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Blackout
Imagine having everything you ever wanted. A perfect family, a perfect boyfriend, perfect friends – the whole group that only exists because of you! Then imagine waking up one morning and discovering you don’t have any of that. It was a dream…a dream you had in a coma that was supposedly brought on by drugs. Imagine having to start again at school, desperately trying to fit in and prove that the “drug” thing must have been a mistake - that you do deserve to be one of the ‘elite’. Trying so hard to remember what really happened that night. Welcome to Tally’s life…only problem is someone doesn’t want her to remember.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Joey Paul
26 books587 followersJoey Paul is a multi-award-winning indie author, exploring the young adult genre. She has released twenty-four books in total so far, with two more due out in 2027. Her current works include the "Dying Thoughts" series, which is eight books, the "Lights Out" trilogy, the "Cramping Chronicles" series, the “Invisible” quartet, as well as several standalone novels. She writes across genres, with crime, mystery, paranormal, dystopian and urban fantasy being her usual genres. She is writing her next two books at the moment, having recently finished her last two.
Joey is disabled and a graduate from The Open University with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. When not reading medical textbooks, she enjoys reading crime novels, medical dramas and young adult novels. When she's out and about, she likes doing weekly wheelchair walks occasionally challenging herself for charity. And when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping! She's 44 and has been writing since she was retired from her job on medical grounds at the age of 19. She plans to write for as long as she has ideas or until someone tells her to stop!
Joey is disabled and a graduate from The Open University with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. When not reading medical textbooks, she enjoys reading crime novels, medical dramas and young adult novels. When she's out and about, she likes doing weekly wheelchair walks occasionally challenging herself for charity. And when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping! She's 44 and has been writing since she was retired from her job on medical grounds at the age of 19. She plans to write for as long as she has ideas or until someone tells her to stop!
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 27, 2018
This is the story of Tally, who is the most popular girl in school. She has a boyfriend, great friends and a perfect life. One day she attends a party, later wakes up after 6 months from a drug induced coma, with no memory of what happened to her. Her whole world is turned upside down, when she comes in terms with reality. The perfect life was a dream, and everyone believes that she is a druggie. The story takes us through Tally's struggle to remember the past ,as well as how to fit in school, where she is an outcast now.
Did Tally actually take drugs?
Will Tally be able to remember that night?
Can Tally become the girl in her dreams?
Read to find out
At the starting I didn't like Tally at all, she was too preoccupied with her looks. Later you begin to sympathize with her, as she struggled to fit in . I couldn't connect much with Tally as being popular was never one of my aims.The plot was unique , i enjoyed it . The first part of the book was bit dragging, as Tally's monologue was pretty annoying,but yeah she was a typical teenager. The story brings forth the issue which most teenage girls face, they want to be popular,date the hottest guys,have lots of friends,get invited to parties. My favourite character was Lisa ,in the later part of the book , she is Tally's best friend. The underlying mystery of what happened to Tally,makes the rest of the book interesting.
Did Tally actually take drugs?
Will Tally be able to remember that night?
Can Tally become the girl in her dreams?
Read to find out
At the starting I didn't like Tally at all, she was too preoccupied with her looks. Later you begin to sympathize with her, as she struggled to fit in . I couldn't connect much with Tally as being popular was never one of my aims.The plot was unique , i enjoyed it . The first part of the book was bit dragging, as Tally's monologue was pretty annoying,but yeah she was a typical teenager. The story brings forth the issue which most teenage girls face, they want to be popular,date the hottest guys,have lots of friends,get invited to parties. My favourite character was Lisa ,in the later part of the book , she is Tally's best friend. The underlying mystery of what happened to Tally,makes the rest of the book interesting.
January 18, 2015
Blackout was written in 2005, chronologically the first of seven books listed for Joey Paul on Goodreads. I haven’t read any of her later works yet, but I can see that there is room for improvement in her writing from a decade ago. With another six novels behind her, it will be really interesting to see how her writing has developed.
