What do you think?
Rate this book
Break to You
Bestselling author of Scythe and Challenger Deep Neal Shusterman, here with coauthors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, tells an intense yet tender story of two teens, trapped in impossible circumstances and unjust systems, willing to risk everything for love—no matter the consequences.
Adriana knows that if she can manage to keep her head down for the next seven months, she might be able to get through her sentence in the Compass juvenile detention center. Thankfully, she’s allowed to keep her journal, where she writes down her most private thoughts when her feelings get too big.
Until the day she opens her journal and discovers that her thoughts are no longer so private. Someone has read her writings—and has written back. A boy who lives on the other side of the gender-divided detention center. A boy who sparks a fire in her to write back.
Jon’s story is different than Adriana’s; he’s already been at Compass for years and will be in the system for years to come. Still, when he reads the words Adriana writes to him, it makes him feel like the walls that hold them in have melted away.
This fast-paced, highly compelling tour de force novel exposes what life is like in detention—and reveals the hearts of two teens who are forced to live in desperate circumstances.
Adriana knows that if she can manage to keep her head down for the next seven months, she might be able to get through her sentence in the Compass juvenile detention center. Thankfully, she’s allowed to keep her journal, where she writes down her most private thoughts when her feelings get too big.
Until the day she opens her journal and discovers that her thoughts are no longer so private. Someone has read her writings—and has written back. A boy who lives on the other side of the gender-divided detention center. A boy who sparks a fire in her to write back.
Jon’s story is different than Adriana’s; he’s already been at Compass for years and will be in the system for years to come. Still, when he reads the words Adriana writes to him, it makes him feel like the walls that hold them in have melted away.
This fast-paced, highly compelling tour de force novel exposes what life is like in detention—and reveals the hearts of two teens who are forced to live in desperate circumstances.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2024
92 people are currently reading
7300 people want to read
About the author
Neal Shusterman
90 books29.9k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
July 4, 2024
This one didn't quite hit the mark for me compared to Neal's other books. The setting of a juvenile detention center was an interesting concept, though. The story builds up to a big meet-up between Adriana and Jon, both stuck in the center. Boys and girls aren't allowed to mix, so they communicate through a journal, which was a cool twist.
Overall, it's not a bad book. It just didn't have the same spark and brilliant imagination we've come to expect from our beloved author, probably due to the fact that it was co-written.
Overall, it's not a bad book. It just didn't have the same spark and brilliant imagination we've come to expect from our beloved author, probably due to the fact that it was co-written.
April 28, 2025
Neal Shusterman co-wrote this novel with Michelle Knowlden and Debra Young. He said it's a sort of Romeo and Juliet in a juvenile detention center.
I was sad to find out that Debra died back in March before the publication of the novel. May she rest in peace.
This book is a standalone, but I feel like there could be much more. Feel like exploring the prison system next, Neal? Please do. I feel like Jon and Adriana have so much they could tell us. So much more they could share.
I made this image using AI. These are our protagonists Artorias Jonathon Kilgore aka Jon and Adriana Zarahn:
Aren't they cute together? I ship them so hard 💗
This book takes place in a rather unusual place, you don't see that a lot in literature, and it is certainly my first time reading a book set in a juvenile detention center. Apart from our protagonists Jon and Adriana, we have a very interesting cast of characters between the girls, boys, and the staff at the facility. The detention center is called Compass. It's supposed to be a different kind of detention center; they are trying to do things differently. There's one compound, but the girls and boys are kept in separate buildings, of course, but share commons areas, though everything is on a schedule that doesn't allow the girls and boys to ever cross paths. Then how do we have a romance here, you might ask? Well, the one object that gets the story going is a journal. Adriana likes to hang out at the library and write poetry in her journal. One day she distractedly leaves it behind. She finds it after a few days, but she discovers someone has written in the journal and they are critiquing her poetry. How rude! She must give them a piece of her mind next. And that's how it starts. Adriana and Jon start to write back and forth and fall in love.
That's not all there is to this novel though; it's not all about romance and love. We also have the characters' backstories. What did Adriana and Jon do to land there? Well, spoilers next...
Adriana basically hung out with the wrong people and was being the lookout for a friend who sold drugs. When about to be discovered by police, her so-called friend put the drugs on her and said she was the lookout and Adriana the dealer. No one believed her. She was sentenced to 7 months.
Jon's story is a bit more tragic and complicated. His mom died of cancer when he was 13 years old. He was so upset with the world. He blamed the doctor for what happened to his mom, for not getting the insurance company to approve the more expensive experimental treatment. He confronts the doctor after his shift. They are in the parking lot, and the doctor doesn't even remember Jon. Jon is agitated and upset. He wasn't going to kill the doctor, but he just slammed him against the wall. The doctor was so scared he had a heart attack right there and died. Jon tried to perform CPR and broke his ribs, which is a legit thing that can happen when you give CPR. The doctor was gone already, but that didn't play in his favor. He ran away, but police found him. He got charged with second-degree murder. He was sentenced to twenty years, ten years with good behavior. A sad situation all around.
Jon is a bit of a legend at Compass. He has built a reputation with the help of "friend" Raz. There are all sorts of rumors about him. That it was acts of terrorism that landed him at Compass. That he has killed people. It is etiquette not to ask people why they are there, so rumors are wild. Was that really for his benefit though? When one of his mates, Silas, is poisoned and he is framed, this reputation doesn't play in his favor. The psychiatrist, Dr. Alvarado, doesn't like him. If he is found guilty, it can add years to his sentence. This is a mystery to be solved.
Our protagonists are falling in love and want to meet. But how? This is maybe the most exciting part in the book. This whole James Bondesque operation to get two star-crossed lovers to meet in the flesh since they already know each other's minds. And when they do it's so sweet. They share words and two kisses. A final kiss maybe...
Then Adriana goes back to the girls' building and Jon is about to go back when he is ambushed and the traitor is revealed. His friend Raz, who wasn't a friend at all but an enemy. He had poisoned Silas and framed Jon. His two accomplices, Viper and Culligan, beat up Jon badly. He almost loses an eye, and loses his spleen and a kidney. He is in the hospital, and Dr. Alvarado visits him. That one is the real villain here, who had manipulated the boys into beating up Jon. He knew what Jon was in Compass for and believed in taking justice into his own hands. He doesn't think the detention center was justice. He knew the doctor that had the heart attack. He had set the whole thing up to get revenge. He had Raz frame Jon and staged the beating. He threatens Jon that no one will believe him if he tells, and he threatens to hurt his friend and Adriana. Jon is in critical condition due to infection and his injuries and not expected to survive. That would be justice, Alvarado claims.
Jon is gone. No one has seen him at Compass since that night he met Adriana and never came back to the boys' building. Adriana is none the wiser until she hears things. Raz has told everyone Jon is dead. His friends mourn him. And word gets to the girls' side. Adriana is heartbroken and blames herself for what happened to him. She does her time and is released. A strange package came for her in the mail. Not actually for her but for the librarian, but her name was on it. She says goodbye to friends and staff, not before giving harsh words to Alvarado. Once she's free and on the way to celebrate with her family, she finally opens the letter. It's just a simple sentence: "The Beagle has landed." in Jon's handwriting. He is alive. The address is from Westbrook Township, where the Westbrook Men's Correctional Facility is. Jon has been transferred to the facility where he'll continue serving time as he has aged out. It is implied Adriana will write him back. And that's the end.
You see what I mean when I say there could be more? I mean, I hope that Adriana and Jon keep writing and she waits for him to get out. It would be quite romantic. It's clear Jon never forgot about her and still loves her.
I liked the family aspect, how the parents influenced the lives of the young people incarcerated. I like that in the end Adriana was getting along better with her stepmother Lana, who I thought was very sweet and genuine in her care and love for Adriana. Adriana was not very fond of her and thought of her as fake and trying to take her mother's place. I like that she realized that wasn't the case. At times, Lana seemed to care more for Adriana than Adriana's father.
It's actually such a great book that kept me on the edge of my seat. It highlights an issue of this institution and so many: abuse of power. How there were staff who genuinely cared about the youth incarcerated and others who were actually bullies or didn't care about them at all. It opened my eyes to a reality I wasn't aware of and never really thought of. I had no idea there was such a thing as CPS overflow. Turns out kids that can't find foster homes are sometimes sent to detention centers even when they have committed no crime. I actually looked it up and it's true. You can tell the authors put in research in this book, and they confirm it in the author's note at the end.
