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Straightjacket
Sometimes a match made in heaven begins in hell. Eighteen-year-old Anna has lived her whole life in shame, losing herself in books to cope with crippling panic attacks triggered by her abusive parents. Forced into a psychiatric hospital, she can't imagine a future that's anything but bleak--until she meets Caleb, a gifted, 19-year-old artist who insists he's an angel. He swears his mission is to help Anna break free from her parents' control and fulfill a destiny she can only dream of. The doctors, however, are convinced that Caleb is delusional. Anna doesn't want to be that girl who's in love with the guy "with issues," but when she sees his stunning portraits of her and the way he risks everything to keep her safe, she can't help but imagine a new future for the two of them, filled with hope. Then just as it seems they've created heaven on earth, Caleb's past emerges full force, threatening to destroy their tiny, blissful world. And Anna has to decide if she should follow her heart, or if Caleb's really as troubled as his doctors say...
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2013
1 person is currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Towbin
1 book21 followersMeredith Towbin writes dark contemporary young adult fiction. Her first novel, STRAIGHTJACKET, explores teen mental illness.
Before she wrote fiction for teens, she taught them all about English lit in the classroom. Later she edited textbooks and wrote review workbooks for, once again, all those lucky teens.
These experiences, along with her own vivid memories of being an awkward teenager, provide material for her works in progress.
Before she wrote fiction for teens, she taught them all about English lit in the classroom. Later she edited textbooks and wrote review workbooks for, once again, all those lucky teens.
These experiences, along with her own vivid memories of being an awkward teenager, provide material for her works in progress.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 14, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Etopia Press.)
18-year-old Anna has been stuck in a mental rehabilitation hospital by her parents after trying to kill herself. She only wishes that she had succeeded and gotten away from them. Anna’s parents are truly nasty to her, and rather than be concerned that she tried to kill herself, they are more interested in getting an apology from her for inconveniencing them!
19-year-old Caleb is stuck in the same institute as Anna. He believes that he is an angel, and during stupors his minds visits heaven, and he talks with a guide called Samuel.
Samuel tells Caleb that his mission is to get Anna away from her parents, and that this is what he should be concentrating on whilst on earth.
The trouble is that the more time Caleb spends with Anna, the more he realises that he is actually falling in love with her.
Discharging themselves from the hospital, Anna and Caleb run away and start spending what they hope will be the rest of their lives together. But things are never that simple when you’re an angel.
Caleb can’t just ignore his mission no matter what his feelings are towards Anna.
Can Caleb and Anna really be together? What will tear them apart first? And is Caleb really an angel?
This book was an enjoyable read, but the ending is going to bug me for a long time.
Anyone who has read one of my reviews before knows about my pet hate of non-endings, and incomplete storylines. While I appreciate that in real life things don’t always tie up neatly, I hate to be left hanging, and when major storylines are left open for the reader to make up their own minds about what really happened, it just kills me.
I have to say this, although you may think this a bit of a spoiler, look away if you don’t want to know, but at the end of this book, we have no evidence as to whether Caleb is really an angel, or if this is just a delusion; and he really is mentally ill. All we have is his word for it, and although the story does end, this question is still not answered! I suppose there are small indicators to the answer, but nothing concrete.
Other than this niggle I enjoyed this book. I liked the romance between Anna and Caleb, and funnily enough I even liked the trying to guess whether Caleb was really an angel, or a delusional mental health patient.
Anna and Caleb were both solid characters, and they interacted well, both with each other and the other characters. I liked how they both had problems, and how they both tried to be in charge of their own destiny’s, and how their mental health problems were treated seriously.
Anna’s parents were truly foul human beings, and I hope that they get what is coming to them. I could not believe how awful these people were, and I felt so sorry for Anna and the way they had treated her growing up, and how they continued to bully and manipulate her even at age 18.
I think one of my favourite points of this book was quite early on though, during a group therapy session, when one of the other patients started talking about her unicorn, and how it couldn’t visit her in wet weather ‘cause it would melt. I have to say that this was laugh-out-loud funny, and I really liked that bit!
The romance angle of the story was really well done. I thought that Caleb and Anna were so sweet together, and I loved the way they spoke to each other, and how they supported each other, even when there was the possibility that the other was actually nuts. I liked how they both had insecurities, and fears, and managed to work through them together. I also have to applaud the author for allowing her characters to consummate their relationship, even though this is a young adult book. I am so sick of characters who want to wait until they’re married – get real. I will just reassure any parents out there that although Caleb and Anna do consummate their relationship, there are no sex scenes or anything more than kissing detailed in this book.
I liked the storyline, although I expected to hear a little more about what Caleb’s mission was – we were told that he had to get Anna away from her parents, but not much else. I sort-of expected to find out more about why Anna was special, or where her life was supposed to take her, or just something, but the second half of the book focused mainly on Anna and Caleb’s relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy this book, and I thought that it was well written, if these few niggles could have been ironed out, this would have been really good. I would definitely be interested in reading the author’s next book, and I seriously want there to be a sequel to this book so that I can find out more about Anna and Caleb!
Overall; if you like angel stories, or stories about mental illness, and don’t mind a bit of uncertainty at the end, then you’ll probably appreciate this book. I just hope there’s a sequel!
7 out of 10.
18-year-old Anna has been stuck in a mental rehabilitation hospital by her parents after trying to kill herself. She only wishes that she had succeeded and gotten away from them. Anna’s parents are truly nasty to her, and rather than be concerned that she tried to kill herself, they are more interested in getting an apology from her for inconveniencing them!
19-year-old Caleb is stuck in the same institute as Anna. He believes that he is an angel, and during stupors his minds visits heaven, and he talks with a guide called Samuel.
Samuel tells Caleb that his mission is to get Anna away from her parents, and that this is what he should be concentrating on whilst on earth.
The trouble is that the more time Caleb spends with Anna, the more he realises that he is actually falling in love with her.
Discharging themselves from the hospital, Anna and Caleb run away and start spending what they hope will be the rest of their lives together. But things are never that simple when you’re an angel.
Caleb can’t just ignore his mission no matter what his feelings are towards Anna.
Can Caleb and Anna really be together? What will tear them apart first? And is Caleb really an angel?
This book was an enjoyable read, but the ending is going to bug me for a long time.
Anyone who has read one of my reviews before knows about my pet hate of non-endings, and incomplete storylines. While I appreciate that in real life things don’t always tie up neatly, I hate to be left hanging, and when major storylines are left open for the reader to make up their own minds about what really happened, it just kills me.
I have to say this, although you may think this a bit of a spoiler, look away if you don’t want to know, but at the end of this book, we have no evidence as to whether Caleb is really an angel, or if this is just a delusion; and he really is mentally ill. All we have is his word for it, and although the story does end, this question is still not answered! I suppose there are small indicators to the answer, but nothing concrete.
Other than this niggle I enjoyed this book. I liked the romance between Anna and Caleb, and funnily enough I even liked the trying to guess whether Caleb was really an angel, or a delusional mental health patient.
Anna and Caleb were both solid characters, and they interacted well, both with each other and the other characters. I liked how they both had problems, and how they both tried to be in charge of their own destiny’s, and how their mental health problems were treated seriously.
Anna’s parents were truly foul human beings, and I hope that they get what is coming to them. I could not believe how awful these people were, and I felt so sorry for Anna and the way they had treated her growing up, and how they continued to bully and manipulate her even at age 18.
I think one of my favourite points of this book was quite early on though, during a group therapy session, when one of the other patients started talking about her unicorn, and how it couldn’t visit her in wet weather ‘cause it would melt. I have to say that this was laugh-out-loud funny, and I really liked that bit!
The romance angle of the story was really well done. I thought that Caleb and Anna were so sweet together, and I loved the way they spoke to each other, and how they supported each other, even when there was the possibility that the other was actually nuts. I liked how they both had insecurities, and fears, and managed to work through them together. I also have to applaud the author for allowing her characters to consummate their relationship, even though this is a young adult book. I am so sick of characters who want to wait until they’re married – get real. I will just reassure any parents out there that although Caleb and Anna do consummate their relationship, there are no sex scenes or anything more than kissing detailed in this book.
I liked the storyline, although I expected to hear a little more about what Caleb’s mission was – we were told that he had to get Anna away from her parents, but not much else. I sort-of expected to find out more about why Anna was special, or where her life was supposed to take her, or just something, but the second half of the book focused mainly on Anna and Caleb’s relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy this book, and I thought that it was well written, if these few niggles could have been ironed out, this would have been really good. I would definitely be interested in reading the author’s next book, and I seriously want there to be a sequel to this book so that I can find out more about Anna and Caleb!
Overall; if you like angel stories, or stories about mental illness, and don’t mind a bit of uncertainty at the end, then you’ll probably appreciate this book. I just hope there’s a sequel!
7 out of 10.