The first thing I noticed about Paul’s writing is that she really gets into the head of her teen character. Her protagonist, Tally, sounds just like the fifteen year old she is meant to be. All the usual teen fixations are here - clothes, boys, school, who is “in” and who is “out”. Tally as a narrator is hugely gullible, distractible and dramatic. Hugely annoying - and so true to life. Paul did a great job of really telling it how it is.
The story unfolds slowly, and it was beginning to really drag for me. Nothing appeared to be happening - I was simply reading the teenage diary of a blissfully ignorant, self-absorbed rich girl. There was nothing remarkable about her, unless you count the fact that, unlike all teens I ever knew, she seemed happy with her life. Or maybe the way she couldn’t see how hypocritical her judgment of her so-called friends was. The only thing that was a stand-out about her was how annoying she was. Her indulgent life was dangerously close to perfection. Dangerous because I couldn’t see many readers, nomatter what age, who would be willing to read a book like this.
Anyway, something does happen. (Hurrah!) This was quite a relief. When you pick up this book, be prepared to wade through the first third - but be reassured that there is a reason for it, and persevere.
The story itself is a bit of a mystery. Tally finds that there is something going on at school - in fact, within her circle of friends - and she sets out to get to the bottom of it. Along the way she has to put together clues, and untangle the web of lies which her friends and enemies have woven for her. She has to work out who is real and who is fake, and Paul sets up a few nice twists to keep her reader guessing.
All in all, I think that she has a lot to say here about friendships, the desperation that girls feel about fitting in, and the obsession with being popular. It’s about not making snap judgments, not just taking people at face value, and about finding the worth in everyone, whether they are classed as popular or not.
In some ways these issues are oversimplified. There is an awful lot of telling here rather than showing. However, for her target audience, this may ring truer than it did for me, or in fact may be necessary.
There are some difficulties with tense and flow. At times the story reads as a diary and at others a retelling, and I found the switching tenses jarring. It is also full of certain types of colloquialisms which possibly are fine for the genre but which didn’t sit easy with me. “He was stood waiting”… “she was sat…”
The first thing I noticed about Paul’s writing is that she really gets into the head of her teen character. Her protagonist, Tally, sounds just like the fifteen year old she is meant to be. All the usual teen fixations are here - clothes, boys, school, who is “in” and who is “out”. Tally as a narrator is hugely gullible, distractible and dramatic. Hugely annoying - and so true to life. Paul did a great job of really telling it how it is.
The story unfolds slowly, and it was beginning to really drag for me. Nothing appeared to be happening - I was simply reading the teenage diary of a blissfully ignorant, self-absorbed rich girl. There was nothing remarkable about her, unless you count the fact that, unlike all teens I ever knew, she seemed happy with her life. Or maybe the way she couldn’t see how hypocritical her judgment of her so-called friends was. The only thing that was a stand-out about her was how annoying she was. Her indulgent life was dangerously close to perfection. Dangerous because I couldn’t see many readers, nomatter what age, who would be willing to read a book like this.
Anyway, something does happen. (Hurrah!) This was quite a relief. When you pick up this book, be prepared to wade through the first third - but be reassured that there is a reason for it, and persevere.
The story itself is a bit of a mystery. Tally finds that there is something going on at school - in fact, within her circle of friends - and she sets out to get to the bottom of it. Along the way she has to put together clues, and untangle the web of lies which her friends and enemies have woven for her. She has to work out who is real and who is fake, and Paul sets up a few nice twists to keep her reader guessing.
All in all, I think that she has a lot to say here about friendships, the desperation that girls feel about fitting in, and the obsession with being popular. It’s about not making snap judgments, not just taking people at face value, and about finding the worth in everyone, whether they are classed as popular or not.
In some ways these issues are oversimplified. There is an awful lot of telling here rather than showing. However, for her target audience, this may ring truer than it did for me, or in fact may be necessary.
There are some difficulties with tense and flow. At times the story reads as a diary and at others a retelling, and I found the switching tenses jarring. It is also full of certain types of colloquialisms which possibly are fine for the genre but which didn’t sit easy with me. “He was stood waiting”… “she was sat…”
August 13, 2016
"Blackout" by Joey Paul is a moving and cleverly told teenage drama about 15 year old Tally, a girl who longs to fit in.
