a whole lot of shit goes down, they ask around drug dealers places and look on the beach and such, then Miss Whiny-pants car gets stolen. Well, geez, you leave a Honda Civic (one of the most stolen cars in the US) parked on the wrong side of town, what the hell did you think was going to happen?
Then there is the ending, which leaves a lot to fucking be desired. Rachel and Tyler end up finding her car and stealing it back, then head home, sans Micah who is still MIA. Then they kinda sorta discuss their feelings and it’s (lightly) implied that they’ll date soon. Rachel writes an email to Micah, which she doesn’t know if he’ll ever get and sends it out into the universe, basically saying that she isn’t going to worry about him anymore, she’s just going to live her life. Cold hearted bitch. You spent ONE DAY searching.
This novel really was just a whole lot of fuck ups. In retrospect, I realize that I guess the author was trying to write a “realistic” portrayal of the impacts drugs have on the lives of family and friends, but she should have picked a heroine who really cared about the drug-addled brother. I was expecting her to search for several days to find her brother and then drag him home or have him tell her to fuck off or SOMETHING. Whether it be dragging his ass back home for rehab or having an epic confrontation that ends in her leaving him to rot on the side of the street, I wanted something to happen. I would call the ending anti-climatic at best.
Despite all the complaints, I did like how much information the author gave us about meth addicts. It did seem like she did her research on that, but that just wasn’t enough. If that was all I wanted, I could have gotten a pamphlet from my local health department. All in all, don’t bother with this unless you want a big letdown. Do I recommend it to anyone at all? I'll let Cas answer that one for you.
WARNING: This review may contain, foul language, spoilers, general rantiness, and an over use of angry gifs.
I really wanted to like this book. Truly, I did. But it pissed me off and I can’t say that I will be recommending it to anyone. In fact, I have already told several people to steer clear. Let’s do the basics first. Out Of Reach is the story of Rachel’s journey to find her wayward brother. She enlists the help of his bestie, Tyler to assist her and they head out to search in the areas she thinks he might be. A few weeks before, she received an anonymous email stating that her brother was in a lot of trouble and she should come and try to help. Why she thinks she will be able to find her brother by simply looking on street corners in a single day was beyond me, but hey, more fucking power to her misguided hope.
I started off really enjoying this novel. Rachel didn’t seem so bad and I was intrigued by Tyler. There was obvious chemistry between the two though Rachel does her best to deny it. Plus, I was hoping she would find her brother, bond with Tyler over the experience, and things would end more or less happily.
I know, it was a goddamn pipedream, but I try to start every novel from a happy place…..unless I’m reading it because I want to be depressed, but that is a different matter entirely. The further I got into this book, the more irritated I became. The more I read about Rachel, the more my dislike started to creep in. She gives these flashbacks from when they were younger and her and Micah (her brother) were just sssssoooo close. But here is what I don’t get, if you were so bonded and lied to your parents for each other and all this other shit, then why did you wait all goddamn summer to start searching for him?
Micah disappears at the very beginning of summer and you just write it off, knowing his a goddamn drug addict, because your parents assure you he is fine and you don’t think you should waste your time on it?!?!?!
And now you are all of a sudden worried because you got an email? Lady, I just can’t even begin to describe how much this angers me. This bitch ends up being one of the most self-center, egocentric, moronic heroines I have ever read about…and that statement includes Bella fucking Swan. Oh yeah, I went there. Anyway, a whole lot of shit goes down, they ask around drug dealers places and look on the beach and such, then Miss Whiny-pants car gets stolen. Well, geez, you leave a Honda Civic (one of the most stolen cars in the US) parked on the wrong side of town, what the hell did you think was going to happen?
Then there is the ending, which leaves a lot to fucking be desired. Rachel and Tyler end up finding her car and stealing it back, then head home, sans Micah who is still MIA. Then they kinda sorta discuss their feelings and it’s (lightly) implied that they’ll date soon. Rachel writes an email to Micah, which she doesn’t know if he’ll ever get and sends it out into the universe, basically saying that she isn’t going to worry about him anymore, she’s just going to live her life. Cold hearted bitch. You spent ONE DAY searching.
This novel really was just a whole lot of fuck ups. In retrospect, I realize that I guess the author was trying to write a “realistic” portrayal of the impacts drugs have on the lives of family and friends, but she should have picked a heroine who really cared about the drug-addled brother. I was expecting her to search for several days to find her brother and then drag him home or have him tell her to fuck off or SOMETHING. Whether it be dragging his ass back home for rehab or having an epic confrontation that ends in her leaving him to rot on the side of the street, I wanted something to happen. I would call the ending anti-climatic at best.
Despite all the complaints, I did like how much information the author gave us about meth addicts. It did seem like she did her research on that, but that just wasn’t enough. If that was all I wanted, I could have gotten a pamphlet from my local health department. All in all, don’t bother with this unless you want a big letdown. Do I recommend it to anyone at all? I'll let Cas answer that one for you.
July 20, 2016
I would first like to point out the cover of this book. Cool right? It has nothing to do with the book, from what I can gather at least. At no point is a girl lying on the street in clothes like that (the book is set in summer and the girl on the cover is wearing fall/winter clothes), but you know what? The cover is one of the reasons I picked up the book. I know shameful but it's the truth. What can I say? I really liked the outfit the girl was wearing.
Rachel has an older brother that is a meth addict. A meth addict who has run off before he even graduated high school. There is so much Rachel feels she could have done, but at the same time she's angry at her brother Micah. How could he put her and their parents through so much pain? Waste all his potential? And mostly all the lies that were exchanged to hide an ugly truth, that the Micah they knew was gone. After a couple of months since Micah has left, Rachel receives an email. The email says Micah is in some deep trouble and that he is playing his guitar on the streets of Ocean Beach. At first Rachel doesn't know what to do about it. She decides to call Tyler, a band member and close friend of Micah's, and tells him about the email. They decide to look for him and see if maybe they can find him and... maybe bring him back home.
It took me no time at all to get invested in this story. Rachel is a character I believe a lot of readers will be able to identify with. She is considered the "good" kid of the family, but of course she is more complex than that. Right now she is dealing with a tremendous amount of guilt, and she is worried about her brother. Recently she had a sort of messy break-up with her ex-boyfriend, and can't help but feel like she let herself be trampled on by this guy. I'm glad she wasn't depicted as someone with a tremendous amount of strength and insight from the onset of the story. People work up to be those strong people, and deal with a lot of crap before that happens.
