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Mad World #1
Wakefield
Max and Astrid meet when they're sent to Wakefield, an institution for troubled teens. After some predictable struggles, the two become BFF, get some therapy, and lean on each other while battling their inner demons. Then they get discharged, go back to their quiet suburban lives, and live happily ever after.
Oh, wait. No. This is NOT that story.
This is a story about what happens when your life gets weird...and then WEIRDER. Because at Wakefield, Max and Astrid cross paths with Teddy, an enigmatic young man who claims he can see people's voices and move things without touching them. The weirdest thing? He might actually be telling the truth. And Max and Astrid might be on verge of uncovering a vast conspiracy and a world of magic that's always been lurking below the surface of their reality.
Originally published in 2011 and re-released in 2017, the first novel in the MAD WORLD series is perfect for fans of STRANGER THINGS and THE BRIGHT SESSIONS. Come fall in love with a ragtag crew of damaged teen magicians.
Oh, wait. No. This is NOT that story.
This is a story about what happens when your life gets weird...and then WEIRDER. Because at Wakefield, Max and Astrid cross paths with Teddy, an enigmatic young man who claims he can see people's voices and move things without touching them. The weirdest thing? He might actually be telling the truth. And Max and Astrid might be on verge of uncovering a vast conspiracy and a world of magic that's always been lurking below the surface of their reality.
Originally published in 2011 and re-released in 2017, the first novel in the MAD WORLD series is perfect for fans of STRANGER THINGS and THE BRIGHT SESSIONS. Come fall in love with a ragtag crew of damaged teen magicians.
- GenresYoung AdultParanormal
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2012
58 people want to read
About the author
Troy H. Gardner
18 books9 followersTroy H. Gardner was born in Florida but left at the ripe age of six months. He grew up and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in New England before returning to the Sunshine State just in time for Hurricane Irma.
He started writing stories on his Tandy Personal Computer as a child in the ’90s after devouring the works of Stephen King in elementary school.
Red is his favorite color, but blue hasn’t gotten the memo yet. He doesn’t understand why fans can’t equally love Star Wars and Star Trek (they’re different genres, people!). When Troy isn’t writing, or talking about writing, he enjoys killing hours on his PlayStation or watching horror movies (both really great and incredibly bad are his jam).
He started writing stories on his Tandy Personal Computer as a child in the ’90s after devouring the works of Stephen King in elementary school.
Red is his favorite color, but blue hasn’t gotten the memo yet. He doesn’t understand why fans can’t equally love Star Wars and Star Trek (they’re different genres, people!). When Troy isn’t writing, or talking about writing, he enjoys killing hours on his PlayStation or watching horror movies (both really great and incredibly bad are his jam).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
May 22, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. Loved it. I can't wait to read the second one, and as soon as I'm finished writing this review I'm going to do some digging and see when it will be coming out (if it isn't already).
I love the characters, with the exception of Astrid. She was annoying and so freaking stubborn and all I wanted to do was shake her and yell at her. So dense and obtuse and just plain frustrating! I couldn't understand why she wouldn't just be nice instead of scoffing at EVERYONE.
Everyone else though, I loved. I think Seth was probably the most interesting, and I took him literally from the start, so the little twist that happened with him wasn't unexpected for me. I recognized one of his statements ("Why is a raven like a writing desk?") and got all excited at that point! But all of this random little comments were quirky and totally entertaining.
Max was an all-around good guy, and characteristically tried to make sure everyone got along while staying loyal to everyone. It bothered me a bit that he was so willing to let other people step on him, first with Simon and then even with Teddy. But like I said, he's just a nice guy and nice guys don't stir up trouble.
Strangely enough I really liked Laura and Ally, because the two of them were contrasts. They both probably had the same issues growing up, and yet they chose to deal with it in different ways. Plus their special stuff was super awesome and I'm jealous. I'm really really hoping we get to see more of these abilities much more often in the second book.
The same goes for Teddy. His of course was the most interesting to watch(read) because it was the centerpoint of all the hubbub in the climax. Clearly he's powerful, and it made for an awesome read.
I can only imagine what it would feel like to be Jon/Azrael, wanting so badly to be different only to find that everyone else is.
Our villain is especially villainy, and I loved it. He was intelligent and evil, a dangerous combination. And one I think we'll see even more so in the next novel. I even liked the unsuspecting henchmen, like Anthony (I assume) and Clarissa. Boy they were all so fun to hate!!
Probably the only thing I dislike about the story is that it took a while to get to the juicy stuff. I think Astrid especially was the one that slowed it down, which is part of why I don't like her. We could have easily heard more about what Ally and Laura could do had Astrid only stopped being annoying long enough to ask and listen. But for me it was worth the wait. I think enough happened to make the late climax warranted, and I'm not sure why everyone's all upset over the technical terms. I liked learning about how that stuff worked. Maybe because I considered being a social worker as a career, but I found it fascinating to know all the hoops that had to be jumped through and the protocol in place.
I just love this story. It's got so many elements that I love in a book, and with the exception of Astrid's stupidity I couldn't be happier.
I love the characters, with the exception of Astrid. She was annoying and so freaking stubborn and all I wanted to do was shake her and yell at her. So dense and obtuse and just plain frustrating! I couldn't understand why she wouldn't just be nice instead of scoffing at EVERYONE.
Everyone else though, I loved. I think Seth was probably the most interesting, and I took him literally from the start, so the little twist that happened with him wasn't unexpected for me. I recognized one of his statements ("Why is a raven like a writing desk?") and got all excited at that point! But all of this random little comments were quirky and totally entertaining.
Max was an all-around good guy, and characteristically tried to make sure everyone got along while staying loyal to everyone. It bothered me a bit that he was so willing to let other people step on him, first with Simon and then even with Teddy. But like I said, he's just a nice guy and nice guys don't stir up trouble.
Strangely enough I really liked Laura and Ally, because the two of them were contrasts. They both probably had the same issues growing up, and yet they chose to deal with it in different ways. Plus their special stuff was super awesome and I'm jealous. I'm really really hoping we get to see more of these abilities much more often in the second book.
The same goes for Teddy. His of course was the most interesting to watch(read) because it was the centerpoint of all the hubbub in the climax. Clearly he's powerful, and it made for an awesome read.
I can only imagine what it would feel like to be Jon/Azrael, wanting so badly to be different only to find that everyone else is.
Our villain is especially villainy, and I loved it. He was intelligent and evil, a dangerous combination. And one I think we'll see even more so in the next novel. I even liked the unsuspecting henchmen, like Anthony (I assume) and Clarissa. Boy they were all so fun to hate!!
Probably the only thing I dislike about the story is that it took a while to get to the juicy stuff. I think Astrid especially was the one that slowed it down, which is part of why I don't like her. We could have easily heard more about what Ally and Laura could do had Astrid only stopped being annoying long enough to ask and listen. But for me it was worth the wait. I think enough happened to make the late climax warranted, and I'm not sure why everyone's all upset over the technical terms. I liked learning about how that stuff worked. Maybe because I considered being a social worker as a career, but I found it fascinating to know all the hoops that had to be jumped through and the protocol in place.
I just love this story. It's got so many elements that I love in a book, and with the exception of Astrid's stupidity I couldn't be happier.
December 7, 2018
After reading and reviewing The Art of Escaping last year (on Roberta from Offbeat YA’s recommendation <3), I was lucky enough to do some beta reading for Erin Callahan. It was a lovely experience, and it just made me love her writing even more. This is all to say that I’m a little biased in her favor, but I’ll do my best to review Wakefield objectively. Trigger warnings: severe illness, cancer, death, suicide (attempted), mental illness, self-harm, abuse (mention), violence.
In alternating chapters, Wakefield follows the stories of Max and Astrid, two patients at an institution for troubled teenagers. Astrid is still grieving her mother’s death from cancer, and Max is recovering from a failed (and unadmitted) suicide attempt after his parents were killed in a car accident. They meet Teddy, a mysterious patient who’s convinced he has supernatural powers. At first skeptical, Max and Astrid are forced to reconsider as things get stranger at Wakefield. It’s possible that Teddy is telling the truth, and Wakefield is covering up a conspiracy about teens with a variety of abilities.
I love the premise of this book, and it’s right in my wheelhouse of paranormal/urban fantasy. Supernatural abilities that are hastily (and mistakenly) labeled mental illness isn’t a new concept, but it’s handled with sensitivity, and I like the direction Wakefield takes with it. The writing is good, but the pace is very slow. The first hundred pages are mostly devoted to establishing place and character, which are both well done, but there isn’t a clear conflict or villain until well after that. While the world-building is good, I’m not sure we needed so much of it, since Wakefield looks just enough like the normal world, except for a few important changes. It feels like I waited an entire novel for characters to use their supernatural powers, when I was willing to accept from page one that they had them.
I had mixed reactions to the characters. Astrid and Max are both kind and willing to stand up for other patients, which makes it easy to pull for them. Not surprisingly, Astrid is my favorite. She’s a stubborn, levelheaded realist for almost the entire novel, and her bonding with her difficult roommate, Ally, is well-paced and -developed (though I wish Astrid was a little more sympathetic to her). I don’t have as good a sense of Max, who feels slightly blander, and his relationships more inscrutable. His friendship with Teddy happens kind of inexplicably and some of it off-page, but I’m not sure if that’s just because Teddy is such a weird character. He’s hot and cold, impulsive and guarded. I think we’re supposed to sympathize with him, but I’m not sure whether we’re supposed to like him (and Astrid’s mixed reactions to him pretty much sum up these feelings). I was weirdly fond of Seth, who’s basically a side character, but he reminds me of the Cheshire cat in the best way.
Astrid’s chapters are generally focused on a single event and how it plays out among her and the other characters, whereas Max’s attempt to cover more ground and bounce among various events. It makes the narrative more disjointed, and there were more things in Max’s sections that felt random and unexplained. His series of increasingly weird dreams don’t really help, and I’m not sure what we’re supposed to take from those. I’m sure that’s a thread that will be addressed in further books, but in the context of this one, it was a little frustrating. While the book occasionally hints at characters’ abilities, their collective use of them doesn’t come until the final scenes. I’m having some trouble suspending my disbelief that characters who have never practiced their powers on-page are suddenly able to use them fully and effectively, but I guess people have been known to do extraordinary things under dire circumstances. It’s not the strongest beginning to a series, but I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
In alternating chapters, Wakefield follows the stories of Max and Astrid, two patients at an institution for troubled teenagers. Astrid is still grieving her mother’s death from cancer, and Max is recovering from a failed (and unadmitted) suicide attempt after his parents were killed in a car accident. They meet Teddy, a mysterious patient who’s convinced he has supernatural powers. At first skeptical, Max and Astrid are forced to reconsider as things get stranger at Wakefield. It’s possible that Teddy is telling the truth, and Wakefield is covering up a conspiracy about teens with a variety of abilities.
I love the premise of this book, and it’s right in my wheelhouse of paranormal/urban fantasy. Supernatural abilities that are hastily (and mistakenly) labeled mental illness isn’t a new concept, but it’s handled with sensitivity, and I like the direction Wakefield takes with it. The writing is good, but the pace is very slow. The first hundred pages are mostly devoted to establishing place and character, which are both well done, but there isn’t a clear conflict or villain until well after that. While the world-building is good, I’m not sure we needed so much of it, since Wakefield looks just enough like the normal world, except for a few important changes. It feels like I waited an entire novel for characters to use their supernatural powers, when I was willing to accept from page one that they had them.
I had mixed reactions to the characters. Astrid and Max are both kind and willing to stand up for other patients, which makes it easy to pull for them. Not surprisingly, Astrid is my favorite. She’s a stubborn, levelheaded realist for almost the entire novel, and her bonding with her difficult roommate, Ally, is well-paced and -developed (though I wish Astrid was a little more sympathetic to her). I don’t have as good a sense of Max, who feels slightly blander, and his relationships more inscrutable. His friendship with Teddy happens kind of inexplicably and some of it off-page, but I’m not sure if that’s just because Teddy is such a weird character. He’s hot and cold, impulsive and guarded. I think we’re supposed to sympathize with him, but I’m not sure whether we’re supposed to like him (and Astrid’s mixed reactions to him pretty much sum up these feelings). I was weirdly fond of Seth, who’s basically a side character, but he reminds me of the Cheshire cat in the best way.
Astrid’s chapters are generally focused on a single event and how it plays out among her and the other characters, whereas Max’s attempt to cover more ground and bounce among various events. It makes the narrative more disjointed, and there were more things in Max’s sections that felt random and unexplained. His series of increasingly weird dreams don’t really help, and I’m not sure what we’re supposed to take from those. I’m sure that’s a thread that will be addressed in further books, but in the context of this one, it was a little frustrating. While the book occasionally hints at characters’ abilities, their collective use of them doesn’t come until the final scenes. I’m having some trouble suspending my disbelief that characters who have never practiced their powers on-page are suddenly able to use them fully and effectively, but I guess people have been known to do extraordinary things under dire circumstances. It’s not the strongest beginning to a series, but I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
April 23, 2018
Rated 3.5 really.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Relatable, interesting characters (for the most part). Strong blend of contemporary and paranormal elements. Well fleshed out setting.
Cons: Slow, with most action concentrated in the last pages. Typical villain. A few chapters sound slightly awkward (see: Eduardo).
Will appeal to: Introspective readers. Male\female friendship supporters. People who are fed up with stereotypical heroes and heroines.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I received this novel from the authors in exchange for an honest review. Here goes...
You know, most paranormal novels are fairly predictable. Usually. a girl develops a certain kind of power (all of a sudden, but she may have had it for a while sometimes), then meets the new boy at school and feels inexplicably drawn to him (most of the times it's just your average hormonal surge, but still)...then they end up developing both a romantic and paranormal bond and set out to save the world - or part of it. Well...nothing of that happens here. Which is SO refreshing, if you ask yours truly. Also, on with common tropes. Heroines are usually wrapped in their most girlish self, but of course they have to be feisty as well. Heroes are required to be dark, sulky and mysterious, and of course swoon-worthy material. Which, I'm happy to say, it's NOT the case here. In Astrid's words "I normally dreaded wearing skirts, or doing anything remotely girly. I always felt like I was playing dress up or wearing my femininity on my sleeve, and it made me ridiculously self-conscious." (p. 192). She's also a good judge of feminine stereotypes - and while she's strong and bold when required, she's not your usual epitome of spunkiness. Max likes her, but not in a romantic way: “You didn’t want to go [to the prom] with me, did you?” “Honestly, no. It would have been like going with my sister." (p. 193). He's quiet, sensitive, loyal - and thank goodness, nowhere in the novel it says he's a sex symbol or something. (On a side note, Astrid seems to develop a romantic attachment for someone else later, but it's NOT overplayed. Another thing that I found refreshing...).
As the blurb already informed you, Astrid and Max meet in a facility for messed-up kids. They're both orphans, but their personal histories are quite different, as is the way the staff at Wakefield (especially the in-house psychiatrist Dr. Lycen) interacts with them. This is your first clue to figure out what's really going on under the Wakefield façade. Other clues come in the form of Astrid and Max' fellows inmates - or better, some of them. I can't dwell on this aspect of the novel, in order to avoid spoilers; suffice to say, it is another peculiar trait of it. I also liked how the paranormal is dealt with here, because it appears to be linked to emotions and strength of character, and enhanced by hard experiences - as opposed to be sort of a magic power one can unleash at the throw of a switch. On the other hand, it is maybe a little too convenient that all the paranormal energy comes into play at the same moment for everyone involved. But it's effective, of course. [...]
Whole review here.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Relatable, interesting characters (for the most part). Strong blend of contemporary and paranormal elements. Well fleshed out setting.
Cons: Slow, with most action concentrated in the last pages. Typical villain. A few chapters sound slightly awkward (see: Eduardo).
Will appeal to: Introspective readers. Male\female friendship supporters. People who are fed up with stereotypical heroes and heroines.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I received this novel from the authors in exchange for an honest review. Here goes...
You know, most paranormal novels are fairly predictable. Usually. a girl develops a certain kind of power (all of a sudden, but she may have had it for a while sometimes), then meets the new boy at school and feels inexplicably drawn to him (most of the times it's just your average hormonal surge, but still)...then they end up developing both a romantic and paranormal bond and set out to save the world - or part of it. Well...nothing of that happens here. Which is SO refreshing, if you ask yours truly. Also, on with common tropes. Heroines are usually wrapped in their most girlish self, but of course they have to be feisty as well. Heroes are required to be dark, sulky and mysterious, and of course swoon-worthy material. Which, I'm happy to say, it's NOT the case here. In Astrid's words "I normally dreaded wearing skirts, or doing anything remotely girly. I always felt like I was playing dress up or wearing my femininity on my sleeve, and it made me ridiculously self-conscious." (p. 192). She's also a good judge of feminine stereotypes - and while she's strong and bold when required, she's not your usual epitome of spunkiness. Max likes her, but not in a romantic way: “You didn’t want to go [to the prom] with me, did you?” “Honestly, no. It would have been like going with my sister." (p. 193). He's quiet, sensitive, loyal - and thank goodness, nowhere in the novel it says he's a sex symbol or something. (On a side note, Astrid seems to develop a romantic attachment for someone else later, but it's NOT overplayed. Another thing that I found refreshing...).
As the blurb already informed you, Astrid and Max meet in a facility for messed-up kids. They're both orphans, but their personal histories are quite different, as is the way the staff at Wakefield (especially the in-house psychiatrist Dr. Lycen) interacts with them. This is your first clue to figure out what's really going on under the Wakefield façade. Other clues come in the form of Astrid and Max' fellows inmates - or better, some of them. I can't dwell on this aspect of the novel, in order to avoid spoilers; suffice to say, it is another peculiar trait of it. I also liked how the paranormal is dealt with here, because it appears to be linked to emotions and strength of character, and enhanced by hard experiences - as opposed to be sort of a magic power one can unleash at the throw of a switch. On the other hand, it is maybe a little too convenient that all the paranormal energy comes into play at the same moment for everyone involved. But it's effective, of course. [...]
Whole review here.
May 2, 2013
Review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was sent this book by one of the authors to review and thought the premise sounded really interesting! Astrid and Max are two teenagers living in a residential until for teens with emotional and psychiatric problems. Wakefield focuses around the lives and goings-on of the characters on that ward.
I found the beginning a little difficult to get into because we're introduced to Astrid and Max, and then there's some darting about in time between their current situation and Wakefield and how they first arrived. Once I settled into it, however, I really started to enjoy the story.
The book alternates from Astrid and Max's POV which I thought was really effective, because the teens on the unit spend a lot of their time separated by gender, so it gave a great insight as to what was happening with both the girls and the boys. I felt the two characters made good narrators because they're sort of observing a lot of interesting things happening around them whilst being quite quiet people themselves. Ocassionally there were also chapters from one of the staff members which I actually really liked. It helped give a perspective of what was going on outside of what the teenagers knew about, which really ramped up the suspense. I thought that was really clever even though it was unusual for a YA book.
The two main characters become friends and it took a little whole for me to feel that friendship, but I could see that they had similar backgrounds and had a lot in common. I think there was one scene where I felt they really bonded and from then on I enjoyed the chemistry between them. I found myself more drawn to some of the other characters living with them, particularly Ally, Laura, Azrael and Teddy who all had some interesting things going on.
The real draw of Wakefield is the fact that it seems like there's a lot more going on that meets the eye. Weird things start happening to some of the characters, and as they start to talk to each other it becomes clear something bigger is going on. Why are they there? Why are they on this weird medication? Why are some of the inpatients being treated differently?
The suspense was kept up for quite a while and even though I could kind of see where things were going, I didn't mind the wait and it spurred me on to keep reading. It did feel very similar to another book I'd read in parts (The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong) but the fact I can compare it to one of my favourite books and still say it managed to pull it off I think is a huge compliment! If you've read and enjoyed The Summoning then I think you'd like Wakefield, even if that similarity does take away some of the surprises.
The ending of this book blew me away and I'd definitely be interested in reading the next book. It was a pleasantly surprising read with plenty of action and suspense! And a book I would definitely recommend.
Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was sent this book by one of the authors to review and thought the premise sounded really interesting! Astrid and Max are two teenagers living in a residential until for teens with emotional and psychiatric problems. Wakefield focuses around the lives and goings-on of the characters on that ward.
I found the beginning a little difficult to get into because we're introduced to Astrid and Max, and then there's some darting about in time between their current situation and Wakefield and how they first arrived. Once I settled into it, however, I really started to enjoy the story.
The book alternates from Astrid and Max's POV which I thought was really effective, because the teens on the unit spend a lot of their time separated by gender, so it gave a great insight as to what was happening with both the girls and the boys. I felt the two characters made good narrators because they're sort of observing a lot of interesting things happening around them whilst being quite quiet people themselves. Ocassionally there were also chapters from one of the staff members which I actually really liked. It helped give a perspective of what was going on outside of what the teenagers knew about, which really ramped up the suspense. I thought that was really clever even though it was unusual for a YA book.
The two main characters become friends and it took a little whole for me to feel that friendship, but I could see that they had similar backgrounds and had a lot in common. I think there was one scene where I felt they really bonded and from then on I enjoyed the chemistry between them. I found myself more drawn to some of the other characters living with them, particularly Ally, Laura, Azrael and Teddy who all had some interesting things going on.
The real draw of Wakefield is the fact that it seems like there's a lot more going on that meets the eye. Weird things start happening to some of the characters, and as they start to talk to each other it becomes clear something bigger is going on. Why are they there? Why are they on this weird medication? Why are some of the inpatients being treated differently?
The suspense was kept up for quite a while and even though I could kind of see where things were going, I didn't mind the wait and it spurred me on to keep reading. It did feel very similar to another book I'd read in parts (The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong) but the fact I can compare it to one of my favourite books and still say it managed to pull it off I think is a huge compliment! If you've read and enjoyed The Summoning then I think you'd like Wakefield, even if that similarity does take away some of the surprises.
The ending of this book blew me away and I'd definitely be interested in reading the next book. It was a pleasantly surprising read with plenty of action and suspense! And a book I would definitely recommend.
Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!
May 21, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting this book I had very high hopes. Mentally unwell kids and super powers sounds pretty cool right? Sadly it wasn't what I was expecting it to be.
The main thing I loved about the book was the characters. I thought the characters were great! The authors did a good job introducing them and giving back ground info, and not making it boring. The two main characters Max and Astrid (the book is mostly told from their POV.) were likable enough. Though I wish we could have gotten to see some from some of the other characters POV I would have LOVED to see what was going on in Teddy's Head through the whole story! One thing I never figured out is if Max and Astrid really had mental problems and were just in denial. Or if they really were just there because no one knew what to do with them. If anyone knows please let me know!
As much as I loved the characters I had a hard time being drawn into the story. It dragged on quite a bit without anything big happening. During the beginning of the book it went back and forth from Astrid and Max’s POV a lot. Which is normally fine with me but I had a hard time keeping up from Max telling how he got there. To Astrid giving us a flash back to 4 months ago when she first got there. As for the plot of the book. I’m sure it was there, it was just not very exciting. Mostly we just got a look at what goes on at the Wakefield Facility every day. Every now and then something would happen to kind of keep me interested and keep the story moving along. There would be hints that something was more was going on, but nothing much ever came out of it.
One of the things I really wishes the authors would have talked about more was the "super powers" some of the kids seemed to have. It came up a few times toward the middle of the book. The kids would talk about it for a few chapters then seem to almost forget about it. Then BAM last 4-5 chapters everyone starts having these "super powers/ magical abilities". I think if the authors had made the "super powers" a bigger deal the book wouldn't have dragged on so long without anything happening.
Over all I can't say I hated the book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I will be reading the next book in the series. I am very interested in where the authors will go with the story.
Starting this book I had very high hopes. Mentally unwell kids and super powers sounds pretty cool right? Sadly it wasn't what I was expecting it to be.
The main thing I loved about the book was the characters. I thought the characters were great! The authors did a good job introducing them and giving back ground info, and not making it boring. The two main characters Max and Astrid (the book is mostly told from their POV.) were likable enough. Though I wish we could have gotten to see some from some of the other characters POV I would have LOVED to see what was going on in Teddy's Head through the whole story! One thing I never figured out is if Max and Astrid really had mental problems and were just in denial. Or if they really were just there because no one knew what to do with them. If anyone knows please let me know!
As much as I loved the characters I had a hard time being drawn into the story. It dragged on quite a bit without anything big happening. During the beginning of the book it went back and forth from Astrid and Max’s POV a lot. Which is normally fine with me but I had a hard time keeping up from Max telling how he got there. To Astrid giving us a flash back to 4 months ago when she first got there. As for the plot of the book. I’m sure it was there, it was just not very exciting. Mostly we just got a look at what goes on at the Wakefield Facility every day. Every now and then something would happen to kind of keep me interested and keep the story moving along. There would be hints that something was more was going on, but nothing much ever came out of it.
One of the things I really wishes the authors would have talked about more was the "super powers" some of the kids seemed to have. It came up a few times toward the middle of the book. The kids would talk about it for a few chapters then seem to almost forget about it. Then BAM last 4-5 chapters everyone starts having these "super powers/ magical abilities". I think if the authors had made the "super powers" a bigger deal the book wouldn't have dragged on so long without anything happening.
Over all I can't say I hated the book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I will be reading the next book in the series. I am very interested in where the authors will go with the story.
May 23, 2013
I received a copy of this book though the 'never too old for Y.A.' group on goodreads, in exchange for an honest review.
This story is full of pop culture references. Being a 30 something, I personally enjoyed it. My 12 year old (being the target audience for this genre) would not have gotten many of the references though.
The switching first person narrative took a bit of getting used to. As I don't pay much attention to chapter headings, there were quite a few times that I would go from one chapter to the next and be confused as to who was narrating. Overall though, it does work for this book. There were also a few instances where the editing team missed minor mistakes. Aside from the switching narrative, Wakefield was easy to read.
As others have stated, this book is a bit slow going. All of the action seems packed in near the end. I didn't find this irritating, as I enjoy the tedium of day to day life. I feel that it lends more humanity to the plight of our characters.
From my understanding, the protagonists of Wakefield are supposed to be 14-16 years old. They felt older to me. The characters were likeable for the most part, and there were a few surprises with a couple of characters.
The story itself was engaging. I found myself wondering throughout about the validity of Teddy's claims. I also had mixed feelings about the goal of the Wakefield teens. On one hand, On the other hand though,
While Wakefield did not have a cliffhanger ending, I would still be interested in knowing what happens next. It would also be nice to read more of a history on the main group of teens. Were they really mentally unwell, or were they brought to Wakefield for a more sinister purpose. I would also like to know more about
This story is full of pop culture references. Being a 30 something, I personally enjoyed it. My 12 year old (being the target audience for this genre) would not have gotten many of the references though.
The switching first person narrative took a bit of getting used to. As I don't pay much attention to chapter headings, there were quite a few times that I would go from one chapter to the next and be confused as to who was narrating. Overall though, it does work for this book. There were also a few instances where the editing team missed minor mistakes. Aside from the switching narrative, Wakefield was easy to read.
As others have stated, this book is a bit slow going. All of the action seems packed in near the end. I didn't find this irritating, as I enjoy the tedium of day to day life. I feel that it lends more humanity to the plight of our characters.
From my understanding, the protagonists of Wakefield are supposed to be 14-16 years old. They felt older to me. The characters were likeable for the most part, and there were a few surprises with a couple of characters.
The story itself was engaging. I found myself wondering throughout about the validity of Teddy's claims. I also had mixed feelings about the goal of the Wakefield teens. On one hand, On the other hand though,
While Wakefield did not have a cliffhanger ending, I would still be interested in knowing what happens next. It would also be nice to read more of a history on the main group of teens. Were they really mentally unwell, or were they brought to Wakefield for a more sinister purpose. I would also like to know more about
March 3, 2014
4.5
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks!
Teenagers Astrid Chalke and Max Fisher meet at Wakefield Residential and Educational Treatment Facility. Both orphaned and sent to the facility because of behavioral issues they feel they don’t belong. With residents who are severely disabled to those with more mild issues both Max and Astrid are assigned to the Newton wing. Eventually their paths cross and the two join their small circle of friends into one larger group. When Teddy claims he has special powers and that the staff are hiding something huge they at first dismiss his talk as paranoid. But as weird things happen and other things don’t add up, it’s time for Max and Astrid to trust their gut. They have to break out of Wakefield and take their friends with them. Before it’s too late.
This story is told from several POVs, but mostly from Astrid and Max’s. It really helps to get an overall view of Wakefield. The characters are really well-developed and the writing is excellent. I felt as if I was there with them and experiencing everything they were experiencing. The mystery surrounding the so-called powers was making me twitchy. I wanted to know what the hell was going on, but of course the info was parceled out as if by Scrooge himself. I so wanted to flip to the end, but resisted. Barely. Yeah, I have no patience for a mystery to unfold on its own. I must know! LOL There are two reasons why this did not get a 5 out of me. The ending, while not an abrupt drop off is still a cliffhanger and I hate cliffhangers. Also, Max’s dreams were really strange and I couldn’t make heads nor tails of them. I know dreams are like that. I’ve had plenty of them myself, but I know his dreams are meant to be clues and I wasn’t picking up what was being put down. Know what I mean? Overall though this is an excellent read that I relinquished only when it was absolutely necessary.