The story begins with her dream life, with the hottest and most popular football player chosing her over th emore obvious choices, and with her having plenty of friends. I loved that part of the book, is was told with so much joy and happiness that I was equally gutted as Tally when she wakes up from her dream.
The mystery of the blackout from the title needs to be solved while we experience the 'friends' from the dream in a much unfriendly way.
Paul writes with great sensitivity and empathy about her teenage characters and the price of popularity.
The story turns into a gripping thriller from here that keeps you glued to the pages. Told with the endearing narrative from Tally herself the story benefits from the youthful perspective that will remind each and everyone of us of our own youth, our hopes, our teenage angst and the joy when some things do turn out ok.
Very enjoyable.
The story begins with her dream life, with the hottest and most popular football player chosing her over th emore obvious choices, and with her having plenty of friends. I loved that part of the book, is was told with so much joy and happiness that I was equally gutted as Tally when she wakes up from her dream.
The mystery of the blackout from the title needs to be solved while we experience the 'friends' from the dream in a much unfriendly way.
Paul writes with great sensitivity and empathy about her teenage characters and the price of popularity.
The story turns into a gripping thriller from here that keeps you glued to the pages. Told with the endearing narrative from Tally herself the story benefits from the youthful perspective that will remind each and everyone of us of our own youth, our hopes, our teenage angst and the joy when some things do turn out ok.
Very enjoyable.
January 10, 2018
Blackout tells the story of a girl who wakes up one morning to find the life that she knows is a lie and that she is being suspected of something she didn't do.
One of my problems with this book is the fact that the synopsis spells out that it is 'aimed at teenagers' and this very much felt the case. Although it's fine to have an age-range in mind when writing, I feel that if something is 'aimed at teenagers' it should be because of its themes and never because of its writing style. In 'Blackout' the style of writing felt very immature and at times forced to a stereotype of how the author thought teenagers would feel or what they should be interested in. Although I am 22 now, I feel that I would have been insulted at 16 to think that this book was written this way because it was written with my age-range in mind - my love of good literature, exciting narrative and well-written prose hasn't changed, even if the themes I choose to read about has. This is particularly prevalent at the beginning of the book which launches into an extremely false-feeling (even though it turns out that this is the case,) 'isn't my life wonderful' account which lists her friends, interests, family and boyfriend with a startling ferocity and almost list-like fashion, not choosing to go into depth or even introduce the characters in a realistic way. This meant that when you found out that it was all a dream, as a reader you didn't really care as much because you assumed it wasn't real anyway and hoped that now it was over, the writing style would feel less shallow, which unfortunately wasn't the case.
The book itself did get a little better as it went on, despite the problems with the writing that I have already mentioned, the plot was fast-paced and held my interest with an odd twist and a wrapped up ending. It's an ok read but not really recommended.
One of my problems with this book is the fact that the synopsis spells out that it is 'aimed at teenagers' and this very much felt the case. Although it's fine to have an age-range in mind when writing, I feel that if something is 'aimed at teenagers' it should be because of its themes and never because of its writing style. In 'Blackout' the style of writing felt very immature and at times forced to a stereotype of how the author thought teenagers would feel or what they should be interested in. Although I am 22 now, I feel that I would have been insulted at 16 to think that this book was written this way because it was written with my age-range in mind - my love of good literature, exciting narrative and well-written prose hasn't changed, even if the themes I choose to read about has. This is particularly prevalent at the beginning of the book which launches into an extremely false-feeling (even though it turns out that this is the case,) 'isn't my life wonderful' account which lists her friends, interests, family and boyfriend with a startling ferocity and almost list-like fashion, not choosing to go into depth or even introduce the characters in a realistic way. This meant that when you found out that it was all a dream, as a reader you didn't really care as much because you assumed it wasn't real anyway and hoped that now it was over, the writing style would feel less shallow, which unfortunately wasn't the case.