The fact that the villain turned out to be Dr. Alvarado was chilling. It shows it is really who you least expect.
I wish we would know more about the fates of our cast of characters and if the friendships stand the test of time. But I can understand if these are all fleeting friendships. I guess they would want to move on from their time at the detention center. I hope at least Jon and Adriana's love blooms into something long-lasting.
This was a solid 5-star read. I highly recommend this book.
I was sad to find out that Debra died back in March before the publication of the novel. May she rest in peace.
This book is a standalone, but I feel like there could be much more. Feel like exploring the prison system next, Neal? Please do. I feel like Jon and Adriana have so much they could tell us. So much more they could share.
I made this image using AI. These are our protagonists Artorias Jonathon Kilgore aka Jon and Adriana Zarahn:
Aren't they cute together? I ship them so hard 💗
This book takes place in a rather unusual place, you don't see that a lot in literature, and it is certainly my first time reading a book set in a juvenile detention center. Apart from our protagonists Jon and Adriana, we have a very interesting cast of characters between the girls, boys, and the staff at the facility. The detention center is called Compass. It's supposed to be a different kind of detention center; they are trying to do things differently. There's one compound, but the girls and boys are kept in separate buildings, of course, but share commons areas, though everything is on a schedule that doesn't allow the girls and boys to ever cross paths. Then how do we have a romance here, you might ask? Well, the one object that gets the story going is a journal. Adriana likes to hang out at the library and write poetry in her journal. One day she distractedly leaves it behind. She finds it after a few days, but she discovers someone has written in the journal and they are critiquing her poetry. How rude! She must give them a piece of her mind next. And that's how it starts. Adriana and Jon start to write back and forth and fall in love.
That's not all there is to this novel though; it's not all about romance and love. We also have the characters' backstories. What did Adriana and Jon do to land there? Well, spoilers next...
Adriana basically hung out with the wrong people and was being the lookout for a friend who sold drugs. When about to be discovered by police, her so-called friend put the drugs on her and said she was the lookout and Adriana the dealer. No one believed her. She was sentenced to 7 months.
Jon's story is a bit more tragic and complicated. His mom died of cancer when he was 13 years old. He was so upset with the world. He blamed the doctor for what happened to his mom, for not getting the insurance company to approve the more expensive experimental treatment. He confronts the doctor after his shift. They are in the parking lot, and the doctor doesn't even remember Jon. Jon is agitated and upset. He wasn't going to kill the doctor, but he just slammed him against the wall. The doctor was so scared he had a heart attack right there and died. Jon tried to perform CPR and broke his ribs, which is a legit thing that can happen when you give CPR. The doctor was gone already, but that didn't play in his favor. He ran away, but police found him. He got charged with second-degree murder. He was sentenced to twenty years, ten years with good behavior. A sad situation all around.
Jon is a bit of a legend at Compass. He has built a reputation with the help of "friend" Raz. There are all sorts of rumors about him. That it was acts of terrorism that landed him at Compass. That he has killed people. It is etiquette not to ask people why they are there, so rumors are wild. Was that really for his benefit though? When one of his mates, Silas, is poisoned and he is framed, this reputation doesn't play in his favor. The psychiatrist, Dr. Alvarado, doesn't like him. If he is found guilty, it can add years to his sentence. This is a mystery to be solved.
Our protagonists are falling in love and want to meet. But how? This is maybe the most exciting part in the book. This whole James Bondesque operation to get two star-crossed lovers to meet in the flesh since they already know each other's minds. And when they do it's so sweet. They share words and two kisses. A final kiss maybe...
Then Adriana goes back to the girls' building and Jon is about to go back when he is ambushed and the traitor is revealed. His friend Raz, who wasn't a friend at all but an enemy. He had poisoned Silas and framed Jon. His two accomplices, Viper and Culligan, beat up Jon badly. He almost loses an eye, and loses his spleen and a kidney. He is in the hospital, and Dr. Alvarado visits him. That one is the real villain here, who had manipulated the boys into beating up Jon. He knew what Jon was in Compass for and believed in taking justice into his own hands. He doesn't think the detention center was justice. He knew the doctor that had the heart attack. He had set the whole thing up to get revenge. He had Raz frame Jon and staged the beating. He threatens Jon that no one will believe him if he tells, and he threatens to hurt his friend and Adriana. Jon is in critical condition due to infection and his injuries and not expected to survive. That would be justice, Alvarado claims.
Jon is gone. No one has seen him at Compass since that night he met Adriana and never came back to the boys' building. Adriana is none the wiser until she hears things. Raz has told everyone Jon is dead. His friends mourn him. And word gets to the girls' side. Adriana is heartbroken and blames herself for what happened to him. She does her time and is released. A strange package came for her in the mail. Not actually for her but for the librarian, but her name was on it. She says goodbye to friends and staff, not before giving harsh words to Alvarado. Once she's free and on the way to celebrate with her family, she finally opens the letter. It's just a simple sentence: "The Beagle has landed." in Jon's handwriting. He is alive. The address is from Westbrook Township, where the Westbrook Men's Correctional Facility is. Jon has been transferred to the facility where he'll continue serving time as he has aged out. It is implied Adriana will write him back. And that's the end.
You see what I mean when I say there could be more? I mean, I hope that Adriana and Jon keep writing and she waits for him to get out. It would be quite romantic. It's clear Jon never forgot about her and still loves her.
I liked the family aspect, how the parents influenced the lives of the young people incarcerated. I like that in the end Adriana was getting along better with her stepmother Lana, who I thought was very sweet and genuine in her care and love for Adriana. Adriana was not very fond of her and thought of her as fake and trying to take her mother's place. I like that she realized that wasn't the case. At times, Lana seemed to care more for Adriana than Adriana's father.
It's actually such a great book that kept me on the edge of my seat. It highlights an issue of this institution and so many: abuse of power. How there were staff who genuinely cared about the youth incarcerated and others who were actually bullies or didn't care about them at all. It opened my eyes to a reality I wasn't aware of and never really thought of. I had no idea there was such a thing as CPS overflow. Turns out kids that can't find foster homes are sometimes sent to detention centers even when they have committed no crime. I actually looked it up and it's true. You can tell the authors put in research in this book, and they confirm it in the author's note at the end.
The fact that the villain turned out to be Dr. Alvarado was chilling. It shows it is really who you least expect.
I wish we would know more about the fates of our cast of characters and if the friendships stand the test of time. But I can understand if these are all fleeting friendships. I guess they would want to move on from their time at the detention center. I hope at least Jon and Adriana's love blooms into something long-lasting.
This was a solid 5-star read. I highly recommend this book.
September 2, 2024
It was good, but it wasn’t amazing. I definitely should have felt sad at some points, but I didn’t. This was potentially due to the lackluster writing style; I wasn’t sucked in at any point. Adriana and Jon find themselves imprisoned at Compass, a new detention facility designed to assist juveniles in being productive members of society upon their releases. The two meet through the pages of Adriana’s journal, passed secretly through the shelves of the library. Unfortunately, their letters were nothing special to me. I definitely wouldn’t call this a “love story” as described in the authors’ note. Maybe I am in the wrong demographic.
August 28, 2024
[2.5 stars]
July 23, 2024
3.75
that ending was FOUL
that ending was FOUL
October 1, 2024
I’m shocked beyond words at all the feelings I went through while reading this, especially the last few chapters. Made me cry. This puts a spotlight on the awful reality of juvie- how poorly kids can be treated by the adults that are supposed to help them. The system is definitely broken.
February 17, 2025
3.5/5
Slow burn, intense fire.
CW // trauma, blood, violence, drugs, systemic issues, family issues, strong language
Adriana is sent to Compass, a juvenile detention center, for the next seven months. She's not sure what to expect, but finding love surely isn't it.
Jon is an institution within Compass, he's been there for four years and he's not going home anytime soon. He has his crew and that's all he needs, until he finds a journal in the library...
----
This book starts off slowly. It's a very slow burn. There's the story of Adriana and Jon, but each of them have their own stories in between. Adriana has issues with her dad and her step mom. She also is welcomed into Bianca's group, much to Monessa's dismay. Jon and his best friend Raz are tasked with helping the newest boy to arrive—Silas—a young boy who doesn't belong at Compass like Jon does. The poetry that Adriana writes is awkward and angsty teen stuff, my partner said it'd be great for slam poetry, but it really made me cringe. Jon's is worse, thankfully he doesn't really do it.