June 19, 2013
Anna has lived her entire life not being good enough for her abusive parents and is placed in a mental health facility after threatening suicide and suffering from severe panic attacks. Caleb is a gifted artist, diagnosed as delusional. He claims to be angel sent to help Anna fulfill her destiny, which will not happen unless she breaks free of the cycle of abuse from her parents. Both are desperately alone, Anna, starved for positive attention find Caleb's art to be beautiful, especially his drawings of her. Together they find strength and purpose, love and completion. Can it last as they face the world together? Are they strong enough to fight their inner demons or will they be torn apart?
Meredith Towbin has run full force into the dark world of mental illness, building a bleak world for her characters to live in. Both Anna and Caleb are well-developed, flawed and a little mysterious. If they had strong personalities, they wouldn't be where they were. Their weaknesses become what the reader sees, making them more life-like and believable. Their love and devotion to each other feels like a lifeline that holds their heads above water under extreme situations, giving them the strength to stand up to those outside the cocoon they have created. Ms. Towbin has allowed the reader to become involved and invested in these two characters and their story without spoon feeding an expected response! I like that, it adds to the dark feel, the unknowns about the human mind and heart.
Is this truly a paranormal romance, complete with an angel sent to Earth to change the destiny of a troubled young woman? Only the reader can decide...maybe...
Straightjacket is author Meredith Towbin's debut novel and she is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the literary world!
Goodreads Review
Publication Date: February 13, 2013
Publisher: Etopia Press
ISBN: 1939194709
Number of Pages: 219
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance/Dark YA
My Rating: 5 Stars
Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Meredith Towbin has run full force into the dark world of mental illness, building a bleak world for her characters to live in. Both Anna and Caleb are well-developed, flawed and a little mysterious. If they had strong personalities, they wouldn't be where they were. Their weaknesses become what the reader sees, making them more life-like and believable. Their love and devotion to each other feels like a lifeline that holds their heads above water under extreme situations, giving them the strength to stand up to those outside the cocoon they have created. Ms. Towbin has allowed the reader to become involved and invested in these two characters and their story without spoon feeding an expected response! I like that, it adds to the dark feel, the unknowns about the human mind and heart.
Is this truly a paranormal romance, complete with an angel sent to Earth to change the destiny of a troubled young woman? Only the reader can decide...maybe...
Straightjacket is author Meredith Towbin's debut novel and she is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the literary world!
Goodreads Review
Publication Date: February 13, 2013
Publisher: Etopia Press
ISBN: 1939194709
Number of Pages: 219
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance/Dark YA
My Rating: 5 Stars
Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
June 20, 2013
Find This and Other Reviews At Craves The Angst.
Straightjacket is a YA Romance written by Meredith Towbin. I read this as a R2R with We ♥ YA Books! As always, a special thank you to the mods and author for allowing me to participate.
4 Amazing Stars!
A beautifully twisted written love story that will keep you guessing and thinking long after the last page is read.
The Review:
Straightjacket is Meredith Towbin’s debut novel. This book totally took me by surprise and left me thinking on a deeply profound level. It raises the question of how fragile the human mind really is and can you trust what science has told you is fact or believe in a faith and a reality you are uncertain of and can’t see.
Characters...
Eighteen year old Anna is admitted to a psychiatric hospital after she threatens to kill herself. Her controlling and abusive parents have decimated her self-esteem and confidence to the point of extreme panic attacks. She is confused and on the edge of a dark abyss when we meet her. The outside world is a place she can’t cope with so she keeps to herself and spends her time absorbed in books. That is, until she meets Caleb. He’s different, he’s handsome and he can create the most stunning drawings she’s ever seen. He can see past her darkness to the light she has buried inside. Of course she can’t help but fall in love with him.
Quote Spotlight...
... All he could do now was take away some of the hurt and humiliation that had been heaped on her over the last eighteen years. He would show her what being loved meant.
Caleb is nineteen and has an important mission he has to accomplish. Sitting in a psychiatric ward, his body stiff and unmoving, his mind settles in the commons area in Heaven where his guide, Samuel, tells him he has to save the new girl, Anna. He has to convince her to live her own life away from the influence of her corrosive parents and to follow her dream of being a writer. Once he accomplishes this mission, he can come back to Heaven and stay. But when he inserts himself into her life, he never thought he’d fall in love and want to stay.
Quote Spotlight...
“I love you. That’s all you need to know about me. I love you.” - Caleb
The question is never straightforward and neither is the answer. Is Caleb mentally ill or is there something more to his time on Earth? As you follow this read and bits of his past are revealed, this one question lingers in your mind and you really get no definitive answer. So again, do you trust what science tells you is real? That the mind is a fragile thing and Caleb is mentally ill, or is he really an angel sent back to Earth on a mission to help Anna? I love that we are left questioning this. Caleb was a wonderful character. He was dark and brooding and he certainly had issues but there was always the “hope” or “chance” or whatever you want to call it that he was something more.
Quote Spotlight...
...“I’ve just been thinking about what you said, about being an angel, and it’s just, I mean... who am I to say it’s not true?” - Anna
Anna’s belief in Caleb was beautiful. She chose to keep her belief and to go with him and to take care of him as he’d taken care of her. After all she’d been through, it was a wonder she could function on any level, let alone allow Caleb to lead her to a healthy state of mind. Both of these characters are broken and struggling but together they find a sort of temporary peace.
And then... this story takes a very dark and frightening turn. Things start to spin out of control for both characters and what they believe and how they feel is tested to the extreme.
Quote Spotlight...
“...The things she loved about him were slowly slipping away. He didn’t joke around anymore and barely even smiled. A sadness was swallowing him up.
The Wrap Up:
This story was well written, unique, beautiful and tragic and left me hopeful yet heartbroken. For such a quick read, it truly packs a punch. I can’t wait to read more by this author and this book has left its imprint in my heart.
Straightjacket is a YA Romance written by Meredith Towbin. I read this as a R2R with We ♥ YA Books! As always, a special thank you to the mods and author for allowing me to participate.
4 Amazing Stars!
A beautifully twisted written love story that will keep you guessing and thinking long after the last page is read.
The Review:
Straightjacket is Meredith Towbin’s debut novel. This book totally took me by surprise and left me thinking on a deeply profound level. It raises the question of how fragile the human mind really is and can you trust what science has told you is fact or believe in a faith and a reality you are uncertain of and can’t see.
Characters...
Eighteen year old Anna is admitted to a psychiatric hospital after she threatens to kill herself. Her controlling and abusive parents have decimated her self-esteem and confidence to the point of extreme panic attacks. She is confused and on the edge of a dark abyss when we meet her. The outside world is a place she can’t cope with so she keeps to herself and spends her time absorbed in books. That is, until she meets Caleb. He’s different, he’s handsome and he can create the most stunning drawings she’s ever seen. He can see past her darkness to the light she has buried inside. Of course she can’t help but fall in love with him.
Quote Spotlight...
... All he could do now was take away some of the hurt and humiliation that had been heaped on her over the last eighteen years. He would show her what being loved meant.
Caleb is nineteen and has an important mission he has to accomplish. Sitting in a psychiatric ward, his body stiff and unmoving, his mind settles in the commons area in Heaven where his guide, Samuel, tells him he has to save the new girl, Anna. He has to convince her to live her own life away from the influence of her corrosive parents and to follow her dream of being a writer. Once he accomplishes this mission, he can come back to Heaven and stay. But when he inserts himself into her life, he never thought he’d fall in love and want to stay.
Quote Spotlight...
“I love you. That’s all you need to know about me. I love you.” - Caleb
The question is never straightforward and neither is the answer. Is Caleb mentally ill or is there something more to his time on Earth? As you follow this read and bits of his past are revealed, this one question lingers in your mind and you really get no definitive answer. So again, do you trust what science tells you is real? That the mind is a fragile thing and Caleb is mentally ill, or is he really an angel sent back to Earth on a mission to help Anna? I love that we are left questioning this. Caleb was a wonderful character. He was dark and brooding and he certainly had issues but there was always the “hope” or “chance” or whatever you want to call it that he was something more.
Quote Spotlight...
...“I’ve just been thinking about what you said, about being an angel, and it’s just, I mean... who am I to say it’s not true?” - Anna
Anna’s belief in Caleb was beautiful. She chose to keep her belief and to go with him and to take care of him as he’d taken care of her. After all she’d been through, it was a wonder she could function on any level, let alone allow Caleb to lead her to a healthy state of mind. Both of these characters are broken and struggling but together they find a sort of temporary peace.
And then... this story takes a very dark and frightening turn. Things start to spin out of control for both characters and what they believe and how they feel is tested to the extreme.
Quote Spotlight...
“...The things she loved about him were slowly slipping away. He didn’t joke around anymore and barely even smiled. A sadness was swallowing him up.
The Wrap Up:
This story was well written, unique, beautiful and tragic and left me hopeful yet heartbroken. For such a quick read, it truly packs a punch. I can’t wait to read more by this author and this book has left its imprint in my heart.
April 17, 2013
He'd rather be in the same room with her, forbidden to speak, than away from her where the pain would grow so overwhelming that he couldn't breathe. ~Caleb LOC 1441
It's been a few hours since I reached the last page of this story, and my heart is still hurting. When I read the synopsis for this book, I never once imagined it would affect me this strongly, so it completely took me by surprise when I found myself emotional over Caleb and Anna's journey. With a relatively quick read, Meredith Towbin packs an unexpected punch to the heart with this twisted and captivating story of young love and how fragile the human mind really is.
Caleb fascinated me; from his point of view we see his visits to Heaven and conversations with his guide angel Samuel, yet there is always a question in the back of your mind as to whether or not it's all his imagination. He's on earth to free Anna from the emotional and physical abuse her parents hold over her (oh, how I loathed them…if ever there were characters that deserved a torturous end, it’s these useless parents), and to help her reach her destiny. This mission would be challenging enough in any situation, but Caleb is working within the confines of a psychiatric hospital where he and Anna are seen as delusional and broken at best. I absolutely loved that Caleb and Anna met the way they did, because the setting gave the whole story this sense of bewildering suspense and uncertainty that was so unique. As for the paranormal aspect of it, I love angel stories and I adored Caleb the angel, so I was really hoping this wouldn't turn out to be a case of psychosis for this man who wore his emotions on his sleeve!
Even though the connection Caleb and Anna shared seemed a bit rushed in the beginning, the emotions developed into something believable and unshakable as they shared their lives together. What started out as infatuation became a deep love that gave Anna the strength she needed to step out from behind the shadows in her life, and what Caleb had to suffer through for her was just heartbreaking. He had to face his reality, whether a product of insanity or truly that of an angel, and it was a somber and gripping look into his fractured mind.
The change in her was all because of Caleb. He’d built her up into a woman, one who was at peace with what her mind and her body could do. She was grateful to him for that, and loved him even more for it. LOC 3154
The bittersweet ending we get with this story left part of me pleading that there was a hidden extended epilogue or a sequel in the works, but there was also a part of me that sees the beauty in the way Towbin wrote it. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll leave it at that, but I am very excited to read more from this talented author in the future!
This and other of my reviews can be found at: http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
It's been a few hours since I reached the last page of this story, and my heart is still hurting. When I read the synopsis for this book, I never once imagined it would affect me this strongly, so it completely took me by surprise when I found myself emotional over Caleb and Anna's journey. With a relatively quick read, Meredith Towbin packs an unexpected punch to the heart with this twisted and captivating story of young love and how fragile the human mind really is.
Caleb fascinated me; from his point of view we see his visits to Heaven and conversations with his guide angel Samuel, yet there is always a question in the back of your mind as to whether or not it's all his imagination. He's on earth to free Anna from the emotional and physical abuse her parents hold over her (oh, how I loathed them…if ever there were characters that deserved a torturous end, it’s these useless parents), and to help her reach her destiny. This mission would be challenging enough in any situation, but Caleb is working within the confines of a psychiatric hospital where he and Anna are seen as delusional and broken at best. I absolutely loved that Caleb and Anna met the way they did, because the setting gave the whole story this sense of bewildering suspense and uncertainty that was so unique. As for the paranormal aspect of it, I love angel stories and I adored Caleb the angel, so I was really hoping this wouldn't turn out to be a case of psychosis for this man who wore his emotions on his sleeve!
Even though the connection Caleb and Anna shared seemed a bit rushed in the beginning, the emotions developed into something believable and unshakable as they shared their lives together. What started out as infatuation became a deep love that gave Anna the strength she needed to step out from behind the shadows in her life, and what Caleb had to suffer through for her was just heartbreaking. He had to face his reality, whether a product of insanity or truly that of an angel, and it was a somber and gripping look into his fractured mind.
The change in her was all because of Caleb. He’d built her up into a woman, one who was at peace with what her mind and her body could do. She was grateful to him for that, and loved him even more for it. LOC 3154
The bittersweet ending we get with this story left part of me pleading that there was a hidden extended epilogue or a sequel in the works, but there was also a part of me that sees the beauty in the way Towbin wrote it. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll leave it at that, but I am very excited to read more from this talented author in the future!
This and other of my reviews can be found at: http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
July 15, 2013
Yay I finished! :D I had so many expectations for this book; I feel really disappointed :/ Review to come soon :)
You can find this review and others on my co-owned blog Boricuan Bookworms
Ebook copy provided by author via Goodreads.com group We <3 YA Books
I picked to read and review this book because lately I've been interested in things related to psychology and human behavior. Since this looked into mental problems with teens, I said "sure, sounds really good."
And at first it was. It's about Anna, an eighteen-year-old girl that's in a mental hospital of sorts to be treated for her panic attacks. She's lived her whole life being abused by her parents: her mom always treating her bad, and her dad following suit like a minion. So the hospital is a relief of sorts, she doesn't have to see them, but in turn she has to be around strange people with problems and talk of her feelings. And in this world, she meets Caleb, who says he's an angel sent to help her.
I loved the first parts of the story. We get to see Anna as this girl full of problems and fears, terrified of her parents and trying to cope with her surroundings. The emotions are very vivid and believable. All the characters were great and easy to remember. There's always the mystery as to what is real to Caleb. Is he an angel? Is he delusional? His character was layered first as this perfect angel trying to do his mission, but slowly into the story, he's starting to look as someone else, making you doubt alongside Anna his sanity.
The plot was good and the themes as well. But what bothered me the most was Insta-love! I don't like it when that kind of stuff is rushed in a story when it's one of the things its most focused on. The intentions were good, but rushed. And maybe this was what made me not like the rest of the plot after the first part was done.
Putting that aside, the message of the author was a good one I liked. Anna was abused by her parents, always feeling inferior. Its not an easy situation to deal with, but one that isn't impossible. Since this is a novel directed at teens with these kinds of issues, I feel that its delivered in a way that's easy to relate to and try to learn of.
Rating: 3 stars
You can find this review and others on my co-owned blog Boricuan Bookworms
Ebook copy provided by author via Goodreads.com group We <3 YA Books
I picked to read and review this book because lately I've been interested in things related to psychology and human behavior. Since this looked into mental problems with teens, I said "sure, sounds really good."
And at first it was. It's about Anna, an eighteen-year-old girl that's in a mental hospital of sorts to be treated for her panic attacks. She's lived her whole life being abused by her parents: her mom always treating her bad, and her dad following suit like a minion. So the hospital is a relief of sorts, she doesn't have to see them, but in turn she has to be around strange people with problems and talk of her feelings. And in this world, she meets Caleb, who says he's an angel sent to help her.
I loved the first parts of the story. We get to see Anna as this girl full of problems and fears, terrified of her parents and trying to cope with her surroundings. The emotions are very vivid and believable. All the characters were great and easy to remember. There's always the mystery as to what is real to Caleb. Is he an angel? Is he delusional? His character was layered first as this perfect angel trying to do his mission, but slowly into the story, he's starting to look as someone else, making you doubt alongside Anna his sanity.
The plot was good and the themes as well. But what bothered me the most was Insta-love! I don't like it when that kind of stuff is rushed in a story when it's one of the things its most focused on. The intentions were good, but rushed. And maybe this was what made me not like the rest of the plot after the first part was done.
Putting that aside, the message of the author was a good one I liked. Anna was abused by her parents, always feeling inferior. Its not an easy situation to deal with, but one that isn't impossible. Since this is a novel directed at teens with these kinds of issues, I feel that its delivered in a way that's easy to relate to and try to learn of.
Rating: 3 stars
May 16, 2013
Eighteen year old Anna has been sent to live in the loony bin after threatening to kill herself at home. Her parents are ultra oppressive and highly religious. They do not believe that young women should be touching let alone kissing boys until they are married. Anna hates her parents and would do anything to get away from them, but landing herself under the watchful eye of a psychiatric facility isn't the permanent solution she was looking for. She knows that one day her doctor will deem her fit to leave the treatment facility and she'll be sent home to live with her parents. All Anna wants to do is go away to college and get away from them their rules once and for all.
Her plan quickly falls apart when she meets Caleb. Caleb suffers from Catatonia. He has random fits where he just goes completely still and doesn't appear to be in his body anymore, at least that is what any passerby would think. But where Caleb goes is a different story. Caleb is an angel but of course nobody believes him, hence why he landed in this facility as well. But Caleb is here by choice and he has a job to do while he is inside. His job is to work on Anna's weakened self confidence, get her back on her feet and get her to write the book she is destined to write. There is just one catch ... Caleb can't let himself get attached to her romantically because once the job is done, he will need to go back to his place in Heaven.
This was such a wonderful story. It's heart warming but at the same time extremely heart wrenching. Naturally Anna and Caleb's story at it's heart is a love story. But there is so much more to it than that. This is a very powerful story about mental illness and the effect that it has on young adults. It's about getting help and learning to control the sickness that plagues you instead of letting it run your life. It's also about believing in yourself and in the healing power of love. Meredith Towbin is a very talented writer and story teller. She only has one other novel out currently but I have a feeling we'll definitely be seeing more from her in the future. I am definitely a fan and will continue to read her novels for years to come.