The book itself did get a little better as it went on, despite the problems with the writing that I have already mentioned, the plot was fast-paced and held my interest with an odd twist and a wrapped up ending. It's an ok read but not really recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2019
Tally should never have written that email. Then again, she didn't believe her doctors or her parents when they told her the life she remembered, the friends, the love, the parties, had all just been a dream within her coma. A coma she had slipped into after taking drugs. She knew she wouldn't do that. On her release she had reached out to the popular kids, her friends, but in return received only scorn and mockery. She had been popular once, if only in her dream, and she was determined to be again. She would find her way back, and along the way clear her name. Of course, if she didn't take the drugs, then it was clear something else must have happened, and her regaining her memory is not in everyone's best interest.
I have read a number of books by Joey Paul, and no one quite writes like her. I love her engaging first-person narrative, especially how they are tailored to the focal character's personality. Tally is a great character, confused, funny, and determined. Once you pick up Blackout time will lose all meaning as you find yourself enthralled in the expertly told tale. The style of this book reminds me a lot of the point horror I used to read while in school, while it is aimed at a young adult audience, adults will find it just as gripping. Well-written, enjoyable, and moving, well deserving of five stars, and I've already picked up another book by this author for my to read list.
I have read a number of books by Joey Paul, and no one quite writes like her. I love her engaging first-person narrative, especially how they are tailored to the focal character's personality. Tally is a great character, confused, funny, and determined. Once you pick up Blackout time will lose all meaning as you find yourself enthralled in the expertly told tale. The style of this book reminds me a lot of the point horror I used to read while in school, while it is aimed at a young adult audience, adults will find it just as gripping. Well-written, enjoyable, and moving, well deserving of five stars, and I've already picked up another book by this author for my to read list.
October 19, 2018
Blackout by Joey Paul(@authorjoeypaul) was her debut novel which she wrote in ten days (which is AMAZING). It is a Psychological Thriller which revolves around the life of Tally Jenkins, a teenager who has a happy and functional family.👨👩👧 Her perfect life comes to an end when she finds herself in a coma because of a drug consumption. She struggles while the people around her continue to tell her the facts that don't match up with the things that she remembers. Her 'friends' mock her and she gets random flashes of memory.
🔹Why is that so? 😧
🔹What happens when one can't differentiate between between reality and fantasy? 🙇🏻♀️💭
🔹Did she take the drugs herself or was it someone else who wanted to harm her? 💉
.
Read this Young Adult Fiction to know the answer to all these questions. The language of the book is simple and the narrative is interesting. I simply loved this book and it has all the elements to stimulate the reader's brain and keep them gripped! 👨🏻⚕️🚶🏻♀️🍹❓
🔹Why is that so? 😧
🔹What happens when one can't differentiate between between reality and fantasy? 🙇🏻♀️💭
🔹Did she take the drugs herself or was it someone else who wanted to harm her? 💉
.
Read this Young Adult Fiction to know the answer to all these questions. The language of the book is simple and the narrative is interesting. I simply loved this book and it has all the elements to stimulate the reader's brain and keep them gripped! 👨🏻⚕️🚶🏻♀️🍹❓
March 17, 2017
Everyone wants to be accepted and popular when they're teenagers. Yes, they do. Even if it's not always the traditional way of being popular but something else. Joey Paul brings a great character into the teen genre, adding a pinch of mystery in the struggle. I've always loved Joey's writing style and her way to cover all things, even the difficult ones, in teen's life. She has a gift of bringing the words alive and making every word she writes important.
Don't fool yourself with thinking this is an easy read, even if it's fast paced. As a mom of two, I wish I'd had this book when my girls were teens, as in this story, as well as the ones I've read before by Joey Paul, every word matters.
Excellent read!
Don't fool yourself with thinking this is an easy read, even if it's fast paced. As a mom of two, I wish I'd had this book when my girls were teens, as in this story, as well as the ones I've read before by Joey Paul, every word matters.
Excellent read!
May 20, 2021
5 STAR REVIEW FROM READERS’ FAVORITE
Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite
Blackout by Joey Paul is a novel for young adults. It revolves around fifteen-year-old Tally Jenkins. She was from a rich home, had a beautiful family, grand friends at school, and a dashing boyfriend. Tally was among the elite at school, with everyone wanting to identify with her. And so, her friend Summer invited Tally to a party at her home. It was all great fun until someone orchestrated an incident that threatened Tally’s existence. The worst part was Tally being told that all the memories she had of her friends and being popular were lies. Her image was battered, but she would stop at nothing to clear her name. Who is after Tally? Are Tally’s memories just dreams or is someone playing a trick on her?
Blackout by Joey Paul presented a plot that was one of a kind, a fantastic page-turner that kept me locked in until the last sentence. I loved that the book addressed social issues such as bullying, envy, jealousy, low self-esteem, and the like. It teaches everyone that we should never judge people before knowing them, neither should we step on people to get ahead. We don’t know the reason they’re that way, and when it matters, they might be the only ones in our corner. Also, in a world where everyone wants to belong somewhere, young adults should know that they’re enough without needing validation from others! I loved reading this book and could go on, but I say kudos to Joey for a job well done.
Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite
Blackout by Joey Paul is a novel for young adults. It revolves around fifteen-year-old Tally Jenkins. She was from a rich home, had a beautiful family, grand friends at school, and a dashing boyfriend. Tally was among the elite at school, with everyone wanting to identify with her. And so, her friend Summer invited Tally to a party at her home. It was all great fun until someone orchestrated an incident that threatened Tally’s existence. The worst part was Tally being told that all the memories she had of her friends and being popular were lies. Her image was battered, but she would stop at nothing to clear her name. Who is after Tally? Are Tally’s memories just dreams or is someone playing a trick on her?
Blackout by Joey Paul presented a plot that was one of a kind, a fantastic page-turner that kept me locked in until the last sentence. I loved that the book addressed social issues such as bullying, envy, jealousy, low self-esteem, and the like. It teaches everyone that we should never judge people before knowing them, neither should we step on people to get ahead. We don’t know the reason they’re that way, and when it matters, they might be the only ones in our corner. Also, in a world where everyone wants to belong somewhere, young adults should know that they’re enough without needing validation from others! I loved reading this book and could go on, but I say kudos to Joey for a job well done.
April 14, 2014
How far would you go to fit in?
Blackout is a touching story about a young girl named Tally. She invites you right into her life in the most realistic way. I love how she tells it like it is. I guess you would say she is blunt. Sometimes cold but that is the character and there are lessons in all of this.
This really starts out as a dream where your life is perfect, have the perfect friends, the perfect parents and the most perfect wardrobe. Life doesn't always work out as you would like. How nice it would be to have everything you ever wanted in life. Yes, it's a fairytale but a nice thought. Everything is perfect until the unexpected happens. And this is when the story really comes alive.
The author knows how to pull on your heartstrings and take you places you might not have ever been before. She does this with realness, depth and heart.This story turns into a suspenseful mystery that is sure to grab the attention of its young readers.
"I couldn't say anything. I didn't know where to start; I'd never known about Lisa, none of us had. The worst bit was none of us had ever tried to find out. To us she was just a new kid who didn't have any style, easy prey, someone who didn't belong and never could."
Blackout is a touching story about a young girl named Tally. She invites you right into her life in the most realistic way. I love how she tells it like it is. I guess you would say she is blunt. Sometimes cold but that is the character and there are lessons in all of this.
This really starts out as a dream where your life is perfect, have the perfect friends, the perfect parents and the most perfect wardrobe. Life doesn't always work out as you would like. How nice it would be to have everything you ever wanted in life. Yes, it's a fairytale but a nice thought. Everything is perfect until the unexpected happens. And this is when the story really comes alive.
The author knows how to pull on your heartstrings and take you places you might not have ever been before. She does this with realness, depth and heart.This story turns into a suspenseful mystery that is sure to grab the attention of its young readers.
"I couldn't say anything. I didn't know where to start; I'd never known about Lisa, none of us had. The worst bit was none of us had ever tried to find out. To us she was just a new kid who didn't have any style, easy prey, someone who didn't belong and never could."
April 28, 2014
REVIEW BY ROBERT K. SWISHER JR.
Having raised three daughters and the girls now having their own teenagers I wanted to read something that might give me a clue as to what modern teenagers go through, besides dreaming and talking on the phone. I liked the premise of the book. I like the plot line. I also like the thriller mystery aspect, but most of all I like the story about the struggles the main character goes through to be popular and accepted. In many ways it is sad. In many ways it is up lifting. It is too bad we all have to go through the idea that being popular is the most important thing in the world - it is a strange life. I enjoyed the novel. It made me think back on my teenage years. Witty, fast paced, good story. All you parents with a teenager you should have them read it - that is if they are not in rebellion and think you are the dumbest thing in the world.
November 24, 2014
I'm not quite sure whether or not I would recommend this book. If you're looking for something that's a quick read, then yes - this book may be for you. The idea of the story is that Tally has everything she could ever want, perfect friends, perfect boyfriend, etc... until one day she wakes up in the hospital and is told that everything she thought she had was actually a dream she was having while in a coma... The mystery continues when she's told that a drug overdoes caused the coma, even though she swears up and down she doesn't do drugs. Since her parents don't believe her it's up to Tally and her newfound friend to figure out who drugged her, and why.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2014
Tally is like every other teenage I've met. She wants to fit in, be popular and goes through life with the most important things being how and what happens in school, with friendships, and enemies. I thought her an endearing character. The story was witty and the added thriller plot was unexpected. The book was narrated by Tally in the first person, which gave it that added emotional flair.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Joey Paul does an excellent job building her characters. It is well written and a very valuable read for Y/A and teenagers going through difficult, yet memorable times in school and in their lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Joey Paul does an excellent job building her characters. It is well written and a very valuable read for Y/A and teenagers going through difficult, yet memorable times in school and in their lives.
July 12, 2014
Joey Paul excels at getting into the teenage mind set. The main character is 15 year old Tally and her school friends and frenemies. The girls are at times naïve and easily led, spiteful and cruel, and confused and selfish, as they work out the difference between true friendship and being popular.
The book opens with Tally's perfect life as the most popular girl in school. Unfortunately she is in a coma and when she regains consciousness it is to discover she is one of the social outcasts she shunned in her dream life. In her bid to become popular she learns appearances can be deceptive.
The book opens with Tally's perfect life as the most popular girl in school. Unfortunately she is in a coma and when she regains consciousness it is to discover she is one of the social outcasts she shunned in her dream life. In her bid to become popular she learns appearances can be deceptive.
September 28, 2015
TAKEN BY SURPRISE
The beginning of this YA novel was quite charming, quite tongue in cheek. I really liked the writing style. Then it took an unexpected turn, though I am not going to give anything away here but it took me by surprise. The pace was good, I could relate to the characters, although rather a lot of them were introduced at the beginning and it took a while to sort them all out – I would have preferred to meet them more gradually. The build up at the end was good. Recommended if you have a teenage daughter, would make a good present.
The beginning of this YA novel was quite charming, quite tongue in cheek. I really liked the writing style. Then it took an unexpected turn, though I am not going to give anything away here but it took me by surprise. The pace was good, I could relate to the characters, although rather a lot of them were introduced at the beginning and it took a while to sort them all out – I would have preferred to meet them more gradually. The build up at the end was good. Recommended if you have a teenage daughter, would make a good present.
April 11, 2012
I thought this book was okay, I didnt really love it or really dislike it but I dont think ill be reading it sgain.It did keep me guessing and I was happy with the ending but I found it slightly unrealistic at times.
March 31, 2012
Remember what is was like to be at school... that was the first thing this book reminded me of.
Somewhere between a thriller and a who-dunnit I couldn't put it down.
Somewhere between a thriller and a who-dunnit I couldn't put it down.
April 17, 2012
I found the book a good read which kept me guessing. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews