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Buried Beneath
Shelly Frank lives a lie inside a beautifully landscaped New Jersey home. Her mother suffers from hoarding disorder, turning the inside of the house into a vile nest of cast offs, books, and old pizza boxes. Depressed by the secret life she leads, Shelly lives for the moments she gets to spend with her boyfriend, Joshua, the only person who knows about her hidden secret life.
The summer of her senior year, her father confesses the truth about why he left and sends her a lifeline: a one-way plane ticket to his home in Florida. Shelly is terrified to leave her agoraphobic mother home alone but knows her father’s gift might be the only way to save herself. With Joshua’s promise to attend college in Florida that fall, Shelly leaves for her father’s house.
There she attempts to resurrect her relationship with her father, learning he left Shelly behind when her mother threatened suicide if he fought for custody. Shelly and her father gradually come to terms with the past and her mother’s declining mental state, but Shelly’s health spirals until she lands in the hospital for emergency surgery. As she recovers with Joshua by her side, Shelly decides the only way to survive her illness and help her mother overcome her condition is to expose the terrible secrets about her childhood. Will her father’s support and Joshua’s love be enough to help Shelly save her mother and survive the life that nearly buried her alive?
The summer of her senior year, her father confesses the truth about why he left and sends her a lifeline: a one-way plane ticket to his home in Florida. Shelly is terrified to leave her agoraphobic mother home alone but knows her father’s gift might be the only way to save herself. With Joshua’s promise to attend college in Florida that fall, Shelly leaves for her father’s house.
There she attempts to resurrect her relationship with her father, learning he left Shelly behind when her mother threatened suicide if he fought for custody. Shelly and her father gradually come to terms with the past and her mother’s declining mental state, but Shelly’s health spirals until she lands in the hospital for emergency surgery. As she recovers with Joshua by her side, Shelly decides the only way to survive her illness and help her mother overcome her condition is to expose the terrible secrets about her childhood. Will her father’s support and Joshua’s love be enough to help Shelly save her mother and survive the life that nearly buried her alive?
- GenresYoung Adult
Unknown Binding
Published August 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 30, 2021
Awesome - is how I would describe ‘Buried Beneath’ in one word. Kelly Ann Hopkins has delivered an awesome, dramatic young adult novel which takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the eyes and mind of seventeen year old Shelly who is affected by her mother’s hoarding disorder.
Shelly’s New Jersey life is complicated as she juggles trying to manage her mother’s daily living demands, working a part time job, studying online and becoming involved with a new beu, Joshua. As Shelly’s health slowly deteriorates matters are made worse as she intercepts a letter from her estranged father asking her to move to Florida. The compounding pressures of living with her erratic mother and her longing for a normal life ultimately see’s her flee the ‘nest’ and her boyfriend as she tries to start fresh in the southern state.
Although she enjoys the freedom Florida has to offer her mind cannot escape the burden of responsibility her mother has cast on her. There is a tender balance between freedom and responsibility and we ultimately see Shelly risk it all to make things right.
I enjoyed the writing style of ‘Buried Beneath’; it's an easy but well crafted read within the young adult genre. There are some heavy subjects broached within the novel (like teenage sex, eating disorders, self harm) but I think these subjects are portrayed respectfully to convey Hopkins’ main objective of highlighting the affects of hoarders on their children - this theme doesn't detract through the entirety of the novel. Hopkins is to be applauded for this and I think ‘Buried Beneath’ is sure to become recommended reading material for children affected by this terrible disorder - to help them find solace.
The characters and their relationships in ‘Buried Beneath’ are both likeable and realistic. Hopkins is careful not to wrap the relationship of Shelly and Joshua into an insta love trope; he crushed on her for months when they took the same class in school, she was desperate for the love that her upbringing had stifled for so many years. Where Shelly’s character is complex it would have been interesting to read more about Joshua and why he was so drawn to Shelly, to see what made him tick. But understandably this was Shelly's story.
I initially thought there should have been more angst from Shelly to her father in their first contact when they finally met after all those years. But after reading her anger erupt at random moments, as she became more familiar with her new surroundings, I can appreciate she was torn between her desperation to make her move to Florida work and her understanding of how she was stuck in this predicament in the first place.
‘Buried Beneath’ is such a complex and compelling novel. It will have you hooked on the psychological journey through moments of night and day. The novel is well paced and I enjoyed the plot twist at the end I didn’t see coming. The story wraps up neatly but for Shelly I am glad - she deserved it.
It’s sad to think that this disorder affects so many lives, and onlookers can be quite dismissive - marveling at the resultant accumulation of stuff. TV shows like ‘Hoarders’ exemplifies this, perhaps doing more harm than good. If you want a compelling read and an appreciation into the psyche of children affected by their parents' decisions then I definitely recommend ‘Buried Beneath’ by Kelly Ann Hopkins.
I received an ARC copy from the author via Booksprout for an honest review.
Shelly’s New Jersey life is complicated as she juggles trying to manage her mother’s daily living demands, working a part time job, studying online and becoming involved with a new beu, Joshua. As Shelly’s health slowly deteriorates matters are made worse as she intercepts a letter from her estranged father asking her to move to Florida. The compounding pressures of living with her erratic mother and her longing for a normal life ultimately see’s her flee the ‘nest’ and her boyfriend as she tries to start fresh in the southern state.