The middle sagged heavily for me. It does start to pick up and goes absolutely crazy in Part Five. Wow, I wish the whole book had that level of intensity. Damn. The ending was amazing but overall, the book fell flat. I feel like this is a book "inspired by" Neal Shusterman instead of one written by him. Maybe I'm being too harsh because it's written by three people, but it's not as good as his other work. I did absolutely love seeing the chapter titles! It's so rare!
I wouldn't really recommend it. Although I would put it beside The Walls Around Us, which I absolutely LOVED and I think pulls off the lyrical style better and juvie hall. But still, two books on the same idea and I'm glad they exist.
Super glad my library has this. Check out your local library and request a copy!
Slow burn, intense fire.
CW // trauma, blood, violence, drugs, systemic issues, family issues, strong language
Adriana is sent to Compass, a juvenile detention center, for the next seven months. She's not sure what to expect, but finding love surely isn't it.
Jon is an institution within Compass, he's been there for four years and he's not going home anytime soon. He has his crew and that's all he needs, until he finds a journal in the library...
----
This book starts off slowly. It's a very slow burn. There's the story of Adriana and Jon, but each of them have their own stories in between. Adriana has issues with her dad and her step mom. She also is welcomed into Bianca's group, much to Monessa's dismay. Jon and his best friend Raz are tasked with helping the newest boy to arrive—Silas—a young boy who doesn't belong at Compass like Jon does. The poetry that Adriana writes is awkward and angsty teen stuff, my partner said it'd be great for slam poetry, but it really made me cringe. Jon's is worse, thankfully he doesn't really do it.
The middle sagged heavily for me. It does start to pick up and goes absolutely crazy in Part Five. Wow, I wish the whole book had that level of intensity. Damn. The ending was amazing but overall, the book fell flat. I feel like this is a book "inspired by" Neal Shusterman instead of one written by him. Maybe I'm being too harsh because it's written by three people, but it's not as good as his other work. I did absolutely love seeing the chapter titles! It's so rare!
I wouldn't really recommend it. Although I would put it beside The Walls Around Us, which I absolutely LOVED and I think pulls off the lyrical style better and juvie hall. But still, two books on the same idea and I'm glad they exist.
Super glad my library has this. Check out your local library and request a copy!
November 24, 2025
I’m actually speechless…
June 18, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up
I was expecting this to be more like the other books by Neal Shusterman I have read. It was pretty different but I really enjoyed it.
I loved the background info about all of the kids I. The juvenile detention center, and what their daily lives looked like. I liked how the ‘main event’ (no spoilers!) was presented but wish the last part of the book was a little longer, it left me wanting more! Not a bad problem to have I suppose.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was expecting this to be more like the other books by Neal Shusterman I have read. It was pretty different but I really enjoyed it.
I loved the background info about all of the kids I. The juvenile detention center, and what their daily lives looked like. I liked how the ‘main event’ (no spoilers!) was presented but wish the last part of the book was a little longer, it left me wanting more! Not a bad problem to have I suppose.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 29, 2024
Hands down, the most important facet of this book for me was the discussion of the juvenile detention system. The stories of the kids who ended up there were definitely emotionally provocative, and while this is definitely marketed as a romance book (and it does have a romance plot, no doubt!) that was secondary to me to the commentary on what kids go through in this very messy system. This is such a complex topic, and I have so many thoughts on it, certainly too many to cram into what is supposed to be a book review, so I'll just say this: it is not by accident that most of the kids who end up in the juvenile detention system are those least able to fight their charges. If you head down to your local juvy, I'll give you a guess at how many rich white kids are in there. You probably won't need more than one chance.
This is in part how Adriana and Jon find themselves in their respective predicaments. And, how they find each other. Adriana is to be keeping a journal for mental health reasons, and eventually convinces the detention center psychologist to let her keep it. One thing leads to another, and she finds she's left it in the library... with all her most personal, deepest thoughts inside for anyone in the facility to stumble upon. Luckily, Jon doesn't share her thoughts with every dude in the group (granted, he does read it, which is kind of crappy, but alas), and he also responds to her. So begins their correspondence, which makes both of their stays a bit more bearable. And look, the relationship is a little (a lot? Idk) insta-lovey. But it wasn't a huge deal for me.
Because there is so much more going on than just Adriana and Jon's developing relationship, and I really think that is where the heart of this story lies. Each main character has a group of fellow detainees that become almost more like a family, and deciding who is trustworthy- who would help them and who would harm them- becomes a huge focal point. So too do the secrets festering behind the scenes at this center. It is corrupt, as most are wont to be, and figuring that out is equally harrowing (and important) for our characters. And if you are not absolutely enraged at some of the issues... well, you need to be.
Bottom Line: It's a beautiful story of love and friendship, but I also hope it makes you as incensed as it made me.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This is in part how Adriana and Jon find themselves in their respective predicaments. And, how they find each other. Adriana is to be keeping a journal for mental health reasons, and eventually convinces the detention center psychologist to let her keep it. One thing leads to another, and she finds she's left it in the library... with all her most personal, deepest thoughts inside for anyone in the facility to stumble upon. Luckily, Jon doesn't share her thoughts with every dude in the group (granted, he does read it, which is kind of crappy, but alas), and he also responds to her. So begins their correspondence, which makes both of their stays a bit more bearable. And look, the relationship is a little (a lot? Idk) insta-lovey. But it wasn't a huge deal for me.
Because there is so much more going on than just Adriana and Jon's developing relationship, and I really think that is where the heart of this story lies. Each main character has a group of fellow detainees that become almost more like a family, and deciding who is trustworthy- who would help them and who would harm them- becomes a huge focal point. So too do the secrets festering behind the scenes at this center. It is corrupt, as most are wont to be, and figuring that out is equally harrowing (and important) for our characters. And if you are not absolutely enraged at some of the issues... well, you need to be.
Bottom Line: It's a beautiful story of love and friendship, but I also hope it makes you as incensed as it made me.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
September 27, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This took me a bit to really get invested, but wow I cannot stop thinking about it. It is told in two voices, both of incarcerated teens: Adriana and Jon. They are in the same prison, but the girls and boys never co-mingle. When Adriana drops her journal, which is her lifeline, in the library, Jon is the one who picks it up. He writes to her in it, and the two build a love story against an incredibly depressing backdrop. I SHRIEKED at the end (after I almost cried). Hand to readers in grades 8+.
August 7, 2024
those song lyrics were the corniest thing I’ve ever read in a hot second… that being said, all of you can pry shusterman’s bland straight people romance from my cold dead hands.
December 4, 2024
I know that I am late for this, but why did the psychiatrist of the prison remind me of a Scooby Doo villain? The ending also left me unsatisfied!
February 21, 2025
What makes Neal Shusterman arguably the best YA novelist of his era? I could point to a dozen or more attributes nearly unique to Shusterman, but Break to You represents perhaps the most important: his willingness to write the sort of book one never expected from him, and to go all in making it a transformative work that sets the genre bar higher than ever. Adriana Zarahn’s intake as a prisoner at Compass juvenile detention facility is every bit the nightmare she anticipated. Her stepmother Lana accompanies Adriana, but her father found an excuse to be absent. It's bad enough Adriana was railroaded for selling drugs on behalf of a girl she considered a friend; how will she survive seven months in prison? Her family is falling to pieces and the future seems dim. Is there anything ahead but a downward cycle in life?
Adriana's therapist prescribed her to keep a daily journal. Personal journals are banned, and it takes some bargaining for Adriana's to be approved. Some of the girls in her pod at Compass are aggressive and mean, but Bianca, the most charismatic one, doesn't mind Adriana. Pip also takes a liking to her, which is good because Pip has access to extra privileges and some of that cachet is transferrable. Adriana is beginning to settle in at Compass…when she loses her journal in the library. The personal secrets in those pages could twist her everyday into a hellish struggle to survive.
"(W)hen the world slips you nothing but bad choices, how do you know which choice is the least-worst one?"
—Break to You, P. 43
Lucky for Adriana, she finds her journal in the library shelved with other books, under "Z" for her last name. That means someone read the journal, and also wrote sarcastic comments throughout it reacting to Adriana's private reflections. Outraged, she pens her own rebuttals and shelves the journal back where she found it. The person who defaced the journal is from the other side of Compass, part of the male population the girls are forbidden to interact with. Jon Kilgore is serving a lot longer than seven months. He's a tough fighter with good allies in his pod, but a threat is moving in on his status quo. The back and forth exchanges with Adriana in her journal are fiery at first, but cool into a welcome vibe Adriana and Jon both look forward to, an exchange of ideas and feelings that acts as pressure release for all the violence and backbiting at Compass. Of course, the two teens can never meet.