Her plan quickly falls apart when she meets Caleb. Caleb suffers from Catatonia. He has random fits where he just goes completely still and doesn't appear to be in his body anymore, at least that is what any passerby would think. But where Caleb goes is a different story. Caleb is an angel but of course nobody believes him, hence why he landed in this facility as well. But Caleb is here by choice and he has a job to do while he is inside. His job is to work on Anna's weakened self confidence, get her back on her feet and get her to write the book she is destined to write. There is just one catch ... Caleb can't let himself get attached to her romantically because once the job is done, he will need to go back to his place in Heaven.
This was such a wonderful story. It's heart warming but at the same time extremely heart wrenching. Naturally Anna and Caleb's story at it's heart is a love story. But there is so much more to it than that. This is a very powerful story about mental illness and the effect that it has on young adults. It's about getting help and learning to control the sickness that plagues you instead of letting it run your life. It's also about believing in yourself and in the healing power of love. Meredith Towbin is a very talented writer and story teller. She only has one other novel out currently but I have a feeling we'll definitely be seeing more from her in the future. I am definitely a fan and will continue to read her novels for years to come.
May 4, 2013
I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes when the girl fell in love with the dark, brooding, and possibly dangerous handsome young man (even if he wasn’t a vampire, werewolf, or sporting a British accent). Too fast! Too intense! Too. . .tired, cliché, done a thousand times before!
But if it’s possible to unroll one’s eyes, that’s exactly what I’ve done. Meredith Towbin’s Straight Jacket may cover some familiar territory, at first, but it does some heavy lifting that other YA literature would do well to take note of.
Anna and Caleb meet in a mental hospital where she is being treated for anxiety; he for believing that he is an angel. The first half of the book explores their burgeoning relationship and respective “issues,” while the second half of the book delves into what happens to them as individuals and a couple when they leave the hospital to live together in an idyllic cabin in the woods. It is in this latter half that the book really gets its footing. Far from a “happily ever after,” Straight Jacket explores in painful, mundane detail the power of love, but also the power of disease.
Straight Jacket is remarkably nuanced. There is good and bad, and in between. There is heaven and earth, and in between. There is reality and fantasy, and in between. With exceptional restraint, Towbin’s talent as a writer is in letting her characters—and her readers—linger in that grey area.
But if it’s possible to unroll one’s eyes, that’s exactly what I’ve done. Meredith Towbin’s Straight Jacket may cover some familiar territory, at first, but it does some heavy lifting that other YA literature would do well to take note of.
Anna and Caleb meet in a mental hospital where she is being treated for anxiety; he for believing that he is an angel. The first half of the book explores their burgeoning relationship and respective “issues,” while the second half of the book delves into what happens to them as individuals and a couple when they leave the hospital to live together in an idyllic cabin in the woods. It is in this latter half that the book really gets its footing. Far from a “happily ever after,” Straight Jacket explores in painful, mundane detail the power of love, but also the power of disease.
Straight Jacket is remarkably nuanced. There is good and bad, and in between. There is heaven and earth, and in between. There is reality and fantasy, and in between. With exceptional restraint, Towbin’s talent as a writer is in letting her characters—and her readers—linger in that grey area.
August 26, 2013
*I received this book from the author, via Goodreads, in exchange for an honest review*
At first, I had a hard time getting into this book, partially because I knew what it was about. That aside, once I did really start reading it, I discovered an in-depth look at mentall illness. Then author gets so much of the institutional setting right, that its scary. There is a sweet love story hiding in there, too.
I think that Anna's problem is one we see all too often, but may not recognize. Her problem is mild compared to Caleb's. Caleb suffers from "catatonia' phases. In some people these are self induced, and the sufferer authentically believes the setting that they find themselves in.
As a healthcare provider, I could not separate the fact from the fiction. Caleb truly believes he is sent as an intervention from God to help Anna realize her full potential, and have the strength to leave her parents. Only as an after effect do we see this change in Anna. So my question is:
Does Anna grow up and assert her independence because of Caleb, or in spite of the fact that Caleb leaves?
Overall, I believe this is a well-written, well-researched book. The author certainly knows her target and her audience. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read and review.
At first, I had a hard time getting into this book, partially because I knew what it was about. That aside, once I did really start reading it, I discovered an in-depth look at mentall illness. Then author gets so much of the institutional setting right, that its scary. There is a sweet love story hiding in there, too.
I think that Anna's problem is one we see all too often, but may not recognize. Her problem is mild compared to Caleb's. Caleb suffers from "catatonia' phases. In some people these are self induced, and the sufferer authentically believes the setting that they find themselves in.
As a healthcare provider, I could not separate the fact from the fiction. Caleb truly believes he is sent as an intervention from God to help Anna realize her full potential, and have the strength to leave her parents. Only as an after effect do we see this change in Anna. So my question is:
Does Anna grow up and assert her independence because of Caleb, or in spite of the fact that Caleb leaves?
Overall, I believe this is a well-written, well-researched book. The author certainly knows her target and her audience. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read and review.
August 2, 2013
3.5 stars
Caleb is an angel; well at least he thinks he is an angel but unfortunately he is also in a mental institution. Now Caleb is trying to convince 18-year-old Anna, who is also in the institution suffering from the abuse of her parents, that he is in fact an angel. With Caleb’s help, Anna tries to realize her dream of becoming a writer.
This was quite an emotional book that I was not expecting at all. The two main characters both have such intense and sad pasts. This book strives through the real issues of abuse and the effects it has on people. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to younger readers though.
Note: I recieved this book as part of the Young Adult Reads R2R program.
Caleb is an angel; well at least he thinks he is an angel but unfortunately he is also in a mental institution. Now Caleb is trying to convince 18-year-old Anna, who is also in the institution suffering from the abuse of her parents, that he is in fact an angel. With Caleb’s help, Anna tries to realize her dream of becoming a writer.
This was quite an emotional book that I was not expecting at all. The two main characters both have such intense and sad pasts. This book strives through the real issues of abuse and the effects it has on people. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to younger readers though.
Note: I recieved this book as part of the Young Adult Reads R2R program.
July 25, 2013
Amazing read! I love reading this story. I love Caleb's story it is sad. Anna parents are horrible. I feel so sorry for her and what she goes through.
December 19, 2024
Review Taken from vrindapendred.com
This was one of my very favourite kinds of books: the ones where the author never tells you what is really the truth and it all comes down to a matter of individual belief (essentially: is Caleb an angel or is he 'crazy'? You decide).
I must admit that when I first started reading it, I worried about what I was in for, because of the depiction of Heaven in the first couple pages. Then as I read on and realised what was happening, I found myself thinking it was just so clever, and I'm so glad I carried on. So if anyone else picks up this book and thinks something similar, perhaps because of their own personal religious beliefs...I would urge them to keep going, because this is NOT the sort of book that sets out to offend anyone's personal faith. If anything, I think it encourages it - but equally, it is not preachy in any way. It just...makes you think. And feel.
In a nutshell, Anna finds herself in a mental institution and falls in love with a fellow patient, Caleb, who insists he is an angel sent to save her from her own self-hate. The doctors all think he suffers from delusions and catatonia and keep pressing him to take medication for it, but Caleb says they aren't delusions; they are the times when he slips back to where he came from, Heaven, and speaks to his angelic guide about his mission to help Anna learn to love herself. I don't want to give any more of the story away, because when it hits the halfway point, things take an unexpected turn and that was one of the things I loved so much about this book.
I also loved the characters. They became real for me and I got very emotionally attached to them very quickly. I adored Caleb and completely understood why Anna got so quickly swept away by him. I appreciate that while he was good-looking, the emphasis in this book was on what a beautiful PERSON he was inside. He was also intriguing, and that formed the 'mystery' of this book, which kept me reading every line.
The language was beautiful and the emotions were real. I'll admit I cried through parts of it. One reason this book resonated so much with me is that I am bipolar myself, along with other related conditions. I'm also a writer, and I get all my writing done when my moods are 'high', much like Caleb's artwork in this book. I understood why Caleb didn't want to take the medication. I understood the descriptions of how it deadened him and changed who he was, took away all his drive and passion. I was on anti-depressants for 3 years to treat anxiety and Tourette Syndrome and it destroyed everything that I was until I finally made the decision to come off the drugs - and it didn't ultimately help the problems, either. I think this book did a brilliant job of portraying that, which was one of the things that made me feel so emotional.
I liked lines such as, 'Who am I to say you aren't really an angel?' and something to the effect of, 'Whether he was an angel or not, it didn't matter,' and, 'I love you - that's the only thing you need to know about me.' I highlighted quite a lot. I thought it was a beautiful idea, that someone as broken he Caleb possibly was (you never do know if he's an angel or not) is still loveable, because under it all, he's such a good person - and that really IS all you need to know about him. It was a really sympathetic view and I appreciate the author expressing it. I also loved the meaning of the book's title.