Although she enjoys the freedom Florida has to offer her mind cannot escape the burden of responsibility her mother has cast on her. There is a tender balance between freedom and responsibility and we ultimately see Shelly risk it all to make things right.
I enjoyed the writing style of ‘Buried Beneath’; it's an easy but well crafted read within the young adult genre. There are some heavy subjects broached within the novel (like teenage sex, eating disorders, self harm) but I think these subjects are portrayed respectfully to convey Hopkins’ main objective of highlighting the affects of hoarders on their children - this theme doesn't detract through the entirety of the novel. Hopkins is to be applauded for this and I think ‘Buried Beneath’ is sure to become recommended reading material for children affected by this terrible disorder - to help them find solace.
The characters and their relationships in ‘Buried Beneath’ are both likeable and realistic. Hopkins is careful not to wrap the relationship of Shelly and Joshua into an insta love trope; he crushed on her for months when they took the same class in school, she was desperate for the love that her upbringing had stifled for so many years. Where Shelly’s character is complex it would have been interesting to read more about Joshua and why he was so drawn to Shelly, to see what made him tick. But understandably this was Shelly's story.
I initially thought there should have been more angst from Shelly to her father in their first contact when they finally met after all those years. But after reading her anger erupt at random moments, as she became more familiar with her new surroundings, I can appreciate she was torn between her desperation to make her move to Florida work and her understanding of how she was stuck in this predicament in the first place.
‘Buried Beneath’ is such a complex and compelling novel. It will have you hooked on the psychological journey through moments of night and day. The novel is well paced and I enjoyed the plot twist at the end I didn’t see coming. The story wraps up neatly but for Shelly I am glad - she deserved it.
It’s sad to think that this disorder affects so many lives, and onlookers can be quite dismissive - marveling at the resultant accumulation of stuff. TV shows like ‘Hoarders’ exemplifies this, perhaps doing more harm than good. If you want a compelling read and an appreciation into the psyche of children affected by their parents' decisions then I definitely recommend ‘Buried Beneath’ by Kelly Ann Hopkins.
I received an ARC copy from the author via Booksprout for an honest review.
July 16, 2021
This review may contain mild spoilers.
Trigger warning: This book also features a lot of discussions surrounding disordered eating and weight.
I liked this book. I did, really. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it as much as I was expecting I would. Buried Beneath follows Shelly as she deals with her mother’s mental illness, pushing others away so she can protect her, until she has to face both of their problems.
I absolutely loved how the book started, talking about kids’ perception of life at home and how they find out that how they live is not the only way to do so. I just feel like so many kids go through that, and it’s not often talked about. I also loved that this was about a topic that is very real, but still a taboo. We have a lot of books focusing on mental illness, but sometimes they seem to center only on the ones that are mostly acknowledged. Shelly was a very relatable and likeable character, and I’m glad she did the right choice on helping her mother – and herself.
On the other hand, I feel like all the disordered eating and weight talk featured in this book could be triggering for some people, so if you are interested in reading this book (which I recommend!), keep that in mind. One thing I didn’t like was the fact that Shelly got away with what she did in the end and that everything seemed to be solved rather quickly. I enjoyed the happy ending, which we don’t get to see that often – I’m looking at you, Hoarders tv show! –, but I would have enjoyed a more detailed version of Shelly’s mother dealing with her mental illness, not just reading about how many months had gone by and how suddenly everything was as it was always supposed to be.
That said, this book tackles very important topics so if you find yourself interested in reading it, you should definitely give it a go.
I received an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you GenZ Publishing and Netgalley!
Trigger warning: This book also features a lot of discussions surrounding disordered eating and weight.
I liked this book. I did, really. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it as much as I was expecting I would. Buried Beneath follows Shelly as she deals with her mother’s mental illness, pushing others away so she can protect her, until she has to face both of their problems.
I absolutely loved how the book started, talking about kids’ perception of life at home and how they find out that how they live is not the only way to do so. I just feel like so many kids go through that, and it’s not often talked about. I also loved that this was about a topic that is very real, but still a taboo. We have a lot of books focusing on mental illness, but sometimes they seem to center only on the ones that are mostly acknowledged. Shelly was a very relatable and likeable character, and I’m glad she did the right choice on helping her mother – and herself.
On the other hand, I feel like all the disordered eating and weight talk featured in this book could be triggering for some people, so if you are interested in reading this book (which I recommend!), keep that in mind. One thing I didn’t like was the fact that Shelly got away with what she did in the end and that everything seemed to be solved rather quickly. I enjoyed the happy ending, which we don’t get to see that often – I’m looking at you, Hoarders tv show! –, but I would have enjoyed a more detailed version of Shelly’s mother dealing with her mental illness, not just reading about how many months had gone by and how suddenly everything was as it was always supposed to be.
That said, this book tackles very important topics so if you find yourself interested in reading it, you should definitely give it a go.
I received an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you GenZ Publishing and Netgalley!
July 15, 2021
WOW, this was a deep book and it made me cry TONS of times, the life Shelly lived, and the things she had to go through-
LIKE WOW
I don't know how she managed that, the book is so inspirational!!
