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Mandatory Release
With appeal for fans of Jonathan Tropper, Tom Perrotta, and Laurie Notaro, this snarky mashup of Girls and Oz is so painfully honest it reads like a memoir--except the author isn't a smart-ass guy in a wheelchair who works in a prison.
Recently paralyzed in a car accident, thirty-year-old Graham Finch spends his days trying to rehabilitate a caseload of unruly inmates and his nights on one bad date after another, attempting to rehabilitate his heart--
--until his high school crush Drew Daniels walks through the prison gates one hot summer morning. On the run from a painful past that's nearly crushed her faith in love, Drew is a new teacher at Lakeside Correctional. Graham, smitten all over again, tries to redirect his unrequited feelings. But when your heart keeps looking back, it's not easy to turn it forward.
Amidst escalating violence at work, Drew is forced to confront her secrets, find a way to forgive old sins, and learn how to listen to her heart and her head when it comes to men. Graham must also learn to make peace with his own past. Together they realize that if you're going to save yourself, sometimes the best way to do it is by saving someone else first. If only finding their way to one another was easier than working with convicted felons.
Loaded with twisted humor and pathos, Mandatory Release is a darkly comic look at friendship, forgiveness, and love. A story about broken people putting themselves back together. People who learn that no matter what you lock up--a person, a secret, or your heart--sooner or later, everything must be released.
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Recently paralyzed in a car accident, thirty-year-old Graham Finch spends his days trying to rehabilitate a caseload of unruly inmates and his nights on one bad date after another, attempting to rehabilitate his heart--
--until his high school crush Drew Daniels walks through the prison gates one hot summer morning. On the run from a painful past that's nearly crushed her faith in love, Drew is a new teacher at Lakeside Correctional. Graham, smitten all over again, tries to redirect his unrequited feelings. But when your heart keeps looking back, it's not easy to turn it forward.
Amidst escalating violence at work, Drew is forced to confront her secrets, find a way to forgive old sins, and learn how to listen to her heart and her head when it comes to men. Graham must also learn to make peace with his own past. Together they realize that if you're going to save yourself, sometimes the best way to do it is by saving someone else first. If only finding their way to one another was easier than working with convicted felons.
Loaded with twisted humor and pathos, Mandatory Release is a darkly comic look at friendship, forgiveness, and love. A story about broken people putting themselves back together. People who learn that no matter what you lock up--a person, a secret, or your heart--sooner or later, everything must be released.
Show less
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2013
8 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Jess Riley
13 books109 followersWisconsin native Jess Riley spent much of her childhood being punished for lying and/or passing notes during class, both of which qualified her for a possible future as a novelist. She won her first short story contest in high school for a tale told through the point of view of a seven-year-old black boy living in Cabrini Green because as a middle-class white teenager, she knew a lot about that kind of life.
Jess has been a waitress, a blue cheese packager, and a school grant writer. She worked at a toy store during the Tickle Me Elmo craze and lived to tell about it. She's also worked at a medium-security men's prison, which was much less stressful. Jess graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1998 with degrees in English and History. She shares a drafty old house in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with her husband and a neurotic dog that despises public radio.
Her debut novel, Driving Sideways, was released by Random House in 2008. Selected as a Target Breakout Book, it returned to press four times within three months of release. Jess drank lots of wine to celebrate. Her second novel, All the Lonely People, was released in 2012, and her third, Mandatory Release, was released in 2013.
Jess has been a waitress, a blue cheese packager, and a school grant writer. She worked at a toy store during the Tickle Me Elmo craze and lived to tell about it. She's also worked at a medium-security men's prison, which was much less stressful. Jess graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1998 with degrees in English and History. She shares a drafty old house in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with her husband and a neurotic dog that despises public radio.
Her debut novel, Driving Sideways, was released by Random House in 2008. Selected as a Target Breakout Book, it returned to press four times within three months of release. Jess drank lots of wine to celebrate. Her second novel, All the Lonely People, was released in 2012, and her third, Mandatory Release, was released in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
May 9, 2013
Jess Riley is the kind of writer I would like to be: unself-consciously hip, laugh-out-loud funny and able to write characters who are so real, you expect to run into them at Starbucks (though they're far too cool to go to Starbucks and would likely be at the independent coffeehouse down the street). Also, she made me cry. Read this book.
February 1, 2014
The You Bought It, You Read It Mission continues to knock book after book off my To Be Read list. My newest notch on my bookshelf belongs to Jess Riley. Her book, Mandatory Release, was actually a gift given to me. She was having a giveaway on her fan page and lucky me! I won! I never win anything.
I am no stranger to Jess Riley. I discovered her through Indie Author Land. The IAD blog does great little interviews with Indie writers to help get them exposure. The same time frame that my interview for Letters To Young Chong premiered, so did her appearance for All The Lonely People.
My Review:
Okay, I’m totally writer crushing on Jess Riley. I love her snarkiness (a. is that a word? b. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible). I remember as a youngster wishing that I could sing like the lead singer of Garbage. In a similar sort of admiration, if one day I was forced to trade my writing style … I would want Jess Riley’s.
Now… with more focus on this novel and less on great music of the 90’s...
Mandatory Release has chapters that alternate between the point of view of the two main characters, Drew and Graham. These two know each other from way back and they have now been reunited … in prison!
This is a little less dramatic than what you expect. They both have jobs at a prison.
The newly hired Drew has just returned to her home town to recover from a breakup with the mysterious Ben. I say mysterious not because he’s an international spy, but because the vagueness of his existence. You know they were in love but something must have went terribly awry. I found myself quite often with this book clutched in my sweaty fist, shaking it violently and screaming “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO DREW AND BEN?????”
Don’t worry, readers! You will find out. Discovering the secretive details of this love lost left me with a crazy feeling. Suddenly I realized that I had been so obsessed with Drew’s past and not focused enough on her future. There was less than fifty pages left when the truth came out. Less than fifty pages for things to start tying together or maybe for things to fall apart. Now I was shaking the book and yelling “GET IT TOGETHER, DREW!!!!”
*Disclaimer: this is why people think readers are crazy. Always yelling a fictional characters.
I loved this book and I do love Jess Riley. I recommend you grab a copy of one of her novels. Hopefully you’ll enjoy her humor with a bite as much as I do!
www.melaniejomoore.com
I am no stranger to Jess Riley. I discovered her through Indie Author Land. The IAD blog does great little interviews with Indie writers to help get them exposure. The same time frame that my interview for Letters To Young Chong premiered, so did her appearance for All The Lonely People.
My Review:
Okay, I’m totally writer crushing on Jess Riley. I love her snarkiness (a. is that a word? b. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible). I remember as a youngster wishing that I could sing like the lead singer of Garbage. In a similar sort of admiration, if one day I was forced to trade my writing style … I would want Jess Riley’s.
Now… with more focus on this novel and less on great music of the 90’s...
Mandatory Release has chapters that alternate between the point of view of the two main characters, Drew and Graham. These two know each other from way back and they have now been reunited … in prison!
This is a little less dramatic than what you expect. They both have jobs at a prison.
The newly hired Drew has just returned to her home town to recover from a breakup with the mysterious Ben. I say mysterious not because he’s an international spy, but because the vagueness of his existence. You know they were in love but something must have went terribly awry. I found myself quite often with this book clutched in my sweaty fist, shaking it violently and screaming “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO DREW AND BEN?????”
Don’t worry, readers! You will find out. Discovering the secretive details of this love lost left me with a crazy feeling. Suddenly I realized that I had been so obsessed with Drew’s past and not focused enough on her future. There was less than fifty pages left when the truth came out. Less than fifty pages for things to start tying together or maybe for things to fall apart. Now I was shaking the book and yelling “GET IT TOGETHER, DREW!!!!”
*Disclaimer: this is why people think readers are crazy. Always yelling a fictional characters.
I loved this book and I do love Jess Riley. I recommend you grab a copy of one of her novels. Hopefully you’ll enjoy her humor with a bite as much as I do!
www.melaniejomoore.com
January 4, 2017
This is quite the charming novel. I grew close to Graham and Drew as their interwoven stories meet in a rather anticlimactic ending. As a teacher, I enjoyed Drew's analysis of her classroom and the relationships she builds with her students. And as a fat, shallow, stationary, couch potatoe, I can relate to Graham's paraplegic handicap. THE END.
Read
July 16, 2013I'm so happy to announce the release of my third novel,
Mandatory Release.
It features some of my favorite characters I've ever written, and I miss them already. Thanks to everyone who's read or reviewed it already; I really appreciate it!
August 11, 2013
So I started reading this book and within the first couple pages of the book I was already enamored with the lead character, Graham.
He was cynical, funny, sarcastic, witty, and blunt. He is in a wheelchair from a car accident with a slim possibility of ever walking again.
When we are first introduced to him, he is meeting people on an online dating website but not revealing to them that he is in a wheelchair. He wanted to have the other people get to know him first before being put off by the fact that he was handicapped.
Of course he puts his own twisted humor in it, which makes the reader feel sorry for him but at the same time we are laughing with him and at his predicament.