I also like what it says about belief...because really, who ARE we to say what is real and what is not? People have all kinds of beliefs and the very nature of belief is that it's something you personally feel, but it can't be proven wrong OR right. And if someone says they're really an angel, but they're not harming anyone...well, you might not believe it, but who cares? Does that mean they need to be locked up and drugged out of something that brings them peace? Who is to say what is truth and what is delusion, in such circumstances? Those are the sorts of thoughts that passed through my head as I read this.
So for me, this was a very meaningful book that I can easily see myself rereading one day and I would recommend to friends. I am very thankful to the author for giving me a free copy, and I am very happy to say that my honest opinion is that this book is incredible.
This was one of my very favourite kinds of books: the ones where the author never tells you what is really the truth and it all comes down to a matter of individual belief (essentially: is Caleb an angel or is he 'crazy'? You decide).
I must admit that when I first started reading it, I worried about what I was in for, because of the depiction of Heaven in the first couple pages. Then as I read on and realised what was happening, I found myself thinking it was just so clever, and I'm so glad I carried on. So if anyone else picks up this book and thinks something similar, perhaps because of their own personal religious beliefs...I would urge them to keep going, because this is NOT the sort of book that sets out to offend anyone's personal faith. If anything, I think it encourages it - but equally, it is not preachy in any way. It just...makes you think. And feel.
In a nutshell, Anna finds herself in a mental institution and falls in love with a fellow patient, Caleb, who insists he is an angel sent to save her from her own self-hate. The doctors all think he suffers from delusions and catatonia and keep pressing him to take medication for it, but Caleb says they aren't delusions; they are the times when he slips back to where he came from, Heaven, and speaks to his angelic guide about his mission to help Anna learn to love herself. I don't want to give any more of the story away, because when it hits the halfway point, things take an unexpected turn and that was one of the things I loved so much about this book.
I also loved the characters. They became real for me and I got very emotionally attached to them very quickly. I adored Caleb and completely understood why Anna got so quickly swept away by him. I appreciate that while he was good-looking, the emphasis in this book was on what a beautiful PERSON he was inside. He was also intriguing, and that formed the 'mystery' of this book, which kept me reading every line.
The language was beautiful and the emotions were real. I'll admit I cried through parts of it. One reason this book resonated so much with me is that I am bipolar myself, along with other related conditions. I'm also a writer, and I get all my writing done when my moods are 'high', much like Caleb's artwork in this book. I understood why Caleb didn't want to take the medication. I understood the descriptions of how it deadened him and changed who he was, took away all his drive and passion. I was on anti-depressants for 3 years to treat anxiety and Tourette Syndrome and it destroyed everything that I was until I finally made the decision to come off the drugs - and it didn't ultimately help the problems, either. I think this book did a brilliant job of portraying that, which was one of the things that made me feel so emotional.
I liked lines such as, 'Who am I to say you aren't really an angel?' and something to the effect of, 'Whether he was an angel or not, it didn't matter,' and, 'I love you - that's the only thing you need to know about me.' I highlighted quite a lot. I thought it was a beautiful idea, that someone as broken he Caleb possibly was (you never do know if he's an angel or not) is still loveable, because under it all, he's such a good person - and that really IS all you need to know about him. It was a really sympathetic view and I appreciate the author expressing it. I also loved the meaning of the book's title.
I also like what it says about belief...because really, who ARE we to say what is real and what is not? People have all kinds of beliefs and the very nature of belief is that it's something you personally feel, but it can't be proven wrong OR right. And if someone says they're really an angel, but they're not harming anyone...well, you might not believe it, but who cares? Does that mean they need to be locked up and drugged out of something that brings them peace? Who is to say what is truth and what is delusion, in such circumstances? Those are the sorts of thoughts that passed through my head as I read this.
So for me, this was a very meaningful book that I can easily see myself rereading one day and I would recommend to friends. I am very thankful to the author for giving me a free copy, and I am very happy to say that my honest opinion is that this book is incredible.
June 24, 2013
I am still having mixed feeling about this book for the first half of the book I would give it 3 stars even at some points 2 stars but towards the ending I would give it 4 stars even 5 in some places and I thought the ending was great
Doesn’t the synopsis make it sound amazing!! The second I read it I knew I was going to have to read it – I love the idea of not knowing whether we have reliable narrators or not- and the idea that he may be crazy.
Anna now Anna is our typical girl in YA books with a few differences the firsts is her parents are quite abusive we don’t get a lot of this but when they are visiting her see this , other than that she is a very caring person. A few things conflicted me she didn’t want to be the girl “who was in love with this crazy guy” but she goes from being scared at him saying he is an angel to falling for him....Within 20 pages ( estimate but it is a short amount of time)
Caleb on the other hand... I liked his point of view it was different from Anna and I thought it was amazingly wrote with that balance of us thinking whether he was crazy or not.
Towards the end of the book I had my heart strings tugged it was so sweet and tragic at the same time but I loved the ending.... It was the ending the book needed and I felt Anna really developed as we got towards the end of the book and she went from a 4 to an 8 in the characters scale (of how good there characterisation is and stuff) I though Caleb character also got a whole lot better as we went along.
I would definitely try this book it gets so much better as we got along!
Synopsis In case you don’t know what the book is about- which I don’t think a lot will as it is kind of a unknown book.....
Eighteen-year-old Anna has lived her whole life in shame, losing herself in books to cope with crippling panic attacks triggered by her abusive parents. Forced into a psychiatric hospital, she can’t imagine a future that’s anything but bleak—until she meets Caleb, a gifted, 19-year-old artist who insists he’s an angel.
He swears his mission is to help Anna break free from her parents’ control and fulfil a destiny that she can only dream of. The doctors, however, are convinced that Caleb is delusional.
Anna doesn’t want to be that girl who’s in love with the crazy guy, but when she sees his stunning portraits of her and the way he risks everything to keep her safe, she can’t help but imagine a new future for both of them, filled with hope. But just when it seems they’ve created heaven on earth, Caleb’s past emerges full force, threatening to destroy their tiny, blissful world. And Anna has to decide if she should follow her heart, or if Caleb’s really as troubled as his doctors say…
Doesn’t the synopsis make it sound amazing!! The second I read it I knew I was going to have to read it – I love the idea of not knowing whether we have reliable narrators or not- and the idea that he may be crazy.
Anna now Anna is our typical girl in YA books with a few differences the firsts is her parents are quite abusive we don’t get a lot of this but when they are visiting her see this , other than that she is a very caring person. A few things conflicted me she didn’t want to be the girl “who was in love with this crazy guy” but she goes from being scared at him saying he is an angel to falling for him....Within 20 pages ( estimate but it is a short amount of time)
Caleb on the other hand... I liked his point of view it was different from Anna and I thought it was amazingly wrote with that balance of us thinking whether he was crazy or not.
Towards the end of the book I had my heart strings tugged it was so sweet and tragic at the same time but I loved the ending.... It was the ending the book needed and I felt Anna really developed as we got towards the end of the book and she went from a 4 to an 8 in the characters scale (of how good there characterisation is and stuff) I though Caleb character also got a whole lot better as we went along.
I would definitely try this book it gets so much better as we got along!
October 27, 2014
This book was such a let down. The premise had so much potential but it didn't carry through the book. The insta-love was completely unbelievable. Anna was a bit of an idiot. The "open" ending other readers mentioned didn't seem open to me at all. It was pretty obvious and depressing. I had so much hope for this book and it just did not deliver.
I had to edit my review to explain a little more why this book was so disappointing. The premise was good. I was hoping for a book that would keep ME guessing as to whether or not Caleb was an angel or just crazy. Maybe that's how the author intended it but that's not how it came across. It was too obvious that Caleb was just unstable and in need of help.
After a couple of conversations Anna is willing to believe that Caleb is really an angel. There was never any reason for her to believe him other than that he said so. There was talk about the fact that she had "faith" that he was telling the truth. I would have liked to see some examples of WHY she was willing to believe him.
The insta-love was too quick and ridiculous. It's more like Anna just wanted someone to take care of her so she could get away from her parents and it didn't matter who it was. Also, I don't care if these characters are over eighteen. What psyche hospital is going to let a guy that falls into states of catatonia just walk out "against medical advice" just because he wants to leave? If his father is so rich he should have been able to take it to the courts and force Caleb to stay in treatment.
Pool Caleb is following in his mother's footsteps and instead of getting him the help he really needs Anna just thinks she can take care of him herself. He's not crazy after all, he's just an angel.
The ending...Anna doesn't have to deal with her parents. She suddenly becomes receptive to therapy and she doesn't even have to worry about money because somewhere along the line Caleb managed to leave everything to her. So she's really only better off because someone left her enough money that she didn't need her parents. How exactly did she learn and grow and change from this?
She carries his suicide note with her and looks forward to meeting him again in heaven some day because she still thinks he's an angel? Seriously, I was SO sad for poor Caleb because there he was falling apart and instead of helping him to get the help he needed Anna just enabled his fantasy until he kills himself and she's HAPPY about it? WTH?!
The ending, the whole book would have been so much more enjoyable if...as the reader...I was made to wonder if Caleb actually COULD be an angel but it was too obvious that he was just a poor soul that died needlessly because he didn't get the help he needed. I think the "open ending" could have really been that for me if I was ever once made to believe Caleb may have been an angel but the only time I felt that was possible was while reading the synopsis. I don't know if the writer wants us to be unsure of that or not but if she wants us to think Caleb could have been an angel she didn't do a very good job of it.
I had to edit my review to explain a little more why this book was so disappointing. The premise was good. I was hoping for a book that would keep ME guessing as to whether or not Caleb was an angel or just crazy. Maybe that's how the author intended it but that's not how it came across. It was too obvious that Caleb was just unstable and in need of help.
After a couple of conversations Anna is willing to believe that Caleb is really an angel. There was never any reason for her to believe him other than that he said so. There was talk about the fact that she had "faith" that he was telling the truth. I would have liked to see some examples of WHY she was willing to believe him.
The insta-love was too quick and ridiculous. It's more like Anna just wanted someone to take care of her so she could get away from her parents and it didn't matter who it was. Also, I don't care if these characters are over eighteen. What psyche hospital is going to let a guy that falls into states of catatonia just walk out "against medical advice" just because he wants to leave? If his father is so rich he should have been able to take it to the courts and force Caleb to stay in treatment.
Pool Caleb is following in his mother's footsteps and instead of getting him the help he really needs Anna just thinks she can take care of him herself. He's not crazy after all, he's just an angel.
The ending...Anna doesn't have to deal with her parents. She suddenly becomes receptive to therapy and she doesn't even have to worry about money because somewhere along the line Caleb managed to leave everything to her. So she's really only better off because someone left her enough money that she didn't need her parents. How exactly did she learn and grow and change from this?
She carries his suicide note with her and looks forward to meeting him again in heaven some day because she still thinks he's an angel? Seriously, I was SO sad for poor Caleb because there he was falling apart and instead of helping him to get the help he needed Anna just enabled his fantasy until he kills himself and she's HAPPY about it? WTH?!
The ending, the whole book would have been so much more enjoyable if...as the reader...I was made to wonder if Caleb actually COULD be an angel but it was too obvious that he was just a poor soul that died needlessly because he didn't get the help he needed. I think the "open ending" could have really been that for me if I was ever once made to believe Caleb may have been an angel but the only time I felt that was possible was while reading the synopsis. I don't know if the writer wants us to be unsure of that or not but if she wants us to think Caleb could have been an angel she didn't do a very good job of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2013
*I received a copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review*
I give this book 3.5 stars!!!
18 year old Anna loves reading and wants to be a writer but is frightened to put words onto paper. She has suffered from abuse by her parents for many years and attempts to commit suicide as a way to escape, they then admit her into a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
Here she meets 19 year old Caleb, a smart and talented artist who insists he’s an Angel. Caleb tells Anna he is there on a mission to help her, to free herself from her parents clutches and assist her with achieving her ambition of becoming a writer.
Anna realises she doesn’t know much about Caleb except that he loves her and she trusts him completely. Caleb feels Anna is his soul mate, he wants to protect and keep her safe but he can’t escape his past and will do anything to be with her but will they get their happy ending!
This New Adult novel is nothing like I expected, when I read the synopsis I thought that it would be an easy read fantasy story about Angels and destiny. What I got was a sweet love story between 2 people who both have an extremely sad past which they are trying to escape from.
I love the characters of Anna and Caleb, it’s easy to understand how they fall in love so fast and their trust and love for each other flows from the pages.
The story is very moving and written extremely well, it touches the heart strings because it discloses the effects of abuse and trauma and how it can effect their mental health.
This is one of the most emotional books I have ever read with an ending that left me speechless. A truly compelling story but be prepared this novel discloses real issues which are extremely upsetting, have tissues ready as this story is guaranteed to make you cry.
I have to be truly honest and say this book wasn’t for me, I personally found it too upsetting and wouldn’t have read it had I known and wouldn’t recommend to younger readers, however I would recommend to others who like books such as A Boy Called It.
I give this book 3.5 stars!!!
18 year old Anna loves reading and wants to be a writer but is frightened to put words onto paper. She has suffered from abuse by her parents for many years and attempts to commit suicide as a way to escape, they then admit her into a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
Here she meets 19 year old Caleb, a smart and talented artist who insists he’s an Angel. Caleb tells Anna he is there on a mission to help her, to free herself from her parents clutches and assist her with achieving her ambition of becoming a writer.
Anna realises she doesn’t know much about Caleb except that he loves her and she trusts him completely. Caleb feels Anna is his soul mate, he wants to protect and keep her safe but he can’t escape his past and will do anything to be with her but will they get their happy ending!
This New Adult novel is nothing like I expected, when I read the synopsis I thought that it would be an easy read fantasy story about Angels and destiny. What I got was a sweet love story between 2 people who both have an extremely sad past which they are trying to escape from.
I love the characters of Anna and Caleb, it’s easy to understand how they fall in love so fast and their trust and love for each other flows from the pages.
The story is very moving and written extremely well, it touches the heart strings because it discloses the effects of abuse and trauma and how it can effect their mental health.
This is one of the most emotional books I have ever read with an ending that left me speechless. A truly compelling story but be prepared this novel discloses real issues which are extremely upsetting, have tissues ready as this story is guaranteed to make you cry.
I have to be truly honest and say this book wasn’t for me, I personally found it too upsetting and wouldn’t have read it had I known and wouldn’t recommend to younger readers, however I would recommend to others who like books such as A Boy Called It.
August 13, 2013
Summary
Eighteen-year-old Anna has lived her whole life in shame, losing herself in books to cope with crippling panic attacks triggered by her abusive parents. Forced into a psychiatric hospital, she can’t imagine a future that’s anything but bleak—until she meets Caleb, a gifted, 19-year-old artist who insists he’s an angel.
Review
What I can say about this book is that it was extremely good and I thought it was just amazing. There is a lot of hard things to go through whilst reading this (abuse and a lot of other things), but even through that this was amazing. What I can say though is that even though I found this such a great read, the factor for me was that in the past books that I have read and reviewed, I am reading and I never want to put it down and finish it in a day or two at the most. But for this one, it took me quite a longer period of time to make my way through it. But even if that may be true it is still an amazing read that I would easily recommend.
What I noticed was that within the psychiatric hospital part, things were very "what's going to happen next" stuff for me, and then the second part of the book I had that same reaction just a little subdued. When everything seemed all great in the second part, I kept saying to myself that something is going to happen. They aren't going to get what they want. Things aren't going to be what they wanted.
But what I can say though is that the end of the book, it was a tougher read. It had me tearing up so much at the outcome. But what they said is true, "we will have eternity together". It was such a touching moments and Caleb did get what he had to fulfill, to get Anna to live a life that was about her and not pleasing people and getting hurt in the process, it is about being happy and not letting something or someone get in the way of that.
This book was incredible. I was very happy to have been allowed to read and review this book.
Eighteen-year-old Anna has lived her whole life in shame, losing herself in books to cope with crippling panic attacks triggered by her abusive parents. Forced into a psychiatric hospital, she can’t imagine a future that’s anything but bleak—until she meets Caleb, a gifted, 19-year-old artist who insists he’s an angel.
Review
What I can say about this book is that it was extremely good and I thought it was just amazing. There is a lot of hard things to go through whilst reading this (abuse and a lot of other things), but even through that this was amazing. What I can say though is that even though I found this such a great read, the factor for me was that in the past books that I have read and reviewed, I am reading and I never want to put it down and finish it in a day or two at the most. But for this one, it took me quite a longer period of time to make my way through it. But even if that may be true it is still an amazing read that I would easily recommend.
What I noticed was that within the psychiatric hospital part, things were very "what's going to happen next" stuff for me, and then the second part of the book I had that same reaction just a little subdued. When everything seemed all great in the second part, I kept saying to myself that something is going to happen. They aren't going to get what they want. Things aren't going to be what they wanted.
But what I can say though is that the end of the book, it was a tougher read. It had me tearing up so much at the outcome. But what they said is true, "we will have eternity together". It was such a touching moments and Caleb did get what he had to fulfill, to get Anna to live a life that was about her and not pleasing people and getting hurt in the process, it is about being happy and not letting something or someone get in the way of that.
This book was incredible. I was very happy to have been allowed to read and review this book.
January 6, 2021
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book
I kinda have mixed feelings about the book, first of all I really liked the idea, I think it's one of the most original plots I have read in a long time and it engrossed me from the beginning (and not to mention the second part, I couldn't stop reading!), also, the writing flowed very nicely. But at the same time, I wasn't very convinced with the characters, I did liked them, but I'm not entirely sure of the way that Anna begins to fall in love, I don't know, it felt kinda forced and way too fast. Caleb was an interesting character though, I would have liked to know a little bit more about him as a person since the author focuses more on his past. I would highly recommend it!
Spanish Review:
Gracias a la autora por una copia del libro
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro, primero que nada me encanto la idea, creo que es una de las mas originales que he leído en mucho tiempo y desde la primera pagina me atrapo ( y ni se diga de la segunda parte, no podía dejar de leer!), también, la forma de escribir de la autora es muy fluida. A su vez, no estoy muy convencida con los personajes, si me gustaron, pero la forma en que Anna se va enamorando en la historia no me gusto, no se, siento que fue muy forzado y demasiado rápido. Aun así, Caleb se me hizo un personaje interesante, me hubiera gustado saber un poco mas de el como persona, ya que la autora se centra mas en su pasado. Lo recomendaría ampliamente!
I kinda have mixed feelings about the book, first of all I really liked the idea, I think it's one of the most original plots I have read in a long time and it engrossed me from the beginning (and not to mention the second part, I couldn't stop reading!), also, the writing flowed very nicely. But at the same time, I wasn't very convinced with the characters, I did liked them, but I'm not entirely sure of the way that Anna begins to fall in love, I don't know, it felt kinda forced and way too fast. Caleb was an interesting character though, I would have liked to know a little bit more about him as a person since the author focuses more on his past. I would highly recommend it!
Spanish Review:
Gracias a la autora por una copia del libro
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro, primero que nada me encanto la idea, creo que es una de las mas originales que he leído en mucho tiempo y desde la primera pagina me atrapo ( y ni se diga de la segunda parte, no podía dejar de leer!), también, la forma de escribir de la autora es muy fluida. A su vez, no estoy muy convencida con los personajes, si me gustaron, pero la forma en que Anna se va enamorando en la historia no me gusto, no se, siento que fue muy forzado y demasiado rápido. Aun así, Caleb se me hizo un personaje interesante, me hubiera gustado saber un poco mas de el como persona, ya que la autora se centra mas en su pasado. Lo recomendaría ampliamente!
March 24, 2013
Straightjacket is a YA contemporary romance telling the story of a girl who ends up in a psychiatric hospital and a boy who believes he's an angel. Meeting in the most unlikely place, the two form a connection that no one can deny, and soon they are falling for each other harder than ever. Meredith Towbin will touch you with this imaginative and slightly different YA novel.
The book begins with Anna settling into the psychiatric hospital that they controlling and abusive parents have forced her into with no valid reason.There, she meets Caleb, a talented artist and apparently an angel. She doesn't know whether to believe him or not. But the more she gets to know him, the more she considers that he might not actually be as crazy as everyone says.
I found the premise of this story very interesting to read about and I found myself conflicted between believing Caleb that he's an angel, or if he's just delusional. The novel was well written and the writing flowed nicely. At times, I did feel detached from the story and and felt that nothing was really happening. On the other hand, the second half of the book was filled with tension and surprises, and I loved every second!!
Anna and Caleb were likable characters with complex personalities and lives. The two were extremely cute whenever they were near each other and I adored every moment they spent together. But, I thought that their relationship was rushed and it would have been a lot better for the two to know each other better before jumping straight into things as (almost) strangers.
Straightjacket is a unique YA novel that is a contemporary with sprinkles of paranormal. The romance is sweet and the characters are real. I would happily read the sequel.
The book begins with Anna settling into the psychiatric hospital that they controlling and abusive parents have forced her into with no valid reason.There, she meets Caleb, a talented artist and apparently an angel. She doesn't know whether to believe him or not. But the more she gets to know him, the more she considers that he might not actually be as crazy as everyone says.
I found the premise of this story very interesting to read about and I found myself conflicted between believing Caleb that he's an angel, or if he's just delusional. The novel was well written and the writing flowed nicely. At times, I did feel detached from the story and and felt that nothing was really happening. On the other hand, the second half of the book was filled with tension and surprises, and I loved every second!!
Anna and Caleb were likable characters with complex personalities and lives. The two were extremely cute whenever they were near each other and I adored every moment they spent together. But, I thought that their relationship was rushed and it would have been a lot better for the two to know each other better before jumping straight into things as (almost) strangers.
Straightjacket is a unique YA novel that is a contemporary with sprinkles of paranormal. The romance is sweet and the characters are real. I would happily read the sequel.
February 17, 2014
First, I would like to tell the things I liked. The story was original on how angels came to be and how the romance between them went. I even thought that 3/4 of the book, Caleb was just plain schizophrenic with bouts of catatonia and episodes of petit mal seizures. But, the plot stayed true.
It wasn't even proved to the heroine whether Caleb is truly an angel. She only believed in his stories. I think the moral was on faith and believing and finding yourself.
Next, I would like to mention the things I didn't like. The H/h had an insta-love thing going on. It went from meeting to love to living together to dying in a snap.
I obviously didn't want how the ending turned out. Even if we know that they'll meet in heaven maybe 60 years later, it's just plain sad to see them separated. I hate endings where the main character dies.
Lastly, I've been wondering about Caleb's mission. Samuel and Caleb had this conversation.
“She’s had a hard time. Her parents aren’t good to her, and it’s just about killed her. You gotta do three things. First, get her away from her parents. That’ll be the easy part,” he muttered under his breath.
Caleb tried to cut him off and ask him what he meant, but Samuel powered through.
“Then you have to convince her that she’s worth something, make her see that she’s important, that she has something to say. And then get her to write the book.”
“What book? What’s it about?”
“She’s the only one who can know what it’s about. She has to write it. All I know is that it’s a book that’ll change things.”
So what was the book? It wasn't even mentioned even at the epilogue. Maybe the book is entitled "straightjacket?" I don't know...
It wasn't even proved to the heroine whether Caleb is truly an angel. She only believed in his stories. I think the moral was on faith and believing and finding yourself.
Next, I would like to mention the things I didn't like. The H/h had an insta-love thing going on. It went from meeting to love to living together to dying in a snap.
I obviously didn't want how the ending turned out. Even if we know that they'll meet in heaven maybe 60 years later, it's just plain sad to see them separated. I hate endings where the main character dies.
Lastly, I've been wondering about Caleb's mission. Samuel and Caleb had this conversation.
“She’s had a hard time. Her parents aren’t good to her, and it’s just about killed her. You gotta do three things. First, get her away from her parents. That’ll be the easy part,” he muttered under his breath.
Caleb tried to cut him off and ask him what he meant, but Samuel powered through.
“Then you have to convince her that she’s worth something, make her see that she’s important, that she has something to say. And then get her to write the book.”
“What book? What’s it about?”
“She’s the only one who can know what it’s about. She has to write it. All I know is that it’s a book that’ll change things.”
So what was the book? It wasn't even mentioned even at the epilogue. Maybe the book is entitled "straightjacket?" I don't know...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2013
Ratings: 3.5 stars
This book was a very interesting read and I liked where the author took the angel idea. I'm having a hard time expressing my thoughts on the book, but I did enjoy it. It was a very quick read for me. I finished the book within a day. It was fast paced and easy to read. I also really liked how both characters had issues they needed to work through. Both characters are in the psychiatric institution for different reasons and they both have very different problems. Seeing the two come together was an interesting thing to read a bout. Anna was forced by her parents to be there and is dealing with the issues of her controlling and abusive parents while Caleb is an Angel, but everyone else thinks he's just hallucinating. His mission when he was sent back was to help Anna separate from her parents and set the wheels in motion for who she's to become, but things go a bit haywire when the two fall in love.
I really enjoyed this story and thought it was pretty good, but I did have some issues. I couldn't connect with the characters all that well. I understood what the two were going through and felt for them both and the ending was great and terrible all in one, but I couldn't connect with the two on a one on one basis. I don't know what it was, but I just find that I couldn't connect with them. I liked them both, but just couldn't connect. Okay, I don't know how many times I just made that statement! Overall, the story was good and touch on some very real and sad issues. I thought the ending was sad, but also really sweet too :) I was glad I got to read this book and want to thank the author for providing me with a copy for review!
January 7, 2014
My Thoughts:
I was really curious about Straightjacket when I started it, angels have been done so many times before in YA but this time it was done somewhat differently and it wasn't the same old love story between a girl and fallen angel and I enjoyed the fact that it was different.
Anna has been abused by her parents her whole life and even though she is eighteen she can't seem to break away from them and she finds herself in a mental hospital as per her parents, she doesn't want to be here and she seems completely broken. Caleb is an angel who is sent down to help Anna realize her potential and what she is meant to be. But, something happens between Anna and Caleb that neither one see's coming.
Anna was a character that I really felt for, when you meet her and her parents I was so angry at them when I saw how they treated their daughter, it wasn't right and it made me want to climb through the boo k and tell them what I really thought of them, the reasons that Anna was there and how she felt about herself were a direct result of how they treated their daughter.
