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Your Voice Is All I Hear
I was the one he trusted. I was the one he loved, the only one who believed him, even when his own mother had locked him up and thrown away the key.
And now, I was going to pass down the white tiled hallway, knock on his doctor’s office door, slam his secret notebook on her desk and make her read it, make her understand what he was hiding, make her see what only I had seen.
April won’t let Jonah go without a fight.
He’s her boyfriend—her best friend. She’ll do anything to keep him safe. But as Jonah slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past that haunts him, April is torn. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: family, friends, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. How much must she sacrifice? And will her voice be loud enough to drown out the dissenters—and the ones in his head?
And now, I was going to pass down the white tiled hallway, knock on his doctor’s office door, slam his secret notebook on her desk and make her read it, make her understand what he was hiding, make her see what only I had seen.
April won’t let Jonah go without a fight.
He’s her boyfriend—her best friend. She’ll do anything to keep him safe. But as Jonah slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past that haunts him, April is torn. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: family, friends, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. How much must she sacrifice? And will her voice be loud enough to drown out the dissenters—and the ones in his head?
331 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
54 people are currently reading
6303 people want to read
About the author
Leah Scheier
4 books225 followersLeah Scheier was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. Leah works as a full-time pediatrician and mom to three daughters and twin boys.
Her novels, SECRET LETTERS (Hyperion/Disney 2012), YOUR VOICE IS ALL I HEAR (Sourcebooks Fire 2015) and RULES OF RAIN (Sourcebooks Fire 2017) have earned starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist and warm praise from PW and VOYA. Her fourth novel, THE LAST WORDS WE SAID is due to be released by Simon & Schuster on August 31, 2021.
You can write to Leah through her website or follow on twitter (@leahscheier) or Instagram
Her novels, SECRET LETTERS (Hyperion/Disney 2012), YOUR VOICE IS ALL I HEAR (Sourcebooks Fire 2015) and RULES OF RAIN (Sourcebooks Fire 2017) have earned starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist and warm praise from PW and VOYA. Her fourth novel, THE LAST WORDS WE SAID is due to be released by Simon & Schuster on August 31, 2021.
You can write to Leah through her website or follow on twitter (@leahscheier) or Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
April 2, 2023
To say this book rendered me completely speechless is an understatement. After I read the final page, I sat there for a few minutes, my head reeling with the intensity of the book I'd just finished and a thousand other indefinable emotions.
The story follows a teenage girl, April Wesley, who is reluctant to go back to her school, Fallstaff High, after she finds out that her best (and only) friend Kristin is transferring to a private school. But then she meets the attractive new boy, Jonah Golden. Jonah and April soon grow very close and before anyone knows it, they're a couple and officially dating. April, who thinks she's a plain Jane and finds herself completely unattractive, is ecstatic that she finally has a boyfriend - especially when it's the boy she's been crushing on. Her life should now be blissful and filled with happiness - but then Jonah starts behaving strangely. As he slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past haunting him, April is torn. When Jonah is diagnosed with schizophrenia, April is devastated - but she still clings determinedly to the small hope that he will come back to her. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: friends, her family, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. However, because April loves Jonah, she decides to stand by him, even humoring him by stepping into his delusional world and doing what he asks of her. But will her voice, the only one he trusts now, be enough to drown out the dissenters - and the ones in his head?
Even before I'd begun reading this book, I knew it would break my heart. All the signs pointed to it. But what I never expected was how this book would become a memory permanently ingrained in my mind. I did not anticipate this book leaving its mark on me forever.
Your Voice Is All I Hear has several crucial messages. It tells of the cruelty of bullying, the ridicule a person faces if he/she is LGBT, the importance of supporting and sticking by your loved ones in times of adversity, the dilemmas people face when their loved ones are no longer familiar to them. But most importantly, it shines a light on schizophrenics, the details of schizophrenia, and the difficulties faced by the people who love them.
Schizophrenia is often a life-long struggle and tends to appear in late adolescence or early adulthood. It is a breakdown of the relation between thought, emotion and behaviour, leading to faulty perception, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships, and journeys into fantasy and delusion. It is characterised by hallucinations, delusions and other cognitive difficulties. A schizophrenic will most likely hear voices that no one else can hear, which gradually convince him/her of a different reality than the one he/she is living. This results in the person having so-called "delusions". In the book, Jonah believes the government is trying to break into his mind and control him, for example.
As April mentions in the story, schizophrenia is not like other long-term diseases or chronic illnesses, not even cancer. When someone gets cancer, friends and family band together to raise funds, show support and help the person in any way they can. But with schizophrenia, it's different. Schizophrenics are an embarrassment to their family, who often try to deflect questions about the patient, resorting to making various excuses to explain his/her absence, such as overseas study or visiting faraway relatives. There are many stigmas surrounding schizophrenics, such as the misconception that they are "lunatics" who might go crazy and stab someone any moment, or the one that they are "amnesiacs" who have lost their memory and won't remember their actions. All of these are not true. Schizophrenics, not the people around them, are often the victims of their own mind.
Sadly, this has happened in my very own family as well. My father's cousin has schizophrenia, although I believe his form of the illness has led to him having intense OCD. I only learned about this a few years back when I was more mature. When I was young, however, and too naive to know any of this, I would see their family at Chinese New Year gatherings and the adults, including my parents and my father's siblings, would tell me that my father's cousin had "done something wrong" and he was "sitting in the room alone as punishment", and they would remind me absolutely not to go near him without an adult around. I accepted this explanation without question, but the warning itself didn't quite work on me: I ended up feeling sorry for him instead, sitting all alone with no one to talk to. So of course, I sometimes approached him when no one was looking, and I would catch him staring at a certain point and sometimes smiling or chuckling to himself.
Years later, this novel serves both as a rude awakening and the dawn of understanding. I have seen many, many books about mental illness, but most of them touch on the subject of suicide. (All the Bright Places being recently the most famous one, even though I haven't read it.) This is the very first time I've seen a YA book about schizophrenia. Far from inappropriate handling of the subject, Leah Scheier tells the story in a bluntly, heartbreakingly honest way without mincing any words or seeming insensitive.
Your Voice Is All I Hear also touches on the subject of bullying with regards to various characters. Having been a victim of bullying before due to my appearance, I cannot understand how someone can take pleasure in tearing somebody else down. I speak personally when I say that the hurt and the blow to victims' self-esteem is more than anyone can comprehend. Especially during the teenage years, when everyone is still discovering their identity and has some measure of insecurity. I cannot emphasise this enough: bullying is despicable. It is deplorable. It is intolerable. It can drive people to extremes and wound people beyond words. This book brings home that realisation.
In this novel, April seemed like an average character at first, but over time, I grew to love her strength, stoicism and determination. She had remarkable strength of character and knew what she wanted, and she would put all her heart and soul into following her dreams and never let anything get in the way.
April stood by Jonah throughout the tumult of his diagnosis and the subsequent months after, defending him in his absence against hurtful classmates and believing in him even when he didn't seem the same to her anymore. She was wonderful and supportive and it just brought tears to my eyes when I read the ending, because she didn't deserve it.
The ending. I think I had the inkling that I wouldn't be getting a HEA, not when it came to this book, with all its darker themes and sombre plotline, but I hoped. I still hoped anyway. And then my hopes were crushed.
Fortunately, as I read the last chapter, I found the ending wasn't completely sad after all. It was, in fact, bittersweet. But the final sentence of this book still brought me to tears. It spoke of a future filled with possibilities. It spoke of two star-crossed souls, knit tightly together by destiny, torn apart by illness and cruel fate, but patched together again by hope, the hope that they would someday meet again.
Your Voice Is All I Hear was a wonderful eye-opener, a heartbreakingly real story filled with desperation, hope, disappointment, dreams, love and all the things that make us human. I will never forget the messages embodied in this book, and I am thankful to have read it and gained more understanding as well as shattered my own stereotypes and assumptions of schizophrenics. I had assumed that this would be a sad book, but it is more than just tear-inducing. It is so much more. This novel is inspirational without preaching too much, mournful without being too cloying, sad without being too dark, desperate without being too destructive. It merely describes the reality of schizophrenia as it is and leaves you to form your own conclusions and opinions. I implore everyone to read this book. It will change your life.
Before Reading:
I have a feeling this book is going to break my heart.
The story follows a teenage girl, April Wesley, who is reluctant to go back to her school, Fallstaff High, after she finds out that her best (and only) friend Kristin is transferring to a private school. But then she meets the attractive new boy, Jonah Golden. Jonah and April soon grow very close and before anyone knows it, they're a couple and officially dating. April, who thinks she's a plain Jane and finds herself completely unattractive, is ecstatic that she finally has a boyfriend - especially when it's the boy she's been crushing on. Her life should now be blissful and filled with happiness - but then Jonah starts behaving strangely. As he slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past haunting him, April is torn. When Jonah is diagnosed with schizophrenia, April is devastated - but she still clings determinedly to the small hope that he will come back to her. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: friends, her family, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. However, because April loves Jonah, she decides to stand by him, even humoring him by stepping into his delusional world and doing what he asks of her. But will her voice, the only one he trusts now, be enough to drown out the dissenters - and the ones in his head?
I was the one he trusted. I was the one he loved, the only one who believed him, even when his own mother had locked him up and thrown away the key.
And now, I was going to walk down the white-tiled hallway, knock on his doctor's office door, slam his secret notebook on her desk, and make her read it, make her understand what he was hiding, make her see what only I had seen.
I was finally going to do it.
I was going to betray him.
Even before I'd begun reading this book, I knew it would break my heart. All the signs pointed to it. But what I never expected was how this book would become a memory permanently ingrained in my mind. I did not anticipate this book leaving its mark on me forever.
Your Voice Is All I Hear has several crucial messages. It tells of the cruelty of bullying, the ridicule a person faces if he/she is LGBT, the importance of supporting and sticking by your loved ones in times of adversity, the dilemmas people face when their loved ones are no longer familiar to them. But most importantly, it shines a light on schizophrenics, the details of schizophrenia, and the difficulties faced by the people who love them.
Schizophrenia is often a life-long struggle and tends to appear in late adolescence or early adulthood. It is a breakdown of the relation between thought, emotion and behaviour, leading to faulty perception, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships, and journeys into fantasy and delusion. It is characterised by hallucinations, delusions and other cognitive difficulties. A schizophrenic will most likely hear voices that no one else can hear, which gradually convince him/her of a different reality than the one he/she is living. This results in the person having so-called "delusions". In the book, Jonah believes the government is trying to break into his mind and control him, for example.
"April, this wasn't just a disorganised paper. I'm worried because Jonah stopped making sense."
As April mentions in the story, schizophrenia is not like other long-term diseases or chronic illnesses, not even cancer. When someone gets cancer, friends and family band together to raise funds, show support and help the person in any way they can. But with schizophrenia, it's different. Schizophrenics are an embarrassment to their family, who often try to deflect questions about the patient, resorting to making various excuses to explain his/her absence, such as overseas study or visiting faraway relatives. There are many stigmas surrounding schizophrenics, such as the misconception that they are "lunatics" who might go crazy and stab someone any moment, or the one that they are "amnesiacs" who have lost their memory and won't remember their actions. All of these are not true. Schizophrenics, not the people around them, are often the victims of their own mind.
"Oh, April, he knew," she murmured. "He knew what was happening to him. And this was how he tried to tell you."
[...] I had pictured a clean break. A healthy mind and then confusion. But what if Jonah had seen this coming? Could it have started slowly? Could he have had moments of clarity when he knew that something was very wrong? It would have been like the minutes before a plane crash. You know exactly what's coming and yet you're powerless to stop it.
Sadly, this has happened in my very own family as well. My father's cousin has schizophrenia, although I believe his form of the illness has led to him having intense OCD. I only learned about this a few years back when I was more mature. When I was young, however, and too naive to know any of this, I would see their family at Chinese New Year gatherings and the adults, including my parents and my father's siblings, would tell me that my father's cousin had "done something wrong" and he was "sitting in the room alone as punishment", and they would remind me absolutely not to go near him without an adult around. I accepted this explanation without question, but the warning itself didn't quite work on me: I ended up feeling sorry for him instead, sitting all alone with no one to talk to. So of course, I sometimes approached him when no one was looking, and I would catch him staring at a certain point and sometimes smiling or chuckling to himself.