Jon counts on his friend Raz to nip crises in the bud, but what if the aggressor is a staff member? Dr. Alvarado, psychiatrist at Compass, blames Jon every time there's an incident in the populace, and exerts pressure to have him punished. He accuses Jon after an attempt is made on the life of Silas Coady, a younger kid on the unit. Jon is puzzled; he's liked Silas from day one, looking out for him like a brother. Silas is a techie with a knack for problem-solving, and his loyalty to Jon knows no limits. As internal politics elevate the risk that Jon could be framed for doing something terrible to Silas, Jon's focus is split by a new desire: arranging an in-person meeting with Adriana. Compass has so many protocols to prevent boys and girls from seeing each other that it feels impossible, but how can they retain hope without something to look forward to? With help from Bianca, Pip, Raz, and Silas, a meeting is doable...but it could cost Adriana and Jon more than they're prepared to lose.
"The way I see it, the future is a lock you've got to pick...because no one's going to give you a key."
—Break to You, P. 296
Life goes by quickly, and carefully tended plans spoil long before their expiration date. You're on track to the sweet things life offers, and suddenly you're slashed up and abandoned in the gutter, cast off by polite society, who has swiveled and labeled you a vile foe. The will to live is a gossamer thread easy to cut, and most people won't take the slightest care not to snip yours. When Adriana and Jon meet in the pages of her journal, it’s a light in darkness. Their relationship grows, and with it the desire to touch flesh and blood. You can't huddle in that gutter you were dropped into, broken and bleeding, and expect to survive; we all need an opportunity to heal or we whither and die. Break to You is a candle in the dark to remind us that no story is over as long as we're breathing. There's still a way to fight toward what you need most, to grab the last vestige of sweetness in your future. Faith is required when the uphill climb is steeper than you can imagine completing.
As usual, Neal Shusterman subverts expectations for himself without losing the unique spark that makes his writing what it is. He invests us in the characters more deeply than is comfortable, creating the hazard of a hard landing. But that's the reason story exists: to simulate the stakes of real life so we can practice the risks of heart and body that are mandatory to a worthwhile life. If you refuse to give up, there might be moments ahead that more than make up for the sorrow. I rate Break to You three and a half stars; it's a seamless collaboration between Shusterman and co-authors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, a piece of electric YA fiction well worth the time and cost. The world is better because Neal Shusterman is in it.
Adriana's therapist prescribed her to keep a daily journal. Personal journals are banned, and it takes some bargaining for Adriana's to be approved. Some of the girls in her pod at Compass are aggressive and mean, but Bianca, the most charismatic one, doesn't mind Adriana. Pip also takes a liking to her, which is good because Pip has access to extra privileges and some of that cachet is transferrable. Adriana is beginning to settle in at Compass…when she loses her journal in the library. The personal secrets in those pages could twist her everyday into a hellish struggle to survive.
"(W)hen the world slips you nothing but bad choices, how do you know which choice is the least-worst one?"
—Break to You, P. 43
Lucky for Adriana, she finds her journal in the library shelved with other books, under "Z" for her last name. That means someone read the journal, and also wrote sarcastic comments throughout it reacting to Adriana's private reflections. Outraged, she pens her own rebuttals and shelves the journal back where she found it. The person who defaced the journal is from the other side of Compass, part of the male population the girls are forbidden to interact with. Jon Kilgore is serving a lot longer than seven months. He's a tough fighter with good allies in his pod, but a threat is moving in on his status quo. The back and forth exchanges with Adriana in her journal are fiery at first, but cool into a welcome vibe Adriana and Jon both look forward to, an exchange of ideas and feelings that acts as pressure release for all the violence and backbiting at Compass. Of course, the two teens can never meet.
Jon counts on his friend Raz to nip crises in the bud, but what if the aggressor is a staff member? Dr. Alvarado, psychiatrist at Compass, blames Jon every time there's an incident in the populace, and exerts pressure to have him punished. He accuses Jon after an attempt is made on the life of Silas Coady, a younger kid on the unit. Jon is puzzled; he's liked Silas from day one, looking out for him like a brother. Silas is a techie with a knack for problem-solving, and his loyalty to Jon knows no limits. As internal politics elevate the risk that Jon could be framed for doing something terrible to Silas, Jon's focus is split by a new desire: arranging an in-person meeting with Adriana. Compass has so many protocols to prevent boys and girls from seeing each other that it feels impossible, but how can they retain hope without something to look forward to? With help from Bianca, Pip, Raz, and Silas, a meeting is doable...but it could cost Adriana and Jon more than they're prepared to lose.
"The way I see it, the future is a lock you've got to pick...because no one's going to give you a key."
—Break to You, P. 296
Life goes by quickly, and carefully tended plans spoil long before their expiration date. You're on track to the sweet things life offers, and suddenly you're slashed up and abandoned in the gutter, cast off by polite society, who has swiveled and labeled you a vile foe. The will to live is a gossamer thread easy to cut, and most people won't take the slightest care not to snip yours. When Adriana and Jon meet in the pages of her journal, it’s a light in darkness. Their relationship grows, and with it the desire to touch flesh and blood. You can't huddle in that gutter you were dropped into, broken and bleeding, and expect to survive; we all need an opportunity to heal or we whither and die. Break to You is a candle in the dark to remind us that no story is over as long as we're breathing. There's still a way to fight toward what you need most, to grab the last vestige of sweetness in your future. Faith is required when the uphill climb is steeper than you can imagine completing.
As usual, Neal Shusterman subverts expectations for himself without losing the unique spark that makes his writing what it is. He invests us in the characters more deeply than is comfortable, creating the hazard of a hard landing. But that's the reason story exists: to simulate the stakes of real life so we can practice the risks of heart and body that are mandatory to a worthwhile life. If you refuse to give up, there might be moments ahead that more than make up for the sorrow. I rate Break to You three and a half stars; it's a seamless collaboration between Shusterman and co-authors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, a piece of electric YA fiction well worth the time and cost. The world is better because Neal Shusterman is in it.
April 29, 2025
Set in a juvenile detention centre, a Jon and Adriana accidentally start communicating via notes in a journal. Without meeting at all, their friendship develops to the point where they decide they need to figure out a way to meet in person. This felt like a realist portrayal of life for teen offenders, and as the authors' note explains, was written to give teenagers like this some books to see themselves in. It didn't feel like a book written by 3 authors, in spite of the alternating points of view. A good book for all teen readers to explore other lives and develop empathy.
April 2, 2025
A very unique and touching romance. Interesting perspective into juvenile detention centres. 3.7 stars, peace ✌️.
Read
April 9, 2025
Trigger & Content Warnings
Hospitalisation
Death of a parent
Poisoning
Incarceration (juvenile detention)
Bullying
Hospitalisation
Death of a parent
Poisoning
Incarceration (juvenile detention)
Bullying
June 17, 2024
Break to You broke my expectations - in a good way.
I had picked this one up hoping it could be a new option for my 8th grade book clubs - drawn to the idea of shedding light on the experience of kids in the juvenile justice system. And this book is for sure perfect for that, but what I didn’t expect was how fun a story it would be as well.
I was really expecting a heavy reality drama that would beat readers over the head with sad details of the lives of incarcerated young people. And don’t get me wrong, there are definitely sad details - so many layers of what goes on in the lives of teenagers and the realities they cope with sometimes leading them to make bad decisions, sometimes leading them to impossible circumstances. This book accomplished what the authors described as their goal: to show “that there is more to life than the walls that surround us, more to incarcerated kids than the crimes and circumstances that put them in detention, and more we can all do to bring about positive change in the juvenile justice system.” But they achieved this goal subtly. The book doesn’t wallow in the sad details. They aren’t the whole plot of the book. Instead, the authors have the harsh reality stuff embedded within a romantic, at times action-filled, adventure with plenty of surprises and edge-of-your-seat suspense that sweeps you away until you aren’t thinking about what you are learning while in the process of being entertained.