My rating 5 out of 5 stars.
LIKE WOW
I don't know how she managed that, the book is so inspirational!!
My rating 5 out of 5 stars.
February 5, 2022
4/5 stars.
Hopkins did such an amazing job. The themes? Amazing. Characters? Realistic & likeable. Relationships & conflicts? SPECTACULAR.
Shelley’s character was so realistic that I found myself feeling like friends with her. Her ARC, story, inner conflicts were top tier.
What I love most about this work is its potential impact on younger & older readers. The representation of a child grown up with mentally ill parents is so, so important. People need to know they’re not alone & understand others who live in such conditions.
Hoarding disorder is potentially very harmful to the person and their surroundings, which I think the author captured really, really well.
I am so glad that Shelly did not get rid of her terrible life with RoManTiC lOvE. She builds herself a new life all by herself—even as her father & boyfriend support her, because you need your own strength to go this far.
Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Hopkins did such an amazing job. The themes? Amazing. Characters? Realistic & likeable. Relationships & conflicts? SPECTACULAR.
Shelley’s character was so realistic that I found myself feeling like friends with her. Her ARC, story, inner conflicts were top tier.
What I love most about this work is its potential impact on younger & older readers. The representation of a child grown up with mentally ill parents is so, so important. People need to know they’re not alone & understand others who live in such conditions.
Hoarding disorder is potentially very harmful to the person and their surroundings, which I think the author captured really, really well.
I am so glad that Shelly did not get rid of her terrible life with RoManTiC lOvE. She builds herself a new life all by herself—even as her father & boyfriend support her, because you need your own strength to go this far.
Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.
November 7, 2021
I received a copy from Zenith Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shelly Frank has always lived a carefully crafted perfect life. What no one knows is that behind the doors of the beautiful house she and her mom live in are secrets neither of them wants anyone to know about. You see, Shelly’s mom is a hoarder. The longer that her mother stays in the house, the more she loses touch with reality while Shelly is left to be the parent and the child. Depressed and lonely, Shelly’s life begins to look up when she starts dating Joshua. When Shelly’s deadbeat father sends her a plane ticket to Florida, she discovers the lies her mother has been telling since he left, slowly unraveling the single thread keeping her life together.
I was drawn to this book because one of the characters is a hoarder since I grew up with a parent with the disorder. Kelly Ann Hopkins perfectly captures the stages between not thinking much about it to the realization that not everyone lives this way. In Shelley’s case, she’s quite deeply affected by how she’s been forced to live, especially since trash (old food, magazines, etc) makes up a large portion of what is strewn across their home. Combined with how bad her mother’s disorder has gotten, it is understandable that she’s lonely, frustrated, and counting down the days until she can escape.
Thankfully, her escape comes earlier than expected when she is suddenly contacted by her father. The series of events that follows shows how much Shelly’s mother has lost touch with reality, how much she resents her ex-husband, and extent of denial about how bad her overall situation is. I feel bad for these characters, but I found myself thinking about how if I was in the situation described in the book, I’d be counting down the days until I could get the hell out of dodge too.
I found the characters to be well written and more complex than I was expecting. The only characters I wish were better developed are Joshua and Shelly’s stepmom, but mainly Joshua. He seemed very two dimensional to me and existed under the halo of young love. However, I do think both characters were great as well as very supportive people all around, which is exactly what Shelly needs. That said, I personally didn’t care for Shelly for most of the book. She comes off as very condescending and entitled for the most part. I also think she way she looked down on some others was exactly how she feared others would look at her if they knew about her house. However, I think she’s a great character and I was rooting for her all book long.
I’m also little confused about the eating disorder she has. It seems like she has bulimia, but then she has an ulcer and an eating disorder… but then she doesn’t have an eating disorder while she has one. It’s not exactly clear, at least to me, but I do think that if you have an ED or are in recovery, this might not be a book for you because the disordered eating that occurs will be triggering.
All in all, I think this is a great book, and I’m looking forward to checking out the author’s other publications.
Shelly Frank has always lived a carefully crafted perfect life. What no one knows is that behind the doors of the beautiful house she and her mom live in are secrets neither of them wants anyone to know about. You see, Shelly’s mom is a hoarder. The longer that her mother stays in the house, the more she loses touch with reality while Shelly is left to be the parent and the child. Depressed and lonely, Shelly’s life begins to look up when she starts dating Joshua. When Shelly’s deadbeat father sends her a plane ticket to Florida, she discovers the lies her mother has been telling since he left, slowly unraveling the single thread keeping her life together.
I was drawn to this book because one of the characters is a hoarder since I grew up with a parent with the disorder. Kelly Ann Hopkins perfectly captures the stages between not thinking much about it to the realization that not everyone lives this way. In Shelley’s case, she’s quite deeply affected by how she’s been forced to live, especially since trash (old food, magazines, etc) makes up a large portion of what is strewn across their home. Combined with how bad her mother’s disorder has gotten, it is understandable that she’s lonely, frustrated, and counting down the days until she can escape.
Thankfully, her escape comes earlier than expected when she is suddenly contacted by her father. The series of events that follows shows how much Shelly’s mother has lost touch with reality, how much she resents her ex-husband, and extent of denial about how bad her overall situation is. I feel bad for these characters, but I found myself thinking about how if I was in the situation described in the book, I’d be counting down the days until I could get the hell out of dodge too.
I found the characters to be well written and more complex than I was expecting. The only characters I wish were better developed are Joshua and Shelly’s stepmom, but mainly Joshua. He seemed very two dimensional to me and existed under the halo of young love. However, I do think both characters were great as well as very supportive people all around, which is exactly what Shelly needs. That said, I personally didn’t care for Shelly for most of the book. She comes off as very condescending and entitled for the most part. I also think she way she looked down on some others was exactly how she feared others would look at her if they knew about her house. However, I think she’s a great character and I was rooting for her all book long.
I’m also little confused about the eating disorder she has. It seems like she has bulimia, but then she has an ulcer and an eating disorder… but then she doesn’t have an eating disorder while she has one. It’s not exactly clear, at least to me, but I do think that if you have an ED or are in recovery, this might not be a book for you because the disordered eating that occurs will be triggering.
All in all, I think this is a great book, and I’m looking forward to checking out the author’s other publications.
July 26, 2021
This book in 3 words: Significant. Painful. Impressive
Buried Beneath is about Shelly, a teenager living in New Jersey, and her quest to keep her hoarding mother a secret... no matter what it takes. Shelly's home has been inhabitable for years, and the determined teenager has tried to do what she can to keep herself safe and sane. Shelly meets Joshua just as her father sends a plane ticket to Florida for her birthday. Shortly after she arrives, the long term impact of her home environment catches up with her, and she's incredibly sick.
I read this book in a single sitting. Buried Beneath takes a sensitive disorder, like hoarding, and shows how it impacts families and relationships. It also provided an insight to something I'm not very familiar with in an honest and realistic manner. I was emotional reading about how resilient and determined Shelly was in the wake of a truly terrible situation. My heart also softened with each interaction between her and Joshua.
I can't get over this writing. Kelly Ann Hopkins writes all sorts of characters into this story and I bought into every single one. I was fully invested in Shelly and found myself frustrated and upset through the pages. I'm so impressed with this story, as a whole, and what it has to offer the reader. I highly recommend this to anyone... middle grade to adult.
This book should be featured at every high school and public library. There is much to be learned about hoarding but also how situations like this transpire. It also shows what our interactions can do to people... both good and bad.
Buried Beneath is available on August 3!
Thank you to Netgalley and GenZ Publishing for the ARC and opportunity to provide my honest review.
Buried Beneath is about Shelly, a teenager living in New Jersey, and her quest to keep her hoarding mother a secret... no matter what it takes. Shelly's home has been inhabitable for years, and the determined teenager has tried to do what she can to keep herself safe and sane. Shelly meets Joshua just as her father sends a plane ticket to Florida for her birthday. Shortly after she arrives, the long term impact of her home environment catches up with her, and she's incredibly sick.
I read this book in a single sitting. Buried Beneath takes a sensitive disorder, like hoarding, and shows how it impacts families and relationships. It also provided an insight to something I'm not very familiar with in an honest and realistic manner. I was emotional reading about how resilient and determined Shelly was in the wake of a truly terrible situation. My heart also softened with each interaction between her and Joshua.
I can't get over this writing. Kelly Ann Hopkins writes all sorts of characters into this story and I bought into every single one. I was fully invested in Shelly and found myself frustrated and upset through the pages. I'm so impressed with this story, as a whole, and what it has to offer the reader. I highly recommend this to anyone... middle grade to adult.
This book should be featured at every high school and public library. There is much to be learned about hoarding but also how situations like this transpire. It also shows what our interactions can do to people... both good and bad.
Buried Beneath is available on August 3!
Thank you to Netgalley and GenZ Publishing for the ARC and opportunity to provide my honest review.
October 21, 2021
This was a difficult one to read, dealing with a bunch of difficult topics such as mental illness and eating disorders.
I enjoyed reading a book tackling those issues and in my opinion, it made a good effort in describing what it could be like to live with a relative affected by this.
While I enjoyed the hopeful tone of the epilogue, I found it a bit jarring compared to the rest of the book and felt like there was something missing to explain how the characters got there.
I also enjoyed the sweet romance story in the book, however felt like it was a bit unrealistic at times - e.g. how does Joshua, a teenager, remain unaffected and “perfect” when faced with this? Why does he keep putting up with this after having properly known the protagonist for 2 weeks?
Altogether I enjoyed reading this but would recommend prospective readers have a look at trigger warnings first.
This was an ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
I enjoyed reading a book tackling those issues and in my opinion, it made a good effort in describing what it could be like to live with a relative affected by this.
While I enjoyed the hopeful tone of the epilogue, I found it a bit jarring compared to the rest of the book and felt like there was something missing to explain how the characters got there.
I also enjoyed the sweet romance story in the book, however felt like it was a bit unrealistic at times - e.g. how does Joshua, a teenager, remain unaffected and “perfect” when faced with this? Why does he keep putting up with this after having properly known the protagonist for 2 weeks?
Altogether I enjoyed reading this but would recommend prospective readers have a look at trigger warnings first.
This was an ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2021
Some novels hesitate. They tease and wrap you up in background that is sometimes riveting and nice to cozy up in, and sometimes extraneous. Buried Beneath plunges right into a story that you will never forget. And when it goes straight for it, it pierces, hugs, tugs, and downright gets you in the heart. You wish you were friends with Shelly. You want to hug Joshua for his role in her life. You want to help Mrs. Frank. You cannot help but connect and root for them all. You want their journeys to find peace. Especially Shelly.
Prior to reading Kelly Ann Hopkins’ novel, I knew very minimally about hoarding and the disorder it truly is. I was educated step by step during my three-day read of the novel—gradually and gently. But the impact is gigantic. I read nonstop in all my (very little) free time for three days.
Shelly’s character is so full of depth without being annoying, as many YA characters can be up front, at least until their ARC braids up a bit. Shelly is relatable and reliable from the start. The book has a simplicity and quiet nature about it, while tackling one of the most complex disorders that I have yet to read about. Shelly’s love of gardening and earth was a most perfect parallel to the clutter and the chaos in her life. And normally, I cringe at the idea of Florida, but Kelly’s writing makes me want to visit.
I cannot say enough how much I loved this novel. I chose the ARC quite randomly, and girl, did I get lucky. I cannot wait to buy my own copy when it releases. I cannot believe she’s not a YA author by trade. She fooled me.
Prior to reading Kelly Ann Hopkins’ novel, I knew very minimally about hoarding and the disorder it truly is. I was educated step by step during my three-day read of the novel—gradually and gently. But the impact is gigantic. I read nonstop in all my (very little) free time for three days.
Shelly’s character is so full of depth without being annoying, as many YA characters can be up front, at least until their ARC braids up a bit. Shelly is relatable and reliable from the start. The book has a simplicity and quiet nature about it, while tackling one of the most complex disorders that I have yet to read about. Shelly’s love of gardening and earth was a most perfect parallel to the clutter and the chaos in her life. And normally, I cringe at the idea of Florida, but Kelly’s writing makes me want to visit.
I cannot say enough how much I loved this novel. I chose the ARC quite randomly, and girl, did I get lucky. I cannot wait to buy my own copy when it releases. I cannot believe she’s not a YA author by trade. She fooled me.
July 24, 2021
Buried Beneath follows Shelly, a seventeen-year-old girl who is drowning in her mother's illness. Due to her mother's hoarding disorder, her house is unlivable, filled with useless items, old food, and trash. When Shelly gets the chance to leave her mother's mess behind and live with her estranged father, she must decide whether to put herself first or get buried in the hoard.
I could not put this book down. Shelly's compelling and complicated relationships with both of her parents and the ways they have failed her drove this novel and pulled at my heartstrings. The effect that hoarding disorder can have on not only the person themselves but their families is not something I've personally read much about, but after this novel, I want to look more into it. Kelly Ann Hopkins keeps you guessing about how it is going to end but hoping against hope that Shelly will find the happiness and freedom she deserves. Highly recommend this one!
It should be noted that this book contains in-depth descriptions of eating disorders and mental illness. Please take this into consideration before reading. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down. Shelly's compelling and complicated relationships with both of her parents and the ways they have failed her drove this novel and pulled at my heartstrings. The effect that hoarding disorder can have on not only the person themselves but their families is not something I've personally read much about, but after this novel, I want to look more into it. Kelly Ann Hopkins keeps you guessing about how it is going to end but hoping against hope that Shelly will find the happiness and freedom she deserves. Highly recommend this one!
It should be noted that this book contains in-depth descriptions of eating disorders and mental illness. Please take this into consideration before reading. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2022
I'm beyond intrigued by people who suffer hoarding dysfunction and how it affects those who live in the hoard as well. This book offers a very powerful peek inside the life of a teenager and how she tries her best to live in and live with a massive hoard. The only thing that I had a hard time believing was the relationship between Shelly and Josh. There aren't many boys in their late teens who would behave as maturely as Josh did, however I did not think it had a negative effect on the book as a whole.
July 23, 2021
Shelly is a 17 year old from New Jersey who is being crushed beneath the weight of her mother’s persistent hoarding. Shelly has taken on all of the parental responsibilities, taking on a job at a gas station and making sure the bills get paid. When the weight of her mother becomes too much and she is given the opportunity to leave, will she jump at the chance to start a new life or will her concern for her mother suck her back in? This book asks what do children owe their parents? When mental health blurs the boundaries of parents and children, how does anyone make it out alive?
I agree with another reviewer that said they liked this book but didn’t love it. I wanted to love it but it very much feels like an adult writing about a teenager. Shelly’s moods are so chaotic and the way she talks and thinks feels so awkward and unnatural. It reminds me of the way the teens on The Secret Life of the American Teenager were written. One line really stuck out to me though. “Your parents’ problems are not yours to deal with” I wish I would’ve heard that as a teenager.
I agree with another reviewer that said they liked this book but didn’t love it. I wanted to love it but it very much feels like an adult writing about a teenager. Shelly’s moods are so chaotic and the way she talks and thinks feels so awkward and unnatural. It reminds me of the way the teens on The Secret Life of the American Teenager were written. One line really stuck out to me though. “Your parents’ problems are not yours to deal with” I wish I would’ve heard that as a teenager.
July 1, 2022
I really enjoyed Buried Beneath. Hoarding is a tragic disease and I appreciate the inside look at what children of a hoarder might feel. The details of Shelly Frank’s life kept me interested from chapter to chapter. There were times when I couldn’t put it down. Shelly’s internal struggles between her mother’s well-being and her own well-being are relatable, but heartbreaking. Great story and certainly worth the read!
July 11, 2021
Well, it made me cry, so it definitely got me in the feels.
They say the best stories are where you put your main character up in a tree and throw rocks at her.
In this case, Shelly wasn't up in a tree, she was in a house with so much clutter the dog got lost and died in it, and was never found. There are books everywhere, and her mother doesn't let her throw away pizza boxes that still have some left.
It is so bad. She has no friends, is taking classes on line, and still has one more year before she is 18 and can leave the craziness of her mother's hoarding behind.
Good story about the effects that this sort of mental disorder can have on a family, and how hard Shelly works to try to keep things slightly normal, while her mother goes downhill.
Gut wrenching, and I wasn't sure how it was going to end.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
They say the best stories are where you put your main character up in a tree and throw rocks at her.
In this case, Shelly wasn't up in a tree, she was in a house with so much clutter the dog got lost and died in it, and was never found. There are books everywhere, and her mother doesn't let her throw away pizza boxes that still have some left.
It is so bad. She has no friends, is taking classes on line, and still has one more year before she is 18 and can leave the craziness of her mother's hoarding behind.
Good story about the effects that this sort of mental disorder can have on a family, and how hard Shelly works to try to keep things slightly normal, while her mother goes downhill.
Gut wrenching, and I wasn't sure how it was going to end.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
November 1, 2021
Sometimes it's better to just free yourself because "You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved." ~ Kelly Ann Hopkins, Buried Beneath
Trigger warning: disordered eating, weight, attempted suicide
This book broke me...I can't even begin where to start! I finished this book during summer and I couldn't figure out how to best express my feelings. This book gave me a bit of a hangover and I am still not over it.
Buried Beneath by Kelly Ann Hopkins is tears, heartwarming moments, more tears...it's a jumble of feelings and then some. This YA-contemporary novel follows Michelle "Shelley" Marie Frank who knows the pain of losing someone important to what feels like an incurable illness. Her final summer before senior year and then off to college; Shelley needs to find the courage to accept...to let her mom go and for once in her life, to be just a little bit selfish...to finally want something she had always longed for: a family.
Hopkins delivered such a profound and poignant look at what a seemingly normal, and beautiful house appears to the outside world - when in reality, it houses a broken family and The Nest that continues to accumulate. I honestly had no idea what this book was going to be about. The claustrophobia of the house...her mother...the past...and the emotional toil of searching for herself leads to an encounter with Joshua Evans who helped her in such an unexpected way. I can't help but be jealous that she found someone that she didn't even know she needed.
Thank you to NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for the chance to read this beautiful eARC that highlights the ups and downs of living with a gruesome secret...of having the courage it takes to save oneself...and learning that forgiveness is healing. I highly recommend this book as it is THE BOOK that makes a social commentary about a prevalent problem that no one addresses.
Trigger warning: disordered eating, weight, attempted suicide
This book broke me...I can't even begin where to start! I finished this book during summer and I couldn't figure out how to best express my feelings. This book gave me a bit of a hangover and I am still not over it.
Buried Beneath by Kelly Ann Hopkins is tears, heartwarming moments, more tears...it's a jumble of feelings and then some. This YA-contemporary novel follows Michelle "Shelley" Marie Frank who knows the pain of losing someone important to what feels like an incurable illness. Her final summer before senior year and then off to college; Shelley needs to find the courage to accept...to let her mom go and for once in her life, to be just a little bit selfish...to finally want something she had always longed for: a family.
Hopkins delivered such a profound and poignant look at what a seemingly normal, and beautiful house appears to the outside world - when in reality, it houses a broken family and The Nest that continues to accumulate. I honestly had no idea what this book was going to be about. The claustrophobia of the house...her mother...the past...and the emotional toil of searching for herself leads to an encounter with Joshua Evans who helped her in such an unexpected way. I can't help but be jealous that she found someone that she didn't even know she needed.
Thank you to NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for the chance to read this beautiful eARC that highlights the ups and downs of living with a gruesome secret...of having the courage it takes to save oneself...and learning that forgiveness is healing. I highly recommend this book as it is THE BOOK that makes a social commentary about a prevalent problem that no one addresses.
August 24, 2024
*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own *
I went into this book with no expectations at all. In fact, I don't think I even knew what it was about, so it was a big surprise when I found out what the book was about (I won't go into details because even though it's in the synopsis, I think that if you can go into this book knowing as little as possible, you'll be surprised). I think this surprise certainly affected my rating and reading experience in a positive way.
I don't have any references to say whether the disorders portrayed in this book were well done (if you're a sensitive person, please look for the book's trigger warnings), but from my layman's point of view, I really liked how the author worked the conflicts in this book.
I simply couldn't stay away from this story. I wanted to read it right away to find out what would happen and how all the problems would be solved. Which brings me to the reason why this book isn't 5 stars even though I really liked this story and the reading experience. I thought the resolution of the problems was too quick and poorly done. The author was doing such a good job in this story until the end. I think if she had added 2/3 more chapters, she would have been able to finish the story in a better way, developing everything that needed to be resolved and showing us the healing process that the characters went through, instead of just talking about it in the last chapter.
But apart from the ending, I really liked this story and this book. It was a story that I wasn't expecting at all and it surprised me in a very positive way.
I went into this book with no expectations at all. In fact, I don't think I even knew what it was about, so it was a big surprise when I found out what the book was about (I won't go into details because even though it's in the synopsis, I think that if you can go into this book knowing as little as possible, you'll be surprised). I think this surprise certainly affected my rating and reading experience in a positive way.
I don't have any references to say whether the disorders portrayed in this book were well done (if you're a sensitive person, please look for the book's trigger warnings), but from my layman's point of view, I really liked how the author worked the conflicts in this book.
I simply couldn't stay away from this story. I wanted to read it right away to find out what would happen and how all the problems would be solved. Which brings me to the reason why this book isn't 5 stars even though I really liked this story and the reading experience. I thought the resolution of the problems was too quick and poorly done. The author was doing such a good job in this story until the end. I think if she had added 2/3 more chapters, she would have been able to finish the story in a better way, developing everything that needed to be resolved and showing us the healing process that the characters went through, instead of just talking about it in the last chapter.
But apart from the ending, I really liked this story and this book. It was a story that I wasn't expecting at all and it surprised me in a very positive way.
July 10, 2021
Wow! I needed a break from Fantasy, and Buried Beneath smacked me in the face with its realism--but in a good way. Shelly and her mother have been on their own since Shelly's father left them. What Shelly begins to understand as she grows up is her mother is a hoarder. Although Shelly is able to keep the outside of the house and the yard--Shelly is amazing with plants and flowers--immaculate, keeping her mother's secret becomes increasingly hard. Add to that a seemingly out of the blue plane ticket to Florida from her father and a new relationship with Joshua, and Shelly's life that she has worked so hard to keep up the appearance of normalcy unravels.
I love Kelly Ann Hopkins' treatment of Shelly's journey from being the adult in the parent/child relationship to recognizing that she must take care of herself first. It is fraught with questions, setbacks, and pitfalls and is free from over-sentimentality. Her treatment of Shelly's mother's hoarding disorder is realistic without falling in the trap of sensationalizing it.
Buried Beneath is an important book for classroom and library shelves because students (and adults alike) need to see characters overcoming obstacles, taking control of their lives and out of control situations, and coming out on the other side stronger.
I love Kelly Ann Hopkins' treatment of Shelly's journey from being the adult in the parent/child relationship to recognizing that she must take care of herself first. It is fraught with questions, setbacks, and pitfalls and is free from over-sentimentality. Her treatment of Shelly's mother's hoarding disorder is realistic without falling in the trap of sensationalizing it.
Buried Beneath is an important book for classroom and library shelves because students (and adults alike) need to see characters overcoming obstacles, taking control of their lives and out of control situations, and coming out on the other side stronger.
August 23, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for providing me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
CW: Eating disorders, hoarding
In the afterward, Hopkins says she wrote this book after it was brought to her attention that books for the children of hoarders was a gap that needed filling. She says she did her research and you can definitely tell. I think she did a great job with this novel. I am not the child of a hoarder but hoarding has touched my life and it seems to me that Shelly's emotional reactions to her mother's disorder are all understandable and valid.
I did not rate this book five stars because Shelly's relationship with her dad and her new boyfriend's unwavering support both seemed too simple when paired with the very complex relationship between Shelly and her mother. I also wish the book description had included a content warning for Shelly's disordered eating habits. Otherwise I thought it was great. I think it will help teens understand what effects hoarding can have on those who are forced to be surrounded by the hoard and hopefully it can help someone in Shelly's situation feel less alone.
CW: Eating disorders, hoarding
In the afterward, Hopkins says she wrote this book after it was brought to her attention that books for the children of hoarders was a gap that needed filling. She says she did her research and you can definitely tell. I think she did a great job with this novel. I am not the child of a hoarder but hoarding has touched my life and it seems to me that Shelly's emotional reactions to her mother's disorder are all understandable and valid.
I did not rate this book five stars because Shelly's relationship with her dad and her new boyfriend's unwavering support both seemed too simple when paired with the very complex relationship between Shelly and her mother. I also wish the book description had included a content warning for Shelly's disordered eating habits. Otherwise I thought it was great. I think it will help teens understand what effects hoarding can have on those who are forced to be surrounded by the hoard and hopefully it can help someone in Shelly's situation feel less alone.
July 22, 2021
Uh, yeah... Life doesn't work that way.
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But healing doesn't happen that fast. Forgiveness doesn't happen that fast. And, most of all, relationships don't happen that fast. At some points this book read like a bad romance novel. I couldn't suspend my belief enough for the relationship between Shelly and Joshua to make any sort of sense. Why was he always there at the right moment? Why did he start bothering her to begin with? And him randomly showing up at her house? Creepy much.