Graham works at a men's prison and I was totally confused about this jail that they spoke of.
When I think of prison, I think of Oz, that crazy ass drama about shanking people and raping in showers. So when the author was talking about a school being at the prison, I was like WHAT does that really happen?? WOw I learn something new everyday.. Maybe I shouldn't be stereotyping... Then again my only frame of reference was the show Oz and Locked Up (which my husband has a weird fascination with).
This school is where we meet the other main character, Drew.
Drew is a teacher who came to the jail after leaving her other school job because of an outrageous scandal. You do no know the deets about the scandal until almost the end of the book and it frustrated me that the characters kept referencing the incident but nobody said WHAT it was.
Drew is heartbroken, witty, funny, just as cynical as Graham and trying to heal from what happened at her job, so of course she runs away to a prison..
"I wanted to escape, and what better place to do that than prison"
Graham and Drew went to high school together so they are already familiar with one another. When Drew comes to work at the prison with Graham, he is still just as attracted to her as he was in high school and Drew thinks Graham is just as charming and attractive as he was in high school but the wheelchair does make her pause and reflect.
You see them both talk about the other in their internal monologues and realize that they both want to be with the other but for different reasons they do not pursue each other.
It's frustrating but it isn't what this book is really about, the romantic aspect of this book takes a backseat and you see something bigger developing.
These characters are probably my FAVORITE part of this book. They are truly well developed and no stone is left unturned. You get a full range spectrum of each character and you love them all. They are all funny, twisted, sarcastic, and witty. By the end of the book if you haven't laughed at least once then you don't have a sense of humor (or not a dark sense of humor like me? ;) )
I hinted that this book was about something bigger than a romance and it was. It was about healing and finding yourself after a tragedy.
Graham tried to find himself in the world where he didn't think anyone could/would accept and love him like he should be because of his handicap.
"So now I'm glib when I should be reflective. I'm caustic where I should be smooth. I'm half when I should be whole"
And Drew who is trying to get over her demons and find happiness again, without turning bitter.
The prison actually teaches her bigger lessons than she ever thought possible. I think my second favorite part of this book were the people that Drew helped. She really seemed interested in helping these young men and it was rewarding to read all the good she did. What made it even better was when I read at the end that there were real people out there who did this in the real world..
Talk about a life experience.
This author taught me about compassion and realizing that not every criminal is as heartless as people think, they are just desperate to fit into the world where they don't have the resources like others do. She taught me not to judge a book by its cover because the put together teacher who people look up too, may be just as sinister as a snake. And a criminal behind bars might actually be kind but lost in the world where nobody gave a damn about him.
The only thing that gave me pause, was the ending. I can't put my finger on what exactly was off but it rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was just too abrupt or seemed like the book was going one way and then the author did a 180. I liked what happened with the main characters but I think it was missing something, maybe more details. The book was listed as a love story but I didn't feel the love between the two characters, I thought they resembled friends more than lovers. But like I stated before, this book was about more than romance so it didn't deter me from liking the book, because I really did.
I give this book a 4/5
He was cynical, funny, sarcastic, witty, and blunt. He is in a wheelchair from a car accident with a slim possibility of ever walking again.
When we are first introduced to him, he is meeting people on an online dating website but not revealing to them that he is in a wheelchair. He wanted to have the other people get to know him first before being put off by the fact that he was handicapped.
Of course he puts his own twisted humor in it, which makes the reader feel sorry for him but at the same time we are laughing with him and at his predicament.
Graham works at a men's prison and I was totally confused about this jail that they spoke of.
When I think of prison, I think of Oz, that crazy ass drama about shanking people and raping in showers. So when the author was talking about a school being at the prison, I was like WHAT does that really happen?? WOw I learn something new everyday.. Maybe I shouldn't be stereotyping... Then again my only frame of reference was the show Oz and Locked Up (which my husband has a weird fascination with).
This school is where we meet the other main character, Drew.
Drew is a teacher who came to the jail after leaving her other school job because of an outrageous scandal. You do no know the deets about the scandal until almost the end of the book and it frustrated me that the characters kept referencing the incident but nobody said WHAT it was.
Drew is heartbroken, witty, funny, just as cynical as Graham and trying to heal from what happened at her job, so of course she runs away to a prison..
"I wanted to escape, and what better place to do that than prison"
Graham and Drew went to high school together so they are already familiar with one another. When Drew comes to work at the prison with Graham, he is still just as attracted to her as he was in high school and Drew thinks Graham is just as charming and attractive as he was in high school but the wheelchair does make her pause and reflect.
You see them both talk about the other in their internal monologues and realize that they both want to be with the other but for different reasons they do not pursue each other.
It's frustrating but it isn't what this book is really about, the romantic aspect of this book takes a backseat and you see something bigger developing.
These characters are probably my FAVORITE part of this book. They are truly well developed and no stone is left unturned. You get a full range spectrum of each character and you love them all. They are all funny, twisted, sarcastic, and witty. By the end of the book if you haven't laughed at least once then you don't have a sense of humor (or not a dark sense of humor like me? ;) )
I hinted that this book was about something bigger than a romance and it was. It was about healing and finding yourself after a tragedy.
Graham tried to find himself in the world where he didn't think anyone could/would accept and love him like he should be because of his handicap.
"So now I'm glib when I should be reflective. I'm caustic where I should be smooth. I'm half when I should be whole"
And Drew who is trying to get over her demons and find happiness again, without turning bitter.
The prison actually teaches her bigger lessons than she ever thought possible. I think my second favorite part of this book were the people that Drew helped. She really seemed interested in helping these young men and it was rewarding to read all the good she did. What made it even better was when I read at the end that there were real people out there who did this in the real world..
Talk about a life experience.
This author taught me about compassion and realizing that not every criminal is as heartless as people think, they are just desperate to fit into the world where they don't have the resources like others do. She taught me not to judge a book by its cover because the put together teacher who people look up too, may be just as sinister as a snake. And a criminal behind bars might actually be kind but lost in the world where nobody gave a damn about him.
The only thing that gave me pause, was the ending. I can't put my finger on what exactly was off but it rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was just too abrupt or seemed like the book was going one way and then the author did a 180. I liked what happened with the main characters but I think it was missing something, maybe more details. The book was listed as a love story but I didn't feel the love between the two characters, I thought they resembled friends more than lovers. But like I stated before, this book was about more than romance so it didn't deter me from liking the book, because I really did.
I give this book a 4/5
August 14, 2013
Mandatory Release was a hilarious adult read. Please note that this is an adult book with adult situations and is not suitable for 17 and under. I know I know some of you are thinking what the hell..... well I will say this this book is for adults. It has humor,sex, and lots of witty banter back and forth. Graham Finch is the man with a master plan. He is bitter and has a shit job. He is a rehabilitation worker in a prison. I mean what sucks worse than that? Well see Graham was in a bad accident and is cripple from the waist down and is wheelchair bound. To say he is angry is an understatement. He is trying to get over his divorce and move on and try to be happy and try to have love in life. He is online dating trying to see if he can find a date and start over again.
One day at work he finds out he will have a new co-worker helping the prisoners out with school. When he comes to work and meets the new co-worker he is so surprised by who it is. It is none other than his high school crush Drew Daniels. She is everything she was in high school and more and his old feelings for her resurface and he wonders if the feelings are mutual.Can there be anything between them after all this time?
Drew Daniels is home living with her parents after going through a divorce. She is trying to mend her broken heart so she decides to go home and start a new life. She decides she will teach prisoners and when she gets there she sees her old high school friend Graham she starts to feel like she is home. Drew knows she is broken but she is trying to move on and start fresh and with coming home and making friends and seeing old ones is a start to a new life. Will she ever be able to move on from her past and her hurt?
One day at work he finds out he will have a new co-worker helping the prisoners out with school. When he comes to work and meets the new co-worker he is so surprised by who it is. It is none other than his high school crush Drew Daniels. She is everything she was in high school and more and his old feelings for her resurface and he wonders if the feelings are mutual.Can there be anything between them after all this time?
Drew Daniels is home living with her parents after going through a divorce. She is trying to mend her broken heart so she decides to go home and start a new life. She decides she will teach prisoners and when she gets there she sees her old high school friend Graham she starts to feel like she is home. Drew knows she is broken but she is trying to move on and start fresh and with coming home and making friends and seeing old ones is a start to a new life. Will she ever be able to move on from her past and her hurt?
September 24, 2013
Originally published on my blog @ http://therelentlessreader.blogspot.c...
You may have noticed that I tend to read a lot of dark books. I'm a fan of memoirs wherein the protagonist has a much crappier life than I do. I have a hankering to read about the seedy underbelly of life. I'm into gritty, dirty, twisty books that make me feel better about my own little first-world problems.
So, reading Mandatory Release was like floating in a swimming pool with a cool glass of lemonade tucked in my cup holder. It was like a fresh stick of double-mint gum, like an ice cube rubbed on my sweaty neck. It was like a hard candy with a surprise center! (Thanks Katy Perry) All of that is to say that it was refreshing.
This is the second book that I've read by Jess Riley. Just like the first, this one had me chuckling throughout. She is a seriously funny author, nearly every paragraph has a witty turn of phrase that made me smile.
Lest you think this book is all fun and games let me point out that it also has its share of poignancy. Drew and Graham work in a prison. Graham is confined to a wheelchair. There are some shady happenings in Drew's past. It's not just a bowl of cherries people!
Mandatory Release is a quirky, tender, and complex tale that I heartily recommend.
You may have noticed that I tend to read a lot of dark books. I'm a fan of memoirs wherein the protagonist has a much crappier life than I do. I have a hankering to read about the seedy underbelly of life. I'm into gritty, dirty, twisty books that make me feel better about my own little first-world problems.
So, reading Mandatory Release was like floating in a swimming pool with a cool glass of lemonade tucked in my cup holder. It was like a fresh stick of double-mint gum, like an ice cube rubbed on my sweaty neck. It was like a hard candy with a surprise center! (Thanks Katy Perry) All of that is to say that it was refreshing.
This is the second book that I've read by Jess Riley. Just like the first, this one had me chuckling throughout. She is a seriously funny author, nearly every paragraph has a witty turn of phrase that made me smile.
Lest you think this book is all fun and games let me point out that it also has its share of poignancy. Drew and Graham work in a prison. Graham is confined to a wheelchair. There are some shady happenings in Drew's past. It's not just a bowl of cherries people!
Mandatory Release is a quirky, tender, and complex tale that I heartily recommend.
May 29, 2013
I got an advanced copy of Jess Riley's newest novel and like with all her other books expected an intelligent, interesting, and fun read. What I didn't expect was the unusual setting of a prison, a guy in a wheelchair, a cheating friend, and a twist in the plot that kept me hungrily turning the pages.
Jess has always been an excellent storyteller and her quirky and unique use of the English language is what keeps me returning to her work. That and her humor; I think this is her funniest book to date.
Jess has always been an excellent storyteller and her quirky and unique use of the English language is what keeps me returning to her work. That and her humor; I think this is her funniest book to date.
October 19, 2013
I really really wanted to like this book. It had been on my list all summer as a recommendation from my favorite author. Not only did it take me weeks to get through but I really struggled with the story line. I felt like several sub plots started at were never wrapped up - what happened to Brooke? Ben? I waited 200 pages to find out what Bens big secret was and was seriously let down. I did enjoy the writing style but the story didn't do it for me
July 27, 2014
I was unimpressed. The characters were simplified and not all that believable, at least at the level the book was written. So full of over the top metaphors and ridiculous descriptions that they aren't funny after the first chapter. Not a bad summer read, but I wondered why I had bothered taking the time to read it about 3/4 of the way through.
September 11, 2013
This was a different book with a quirky style of writing and humour that I really liked. I did find Graham a bit of a whiner after awhile, which it seems like he did too, but I would have liked a bit more character development and growth from him about his situation, and not just having him essentially stay the same and get the girl.
September 23, 2014
3 stars.
I liked this one.
After a life-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of eight years, Drew Daniels moves back home and gets a job with her mother at a medium-security prison as a Special Ed teacher. Trying to figure out a way to mend her broken heart, she feels like she's hit rock bottom.
It doesn't take too long for her to run into old high-school lab partner, Graham Finch. Confined to a wheelchair following a car accident, he's a social worker at the prison. He had a huge crush on Drew back in high-school, but feels like he doesn't stand a chance with her anymore.
While Drew and Graham rekindle their friendship, both of them date other people. Graham is a perpetual online dating kind of guy, and Drew catches the eye of in-office playboy Joe. He's a lot younger than her, but she doesn't seem to be able to resist him, much to Graham's dismay.
Mandatory Release was a good book--it had moments of humor and a little hotness and it was very authentic. I felt like both Drew's and Graham's feelings and reactions were authentic. Everything that Drew felt about being back home and the kind of life-fail that implies was spot-on. And with Graham, the way everything went back to him being in a wheelchair rang very true, as well. He doesn't want to be defined by being in a wheelchair, but he knows it is what it is. Graham was such a great character with an amazing personality. I loved his internal thoughts and how real he was. He's funny. And smart. And in spite of not always wanting to be, he's a nice guy. There's a moment with him and Joe that was one of my favorite parts:
I really loved the reveal of what exactly happened to cause the demise of Drew and her longtime boyfriend's relationship. It was totally unexpected, but I would have never, ever guessed it. I also really loved Graham's friend, Kevin.
What I didn't love was some of the open-endedness. It's not that I need every single detail of everyone's lives, but I definitely would like to have found out more about some situations, like what happened with Drew's friend, Brooke. I also felt like even though the two of them had known each other for practically their entire lives, there was a smidge of "insta-love" that wasn't explained very well. Being crazy about someone, I get. But not in love with them, especially from the point of view of a guy. I also felt like there was this huge build up to something that only sort of happened. I guess that's real life, right? This book is not a quick read and I felt like a few parts kind of dragged on, but looking back on it, I don't know what really could have been cut out.
If you're looking for a funny story with twists and turns and hope, then check out Mandatory Release . I think you'll enjoy it.
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool
I liked this one.
After a life-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of eight years, Drew Daniels moves back home and gets a job with her mother at a medium-security prison as a Special Ed teacher. Trying to figure out a way to mend her broken heart, she feels like she's hit rock bottom.
She was also staying with her parents because her mother felt she shouldn't be alone after what happened. Especially since those early days without Ben had been filtered through an ugly new lens--one that distorted every day into something numb to be endured. Drew wanted to eat well-balanced meals cooked by her mother and use silverware that hadn't touched Ben's lips on a daily basis. She wanted to feel protected, to have her mother take care of her--the way she did when Drew had the flu as a child and her mother brought her cool washcloths for her forehead and flat 7-Up with a bendy straw.
It doesn't take too long for her to run into old high-school lab partner, Graham Finch. Confined to a wheelchair following a car accident, he's a social worker at the prison. He had a huge crush on Drew back in high-school, but feels like he doesn't stand a chance with her anymore.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you just knew the person you were sitting across from could be happy for the rest of her life, if only she spent it with you? Not like you are personally the key to her euphoria or something, you’re not that ego-centric, but she would be happy because you adore her. You complement one another. You’re on the same team. And you know there’s chemistry there because sometimes she looks at you a beat too long, but it’s a look of affection … of easy, effortless kindness. And you can feel all of this in your gut, in your heart, in your bones, in every muscle fiber and every molecule of your body.
While Drew and Graham rekindle their friendship, both of them date other people. Graham is a perpetual online dating kind of guy, and Drew catches the eye of in-office playboy Joe. He's a lot younger than her, but she doesn't seem to be able to resist him, much to Graham's dismay.
How could she not know his personal goal in life is to give more rides on the baloney pony than a petting zoo sponsored by Oscar Mayer? She's got to know it.
Mandatory Release was a good book--it had moments of humor and a little hotness and it was very authentic. I felt like both Drew's and Graham's feelings and reactions were authentic. Everything that Drew felt about being back home and the kind of life-fail that implies was spot-on. And with Graham, the way everything went back to him being in a wheelchair rang very true, as well. He doesn't want to be defined by being in a wheelchair, but he knows it is what it is. Graham was such a great character with an amazing personality. I loved his internal thoughts and how real he was. He's funny. And smart. And in spite of not always wanting to be, he's a nice guy. There's a moment with him and Joe that was one of my favorite parts:
There's a dangerous beat while [Joe's] face turns purple. "If you weren't in that chair..."
"You'd be in the hospital by now," I finish for him.
I really loved the reveal of what exactly happened to cause the demise of Drew and her longtime boyfriend's relationship. It was totally unexpected, but I would have never, ever guessed it. I also really loved Graham's friend, Kevin.
"Why does this have to be so damn complicated? I mean, you know, right? You know when you've found the one, right?"
"I only have one qualifying question. Do you spit or swallow? Answer that correctly, and you get me for life."
What I didn't love was some of the open-endedness. It's not that I need every single detail of everyone's lives, but I definitely would like to have found out more about some situations, like what happened with Drew's friend, Brooke. I also felt like even though the two of them had known each other for practically their entire lives, there was a smidge of "insta-love" that wasn't explained very well. Being crazy about someone, I get. But not in love with them, especially from the point of view of a guy. I also felt like there was this huge build up to something that only sort of happened. I guess that's real life, right? This book is not a quick read and I felt like a few parts kind of dragged on, but looking back on it, I don't know what really could have been cut out.
If you're looking for a funny story with twists and turns and hope, then check out Mandatory Release . I think you'll enjoy it.
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool
July 25, 2017
The dialogue is very funny.
July 27, 2015
3 stars.
You can see this review, along with a bunch of others, at Pretty Sassy Cool .
I liked this one.
After a life-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of eight years, Drew Daniels moves back home and gets a job with her mother at a medium-security prison as a Special Ed teacher. Trying to figure out a way to mend her broken heart, she feels like she's hit rock bottom.
It doesn't take too long for her to run into old high-school lab partner, Graham Finch. Confined to a wheelchair following a car accident, he's a social worker at the prison. He had a huge crush on Drew back in high-school, but feels like he doesn't stand a chance with her anymore.
While Drew and Graham rekindle their friendship, both of them date other people. Graham is a perpetual online dating kind of guy, and Drew catches the eye of in-office playboy Joe. He's a lot younger than her, but she doesn't seem to be able to resist him, much to Graham's dismay.
Mandatory Release was a good book--it had moments of humor and a little hotness and it was very authentic. I felt like both Drew's and Graham's feelings and reactions were authentic. Everything that Drew felt about being back home and the kind of life-fail that implies was spot-on. And with Graham, the way everything went back to him being in a wheelchair rang very true, as well. He doesn't want to be defined by being in a wheelchair, but he knows it is what it is. Graham was such a great character with an amazing personality. I loved his internal thoughts and how real he was. He's funny. And smart. And in spite of not always wanting to be, he's a nice guy. There's a moment with him and Joe that was one of my favorite parts:
I really loved the reveal of what exactly happened to cause the demise of Drew and her longtime boyfriend's relationship. It was totally unexpected, but I would have never, ever guessed it. I also really loved Graham's friend, Kevin.
What I didn't love was some of the open-endedness. It's not that I need every single detail of everyone's lives, but I definitely would like to have found out more about some situations, like what happened with Drew's friend, Brooke. I also felt like even though the two of them had known each other for practically their entire lives, there was a smidge of "insta-love" that wasn't explained very well. Being crazy about someone, I get. But not in love with them, especially from the point of view of a guy. I also felt like there was this huge build up to something that only sort of happened. I guess that's real life, right? This book is not a quick read and I felt like a few parts kind of dragged on, but looking back on it, I don't know what really could have been cut out.
If you're looking for a funny story with twists and turns and hope, then check out Mandatory Release. I think you'll enjoy it.
You can see this review, along with a bunch of others, at Pretty Sassy Cool .
I liked this one.
After a life-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of eight years, Drew Daniels moves back home and gets a job with her mother at a medium-security prison as a Special Ed teacher. Trying to figure out a way to mend her broken heart, she feels like she's hit rock bottom.
She was also staying with her parents because her mother felt she shouldn't be alone after what happened. Especially since those early days without Ben had been filtered through an ugly new lens--one that distorted every day into something numb to be endured. Drew wanted to eat well-balanced meals cooked by her mother and use silverware that hadn't touched Ben's lips on a daily basis. She wanted to feel protected, to have her mother take care of her--the way she did when Drew had the flu as a child and her mother brought her cool washcloths for her forehead and flat 7-Up with a bendy straw.
It doesn't take too long for her to run into old high-school lab partner, Graham Finch. Confined to a wheelchair following a car accident, he's a social worker at the prison. He had a huge crush on Drew back in high-school, but feels like he doesn't stand a chance with her anymore.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you just knew the person you were sitting across from could be happy for the rest of her life, if only she spent it with you? Not like you are personally the key to her euphoria or something, you’re not that ego-centric, but she would be happy because you adore her. You complement one another. You’re on the same team. And you know there’s chemistry there because sometimes she looks at you a beat too long, but it’s a look of affection … of easy, effortless kindness. And you can feel all of this in your gut, in your heart, in your bones, in every muscle fiber and every molecule of your body.
While Drew and Graham rekindle their friendship, both of them date other people. Graham is a perpetual online dating kind of guy, and Drew catches the eye of in-office playboy Joe. He's a lot younger than her, but she doesn't seem to be able to resist him, much to Graham's dismay.
How could she not know his personal goal in life is to give more rides on the baloney pony than a petting zoo sponsored by Oscar Mayer? She's got to know it.
Mandatory Release was a good book--it had moments of humor and a little hotness and it was very authentic. I felt like both Drew's and Graham's feelings and reactions were authentic. Everything that Drew felt about being back home and the kind of life-fail that implies was spot-on. And with Graham, the way everything went back to him being in a wheelchair rang very true, as well. He doesn't want to be defined by being in a wheelchair, but he knows it is what it is. Graham was such a great character with an amazing personality. I loved his internal thoughts and how real he was. He's funny. And smart. And in spite of not always wanting to be, he's a nice guy. There's a moment with him and Joe that was one of my favorite parts:
There's a dangerous beat while [Joe's] face turns purple. "If you weren't in that chair..."
"You'd be in the hospital by now," I finish for him.
I really loved the reveal of what exactly happened to cause the demise of Drew and her longtime boyfriend's relationship. It was totally unexpected, but I would have never, ever guessed it. I also really loved Graham's friend, Kevin.
"Why does this have to be so damn complicated? I mean, you know, right? You know when you've found the one, right?"
"I only have one qualifying question. Do you spit or swallow? Answer that correctly, and you get me for life."
What I didn't love was some of the open-endedness. It's not that I need every single detail of everyone's lives, but I definitely would like to have found out more about some situations, like what happened with Drew's friend, Brooke. I also felt like even though the two of them had known each other for practically their entire lives, there was a smidge of "insta-love" that wasn't explained very well. Being crazy about someone, I get. But not in love with them, especially from the point of view of a guy. I also felt like there was this huge build up to something that only sort of happened. I guess that's real life, right? This book is not a quick read and I felt like a few parts kind of dragged on, but looking back on it, I don't know what really could have been cut out.
If you're looking for a funny story with twists and turns and hope, then check out Mandatory Release. I think you'll enjoy it.
June 30, 2013
I was kindly provided with a free copy of this novel for review purposes by the publishers.
I'm going to admit straight away that what drew me to this novel was the comparison that has been made to the US prison drama 'Oz', which happens to be one of the most addictive and compelling TV shows I have ever watched. The idea of a novel set in a prison, following the lives of two prison workers really appealed to me and I was excited to give it a go. I love to try something new and this was something I'd never come across in a book before.
30-something teacher Drew Daniels is frantically trying to escape her life and finds the solution she's looking for in moving back in with her parents and starting a new job at the local prison teaching Special Ed classes. It's as far from her usual life of teaching at an expensive private school as she can manage and she thinks it could be the medicine she needs to help her forget her troubles. Drew has just re-entered the world of the singleton after living the cosy, settled life with long-term partner Ben. We don't really know what happened with the relationship but we do know it ended badly. Badly enough that she would want to return to the scene of her adolescent years.
On her first day at Lakeside Correctional, Drew meets Joe, a Corrections Officer ten years her junior but just attractive enough that it stops her from caring about the age gap. She also bumps into Graham, an old friend from High School who is now a Social Worker at Lakeside and has found himself wheelchair-bound after an RTA left him paralysed from the waist down.
What follows is your typical girl meets guy, girl falls for guy while another guy falls for her story arc. Now, I don't usually read these kind of novels, and there was a point about half way in to the novel where I was tempted to put it aside and stop reading - not because the novel itself was bad but because it just wasn't turning out to be my kind of thing. However, the mystery of how Drew's relationship with Ben ended kept me reading. Hints had been dropped and I was anticipating some dirty secret was about to come out in the wash. And I wasn't disappointed. And I'm really glad that I kept reading because at about the 3/4 way mark, I started to really enjoy this novel. The characters began to come into their own, the plot spun off in a few thought-provoking angles and I wanted to keep reading.
The format of the novel took a little getting used to. It was told in chapters that alternated from Graham's first person narration and a third person perspective of Drew's experience. While I would usually find myself wanting to read more of the female character's point of view, I actually found myself enjoying Graham's chapters more than Drew's. I loved Graham's voice, his sarcasm and pessimistic world view. I really felt as though I was getting inside his head, that I could identify with his experiences, while I felt as though I was watching Drew from a distance which made it hard to connect with her.
The subject matter of the novel was quite dark, which is a personal favourite of mine when it comes to choosing reading material, and yet it had an uplifting angle to it. Graham, especially brought humour to the darkness and stopped the novel becoming merely a diatribe against the American penal system. I enjoyed the way Jess Riley brought attention to the flaws of the Prison system - the overcrowding, the chaos, the risk for the prison workers. And the way she did it without preaching. We got to see the flaws and the problems with our own eyes rather than simply be told about them.
This was a thought-provoking read that I'm glad I stuck with. At some point in the future, I will probably return to it and read it again with fresh eyes, knowing that it is a book I am going to enjoy. I found the pop culture references quirky and kind of fun - when a fictional character compares their situation to one of your favourite films (Freedom Writers) it's bound to make you smile.
I'd recommend this book for anybody who likes quirky humour, a bit of darkness and a story firmly rooted in reality. I'll definitely be checking out some of Jess Riley's earlier novels.
You can also find my reviews and other bookish ramblings at my blog
I'm going to admit straight away that what drew me to this novel was the comparison that has been made to the US prison drama 'Oz', which happens to be one of the most addictive and compelling TV shows I have ever watched. The idea of a novel set in a prison, following the lives of two prison workers really appealed to me and I was excited to give it a go. I love to try something new and this was something I'd never come across in a book before.