Years later, this novel serves both as a rude awakening and the dawn of understanding. I have seen many, many books about mental illness, but most of them touch on the subject of suicide. (All the Bright Places being recently the most famous one, even though I haven't read it.) This is the very first time I've seen a YA book about schizophrenia. Far from inappropriate handling of the subject, Leah Scheier tells the story in a bluntly, heartbreakingly honest way without mincing any words or seeming insensitive.
Your Voice Is All I Hear also touches on the subject of bullying with regards to various characters. Having been a victim of bullying before due to my appearance, I cannot understand how someone can take pleasure in tearing somebody else down. I speak personally when I say that the hurt and the blow to victims' self-esteem is more than anyone can comprehend. Especially during the teenage years, when everyone is still discovering their identity and has some measure of insecurity. I cannot emphasise this enough: bullying is despicable. It is deplorable. It is intolerable. It can drive people to extremes and wound people beyond words. This book brings home that realisation.
In this novel, April seemed like an average character at first, but over time, I grew to love her strength, stoicism and determination. She had remarkable strength of character and knew what she wanted, and she would put all her heart and soul into following her dreams and never let anything get in the way.
"No matter what?" he echoed. "You've said that to me before, do you remember? That's kind of been your motto, hasn't it, throughout our whole relationship?"
April stood by Jonah throughout the tumult of his diagnosis and the subsequent months after, defending him in his absence against hurtful classmates and believing in him even when he didn't seem the same to her anymore. She was wonderful and supportive and it just brought tears to my eyes when I read the ending, because she didn't deserve it.
The ending. I think I had the inkling that I wouldn't be getting a HEA, not when it came to this book, with all its darker themes and sombre plotline, but I hoped. I still hoped anyway. And then my hopes were crushed.
Fortunately, as I read the last chapter, I found the ending wasn't completely sad after all. It was, in fact, bittersweet. But the final sentence of this book still brought me to tears. It spoke of a future filled with possibilities. It spoke of two star-crossed souls, knit tightly together by destiny, torn apart by illness and cruel fate, but patched together again by hope, the hope that they would someday meet again.
But someday, far off in the future, maybe we could put together a different ending. We'd both be a little older; he'd have learned to trust himself again, and I'd have learned to stand on my own without him. Then maybe we would run into each other one last time, somewhere when we least expected it, in a mall or at a park, some simple place like a corner bus stop. And maybe then Jonah and I would finally finish our first kiss.
Your Voice Is All I Hear was a wonderful eye-opener, a heartbreakingly real story filled with desperation, hope, disappointment, dreams, love and all the things that make us human. I will never forget the messages embodied in this book, and I am thankful to have read it and gained more understanding as well as shattered my own stereotypes and assumptions of schizophrenics. I had assumed that this would be a sad book, but it is more than just tear-inducing. It is so much more. This novel is inspirational without preaching too much, mournful without being too cloying, sad without being too dark, desperate without being too destructive. It merely describes the reality of schizophrenia as it is and leaves you to form your own conclusions and opinions. I implore everyone to read this book. It will change your life.
Before Reading:
I have a feeling this book is going to break my heart.
September 11, 2015
Your Voice Is All I Hear is a book that beautifully and realistically portrays Schizophrenia. If you're big on mental illness in YA, definitely give this book a shot.
I'm not saying this book is perfect, though. Normally when I post rage-y Goodreads updates, that means I'm just about ready to DNF a book. And I was about to about 20% in with this one. But boy, am I happy I stuck with this one, because it definitely redeemed itself!
But because I'm unsure of how to review this book a whole, I'm going to break down my review into parts.
PART 1: The One Where Everyone Was an Asshole (the first 30%)
Ah, this part of the book and I had a BRILLIANT time together. Not. Gosh, it had everything I hate in a book: heavy stereotyping (you know... hot jocks, gorgeous queen bees, the queen bee's cronies and all that jazz), judgmental characters (which is typically okay since I can be pretty judge-y sometimes too, but this one took judgmental to a whole new level) and a horrible case of insta-love. It hurt my brain cells. And my eyeballs.
Let me indulge you all with these quotes:
... Really? I just can't with this one. What the fuck.
Okay, YOU CAN'T OWN PEOPLE. We're not pieces of real estate you can rent, live in and call your territory.
Okay, I'm a feminist. And to this quote I say, WHAT? So normally, guys aren't decent??
This was said to an artistic guy... Which I totally don't understand. I don't know about people from other countries, but in ours, artistic males are highly respected. Highly.
PART 2: The One Where I Wasn't Raging (around until 60%)
Things started getting better after that, fortunately. When the two main characters got together, it seemed like everything was just going uphill. (The romantic pacing still sucked, though.)
For one, the heroine stopped being a bitch to other people. Okay, maybe she was still really selfish and INCREDIBLY naive, but at least she didn't bring other people into it. I never really liked her, but she was better than when she first started.
I really loved how things started to get intense around here. We're shown the tougher, grittier side of Schizophrenia--the one where things could turn to complete shit in just the blink of an eye. And even if you've never experienced it, or know anyone who has, this book is definitely going to make you more aware of this illness, and how much it can affect lives.
Family and friends became more prominent around these woods, too. Parents were, realistically, in denial of Jonah's situation, and while they might not have been 100% on board with April's decisions, they let her make them and didn't try to dictate her life.
PART 3: The One Where My Emotions Exploded (70% onward)
Now this is where all the clouds part to let out all the sunshine! No, I don't mean the story gets happier. I mean the book stops being horrible and starts shining some intense feels on readers.
I was basically just crying my eyeballs out through this part. This is when the desperation and despair comes in--and will take you down with them. I sympathized so much with the characters and just wished the best for them.
Deadly Darlings | The Social Potato | The Book Geek | Twitter | Instagram
I'm not saying this book is perfect, though. Normally when I post rage-y Goodreads updates, that means I'm just about ready to DNF a book. And I was about to about 20% in with this one. But boy, am I happy I stuck with this one, because it definitely redeemed itself!
But because I'm unsure of how to review this book a whole, I'm going to break down my review into parts.
PART 1: The One Where Everyone Was an Asshole (the first 30%)
Ah, this part of the book and I had a BRILLIANT time together. Not. Gosh, it had everything I hate in a book: heavy stereotyping (you know... hot jocks, gorgeous queen bees, the queen bee's cronies and all that jazz), judgmental characters (which is typically okay since I can be pretty judge-y sometimes too, but this one took judgmental to a whole new level) and a horrible case of insta-love. It hurt my brain cells. And my eyeballs.
Let me indulge you all with these quotes:
"He had put up a picture of a dog, which meant that he probably looked like one.
... Really? I just can't with this one. What the fuck.
"Miles, the hottest guy in school, took one look at her and panted himself in a nearby seat, as if staking out his territory."
Okay, YOU CAN'T OWN PEOPLE. We're not pieces of real estate you can rent, live in and call your territory.
"So basically he's kind of a sparkly mimbo?"
For those of you who don't know (yeah, I looked it up), mimbo = male bimbo. Yeah, not okay with that.
"The new boy seems pretty decent. For a guy."
Okay, I'm a feminist. And to this quote I say, WHAT? So normally, guys aren't decent??
"So what are you--some kind of fag?"
This was said to an artistic guy... Which I totally don't understand. I don't know about people from other countries, but in ours, artistic males are highly respected. Highly.
PART 2: The One Where I Wasn't Raging (around until 60%)
Things started getting better after that, fortunately. When the two main characters got together, it seemed like everything was just going uphill. (The romantic pacing still sucked, though.)
For one, the heroine stopped being a bitch to other people. Okay, maybe she was still really selfish and INCREDIBLY naive, but at least she didn't bring other people into it. I never really liked her, but she was better than when she first started.
I really loved how things started to get intense around here. We're shown the tougher, grittier side of Schizophrenia--the one where things could turn to complete shit in just the blink of an eye. And even if you've never experienced it, or know anyone who has, this book is definitely going to make you more aware of this illness, and how much it can affect lives.
Family and friends became more prominent around these woods, too. Parents were, realistically, in denial of Jonah's situation, and while they might not have been 100% on board with April's decisions, they let her make them and didn't try to dictate her life.
PART 3: The One Where My Emotions Exploded (70% onward)
Now this is where all the clouds part to let out all the sunshine! No, I don't mean the story gets happier. I mean the book stops being horrible and starts shining some intense feels on readers.
I was basically just crying my eyeballs out through this part. This is when the desperation and despair comes in--and will take you down with them. I sympathized so much with the characters and just wished the best for them.
Deadly Darlings | The Social Potato | The Book Geek | Twitter | Instagram
June 29, 2017
Who's to says YA books cannot deal with risky topics and excellent writing on mental health/illness and schizophrenia...which is just a few subjects in this story that was written about..this kind of disease mess with the mind..you have suicide thoughts etc, its extremely dangerous in ones family setting if you're not getting the right psychotherapy treatment and medication...the author wrote about(April & Jonah) relationship,how they were to each other,the support etc..it was too good to put down..highly recommend
September 10, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley.)
“I can’t take it anymore. I’ve had enough of their advanced academics and brain control.”
This was an interesting story about one girl’s brush with mental illness as her boyfriend started displaying signs of psychosis.
Poor April got a bit of a poor deal in this story, she not only had to look after and defend a boyfriend who was clearly hearing voices, but she didn’t even get thanks for it, and had to deal with people at school bullying her for being the psycho’s girlfriend!
“My life at school is over, I thought bitterly. I’d be the girlfriend of ‘crazy boy’ forever, long after they forgot about him.”
The storyline in this was pretty good, although the pace was a little slow in places. Jonah started to show clear signs of psychosis, and paranoia, and it seemed pretty obvious what was going on, even though April continued to try to defend him.
The romance in this story wasn’t really overt, but it was more in the way that April stood by Jonah even when things got tough.
“Nothing I could say would make him see that he was wrong. To him, everyone else was crazy; he was the only sane one in the world.”
The ending to this was a bit sad, and April once again got a bad deal really.
6.5 out of 10
“I can’t take it anymore. I’ve had enough of their advanced academics and brain control.”
This was an interesting story about one girl’s brush with mental illness as her boyfriend started displaying signs of psychosis.
Poor April got a bit of a poor deal in this story, she not only had to look after and defend a boyfriend who was clearly hearing voices, but she didn’t even get thanks for it, and had to deal with people at school bullying her for being the psycho’s girlfriend!
“My life at school is over, I thought bitterly. I’d be the girlfriend of ‘crazy boy’ forever, long after they forgot about him.”
The storyline in this was pretty good, although the pace was a little slow in places. Jonah started to show clear signs of psychosis, and paranoia, and it seemed pretty obvious what was going on, even though April continued to try to defend him.
The romance in this story wasn’t really overt, but it was more in the way that April stood by Jonah even when things got tough.
“Nothing I could say would make him see that he was wrong. To him, everyone else was crazy; he was the only sane one in the world.”
The ending to this was a bit sad, and April once again got a bad deal really.
6.5 out of 10
July 10, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
*Mild Spoilers*
This book really got to me. This book is about schizophrenia, bullying and certain people that just never give up on you. The reason is got to me is that I have mental and medical issues and I can understand what it's like to deal with them. I have know someone who's father was schizophrenic and the things they had to go through. This is the disease that terrifies people. Yes, the person can be dangerous and yes, sometimes they can be monitored to where they can have a life and be more in control.
April starts back to school very much dreading it because her best friend Kris, transferred to an upscale neighborhood and transferred her to an upscale school. April doesn't want to be at school without her best friend. She feels without her best friend she will just be invisible and have too much to worry about. But... then.. she meets Jonah. He's the new boy in school and really kind of cute and super nice to her.
After a bit of time they form a bond and start going out. Her friend Kris is nagging her about why he hasn't kissed her after two or three weeks! April is wondering the same thing, but you see Jonas is just a really nice guy and the day finally comes that they kiss and are in love. But something is happening with Jonas. Why does has he started holding his hands over his ears? Why does he look around frantically?
April and Jonah mom have become friends and they start talking about Jonas just being sick. Until Jonas starts having desperately scary episodes and they have to take him to the hospital.
Jonah has a back story where his best friend that was gay ended up being killed. He was bullied because of who he was and was killed for it. Jonas blames himself and one other person in his life for that happening. The doctors that have him in the psych ward think it may have started his downward spiral into this new world.
April stays by his side through all he has to go through. She's there every day after school visiting him and trying to help him. She was so strong for him and so many things happened that were not so good, but I just can't give out those types of spoilers.