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks!
Teenagers Astrid Chalke and Max Fisher meet at Wakefield Residential and Educational Treatment Facility. Both orphaned and sent to the facility because of behavioral issues they feel they don’t belong. With residents who are severely disabled to those with more mild issues both Max and Astrid are assigned to the Newton wing. Eventually their paths cross and the two join their small circle of friends into one larger group. When Teddy claims he has special powers and that the staff are hiding something huge they at first dismiss his talk as paranoid. But as weird things happen and other things don’t add up, it’s time for Max and Astrid to trust their gut. They have to break out of Wakefield and take their friends with them. Before it’s too late.
This story is told from several POVs, but mostly from Astrid and Max’s. It really helps to get an overall view of Wakefield. The characters are really well-developed and the writing is excellent. I felt as if I was there with them and experiencing everything they were experiencing. The mystery surrounding the so-called powers was making me twitchy. I wanted to know what the hell was going on, but of course the info was parceled out as if by Scrooge himself. I so wanted to flip to the end, but resisted. Barely. Yeah, I have no patience for a mystery to unfold on its own. I must know! LOL There are two reasons why this did not get a 5 out of me. The ending, while not an abrupt drop off is still a cliffhanger and I hate cliffhangers. Also, Max’s dreams were really strange and I couldn’t make heads nor tails of them. I know dreams are like that. I’ve had plenty of them myself, but I know his dreams are meant to be clues and I wasn’t picking up what was being put down. Know what I mean? Overall though this is an excellent read that I relinquished only when it was absolutely necessary.
May 25, 2013
Thank you to the Authors of this book who gave it to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book is set in a residential facility for young people. Most have a history of mental illness or in some of the cases of our characters... suspected suicide and odd behaviour, which is why they are in ‘Wakefield’, hence the title of the book.
The book is narrated through the eyes of Astrid and Max, two of the kids currently living at Wakefield. There is also some input from Eduardo, a worker at the facility.
I will be totally honest and admit that I really struggled with this book. It was incredibly slow. Often a switch of point of view can be really good, but I found in this book that it didn't spend enough time on any character. I felt I didn't get to know any of the characters intimately enough and therefore I didn't really care much for them. They did seem to stay in character but other than what they wore and certain things they liked to do, I didn't feel at all like I knew them.
Another thing that I felt didn't help this book is that the scenery was very much the same. Now obviously these kids are in Wakefield and they don’t get to go out much. However, I found that this also suffocated me and not in a good way. It’s great to feel what your characters are feeling but in this case I just found it tedious and boring. I think this book would have benefited from perhaps a couple more day trips.
I kept reading this book hoping that it would pick up, but it wasn't until the last 20% or so that it started to kick off and even then it was so predictable and I had lost all interest in the characters at this point... I really struggled to finish it. Had I not have been given this book in exchange for a review, I would have put it down long before this. Which is a real shame because it had so much potential.
This book is set in a residential facility for young people. Most have a history of mental illness or in some of the cases of our characters... suspected suicide and odd behaviour, which is why they are in ‘Wakefield’, hence the title of the book.
The book is narrated through the eyes of Astrid and Max, two of the kids currently living at Wakefield. There is also some input from Eduardo, a worker at the facility.
I will be totally honest and admit that I really struggled with this book. It was incredibly slow. Often a switch of point of view can be really good, but I found in this book that it didn't spend enough time on any character. I felt I didn't get to know any of the characters intimately enough and therefore I didn't really care much for them. They did seem to stay in character but other than what they wore and certain things they liked to do, I didn't feel at all like I knew them.
Another thing that I felt didn't help this book is that the scenery was very much the same. Now obviously these kids are in Wakefield and they don’t get to go out much. However, I found that this also suffocated me and not in a good way. It’s great to feel what your characters are feeling but in this case I just found it tedious and boring. I think this book would have benefited from perhaps a couple more day trips.
I kept reading this book hoping that it would pick up, but it wasn't until the last 20% or so that it started to kick off and even then it was so predictable and I had lost all interest in the characters at this point... I really struggled to finish it. Had I not have been given this book in exchange for a review, I would have put it down long before this. Which is a real shame because it had so much potential.
January 31, 2016
I was given this book to review by the author & it in no way affects my review.
This book was quite a trip to read & experience. It was so real to me in so many ways, since as a young teen, I spent a month at a similar seeming place and boy did this bring back all the bad memories & feelings. But Wakefield, the facility these teens were at held so many darker, scarier and even paranormal secrets. These weren't all troubled kids getting "care" by the Dr. and people who worked at this facility. Some of these kids were very special, but if they trusted you enough to tell you even a little about their secrets, you would question their sanity. But in the end, you'd question them no more.
This book was told mostly by the pov of two new patients, Astrid and Max. They don't understand why they were put there and seem to be the most normal and intelligent functioning of the patients. It's thru their eyes and experiences that we get to know the others and experience what is happening at this facility. Treatment by the faculty becomes more bizarre, confusing & more tense as things at Wakefield seem to become more twisted. All Astrid, Max & their friends just want out! Well,the ending was a complete surprise to me and I was reading with my jaw dropped open, unable to believe what was all happening, but it was perfect! It really was a great way to end this book 1 & It left things set up nicely for the next book.I'm really excited to find out what's going to happen in the next book!
I'm giving it 4 stars because I felt that too much of the book was taken up with the boring day to day life in Wakefield. The monotony and treatment by the workers didn't need to take up most of the book. The relationships between patients could have been sped up just fine as well. Also, I wish more of the book explored these special patients and shown more of what they were capable of.
This book was quite a trip to read & experience. It was so real to me in so many ways, since as a young teen, I spent a month at a similar seeming place and boy did this bring back all the bad memories & feelings. But Wakefield, the facility these teens were at held so many darker, scarier and even paranormal secrets. These weren't all troubled kids getting "care" by the Dr. and people who worked at this facility. Some of these kids were very special, but if they trusted you enough to tell you even a little about their secrets, you would question their sanity. But in the end, you'd question them no more.
This book was told mostly by the pov of two new patients, Astrid and Max. They don't understand why they were put there and seem to be the most normal and intelligent functioning of the patients. It's thru their eyes and experiences that we get to know the others and experience what is happening at this facility. Treatment by the faculty becomes more bizarre, confusing & more tense as things at Wakefield seem to become more twisted. All Astrid, Max & their friends just want out! Well,the ending was a complete surprise to me and I was reading with my jaw dropped open, unable to believe what was all happening, but it was perfect! It really was a great way to end this book 1 & It left things set up nicely for the next book.I'm really excited to find out what's going to happen in the next book!
I'm giving it 4 stars because I felt that too much of the book was taken up with the boring day to day life in Wakefield. The monotony and treatment by the workers didn't need to take up most of the book. The relationships between patients could have been sped up just fine as well. Also, I wish more of the book explored these special patients and shown more of what they were capable of.
June 4, 2013
This book sucked me in with it’s creativity. I liked the idea of the paranormal, mixing with the supposed mentally ill, but this novel is not what I was expecting. I enjoyed it immensely, but once it was over I felt dissatisfied, and I’m not sure why. I thought Astrid was very reasonable, and apart from Max, she was the only one I thought had any sort of redeeming quality. It was easy to forget while reading, that these were only high school kids. I felt that Teddy was too controlling, and while I understand that he may have been influenced by drugs, etc. I felt that he had some sort of mood disorder. He would be perfectly charming and then vicious. That kind of dichotomy scares me, I could never feel safe or truly trust someone like that. Ally and Laura were definitely intriguing and I wish we could have learned more about them. It was difficult because while the story was from multiple viewpoints they were definitely fringe characters.
I also have to mention Eduardo, I felt so terrible for him. He truly cared about the kids and wanted to help them, but Lycen kept getting in the way. My favorite scene of the whole book is when he breaks into Lycen’s office. I’m not sure what he found, but I’ll probably read the second book just to find out! I am only giving this book 3 stars, because I do feel dissatisfied. I think it’s that I would’ve liked more answers by the end of the book, and while I can understand why we didn’t get them, I feel like I have more questions than answers. I don’t expect to have all the answers in the first book in a series, but I want to feel like I’ve started to figure things out. Overall it was a great read and I look forward to the next!
I also have to mention Eduardo, I felt so terrible for him. He truly cared about the kids and wanted to help them, but Lycen kept getting in the way. My favorite scene of the whole book is when he breaks into Lycen’s office. I’m not sure what he found, but I’ll probably read the second book just to find out! I am only giving this book 3 stars, because I do feel dissatisfied. I think it’s that I would’ve liked more answers by the end of the book, and while I can understand why we didn’t get them, I feel like I have more questions than answers. I don’t expect to have all the answers in the first book in a series, but I want to feel like I’ve started to figure things out. Overall it was a great read and I look forward to the next!
February 7, 2014
I was given the book "Wakefield" by Erin Callahan & Troy H. Gardner, in exchange for an honest review via RI & R on Goodreads.
The story opens up to a wealth of background information, giving the reader the necessary backstory of what Wakefield is & to whom tends to reside there. Such a great idea to bring light on the troubles of teens, and what could potentially be an insight into their heads/thoughts.
I thought the story was to be focused on Astrid and Max, on their stories, but I was pleasantly surprised that while their names were the primary characters telling the story, they told the story while making others seem to be the main players. Meaning, Astrid's POV was mainly about her friends, and vice versa with Max.
I really liked the twist in the last 1/4 of the book, that maybe the teens aren't actually certifiable and maybe adults are making the circumstances suit our needs. Maybe as adults, we get too wrapped up in our own lives that we "forget" all of our children's needs...making them easy prey to twisted predators of all kinds.
Good questions to ponder...
***EDIT/SIDE NOTE***
Just to clarify, there was a statement in the beginning of the book, made by Astrid about the kids that were patients of Wakefield "...couldn't handle the real world, or just annoyed the crap out of adults." For some reason that one line stuck with me throughout the entire book, and maybe I interpreted incorrectly but it begs to be listened to.
The story opens up to a wealth of background information, giving the reader the necessary backstory of what Wakefield is & to whom tends to reside there. Such a great idea to bring light on the troubles of teens, and what could potentially be an insight into their heads/thoughts.
I thought the story was to be focused on Astrid and Max, on their stories, but I was pleasantly surprised that while their names were the primary characters telling the story, they told the story while making others seem to be the main players. Meaning, Astrid's POV was mainly about her friends, and vice versa with Max.
I really liked the twist in the last 1/4 of the book, that maybe the teens aren't actually certifiable and maybe adults are making the circumstances suit our needs. Maybe as adults, we get too wrapped up in our own lives that we "forget" all of our children's needs...making them easy prey to twisted predators of all kinds.
Good questions to ponder...
***EDIT/SIDE NOTE***
Just to clarify, there was a statement in the beginning of the book, made by Astrid about the kids that were patients of Wakefield "...couldn't handle the real world, or just annoyed the crap out of adults." For some reason that one line stuck with me throughout the entire book, and maybe I interpreted incorrectly but it begs to be listened to.
May 30, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for this book I couldn't wait to read it. The relationships between all the characters was so real and made me feel like they were real people and I could really relate to them. Although the book starts off slow when it gets to the action, man does it pack in some action! The POV switching was a bit confusing at times and I;d have to flick back to see who was talking. I liked the idea of children being shipped off to a mental facility to become 'lab rats' to develop their powers. This book did not disappoint and I will definitely be reading the second installment.
When I read the synopsis for this book I couldn't wait to read it. The relationships between all the characters was so real and made me feel like they were real people and I could really relate to them. Although the book starts off slow when it gets to the action, man does it pack in some action! The POV switching was a bit confusing at times and I;d have to flick back to see who was talking. I liked the idea of children being shipped off to a mental facility to become 'lab rats' to develop their powers. This book did not disappoint and I will definitely be reading the second installment.
September 21, 2013
I love the writing style of this book.
The book starts off with Astrid, a young teenager who is sent to a mental health facilty for children and has been there for a few months. Then we meet Max who has just been dropped off at the school. I love when authors write in this style, of changing the point of view to different characters. It makes the characters easier to understand and makes the story easier to follow.
We get to see what it's like to start at and live in the institute from two points of view. Astrid and Max are both smart teens that don't seem to have many mental problems. They both have had tragedies with their parents and haven't dealt with it very well. This is why the end up at Wakefield.
I really liked that this story was about mentally and physically challenged teens. It was mental issues that the main characters had, but their were some physically challenged at the institute as well. It's not very common to have a mental institute as the setting of a young adult book. I enjoyed reading about the different illnesses each teen had, since I've always had a fascination with the brain.
On to the characters. Astrid is very smart for her age and acts more like an adult than most of the other teens at Wakefield. She is very logical and doesn't believe in anything that doesn't have concrete evidence of its existence. When she starts hearing about people's "magical" powers, she just thinks their crazy. After all they are in a mental institute. Max is the opposite of Astrid, he believes that magical things could happen. He's not sure if people do have powers or if they're just crazy like the rest of the teens there. Max is my favorite character. He is very likeable and genuine. When we first meet Max I felt sorry for him because he was getting picked on for being the new kid. Then once he starts making friends, I really liked that he stood up for them and would do just about anything for them.
The rest of the characters are a little obnoxious, but they're mentally I'll what do you expect. Ally and Simon are both bullies that love attention. Laura is so weak and timid, I felt like I just wanted to snap her out of it. Teddy, I'm not so sure about. There is something about him that I don't quite trust.
We also get to hear from one of the clinicians. His point of view is a great addition to the story because we understand the adults role at Wakefield. Eduardo is a good man and genuinely wants to help these kids. He doesn't have a clue as to what is really happening at the school.
All in all I really liked this story, it was well written, I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I just started reading the next book in the series.
The book starts off with Astrid, a young teenager who is sent to a mental health facilty for children and has been there for a few months. Then we meet Max who has just been dropped off at the school. I love when authors write in this style, of changing the point of view to different characters. It makes the characters easier to understand and makes the story easier to follow.
We get to see what it's like to start at and live in the institute from two points of view. Astrid and Max are both smart teens that don't seem to have many mental problems. They both have had tragedies with their parents and haven't dealt with it very well. This is why the end up at Wakefield.
I really liked that this story was about mentally and physically challenged teens. It was mental issues that the main characters had, but their were some physically challenged at the institute as well. It's not very common to have a mental institute as the setting of a young adult book. I enjoyed reading about the different illnesses each teen had, since I've always had a fascination with the brain.
On to the characters. Astrid is very smart for her age and acts more like an adult than most of the other teens at Wakefield. She is very logical and doesn't believe in anything that doesn't have concrete evidence of its existence. When she starts hearing about people's "magical" powers, she just thinks their crazy. After all they are in a mental institute. Max is the opposite of Astrid, he believes that magical things could happen. He's not sure if people do have powers or if they're just crazy like the rest of the teens there. Max is my favorite character. He is very likeable and genuine. When we first meet Max I felt sorry for him because he was getting picked on for being the new kid. Then once he starts making friends, I really liked that he stood up for them and would do just about anything for them.
The rest of the characters are a little obnoxious, but they're mentally I'll what do you expect. Ally and Simon are both bullies that love attention. Laura is so weak and timid, I felt like I just wanted to snap her out of it. Teddy, I'm not so sure about. There is something about him that I don't quite trust.
We also get to hear from one of the clinicians. His point of view is a great addition to the story because we understand the adults role at Wakefield. Eduardo is a good man and genuinely wants to help these kids. He doesn't have a clue as to what is really happening at the school.
All in all I really liked this story, it was well written, I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I just started reading the next book in the series.
August 23, 2013
*I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis, as the main characters were residents of a mental institution for teens. Add in paranormal and fantastical elements, and I knew it was going to be good. :)
The book is in three different POVs: Astrid, Max, and Eduardo. I was a little confused about one of the staff members having a few chapters of his own. He didn't play a key role in this book, but he was definitely one of the few staff members whom the teens liked. And I think we'll see more of him in Tunnelville. I was also a little confused why Teddy didn't have a POV, but I can see why he didn't because he didn't talk very much, unless it was to talk about his "powers" and the evil inside the institution. Max and Astrid think he's crazy. Or is he?
I really liked the two main characters, and I even enjoyed the strange and unusual interactions between them and the other residents they meet. Some of them are suffering from multiple personality disorder and others are cutters. Whatever their psychological and behavioral problems are, all of the residents have one thing in common: they hate Wakefield.
While it tries to be a welcoming place, it's still a mental institution, and some of its staff members are unnecessarily mean to the kids. And there is more going on than any of these teens know about. Teddy is the only one who seems to know what's going on with their head psychiatrist.
These kids are determined to escape the suffocating prison, and they are trying to find out whether Teddy's claims are real. It's not until the makeshift prom that Max and Astrid realize the truth. It's been right in front of their faces the whole time. After their final attempt at freedom goes as planned, Max, Astrid, Teddy, and their friends are out of the institution. But they won't be forgotten, as the epilogue gives a glimpse into what will happen in Tunnelville.
I really enjoyed this book! I found myself laughing out loud a lot at the teens' conversations and interactions with each other. The beginning was a little slow, and it took me awhile to get into the story. But once they meet Teddy, it picks up. All of their talk about powers and visions had me wondering if it wasn't just all in their minds. I was really surprised with the ending, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! :)
I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis, as the main characters were residents of a mental institution for teens. Add in paranormal and fantastical elements, and I knew it was going to be good. :)
The book is in three different POVs: Astrid, Max, and Eduardo. I was a little confused about one of the staff members having a few chapters of his own. He didn't play a key role in this book, but he was definitely one of the few staff members whom the teens liked. And I think we'll see more of him in Tunnelville. I was also a little confused why Teddy didn't have a POV, but I can see why he didn't because he didn't talk very much, unless it was to talk about his "powers" and the evil inside the institution. Max and Astrid think he's crazy. Or is he?
I really liked the two main characters, and I even enjoyed the strange and unusual interactions between them and the other residents they meet. Some of them are suffering from multiple personality disorder and others are cutters. Whatever their psychological and behavioral problems are, all of the residents have one thing in common: they hate Wakefield.
While it tries to be a welcoming place, it's still a mental institution, and some of its staff members are unnecessarily mean to the kids. And there is more going on than any of these teens know about. Teddy is the only one who seems to know what's going on with their head psychiatrist.
These kids are determined to escape the suffocating prison, and they are trying to find out whether Teddy's claims are real. It's not until the makeshift prom that Max and Astrid realize the truth. It's been right in front of their faces the whole time. After their final attempt at freedom goes as planned, Max, Astrid, Teddy, and their friends are out of the institution. But they won't be forgotten, as the epilogue gives a glimpse into what will happen in Tunnelville.
I really enjoyed this book! I found myself laughing out loud a lot at the teens' conversations and interactions with each other. The beginning was a little slow, and it took me awhile to get into the story. But once they meet Teddy, it picks up. All of their talk about powers and visions had me wondering if it wasn't just all in their minds. I was really surprised with the ending, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! :)
March 3, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
WAKEFIELD is told from the alternating points of view of Astrid and Max, two new patients who end up crossing paths and becoming friends. I was pleasantly surprised to find out there was a wide variety of characters who were more involved in the story than I thought they would be.
Astrid and Max didn't seem like they belonged in Wakefield, especially Max - I couldn't figure out if there really was a misunderstanding or if he was in denial of some issues. Later, the pieces began to fall into place.
I liked both Astrid and Max. I hated it when Max was tormented by his roommate. I wanted him to stand up for himself so many times! Astrid is perceptive, and I admired that she stood up for Laura against a staff member. That took courage because that staff member could have retaliated against her.