And to top it all off... Shelly should not be responsible for her mother. I repeat: Shelly should NOT be responsible for her mother. And her father was WRONG. He abandoned her! Shelly needs time to get away from her mother and father, no matter how supposedly "healed" they are. To see her at the same place in the end, in the same clutches, was just too much.
#netgalley
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But healing doesn't happen that fast. Forgiveness doesn't happen that fast. And, most of all, relationships don't happen that fast. At some points this book read like a bad romance novel. I couldn't suspend my belief enough for the relationship between Shelly and Joshua to make any sort of sense. Why was he always there at the right moment? Why did he start bothering her to begin with? And him randomly showing up at her house? Creepy much.
And to top it all off... Shelly should not be responsible for her mother. I repeat: Shelly should NOT be responsible for her mother. And her father was WRONG. He abandoned her! Shelly needs time to get away from her mother and father, no matter how supposedly "healed" they are. To see her at the same place in the end, in the same clutches, was just too much.
#netgalley
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2022
I am always happy to support a local author and neighbor. I am happy to do that with this book.
There were parts of this book that I really, really liked. It was heartbreaking and fascinating to read the specificity of living with someone with hoarding disorder. The weight that 17 year old Shelly had to carry with being the adult/parent figure for her mom was very realistic, and I could feel Shelly's pain.
I struggled with the ending, because the book, to me, felt like it had three endings and I would have been happiest with the first one. Even in YA books, not everything wraps up into a neat bow, so the ending wasn't for me. I also felt the romantic relationship foil could have been established with a friendship.
There were parts of this book that I really, really liked. It was heartbreaking and fascinating to read the specificity of living with someone with hoarding disorder. The weight that 17 year old Shelly had to carry with being the adult/parent figure for her mom was very realistic, and I could feel Shelly's pain.
I struggled with the ending, because the book, to me, felt like it had three endings and I would have been happiest with the first one. Even in YA books, not everything wraps up into a neat bow, so the ending wasn't for me. I also felt the romantic relationship foil could have been established with a friendship.
March 5, 2023
Personally I resonated a lot with the main ideology of Buried Beneath. You can really get lost into the life of Shelly, and what not only shes thinking or going through but her whole family ...along with of course a new romantic friend ( that's highly needed in this chaos ) At the end you're fully emerged into what feels like part of the family.
This story is always helpful for those with conditions such as hoarding , or ptsd. Not as a "how to" or " what to do " type of book , it can shed light on a condition very much misunderstood, real and devastating for every person involved.
This story is always helpful for those with conditions such as hoarding , or ptsd. Not as a "how to" or " what to do " type of book , it can shed light on a condition very much misunderstood, real and devastating for every person involved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2021
you can feel the weight of the main character's struggles. Well done.
January 30, 2022
This book was amazing! I finished in just over two days, I was hooked the moment I started reading it. This book has definitely reached my list of favorite books by a longshot.
November 16, 2023
I was SO excited to read this book... hoarders are such an interesting topic that I don't see a lot of YA about, ever.
What a disappointment this was!
I finished this book a while ago, but trust me when I tell you I FORCED myself to get through this. Mostly just seeing how much worse it could get for me.
The descriptions of the smell, the hoarding, and the addiction were excellent. The part about the animal that went missing under it all really made me shudder in my skin, and I thought about it for a long time. I also learned about stomach ulcers?
Now, onto the other things...
I HATED the love part in this. We could have gone so many different directions that wasn't just: girl meets boy, boy is cute and friendly, fall in love, girl leaves, boy is nice.
I felt like I was reading a Wattpad story written by a 12-year-old!
Like seriously, a girl with that many abandonment issues and horrible parent relationships would NOT just get so attached so quickly to someone she just met!
I also felt like she had no personality. Just... gardening, throw up, parents suck.
Each character felt so two-dimensional that I couldn't form bonds with them.
Not to mention, the part at the end completely shocked me. Like... yeah, let's light the HOUSE ON FIRE and NOT GET IN ANY TROUBLE???
The best advice I could give if you're considering reading this book is to install Wattpad instead. It's the same gist... save yourself the 20+ dollars I spent on it in Barnes and Nobles.
What a disappointment this was!
I finished this book a while ago, but trust me when I tell you I FORCED myself to get through this. Mostly just seeing how much worse it could get for me.
The descriptions of the smell, the hoarding, and the addiction were excellent. The part about the animal that went missing under it all really made me shudder in my skin, and I thought about it for a long time. I also learned about stomach ulcers?
Now, onto the other things...
I HATED the love part in this. We could have gone so many different directions that wasn't just: girl meets boy, boy is cute and friendly, fall in love, girl leaves, boy is nice.
I felt like I was reading a Wattpad story written by a 12-year-old!
Like seriously, a girl with that many abandonment issues and horrible parent relationships would NOT just get so attached so quickly to someone she just met!
I also felt like she had no personality. Just... gardening, throw up, parents suck.
Each character felt so two-dimensional that I couldn't form bonds with them.
Not to mention, the part at the end completely shocked me. Like... yeah, let's light the HOUSE ON FIRE and NOT GET IN ANY TROUBLE???
The best advice I could give if you're considering reading this book is to install Wattpad instead. It's the same gist... save yourself the 20+ dollars I spent on it in Barnes and Nobles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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