Caleb was definitely an interesting character, he goes into the story ready to his job and help Anna reach his potential and I have to admit that the way that him and Anna begin to fall for each other felt a little bit insta-love but, at the same time their romance was also sweet and endearing.
Overall, this book was more like a gritty contemporary read then a paranormal one but, if you enjoy those types of contemporaries then you will definitely like this one!
December 5, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, and boy do I have one!
This book made me feel! As someone who has severe depression, attempted suicide, has been in a mental hospital & suffers from panic attacks I really identified with the main character, Anna.
This book made me think & wonder. The entire time I was reading I couldn't decide if Caleb, the leading man, was actually an angel sent from heaven to help Anna or just a delusional young man.
I mean, at the beginning Caleb knows that Anna's parents are cruel to her & that she wants to be a writer & that her book will change things, but at the same time he has a family, house, money & trust fund; so the entire time your seesawing between believing Caleb is real & that he's delusional.
I felt for Anna, who feels like she'll never get away from her parents, that she'll never amount to anything, that she will forever be controlled by her panic attacks.
I love Caleb, how determined he is to prove that she is strong & that she controls her future. I want them to have a happily ever after, but alas I don't get what i want...well, not really anyway.
I cried during the last 2 chapters, but I'm so happy to have read this book. It makes me believe that I can be a writer, that I can be strong.
I hope Anna & Caleb find each other again; they deserve to have eternal happiness together:)
This book made me feel! As someone who has severe depression, attempted suicide, has been in a mental hospital & suffers from panic attacks I really identified with the main character, Anna.
This book made me think & wonder. The entire time I was reading I couldn't decide if Caleb, the leading man, was actually an angel sent from heaven to help Anna or just a delusional young man.
I mean, at the beginning Caleb knows that Anna's parents are cruel to her & that she wants to be a writer & that her book will change things, but at the same time he has a family, house, money & trust fund; so the entire time your seesawing between believing Caleb is real & that he's delusional.
I felt for Anna, who feels like she'll never get away from her parents, that she'll never amount to anything, that she will forever be controlled by her panic attacks.
I love Caleb, how determined he is to prove that she is strong & that she controls her future. I want them to have a happily ever after, but alas I don't get what i want...well, not really anyway.
I cried during the last 2 chapters, but I'm so happy to have read this book. It makes me believe that I can be a writer, that I can be strong.
I hope Anna & Caleb find each other again; they deserve to have eternal happiness together:)
February 17, 2015
There were a lot of elements to this book that I absolutely loved and would even venture to state that I haven't seen anywhere else. This novel is packed full of mystery and conflicting situations (in which there are no rights or wrongs, just grey). Because of these smudged situations, there is a since of realism tethered to an otherwise loosely fantastical story. Many would criticize the book for it's lack of definition when it came to the ending, but I believe this style created a more intriguing tale. Maybe it's because I was 24 when reading this book, but I truly enjoyed the "open-ending." The teenaged version of myself would probably set my favorite pair of jeans on fire for saying this (because I couldn't handle not having stories spoon fed to me), but I thought the non-defined ending allowed the reader to choose their own conclusion. I am more of a fantasy fan, so my ending ideas veered in that direction, but I have chatted with others who took an entirely different view. All authors strive to start people talking. This certainly summoned conversation. Ultimately, I wait patiently for Towbin's next publication. Let's see if she can bring it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2013
The story:
Caleb and Anna are in a psychiatric facility. Caleb is a nineteen year old artist who thinks he is an angel set out to help Anna. He is supposed to help Anna reach a future she can only imagine. Anna is an eighteen year old who has lived her whole life with abusive parents and has debilitating panic attacks.
The story follows their journey in the psychiatric facility.
My opinion:
I read this book in chunks for the last couple weeks. When I finished it, I wished I would have read it faster. It is a really good read and I very much enjoyed the entire time I read it. At the beginning, I was hung up on whether or not Caleb was an angel since he is of course in a psychiatric facility. The ending was completely bittersweet but it was perfect. I wish I wasn't struggling with deciding on if his episodes are truly real or a psychosis. As a Psychology major in college it was hard. But I hope to read more from Meredith. It was a fantastic read even if it took me longer than normal to get through it.
I received this book through Young Adult Reads for review.
Caleb and Anna are in a psychiatric facility. Caleb is a nineteen year old artist who thinks he is an angel set out to help Anna. He is supposed to help Anna reach a future she can only imagine. Anna is an eighteen year old who has lived her whole life with abusive parents and has debilitating panic attacks.
The story follows their journey in the psychiatric facility.
My opinion:
I read this book in chunks for the last couple weeks. When I finished it, I wished I would have read it faster. It is a really good read and I very much enjoyed the entire time I read it. At the beginning, I was hung up on whether or not Caleb was an angel since he is of course in a psychiatric facility. The ending was completely bittersweet but it was perfect. I wish I wasn't struggling with deciding on if his episodes are truly real or a psychosis. As a Psychology major in college it was hard. But I hope to read more from Meredith. It was a fantastic read even if it took me longer than normal to get through it.
I received this book through Young Adult Reads for review.
December 24, 2014
I can't believe it took me 11 freaking days to finish this book! I was so hooked with the story and everything! I guess it's because school started already here in my country :(
As I was saying,I was really hooked up with this story because I really wanted to know what Cabel really is. Is he an angel or a crazy person? Overall,it was really a good story. I wasn't disappointed. :)
As I was saying,I was really hooked up with this story because I really wanted to know what Cabel really is. Is he an angel or a crazy person? Overall,it was really a good story. I wasn't disappointed. :)
March 18, 2013
Thanks to the author and etopia press for a copy of this book.
I have to admit that when I started this book I was a little tentative as it seemed to be so similar to a few other recently released books.
As I read along; however, the story turned into something completely different than what I had expected. What I found was a very sweet love story.
There were some elements of the story that didn't quite get resolved, but I was happy to see some positive change toward the ending.
I really wish this book had been written for an older audience; I think it would have really shone with older characters.
I look forward to reading Meredith Towbin's next work!
I have to admit that when I started this book I was a little tentative as it seemed to be so similar to a few other recently released books.
As I read along; however, the story turned into something completely different than what I had expected. What I found was a very sweet love story.
There were some elements of the story that didn't quite get resolved, but I was happy to see some positive change toward the ending.
I really wish this book had been written for an older audience; I think it would have really shone with older characters.
I look forward to reading Meredith Towbin's next work!
November 5, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author through Goodreads We ♥ YA Books! group in exchange for an unbiased review.
There's a fine line between true faith and madness. Who are we to judge exactly where that line lies?
The synopsis does a good job explaining the book's plot-line. The story has an interesting and original premise; it ends up being both heart-breaking and uplifting at the same time. The answers are never spelled out in black and white, giving the reader something to contemplate even past the epilogue. A well written, lovely novel.
Review also posted at www.amazon.com.
There's a fine line between true faith and madness. Who are we to judge exactly where that line lies?
The synopsis does a good job explaining the book's plot-line. The story has an interesting and original premise; it ends up being both heart-breaking and uplifting at the same time. The answers are never spelled out in black and white, giving the reader something to contemplate even past the epilogue. A well written, lovely novel.
Review also posted at www.amazon.com.
October 7, 2013
At first glance this book feels like a typical ya romance. What makes this story stand out from the rest, is the authors ability to describe human emotions. I loved getting to know Anna and her story. I don't even think of this book as a romance but instead it reads like a coming to age story. We get to experience what is like to be Anna and to overcome some serious obstacles. There were times when I wanted to cry for Anna and other times I felt proud of her. Caleb was just there helping her see wjo she really was. Anna is one of the best ya female characters that I have read. Seriously Anna is pure perfection! Everything else that happens in the story just a bonus.
March 23, 2013
Anna is a strong female character who goes through a major transformation by the end of the novel. Caleb's story is the one that is most puzzling to the reader. The concept of his character was an interesting one... Is Caleb an angel or is he delusional? That is the question that permeates throughout the story. To Ms. Towbin's credit, she leaves the answer to the reader. I definitely think this would appeal to teens, and I will be recommending it at the high school library.
Find my full review here: http://wellreadinya.blogspot.com/2013...
Find my full review here: http://wellreadinya.blogspot.com/2013...
October 10, 2015
Truthfully I don't remember what I expected when I picked up this book to read. I just know that halfway through I didn't know exactly what to believe anymore. I was so confused about what was really going on. By the time I got to the end I didn't really care what was real and what wasn't and just felt a deep sadness and a small flicker of hope that one day they would have their happy ending even if it wouldn't be on Earth. Loved the emotional ties I formed with the characters and hated that it ended the way it did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2013
I was really drawn into this book from the beginning and was hooked from start to finish. The author had managed to create an interesting plot line which was quite unique to me. The characters were so realistic to me and really made me feel for them. I thought that the book was a great length as it wasn't dragged out. I really enjoy books where you are left trying to make the conclusion up yourself. I loved that ending, I just can't believe it.
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