Teddy was always a mystery even before he begins talking about his powers. When he told Max he can see his words as different colors, I wanted Max to believe him because I could already sense there was more to the story than what was on the surface. And because I knew I was reading a paranormal story, lol.
There seemed something "off" about Dr. Lycen to me even before patients began complaining about him. I could just imagine him hypnotizing a patient to get what he wants. Two staff members, one male and one female, were just evil to some of the patients. I was impressed Astrid stood up to the female staff member when she noticed unnecessarily rough treatment of Laura.
My only complaint is that it took a while to get to the paranormal aspect of the story (unless I missed clues before then?), but other than that, WAKEFIELD is well written with believable characters. I liked the paranormal twist involving a residential treatment facility. I've never read a story like this before. There were pop culture references I thought were fun, too. I'm looking forward to the next installment!
WAKEFIELD is told from the alternating points of view of Astrid and Max, two new patients who end up crossing paths and becoming friends. I was pleasantly surprised to find out there was a wide variety of characters who were more involved in the story than I thought they would be.
Astrid and Max didn't seem like they belonged in Wakefield, especially Max - I couldn't figure out if there really was a misunderstanding or if he was in denial of some issues. Later, the pieces began to fall into place.
I liked both Astrid and Max. I hated it when Max was tormented by his roommate. I wanted him to stand up for himself so many times! Astrid is perceptive, and I admired that she stood up for Laura against a staff member. That took courage because that staff member could have retaliated against her.
Teddy was always a mystery even before he begins talking about his powers. When he told Max he can see his words as different colors, I wanted Max to believe him because I could already sense there was more to the story than what was on the surface. And because I knew I was reading a paranormal story, lol.
There seemed something "off" about Dr. Lycen to me even before patients began complaining about him. I could just imagine him hypnotizing a patient to get what he wants. Two staff members, one male and one female, were just evil to some of the patients. I was impressed Astrid stood up to the female staff member when she noticed unnecessarily rough treatment of Laura.
My only complaint is that it took a while to get to the paranormal aspect of the story (unless I missed clues before then?), but other than that, WAKEFIELD is well written with believable characters. I liked the paranormal twist involving a residential treatment facility. I've never read a story like this before. There were pop culture references I thought were fun, too. I'm looking forward to the next installment!
January 4, 2015
Wow! This book definitely deserves a wow. This is the kind of book that people could either love or hate, as the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads reflect (it got very mixed reviews). But I - loved it! I don't know why, but I have always loved books that take place at - prisons, institutions, or boarding schools.
This book was crazy. You start out with a couple of teens entering the institution. The chapters take turns between several people but does focus mainly on two - Astrid and Max. I love when books do this, it really lets you get to know each of the characters better. I loved Astrid! I loved everything about her. Max, I wasn't too sure of, he was OK I just didn't love him at first. He did grow on me later though.
The character development was excellent all through the book. Even though focus on the characters kept changing they all stayed true to their individual personalities.
So - the book starts out in this "teen crazy home", it all seems kind of "normal" for a while. Then stuff starts to happen. And while I will not ruin the story for you, lets just say the paranormal $hit hits the fan!
This is a fun, crazy, and almost heartwarming (the way they make friends and support each other) story. When I read a book that makes me think "Wow, I can't wait to read the next book!" that's when I know it was good!
This book was crazy. You start out with a couple of teens entering the institution. The chapters take turns between several people but does focus mainly on two - Astrid and Max. I love when books do this, it really lets you get to know each of the characters better. I loved Astrid! I loved everything about her. Max, I wasn't too sure of, he was OK I just didn't love him at first. He did grow on me later though.
The character development was excellent all through the book. Even though focus on the characters kept changing they all stayed true to their individual personalities.
So - the book starts out in this "teen crazy home", it all seems kind of "normal" for a while. Then stuff starts to happen. And while I will not ruin the story for you, lets just say the paranormal $hit hits the fan!
This is a fun, crazy, and almost heartwarming (the way they make friends and support each other) story. When I read a book that makes me think "Wow, I can't wait to read the next book!" that's when I know it was good!
September 1, 2016
Wakefield by Erin Callahan & Troy H. Gardner is told from the differing perspectives of several of the main characters, and is a tightly written (and well edited) tale of teenage residents in the Newton wing of the mysterious psychiatric treatment facility, Wakefield. The story begins as we are introduced to the facility's students and staff members upon the arrival of its two newest residents: Astrid Chalke & Max Fisher.
There is mystery, teenage angst, paranormal/magical elements, superpowers, and even the budding of teenage romance: all the makings for a very engaging story and an enticing start to the Mad World series.
Action and mystery begin immediately and the back stories of the characters are slowly revealed so the reader learns and feels the heartbreak and circumstances that led to the children’s placement at Wakefield. I found I developed a definite investment in the characters as story progressed: even for those that I didn’t view very sympathetically at the start.The story closes at a great jumping off place for the second book in the series, Tunnelville. I enjoyed Wakefield so much that Tunnelville is now on my “To Read” list.
February 9, 2014
**Disclaimer - I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
I was absolutely stunned by the quality with which this book was written. Truly. The dialogue is snappy and smart. The narrative and descriptions are lovely and gorgeously worded. The writing drew me in time and time again.
The reason why this book is a 3 instead of 4 star read for me is the story pacing. I found myself completely invested in most of the characters - cheering them on and wishing them their comeuppance when needed. But I wanted the story to progress more quickly so that I could get to the meat of the story and watch these characters I already cared about, deal with the burgeoning magic at hand instead of just ignoring it or wishing it out of existence.
I would have also loved some additional world building and background for the characters themselves so that we could look at and be a part of their lives from a broader perspective than just the mental hospital.
I am thoroughly intrigued by this story however, and am grateful to the author for the chance to read and review this wonderful book and I will look forward to picking up the next one!
I was absolutely stunned by the quality with which this book was written. Truly. The dialogue is snappy and smart. The narrative and descriptions are lovely and gorgeously worded. The writing drew me in time and time again.
The reason why this book is a 3 instead of 4 star read for me is the story pacing. I found myself completely invested in most of the characters - cheering them on and wishing them their comeuppance when needed. But I wanted the story to progress more quickly so that I could get to the meat of the story and watch these characters I already cared about, deal with the burgeoning magic at hand instead of just ignoring it or wishing it out of existence.
I would have also loved some additional world building and background for the characters themselves so that we could look at and be a part of their lives from a broader perspective than just the mental hospital.
I am thoroughly intrigued by this story however, and am grateful to the author for the chance to read and review this wonderful book and I will look forward to picking up the next one!
August 2, 2013
I liked this book a lot. It was rather fast paced and a quick read. I like how as you read more and more little bits kept coming together and you had to work at putting pieces together. I liked that about it you could read it for what it was and also read into it and discover more and more of a big story. I enjoyed the characters, and the story line. Made you love them. I liked how there was different point of views as the chapters. I couldn't wait to read the next book to put the whole story together.
January 30, 2014
I was given this book as an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wakefield was a fun read that keeps you wanting more from beginning to ending. With multiple character view points, it keeps you entertained and never bored. Astrid, Max, Teddy, Jon a.k.a Azrael,Simon and many more fun - dysfunctional characters make the book worth reading.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the woo's of teenage angst mixed with true bad guys, and kids with paranormal abilities all trying to figure the other one out.
Wakefield was a fun read that keeps you wanting more from beginning to ending. With multiple character view points, it keeps you entertained and never bored. Astrid, Max, Teddy, Jon a.k.a Azrael,Simon and many more fun - dysfunctional characters make the book worth reading.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the woo's of teenage angst mixed with true bad guys, and kids with paranormal abilities all trying to figure the other one out.
June 7, 2013
This book was very interesting! It is written in the pov of the two main characters. I liked all of the characters as they were well developed. I am waiting for the second book in this series called "Tunnelville" and hope it's coming soon! This book left me wanting more and wondering what Max and Astrid will do next!
July 18, 2013
I was so excited to read this book and the sequel Tunnelville. I’ve read other similar books where teens are “institutionalized” only to discover later they have special talents/gifts, and I wanted to see how this series developed. The two main characters Max and Astrid are forced into a mental institution without real explanations of the rationale behind this action. Both are orphans, Max “apparently tried to kill himself” and Astrid is extremely logical and analytical and apparently asked too many questions around her Aunt, so she is shipped off to Wakefield as well. Both try hard to fit in, but how do you fit into a “crazy ward” when you’re actually sane? Wakefield isn’t all it seems either. While most of the patients do have bi-polar, schizophrenia, anxiety, etc some actually believe they have “superpowers”. How are Astrid and Max supposed to believe anyone when everything does sound truly crazy?
I think the author did an excellent job of fleshing out the characters in Wakefield, especially the main characters of Max, Terry, Astrid, Simon, Azrael, and Ally. Also the adults, Eduardo, Dr. Lycen, Anthony and Clarisse. You either liked the characters or hated them. I’ve worked in the medical field for over a decade and in these types institutions, so I found the characters to be relatable (unfortunately even the sadistic ones). While I enjoyed getting to know the characters, it took about 90% of the book before any real action happened. The mundane everyday routines took up the majority of the book. Yes, the teens did try to escape at one point, but that was glossed over in a few pages. The ending was where the characters and readers began to get a smidgen of an idea of what was happening. The book ended with a slight cliff hanger, but nothing earth shattering.
If I had downloaded this for free, I wouldn’t have bothered to get the second book since the pacing of this book was so slow. However, I already had the second book and I dove right into it. It was more interesting than Wakefield, but you’ll have to read the review for Tunnelville to find out anything else.
Pros: Intriguing concept *****SPOILER ALERT-I liked that not all of the kids had superpowers, it set this book apart from others in the same genre*****END SPOILER ALERT, I liked that it dealt not only with superpowers/magic but also real mental health issues because it gave the characters more depth and had the reader discerning fact from fiction. Callahan is very good at fleshing out her characters which definitely drew me into the story.