30-something teacher Drew Daniels is frantically trying to escape her life and finds the solution she's looking for in moving back in with her parents and starting a new job at the local prison teaching Special Ed classes. It's as far from her usual life of teaching at an expensive private school as she can manage and she thinks it could be the medicine she needs to help her forget her troubles. Drew has just re-entered the world of the singleton after living the cosy, settled life with long-term partner Ben. We don't really know what happened with the relationship but we do know it ended badly. Badly enough that she would want to return to the scene of her adolescent years.
On her first day at Lakeside Correctional, Drew meets Joe, a Corrections Officer ten years her junior but just attractive enough that it stops her from caring about the age gap. She also bumps into Graham, an old friend from High School who is now a Social Worker at Lakeside and has found himself wheelchair-bound after an RTA left him paralysed from the waist down.
What follows is your typical girl meets guy, girl falls for guy while another guy falls for her story arc. Now, I don't usually read these kind of novels, and there was a point about half way in to the novel where I was tempted to put it aside and stop reading - not because the novel itself was bad but because it just wasn't turning out to be my kind of thing. However, the mystery of how Drew's relationship with Ben ended kept me reading. Hints had been dropped and I was anticipating some dirty secret was about to come out in the wash. And I wasn't disappointed. And I'm really glad that I kept reading because at about the 3/4 way mark, I started to really enjoy this novel. The characters began to come into their own, the plot spun off in a few thought-provoking angles and I wanted to keep reading.
The format of the novel took a little getting used to. It was told in chapters that alternated from Graham's first person narration and a third person perspective of Drew's experience. While I would usually find myself wanting to read more of the female character's point of view, I actually found myself enjoying Graham's chapters more than Drew's. I loved Graham's voice, his sarcasm and pessimistic world view. I really felt as though I was getting inside his head, that I could identify with his experiences, while I felt as though I was watching Drew from a distance which made it hard to connect with her.
The subject matter of the novel was quite dark, which is a personal favourite of mine when it comes to choosing reading material, and yet it had an uplifting angle to it. Graham, especially brought humour to the darkness and stopped the novel becoming merely a diatribe against the American penal system. I enjoyed the way Jess Riley brought attention to the flaws of the Prison system - the overcrowding, the chaos, the risk for the prison workers. And the way she did it without preaching. We got to see the flaws and the problems with our own eyes rather than simply be told about them.
This was a thought-provoking read that I'm glad I stuck with. At some point in the future, I will probably return to it and read it again with fresh eyes, knowing that it is a book I am going to enjoy. I found the pop culture references quirky and kind of fun - when a fictional character compares their situation to one of your favourite films (Freedom Writers) it's bound to make you smile.
I'd recommend this book for anybody who likes quirky humour, a bit of darkness and a story firmly rooted in reality. I'll definitely be checking out some of Jess Riley's earlier novels.
You can also find my reviews and other bookish ramblings at my blog
August 5, 2013
See this review and more at www.tattooedbookreview.com!
“Have you ever had one of those moments where you just knew the person you were sitting across from could be happy for the rest of her life, if only she spent it with you? Not like you are personally the key to her euphoria or something, you’re not that ego-centric, but she would be happy because you adore her. You complement one another. You’re on the same team. And you know there’s chemistry there because sometimes she looks at you a beat too long, but it’s a look of affection… of easy, effortless kindness. And you can feel all of this in your gut, in your heart, in your bones, in every muscle fiber and every molecule of your body.”
A breath of fresh air in a landscape of heart-breakingly emotional and angsty books, this book uses sarcastic humor and wit to deal with the darkness and tragedy that simply exists every day, in dark corners and all around us.
Told from separate POV’s of two characters who are brought together by circumstances that so many people face at some point in their lives: sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we expected, and now are forced to do the best they can with the hand that life has dealt. In world filled with tragedy, crime, abuse and social inequality, sometimes all we can do is simply move forward, and hope to find a comfortable place.
Though I have never been confined to a wheelchair, worked in a prison, or even spent any time in the midwest, the author creates very real relatable characters and settings. Though the story, experience, and anecdotes are specific to time and place in a way that grounds them in reality, there are also character elements, situations, feelings, and humor that are universal. There’s a familiar normalcy to even the most abnormal moments. She makes you feel like you could be Drew or Graham, or at least that there’s some part of them in all of us. These two characters are incredibly likable, not in a conventional way, but possibly because they’re both survivors, and still possess guarded hope.
The humor is quirky, self-deprecating, and not politically correct, and that’s why I enjoyed it so much. I found myself laughing out loud at things that maybe shouldn’t be funny, but are told with an edge that somehow makes laughter the only appropriate reaction. The book has a few slow moments, but this is far overshadowed by the overall effect of the book. With it’s dark humor, relatable characters, palpable emotion, and unexpected hopeful romance, this is overall a great read.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
“Have you ever had one of those moments where you just knew the person you were sitting across from could be happy for the rest of her life, if only she spent it with you? Not like you are personally the key to her euphoria or something, you’re not that ego-centric, but she would be happy because you adore her. You complement one another. You’re on the same team. And you know there’s chemistry there because sometimes she looks at you a beat too long, but it’s a look of affection… of easy, effortless kindness. And you can feel all of this in your gut, in your heart, in your bones, in every muscle fiber and every molecule of your body.”
A breath of fresh air in a landscape of heart-breakingly emotional and angsty books, this book uses sarcastic humor and wit to deal with the darkness and tragedy that simply exists every day, in dark corners and all around us.
Told from separate POV’s of two characters who are brought together by circumstances that so many people face at some point in their lives: sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we expected, and now are forced to do the best they can with the hand that life has dealt. In world filled with tragedy, crime, abuse and social inequality, sometimes all we can do is simply move forward, and hope to find a comfortable place.
Though I have never been confined to a wheelchair, worked in a prison, or even spent any time in the midwest, the author creates very real relatable characters and settings. Though the story, experience, and anecdotes are specific to time and place in a way that grounds them in reality, there are also character elements, situations, feelings, and humor that are universal. There’s a familiar normalcy to even the most abnormal moments. She makes you feel like you could be Drew or Graham, or at least that there’s some part of them in all of us. These two characters are incredibly likable, not in a conventional way, but possibly because they’re both survivors, and still possess guarded hope.
The humor is quirky, self-deprecating, and not politically correct, and that’s why I enjoyed it so much. I found myself laughing out loud at things that maybe shouldn’t be funny, but are told with an edge that somehow makes laughter the only appropriate reaction. The book has a few slow moments, but this is far overshadowed by the overall effect of the book. With it’s dark humor, relatable characters, palpable emotion, and unexpected hopeful romance, this is overall a great read.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 18, 2013
Jess Riley has got skills, y'all.
In all seriousness - I have read all of her published books and what I've found in every story are fully developed characters. It feels like she's writing about real people, someone you could meet on the street or at a dog park. You almost feel as if you're getting a peek into their soul while you're reading.
Another thing I love about her work is that it is unique. Her books aren't rehashing ideas that have been done a million times before. Mandatory Release is set in a medium-security prison... how many books have you read lately with a setting like that? Not to mention there's a secret in the book that you don't find out until towards the end - so the whole "What happened?" aspect makes you want to devour the whole book so you can find out!
I have to admit that there were times where this book was hard for me to read, but it was more on a personal level. My little brother is in the Wisconsin prison system - heroin addiction. He spent about a year in medium-security and is now at a minimum-security prison. He has been there for a year and a half, once he completes three years of his sentence he can participate in an early release program. So I know what it's like to go through metal detectors, I actually bought a bra without under-wire and called it my "prison bra" because that was the only time I wore the thing. Prisoners are often stereotyped but the stereotypes are generally true. It hurt me a little to read about it but at the same time it was honest.
Now I'm getting off-track, but the point is that her books make you FEEL. On an emotional level and in my case on a personal level. I could relate to Drew when she walked down those halls because I've been there. I could relate to the way Graham felt when he saw Drew because we've all had a huge crush at some point in our lives.
To finish this up and lighten the mood I also need to add that I LOVE the humor and snark that are in Riley's books. There is always something to make me laugh out loud. Last night I took a picture of a line in the book and sent it to my boyfriend, who called me after his work shift just laughing and saying "That was awesome!". How many books make you do things like that?
Jess Riley also made references to Xbox, Sublime and Veronica Mars. I think that means we could be besties.
In all seriousness - I have read all of her published books and what I've found in every story are fully developed characters. It feels like she's writing about real people, someone you could meet on the street or at a dog park. You almost feel as if you're getting a peek into their soul while you're reading.
Another thing I love about her work is that it is unique. Her books aren't rehashing ideas that have been done a million times before. Mandatory Release is set in a medium-security prison... how many books have you read lately with a setting like that? Not to mention there's a secret in the book that you don't find out until towards the end - so the whole "What happened?" aspect makes you want to devour the whole book so you can find out!
I have to admit that there were times where this book was hard for me to read, but it was more on a personal level. My little brother is in the Wisconsin prison system - heroin addiction. He spent about a year in medium-security and is now at a minimum-security prison. He has been there for a year and a half, once he completes three years of his sentence he can participate in an early release program. So I know what it's like to go through metal detectors, I actually bought a bra without under-wire and called it my "prison bra" because that was the only time I wore the thing. Prisoners are often stereotyped but the stereotypes are generally true. It hurt me a little to read about it but at the same time it was honest.
Now I'm getting off-track, but the point is that her books make you FEEL. On an emotional level and in my case on a personal level. I could relate to Drew when she walked down those halls because I've been there. I could relate to the way Graham felt when he saw Drew because we've all had a huge crush at some point in our lives.
To finish this up and lighten the mood I also need to add that I LOVE the humor and snark that are in Riley's books. There is always something to make me laugh out loud. Last night I took a picture of a line in the book and sent it to my boyfriend, who called me after his work shift just laughing and saying "That was awesome!". How many books make you do things like that?
Jess Riley also made references to Xbox, Sublime and Veronica Mars. I think that means we could be besties.
November 22, 2013
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes.
Can I have more Jess Riley, please? What a great read! Mandatory Release is darker and grittier than lighter chick lit fare, but I’m finding I really enjoy this kind of thing. Thought-provoking, unusual, with incredibly real characters you can’t help but root for, this one was a pleasure to read.
I loved this story. It is so different from anything I’ve read lately and I will definitely remember it. This is saying a lot as I have a horrific memory (which can be good when rereading books or watching a movie again) so many of the stories I read tend to melt into one another after I finish them. But how can you not remember a story about a woman who goes to teach in a prison and the wheelchair bound man she meets (from whose perspective the story is also told). As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I HAD to read this one.
Mandatory Release is mostly character driven so there isn’t a whole lot of action going on, but Riley’s amusing wit and her darker sense of humour kept me thoroughly entertained. Graham often makes sarcastic comments about his disability which were amusing and even at times a bit shocking, but it was eye opening. Jess Riley doesn’t shy away from real life circumstances, which can oftentimes suck, but there is a hopeful feel to this novel.
True to life dialogue and witty turn of phrases that kept me grinning leapt off the pages. I laughed and chuckled throughout with these charming, albeit horribly confused, characters, and their quirky, angry, sarcastic inner thoughts and dialogue.
I found Mandatory Release thought-provoking on many levels, from Drew’s coping with her divorce to Graham’s attitude towards his circumstances and particularly the prison and the inmates. I wondered how I would fare in each characters’ situation and I often pondered “the system”.
Mandatory Release would make a fantastic movie, and this is not something I say often about the books I read as I often prefer them in my imagination. For some reason, though, I'd love to see this on the big screen. Pick this one up today if you’re looking for something a quirky and different. I can’t wait to read more Jess Riley! Lucky for me she has several other books out!
Thank you to Jess Riley for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
June 19, 2013
Jess Riley is a new author to me, someone I’ve never read before, although I do have one of her novels on my Kindle called All The Lonely People, but as soon as I saw her new novel Mandatory Release on Netgalley I was massively intrigued. A novel set in a prison? Say what?? Chick Lit fans may question reading a novel set in a prison but let me tell you, this is an amazing work of fiction.
The plot of the novel is two-fold, focusing on two workers at Lakeside Prison in Laurentide Bay. There’s Graham, who has recently ended up in a wheelchair and is just a wee bit cynical about the world, and then there’s Drew, who’s been hurt badly by someone she loves and has returned to Laurentide Bay to lick her wounds. They both knew each other in high school and end up re-connecting, but can either of these lost souls find what they’re desperately looking for?
I knew I was going to like Mandatory Release when I saw the dedication at the front, where Riley mentions that her parents met in prison and for a second I was gobsmacked until I read it wasn’t like that; her mom was a secretary, her dad a guard. From there on, the book was brilliant. I loved the differing view points from Graham, in first person, to Drew in third person. I found they complimented each other well despite being quite different. I thought Graham was awesome, you rarely find a disabled lead character in Chick/Lad Lit and this was a welcome addition because yes Graham was disabled but it wasn’t just about that. Graham was a fab character and it warmed my heart that Drew saw him as more than just a dude in a chair.
The prison setting was fascinating, not the backdrop you’d expect in Chick Lit, but it worked and it does make me wonder why writers are scared to use such backdrops. Riley has experience herself working in a prison and it was just such a wonderful insight into something we all believe is so awful. I found myself enjoying reading about Drew’s classes and I enjoyed getting to know her students, especially Leroy. Yeah, they’ve done bad things, absolutely so, but I like that they get a chance to get an education. I thoroughly enjoyed Mandatory Release, it was a brilliant insightful read. I’m so glad I read it, it’s the best book about prisons you’ll ever read!
The plot of the novel is two-fold, focusing on two workers at Lakeside Prison in Laurentide Bay. There’s Graham, who has recently ended up in a wheelchair and is just a wee bit cynical about the world, and then there’s Drew, who’s been hurt badly by someone she loves and has returned to Laurentide Bay to lick her wounds. They both knew each other in high school and end up re-connecting, but can either of these lost souls find what they’re desperately looking for?
I knew I was going to like Mandatory Release when I saw the dedication at the front, where Riley mentions that her parents met in prison and for a second I was gobsmacked until I read it wasn’t like that; her mom was a secretary, her dad a guard. From there on, the book was brilliant. I loved the differing view points from Graham, in first person, to Drew in third person. I found they complimented each other well despite being quite different. I thought Graham was awesome, you rarely find a disabled lead character in Chick/Lad Lit and this was a welcome addition because yes Graham was disabled but it wasn’t just about that. Graham was a fab character and it warmed my heart that Drew saw him as more than just a dude in a chair.
The prison setting was fascinating, not the backdrop you’d expect in Chick Lit, but it worked and it does make me wonder why writers are scared to use such backdrops. Riley has experience herself working in a prison and it was just such a wonderful insight into something we all believe is so awful. I found myself enjoying reading about Drew’s classes and I enjoyed getting to know her students, especially Leroy. Yeah, they’ve done bad things, absolutely so, but I like that they get a chance to get an education. I thoroughly enjoyed Mandatory Release, it was a brilliant insightful read. I’m so glad I read it, it’s the best book about prisons you’ll ever read!
June 22, 2013
This is the first Jess Riley book that I've read but the description sounded like something right up my alley! I am so glad that I took the time to read this one and I think I may have found a new author to seek out! I love books with an underlying darkness, a sense of snarkiness and good writing. This book has all three in abundance!
The storytelling in this novel is excellent and I really loved getting to know the characters that Jess Riley created here. The characters all felt real ... alive, flawed and wonderful! They just came alive on the page, making me care about them and their journey in the novel! There are two primary characters in this novel - Graham and Drew. I came to love them, identify with them and I admit that I was a bit sad to say goodbye to them at the conclusion of the book.
The novel has elements of a love story but it's so much more than that. In fact, calling it a love story makes me a bit uncomfortable because its so much more than a simple romance. This novel is really about love, friendship, growing, and healing. The characters in this book are broken but fighting back ... and not letting themselves get pulled down into the vulnerability of their situations. I love that there is such hope and raw emotion packed into this book. I was so taken with these characters and how they grew through the course of the book. The rawness of these characters and their experiences is what really makes this book special!
I see that Jess Riley has been compared to Jonathan Tropper (who I adore) and I would agree that they have a very similar sensibility and that they both write complex characters who feel real. If you're a Tropper fan, I suspect you'd enjoy this book!
Bottom line - I recommend this book! Especially if you like great story telling, well developed characters and enjoy fantastic dialogue! And if you like to laugh, I suspect this will also be one you'll enjoy because I literally laughed out loud numerous times while reading this one! Anyway, I will definitely be seeking out more of Jess Riley's writing in the future! This one comes out on July 16th so I definitely recommend you pick it up then!
NOTE: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for purposes of reading and reviewing the book.
The storytelling in this novel is excellent and I really loved getting to know the characters that Jess Riley created here. The characters all felt real ... alive, flawed and wonderful! They just came alive on the page, making me care about them and their journey in the novel! There are two primary characters in this novel - Graham and Drew. I came to love them, identify with them and I admit that I was a bit sad to say goodbye to them at the conclusion of the book.
The novel has elements of a love story but it's so much more than that. In fact, calling it a love story makes me a bit uncomfortable because its so much more than a simple romance. This novel is really about love, friendship, growing, and healing. The characters in this book are broken but fighting back ... and not letting themselves get pulled down into the vulnerability of their situations. I love that there is such hope and raw emotion packed into this book. I was so taken with these characters and how they grew through the course of the book. The rawness of these characters and their experiences is what really makes this book special!
I see that Jess Riley has been compared to Jonathan Tropper (who I adore) and I would agree that they have a very similar sensibility and that they both write complex characters who feel real. If you're a Tropper fan, I suspect you'd enjoy this book!
Bottom line - I recommend this book! Especially if you like great story telling, well developed characters and enjoy fantastic dialogue! And if you like to laugh, I suspect this will also be one you'll enjoy because I literally laughed out loud numerous times while reading this one! Anyway, I will definitely be seeking out more of Jess Riley's writing in the future! This one comes out on July 16th so I definitely recommend you pick it up then!
NOTE: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for purposes of reading and reviewing the book.