The aspect I enjoyed the most was the gradual change of Rachel's and Tyler's interactions. I do want to emphasis that the book's main focus for most of the story was the search for Micah and Rachel's emotional journey while trying to find him, but there was this nice sub-plot of Rachel's growing attachment to Tyler. They talk about Micah and the memories they have of him before meth basically took him away from them. It's hard to read about Rachel's memories of Micah and see just how different he was before the drug, and how nobody could have imagined this would happen. And as a sibling I loved seeing how much Rachel and Micah care about each other even if they didn't always show or say it. It's a different and unique bond, and the author was able to show a little of what that bond is about.
The book does deal with a lot issues so sometimes I felt like not everything was explored enough, but that really is a little quibble. Oh and how much smoking there was. I honestly felt like hacking up a lung, but this is a book about the search for a drug addict so what did I expect?
Out of everything though the ultimate strength of the book for me was how I felt I knew the characters so well in about 250 pages, especially Micah. He was presented as more than just a person with an addiction. He was a son, brother, friend, student, musician, and drugs are the horrible vice that took all those worthy titles away from him. At the same time though you know Micah is responsible for his downward spiral because, like Rachel points out in the book, he makes the conscious decision to keep going after the first hit. This author is one to watch for because she has the realistic young adult feel down pat.
Rachel has an older brother that is a meth addict. A meth addict who has run off before he even graduated high school. There is so much Rachel feels she could have done, but at the same time she's angry at her brother Micah. How could he put her and their parents through so much pain? Waste all his potential? And mostly all the lies that were exchanged to hide an ugly truth, that the Micah they knew was gone. After a couple of months since Micah has left, Rachel receives an email. The email says Micah is in some deep trouble and that he is playing his guitar on the streets of Ocean Beach. At first Rachel doesn't know what to do about it. She decides to call Tyler, a band member and close friend of Micah's, and tells him about the email. They decide to look for him and see if maybe they can find him and... maybe bring him back home.
It took me no time at all to get invested in this story. Rachel is a character I believe a lot of readers will be able to identify with. She is considered the "good" kid of the family, but of course she is more complex than that. Right now she is dealing with a tremendous amount of guilt, and she is worried about her brother. Recently she had a sort of messy break-up with her ex-boyfriend, and can't help but feel like she let herself be trampled on by this guy. I'm glad she wasn't depicted as someone with a tremendous amount of strength and insight from the onset of the story. People work up to be those strong people, and deal with a lot of crap before that happens.
The aspect I enjoyed the most was the gradual change of Rachel's and Tyler's interactions. I do want to emphasis that the book's main focus for most of the story was the search for Micah and Rachel's emotional journey while trying to find him, but there was this nice sub-plot of Rachel's growing attachment to Tyler. They talk about Micah and the memories they have of him before meth basically took him away from them. It's hard to read about Rachel's memories of Micah and see just how different he was before the drug, and how nobody could have imagined this would happen. And as a sibling I loved seeing how much Rachel and Micah care about each other even if they didn't always show or say it. It's a different and unique bond, and the author was able to show a little of what that bond is about.
The book does deal with a lot issues so sometimes I felt like not everything was explored enough, but that really is a little quibble. Oh and how much smoking there was. I honestly felt like hacking up a lung, but this is a book about the search for a drug addict so what did I expect?
Out of everything though the ultimate strength of the book for me was how I felt I knew the characters so well in about 250 pages, especially Micah. He was presented as more than just a person with an addiction. He was a son, brother, friend, student, musician, and drugs are the horrible vice that took all those worthy titles away from him. At the same time though you know Micah is responsible for his downward spiral because, like Rachel points out in the book, he makes the conscious decision to keep going after the first hit. This author is one to watch for because she has the realistic young adult feel down pat.
December 12, 2016
“It’s so hard,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“When you love someone. It’s hard to let them go.”
This was so sad. If you don't like raw, honest, brutal books, then Out of Reach isn't for you.
Though this wasn't the best realistic fiction novel I've read, I liked how personal it was. It took an extremely up close look at Rachel's life, who is on a mission to find her brother, Micah, a meth addict who was just released from rehab and has now run away from home.
The story is told in a past and present format. Micah's addiction became more and more apparent through flashbacks and it was revealed that Rachel was one of the first people to know about it; to find out about her brother's problem, how serious it had grown, and how she felt completely powerless because she didn't know how to help him.
Rachel's guilt drives her to search for her missing brother. She leaves town with Micah's close friend, Tyler, and the two embark on an exhausting, seemingly endless hunt. Together they track down clues and missing, broken pieces from Micah's past, and Rachel ends up learning more about her brother than she ever knew.
This was an emotional—if not depressing—book. I felt the strain Micah's disappearance had taken on Rachel, her immense stress and worry, her need to find him. The ending wasn't what I expected or wanted and it made me frustrated because there were so many loose threads left open.
But in this case, I think the ambiguous ending worked. After I'd set down the book for a few hours, I thought about it and realized this wasn't a perfect story and was never meant to be, so the realistic, unhappy ending fit perfectly. Of course I would have liked to know more, but I think this book was more about the journey, about Rachel coming to terms with Micah, and showcasing how his decisions effected his whole family.
Besides some problems I had with stiff characterization and awkward dialogue, this was a solid contemporary about a girl indirectly suffering from the effects of a drug addiction. A touching, impressive debut.
October 31, 2012
Rachel's brother Micah is a meth addict. He's disappeared, and she carries the weight of knowing of his addiction and the guilt of not telling her parents before it was too late. She's received a message from him, telling her he's not too far away. That he might be in trouble. Rachel waits a couple weeks -- scared and worried about what the message meant -- before she contacts Micah's friend Tyler and asks him to join her in looking for him.
Arcos's book is an exploration of what addiction does to a family and about what addiction does to an individual.
Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me on many levels. I never once felt the emotional heft of the story, nor did I feel like Rachel herself felt it. While she talked about the guilt she carried, that was all it was: talk. There was a lot of flashing back, of sharing stories of when she'd noticed changes or problems in Micah, but there was virtually nothing in the present that gave insight into how she acted and reacted. She waited two weeks to seek out her brother because she was afraid of what she might find, but while she and Tyler sought him out, I never got a sense of her fear or why it was important she look for him.
There was a moment when
The problem is this: nothing in this book is ever at stake.
Is this a well-constructed portrayal of the consequences addiction? Absolutely. But there is never a story here. There's nothing at stake because everything that could be at stake has already happened. There's never character growth because Rachel's already grown and accepted things as they are. And since
Other books have done these sorts of stories better and have upped the stakes and consequences so that readers emotionally connect to the characters and the potential outcomes. I'm a bit unimpressed. This reads like a debut novel -- and that's not a dig on debut novels, but rather a comment on how there was much that could have been done stronger, better, and made a more compelling read. I think Arcos certainly has talent and her writing is serviceable. But that, along with the flatlined story, didn't make this knock out or memorable.
There might be a longer review to come.
Arcos's book is an exploration of what addiction does to a family and about what addiction does to an individual.
Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me on many levels. I never once felt the emotional heft of the story, nor did I feel like Rachel herself felt it. While she talked about the guilt she carried, that was all it was: talk. There was a lot of flashing back, of sharing stories of when she'd noticed changes or problems in Micah, but there was virtually nothing in the present that gave insight into how she acted and reacted. She waited two weeks to seek out her brother because she was afraid of what she might find, but while she and Tyler sought him out, I never got a sense of her fear or why it was important she look for him.
There was a moment when
The problem is this: nothing in this book is ever at stake.
Is this a well-constructed portrayal of the consequences addiction? Absolutely. But there is never a story here. There's nothing at stake because everything that could be at stake has already happened. There's never character growth because Rachel's already grown and accepted things as they are. And since
Other books have done these sorts of stories better and have upped the stakes and consequences so that readers emotionally connect to the characters and the potential outcomes. I'm a bit unimpressed. This reads like a debut novel -- and that's not a dig on debut novels, but rather a comment on how there was much that could have been done stronger, better, and made a more compelling read. I think Arcos certainly has talent and her writing is serviceable. But that, along with the flatlined story, didn't make this knock out or memorable.
There might be a longer review to come.
January 3, 2016
I was a bit hesitant going into this book. I was reading some reviews before starting and I definitely lowered my expectations before going in. I have a goal for this year to read more backlist (older releases) titles so this definitely fit that goal but it wasn't all that great.
One major problem that I had that many other reviewers that I saw also had was the one quote about the girl who "got herself" date raped when she was drunk at a party. That really rubbed me the wrong way and that was only 50 pages in.
The plot didn't really go anywhere in my opinion. By the end, I felt like I had totally wasted my time. I read the whole book waiting for this one piece of information and we never got it. I felt really let down and disappointed, which definitely can be seen by my low rating.
Although this was only 250 pages, it felt like it dragged on and on. I would read a chapter, watch a YouTube video, read a chapter, go on Twitter. I never really got to just sit down and read it because it was too boring and wasn't going anywhere interesting. Although I hadn't heard magnificent things about this book, I had thought I maybe would have liked it so this was a letdown for me.
One major problem that I had that many other reviewers that I saw also had was the one quote about the girl who "got herself" date raped when she was drunk at a party. That really rubbed me the wrong way and that was only 50 pages in.
The plot didn't really go anywhere in my opinion. By the end, I felt like I had totally wasted my time. I read the whole book waiting for this one piece of information and we never got it. I felt really let down and disappointed, which definitely can be seen by my low rating.
Although this was only 250 pages, it felt like it dragged on and on. I would read a chapter, watch a YouTube video, read a chapter, go on Twitter. I never really got to just sit down and read it because it was too boring and wasn't going anywhere interesting. Although I hadn't heard magnificent things about this book, I had thought I maybe would have liked it so this was a letdown for me.
Want to read
January 15, 2013
GIMME GIMME!
I want this book so bad.
October 24, 2012
3.5/5
I know Rachel’s story. I’ve lived bits of it: how you’ve got your anger and your hurt and this inability to comprehend why things so good at first go to shit so fast. Except things don’t actually happen fast, as she so clearly explains. Rather it’s choices that pile up on top of another and it’s knowing things then ignoring some of it when more convenient, when easier. What’s most accurate is her wanting out of things and wanting to wash her hands of the situation; then that feeling of relief that’s the one I grasp the most (sometimes, I feel like I’m still living that part of it.)
Out of reach is HONEST, painting an accurate picture of how those on the side are part of things though not completely. Most parts of it, (ignore that budding romance that’s obviously a sweet addition to lighten the load,) are right on. Seeing someone go from one thing then become something else and then wondering WHY. Contrast the then to the now, and see a striking difference that allows for even more confusion on how things could so drastically change. Then the guilt from her feeling she could have done more and how she feeling bad about certain other feelings. Then there’s the anger about how come she has to feel all these things and how come she’s the only one who seems left to deal with things.
It’s an authentic look because it’s not just the bad that you contend with, there’s the good too, the memories of the good, the things that link you to them. And of course there's,
because it really isn’t.
I know Rachel’s story. I’ve lived bits of it: how you’ve got your anger and your hurt and this inability to comprehend why things so good at first go to shit so fast. Except things don’t actually happen fast, as she so clearly explains. Rather it’s choices that pile up on top of another and it’s knowing things then ignoring some of it when more convenient, when easier. What’s most accurate is her wanting out of things and wanting to wash her hands of the situation; then that feeling of relief that’s the one I grasp the most (sometimes, I feel like I’m still living that part of it.)
Out of reach is HONEST, painting an accurate picture of how those on the side are part of things though not completely. Most parts of it, (ignore that budding romance that’s obviously a sweet addition to lighten the load,) are right on. Seeing someone go from one thing then become something else and then wondering WHY. Contrast the then to the now, and see a striking difference that allows for even more confusion on how things could so drastically change. Then the guilt from her feeling she could have done more and how she feeling bad about certain other feelings. Then there’s the anger about how come she has to feel all these things and how come she’s the only one who seems left to deal with things.
It’s an authentic look because it’s not just the bad that you contend with, there’s the good too, the memories of the good, the things that link you to them. And of course there's,
”Life is not determined by ‘probablys’ and ‘would haves’”
because it really isn’t.
November 14, 2012
With each new height, I closed my eyes and pictured myself flying away, like I used to as a kid. I wished I could go back, be a kid again, when everything was simple and the bad guys existed only in movies. Where there were no ex-boyfriends, no drugs. Where Micah and I were innocent and pure.
This was a deep, meaningful read that I am really glad I came across. It deals with the issue of how drugs can ruin the life of a person so easily and how easily that can negatively effect those around them. This book did an amazing job at handling this issue of addiction, and I felt portrayed a very truthful and realistic picture of how easy one try of a drug can lead and make a persons life spiral out of control. It shows just how people around them deal with this.. some with anger, others with acceptance and most with ignorance. The book was narrated by the sister of an addict, Rachel, and showed how she had to learn to deal with the regret, guilt and anger she feels towards her meth addicted brother, Micah. She blames herself for Micah's deterioration, and reflects upon the number of times she had the chance to do something but didn't.
After an anonymous tip of the whereabouts of her brother who had returned from rehab, relapsed and then disappeared, Rachel sets out to find him. Micah's best friend, Tyler, joins on her on this journey. But can she really find someone who doesn't want to be found ?
Throughout the book, we see flash backs from Rachel's life. We see other issues touched upon in this, such as cheating, false marriages, homelessness, abuse, depression, addictions, cancer, disease, alcoholism etc. Each story Rachel tells further enhances the story, and allows us to truly delve into her mind.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although, quite heavy in the content, it is a book I am sure a lot of us can relate to.. Drug addiction is a major issue, that many people witness or experience. The main lesson learnt in this book, is about self-acceptance and most of all that ignorance is not bliss. Instead, if we see something we can do to help another person we should do whatever we can to help them, and not simply just turn a blind eye.
Only tidbit was how the book ended up in the air a bit..
I give the book a 3.5/5
“You laugh just like your brother,” Tyler
said. “I know,” I said, and smiled.
This was a deep, meaningful read that I am really glad I came across. It deals with the issue of how drugs can ruin the life of a person so easily and how easily that can negatively effect those around them. This book did an amazing job at handling this issue of addiction, and I felt portrayed a very truthful and realistic picture of how easy one try of a drug can lead and make a persons life spiral out of control. It shows just how people around them deal with this.. some with anger, others with acceptance and most with ignorance. The book was narrated by the sister of an addict, Rachel, and showed how she had to learn to deal with the regret, guilt and anger she feels towards her meth addicted brother, Micah. She blames herself for Micah's deterioration, and reflects upon the number of times she had the chance to do something but didn't.
After an anonymous tip of the whereabouts of her brother who had returned from rehab, relapsed and then disappeared, Rachel sets out to find him. Micah's best friend, Tyler, joins on her on this journey. But can she really find someone who doesn't want to be found ?
Throughout the book, we see flash backs from Rachel's life. We see other issues touched upon in this, such as cheating, false marriages, homelessness, abuse, depression, addictions, cancer, disease, alcoholism etc. Each story Rachel tells further enhances the story, and allows us to truly delve into her mind.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although, quite heavy in the content, it is a book I am sure a lot of us can relate to.. Drug addiction is a major issue, that many people witness or experience. The main lesson learnt in this book, is about self-acceptance and most of all that ignorance is not bliss. Instead, if we see something we can do to help another person we should do whatever we can to help them, and not simply just turn a blind eye.
Only tidbit was how the book ended up in the air a bit..
I give the book a 3.5/5
“You laugh just like your brother,” Tyler
said. “I know,” I said, and smiled.
December 4, 2013
There are books meant to get your heart racing with action, your stomach turning from the gore, and your heart thumping from the romance.
Out of Reach was not any of those books. Carrie Arcos wrote a beautiful, tragic, emotionally and gut-wrenching story that was all too real.
Sarah's older brother is a drug addict and she sets off on a journey with his best friend to find him and bring him home.
Mixed with heartbreaking pieces of back-story and the sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes sweet journey to find Micah.
I connected so much with Rachel, the story, and especially the emotion. The author captured my feelings and the thoughts that have swirled in my head over and over again........she made them real. It's not very often that I can say that.
Nothing was sugar coated in this book, but I appreciated that. SO many people make drug addiction seem like something harmless, and it's not. I'm sending my love to the author for making drug addiction real instead of hiding the facts for people that can't take reality.
Out of Reach was just amazing. I don't know if you'll connect with Rachel or the storyline if you don't have any idea how painful it is to watch someone you love destroy themselves.
But if you have any idea what it's like? Read this book. I promise you that even though it will rip your heart out, by the end you'll be in tears. The writing to Out of Reach was simply beautiful. I loved every second I spent reading it.
------------
This was amazing....review to come when I figure out how to write one....
Out of Reach was not any of those books. Carrie Arcos wrote a beautiful, tragic, emotionally and gut-wrenching story that was all too real.
Sarah's older brother is a drug addict and she sets off on a journey with his best friend to find him and bring him home.
Mixed with heartbreaking pieces of back-story and the sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes sweet journey to find Micah.
I connected so much with Rachel, the story, and especially the emotion. The author captured my feelings and the thoughts that have swirled in my head over and over again........she made them real. It's not very often that I can say that.
Nothing was sugar coated in this book, but I appreciated that. SO many people make drug addiction seem like something harmless, and it's not. I'm sending my love to the author for making drug addiction real instead of hiding the facts for people that can't take reality.
Out of Reach was just amazing. I don't know if you'll connect with Rachel or the storyline if you don't have any idea how painful it is to watch someone you love destroy themselves.
But if you have any idea what it's like? Read this book. I promise you that even though it will rip your heart out, by the end you'll be in tears. The writing to Out of Reach was simply beautiful. I loved every second I spent reading it.
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This was amazing....review to come when I figure out how to write one....
January 30, 2016
Honestamente esperaba otra cosa de este libro; quizá algo mas a fondo o profundo. Esta es una parte de la historia de Rachel, cuyo hermano Micah lleva rato metido en las drogas y cada vez se hunde mas. Acompañamos a Rachel durante 24 horas en la búsqueda de Micah y por medio de recuerdos vemos al Micah "limpio" y somos testigos del deterioro de él y su familia. Rachel solo encuentra pedacitos de su hermano a través de gente que lo conoció en la ciudad a donde va a buscarlo. Como dije, quizá esperaba una visión mas general de lo que sucede alrededor de una persona adicta y por ello este libro no acabó de convencerme
December 5, 2022
I like how the main topic of this literary work can relate to my personal life stories. Addiction is a regular thing for plenty people on this earth and a lot of them choose to act similar to characters in the story. Soon in the story he makes the decision to deal with drugs instead of drugs instead of taking a clearer path. It clearly shows that Micah dealt with drug addiction, but the way he handled it was wrong. This resulted in worry and traumatic memories, especially for his younger sister Rachel.
I also like the atmosphere the author creates throughout the book. In some situations the characters show plenty of emotion which leads me to make the assumption that not much will get better for them. His family is grieving over how Micah is handling his life situations but in the end they will always be by his side. It truly hurt them that he chose the wrong path. The love that they have for their brother is strong. I also like Rachel's strong emotions throughout the book . The quote “though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” This represents the story in many ways. Plenty of the stuff she dealt with in this book was tough but she still stood strong through all of it. She managed to stay calm and keep her emotions tight and express them in a likely manner.
Very many emotions were displayed and showed clear determination. She chose to not leave just because it was a hard battle. At times she felt like giving up but she always wanted to be heard. I don’t like that Micahs feelings were pushed aside throughout the book. He wasn’t shown what a real life was until he chose to let go of his addiction. he wasn’t recognize enough even though the story was based off of him. To end it off, the book was amazing but I feel as if it could have been focused on other characters except Rachel.
I also like the atmosphere the author creates throughout the book. In some situations the characters show plenty of emotion which leads me to make the assumption that not much will get better for them. His family is grieving over how Micah is handling his life situations but in the end they will always be by his side. It truly hurt them that he chose the wrong path. The love that they have for their brother is strong. I also like Rachel's strong emotions throughout the book . The quote “though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” This represents the story in many ways. Plenty of the stuff she dealt with in this book was tough but she still stood strong through all of it. She managed to stay calm and keep her emotions tight and express them in a likely manner.
Very many emotions were displayed and showed clear determination. She chose to not leave just because it was a hard battle. At times she felt like giving up but she always wanted to be heard. I don’t like that Micahs feelings were pushed aside throughout the book. He wasn’t shown what a real life was until he chose to let go of his addiction. he wasn’t recognize enough even though the story was based off of him. To end it off, the book was amazing but I feel as if it could have been focused on other characters except Rachel.
April 12, 2019
I liked that Rachel finally let her guilt over brother out. I liked that she put herself first instead of trying to fix her brother's issues. She took care of herself at the end and finally let her brother's worries go. It was really relatable and kind.
October 17, 2015
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
This book was actually a 'National Book Award' finalist, and I really do believe that it deserves that specific award. With Carrie Arcos' short but defining tale, Out of Reach gave me an understanding of what it's like to be in the place of someone, a character, with no hope or faith left inside of her when everything slowly begins to fall apart from her angle. It's not everyday when we get to see an experience like this, even in literature, but I can tell you that it's so magical to read about a story like this when we've never seen anything like it beforehand. That's the utter power of writing.
Arcos immediately throws readers into a pile of something special—a risky story. Writing something that may be upsetting to some readers or may be totally difficult to write because it takes time for a story like this to build up and strengthen. It's a story of belonging, of friendship and finding the right person to make you feel welcomed and loved. By looking at its simple cover, the mood reflects a darker, deeper story that might sadden readers, where it kind of did, in a way.
You see that quote above? It speaks to me. Carrie Arcos' writing contained so many relatable phrases like that throughout this whole novel, and I could literally feel the pain that the characters were giving off, especially Rachel's. Her story may not be the most unique and divergent in the YA lit world, but it was nice to read about a good sister-brother relationship like she and her brother, Micah, once had. It's not everyday when you read about a sister wiling to do anything to save the person she looks up to the most in her life when he's gone.
No, this isn't about death. It's more of a mystery, kind of like John Green's Paper Towns, where Micah has left the clues for Rachel, begging for her to save him in ways that us ordinary people cannot even fully comprehend. That's a big part of the novel, with a hint or two of romance between Rachel and Tyler, because hey—she has to be happy, too. It would've been so miserable if the story just focused on her finding her drug-abused brother somewhere living on the streets. *cries*
This was written in a super high pace and something was missing. Are stories not supposed to be written with slow-moving paces and beautiful writing when they are about these kinds of subjects? Something was missing here. Yeah, I finished the book in a matter of hours and ended up pleased, but I needed a little more from this whole situation to give it a great rating. The writing is quick, meaningful, but I bet that the romance and all of the other themes used kind of jumbled up together to give readers something less than ordinary. (And not in a good way, either.)
Yes, there could have been improvements. Yes, I would have liked a better love interest. Yes, there were issues! But, guess what? I really do not care because I enjoyed reading my first Carrie Arcos book so much. There is a lot in this story that many teens can relate to, and was a total interesting journey that made my heart jump at some moments of fear and/or happiness. I would definitely, definitely recommend this to you if you are a contemporary reader, as I am myself. A perfect read to have with a hot coffee by your side during the autumn season!
*3.5 star rating*
This book was actually a 'National Book Award' finalist, and I really do believe that it deserves that specific award. With Carrie Arcos' short but defining tale, Out of Reach gave me an understanding of what it's like to be in the place of someone, a character, with no hope or faith left inside of her when everything slowly begins to fall apart from her angle. It's not everyday when we get to see an experience like this, even in literature, but I can tell you that it's so magical to read about a story like this when we've never seen anything like it beforehand. That's the utter power of writing.
Arcos immediately throws readers into a pile of something special—a risky story. Writing something that may be upsetting to some readers or may be totally difficult to write because it takes time for a story like this to build up and strengthen. It's a story of belonging, of friendship and finding the right person to make you feel welcomed and loved. By looking at its simple cover, the mood reflects a darker, deeper story that might sadden readers, where it kind of did, in a way.
"Just like a tapeworm, sometimes a lie has to be physically removed. The problem is, most of us still carry the lie around inside a jar like a souvenir." (14)
You see that quote above? It speaks to me. Carrie Arcos' writing contained so many relatable phrases like that throughout this whole novel, and I could literally feel the pain that the characters were giving off, especially Rachel's. Her story may not be the most unique and divergent in the YA lit world, but it was nice to read about a good sister-brother relationship like she and her brother, Micah, once had. It's not everyday when you read about a sister wiling to do anything to save the person she looks up to the most in her life when he's gone.
No, this isn't about death. It's more of a mystery, kind of like John Green's Paper Towns, where Micah has left the clues for Rachel, begging for her to save him in ways that us ordinary people cannot even fully comprehend. That's a big part of the novel, with a hint or two of romance between Rachel and Tyler, because hey—she has to be happy, too. It would've been so miserable if the story just focused on her finding her drug-abused brother somewhere living on the streets. *cries*
This was written in a super high pace and something was missing. Are stories not supposed to be written with slow-moving paces and beautiful writing when they are about these kinds of subjects? Something was missing here. Yeah, I finished the book in a matter of hours and ended up pleased, but I needed a little more from this whole situation to give it a great rating. The writing is quick, meaningful, but I bet that the romance and all of the other themes used kind of jumbled up together to give readers something less than ordinary. (And not in a good way, either.)
Yes, there could have been improvements. Yes, I would have liked a better love interest. Yes, there were issues! But, guess what? I really do not care because I enjoyed reading my first Carrie Arcos book so much. There is a lot in this story that many teens can relate to, and was a total interesting journey that made my heart jump at some moments of fear and/or happiness. I would definitely, definitely recommend this to you if you are a contemporary reader, as I am myself. A perfect read to have with a hot coffee by your side during the autumn season!
December 4, 2013
If i had to choose my absolute favorite book of 2012, it would be this one. Out of Reach was so perfect and amazing i couldn't help but to just marvel in its amazing-ness after i read the last page. i can't totally pinpoint what about this book that made me love it, maybe because i can kinda relate to the situation that Rachel is going through. maybe i love this book because of Micah, God i loved him. No, i didn't love the Micah that came to be i loved the Micah before. With every glimpse back i just loved him more and more. you could tell how much he loved his family and his life and it just broke my heart every time i learned more about the new Micah. Maybe because i loved Rachel, i understood her so much and i understood everything she did and why, what it must of felt to go through the pain of watching the person you love spiral out of control. Maybe i loved this book because of Tyler, whether he went there to find Micah or as a way to get closer to Rachel whatever the reason i knew that he loved Micah just as much as Rachel, that he cared about him way more than he ever let on. Maybe i loved this book because of the writing style, even though it was simple it was engaging and fast paced and made me want to read this book over and over again from start to finish, made me want to go back and read every passage of the old Micah to commit him to my memory where he would always be the boy who had dreams of going to LA and play music for anyone who would listen. To remember the boy who defended his sister against the asshole who did her wrong, to remember the boy who carried his sister on his back for over a mile because she was hurt even though he knew he wasn't strong enough. Maybe i love this book because to me the ending was perfect. Even though it wasn't the ending i so hoped for, it was the ending that had to be. When you love someone who is an addict there is never a happy ending. Yes they may come home when they are ready, and they might change but the person you loved before will never come home, their gone. you have to spend time trying to fit this new person into your life, even though you know that they are the same They really aren't. I don't know why i love this book, i just do. It is the most perfect and honest book that i have ever read in my life. While people always tend to look at addiction from the viewpoint of the addict, it was refreshing to look at from the perspective of people the addiction also affects, the family. My favorite quote in this was book was: "Nah, you would have found a way. if you had the chance, you would have saved me" Rachel did have the chance and she did try to save him but she couldn't not yet but when his is ready he will find his way home.
December 4, 2022
“Addiction is a disease that makes you too selfish to see the havoc you created or care about the people whose lives you have shattered.” Addiction is a real thing but how do you cope with it, is what really matters. The theme represented in this book is man vs himself. Struggling with addiction isn’t easy but is also something you can overcome. In the story, Micah struggled with the addiction of drugs but the way he handled it was wrong. First, I like how the author discusses a topic people can relate to. Addiction is something people go through in their everyday lives and could also act the way Micah did in the book. He decided to abandon his family and choose the drugs over them. This left them heartbroken, especially his little sister Rachel. She didn’t give up on him and was determined to bring her brother back home. Likewise, I like the mood the author gives off during the book. The author, Carrie Arcos clearly stated how each character was feeling. For example in the book it states, “But watching Micah slowly kill himself was too much. I hated it, and I hated how it made me start to hate him.” The love and care she has for her brother is strong. It hurts to see her brother throw his life away over something that could kill him. In addition, I like and admire Rachel‘s personality traits. She handled her emotions well throughout the book but still expressed them in a controlled way. She showed love, determination, hatred, and above all perseverance. She didn’t give up on her loved one and would do anything to find him, even though he didn’t want to be found. On the other hand, I don’t like how the author didn’t discuss Micah’s point of you on his feelings and thoughts of struggling with addiction. The main focus was on Rachel. If she incorporated this in the book it would have made a difference and gave us a deeper understanding of his actions. Finally, I like how the book ended. Rachel comes to the realization that she can’t hold onto someone that doesn’t want to be helped.
November 29, 2012
The actual story of this book is interspersed with the narrator's memories and recollections about her brother & the drug that has claimed him. The actual search for him was okay, but left completely unresolved. The flashbacks just read like drug-awareness brochures & AA anecdotes that have been poorly rewritten in the style of the narrator's voice. So while the book probably would've been alright, the bulk of it is inauthentic and disengaging. Most of the time I just hoped that everyone would die on the boardwalk.
Currently reading
February 6, 2023In the book Out Of Reach I would say the theme for this book would be having a good relationship with your siblings would be the most important bond you have in your life . With having this bond with your siblings comes with sacrifices for each other and being there for each other . Also sharing the most deepest things with each other throughout life. First of a quote that would support this theme is “He took me under his wing and we began covering for each other.”(Arcos 2) Rachel was saying that Micah and including herself got each other when one another needed anything , that includes covering up for each other as well . Next “The fact that Micah was still missing was a subject that everyone tiptoed around like a kid avoiding cracks on a sidewalk.” (Arcos 8) This shows that Rach is really concerned on Micah missing and she’s saying that nobody else cares about it . Micah went missing one night when he didn’t come home , her mother told her that he went to visit family but Rachel knew that he had ran away . Next quote “The silence . The not knowing . The guilt . I was supposed to become a hero today .” (Arcos 99) Rach said this to her friend because they were searching for Micah . She was going to give up at that moment but she re thought and said she didn’t want to feel guilty for not finding her brother. That this was her fault he’s gone and that the fact her mother had to keep worrying . That him doing drugs was her fault . Next quote I chose was “ Thanks for saving my life.” ( Arcos 120) at this point they find Micah and they are both walking through a tunnel and a whole waterfall comes toward them , Rach falls and her ankle is sprained . Micah grabs her and saves her from drowning and Carries her out . Rach says if it wasn’t for you I would be dead now . Lastly “ we’ve got to think the best . He’s going to be all right . You’ll see . Everything will be fine .” ( Arcos 168) This is when they are home now and Rach is scared for Micah that he will not get any better and stop doing drugs. He was in rehab but she worries that he will eventually run away again and seem that it will be her fault . What I liked about when Micah ran away was Rachel was a god sister and went to look for him , usually some sibling bonds are not built well so some don’t look out for others . Another thing I liked was they both just look out for each other and sacrifice for each other . One thing I did not like was Micah not telling Rach he was running away I would think that they are close so he would tell her but he just bailed on her. This book is fiction .
December 4, 2022
“ It's possible to keep someone safe.” In the book the girl wanted to feel safe but she didn't know how because she wanted to find her missing addicted brother while she was going through her dark life. First of all, this book is about young adult fiction. The plot of this book is that Rachel always thought that she is better off without her brother. This book is a story about how the girl finds romance along the way of her journey. Next, the girl eventually finds a way to help herself and her brother. The positive thing I found from this book is that she eventually finds her brother. “ Your not listening to me.” She tries to control her brother in every way possible. She thinks to herself everyday in her life that everything will be okay. Nevertheless, another thing I enjoy from this book is that the girl never stopped believing that she will find her addicted brother. Rachel in the book never stopped having faith.
August 15, 2017
Started out much better than it finished. Surprised it was a National Book Award Winner, would not of been my pick.
December 4, 2013
Carrie Arcos’ Out of Reach is an incredible story of understanding, clemency, and finding romance along the way. It gives detailed accounts of how substance abuse can have dangerous lasting effects not just on the user, but also the people around them. When Rachel’s brother Micah goes missing, she feels she’s responsible for his disappearance. Micah, who she idolizes, has been besieged with addiction but Rachel is convinced that his life is unaffected by it. Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, embark on a search that will have Rachel challenging her own dark secrets and having a developing fascination to Tyler. In search of her brother with nothing much to go by, she realizes that it is a possibility that Micah may never come home.