Cons: The pacing of this storyline was incredibly slow. Both Wakefield and Tunnelville could easily be fit into 1 book. The plot isn’t moved forward by most of the pages and interactions between characters, it simply seemed to fill up space. At the end of book one the reader discovers something much larger than just Wakefield is involved, however even that isn’t fleshed out in the 2nd book.
In my opinion, Callahan has true creativity and the ability to create wonderful characters. However, I think she will need to work on the storyline of her books to keep her readers engaged. The pacing in both books is very slow and the secrets of H.G. need to be explored and brought to the forefront so the characters are actually doing something proactive.
That's just my opinion though, others may love this book.
I think the author did an excellent job of fleshing out the characters in Wakefield, especially the main characters of Max, Terry, Astrid, Simon, Azrael, and Ally. Also the adults, Eduardo, Dr. Lycen, Anthony and Clarisse. You either liked the characters or hated them. I’ve worked in the medical field for over a decade and in these types institutions, so I found the characters to be relatable (unfortunately even the sadistic ones). While I enjoyed getting to know the characters, it took about 90% of the book before any real action happened. The mundane everyday routines took up the majority of the book. Yes, the teens did try to escape at one point, but that was glossed over in a few pages. The ending was where the characters and readers began to get a smidgen of an idea of what was happening. The book ended with a slight cliff hanger, but nothing earth shattering.
If I had downloaded this for free, I wouldn’t have bothered to get the second book since the pacing of this book was so slow. However, I already had the second book and I dove right into it. It was more interesting than Wakefield, but you’ll have to read the review for Tunnelville to find out anything else.
Pros: Intriguing concept *****SPOILER ALERT-I liked that not all of the kids had superpowers, it set this book apart from others in the same genre*****END SPOILER ALERT, I liked that it dealt not only with superpowers/magic but also real mental health issues because it gave the characters more depth and had the reader discerning fact from fiction. Callahan is very good at fleshing out her characters which definitely drew me into the story.
Cons: The pacing of this storyline was incredibly slow. Both Wakefield and Tunnelville could easily be fit into 1 book. The plot isn’t moved forward by most of the pages and interactions between characters, it simply seemed to fill up space. At the end of book one the reader discovers something much larger than just Wakefield is involved, however even that isn’t fleshed out in the 2nd book.
In my opinion, Callahan has true creativity and the ability to create wonderful characters. However, I think she will need to work on the storyline of her books to keep her readers engaged. The pacing in both books is very slow and the secrets of H.G. need to be explored and brought to the forefront so the characters are actually doing something proactive.
That's just my opinion though, others may love this book.
March 17, 2014
I was given this to read for a book tour and I appreciate it. I was excited to sign up for it because it took place at a Mental Health Center inpatient unit and me, being a Psychiatric RN, thought it may be interesting, or atleast good. It was neither.
I was 40 percent into the book before something interesting happened. The main kids that were detained at Wakefield had no depth to them at all. Sure you had your suicide attempts, your cutters, your kids that thought they were vampires. But it did not go past that. In fact the
only TINY bit of information you got was out of the two main characters Max and Astrid. You got a little of their home life and background through conversations they had with each other.
So at 40 percent into the book you find out that some of the side effects (and I am not going to spoil it) that the kids were experiencing was coming from this drug that the head Psychiatrist Dr. Lycen was prescribing to what it seemed like were only certain kids. You think things are going to get interesting when you find out about this medication, but they do not.
Life at Wakefield continues on. There is an attempt to break out by some of the kids. And some other weird things happen after that, if developed more or organized better, this book would have been better.
There was an event at the end and it was a mess. This "explanation": of what kids had been wondering about, dreaming of, or feeling their whole time at Wakefield made no sense at all. I was lost and it was not interesting or as scary which is what I thought the author intended this part of the book to be.
93 percent of the way in, everything was finally explained. It was interesting for a little bit to finally find out this information. It was a great concept but the writing was horrible. I think with better writing this would have been a great book and is a great idea once you find out what is going on.
That being said it definitely fell flat for me. The pacing was off even though it built toward nothing. The character development - there was none. This book I hope is not a series because it was bad.
I was surprised to find out that one of the authors "took a job as a case manager at a residential facility similar to the one featured in Wakefield". I do not want to be rude but sometimes case managers do not spend the time that the RNs and other staff spend with the kids and therefore only see things on the surface, as in this book. Which I know is fiction but then do not refer to it from the standpoint of something tangible.
I do not even think any magical powers would have saved this book. But you can save yourself and read another book.
I was 40 percent into the book before something interesting happened. The main kids that were detained at Wakefield had no depth to them at all. Sure you had your suicide attempts, your cutters, your kids that thought they were vampires. But it did not go past that. In fact the
only TINY bit of information you got was out of the two main characters Max and Astrid. You got a little of their home life and background through conversations they had with each other.
So at 40 percent into the book you find out that some of the side effects (and I am not going to spoil it) that the kids were experiencing was coming from this drug that the head Psychiatrist Dr. Lycen was prescribing to what it seemed like were only certain kids. You think things are going to get interesting when you find out about this medication, but they do not.
Life at Wakefield continues on. There is an attempt to break out by some of the kids. And some other weird things happen after that, if developed more or organized better, this book would have been better.
There was an event at the end and it was a mess. This "explanation": of what kids had been wondering about, dreaming of, or feeling their whole time at Wakefield made no sense at all. I was lost and it was not interesting or as scary which is what I thought the author intended this part of the book to be.
93 percent of the way in, everything was finally explained. It was interesting for a little bit to finally find out this information. It was a great concept but the writing was horrible. I think with better writing this would have been a great book and is a great idea once you find out what is going on.
That being said it definitely fell flat for me. The pacing was off even though it built toward nothing. The character development - there was none. This book I hope is not a series because it was bad.
I was surprised to find out that one of the authors "took a job as a case manager at a residential facility similar to the one featured in Wakefield". I do not want to be rude but sometimes case managers do not spend the time that the RNs and other staff spend with the kids and therefore only see things on the surface, as in this book. Which I know is fiction but then do not refer to it from the standpoint of something tangible.
I do not even think any magical powers would have saved this book. But you can save yourself and read another book.
May 20, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was an interesting start to this series. We have your two main characters, Astrid and Max. Astrid was very annoying. She is supposed to be sixteen and thinks she all worldly because she listen no NPR and "cares" about what is going on in the world. Then she gets mad at other kids because they like to read cosmopolitan and not about more series stuff. I can understand about wanting to be informed about the world you live in and everything but man she just thought that she was sooo smart and cool and was very judgmental about what the other kids thought if it didn't mesh with what she thought they should care about. I just wanted to slap her. She wouldn't call one of the characters in the book by the name he wanted to be called by just because she thought it was stupid. Hell if it made the other kid happy why should she care?! It wasn't her name. Anyway she didn't show any personal growth throughout this book. Then there is Max. He was ok. Nothing special about him. My favorite character in the book was Azrael aka Jon. He was soo cute and all about vampires and being one. He was obsessed with it but that's what was endearing about him. Even though everyone else made fun of him and it hurt his feelings and what not he still believed with all his heart and soul that vampires were real and that he was one of them.
The plot of the this story was very slow coming. It took forever to get to the good stuff and then it was over. The mystery of what was going on was good though. It made me want to keep reading to see if the kids did have powers or if they were just crazy. I wish there was a little more back story as to what happened to each kid and how they got sent to the mental facility but alas that didn't happen. The just touched on it briefly. But despite all of these things I really did enjoy the book and can't wait to find out what happens in book 2.
This book was an interesting start to this series. We have your two main characters, Astrid and Max. Astrid was very annoying. She is supposed to be sixteen and thinks she all worldly because she listen no NPR and "cares" about what is going on in the world. Then she gets mad at other kids because they like to read cosmopolitan and not about more series stuff. I can understand about wanting to be informed about the world you live in and everything but man she just thought that she was sooo smart and cool and was very judgmental about what the other kids thought if it didn't mesh with what she thought they should care about. I just wanted to slap her. She wouldn't call one of the characters in the book by the name he wanted to be called by just because she thought it was stupid. Hell if it made the other kid happy why should she care?! It wasn't her name. Anyway she didn't show any personal growth throughout this book. Then there is Max. He was ok. Nothing special about him. My favorite character in the book was Azrael aka Jon. He was soo cute and all about vampires and being one. He was obsessed with it but that's what was endearing about him. Even though everyone else made fun of him and it hurt his feelings and what not he still believed with all his heart and soul that vampires were real and that he was one of them.
The plot of the this story was very slow coming. It took forever to get to the good stuff and then it was over. The mystery of what was going on was good though. It made me want to keep reading to see if the kids did have powers or if they were just crazy. I wish there was a little more back story as to what happened to each kid and how they got sent to the mental facility but alas that didn't happen. The just touched on it briefly. But despite all of these things I really did enjoy the book and can't wait to find out what happens in book 2.
January 21, 2014
Author's Hand down
First of all thanks to Shut up and read community and the authors for lending me a copy to read.
The book is a mixed emotion for me as i still don't know whether the book was good enough for me or was an awkward experience .
what i liked in the book is the fact that the authors (since its a combined effort of two authors)has maintained an easy breeze throughout the story and i would not go far as to say that it was engaging but would definitely say that it was interesting. This is a completely different genre and perhaps is not up for everybody's taking and because i m fresh to this genre, i may have not been able to sweep in the concept fully and that is why i have the below reasons for not liking the book so
what i did not like in the book is the fact that the book goes in a straight pace and does not actually brings anything interesting until you reach the end and for me the end was the worst since it was like a building up of something interesting and suddenly everything goes poof... i m still evaluating as to what really happened
I would admit that the book till before its end goes in a smooth flow without anything major happening and then suddenly in the end it seems that everything happens in a blink of an eye and suddenly the story ends without even explaining as to what happened or perhaps i was too slow to grab on it but it was the end that did not work for me for an otherwise ok book
The book drags at a constant pace and without anything much happening and suddenly everything happens too fast and that too in a blur that you don't even realize that the story has ended and what exactly happened.
First of all thanks to Shut up and read community and the authors for lending me a copy to read.
The book is a mixed emotion for me as i still don't know whether the book was good enough for me or was an awkward experience .
what i liked in the book is the fact that the authors (since its a combined effort of two authors)has maintained an easy breeze throughout the story and i would not go far as to say that it was engaging but would definitely say that it was interesting. This is a completely different genre and perhaps is not up for everybody's taking and because i m fresh to this genre, i may have not been able to sweep in the concept fully and that is why i have the below reasons for not liking the book so
what i did not like in the book is the fact that the book goes in a straight pace and does not actually brings anything interesting until you reach the end and for me the end was the worst since it was like a building up of something interesting and suddenly everything goes poof... i m still evaluating as to what really happened
I would admit that the book till before its end goes in a smooth flow without anything major happening and then suddenly in the end it seems that everything happens in a blink of an eye and suddenly the story ends without even explaining as to what happened or perhaps i was too slow to grab on it but it was the end that did not work for me for an otherwise ok book
The book drags at a constant pace and without anything much happening and suddenly everything happens too fast and that too in a blur that you don't even realize that the story has ended and what exactly happened.
February 4, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I first read about this book I thought i would be great but when I started reading I was really critical about this book. It felt boring and awful. The environment descriptions made me think of a hospital and it was hard to think of the people in action as normal looking and thinking. But when I came into the story I liked it. It's a few things I thought was bad and a few things I thought was great that I want to tell about.
Bad things:
In the beginning the book was too tedious. It took much time before something exciting happened. But it got OK after half of the book, maybe a little earlier.
It wasn't really my type of book and since it's not so exciting I felt more like I had to read it so I could do this review instead of wanting to read it.
Great things:
a bit into the book, things started to get exciting.
I liked almost all characters except for Astrid and Teddy, they was okay but a little to much. Astrid cared about the others too much and Teddy was her opposite, he cared too little.
I liked the end, it was exciting, even though I don't really liked the book( I don't think it was my kind of book...), the end made me want to know what happened to the main characters. Especially when I'd read the epilogue...
When I first read about this book I thought i would be great but when I started reading I was really critical about this book. It felt boring and awful. The environment descriptions made me think of a hospital and it was hard to think of the people in action as normal looking and thinking. But when I came into the story I liked it. It's a few things I thought was bad and a few things I thought was great that I want to tell about.
Bad things:
In the beginning the book was too tedious. It took much time before something exciting happened. But it got OK after half of the book, maybe a little earlier.
It wasn't really my type of book and since it's not so exciting I felt more like I had to read it so I could do this review instead of wanting to read it.
Great things:
a bit into the book, things started to get exciting.
I liked almost all characters except for Astrid and Teddy, they was okay but a little to much. Astrid cared about the others too much and Teddy was her opposite, he cared too little.
I liked the end, it was exciting, even though I don't really liked the book( I don't think it was my kind of book...), the end made me want to know what happened to the main characters. Especially when I'd read the epilogue...
February 8, 2014
I was given this book in order of an honest review.
I would like to thank the authors for the opportunity to read it.
"Wakefield" This book is about a group of 'problematic' teens who have a wide range of issues including some with mental health conditions.
I loved the idea behind the book - is all as it seems with the teens or do some have superpowers that need to be suppressed? The description pulled me in and made me want to read it.
However, I'm sorry to say I really didn't enjoy the book. I'm not sure if it was setting the scene for book two or not but I found it to be very slow. I sat reading it willing for something to happen but it just didn't meet my expectations. I feel that the book has focused more on what an institution such as Wakefield is like instead of a story, too much time was spent explaining things of little value to the story.
The book does go into the characters and they're a likeable group of teens. As for the staff you can imagine some of the staff in the book to be similar those in the real world.
For me the book lacked the ability to grip me and pull me in to the story as other books I have read have.
Will I be reading book two? I'm afraid not!! The style of writing is not for me.
I wish the authors all the best for their future books.
Thanks
Linzi
I would like to thank the authors for the opportunity to read it.
"Wakefield" This book is about a group of 'problematic' teens who have a wide range of issues including some with mental health conditions.
I loved the idea behind the book - is all as it seems with the teens or do some have superpowers that need to be suppressed? The description pulled me in and made me want to read it.
However, I'm sorry to say I really didn't enjoy the book. I'm not sure if it was setting the scene for book two or not but I found it to be very slow. I sat reading it willing for something to happen but it just didn't meet my expectations. I feel that the book has focused more on what an institution such as Wakefield is like instead of a story, too much time was spent explaining things of little value to the story.
The book does go into the characters and they're a likeable group of teens. As for the staff you can imagine some of the staff in the book to be similar those in the real world.
For me the book lacked the ability to grip me and pull me in to the story as other books I have read have.
Will I be reading book two? I'm afraid not!! The style of writing is not for me.
I wish the authors all the best for their future books.
Thanks
Linzi
January 29, 2014
I received a free copy of Wakefield in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this story is definitely intriguing - teens with psychiatric and behavioral problems are sent to live at Wakefield, a special residential and educational facility. The teens, however, discover that not only the lead psychiatrist is conducting a secret, perhaps even illegal clinical study on certain patients, but also that some of them may have unusual and unexplainable abilities.
The book, however, falls short in two areas. First is the voice. The book is narrated by several characters, mainly by a 16-year-old teenage girl Astrid and by a teenage boy Max. I found Astrid's voice/narration sounding more like a parent rather than a 16-year-old because of references to the 50's, 80's, and things kids her age would not know anything about or would not care to mention. Even though the book had two main narrators, their voices were not as distinguishable as they could have.
The second problem was the pace of the story. The first 300 plus pages were slow and not much happened until the last 50 or so pages where kids had powers, ghosts of former residents appeared, and a fight ensued after which some teens escaped. The end did not resolve or explain very much.
The book, however, falls short in two areas. First is the voice. The book is narrated by several characters, mainly by a 16-year-old teenage girl Astrid and by a teenage boy Max. I found Astrid's voice/narration sounding more like a parent rather than a 16-year-old because of references to the 50's, 80's, and things kids her age would not know anything about or would not care to mention. Even though the book had two main narrators, their voices were not as distinguishable as they could have.
The second problem was the pace of the story. The first 300 plus pages were slow and not much happened until the last 50 or so pages where kids had powers, ghosts of former residents appeared, and a fight ensued after which some teens escaped. The end did not resolve or explain very much.
July 13, 2016
*I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for sharing my honest opinion*
I was so happy when I heard about this book. Not only did Wakefield sound really unique, it had that spooky undertone just to the synopsis that let me know that when I read it I was going to be in for one heck of a ride.
The book begins and gives us a nice, solid backstory that really sets the tone for the whole book, and then along the way you meet the most interesting cast of characters I’ve ever read about. I feel like it takes a lot to give characters distinct personalities, and to do that with this group must of been even more of a challenge but the authors did it perfectly. I felt, at times, like I was genuinely part of the story and the little twists and turns kept me on edge from start to finish. I’ve read other reviews and some seem to think that at times Wakefield can go a little slow, but for me the pacing was perfect–it added a nice suspenseful tone that had me anxiously turning pages to get to that wonderfully written conclusion(and looking forward to getting my hands on book two!).
Overall, I recommend Wakefield for all readers that like to step out the norm and read something really interesting and just a really good story!
I was so happy when I heard about this book. Not only did Wakefield sound really unique, it had that spooky undertone just to the synopsis that let me know that when I read it I was going to be in for one heck of a ride.
The book begins and gives us a nice, solid backstory that really sets the tone for the whole book, and then along the way you meet the most interesting cast of characters I’ve ever read about. I feel like it takes a lot to give characters distinct personalities, and to do that with this group must of been even more of a challenge but the authors did it perfectly. I felt, at times, like I was genuinely part of the story and the little twists and turns kept me on edge from start to finish. I’ve read other reviews and some seem to think that at times Wakefield can go a little slow, but for me the pacing was perfect–it added a nice suspenseful tone that had me anxiously turning pages to get to that wonderfully written conclusion(and looking forward to getting my hands on book two!).
Overall, I recommend Wakefield for all readers that like to step out the norm and read something really interesting and just a really good story!
May 22, 2013
I received this book for free for an honest review, so here goes nothing....
"Wakefield" takes place at the Wakefield Residentual and Educational Treatment Facility for troubled or mentally unstable youth.
This book is written in Point of View of Astrid Chalke and Max Fisher. At various points in the story other background characters lend their pov.
The storyline is slow, but they do get its point across. "Wakefield" tells the story of troubled and mentally unstable teens thrust into an environment they have no control over. Some need to be their, others clearly don't. What actually comes of this story are young a adults who actually have supernatural powers, but are made to look like they are mentally unstabled so they can become "lab rats" for a drug being tested by a pharmaceutical company. It isn't until the end(which took some effort to stay with the story that long) that these powers actually manifest themselves and the other background characters are starting to believe their friends are telling the truth, and not really crazy.
It does seem that the issues were thouroughly researched and well described.
"Wakefield" takes place at the Wakefield Residentual and Educational Treatment Facility for troubled or mentally unstable youth.
This book is written in Point of View of Astrid Chalke and Max Fisher. At various points in the story other background characters lend their pov.
The storyline is slow, but they do get its point across. "Wakefield" tells the story of troubled and mentally unstable teens thrust into an environment they have no control over. Some need to be their, others clearly don't. What actually comes of this story are young a adults who actually have supernatural powers, but are made to look like they are mentally unstabled so they can become "lab rats" for a drug being tested by a pharmaceutical company. It isn't until the end(which took some effort to stay with the story that long) that these powers actually manifest themselves and the other background characters are starting to believe their friends are telling the truth, and not really crazy.
It does seem that the issues were thouroughly researched and well described.
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