August 9, 2013
This was the first book I’ve read by Jess Riley and I fell in LOVE with this novel. She has just gained a faithful fan! I don’t know how to adequately describe my feelings after reading this book but I will try my best…
Graham and Drew were friends in high school. Back then, Graham had it bad for Drew but she was always unavailable. With Drew’s return and her new job in such close proximity to Graham’s his old feelings resurface. Can Drew look past the man in the wheelchair, and remember the man before the injury? The one who makes her laugh, the one she feels utterly and completely comfortable with, the one she can talk to, could he be more than a friend?
This book is filled with witty and playful banter, comical inner monologues and general humor. Drew and Graham have some hilarious moments but it never distracts the reader from the intensity of the novel. The book touches on some pretty heavy topics but the focus remains primarily on how these two broken people help each other find their way back to happiness and open their hearts to the possibility of more…
Prison.
A topic not usually associated with a novel of this caliber. (Romance/Contemporary Romance) I felt that the author delivered exceptionally well given the topic. Her accurate descriptions/experiences bring you into a world that makes you question everything you’ve ever thought or experienced. How easily could you end up on the opposite side of the law? To what extent would you feel compassion towards inmates like those described in this book? Were your initial views skewed? What constitutes a criminal? I have my own views on this topic but I found myself pondering some of these questions. When an author can make me think that much while still enjoying a novel, I’d say mission accomplished!
There were times when I felt I had time warped to my early existence, with cleverly crafted reminders of the 80s and 90s…like Lisa Frank Trapper Keepers, Punky Brewster and honorable mention of bands/artists that didn’t suck! I highly recommend this book for everyone. It touches upon some heavy issues while bringing you back to earth reminding you of simple things we take for granted. This is an edgy, heartfelt romance. I highly recommend it!
Graham and Drew were friends in high school. Back then, Graham had it bad for Drew but she was always unavailable. With Drew’s return and her new job in such close proximity to Graham’s his old feelings resurface. Can Drew look past the man in the wheelchair, and remember the man before the injury? The one who makes her laugh, the one she feels utterly and completely comfortable with, the one she can talk to, could he be more than a friend?
This book is filled with witty and playful banter, comical inner monologues and general humor. Drew and Graham have some hilarious moments but it never distracts the reader from the intensity of the novel. The book touches on some pretty heavy topics but the focus remains primarily on how these two broken people help each other find their way back to happiness and open their hearts to the possibility of more…
Prison.
A topic not usually associated with a novel of this caliber. (Romance/Contemporary Romance) I felt that the author delivered exceptionally well given the topic. Her accurate descriptions/experiences bring you into a world that makes you question everything you’ve ever thought or experienced. How easily could you end up on the opposite side of the law? To what extent would you feel compassion towards inmates like those described in this book? Were your initial views skewed? What constitutes a criminal? I have my own views on this topic but I found myself pondering some of these questions. When an author can make me think that much while still enjoying a novel, I’d say mission accomplished!
There were times when I felt I had time warped to my early existence, with cleverly crafted reminders of the 80s and 90s…like Lisa Frank Trapper Keepers, Punky Brewster and honorable mention of bands/artists that didn’t suck! I highly recommend this book for everyone. It touches upon some heavy issues while bringing you back to earth reminding you of simple things we take for granted. This is an edgy, heartfelt romance. I highly recommend it!
August 14, 2013
Graham's life was forever changed the day he lost the love of his life as well as the use of his legs in a drunken car wreck. Confined to a wheel chair, Graham spends his day rehabilitating inmates, a job that he certainly doesn't take lightly. But, prison was the last place that Graham ever expected to find a new chance at life.. and love.
Drew thought she lost her soul mate the day that a forbidden criminal act tore her relationship apart, and she never expected to find herself living back with her parents -- or working at the local prison as a special education teacher. Overwhelmed by the leering attitudes of the inmates, Drew fears that she may never get her life on track again. But then, she runs into Graham, the boy back from her school years who works with her at the prison.
When the couple bonds over their shared work with convicted felons, they share humor, friendship, and possibly more in ways that neither ever expected. Is it possible to have a second chance at love after everything has fallen to pieces?
MANDATORY RELEASE was definitely a witty novel, filled with clever dialogue and intriguing characters that added a lot of interest to the story. I really fell in love with Graham (and Drew, to a lesser extent) and I felt like the characters were interesting, relateable, and well-rounded. This story will definitely appeal to those who like chick lit but who prefer things to be a little less girly, if that makes sense at all.
My only problem with this novel is that it dragged a bit in places to me. I certainly prefer a character oriented story over one that leans on flashy plot points to keep itself moving, but at times it just seemed like there wasn't enough going on. Keep that in mind if you tend to have a lesser attention span or just a mind that wanders in general.
I'm impressed with the author's wit, though, and I think MANDATORY RELEASE will find itself a large and varied audience. I appreciate having the opportunity to receive a copy of this novel for the purposes of providing a complete and honest review!
Drew thought she lost her soul mate the day that a forbidden criminal act tore her relationship apart, and she never expected to find herself living back with her parents -- or working at the local prison as a special education teacher. Overwhelmed by the leering attitudes of the inmates, Drew fears that she may never get her life on track again. But then, she runs into Graham, the boy back from her school years who works with her at the prison.
When the couple bonds over their shared work with convicted felons, they share humor, friendship, and possibly more in ways that neither ever expected. Is it possible to have a second chance at love after everything has fallen to pieces?
MANDATORY RELEASE was definitely a witty novel, filled with clever dialogue and intriguing characters that added a lot of interest to the story. I really fell in love with Graham (and Drew, to a lesser extent) and I felt like the characters were interesting, relateable, and well-rounded. This story will definitely appeal to those who like chick lit but who prefer things to be a little less girly, if that makes sense at all.
My only problem with this novel is that it dragged a bit in places to me. I certainly prefer a character oriented story over one that leans on flashy plot points to keep itself moving, but at times it just seemed like there wasn't enough going on. Keep that in mind if you tend to have a lesser attention span or just a mind that wanders in general.
I'm impressed with the author's wit, though, and I think MANDATORY RELEASE will find itself a large and varied audience. I appreciate having the opportunity to receive a copy of this novel for the purposes of providing a complete and honest review!
July 28, 2013
Awesome, unique novel! Didn't want it to end.
What first drew me to this novel was its unique title. In Mandatory Release you have the main character Drew Daniels who is back living at home with her family after a failed marriage. In an attempt to bring some normalcy into her new life she accepts a job a the Lakeside Correctional facility, where her mother also works.
At Lakeside Drew has her share of bad days while teaching a group of convicted felons. As she struggles to get past the memories of her ex-husband Drew is drawn to Joe a correctional officer at the facility. When Graham learns Drew is a new employee at the facility all the old deep feelings he harbors for Drew come to the surface as well as feelings she would feel the same. Graham Finch is a counselor at the facility with a caseload of inmates in line for rehabilitation, he has recently been paralyzed in a car accident and is still angry and bitter at his abrupt change in lifestyle. While Drew enjoys a much-needed fling with Joe, Graham Finch her old high school interest is left sitting on the sidelines watching and warning her about Joe's playboy ways.
I feel in love with this story from the very beginning. The characters are all interesting and it was humbling as Graham Finch struggles physically and emotionally with his disability. I really liked how Riley kept the reason for Drew's divorce under wraps until the end of the story. Although all characters feel very real, Drew and Graham were my favorites. A was drawn to Drew for her level headedness, her flaws yet real life personal while Graham kept me entertained with his feelings for Drew, his struggles and wise cracks. This book had me entertained from start to finish, and its unique storyline as well as music list at the end of the book in conjunction to the characters has me adding this author to my list of favorites.
What first drew me to this novel was its unique title. In Mandatory Release you have the main character Drew Daniels who is back living at home with her family after a failed marriage. In an attempt to bring some normalcy into her new life she accepts a job a the Lakeside Correctional facility, where her mother also works.
At Lakeside Drew has her share of bad days while teaching a group of convicted felons. As she struggles to get past the memories of her ex-husband Drew is drawn to Joe a correctional officer at the facility. When Graham learns Drew is a new employee at the facility all the old deep feelings he harbors for Drew come to the surface as well as feelings she would feel the same. Graham Finch is a counselor at the facility with a caseload of inmates in line for rehabilitation, he has recently been paralyzed in a car accident and is still angry and bitter at his abrupt change in lifestyle. While Drew enjoys a much-needed fling with Joe, Graham Finch her old high school interest is left sitting on the sidelines watching and warning her about Joe's playboy ways.
I feel in love with this story from the very beginning. The characters are all interesting and it was humbling as Graham Finch struggles physically and emotionally with his disability. I really liked how Riley kept the reason for Drew's divorce under wraps until the end of the story. Although all characters feel very real, Drew and Graham were my favorites. A was drawn to Drew for her level headedness, her flaws yet real life personal while Graham kept me entertained with his feelings for Drew, his struggles and wise cracks. This book had me entertained from start to finish, and its unique storyline as well as music list at the end of the book in conjunction to the characters has me adding this author to my list of favorites.
August 11, 2013
This a charming book told from the alternating perspectives of Graham and Drew. Graham is a paraplegic with a sarcastic sense of humor, stemming from the horrible fate he suffered and which he knows was mostly his own fault. He was thrown from a convertible when he and his ex-wife left a wedding, both very drunk and in his case, not wearing a seatbelt. Drew, a woman he had a crush on in high school has her own dark secret, and the story takes a while to reveal it to us. Running from that scandal, Drew has taken a job as teacher of remedial students at a prison where her mother works. Graham works as a social worker in the same prison. I happened to be watching the Netflix series Orange is the New Black at the same time I was reading this book, and it was interesting to see how both take the same approach of not going for Oz-level shock value and instead portraying the personalities that shape life in a prison – both on the inmate and the guard and administration sides. Riley is a very deft writer. She does a great job getting inside both a male and female head and both voices feel distinctly different. Graham has a sharp tongue and an almost gallows-like humor, and at the start of the novel he’s on a kind of Don Quixote-like quest to try to find a woman through electronic dating, without ever admitting until they get together in person that he is in a wheelchair. At least emotionally, Jess is the more wounded one, fresh off a major life disruption and now to get on her feet again. Learning how they both find themselves and deal with the challenging personalities in the prison around them makes for a very compelling and entertaining read. I would recommend this book to entertain to anyone who enjoys novels with a mix of drama and humor told by a skilled author.
July 22, 2013
Graham Finch and Drew Daniels are high school friends who had crushes on each other but never acted on them. Many years later Graham is working in a state prison helping rehabilitate prisoners. He is also paralyzed from a car accident and trying to cope and adjust to his new lifestyle. Drew is a teacher running from her past and ends up working in the same prison as Graham. Feelings start to grow but both Graham and Drew have to make peace with their pasts and figure out how to move forward.
The setting of this book was great, Yes, it was a prison, but the main characters were trying to help the inmates become successful when they were finally to be released. The prison also showed some of the truths of prison life. The dangers of working where criminals were housed and how they interacted with each other seemed so real that I felt like I was working right beside Graham and Drew.
I loved the layout of Mandatory Release. The point of view’s alternated chapters were fun and easy to follow. Who’s story I enjoyed more? That is hard to say. I enjoyed Graham being so positive and not being poor me as many newly paralyzed people would be. Drew’s chapters were different. There were many times that I was in awe of her strength in dealing with her life. Her long term relationship with Ben kept me reading having to know what happened and if that relationship would ever be in her past.
With the humor and life like story line I will definitely recommend this novel. Jess Riley is also added to my must read authors list.
The setting of this book was great, Yes, it was a prison, but the main characters were trying to help the inmates become successful when they were finally to be released. The prison also showed some of the truths of prison life. The dangers of working where criminals were housed and how they interacted with each other seemed so real that I felt like I was working right beside Graham and Drew.
I loved the layout of Mandatory Release. The point of view’s alternated chapters were fun and easy to follow. Who’s story I enjoyed more? That is hard to say. I enjoyed Graham being so positive and not being poor me as many newly paralyzed people would be. Drew’s chapters were different. There were many times that I was in awe of her strength in dealing with her life. Her long term relationship with Ben kept me reading having to know what happened and if that relationship would ever be in her past.
With the humor and life like story line I will definitely recommend this novel. Jess Riley is also added to my must read authors list.
August 2, 2013
Drew Daniels goes back to live with her parents after her failed marriage. Taking up a new job as a special education teacher in a correctional facility is very different from what she was used to. In the facility she comes to meet new people including Joe and an old friend Graham.
Graham was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down leaving him stuck in a wheelchair. Because he couldn't handle his new lifestyle he took it out on the world which led to his divorce. Now with a better view on life he is back on the market looking for love. He decided to take up online dating. An old crush of his, Drew, is back in town and old feelings resurface.
I enjoyed this unique, dark yet uplifting book. This book was of love, friendship and healing. I loved all the characters. I loved that I got the POV of both main characters, Drew and Graham so it was easy to really understand where they were coming from in certain situations. I found Drew to be very strong, hopeful and caring. Then theres Graham who was very bitter, sarcastic and pessimistic. I found it interesting read how two people coming from bad situations and how they coped with everything.
Overall I loved the story and Highly Recommend you lovely readers to check it out!
Graham was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down leaving him stuck in a wheelchair. Because he couldn't handle his new lifestyle he took it out on the world which led to his divorce. Now with a better view on life he is back on the market looking for love. He decided to take up online dating. An old crush of his, Drew, is back in town and old feelings resurface.
I enjoyed this unique, dark yet uplifting book. This book was of love, friendship and healing. I loved all the characters. I loved that I got the POV of both main characters, Drew and Graham so it was easy to really understand where they were coming from in certain situations. I found Drew to be very strong, hopeful and caring. Then theres Graham who was very bitter, sarcastic and pessimistic. I found it interesting read how two people coming from bad situations and how they coped with everything.
Overall I loved the story and Highly Recommend you lovely readers to check it out!
August 19, 2013
Mandatory release is a book about 2 high school friends, Graham and Drew, who meet up many years later while they are both going through divorces and trying to put their lives back together. They end up working at the same job and Graham fall for Drew all over again. I enjoyed how the two main characters were total opposites in the book, Graham comes off as bitter and pessimistic about life and Drew is the exact opposite showing a caring and compassionate nature, there are many funny situations in the book because of these contrasting personality traits. This was a book about friendship healing each others hearts and turning into love. I also liked that the author threw in a few other obstacles in the Drew and Grahams way, like crushes from other people, to see if their love could overcome everything. The dual point of view in the book was great because we got to see the story from each characters side written from their personality standpoint. I would rate this book a 4 because it had humor, love, and friendship, although, it was a very mature book with a lot of "adult situations".
April 26, 2015
Great description: “Mike sinks into a chair next to me and hunches over, elbows on knees and hands clapped together in can-do stance, his pleated khaki slacks bunching and stretching, cuffs riding up to reveal stripes of blinding, hairy calf.”
Great dialogue: “Hey, I was thinking. You remember that time your fart made Don Winston throw up?”
Great take on a grumpy old biker chick:
“When she’s not straddling a hog on one of America’s more popular highways, I wonder if she models for Shrunken Apple Head Quarterly."
Great advice: "“I’ve learned long ago to avoid topics like immigration, flag burning, and stem-cell research at my parents’ house. I only wish they could Do the same in mine."
The book has some great, funny moments, but only 3 stars because the ending, to me, seemed forced, and I began to lose interest in the characters halfway through. They didn't have any real depth. Also I don't like the soundtrack recommendations.
I do recommend it though, it has a funny and sarcastic tone that I appreciate.
Great dialogue: “Hey, I was thinking. You remember that time your fart made Don Winston throw up?”
Great take on a grumpy old biker chick:
“When she’s not straddling a hog on one of America’s more popular highways, I wonder if she models for Shrunken Apple Head Quarterly."
Great advice: "“I’ve learned long ago to avoid topics like immigration, flag burning, and stem-cell research at my parents’ house. I only wish they could Do the same in mine."
The book has some great, funny moments, but only 3 stars because the ending, to me, seemed forced, and I began to lose interest in the characters halfway through. They didn't have any real depth. Also I don't like the soundtrack recommendations.
I do recommend it though, it has a funny and sarcastic tone that I appreciate.
August 6, 2013
Jess Riley....hmmm, how can I start this....She is amazing, talented and authentic, yes that is a great start! She has the ability to write great dialogue from many voices. In Mandatory Release she writes from a male voice and Riley is able to capture the spirit of this character in all his flaws, issues, deceit and rawness/realness. She also writes from a female voice that is insecure, struggling and unsure, but determined to make the best of it. So besides the great dialogue that is harsh, honest and completely believable, she writes characters worth reading! Put these two elements together and you have a 5 star book! Mandatory Release is about so many things; friendship, past mistakes, love, moving on and finding oneself after being lost....It is totally compelling and completely engaging! I highly recommend this read! Plus Riley is a Wisconsin author, so what else can I say....all great things like cheese, the Green Bay Packers and Riley come from WI!!!!
August 16, 2013
Graham and Drew were high school friends who met up again after years of disillusionment where love is concerned. This time around they meet up at work – a prison no less, where they are both employed, Graham is still trying to deal with his disability and Drew is reeling from a broken heart. The attraction they feel for each other is confusing and so they just keep plodding onward through the hurt until they find they way – to who knows where and to whom???
I thought this book was awesome! The sense of humor was rather warped, but I could not help but laugh in spite of the circumstances. I really liked the characters, they were just people trying to find some type of “normal” in their twisted world. Drew and Graham were by far my favs, so sad for them, having to deal with situations that were not entirely of their making. I would absolutely recommend, this book is about rolling with the punches in life and dealing with life the best way we can.
I thought this book was awesome! The sense of humor was rather warped, but I could not help but laugh in spite of the circumstances. I really liked the characters, they were just people trying to find some type of “normal” in their twisted world. Drew and Graham were by far my favs, so sad for them, having to deal with situations that were not entirely of their making. I would absolutely recommend, this book is about rolling with the punches in life and dealing with life the best way we can.
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