The authenticity of the story is what makes this book really appealing. This is an occurrence that happens all the time and it can literally happen to anyone. Although it centers on the dangers of addiction, it explores the toll it puts on people who are affected by it. Even with Micah gone missing, author Carrie has a unique way of providing readers on the kind of person he is from Rachel’s collection of memories of her brother. Readers will grieve with Rachel as new information regarding Micah’s whereabouts seems to always be a dead-end. Carrie’s writing style is beautiful and precise. Envisioning the travels that Rachel and Tyler embark on comes almost effortless. She provides rich details right down to characters’ inner emotions. While Rachel kept her brother’s secrets, he may have left because he felt he had let her down. No matter what the truth is, Out of Reach is an authentic voyage of a person who is trying to reconnect to someone close to them caused by substance abuse.
The authenticity of the story is what makes this book really appealing. This is an occurrence that happens all the time and it can literally happen to anyone. Although it centers on the dangers of addiction, it explores the toll it puts on people who are affected by it. Even with Micah gone missing, author Carrie has a unique way of providing readers on the kind of person he is from Rachel’s collection of memories of her brother. Readers will grieve with Rachel as new information regarding Micah’s whereabouts seems to always be a dead-end. Carrie’s writing style is beautiful and precise. Envisioning the travels that Rachel and Tyler embark on comes almost effortless. She provides rich details right down to characters’ inner emotions. While Rachel kept her brother’s secrets, he may have left because he felt he had let her down. No matter what the truth is, Out of Reach is an authentic voyage of a person who is trying to reconnect to someone close to them caused by substance abuse.
March 6, 2025
Comencé a leerlo a principio de año (2025) y cuando me quedaban solo 20 páginas por terminar, perdí el libro en un bar (Soy cantante y de camino a cantar fui leyendo este libro, lo dejé en pausa sobre una mesa para subir a cantar y luego lo olvidé ahí). Lo recuperé el 15 de febrero y pude ese día, terminar de leerlo.
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Un libro "lindo" a pesar de que habla de drogas y adicciones. Lindo porque lo relata una adolescente que está empecinada por encontrar a su hermano mayor adicto, que voluntariamente se ha ido de casa hace ya un tiempo.
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Todo lo que leerás sucede en un solo día (bueno, día y medio tal vez).
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Hay un toque de romance en esta historia pero no te ilusiones, es tan "lindo" el enfoque de la trama que aquel romance solo es algo que pasa a segundo —o quinto— plano. Especial para que lo puedan leer adolescentes desde los 12 años... Nada de escenas hot ni cosas muy rebuscadas.
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Lectura rápida y pocas páginas.
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Recomendado si estás con bloqueo lector o cansado de historias muy complicadas. Es un libro fácil y lindo.
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La Gata.
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Un libro "lindo" a pesar de que habla de drogas y adicciones. Lindo porque lo relata una adolescente que está empecinada por encontrar a su hermano mayor adicto, que voluntariamente se ha ido de casa hace ya un tiempo.
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Todo lo que leerás sucede en un solo día (bueno, día y medio tal vez).
.
Hay un toque de romance en esta historia pero no te ilusiones, es tan "lindo" el enfoque de la trama que aquel romance solo es algo que pasa a segundo —o quinto— plano. Especial para que lo puedan leer adolescentes desde los 12 años... Nada de escenas hot ni cosas muy rebuscadas.
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Lectura rápida y pocas páginas.
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Recomendado si estás con bloqueo lector o cansado de historias muy complicadas. Es un libro fácil y lindo.
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La Gata.
March 8, 2016
Reseña completa, clic aquí
Francamente, esto fue lo que me tenía pegada al libro: la incertidumbre por conocer el desenlace de ambos hermanos al vivir una situación de este tipo. Además, Rachel es muy real al expresarse, así que es posible entender cada uno de sus sentimientos con cada uno de sus recuerdos sobre su hermano, desde su infancia hasta poco tiempo antes de que él comenzara a consumir.
Quiero aplaudir la forma tan fluida en que la autora fue contando la historia pues, a pesar de que existen muchos momentos en retrospectiva, no sentí que pudiera perder en ningún momento el hilo de la trama.
Si estás buscando un libro de romance juvenil, este no es el libro. Tampoco es la historia de un adicto. Es la historia de las personas que lo rodean: el pesar y la lucha que viven por ayudar a la persona que aman. Este es un libro crudo que te hará sentir y te hará reflexionar.
Francamente, esto fue lo que me tenía pegada al libro: la incertidumbre por conocer el desenlace de ambos hermanos al vivir una situación de este tipo. Además, Rachel es muy real al expresarse, así que es posible entender cada uno de sus sentimientos con cada uno de sus recuerdos sobre su hermano, desde su infancia hasta poco tiempo antes de que él comenzara a consumir.
Quiero aplaudir la forma tan fluida en que la autora fue contando la historia pues, a pesar de que existen muchos momentos en retrospectiva, no sentí que pudiera perder en ningún momento el hilo de la trama.
Si estás buscando un libro de romance juvenil, este no es el libro. Tampoco es la historia de un adicto. Es la historia de las personas que lo rodean: el pesar y la lucha que viven por ayudar a la persona que aman. Este es un libro crudo que te hará sentir y te hará reflexionar.
September 10, 2018
4.5 stars. An eerily quiet story about a teen's search for her meth-addicted brother. The perfect amount of action weaves beautifully with the main characters' meandering flashbacks and budding romance. The ending rings of truth, heartbreak and hope. A well-deserved nominee for the National Book Award. I read it in one sitting.
July 13, 2016
No entiendo porque muchos dicen que este final merece una segunda parte o que los decepcionó. Yo creo que fue un final perfecto, uno de esos finales abiertos con los que no necesitas saber mas.
Próximamente haré una reseña mas extensa
Próximamente haré una reseña mas extensa
September 14, 2025
Si bien lo leí en pocos días porque al inicio la premisa y la historia me engancharon, el libro se sintió... Un tanto plano. Entiendo la complejidad de narrar cómo la drogadicción afecta a una familia pero siento que este libro se enfoca más en el romance adolescente de la protagonista que en los problemas del hermano adicto al crack, fueron 220 páginas narrando cómo dos adolescentes empezaron a sentirse atraídos y las reflexiones de Rachel, apenas si hay, como ella misma dice, "pedacitos de ti (Micah) en las personas que conocimos", así como en la historia.
El final terminó de decidirme a darle 3 estrellas.
El final terminó de decidirme a darle 3 estrellas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2020
#bookreview #readfineprintreviews I wish I could remember who recommended this 2012 National Book Award Finalist young adult book to me! It’s Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos.
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Rachel and her brother’s best friend set out to find her brother, who is a meth addict. While searching for him, she reminisces about their childhood, struggles with mistakes she’s made, and asks spiritual questions too.
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This would be a good book to hand a teen who struggles with addiction of any kind, or whose family is struggling with it. It helps you see the addict for who he is as her brother and friend, but also how he is still responsible for his actions. Lots of partying and drugs are depicted but none of it is glorified. There’s some PG-13 language. I’m going to get Arcos’ recent book because I thought she portrayed a teen very realistically, and as a Christian writer I appreciated how Arcos wrote about Rachel searching for spiritual meaning in her life.
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Rachel and her brother’s best friend set out to find her brother, who is a meth addict. While searching for him, she reminisces about their childhood, struggles with mistakes she’s made, and asks spiritual questions too.
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This would be a good book to hand a teen who struggles with addiction of any kind, or whose family is struggling with it. It helps you see the addict for who he is as her brother and friend, but also how he is still responsible for his actions. Lots of partying and drugs are depicted but none of it is glorified. There’s some PG-13 language. I’m going to get Arcos’ recent book because I thought she portrayed a teen very realistically, and as a Christian writer I appreciated how Arcos wrote about Rachel searching for spiritual meaning in her life.
May 26, 2024
LA QUÍMICA ENTRE RACHEL Y TYLER.
October 27, 2018
This book was a bit of a ride i loved it though and wish i could see more of these characters.
December 4, 2013
Out Of Reach
By: Ali Inzunza
English period 3
Carrie Arcos, the author of the National Book Award Finalist novel “Out of Reach”, does an outstanding job creating an emotional stress inside the characters that is easily relatable. This novel is as extremely realistic, dealing with young drug addicts and they affect their abuse has on their loved ones. This story reveals a powerful theme, that teaches a lot about accepting change and remaining strong.
Rachel, the narrator, is hardly one year younger than Micah, her brother. Rachel has always idolized her brother, she put him on a throne for so many years and valued their close relationship. But, ever since Micah started abusing drugs, he began to act uncontrollable. Rachel felt the need to look out for her brother just like he had, so she began to cover his tracks to protect him from their protective parents. Rachel is a easy going character, but is put under stress to protect her beloved brother, while Tyler, a supporting character, remains strong and offers a helping hand to Rachel when her whole world got flipped around.
The emotional toll this takes on her is almost too much to handle, but when Micah runs away, Rachel is tortured by guilt and the feeling that she abandoned the person closest to her. Told in flashbacks and memories as Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, follow the clues provided by a mysterious email which lead them to Ocean Beach along the California coast. Rachel traces Micah’s path of addiction and questions her own feelings about family, loyalty, religion, and personal choice. Along the way, she meets several interesting characters who don’t understand why she trying to find someone who has no interest in being found. As Rachel and Tyler reveal secrets about themselves and find solace in each other, they form an intriguing relationship. Rachel continues the search for her brother, but has a growing fear she will never be reconnected with him.
This novel describes the strength it takes to love someone when they have ventured far from the right path. The theme of this story is to learn to accept tragedies from the past, and focus your energy on moving towards the future. The author conveys the mood through imagery and figurative language, and her tone towards the subject is serious and honest. Overall, this novel was an interesting read that showed me to the reality of drug use. This story reveals a sister’s quest for the life before addiction destroyed the normalcy she knew, which leads to the discovery of inner courage, peace, and the ability to say goodbye.
By: Ali Inzunza
English period 3
Carrie Arcos, the author of the National Book Award Finalist novel “Out of Reach”, does an outstanding job creating an emotional stress inside the characters that is easily relatable. This novel is as extremely realistic, dealing with young drug addicts and they affect their abuse has on their loved ones. This story reveals a powerful theme, that teaches a lot about accepting change and remaining strong.
Rachel, the narrator, is hardly one year younger than Micah, her brother. Rachel has always idolized her brother, she put him on a throne for so many years and valued their close relationship. But, ever since Micah started abusing drugs, he began to act uncontrollable. Rachel felt the need to look out for her brother just like he had, so she began to cover his tracks to protect him from their protective parents. Rachel is a easy going character, but is put under stress to protect her beloved brother, while Tyler, a supporting character, remains strong and offers a helping hand to Rachel when her whole world got flipped around.
The emotional toll this takes on her is almost too much to handle, but when Micah runs away, Rachel is tortured by guilt and the feeling that she abandoned the person closest to her. Told in flashbacks and memories as Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, follow the clues provided by a mysterious email which lead them to Ocean Beach along the California coast. Rachel traces Micah’s path of addiction and questions her own feelings about family, loyalty, religion, and personal choice. Along the way, she meets several interesting characters who don’t understand why she trying to find someone who has no interest in being found. As Rachel and Tyler reveal secrets about themselves and find solace in each other, they form an intriguing relationship. Rachel continues the search for her brother, but has a growing fear she will never be reconnected with him.
This novel describes the strength it takes to love someone when they have ventured far from the right path. The theme of this story is to learn to accept tragedies from the past, and focus your energy on moving towards the future. The author conveys the mood through imagery and figurative language, and her tone towards the subject is serious and honest. Overall, this novel was an interesting read that showed me to the reality of drug use. This story reveals a sister’s quest for the life before addiction destroyed the normalcy she knew, which leads to the discovery of inner courage, peace, and the ability to say goodbye.
October 31, 2012
This book is so realistic i think it can happen to anyone. It already happened to lots of people.
One of the reasons I like this book so much is that the story kind of go and back between the present and the memory.
It gives the feeling to understanding characters much more because what we remember and how we are affected from the experience define us, in my opinion.
I also can relate to this book, in a way. I don't have anyone in my family who have addiction but I do have some memory that i want to live up to but it is just memory. We need to go forward, making the best of the present.
Anyone who also likes travel or road trip kind of book will like this one too. I like that Rachel and Tyler go on even they have no idea where they really have to go. They get quite lucky but that keep the story interesting.
I find myself hoping along with the character. I really can FEEL what THEY FEEL. We all have hopes but eventually, we face reality.
It's the universal truth. When I finished reading it, I went to sleep, thinking about my life and family. It's the book that you will think about it for a long time even you finish it.
This book is one of my favorite books of the year. And I don't have lots of them so that says something, right?
One of the reasons I like this book so much is that the story kind of go and back between the present and the memory.
It gives the feeling to understanding characters much more because what we remember and how we are affected from the experience define us, in my opinion.
I also can relate to this book, in a way. I don't have anyone in my family who have addiction but I do have some memory that i want to live up to but it is just memory. We need to go forward, making the best of the present.
Anyone who also likes travel or road trip kind of book will like this one too. I like that Rachel and Tyler go on even they have no idea where they really have to go. They get quite lucky but that keep the story interesting.
I find myself hoping along with the character. I really can FEEL what THEY FEEL. We all have hopes but eventually, we face reality.
It's the universal truth. When I finished reading it, I went to sleep, thinking about my life and family. It's the book that you will think about it for a long time even you finish it.
This book is one of my favorite books of the year. And I don't have lots of them so that says something, right?
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