This book is under one of my favorites now and I plan to buy it when it is released. It is sad and happy at the same time. I know that seems weird but it is and I loved it so much.
I wish more people in this world would not look at people with mental illnesses as lazy, or say, "just get over it." I mean, you wouldn't say to someone with cancer, just get over it..right? Wouldn't we all "JUST GET OVER IT IF WE COULD"!!!!!!!!
Here are some sites for information and advocacy on this particular disease if anyone needs help on the subject. Thank you to the author for supplying these: www.schizophrenia.com www.saarda.org
RECOMMEND TO: EVERYONE!
***I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC for my honest review***
*Mild Spoilers*
This book really got to me. This book is about schizophrenia, bullying and certain people that just never give up on you. The reason is got to me is that I have mental and medical issues and I can understand what it's like to deal with them. I have know someone who's father was schizophrenic and the things they had to go through. This is the disease that terrifies people. Yes, the person can be dangerous and yes, sometimes they can be monitored to where they can have a life and be more in control.
April starts back to school very much dreading it because her best friend Kris, transferred to an upscale neighborhood and transferred her to an upscale school. April doesn't want to be at school without her best friend. She feels without her best friend she will just be invisible and have too much to worry about. But... then.. she meets Jonah. He's the new boy in school and really kind of cute and super nice to her.
After a bit of time they form a bond and start going out. Her friend Kris is nagging her about why he hasn't kissed her after two or three weeks! April is wondering the same thing, but you see Jonas is just a really nice guy and the day finally comes that they kiss and are in love. But something is happening with Jonas. Why does has he started holding his hands over his ears? Why does he look around frantically?
April and Jonah mom have become friends and they start talking about Jonas just being sick. Until Jonas starts having desperately scary episodes and they have to take him to the hospital.
Jonah has a back story where his best friend that was gay ended up being killed. He was bullied because of who he was and was killed for it. Jonas blames himself and one other person in his life for that happening. The doctors that have him in the psych ward think it may have started his downward spiral into this new world.
April stays by his side through all he has to go through. She's there every day after school visiting him and trying to help him. She was so strong for him and so many things happened that were not so good, but I just can't give out those types of spoilers.
This book is under one of my favorites now and I plan to buy it when it is released. It is sad and happy at the same time. I know that seems weird but it is and I loved it so much.
I wish more people in this world would not look at people with mental illnesses as lazy, or say, "just get over it." I mean, you wouldn't say to someone with cancer, just get over it..right? Wouldn't we all "JUST GET OVER IT IF WE COULD"!!!!!!!!
Here are some sites for information and advocacy on this particular disease if anyone needs help on the subject. Thank you to the author for supplying these: www.schizophrenia.com www.saarda.org
RECOMMEND TO: EVERYONE!
***I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC for my honest review***
March 24, 2016
“Mental illness turns people inwards. That's what I reckon. It keeps up forever trapped by the pain of our own minds, in the same way that the pain of a broken leg or a cut thumb will grab your attention, holding it so tightly that your good leg or your good thumb seem to cease to exist.”
----Nathan Filer
Leah Scheier, an American author, has penned a heart-rending YA tale, Your Voice is All I Hear which unfolds the story of young high school teenager who meets and falls for a newcomer boy and gradually when this unpopular girl's love story takes up full course, that sweet, innocent boy's ghosts from the past surface up, thereby, making him miserable and depressed with fear, which finally leads to institutionalization. Whereas on the other hand, this girl won't give up on her boyfriend whom she loves more than everything in her universe.
Synopsis:
I was the one he trusted. I was the one he loved, the only one who believed him, even when his own mother had locked him up and thrown away the key.
And now, I was going to pass down the white tiled hallway, knock on his doctor’s office door, slam his secret notebook on her desk and make her read it, make her understand what he was hiding, make her see what only I had seen.
April won’t let Jonah go without a fight.
He’s her boyfriend—her best friend. She’ll do anything to keep him safe. But as Jonah slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past that haunts him, April is torn. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: family, friends, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. How much must she sacrifice? And will her voice be loud enough to drown out the dissenters—and the ones in his head?
April is the unpopular girl among her peers and is often subjected to nasty remarks-passing in her high school. But things change when a transfer-student joins her school. Jonah may not be the perfect good-looking jock-type guy, but he is sweet that made April fall for him instantly. But as their relationship started to grow, Jonah's voices in his head took control over his life, but April is a fighter and won't give up on Jonah. As the conditions worsened and Jonah is diagnosed with schizophrenic symptoms, April began to sacrifice her life both in school and in home to support and care for Jonah. Will April's love for Jonah bring him back to reality?
FYI: You need a whole box of Kleenex handy before reading this book.
Firstly, let's begin with the book's cover which immaculately captures the main character's grief on her face and it totally justifies with the story line. The author's writing style is eloquent and heavily layered with PAIN in big bold letters. The narrative is engaging as well as poignant enough to break the hearts of the readers millions of times. The theme of the story is spot-on and thoroughly realistic and the way the author has delivered it is simply enthralling. The pacing of the book is pretty good but at times, the pace went up and down like an ECG graph. The climax is another thing that made me love the story even more as it is extremely heart-breaking.
Apart from being an emotional roller-coaster ride, the story offers mild bullying in high school, realistic high-school characters and depression among teens. And the author has arrested this whole situation of Jonah's psychosis sensitively. The author even strikingly captures the fact that how high school teenagers often hide about their mental problems from their parents, friends and teachers. The pain endured by Jonah while he is hearing voices in his head and starting to lose his control from reality, is vividly portrayed by the author, and there is so much depth in those scenes that I felt goosebumps while reading about Jonah's painful encounter with his ghosts from an uneventful past.
Be it a high-school football jock or a mean-ass teen diva or a strict cancer-survived teacher or the single parent of a teenager or the nurse of some psychotic ward, the characters are all genuine and practical. The protagonist, April, through whose first person POV, I got to see the whole story, is an exceptional misfit girl in her teenagers. Unlike some, she never gave any heed to nasty comments from mean students. She is strong and level-headed when it comes to situation of life. When Jonah was institutionalized, April was subjected to violent remarks, yet she kept fighting for Jonah till the very last page. Now April, here, broke my heart a lot. Her character graph is not at all pristine, it has flaws and shortcomings, but her imperfection and her deep love for Jonah made her stand out and leave a lasting impression even after the end of the book. April was so much devoted to Jonah's well-being, that she gave up her dreams of going to a good college, she alienated herself from her only best friend and never gave any thoughts to what her mother's advice. Her dedication towards Jonah is simply astounding.
The love that is featured in this book is an insta-love, so I must warn you before judging the story too harshly. But not much happens between Jonah and April, it kinda goes into a downward spiral before even Jonah and April shared a proper first-kiss. Their love might not be a true one or a passionate one, but it was quite sad. Both the characters are talented, one in arts and the other in music, so their shared passion of arts and music, bring them close to one another and that really gave justification to their insta-love story.
In short, this novel is compelling to read even though it brings tears into the eyes of the readers.
Verdict: If you like reading about mental illness among teenagers, then this is the perfect book for you.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Leah Scheier, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
----Nathan Filer
Leah Scheier, an American author, has penned a heart-rending YA tale, Your Voice is All I Hear which unfolds the story of young high school teenager who meets and falls for a newcomer boy and gradually when this unpopular girl's love story takes up full course, that sweet, innocent boy's ghosts from the past surface up, thereby, making him miserable and depressed with fear, which finally leads to institutionalization. Whereas on the other hand, this girl won't give up on her boyfriend whom she loves more than everything in her universe.
Synopsis:
I was the one he trusted. I was the one he loved, the only one who believed him, even when his own mother had locked him up and thrown away the key.
And now, I was going to pass down the white tiled hallway, knock on his doctor’s office door, slam his secret notebook on her desk and make her read it, make her understand what he was hiding, make her see what only I had seen.
April won’t let Jonah go without a fight.
He’s her boyfriend—her best friend. She’ll do anything to keep him safe. But as Jonah slips into a dark depression, trying to escape the traumatic past that haunts him, April is torn. To protect Jonah, she risks losing everything: family, friends, an opportunity to attend a prestigious music school. How much must she sacrifice? And will her voice be loud enough to drown out the dissenters—and the ones in his head?
April is the unpopular girl among her peers and is often subjected to nasty remarks-passing in her high school. But things change when a transfer-student joins her school. Jonah may not be the perfect good-looking jock-type guy, but he is sweet that made April fall for him instantly. But as their relationship started to grow, Jonah's voices in his head took control over his life, but April is a fighter and won't give up on Jonah. As the conditions worsened and Jonah is diagnosed with schizophrenic symptoms, April began to sacrifice her life both in school and in home to support and care for Jonah. Will April's love for Jonah bring him back to reality?
FYI: You need a whole box of Kleenex handy before reading this book.
Firstly, let's begin with the book's cover which immaculately captures the main character's grief on her face and it totally justifies with the story line. The author's writing style is eloquent and heavily layered with PAIN in big bold letters. The narrative is engaging as well as poignant enough to break the hearts of the readers millions of times. The theme of the story is spot-on and thoroughly realistic and the way the author has delivered it is simply enthralling. The pacing of the book is pretty good but at times, the pace went up and down like an ECG graph. The climax is another thing that made me love the story even more as it is extremely heart-breaking.
Apart from being an emotional roller-coaster ride, the story offers mild bullying in high school, realistic high-school characters and depression among teens. And the author has arrested this whole situation of Jonah's psychosis sensitively. The author even strikingly captures the fact that how high school teenagers often hide about their mental problems from their parents, friends and teachers. The pain endured by Jonah while he is hearing voices in his head and starting to lose his control from reality, is vividly portrayed by the author, and there is so much depth in those scenes that I felt goosebumps while reading about Jonah's painful encounter with his ghosts from an uneventful past.
Be it a high-school football jock or a mean-ass teen diva or a strict cancer-survived teacher or the single parent of a teenager or the nurse of some psychotic ward, the characters are all genuine and practical. The protagonist, April, through whose first person POV, I got to see the whole story, is an exceptional misfit girl in her teenagers. Unlike some, she never gave any heed to nasty comments from mean students. She is strong and level-headed when it comes to situation of life. When Jonah was institutionalized, April was subjected to violent remarks, yet she kept fighting for Jonah till the very last page. Now April, here, broke my heart a lot. Her character graph is not at all pristine, it has flaws and shortcomings, but her imperfection and her deep love for Jonah made her stand out and leave a lasting impression even after the end of the book. April was so much devoted to Jonah's well-being, that she gave up her dreams of going to a good college, she alienated herself from her only best friend and never gave any thoughts to what her mother's advice. Her dedication towards Jonah is simply astounding.
The love that is featured in this book is an insta-love, so I must warn you before judging the story too harshly. But not much happens between Jonah and April, it kinda goes into a downward spiral before even Jonah and April shared a proper first-kiss. Their love might not be a true one or a passionate one, but it was quite sad. Both the characters are talented, one in arts and the other in music, so their shared passion of arts and music, bring them close to one another and that really gave justification to their insta-love story.
In short, this novel is compelling to read even though it brings tears into the eyes of the readers.
Verdict: If you like reading about mental illness among teenagers, then this is the perfect book for you.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Leah Scheier, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
April 5, 2021
3.5 stars
December 2, 2017
this book does an incredible job about how schizophrenia affects those who have it and especially how their loved ones are affected by it. i actually really enjoyed this except for some minor issues with the pacing and writing. props to the author for no "love heals all" bullshit. 👏👏👏
full rtc!
full rtc!
September 26, 2015
This quote:
Definitely would recommend this book to a lot of friends. It's far FAR from perfect, but it's still beautiful and I think it's well worth the read. Full rtc.
There was a ripple of shock when I explained that symptoms of schizophrenia usually begin in high school or college and that it affected nearly two million people in the United States.
"There are so many who suffer from this," I concluded, "but each one feels like they're completely alone. It's not like other illnesses. A person who's sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives Next-door neighbors bring tuna casseroles to the patient's family.
"There are no casseroles for schizophrenia," I said. "People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school--anything to avoid telling the truth."
Definitely would recommend this book to a lot of friends. It's far FAR from perfect, but it's still beautiful and I think it's well worth the read. Full rtc.
October 17, 2015
I’ve read quite a few books this year that focus on mental illness, Your Voice Is All I Hear is one of the standouts for me. Beautifully written and emotionally resonant, I was in this all the way.
Don’t be fooled by the start – where it begins is with a fairly generic but compelling love story. April is missing her best friend, but meets Jonah who she develops a connection with. However things are about to go very wrong for Jonah and April’s loyalty will be tested to some very intense limits.
Jonah exhibits increasingly strange behaviour that has April baffled. Eventually hospitalised with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, this is where the story starts to come into its own as the author explores the difficult path faced, not only by those suffering but by those who are in their lives. In this case April is a young girl faced with some untenable choices – this is gritty and authentic, evoking an emotional response and to my mind giving a great deal of insight into this particular subject – Leah Scheier has a certain way with language that both informs and engages.
It is sometimes dificult reading – there are no punches pulled, no overly sentimental angst to glamorise the issues – this is a tough and often harsh look at the realities but also a deeply moving story of a boy on the edge and the girl who loves him. April often exhibits far more adult behaviour than those actual adults around her but this comes across as very real. The author uses the teenage condition (when we all feel things far more deeply than at any other time in our lives) to tell her story and to give added depth to the unfolding events.
If the object of this book is to inform, invoke discussion, give a spotlight to this particular illness then job done. Watching Jonah descend into chaos is heart wrenching – watching April cope as best she can, never giving up, is even more so. Quite aside from all that is the wider picture – Jonah’s parents and April’s family, the medical profession (Dr Mina is a particuarly well drawn and important character) the initial denial, heading into acceptance and at every point the author tugs on the heartstrings and makes you feel it in your bones.
The general attitude to mental illness is also explored really well here. This is a quote that stays with me and it seems with others…
“A person sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives. Next door neighbors bring tuna casserole to the family. There are no casseroles for Schizophrenia. People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend that their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school-anything to avoid telling the truth.”
Incredibly resonant, obviously well researched and very cleverly constructed for maximum effect, Your Voice Is All I Hear is both an important and very readable tale, a Young Adult novel tackling some topical and very important issues, the ending had me in pieces. This is one that will definitely stay with me for a very long time and as such is highly recommended.
Don’t be fooled by the start – where it begins is with a fairly generic but compelling love story. April is missing her best friend, but meets Jonah who she develops a connection with. However things are about to go very wrong for Jonah and April’s loyalty will be tested to some very intense limits.
Jonah exhibits increasingly strange behaviour that has April baffled. Eventually hospitalised with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, this is where the story starts to come into its own as the author explores the difficult path faced, not only by those suffering but by those who are in their lives. In this case April is a young girl faced with some untenable choices – this is gritty and authentic, evoking an emotional response and to my mind giving a great deal of insight into this particular subject – Leah Scheier has a certain way with language that both informs and engages.
It is sometimes dificult reading – there are no punches pulled, no overly sentimental angst to glamorise the issues – this is a tough and often harsh look at the realities but also a deeply moving story of a boy on the edge and the girl who loves him. April often exhibits far more adult behaviour than those actual adults around her but this comes across as very real. The author uses the teenage condition (when we all feel things far more deeply than at any other time in our lives) to tell her story and to give added depth to the unfolding events.
If the object of this book is to inform, invoke discussion, give a spotlight to this particular illness then job done. Watching Jonah descend into chaos is heart wrenching – watching April cope as best she can, never giving up, is even more so. Quite aside from all that is the wider picture – Jonah’s parents and April’s family, the medical profession (Dr Mina is a particuarly well drawn and important character) the initial denial, heading into acceptance and at every point the author tugs on the heartstrings and makes you feel it in your bones.
The general attitude to mental illness is also explored really well here. This is a quote that stays with me and it seems with others…
“A person sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives. Next door neighbors bring tuna casserole to the family. There are no casseroles for Schizophrenia. People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend that their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school-anything to avoid telling the truth.”
Incredibly resonant, obviously well researched and very cleverly constructed for maximum effect, Your Voice Is All I Hear is both an important and very readable tale, a Young Adult novel tackling some topical and very important issues, the ending had me in pieces. This is one that will definitely stay with me for a very long time and as such is highly recommended.
June 22, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing this ARC.
I have mentioned time and time again that books with sensitive topics/material are among my favourites, so I was pretty excited to read this book. And I was right, Your Voice Is All I Hear fell neatly into that category and I absolutely loved it. Exceptionally raw and honest, it deals with a subject I haven’t seen tackled in YA literature: schizophrenia. It’s heartbreaking and it leaves you feeling numb, shedding light on this illness and on the perception that people have about it. It’s the same as with any other mental illness: talked about in hushed voices, in shame, hidden and avoided, even when it’s practically screaming in your face.
Your Voice Is All I Hear tells the story of a girl, April, and a boy, Jonah. They fall in love, but are then faced with something no kid should have to face: Jonah’s increasingly bizarre behaviour, that ultimately ends him up in a psychiatric hospital, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. April is forced in a difficult position - trying to be there for Jonah, and at the same time trying to help him. It’s a contradiction, but it’s the truth in situations like this.
I think this book was extremely realistic. It doesn’t romanticize this illness, as we often see happen in books dealing with similar material. On the contrary, it’s gritty, it doesn’t shy away or hide the truth. It shows the despair, the failure to come to terms with something like this happening to someone you love. It shows that ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away. That in order to help someone, we sometimes have to betray them, in a way. Go against our desire to protect them ourselves and leave their fate into someone else’s hands. Loving someone doesn’t magically fix them. It’s doesn’t work like that, it never has and it never will. Sometimes, loving someone means letting them go, no matter how much you hate doing that.
I loved the characters and how they’re portrayed. April is thrown into a situation many adults can’t handle, let alone a fifteen year-old. Yes, she acts mature, at times more so than the adults in her life, who are supposed to guide her, while at the same time doing and saying things that show her true age. I loved the family angle that this book explored and that it showed the effects of Jonah’s illness not only on him, on April, but on their families, their classmates, everyone around them.
The writing is beautiful. It’s poetic at times and it flows effortlessly. I especially loved the poems in the beginning of some chapters, which gave a deeper meaning to the events happening and added a layer to Scheier’s writing. The books is extremely well researched and I hope it manages to raise awareness about illnesses like this. About issues like this, that we can’t ignore or throw under a rug, because we’re ashamed to talk about them. To acknowledge that mental illnesses are illnesses like any other. They affect lives and they can destroy lives. Our sickness doesn’t define us or make us less of a good person. We are not our sickness. We are someone in spite of it.
Read this book. It will leave you with a bittersweet feeling, but I promise that it’s worth it.
Favourite quotes:
“Good people can also get sick.”
“How do you save a person who refuses to be saved?”
“He’s sick. He hasn’t committed a crime.”
★★★★★
Trigger warning for: suicide attempt.
To everyone who got this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! Also, feel free to share your thoughts, comment or tell me anything :)
Publication date: September 1st 2015
I have mentioned time and time again that books with sensitive topics/material are among my favourites, so I was pretty excited to read this book. And I was right, Your Voice Is All I Hear fell neatly into that category and I absolutely loved it. Exceptionally raw and honest, it deals with a subject I haven’t seen tackled in YA literature: schizophrenia. It’s heartbreaking and it leaves you feeling numb, shedding light on this illness and on the perception that people have about it. It’s the same as with any other mental illness: talked about in hushed voices, in shame, hidden and avoided, even when it’s practically screaming in your face.
Your Voice Is All I Hear tells the story of a girl, April, and a boy, Jonah. They fall in love, but are then faced with something no kid should have to face: Jonah’s increasingly bizarre behaviour, that ultimately ends him up in a psychiatric hospital, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. April is forced in a difficult position - trying to be there for Jonah, and at the same time trying to help him. It’s a contradiction, but it’s the truth in situations like this.
I think this book was extremely realistic. It doesn’t romanticize this illness, as we often see happen in books dealing with similar material. On the contrary, it’s gritty, it doesn’t shy away or hide the truth. It shows the despair, the failure to come to terms with something like this happening to someone you love. It shows that ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away. That in order to help someone, we sometimes have to betray them, in a way. Go against our desire to protect them ourselves and leave their fate into someone else’s hands. Loving someone doesn’t magically fix them. It’s doesn’t work like that, it never has and it never will. Sometimes, loving someone means letting them go, no matter how much you hate doing that.
I loved the characters and how they’re portrayed. April is thrown into a situation many adults can’t handle, let alone a fifteen year-old. Yes, she acts mature, at times more so than the adults in her life, who are supposed to guide her, while at the same time doing and saying things that show her true age. I loved the family angle that this book explored and that it showed the effects of Jonah’s illness not only on him, on April, but on their families, their classmates, everyone around them.
The writing is beautiful. It’s poetic at times and it flows effortlessly. I especially loved the poems in the beginning of some chapters, which gave a deeper meaning to the events happening and added a layer to Scheier’s writing. The books is extremely well researched and I hope it manages to raise awareness about illnesses like this. About issues like this, that we can’t ignore or throw under a rug, because we’re ashamed to talk about them. To acknowledge that mental illnesses are illnesses like any other. They affect lives and they can destroy lives. Our sickness doesn’t define us or make us less of a good person. We are not our sickness. We are someone in spite of it.
Read this book. It will leave you with a bittersweet feeling, but I promise that it’s worth it.
Favourite quotes:
“Good people can also get sick.”
“How do you save a person who refuses to be saved?”
“He’s sick. He hasn’t committed a crime.”
★★★★★
Trigger warning for: suicide attempt.
To everyone who got this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! Also, feel free to share your thoughts, comment or tell me anything :)
Publication date: September 1st 2015
November 14, 2016
Empezaré diciendo por qué no tiene las cinco, y así luego me será más fácil decir por qué tiene cuatro. No se lleva 5 estrellitas en el firmamento de GR por dos razones, la primera, es que me ha rechinado un poco la edad de los protas en variados comportamientos, aunque si no hubieran sido adolescentes entiendo que algunas de las cosas que ocurren no habría podido narrarse. La otra razón, ha sido el final. Necesitaba más, un par de capitulos más, un buen epilogo, no sé, el cuerpo me pedía saber qué pasaba tras ese fin tan tan tan...
Dicho esto, es una lectura dura, cruda, que habla sobre una enfermedad que nos da miedo, no sólo nos asusta padecerla sino nos asusta quien la padece, porque es muy difícil controlar una enfermedad mental así. Hay momentos en los que no compartí la visión de las cosas de la protagonista, pero lo entendí, me lo creí y eso en un libro es bueno. No se me hizo pesado a pesar del tema que trata, de hecho, lo leí casi del tirón, porque quería saber qué pasaba con Jonah... Es una historia dura, como ya dije, pero es también una historia bonita, dulce, que nos muestra lo que somos capaces de superar, lo que somos capaces de sorprendernos a nosotros mismos, lo podemos crecer y mejorar en cualquier momento.
He estado investigando un poco por ahí para ver si había una segunda parte o algo, y va a ser que no, y me da pena, porque creo que una historia sobre ellos unos cuantos años mas tarde sería preciosa, en fin, me quedaré con las ganas, aunque siempre puedo inventármela yo, jajajaja
Dicho esto, es una lectura dura, cruda, que habla sobre una enfermedad que nos da miedo, no sólo nos asusta padecerla sino nos asusta quien la padece, porque es muy difícil controlar una enfermedad mental así. Hay momentos en los que no compartí la visión de las cosas de la protagonista, pero lo entendí, me lo creí y eso en un libro es bueno. No se me hizo pesado a pesar del tema que trata, de hecho, lo leí casi del tirón, porque quería saber qué pasaba con Jonah... Es una historia dura, como ya dije, pero es también una historia bonita, dulce, que nos muestra lo que somos capaces de superar, lo que somos capaces de sorprendernos a nosotros mismos, lo podemos crecer y mejorar en cualquier momento.
He estado investigando un poco por ahí para ver si había una segunda parte o algo, y va a ser que no, y me da pena, porque creo que una historia sobre ellos unos cuantos años mas tarde sería preciosa, en fin, me quedaré con las ganas, aunque siempre puedo inventármela yo, jajajaja
August 28, 2015
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
Here's the deal: April is bummed because her best friend left their school for Swanky Rich Kid Academy, and April hasn't exactly bothered to make droves of friends. So when Jonah moves into town and takes an interest in her, she's pretty thrilled. Of course, as we know from the synopsis, this cozy duo isn't going to have an easy time of things. Jonah's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and April is faced with a lot of decisions that must be hell for a young girl to face, especially when it concerns someone she cares for so much.
The things I really liked:
There are quite literally stigmas to be shattered! There is a lot of initial denial from Jonah's family, who basically want to find any other explanation for his behavior changes. When people find out about Jonah's diagnosis, things aren't great for April. (Obviously, they aren't great for Jonah either, but he is at a hospital.) People can be so, so cruel, and this applies here. There's a lot of taunting, and even some kids and parents saying they never want Jonah allowed back in school with the other kids. There was one quote that especially moved me, and even though I highlighted most of this page, I will share the part that really stuck with me:
April, while often misguided and making mistakes, acts with only the absolute best intentions. She really wants to do right by Jonah and his family, and sometimes she misses the mark. Sometimes she kind of flakes on her own friends and family in the process. Sometimes she isn't as forthcoming with information as she could be. But she means well, and that's clear to see. I think it's also incredibly helpful as a guide for young people. Seeing the things that, in hindsight April may have done differently and the times she made amazing choices and was so strong can really help someone in the situation better navigate their role. April has some really eye opening words for her mom in the midst of a heated discussion that resonated with me:
There is just some really awesome information presented in this book about schizophrenia and misconceptions. This is mainly done via Jonah's doctors and counselors, but it is done very well. There is plot to go along with it, so it doesn't feel like information is simply being fed, but accurate and legitimate information is being provided. There is frank discussion about the misconceptions and stereotypes, which is so refreshing to read about.
Family and friends all over the place. No Parent-in-YA Syndrome here! Families, while absolutely far from perfect, are there, and are trying to do what they think is best. Jonah has a sister who I have fallen in love with, and his mom is just a delight. April has a mom who cares for her deeply, and a best friend who is always looking out for her. Jonah has friendship issues of his own. It's a huge win.
The few things I didn't love:
It is a little insta-lovey. Yes, they are basically attached at the hip not long after meeting, but, I think it does make sense in context because they are both looking for someone to befriend. Still, maybe a wee bit farfetched, but not intolerable at all.
I kind of wish April had been just a little more fleshed out. She becomes so involved with Jonah that I kind of lose track of April as a character at times. However, I think there's a reason for that as well, I just cannot tell you.
Bottom Line: This book is absolutely packed with awesome messages. And the best message of all I think you'll understand when you've finished the book. (It really is one of the most amazing things about this book, but I can't mention any of it, sorry!) Your Voice is All I Hear is a must-read for everyone: to understand the stigma associated with mental health, to look at it from a loved one's perspective, just to empathize with other human beings and obtain some fabulously accurate information while still being invested in the story. I pretty much couldn't have chosen a better book to read for the theme of "Shattering Stigmas".
**Quotes taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change**
**Copy provided from publisher for review via Netgalley**
Here's the deal: April is bummed because her best friend left their school for Swanky Rich Kid Academy, and April hasn't exactly bothered to make droves of friends. So when Jonah moves into town and takes an interest in her, she's pretty thrilled. Of course, as we know from the synopsis, this cozy duo isn't going to have an easy time of things. Jonah's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and April is faced with a lot of decisions that must be hell for a young girl to face, especially when it concerns someone she cares for so much.
The things I really liked:
There are quite literally stigmas to be shattered! There is a lot of initial denial from Jonah's family, who basically want to find any other explanation for his behavior changes. When people find out about Jonah's diagnosis, things aren't great for April. (Obviously, they aren't great for Jonah either, but he is at a hospital.) People can be so, so cruel, and this applies here. There's a lot of taunting, and even some kids and parents saying they never want Jonah allowed back in school with the other kids. There was one quote that especially moved me, and even though I highlighted most of this page, I will share the part that really stuck with me:
"There are no casseroles for schizophrenia," I said. "People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school- anything to avoid telling the truth."
April, while often misguided and making mistakes, acts with only the absolute best intentions. She really wants to do right by Jonah and his family, and sometimes she misses the mark. Sometimes she kind of flakes on her own friends and family in the process. Sometimes she isn't as forthcoming with information as she could be. But she means well, and that's clear to see. I think it's also incredibly helpful as a guide for young people. Seeing the things that, in hindsight April may have done differently and the times she made amazing choices and was so strong can really help someone in the situation better navigate their role. April has some really eye opening words for her mom in the midst of a heated discussion that resonated with me:
"You want me to abandon him now, when he needs me the most? Would you be giving me the same advice if he'd been diagnosed with cancer? Would you tell me to wave good-bye and get on with my life? 'Aw, sucks to be you, buddy. Good luck with that.' Is that really who you want me to be?"
There is just some really awesome information presented in this book about schizophrenia and misconceptions. This is mainly done via Jonah's doctors and counselors, but it is done very well. There is plot to go along with it, so it doesn't feel like information is simply being fed, but accurate and legitimate information is being provided. There is frank discussion about the misconceptions and stereotypes, which is so refreshing to read about.
Family and friends all over the place. No Parent-in-YA Syndrome here! Families, while absolutely far from perfect, are there, and are trying to do what they think is best. Jonah has a sister who I have fallen in love with, and his mom is just a delight. April has a mom who cares for her deeply, and a best friend who is always looking out for her. Jonah has friendship issues of his own. It's a huge win.
The few things I didn't love:
It is a little insta-lovey. Yes, they are basically attached at the hip not long after meeting, but, I think it does make sense in context because they are both looking for someone to befriend. Still, maybe a wee bit farfetched, but not intolerable at all.
I kind of wish April had been just a little more fleshed out. She becomes so involved with Jonah that I kind of lose track of April as a character at times. However, I think there's a reason for that as well, I just cannot tell you.
Bottom Line: This book is absolutely packed with awesome messages. And the best message of all I think you'll understand when you've finished the book. (It really is one of the most amazing things about this book, but I can't mention any of it, sorry!) Your Voice is All I Hear is a must-read for everyone: to understand the stigma associated with mental health, to look at it from a loved one's perspective, just to empathize with other human beings and obtain some fabulously accurate information while still being invested in the story. I pretty much couldn't have chosen a better book to read for the theme of "Shattering Stigmas".
**Quotes taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change**
**Copy provided from publisher for review via Netgalley**
July 18, 2015
Actual rating: 4.5
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! I don't understand how I can love the ending with all my heart when I hated what happened so much. Okay guys, BRB, I'm just gonna cry my guts out. T.T
FULL REVIEW:
When I started this book, I felt like the story was dragging and slow at first, but as I read on, I liked the story more and more. I finally understood the point and I was really happy that I read this book.
Unlike Made You Up, another Schizophrenia book I read, it was not the main character with mental illness but the love interest. Also, the story started from the very beginning rather than jumping in, so I, as a reader, was able to see all the symptoms along with the main character, and I really appreciated that. I loved seeing how everything started, and then progressed. I thought this book was weird at first because the Schizo is so different from Made You Up, but then I realized that Jonah had Schizo accompanied by paranoia.
This book made a point that I've been thinking about for a long time already, and I just want to share this quote to you guys because it puts my thoughts into beautiful words:
I really loved how April stayed by Jonah's side and was a supportive girlfriend when many would have just left him. Of course, she had her down moments - moments when she wanted to give up - but that just made it all the more realistic. I especially loved what she did to make her class understand Schizo; even though I was not one of her classmates, she made me understand.
I also loved April's relationship with her mom and Jonah's relationship with his family. There was a really strong family presence in this book, which I loved. I loved Dr. Mina, the psychologist! She was really invested in Jonah and her methods were really helpful. If she's a real person, she would've been my idol, but even as a fictional character, I look up to her.
The writing in this book was amazing and it took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. I felt so much for the characters, and I felt like I understood more about Schizophrenia and Paranoia. It made me realize the reality of mental illnesses, and how much I want to help people with mental illnesses. This was such a meaningful book for me and I'm really glad that I read it!
I love this book so, so much! I was actually in a slight reading slump when I read this, and it broke my reading slump, although now I'm having a book hangover. I recommend this to everyone, and I felt like this is such an important book to raise awareness to a topic that most people are afraid of talking about.
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! I don't understand how I can love the ending with all my heart when I hated what happened so much. Okay guys, BRB, I'm just gonna cry my guts out. T.T
FULL REVIEW:
When I started this book, I felt like the story was dragging and slow at first, but as I read on, I liked the story more and more. I finally understood the point and I was really happy that I read this book.
Unlike Made You Up, another Schizophrenia book I read, it was not the main character with mental illness but the love interest. Also, the story started from the very beginning rather than jumping in, so I, as a reader, was able to see all the symptoms along with the main character, and I really appreciated that. I loved seeing how everything started, and then progressed. I thought this book was weird at first because the Schizo is so different from Made You Up, but then I realized that Jonah had Schizo accompanied by paranoia.
This book made a point that I've been thinking about for a long time already, and I just want to share this quote to you guys because it puts my thoughts into beautiful words:
"A person sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives. Next door neighbors bring tuna casserole to the family. There are no casseroles for Schizophrenia. People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend that their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school-anything to avoid telling the truth."
I really loved how April stayed by Jonah's side and was a supportive girlfriend when many would have just left him. Of course, she had her down moments - moments when she wanted to give up - but that just made it all the more realistic. I especially loved what she did to make her class understand Schizo; even though I was not one of her classmates, she made me understand.
I also loved April's relationship with her mom and Jonah's relationship with his family. There was a really strong family presence in this book, which I loved. I loved Dr. Mina, the psychologist! She was really invested in Jonah and her methods were really helpful. If she's a real person, she would've been my idol, but even as a fictional character, I look up to her.
The writing in this book was amazing and it took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. I felt so much for the characters, and I felt like I understood more about Schizophrenia and Paranoia. It made me realize the reality of mental illnesses, and how much I want to help people with mental illnesses. This was such a meaningful book for me and I'm really glad that I read it!
I love this book so, so much! I was actually in a slight reading slump when I read this, and it broke my reading slump, although now I'm having a book hangover. I recommend this to everyone, and I felt like this is such an important book to raise awareness to a topic that most people are afraid of talking about.
February 28, 2018
Sve u vezi ove priče je takav kliše.
December 28, 2015
Review originally posted on Le Book Chronicles Blog
That blurb makes this book sound completely different and it kind of annoys me. It makes it sound like April is the only person who knows about Jonah's issues, but everyone knows about them, but they're all too in denial about it to do anything. I think that if the blurb wasn't so far off the book, and I actually knew what I was getting myself into, I might have enjoyed this book more. But alas, the blurb is crap and therefore, I thought the book was pretty average.
This book was just OK. To be honest, I didn't really like it, and the more I think about it the less I am liking it. At first I liked the main characters but then some things happened and it just got too ridiculous and unbelievable for my liking. I think it does discuss a very important topic, on that seems to have become quite popular in YA lately and that is mental illness. At first I didn't know how accurate it was but I have been told since that it was pretty accurate in terms of the mental illness itself. The other stuff, not so much. If you want to read a book about a 15 year old know it all in a completely unrealistic relationship in unrealistic circumstances, this book might be for you. But honestly, I do think that there are other books out there that can do a better job of portraying mental illness and do it in a more realistic way. So overall, I wouldn't recommend this, however this is my opinion so feel free to take it with a grain of salt.
And that is where the non-spoilery review ends and the somewhat spoilery review starts. You've been warned.
There were quite a few things I didn't like about this book. Firstly, I really did not feel like this book, and what actually happened in this book was very realistic considering the age of the characters. I'm not talking about the mental illness itself, but of how everyone was reacting to this mental illness.
Also, what sort of doctor would let some kids 15 year old BOYFRIEND sit in on a meeting discussing CONFIDENTIAL information. None that I want to go to that's for sure. And this happened more than once in the book. . It might be understandable if they had been in a relationship for more than a few weeks, or if they were engaged or something but no, it's just his ignorant 15 year old girlfriend.
The one thing I did like about this whole book, was the ending. I really liked how it didn't end in a happily ever after, and that was the most realistic thing in this whole book.
And that's all I have to say. I'm still pretty annoyed at this book. I don't regret reading it, but I definitely would not read it again.
Rating: 2.5/5
That blurb makes this book sound completely different and it kind of annoys me. It makes it sound like April is the only person who knows about Jonah's issues, but everyone knows about them, but they're all too in denial about it to do anything. I think that if the blurb wasn't so far off the book, and I actually knew what I was getting myself into, I might have enjoyed this book more. But alas, the blurb is crap and therefore, I thought the book was pretty average.
This book was just OK. To be honest, I didn't really like it, and the more I think about it the less I am liking it. At first I liked the main characters but then some things happened and it just got too ridiculous and unbelievable for my liking. I think it does discuss a very important topic, on that seems to have become quite popular in YA lately and that is mental illness. At first I didn't know how accurate it was but I have been told since that it was pretty accurate in terms of the mental illness itself. The other stuff, not so much. If you want to read a book about a 15 year old know it all in a completely unrealistic relationship in unrealistic circumstances, this book might be for you. But honestly, I do think that there are other books out there that can do a better job of portraying mental illness and do it in a more realistic way. So overall, I wouldn't recommend this, however this is my opinion so feel free to take it with a grain of salt.
And that is where the non-spoilery review ends and the somewhat spoilery review starts. You've been warned.
There were quite a few things I didn't like about this book. Firstly, I really did not feel like this book, and what actually happened in this book was very realistic considering the age of the characters. I'm not talking about the mental illness itself, but of how everyone was reacting to this mental illness.
Also, what sort of doctor would let some kids 15 year old BOYFRIEND sit in on a meeting discussing CONFIDENTIAL information. None that I want to go to that's for sure. And this happened more than once in the book. . It might be understandable if they had been in a relationship for more than a few weeks, or if they were engaged or something but no, it's just his ignorant 15 year old girlfriend.
The one thing I did like about this whole book, was the ending. I really liked how it didn't end in a happily ever after, and that was the most realistic thing in this whole book.
And that's all I have to say. I'm still pretty annoyed at this book. I don't regret reading it, but I definitely would not read it again.
Rating: 2.5/5
August 27, 2015
A heart-crushing and eye-opening tale of young love, true friendship and the devastation of mental illness unchecked, Your Voice Is All I Hear by Leah Scheier is a powerful story that will stay with its readers long after the last word is read. Feel the weight of April’s love, loyalty and guilt as she realizes her best friend-boyfriend has been hiding secret traumas from his life that have taken him beyond his mental limits, fragmenting his mind into the hallucinations of schizophrenia from a guilt he should never feel.
April is far from experienced with boys, but she knows Jonah is kind, caring, loyal and doesn’t care what others think. He sees in her a kindred artistic spirit and makes her feel important and alive. A gifted artist, Jonah captures the soul of his subjects and leaves a veiled cry for help on each canvas. A cry no one sees until it is almost too late. Determined to give him the support he needs without turning against him, as he feels others have done, she bravely and naively caters to his quirks thinking her love will heal him. After months of devotion and daily trips to the hospital, April makes a shocking discovery that will shred every ounce of bravery she has when she must decide to reveal more about Jonah than anyone realized. Will her love heal him enough to come back to her and his former life or has she sealed both of their fates and futures?
From the prologue on, the emotional strains begin their staccato refrain as a young girl learns about life, love and the pain of seeing someone you care for crumble before your eyes. Leah Scheier has presented a dramatic and relatable story that will resonate with those who have felt the pain of knowing someone with a mental illness as well as inform others of the crushing toll taken on families, friends and the victim, themselves. Do not expect bright flowery prose, expect to see these events through the eyes of a teenaged girl whose capacity for love and compassion seem almost limitless as she willingly puts herself through an emotional wringer for another. Ms. Scheier is to be commended for her ability to convey both love and loss with moving and well-chosen words. Highly recommended, guaranteed to grab a piece of your heart.
I received an ARC edition from SOURCEBOOKS Fire in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN 9781492614418
Genre: Teen-YA Contemporary Romance | Mental Health
Print Length: 336 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April is far from experienced with boys, but she knows Jonah is kind, caring, loyal and doesn’t care what others think. He sees in her a kindred artistic spirit and makes her feel important and alive. A gifted artist, Jonah captures the soul of his subjects and leaves a veiled cry for help on each canvas. A cry no one sees until it is almost too late. Determined to give him the support he needs without turning against him, as he feels others have done, she bravely and naively caters to his quirks thinking her love will heal him. After months of devotion and daily trips to the hospital, April makes a shocking discovery that will shred every ounce of bravery she has when she must decide to reveal more about Jonah than anyone realized. Will her love heal him enough to come back to her and his former life or has she sealed both of their fates and futures?
From the prologue on, the emotional strains begin their staccato refrain as a young girl learns about life, love and the pain of seeing someone you care for crumble before your eyes. Leah Scheier has presented a dramatic and relatable story that will resonate with those who have felt the pain of knowing someone with a mental illness as well as inform others of the crushing toll taken on families, friends and the victim, themselves. Do not expect bright flowery prose, expect to see these events through the eyes of a teenaged girl whose capacity for love and compassion seem almost limitless as she willingly puts herself through an emotional wringer for another. Ms. Scheier is to be commended for her ability to convey both love and loss with moving and well-chosen words. Highly recommended, guaranteed to grab a piece of your heart.
I received an ARC edition from SOURCEBOOKS Fire in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN 9781492614418
Genre: Teen-YA Contemporary Romance | Mental Health
Print Length: 336 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 9, 2015
This book broke my heart.......
September 28, 2015
3 stars.
Before I go on about how gripping, and realistic the book was, let me first appreciate the title. No, seriously, look at that title. It fits the story so perfectly; almost like the correct piece of a puzzle. I love book titles and there are some books whose titles I like, more than I like the book itself. I don't know who came up with the title. My bets are on the author; and if it is the author herself, she seriously needs a thousand claps on her back. Really, Scheier, the title is amazing.
Your Voice is All I Hear showed how being friends with someone suffering from a mental illness, and understanding said illness is no charity work. Don't put yourself on a pedestal just because you are friends with someone who is suffering; don't act that you know everything about mental illnesses just because you know someone who has suffered; don't pretend that you understand. That is exactly what I liked about April. She didn't do any of the aforementioned things. Also, she's got a poster of Linkin Park in her bedroom-- how can I not like her?
Not one of the best books, but still a nice read.
Before I go on about how gripping, and realistic the book was, let me first appreciate the title. No, seriously, look at that title. It fits the story so perfectly; almost like the correct piece of a puzzle. I love book titles and there are some books whose titles I like, more than I like the book itself. I don't know who came up with the title. My bets are on the author; and if it is the author herself, she seriously needs a thousand claps on her back. Really, Scheier, the title is amazing.
Your Voice is All I Hear showed how being friends with someone suffering from a mental illness, and understanding said illness is no charity work. Don't put yourself on a pedestal just because you are friends with someone who is suffering; don't act that you know everything about mental illnesses just because you know someone who has suffered; don't pretend that you understand. That is exactly what I liked about April. She didn't do any of the aforementioned things. Also, she's got a poster of Linkin Park in her bedroom-- how can I not like her?
Not one of the best books, but still a nice read.
April 25, 2018
This bittersweet YA novel broke my heart.
This is the second Book I’ve read in the past month that centres around relationships and the mental health issues that affect them.
This one is about April and Jonah. April feels invisible until new boy Jonah starts at her school. They quickly have a spark and a budding relationship begins. However Jonah’s behaviour becomes increasingly worrying and a scary incident lands him in a psych rehab.
What I loved about this is how it really tackles the emotional stages of the family and friends as they watch Someone they love suffer.
It covers denial, fear, unconditional care and love, hope and seething anger. It shows the stigma that still unfortunately exists today and how media moulds people’s opinions. When the doctor tells Jonah’s mother he seems to have some psychosis her immediate reaction is that he can’t be because he’s not a psycho with murderous tendencies, which in thought was an accurate representation of what many still think when left uneducated on the subject.
Despite the protests of her mother, April stays with Jonah through thick and thin, she’s his rock even when he doesn’t acknowledge her, she’s at his side hoping he gets better.
Throughout all of this she’s unknowingly becoming more independent and standing on her own two feet and ultimately this is the message the book sends out, two lost souls learning to live again.
I have nothing negative to say about this one. It’s been the best book I’ve read to date that deals with the effects of mental health problems. It filled me with a hopeful feeling, but I also shed a few tears. I highly recommend this one. 5 stars.
This is the second Book I’ve read in the past month that centres around relationships and the mental health issues that affect them.
This one is about April and Jonah. April feels invisible until new boy Jonah starts at her school. They quickly have a spark and a budding relationship begins. However Jonah’s behaviour becomes increasingly worrying and a scary incident lands him in a psych rehab.
What I loved about this is how it really tackles the emotional stages of the family and friends as they watch Someone they love suffer.
It covers denial, fear, unconditional care and love, hope and seething anger. It shows the stigma that still unfortunately exists today and how media moulds people’s opinions. When the doctor tells Jonah’s mother he seems to have some psychosis her immediate reaction is that he can’t be because he’s not a psycho with murderous tendencies, which in thought was an accurate representation of what many still think when left uneducated on the subject.
Despite the protests of her mother, April stays with Jonah through thick and thin, she’s his rock even when he doesn’t acknowledge her, she’s at his side hoping he gets better.
Throughout all of this she’s unknowingly becoming more independent and standing on her own two feet and ultimately this is the message the book sends out, two lost souls learning to live again.
I have nothing negative to say about this one. It’s been the best book I’ve read to date that deals with the effects of mental health problems. It filled me with a hopeful feeling, but I also shed a few tears. I highly recommend this one. 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2021
This book makes you think. Mental health is a taboo in our society although it is getting better it is still no where it needs to be. People do not rush to help you when they think you are crazy. This book looks at schizophrenia and what it does to the person and the relationships that they carry. It really opened my eyes to what a person can be going through that we have no idea about. I cried a lot of ugly tears for Jonah and April both for different reasons.
"There are so many who suffer from this," I concluded, "but each one feels like they're completely alone. It is not like other illnesses. A person who is sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives Next-door neighbors bring tuna casseroles to the patient's family.
"There are no casseroles for schizophrenia," I said. "People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school--anything to avoid telling the truth."
This entire passage from the book had the most impact on me because it is so true. How quickly we are to overlook a person when we believe them unstable or scary. When really, they might just need a little help. This is an amazing story that I would certainly recommend.
"There are so many who suffer from this," I concluded, "but each one feels like they're completely alone. It is not like other illnesses. A person who is sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organize runs for a cure and put together bake sales and blood drives Next-door neighbors bring tuna casseroles to the patient's family.
"There are no casseroles for schizophrenia," I said. "People are afraid, so they keep away. The families are embarrassed, so they hide. They pretend their son or daughter has gone abroad or is busy at school--anything to avoid telling the truth."
This entire passage from the book had the most impact on me because it is so true. How quickly we are to overlook a person when we believe them unstable or scary. When really, they might just need a little help. This is an amazing story that I would certainly recommend.
August 24, 2015
BRAVO!!!
One book everyone must read!
Review:
I honestly am not sure how to start this review. I knew getting into this book that it dealt with mental illness, but what I wasn’t expecting was the depth at which it took me.
Mental illness is unfortunately something that is very easily overlooked and misunderstood by our society as a whole. It gets overshadowed by other diseases such as cancer, leukemia, or many other diseases that people see as treatable. I’m not saying those illnesses are any less important, but they aren’t viewed the same as mental illness is. This book really hits home in the fact that mental illness isn’t something anyone should be afraid to hide or be afraid to discuss with others.
Leah Scheier does a superb job of giving a great light on this subject. And she does it in a setting where most people are more than likely to judge the person before trying to understand them.
April is a sophomore in high school and sort of a loner. She’s not picked on or anything by other students, but she doesn’t really fit into any of the crowds. She’s always had one best friend who is now going to a new school, so her sophomore year at high school will be more boring than usual with truly no-one to talk to.
Jonah is new to the school. He moved to the area after his best friend passed away earlier in the year. You can tell from the beginning, he’s like April in that he just wants to blend into the crowd and not really be noticed.
As their friendship/relationship progresses, April sees different changes in Jonah but doesn’t know what to make of it. It’s not until he really starts to have episodes where he isn’t making sense and is finally admitted to a psych ward that she starts to put things together.
Throughout the whole time that Jonah is admitted and is working on becoming “healthy” again – April doesn’t leave his side. Jonah goes through so much during his time there; different medications, different dosages, art therapy, talking to a therapist, etc. It’s not easy watching someone you love, not be themselves. It’s difficult to slowly see the life in their eyes go blank. It’s hard to understand what is going on inside their head, when even they can’t explain it to you.
The part of the book that broke me was right before Jonah was admitted a second time. It really smacks you in the face when you see how easily someone can hide what they are really feeling inside. How easily we misinterpret a few words they said to us during a conversation. How a loved can go from seeming to be on the healthy path when in their reality, they are only sinking deeper and deeper.
I loved at the end of the book when April gave her history presentation to her class. How something so simple, opened up the eyes of not just peers, but anyone who will read this book. It gives you a new perspective on things. And the new doctor who treated Jonah the second time around really understood what it meant to heal and learn from this illness The treatment wasn’t to numb him with drugs; it was to help Jonah understand why his illness is able to take over and how he can fix.
This is one book that will forever stick with me. I will recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. It will open your eyes, one way or another.
One book everyone must read!
Review:
I honestly am not sure how to start this review. I knew getting into this book that it dealt with mental illness, but what I wasn’t expecting was the depth at which it took me.
Mental illness is unfortunately something that is very easily overlooked and misunderstood by our society as a whole. It gets overshadowed by other diseases such as cancer, leukemia, or many other diseases that people see as treatable. I’m not saying those illnesses are any less important, but they aren’t viewed the same as mental illness is. This book really hits home in the fact that mental illness isn’t something anyone should be afraid to hide or be afraid to discuss with others.
Leah Scheier does a superb job of giving a great light on this subject. And she does it in a setting where most people are more than likely to judge the person before trying to understand them.
April is a sophomore in high school and sort of a loner. She’s not picked on or anything by other students, but she doesn’t really fit into any of the crowds. She’s always had one best friend who is now going to a new school, so her sophomore year at high school will be more boring than usual with truly no-one to talk to.
Jonah is new to the school. He moved to the area after his best friend passed away earlier in the year. You can tell from the beginning, he’s like April in that he just wants to blend into the crowd and not really be noticed.
As their friendship/relationship progresses, April sees different changes in Jonah but doesn’t know what to make of it. It’s not until he really starts to have episodes where he isn’t making sense and is finally admitted to a psych ward that she starts to put things together.
Throughout the whole time that Jonah is admitted and is working on becoming “healthy” again – April doesn’t leave his side. Jonah goes through so much during his time there; different medications, different dosages, art therapy, talking to a therapist, etc. It’s not easy watching someone you love, not be themselves. It’s difficult to slowly see the life in their eyes go blank. It’s hard to understand what is going on inside their head, when even they can’t explain it to you.
The part of the book that broke me was right before Jonah was admitted a second time. It really smacks you in the face when you see how easily someone can hide what they are really feeling inside. How easily we misinterpret a few words they said to us during a conversation. How a loved can go from seeming to be on the healthy path when in their reality, they are only sinking deeper and deeper.
I loved at the end of the book when April gave her history presentation to her class. How something so simple, opened up the eyes of not just peers, but anyone who will read this book. It gives you a new perspective on things. And the new doctor who treated Jonah the second time around really understood what it meant to heal and learn from this illness The treatment wasn’t to numb him with drugs; it was to help Jonah understand why his illness is able to take over and how he can fix.
This is one book that will forever stick with me. I will recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. It will open your eyes, one way or another.
January 20, 2016
Read full review HERE
I received an eArc from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book destroyed me! I really don’t know how to start this review any other way…
To be clear, this book is about how April deals with Jonah’s disease, and how his schizophrenia progresses and the effects it has on both of them and their families.
The beginning of the book is so cute, April and Jonah meet, and they’re both so starved for a friend and human connection that they cling to each other. Yes, it’s a bit of a case of insta-love, but I get it here, because they both feel like they don’t have anyone else. So things progress slowly but surely, and they develop a romantic relationship that is so cute and involves a lot of time spent with their moms.
But then the first signs of trouble stat showing, and because April is the one narrating from the future, you know before hand that things are about to turn really bad. I loved the narration, by the way… April sounded exactly like a loyal 15/16 yo girl in love. Her frustrations, her sense of loyalty and her feeling that nobody can understand her are typical of a teenager, with a not so typical problem.
The book goes from cutesy with come clichés, to downright gut wrenching, as we see Jonah going deeper and deeper into his paranoia, and April trying to remain loyal to her boyfriend, even when she doesn’t quite know if it’s the right thing to do.
The signs are all there though, and when the inevitable happens, and even though I knew it was coming, I still gasped and cried ugly. And then that ending… all things considered, it ended well, but my heart was just so broken by then.
Kudos to Leah Scheier, for creating this amazing book with such a difficult subject without sugar coating or romanticizing it. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the disease now.
I cried a lot during this book, it played with my emotions pretty early on, and it kept pulling my heart strings until the very end. It was impossible for me to feel nothing, so, even though the story is not perfect, I can’t help but put this one as one of the best reads I had this year, because it messed with me.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I received an eArc from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book destroyed me! I really don’t know how to start this review any other way…
To be clear, this book is about how April deals with Jonah’s disease, and how his schizophrenia progresses and the effects it has on both of them and their families.
The beginning of the book is so cute, April and Jonah meet, and they’re both so starved for a friend and human connection that they cling to each other. Yes, it’s a bit of a case of insta-love, but I get it here, because they both feel like they don’t have anyone else. So things progress slowly but surely, and they develop a romantic relationship that is so cute and involves a lot of time spent with their moms.
But then the first signs of trouble stat showing, and because April is the one narrating from the future, you know before hand that things are about to turn really bad. I loved the narration, by the way… April sounded exactly like a loyal 15/16 yo girl in love. Her frustrations, her sense of loyalty and her feeling that nobody can understand her are typical of a teenager, with a not so typical problem.
The book goes from cutesy with come clichés, to downright gut wrenching, as we see Jonah going deeper and deeper into his paranoia, and April trying to remain loyal to her boyfriend, even when she doesn’t quite know if it’s the right thing to do.
The signs are all there though, and when the inevitable happens, and even though I knew it was coming, I still gasped and cried ugly. And then that ending… all things considered, it ended well, but my heart was just so broken by then.
Kudos to Leah Scheier, for creating this amazing book with such a difficult subject without sugar coating or romanticizing it. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the disease now.
I cried a lot during this book, it played with my emotions pretty early on, and it kept pulling my heart strings until the very end. It was impossible for me to feel nothing, so, even though the story is not perfect, I can’t help but put this one as one of the best reads I had this year, because it messed with me.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
September 17, 2015
I haven't read many YA novels with mental illness as the main theme. The story did drag a little in a few places for me, but it is a good read.
Even with the book being done, I'm still now sure how to rate it. It went from your stereotypical high school drama, to real life seriousness. I wasn't clicking with the story for about the first half, because my mind did the whole "been there, done that", and then the author just flipped the table and launched this bomb of feels.
The author did a great job in writing April as a 15 year old who knows nothing about schizophrenia, and had to learn along the way. She didn't suddenly become a know-it-all, and even by the end of the book, there were still things she didn't understand.
Mental illness is real, and Scheier showed that quiet well. She didn't romanticize Jonah's situation, au contraire, she showed the reader how serious and real it is every step of the way. And the book has one of the most logical endings.. It worked well.
If you are looking for a good mental illness themed book that doesn't sugarcoat the issue, this is a recommended read.
*This arc was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Even with the book being done, I'm still now sure how to rate it. It went from your stereotypical high school drama, to real life seriousness. I wasn't clicking with the story for about the first half, because my mind did the whole "been there, done that", and then the author just flipped the table and launched this bomb of feels.
The author did a great job in writing April as a 15 year old who knows nothing about schizophrenia, and had to learn along the way. She didn't suddenly become a know-it-all, and even by the end of the book, there were still things she didn't understand.
Mental illness is real, and Scheier showed that quiet well. She didn't romanticize Jonah's situation, au contraire, she showed the reader how serious and real it is every step of the way. And the book has one of the most logical endings.. It worked well.
If you are looking for a good mental illness themed book that doesn't sugarcoat the issue, this is a recommended read.
*This arc was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
April 17, 2017
I really wanted to love this novel and give it five stars, but I had a few issues; pacing (it would feel like days had passed when it had been weeks), side characters (would have liked to see more background on Cora), and small plot details (I guessed a twist early on. Whether it is through my experience with depression and suicide, or the warning signs were that clear)
April was your typical 15/16 year old character who is obsessed with her new (and first) boyfriend, who could do no wrong. Even though red flags were evident from the very beginning of meeting Jonah, she shrugged it off - as any young girl would likely do.
Overall, this was my favourite book on mental illness, but one of the better ones that I have read.
April was your typical 15/16 year old character who is obsessed with her new (and first) boyfriend, who could do no wrong. Even though red flags were evident from the very beginning of meeting Jonah, she shrugged it off - as any young girl would likely do.
Overall, this was my favourite book on mental illness, but one of the better ones that I have read.
June 20, 2017
Oh my freaking lord.
I can't even tell you how much pain this book has caused me, how many tears I shed while reading this.
This book captivated me, not immediately to be frank, but as the story developed itself, and the characters too, I couldn't stop reading.
I can't even tell you how much pain this book has caused me, how many tears I shed while reading this.
This book captivated me, not immediately to be frank, but as the story developed itself, and the characters too, I couldn't stop reading.
August 19, 2015
*I received digital ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through Netgalley*
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
Your Voice is All I Hear is that kind of book that successfully catches my attention at the first sight. Its ear-catching title and intriguing cover do it for me. With title like Your Voice is All I Hear, I have no doubt that many people would get curious the first time they land their eyes on this book. I personally think that the cover is beautiful but at the same time it’s kind of sad. I don’t know, it’s just my first impression about this book before I read the description. Then I read the blurb… and this book broke my heart a little with it. I then realized that this book would definitely make me cry like a hungry baby.
Mental illness has always been my most favorite topic of contemporary novel. It’s just that whenever I meet, read, or watch about people with mental illness I always feel a pang in my heart that telling me I should be more grateful with my life. Unlike any other illness like, say, cancer, mental illness not only flaws people who suffer it emotionally, but also socially. It somehow becomes a label that put those who suffer it to the different side of the road. I witness myself how there are still people out there who tend to have negative judgments toward people with mental illness. If they are put in position to choose whether they prefer to befriend people with cancer or people with mental illness, they would be quick to choose the first one. It’s like as if having a mental illness means they are monsters who will attack just anyone around them; as if they deserve to be ignored of and worst, to be scared of. And the family, as if they deserve to get one sided glance everywhere they go. Reading about them somehow gives way to more insight about the subject for me which exactly what I sought after. I like getting a chance to understand what the very person actually feels, what it feels like for the family… everything about it. I read about schizophrenia before in a story but never as its main topic. So I liked it so much that Your Voice is All I Hear brings up about it A to Z.
I braced myself for the worst, as the prologue brought me to a mysterious and almost-worrying situation where the lead female character had come to a decision of doing something big and most probably hurting. This chapter was kind of reminding me just how depressing this book would be later more.
But it surprised me that I actually really enjoyed the first few chapters of this book a lot. I laughed several times and had to repeatedly check my face expression for any inappropriate grins as the author went on and on with light tone of April, the female lead character. April sounded so silly sometimes that I couldn’t help liking her more and more as pages flipped by.
April is the typical unpopular girl who only has one friend in high school and a bad luck in which that only friend moved to another school making her officially unpopular and alone. She’s also ‘invisible’ which enough to explain just how tragic her high school experience is like. And her socially-awkward attitude just doesn’t help at all to somehow uncover her invisibility a bit. But April is never one for pessimistic. She tries a lot of thing to make things better and easier for her life. And that includes looking up the new students on social media just to make out the probability of her befriending them because it’s just no hope to make friends with her current classmates who know so much already about her amazingly awkward self. So these three ‘victims’ are her last hope to have at least a friend for the rest of school years.
Then we are introduced to Jonah, the male lead character, which makes me feel ten different shades of feeling throughout the book. Jonah as one of the new students turns out to be the most decent candidate to be April’s next best friend. In fact, he turns out to be more. April likes him from the first meet which is really not helping her in acting ‘normal’ in front of him. I laugh a lot reading their every moment that always painted by April’s comical action. The ‘blue drool’ scene totally cracked me up that I forget for a moment that this book is supposed to be depressing and sad. Jonah is all about charming boy. He is so sweet and charming to April which saying a lot that apparently April is not the only one with a crush inside her heart. It doesn’t take long until they begin dating and one sweet moment after another come barreling in to pages of chapters.
And then…
And then everything slowly begins to shift around 30% mark. Twist after twist coming to the frame and things change. Except that April and Jonah’s feeling remains untouched and even stronger. Jonah’s symptoms of Schizophrenia are getting worse day by day. When people around Jonah start to loosen their hold on him, it was only April who stands still holding both his hands tight on hers. I am half amazed and half frustrated on April’s unwavering determination to stay by Jonah’s side. It is one thing when someone you love so bad falls apart, but when they fall apart dragging you down with them it’s really such a complicated circumstance. I am amazed how fifteen years old April bravely facing the situation she is in; how her first reaction to the situation is to tighten her hold on Jonah than to run away. Yet I am frustrated that she starts to speak and act based on feeling than logic that she pushes people away, too. It’s almost feel like her love has shifted to obsession. Almost.
What this book is trying to tell us is that sometimes to save someone we love; we don’t always have to be on their sides. It’s understandable that April wants to stay loyal to Jonah but condition like Jonah’s requires more than just closed people’s support to heal. It’s so sad when April reaches her limit that she realizes just how many pages of her own life has been skipped when she dives into Jonah’s. Her frustration, her crushed feeling, it’s all portrayed very well through April’s ‘voice’ that I could actually feel them. I could feel the ache April feels about Jonah.
What I love the most is the details of Schizophrenia in this book. The character Jonah the author creates successfully delivers the emotion of a schizophrenic for readers to ‘see’. Ms. Scheier vividly describes its symptoms, how it affects not only to people who suffers it but also to people around them, all the way to the best kind of help a schizophrenic needed. And when Ms. Scheier shows us what it feels like to be a schizophrenic through April’s school project, I broke down to tears as I let my heart ached for Jonah and everyone who went through the same situation as his. I have never meet people with schizophrenia before but this book gives such a clear depiction about them that it gives me so much better understanding about this illness and how to treat people who suffer it.
The ending is undeniably sad yet something that I myself would definitely opt for this book if I was the author. Though honestly I wish there is another way to wrap up the story, I think it suits the topic of this book very well. I like to think that there’s a continuation of the story because I sense hope in April’s words in the closing scene.
Your Voice is All I Hear is a book that would make you feel a lot of feels from happy, sad, angry, frustration, hopeful, and breakdown. It would tell you a story about how at fifteen you could be everything not many people could. It would teach you important lessons on how to be socially fair to everyone with no exception. With engaging writing style, this book is recommended to those who want to read a book that could entertain and educate at the same time.
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
Your Voice is All I Hear is that kind of book that successfully catches my attention at the first sight. Its ear-catching title and intriguing cover do it for me. With title like Your Voice is All I Hear, I have no doubt that many people would get curious the first time they land their eyes on this book. I personally think that the cover is beautiful but at the same time it’s kind of sad. I don’t know, it’s just my first impression about this book before I read the description. Then I read the blurb… and this book broke my heart a little with it. I then realized that this book would definitely make me cry like a hungry baby.
Mental illness has always been my most favorite topic of contemporary novel. It’s just that whenever I meet, read, or watch about people with mental illness I always feel a pang in my heart that telling me I should be more grateful with my life. Unlike any other illness like, say, cancer, mental illness not only flaws people who suffer it emotionally, but also socially. It somehow becomes a label that put those who suffer it to the different side of the road. I witness myself how there are still people out there who tend to have negative judgments toward people with mental illness. If they are put in position to choose whether they prefer to befriend people with cancer or people with mental illness, they would be quick to choose the first one. It’s like as if having a mental illness means they are monsters who will attack just anyone around them; as if they deserve to be ignored of and worst, to be scared of. And the family, as if they deserve to get one sided glance everywhere they go. Reading about them somehow gives way to more insight about the subject for me which exactly what I sought after. I like getting a chance to understand what the very person actually feels, what it feels like for the family… everything about it. I read about schizophrenia before in a story but never as its main topic. So I liked it so much that Your Voice is All I Hear brings up about it A to Z.
I braced myself for the worst, as the prologue brought me to a mysterious and almost-worrying situation where the lead female character had come to a decision of doing something big and most probably hurting. This chapter was kind of reminding me just how depressing this book would be later more.
But it surprised me that I actually really enjoyed the first few chapters of this book a lot. I laughed several times and had to repeatedly check my face expression for any inappropriate grins as the author went on and on with light tone of April, the female lead character. April sounded so silly sometimes that I couldn’t help liking her more and more as pages flipped by.
April is the typical unpopular girl who only has one friend in high school and a bad luck in which that only friend moved to another school making her officially unpopular and alone. She’s also ‘invisible’ which enough to explain just how tragic her high school experience is like. And her socially-awkward attitude just doesn’t help at all to somehow uncover her invisibility a bit. But April is never one for pessimistic. She tries a lot of thing to make things better and easier for her life. And that includes looking up the new students on social media just to make out the probability of her befriending them because it’s just no hope to make friends with her current classmates who know so much already about her amazingly awkward self. So these three ‘victims’ are her last hope to have at least a friend for the rest of school years.
Then we are introduced to Jonah, the male lead character, which makes me feel ten different shades of feeling throughout the book. Jonah as one of the new students turns out to be the most decent candidate to be April’s next best friend. In fact, he turns out to be more. April likes him from the first meet which is really not helping her in acting ‘normal’ in front of him. I laugh a lot reading their every moment that always painted by April’s comical action. The ‘blue drool’ scene totally cracked me up that I forget for a moment that this book is supposed to be depressing and sad. Jonah is all about charming boy. He is so sweet and charming to April which saying a lot that apparently April is not the only one with a crush inside her heart. It doesn’t take long until they begin dating and one sweet moment after another come barreling in to pages of chapters.
And then…
And then everything slowly begins to shift around 30% mark. Twist after twist coming to the frame and things change. Except that April and Jonah’s feeling remains untouched and even stronger. Jonah’s symptoms of Schizophrenia are getting worse day by day. When people around Jonah start to loosen their hold on him, it was only April who stands still holding both his hands tight on hers. I am half amazed and half frustrated on April’s unwavering determination to stay by Jonah’s side. It is one thing when someone you love so bad falls apart, but when they fall apart dragging you down with them it’s really such a complicated circumstance. I am amazed how fifteen years old April bravely facing the situation she is in; how her first reaction to the situation is to tighten her hold on Jonah than to run away. Yet I am frustrated that she starts to speak and act based on feeling than logic that she pushes people away, too. It’s almost feel like her love has shifted to obsession. Almost.
What this book is trying to tell us is that sometimes to save someone we love; we don’t always have to be on their sides. It’s understandable that April wants to stay loyal to Jonah but condition like Jonah’s requires more than just closed people’s support to heal. It’s so sad when April reaches her limit that she realizes just how many pages of her own life has been skipped when she dives into Jonah’s. Her frustration, her crushed feeling, it’s all portrayed very well through April’s ‘voice’ that I could actually feel them. I could feel the ache April feels about Jonah.
What I love the most is the details of Schizophrenia in this book. The character Jonah the author creates successfully delivers the emotion of a schizophrenic for readers to ‘see’. Ms. Scheier vividly describes its symptoms, how it affects not only to people who suffers it but also to people around them, all the way to the best kind of help a schizophrenic needed. And when Ms. Scheier shows us what it feels like to be a schizophrenic through April’s school project, I broke down to tears as I let my heart ached for Jonah and everyone who went through the same situation as his. I have never meet people with schizophrenia before but this book gives such a clear depiction about them that it gives me so much better understanding about this illness and how to treat people who suffer it.
The ending is undeniably sad yet something that I myself would definitely opt for this book if I was the author. Though honestly I wish there is another way to wrap up the story, I think it suits the topic of this book very well. I like to think that there’s a continuation of the story because I sense hope in April’s words in the closing scene.
Your Voice is All I Hear is a book that would make you feel a lot of feels from happy, sad, angry, frustration, hopeful, and breakdown. It would tell you a story about how at fifteen you could be everything not many people could. It would teach you important lessons on how to be socially fair to everyone with no exception. With engaging writing style, this book is recommended to those who want to read a book that could entertain and educate at the same time.
May 12, 2021
The main character was too self-centered, obnoxious, and naive to make any part of this enjoyable. If “I’m not like most girls” was a person, it would be April.
September 17, 2015
April is a bit of a depressed mess. Her best (and only) friend is leaving their current school to attend a different one, and April is less than thrilled about this. She’s not good at making new friends. She hates most of her classmates and could care less about finding a new friend. When Jonah arrives at their school, she’s instantly drawn to the “new kid”, and he’s just as drawn to her. They begin to spend a lot of time together, growing feelings for each other. And the more time they spend together, the more April is able to see that there’s something a little off about Jonah. Though he’s insisting he’s “fine”, she’s noticing quite a few things that are causing her to question whether that’s an accurate statement.
What I Liked:
The accurate portrayal of schizophrenia. I honestly don’t know much about this illness, but reading this book was a very eye-opening experience.
The family/friend support system in this story was pretty incredible. No, the family didn’t always make the right decisions, but man, they always had their heart in it 100%. The same with the friendships in this book. I don’t want to say too much (because, spoilers!!) but there are excellent friendships in this story, showing what being a true friend really is.
The realistic nature of the story line was quite shocking, yet really brought this story to life. I had literal stomach pains while reading most of this book. I felt for these characters SO HARD! ALL OF THEM!! There wasn’t a single meaningless character that didn’t have a purpose in this story. Everything about this story was accurate and extremely real to life.
The bullying/harassing by others was a HUGE part of this story. Obviously I didn’t “like” the bullying itself, but I was happy to see it included in this story, no matter how difficult it was to read at times. It’s extremely realistic and something a lot of mentally ill people are forced to face. A sad but real side effect to a mental illness such as schizophrenia.
What I Didn’t Like:
A tad too insta-lovey for my liking. I know, I know… I complain about this wayyyy too often. And honestly, this one wasn’t that bad. I can see why they ended up latching on to each other so quickly. I just felt like they went from friends to soulmates in a matter of minutes (okay, not minutes, but close.) and that kind of thing irks me a bit. Overall, I can see why it was done the way it was, and I was able to look past it and not let it bother me.
I loved that this story was told through April’s point of view. Usually with mental illness books I’ve read in the past we most often get the view point of the ill person. To see it from a loved one’s standpoint shed a whole new light on the illness and how it can affect everyone around you so intensely. (There’s a bit more that I wish I could say about this topic… but I can’t, so I won’t. Sorry! Just read this book and you’ll see for yourself. )
Such a strong and accurate look into schizophrenia. I learned quite a bit from this book, and I think others would benefit from reading it as well. Getting the outside perspective on such a powerful and intense illness was extremely eye-opening. Another fantastic book to add to your must-read list!
(Thanks to Sourcebook Fire for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
What I Liked:
The accurate portrayal of schizophrenia. I honestly don’t know much about this illness, but reading this book was a very eye-opening experience.
The family/friend support system in this story was pretty incredible. No, the family didn’t always make the right decisions, but man, they always had their heart in it 100%. The same with the friendships in this book. I don’t want to say too much (because, spoilers!!) but there are excellent friendships in this story, showing what being a true friend really is.
The realistic nature of the story line was quite shocking, yet really brought this story to life. I had literal stomach pains while reading most of this book. I felt for these characters SO HARD! ALL OF THEM!! There wasn’t a single meaningless character that didn’t have a purpose in this story. Everything about this story was accurate and extremely real to life.
The bullying/harassing by others was a HUGE part of this story. Obviously I didn’t “like” the bullying itself, but I was happy to see it included in this story, no matter how difficult it was to read at times. It’s extremely realistic and something a lot of mentally ill people are forced to face. A sad but real side effect to a mental illness such as schizophrenia.
What I Didn’t Like:
A tad too insta-lovey for my liking. I know, I know… I complain about this wayyyy too often. And honestly, this one wasn’t that bad. I can see why they ended up latching on to each other so quickly. I just felt like they went from friends to soulmates in a matter of minutes (okay, not minutes, but close.) and that kind of thing irks me a bit. Overall, I can see why it was done the way it was, and I was able to look past it and not let it bother me.
I loved that this story was told through April’s point of view. Usually with mental illness books I’ve read in the past we most often get the view point of the ill person. To see it from a loved one’s standpoint shed a whole new light on the illness and how it can affect everyone around you so intensely. (There’s a bit more that I wish I could say about this topic… but I can’t, so I won’t. Sorry! Just read this book and you’ll see for yourself. )
Such a strong and accurate look into schizophrenia. I learned quite a bit from this book, and I think others would benefit from reading it as well. Getting the outside perspective on such a powerful and intense illness was extremely eye-opening. Another fantastic book to add to your must-read list!
(Thanks to Sourcebook Fire for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
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