The book was a little bit Holes, a little bit Ocean’s 11, and little bit Dash and Lily’s Secret Book of Dares. It’s got a cast of memorable characters, some likeable, some absolutely not. At times the character types felt a little tropey, but tropes work for a reason so it’s forgivable. It had heartfelt moments, heart racing moments, heart breaking moments, and at least one moment where I’m pretty sure my heart straight up stopped. It’s got a faced-paced and clever writing style, interlaced with poetry and room for imagination. It had me captivated, it helped me understand a bit about kids in the juvenile justice system, and now I’m excited to share it with kids in my classes come fall.
(Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.)
I had picked this one up hoping it could be a new option for my 8th grade book clubs - drawn to the idea of shedding light on the experience of kids in the juvenile justice system. And this book is for sure perfect for that, but what I didn’t expect was how fun a story it would be as well.
I was really expecting a heavy reality drama that would beat readers over the head with sad details of the lives of incarcerated young people. And don’t get me wrong, there are definitely sad details - so many layers of what goes on in the lives of teenagers and the realities they cope with sometimes leading them to make bad decisions, sometimes leading them to impossible circumstances. This book accomplished what the authors described as their goal: to show “that there is more to life than the walls that surround us, more to incarcerated kids than the crimes and circumstances that put them in detention, and more we can all do to bring about positive change in the juvenile justice system.” But they achieved this goal subtly. The book doesn’t wallow in the sad details. They aren’t the whole plot of the book. Instead, the authors have the harsh reality stuff embedded within a romantic, at times action-filled, adventure with plenty of surprises and edge-of-your-seat suspense that sweeps you away until you aren’t thinking about what you are learning while in the process of being entertained.
The book was a little bit Holes, a little bit Ocean’s 11, and little bit Dash and Lily’s Secret Book of Dares. It’s got a cast of memorable characters, some likeable, some absolutely not. At times the character types felt a little tropey, but tropes work for a reason so it’s forgivable. It had heartfelt moments, heart racing moments, heart breaking moments, and at least one moment where I’m pretty sure my heart straight up stopped. It’s got a faced-paced and clever writing style, interlaced with poetry and room for imagination. It had me captivated, it helped me understand a bit about kids in the juvenile justice system, and now I’m excited to share it with kids in my classes come fall.
(Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.)
Read
October 13, 2023ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR/ANTICIPATED RELEASES LISTS NOW!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Wow! I have this thing where unless a book is 5 stars, I'm not going to officially rate it on Goodreads until month of/after the release date. I don't want my rating to be super impactful to its reception on Goodreads when I am one of the first and few to have read it at this point.
The only reason this isn't 5 stars is that, like with Divine Rivals, I don't particularly fall in love with epistolary-based romances (chemistry just doesn't hit quite the same) and the poetry in some of these letters was not it for me (but then again, I'm not a poetry lover by a long shot).
But when I tell you that this was SO GOOD. This tackles heavy, but important issues in the social justice system, delicately handles tough discussions about institutionalized racism and the proper (or unfortunately improper and neglectful) handling of minors in juvenile detention centers. This is described by Neal Shusterman as like a Romeo and Juliet story in a detention center and I can totally see that. It made me tear up, it made me shake with anger, and the ending had me in between teetering on the edge of my seat and cowering beneath my blankets because of what might happen next. This is SO powerful, so poignant, and so worth the read.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Wow! I have this thing where unless a book is 5 stars, I'm not going to officially rate it on Goodreads until month of/after the release date. I don't want my rating to be super impactful to its reception on Goodreads when I am one of the first and few to have read it at this point.
The only reason this isn't 5 stars is that, like with Divine Rivals, I don't particularly fall in love with epistolary-based romances (chemistry just doesn't hit quite the same) and the poetry in some of these letters was not it for me (but then again, I'm not a poetry lover by a long shot).
But when I tell you that this was SO GOOD. This tackles heavy, but important issues in the social justice system, delicately handles tough discussions about institutionalized racism and the proper (or unfortunately improper and neglectful) handling of minors in juvenile detention centers. This is described by Neal Shusterman as like a Romeo and Juliet story in a detention center and I can totally see that. It made me tear up, it made me shake with anger, and the ending had me in between teetering on the edge of my seat and cowering beneath my blankets because of what might happen next. This is SO powerful, so poignant, and so worth the read.
July 25, 2024
DNF at ~30%. The book overall seems incredibly juvenile and cliche. I can pretty much predict exactly what’s going to happen from a mile away. I also couldn’t stand the cringy poetry and inauthentic/ out-of-touch attempt at portraying teen angst.
April 18, 2025
Inhalt:
Als sich die Tür hinter Adriana schließt, weiß sie, dass die kommenden Monate ein Kampf ums Überleben sein werden. Ihr einziger Halt: ein Notizbuch, in dem sie ihre Gedanken in Gedichtform festhält. Doch noch bevor sie sich in der neuen Umgebung orientieren kann, wird ihr das Buch abgenommen.
Adriana wurde von einer Freundin betrogen und für eine Tat verurteilt, die sie nicht begangen hat. Nun muss sie sich in einer Jugendstrafanstalt zurechtfinden – einer Welt mit eigenen Regeln, strengen Hierarchien und täglichen Machtkämpfen. Als sie ihr Notizbuch schließlich zurückbekommt, verliert sie es erneut – diesmal in der Bibliothek. Jon, ein Mitinsasse, der als gefährlich gilt, findet es. Er beginnt, ihre Einträge zu kommentieren, und stellt das Buch zurück. Nach und nach entspinnt sich ein stiller Austausch, der beiden Jugendlichen hilft, ihre Gefühle zu verarbeiten und in einer gnadenlosen Umgebung ein Stück Halt zu finden.
Meinung:
Neal Shusterman gehört neben Jay Kristoff zu meinen Lieblingsautoren, daher war für mich klar, dass ich „Break to You“ lesen musste. Gemeinsam mit Debra Young und Michelle Knowlden erzählt er eine berührende Geschichte. Erzählt wird diese abwechselnd aus zwei Perspektiven: zum einen der von Adriana zum anderen der von Jon.
Besonders eindrücklich gelingt den AutorInnen die Darstellung des Gefängnisalltags. Adriana muss lernen, sich in einem Alltag, geprägt von brutalen strittigen Hierarchien und blutigen Rivalitäten, zurechtzufinden. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Insassinnen sind von dem ständigen Versuch geprägt, keine Schwäche zu zeigen. Doch nicht nur die Mitinsassinnen sind eine Herausforderung – auch die MitarbeiterInnen der Anstalt sind nicht immer wohlwollend. Der Psychologe nutzt seine Position, um Jugendliche zu manipulieren, und Jon setzt gezielt Gerüchte ein, um seinen Status zu sichern.
Das Buch sensibilisiert für die Realität in Jugendstrafanstalten – eine Welt voller Isolation und Ausweglosigkeit, die von der Gesellschaft oft vergessen wird. Besonders eindringlich sind die Schicksale der Jugendlichen: Da ist das Mädchen, dessen Eltern sie eines Tages einfach nicht mehr abgeholt haben und das nur deshalb noch hinter Gittern sitzt, weil niemand weiß, wohin mit ihr. Oder die junge Mutter, die ihr Kind liebt, aber kaum in der Lage wäre, es außerhalb der Anstaltsmauern großzuziehen.
Trotz der Härte des Alltags gibt es Hoffnung – in Form von kleinen Gesten, von Vertrauen, das langsam wächst, und von der Kraft der Worte. Die Bibliothek wird zu einem Zufluchtsort, Büchern kommt eine besondere Bedeutung zu.
Ohne moralischen Zeigefinger, aber mit feinem Gespür für Zwischentöne, zeigen die AutorInnen, wie diese Jugendlichen, die oft in ihrem Leben bereits schwere Zeiten durchgemacht haben, sich dennoch ein Stück Selbstbestimmung bewahren.
Die Handlung beginnt ruhig und konzentriert sich zunächst auf den Gefängnisalltag, die Dynamiken unter den Insassen und die Herausforderungen, denen Jon und Adriana gegenüberstehen. Erst nach und nach nimmt die Geschichte an Fahrt auf, bis sie im letzten Viertel eine mitreißende Wendung erfährt.
Was das Ende betrifft, so wird es sicherlich polarisieren. Einerseits bleiben einige Fragen unbeantwortet, was die Geschichte offener und realistischer erscheinen lässt. Andererseits gibt es eine Art von Abschluss, der nicht zwangsläufig als klassisches Happy End zu bezeichnen ist, aber dennoch einen hoffnungsvollen Ton trifft. Das Buch zeigt eindrücklich, dass es im Leben selten einfache Lösungen gibt – manches bleibt ungewiss, manches ungerecht, und nicht jede Geschichte endet mit einem klaren Schlussstrich. Gerade diese Unvollkommenheit macht den Roman so authentisch und nachdenklich stimmend.
Fazit:
„Break to You“ erzählt eine Geschichte, die zwischen Härte und Hoffnung balanciert. Die ruhige Erzählweise lässt die Leser tief in den Gefängnisalltag eintauchen, bevor die Handlung sich zuspitzt und in einem dramatischen Höhepunkt endet.
Das offene Ende mag nicht für jeden befriedigend sein, doch gerade seine Unvollkommenheit macht es so lebensnah. Das Buch zeigt, dass es nicht immer klare Abschlüsse gibt – aber selbst in schwierigen Situationen kann es Lichtblicke geben.
Eine eindrucksvolle, nachdenklich stimmende Lektüre, die noch lange nachhallt.
Als sich die Tür hinter Adriana schließt, weiß sie, dass die kommenden Monate ein Kampf ums Überleben sein werden. Ihr einziger Halt: ein Notizbuch, in dem sie ihre Gedanken in Gedichtform festhält. Doch noch bevor sie sich in der neuen Umgebung orientieren kann, wird ihr das Buch abgenommen.
Adriana wurde von einer Freundin betrogen und für eine Tat verurteilt, die sie nicht begangen hat. Nun muss sie sich in einer Jugendstrafanstalt zurechtfinden – einer Welt mit eigenen Regeln, strengen Hierarchien und täglichen Machtkämpfen. Als sie ihr Notizbuch schließlich zurückbekommt, verliert sie es erneut – diesmal in der Bibliothek. Jon, ein Mitinsasse, der als gefährlich gilt, findet es. Er beginnt, ihre Einträge zu kommentieren, und stellt das Buch zurück. Nach und nach entspinnt sich ein stiller Austausch, der beiden Jugendlichen hilft, ihre Gefühle zu verarbeiten und in einer gnadenlosen Umgebung ein Stück Halt zu finden.
Meinung:
Neal Shusterman gehört neben Jay Kristoff zu meinen Lieblingsautoren, daher war für mich klar, dass ich „Break to You“ lesen musste. Gemeinsam mit Debra Young und Michelle Knowlden erzählt er eine berührende Geschichte. Erzählt wird diese abwechselnd aus zwei Perspektiven: zum einen der von Adriana zum anderen der von Jon.
Besonders eindrücklich gelingt den AutorInnen die Darstellung des Gefängnisalltags. Adriana muss lernen, sich in einem Alltag, geprägt von brutalen strittigen Hierarchien und blutigen Rivalitäten, zurechtzufinden. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Insassinnen sind von dem ständigen Versuch geprägt, keine Schwäche zu zeigen. Doch nicht nur die Mitinsassinnen sind eine Herausforderung – auch die MitarbeiterInnen der Anstalt sind nicht immer wohlwollend. Der Psychologe nutzt seine Position, um Jugendliche zu manipulieren, und Jon setzt gezielt Gerüchte ein, um seinen Status zu sichern.
Das Buch sensibilisiert für die Realität in Jugendstrafanstalten – eine Welt voller Isolation und Ausweglosigkeit, die von der Gesellschaft oft vergessen wird. Besonders eindringlich sind die Schicksale der Jugendlichen: Da ist das Mädchen, dessen Eltern sie eines Tages einfach nicht mehr abgeholt haben und das nur deshalb noch hinter Gittern sitzt, weil niemand weiß, wohin mit ihr. Oder die junge Mutter, die ihr Kind liebt, aber kaum in der Lage wäre, es außerhalb der Anstaltsmauern großzuziehen.
Trotz der Härte des Alltags gibt es Hoffnung – in Form von kleinen Gesten, von Vertrauen, das langsam wächst, und von der Kraft der Worte. Die Bibliothek wird zu einem Zufluchtsort, Büchern kommt eine besondere Bedeutung zu.
Ohne moralischen Zeigefinger, aber mit feinem Gespür für Zwischentöne, zeigen die AutorInnen, wie diese Jugendlichen, die oft in ihrem Leben bereits schwere Zeiten durchgemacht haben, sich dennoch ein Stück Selbstbestimmung bewahren.
Die Handlung beginnt ruhig und konzentriert sich zunächst auf den Gefängnisalltag, die Dynamiken unter den Insassen und die Herausforderungen, denen Jon und Adriana gegenüberstehen. Erst nach und nach nimmt die Geschichte an Fahrt auf, bis sie im letzten Viertel eine mitreißende Wendung erfährt.
Was das Ende betrifft, so wird es sicherlich polarisieren. Einerseits bleiben einige Fragen unbeantwortet, was die Geschichte offener und realistischer erscheinen lässt. Andererseits gibt es eine Art von Abschluss, der nicht zwangsläufig als klassisches Happy End zu bezeichnen ist, aber dennoch einen hoffnungsvollen Ton trifft. Das Buch zeigt eindrücklich, dass es im Leben selten einfache Lösungen gibt – manches bleibt ungewiss, manches ungerecht, und nicht jede Geschichte endet mit einem klaren Schlussstrich. Gerade diese Unvollkommenheit macht den Roman so authentisch und nachdenklich stimmend.
Fazit:
„Break to You“ erzählt eine Geschichte, die zwischen Härte und Hoffnung balanciert. Die ruhige Erzählweise lässt die Leser tief in den Gefängnisalltag eintauchen, bevor die Handlung sich zuspitzt und in einem dramatischen Höhepunkt endet.
Das offene Ende mag nicht für jeden befriedigend sein, doch gerade seine Unvollkommenheit macht es so lebensnah. Das Buch zeigt, dass es nicht immer klare Abschlüsse gibt – aber selbst in schwierigen Situationen kann es Lichtblicke geben.
Eine eindrucksvolle, nachdenklich stimmende Lektüre, die noch lange nachhallt.
October 2, 2024
Adriana knows that everyone at Compass Detention Center says they “didn’t do it,” but in her case it’s actually true. Jon is also in Compass, but on the other side of the wall, in the boys’ section. He has no illusions about whether he deserves to be there. He’s more worried about turning eighteen and being sent to serve the remainder of his time with adults. The two should never meet—though there are shared spaces in the facility, Compass has a strict schedule that prevents boys and girls from ever being in the same place, but when Jon discovers Adriana’s journal that she accidentally left in the library, a secret, forbidden conversation opens up, as each shares their innermost secrets within the journal’s pages and then leaves it for the other to find. And within those pages an unexpected love blooms, one that breaks down walls and other barriers. Told in alternating third person viewpoints with a mix of prose and verse, this collaborative novel features a winning combination of heroic star crossed lovers, menacing villains, a handful of sympathetic adults, and a (mostly) loyal ensemble of underdogs attempting an unthinkable con. Readers won’t be able to put this down as they encounter intrigue, a little humor, and a gut-wrenching betrayal. Though heartbreaking in many ways—not just the plot, but the reality of life for those in a broken system—the authors offer readers some hope for a better future, and insight into the system Adriana and Jon are caught in.
March 30, 2025
Great book and explored complex themes, and it had a great build-up, however the ending left more to be desired. It was a great ending, minus the part that it seemed incomplete. Written to be the first of two books, published as one. I feel like there should’ve at least been an epilogue of some sort, to provide some closure or continuity of Jon’s and Adriana’s relationship. Loved the book though, it was great. I felt as if the Alvarado thing towards the end in the hospital with Jon (if you haven’t read this book yet, you’ll know once you read it) was kind of thrown in there. It somehow managed to close loose ends but also leave them open, if you know what I mean. It was kind of dropped on the story and explained some things, but it didn’t really elaborate or focus on anything else. I loved the book, other than the fact that basically all of the relationships didn’t really have time to fully bloom or make sense. Adriana and Jon, Alvarado and the doctor (whom Jon unintentionally killed), and Adriana and the other female inmates (a continuation, maybe? Jon didn’t really need it, but I feel like we need it from Adriana). Idk. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt it just needed that. Just an epilogue could’ve wrapped it all up nicely. It just feels incomplete. Otherwise, I loved it. Perhaps they couldn’t have, as Debra Young apparently died like five months prior to publication (sad…) but yeah. Oh well. Enjoy reading!
🫡
🫡
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2025
„Adrianas Notizbuch - ihr gemeinsames Notizbuch - ist diese Camera obscura: ein winziger Einblick in die Seele des anderen, der ihnen irgendwie ermöglicht, alles zu sehen.
Sie teilen nur diesen schriftlichen Austausch, und dennoch hat sie den Eindruck, sie kennt ihn besser als jeden anderen in ihrem Leben. Und was noch viel wichtiger ist: Sie spürt, dass er sie auch kennt.“ (S.265)
Adriana hat zum falschen Zeitpunkt die falschen Entscheidungen getroffen und sich auf die falschen Freunde verlassen - so ist sie in der Jugendstrafanstalt „Compass“ gelandet und muss dort die kommenden 7 Monate absitzen, Gespräche beim Psychologen über sich ergehen lassen, und Anschluss bei ihren Mitinsassinnen finden - denn ohne Verbündete bist du hier verloren. Das hier ist der Mädchentrakt - abgeschottet vom Jungentrakt; sie nutzen die gleichen Gemeinschaftsträume, aber zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten.
Adriana schreibt ihre Gedanken in ein Notizbuch, oft in Prosa-Form, das braucht sie, wie die Luft zum Atmen. Als sie einmal zu spät dran ist für den Abend-Appell lässt sie es in der Bibliothek liegen - Adriana ist verzweifelt. Wie durch ein Wunder findet sie das Notizbuch ein paar Tage später in der Bibliothek wieder, eingeordnet zwischen den Büchern mit dem Anfangsbuchstaben ihres Nachnamens. Als sie es aufschlägt sieht sie, dass die nächsten Seiten eine fremde Handschrift zeigen und ihre eigenen Einträge mit Kommentaren versehen sind.
Jon ist schon lange in „Compass“ und da er bald 18 wird, wird er wohl demnächst verlegt werden. Er hat sich hier einen gewissen Ruf aufgebaut, der ihn über Wasser hält und Respekt verschafft. Als er das Notizbuch findet, bricht etwas in ihm auf und er kann sich selbst zeigen und öffnen, wie er es schon lange nicht mehr tun konnte.
„Vielleicht sind seine Gefühle für Adriana deswegen so stark - weil es nur um die Seiten dazwischen geht, nicht um den Einband. Wer sie IST - und nicht, wie sie aussieht oder sich anhört. Nicht, wie sie geht oder lächelt, sondern um die Essenz ihres Seins. Diese Art der Liebe ist übermächtig. Sie könnte einen Menschen umbringen - und hat es vielleicht schon. Aber was für eine Art zu sterben!“ (S.305)
Dies ist eine Liebesgeschichte, die über das geschriebene Wort ihren Anfang nimmt und dann so stark wird, dass sie die Gefängnismauern einreißen möchte - BREAK TO YOU - Ausbruch zu dir!
Ein Buch, das auch die Situation und Missstände von Strafvollzugsanstalten thematisiert, die Dynamiken die unter den Gefangenen und dem Personal herrschen und wie Situationen eskalieren können.
Wir lesen die Geschichte aus Adrianas und aus Jons Sicht, die Einträge in das Notizbuch sind in unterschiedlichen Handschriften abgedruckt. Am Ende spitzt sich die Story so zu, dass ich die letzten 200 Seiten in einem Rutsch durchgelesen habe - mit einer atemberaubenden Zueinander-Ausbrech-Aktion!
Wieder ein tolles Jugendbuch von Neal Shustermann, diesmal mit den Co-Autorinnen Debra Young und Michelle Knowlden. Übersetzt von Kristian Lutze, Pauline Kurbasik und Andreas Helweg.
Sie teilen nur diesen schriftlichen Austausch, und dennoch hat sie den Eindruck, sie kennt ihn besser als jeden anderen in ihrem Leben. Und was noch viel wichtiger ist: Sie spürt, dass er sie auch kennt.“ (S.265)
Adriana hat zum falschen Zeitpunkt die falschen Entscheidungen getroffen und sich auf die falschen Freunde verlassen - so ist sie in der Jugendstrafanstalt „Compass“ gelandet und muss dort die kommenden 7 Monate absitzen, Gespräche beim Psychologen über sich ergehen lassen, und Anschluss bei ihren Mitinsassinnen finden - denn ohne Verbündete bist du hier verloren. Das hier ist der Mädchentrakt - abgeschottet vom Jungentrakt; sie nutzen die gleichen Gemeinschaftsträume, aber zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten.
Adriana schreibt ihre Gedanken in ein Notizbuch, oft in Prosa-Form, das braucht sie, wie die Luft zum Atmen. Als sie einmal zu spät dran ist für den Abend-Appell lässt sie es in der Bibliothek liegen - Adriana ist verzweifelt. Wie durch ein Wunder findet sie das Notizbuch ein paar Tage später in der Bibliothek wieder, eingeordnet zwischen den Büchern mit dem Anfangsbuchstaben ihres Nachnamens. Als sie es aufschlägt sieht sie, dass die nächsten Seiten eine fremde Handschrift zeigen und ihre eigenen Einträge mit Kommentaren versehen sind.
Jon ist schon lange in „Compass“ und da er bald 18 wird, wird er wohl demnächst verlegt werden. Er hat sich hier einen gewissen Ruf aufgebaut, der ihn über Wasser hält und Respekt verschafft. Als er das Notizbuch findet, bricht etwas in ihm auf und er kann sich selbst zeigen und öffnen, wie er es schon lange nicht mehr tun konnte.
„Vielleicht sind seine Gefühle für Adriana deswegen so stark - weil es nur um die Seiten dazwischen geht, nicht um den Einband. Wer sie IST - und nicht, wie sie aussieht oder sich anhört. Nicht, wie sie geht oder lächelt, sondern um die Essenz ihres Seins. Diese Art der Liebe ist übermächtig. Sie könnte einen Menschen umbringen - und hat es vielleicht schon. Aber was für eine Art zu sterben!“ (S.305)
Dies ist eine Liebesgeschichte, die über das geschriebene Wort ihren Anfang nimmt und dann so stark wird, dass sie die Gefängnismauern einreißen möchte - BREAK TO YOU - Ausbruch zu dir!
Ein Buch, das auch die Situation und Missstände von Strafvollzugsanstalten thematisiert, die Dynamiken die unter den Gefangenen und dem Personal herrschen und wie Situationen eskalieren können.
Wir lesen die Geschichte aus Adrianas und aus Jons Sicht, die Einträge in das Notizbuch sind in unterschiedlichen Handschriften abgedruckt. Am Ende spitzt sich die Story so zu, dass ich die letzten 200 Seiten in einem Rutsch durchgelesen habe - mit einer atemberaubenden Zueinander-Ausbrech-Aktion!
Wieder ein tolles Jugendbuch von Neal Shustermann, diesmal mit den Co-Autorinnen Debra Young und Michelle Knowlden. Übersetzt von Kristian Lutze, Pauline Kurbasik und Andreas Helweg.
September 3, 2024
4.5 ⭐ Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!
I will never get tired of books that shed light on where we have failed in our society. This may sound strange but it is almost encouraging to become aware of these issues as the truth of the matter is always so much more complex than we could have imagined. In Break to You we are shown what could be the hearts and raw emotions of teenagers in a juvenile detention center. Still they refuse to be bound to what the world tells them that they can amount to and cling to what lifelines can be found in such a bleak environment. In this case Jon and Adriana find each other.
Our justice system is broken and it is beyond sad how many kids and teens are being failed by it. I had no idea that it was a real thing for kids who have reached the end of the line in foster care and have nowhere else to go will sometimes end up in detention centers such as this one. The consequences that this could have on a young person who has already suffered so much were realistically portrayed in Silas's character and his story definitely hit me the hardest out of them all. The dynamics between characters and especially how they come to interact with our main character's was really interesting. Not everyone's story of how they came to be at Compass got told but each character proved that it is never a single mistake or circumstance that is responsible.
There were some complex moral issues being discussed here and, though I wish some plot points could have been expanded on as I feel like we only scratched the surface on what I wanted to know about these kids and their stories, I was able to become SO INVESTED in such a short amount of time and can safely say that it did its job in making me curious and left needing to research more on this topic. Such an eye-opening read by an incredible author that I highly recommend giving a try! Happy Reading :)
I will never get tired of books that shed light on where we have failed in our society. This may sound strange but it is almost encouraging to become aware of these issues as the truth of the matter is always so much more complex than we could have imagined. In Break to You we are shown what could be the hearts and raw emotions of teenagers in a juvenile detention center. Still they refuse to be bound to what the world tells them that they can amount to and cling to what lifelines can be found in such a bleak environment. In this case Jon and Adriana find each other.
Our justice system is broken and it is beyond sad how many kids and teens are being failed by it. I had no idea that it was a real thing for kids who have reached the end of the line in foster care and have nowhere else to go will sometimes end up in detention centers such as this one. The consequences that this could have on a young person who has already suffered so much were realistically portrayed in Silas's character and his story definitely hit me the hardest out of them all. The dynamics between characters and especially how they come to interact with our main character's was really interesting. Not everyone's story of how they came to be at Compass got told but each character proved that it is never a single mistake or circumstance that is responsible.
There were some complex moral issues being discussed here and, though I wish some plot points could have been expanded on as I feel like we only scratched the surface on what I wanted to know about these kids and their stories, I was able to become SO INVESTED in such a short amount of time and can safely say that it did its job in making me curious and left needing to research more on this topic. Such an eye-opening read by an incredible author that I highly recommend giving a try! Happy Reading :)
June 5, 2025
Another Shusterman book (with collaborative help this time), another compelling read. Not as mind bending or thought provoking as much of his other work, but definitely an interesting read and an eye-opening insight into the juvenile detention system. I don't know which parts were the work of which collaborator. Unless the poetry was all done by one author, the rest seemed pretty seamless.
I loved both Adriana and Jon as characters. Particularly Jon, his outlook and acceptance of responsibility for what he did. Things developed pretty quickly in their relationship, but I can imagine they would in those circumstances.
I was actually a little disappointed when the story moved from the 'journal' phase to something a little more action oriented. I loved the back and forth between Jon and Adriana, while coming to understand the world they had come to inhabit. I could have happily read another 100-200 pages of that.
One element of the resolution seemed a little telegraphed, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Now to get my hands on his latest story, All Better Now!
I loved both Adriana and Jon as characters. Particularly Jon, his outlook and acceptance of responsibility for what he did. Things developed pretty quickly in their relationship, but I can imagine they would in those circumstances.
I was actually a little disappointed when the story moved from the 'journal' phase to something a little more action oriented. I loved the back and forth between Jon and Adriana, while coming to understand the world they had come to inhabit. I could have happily read another 100-200 pages of that.
One element of the resolution seemed a little telegraphed, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Now to get my hands on his latest story, All Better Now!
September 2, 2024
"How could the best day of her life be followed by the worst ones? There's nothing worse than not knowing. But now Adriana realizes that maybe there is. Hope might be a knife poised over your heart, but knowing plunges it straight in."
It's not often we get a story that has a perspective that takes me by surprise. Leave it to Neal Shusterman to get me thinking about our contemporary world in a different way. Break to You follows two teenagers: Adriana and Jon, both residents at Compass Juvenile Detention Center. Adriana is there because a friend ratted her out but give her 7 months of good behavior and she'll be out of there. Jon has a story a bit more complicated than a bad friendship and he's earned quite a reputation for himself at Compass.
Thankfully, Adriana is able to keep her journal. She finds refuge in writing down her thoughts and spending time with Ms. Detrick, the librarian. Things are going well for Adriana until she realizes she has lost her journal. When she retraces her steps, she finds her very private thoughts are no longer private as someone else has read her journal and replied. This sets off a forbidden banter between the two sides of Compass. When Adriana and Jon decide they need to meet, it sets off a community of accomplices to help the two of them meet for just a little while. After all, true love can exist anywhere, even here in the depths of a juvenile detention center.
At this point I'll read just about anything Neal Shusterman puts out into this world. While I'm used to his dystopian/science fiction side, this contemporary story was a nice reprieve from the tough(er) thinking that often accompanies dystopian literature. Teenagers in this walk of life are often overlooked and forgotten and I so appreciate that a name like Shusterman was able to bring this demographic to light. For those readers who liked reading about teenagers that are often overlooked when housed at places like Compass, my mind immediately goes to:
-Punching the Air
-Dear Justyce
-Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice
-At the End of Everything
Recommended for: Grades 8+
It's not often we get a story that has a perspective that takes me by surprise. Leave it to Neal Shusterman to get me thinking about our contemporary world in a different way. Break to You follows two teenagers: Adriana and Jon, both residents at Compass Juvenile Detention Center. Adriana is there because a friend ratted her out but give her 7 months of good behavior and she'll be out of there. Jon has a story a bit more complicated than a bad friendship and he's earned quite a reputation for himself at Compass.
Thankfully, Adriana is able to keep her journal. She finds refuge in writing down her thoughts and spending time with Ms. Detrick, the librarian. Things are going well for Adriana until she realizes she has lost her journal. When she retraces her steps, she finds her very private thoughts are no longer private as someone else has read her journal and replied. This sets off a forbidden banter between the two sides of Compass. When Adriana and Jon decide they need to meet, it sets off a community of accomplices to help the two of them meet for just a little while. After all, true love can exist anywhere, even here in the depths of a juvenile detention center.
At this point I'll read just about anything Neal Shusterman puts out into this world. While I'm used to his dystopian/science fiction side, this contemporary story was a nice reprieve from the tough(er) thinking that often accompanies dystopian literature. Teenagers in this walk of life are often overlooked and forgotten and I so appreciate that a name like Shusterman was able to bring this demographic to light. For those readers who liked reading about teenagers that are often overlooked when housed at places like Compass, my mind immediately goes to:
-Punching the Air
-Dear Justyce
-Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice
-At the End of Everything
Recommended for: Grades 8+
August 14, 2024
Not my cup of tea, quite disappointed as I liked several other books by Neal Shusterman.
This here is more or less a teenage love story. In theory, not so bad, but these two kids fall in love by writing to each other a few times and feel totally understood like by nobody else in the world. And then they bring this ridiculous plan to life to meet up.
Maybe it's because I've just watched The Following where a psychopath gathers a following of people visiting him in prison and thinking he is so great that I can't get over this 'falling in love by writing'. It's often people just see what they want to see and I'm not sure what message it sends. Also, that two people with important roles are betraying them doesn't paint the system in a good picture.
Of course this kid is totally innocent or at least too harshly judged. Like all of the girls and most of the boys seem to be.
Don't get me wrong, I totally believe that not everything is perfect and there's injustice happening way too much. But I also think we need to read more (and see more justified) trust in the system.
This here is more or less a teenage love story. In theory, not so bad, but these two kids fall in love by writing to each other a few times and feel totally understood like by nobody else in the world. And then they bring this ridiculous plan to life to meet up.
Maybe it's because I've just watched The Following where a psychopath gathers a following of people visiting him in prison and thinking he is so great that I can't get over this 'falling in love by writing'. It's often people just see what they want to see and I'm not sure what message it sends. Also, that two people with important roles are betraying them doesn't paint the system in a good picture.
Of course this kid is totally innocent or at least too harshly judged. Like all of the girls and most of the boys seem to be.
Don't get me wrong, I totally believe that not everything is perfect and there's injustice happening way too much. But I also think we need to read more (and see more justified) trust in the system.
February 13, 2025
I would give this book 4.5 stars. This book was so good but SO stressful! The climax of the story was so tense and definitely gave me a new perspective on incarcerated youth. I will say that Jon’s character was more complex and developed than Adriana’s, but you couldn’t help but root for them. There were also a lot of intriguing side characters that had the potential for well-developed stories of their own; others seemed a bit stereotypical. Sometimes it was a little bit wordy and some of the “deep parts” felt forced. Additionally, there was a twist that was somewhat easy to guess. But overall, a good book from one of my favorite authors that YA audiences would enjoy.
March 6, 2025
This book truly expresses the power of love to bring hope and rejuvenation. The love story of Adriana and Jon is fast and burns hot but is also deep and true. I was also so grateful for the spotlight that the authors shined on juvenile detention, and the specific call to the reader to see incarcerated people as PEOPLE, first and foremost, beyond whatever has landed them in custody. The writing is punchy and lyrical, and the metaphors that both Adriana and Jon use to describe the people around them bring a touch of tongue in cheek humor. This honestly feels like a strong parallel to Romeo & Juliet and LISTEN I MEAN THAT IN THE BEST WAY.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews