When was the last time you confronted the skeletons in your closest?
Immediately following book one, “Elephant,” Matthew “Matty” Smith awakens from his coma and discovers that his worst nightmare is all true: his grandmother, Jamie, and Derek have gone missing and his mother murdered his father and grandfather years ago.
With the hospital placing him on lockdown, including no visitation rights by his loved ones such as his best friend, Lisa, Matty finds himself deteriorating into a state of the abyss, consumed with the secrets of his family. Convinced that it was the ‘stranger’ who kidnapped his grandmother and friends, no one believes him. The hospital only believes that Matty is slipping into a toxic mental state, repeating the cycle of his family.
Until one day, Lisa helps Matty escape the hospital.
On the run from Dr. Brown, Officer Barry, and the town of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Matty and Lisa set off to find their friends and Lucia and for answers on who the ‘stranger’ is. Once they unmask who the ‘stranger’ is, Matty continues to unravel the deepest secrets of what was supposed to be forever hidden in the Smith family as well as the town.
This story is for those who feel their voice is unheard and for children, teenagers, and adults who never had the chance to heal from their pain.
NATALIE RODRIGUEZ is an award-winning, Los Angeles based director, screenwriter, author, and mental health and anti-violence/trauma advocate. In 2014, she graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts in Radio-Television-Film. Her first experiences in entertainment were an internship at the Conan O'Brien show and a position at Peter Guber's Mandalay Pictures, where she worked in the offices of producers, Matthew Rhodes ("Cherry," "Men in Black: International") and Academy Award-winner, Cathy Schulman ("Sharp Objects," "Crash").
Natalie has been a panelist at events hosted by organizations such as Google, Hispanicize, and YouTube, where she has shared her story as a female writer and filmmaker working in the entertainment industry. She has written for publications including the HuffPost Blog, Thrive Global, Anxiety Resource Center, NowThis News, Hello Giggles, and The Mighty.
In 2017, she founded Extraordinary Pictures, a production company focusing on films, television, digital series, and social issue projects ranging from diversity, mental health, and recovery. The company has produced short films, and feature films of different genres, including comedies and dramas. Natalie's first directorial feature films, “The Extraordinary Ordinary” and "Howard Original,” which started as short films, screened at various film festivals. Both projects are, now, streaming on multiple streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime, Roku, and Tubi. “The Extraordinary Ordinary” is also available to subscribers of the products for public libraries (Access Video On Demand) and colleges & universities (Films On Demand). Ask your library for details. • “The Extraordinary Ordinary” is an independent drama about a college freshman who moves across the country to cope with her mental health, as well as a traumatic incident from high school while befriending a classmate and a co-worker who have a history of their own. The film won 'Best Film About Women's Empowerment' at the Glendale International Film Festival and scored nominations in the Best Director, Best Female Director, and Best Picture categories. The film also had a sold-out world premiere screening at the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival (LADFF) and won 'Best Performance' by a leading actor. • “Howard Original" is a comedy-drama satire about the entertainment industry, where a washed-up screenwriter encounters multiple life crises when his pet cat comes to life. The film took home the ‘Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium Form’ at the Culver City Film Festival.
Natalie's other screenplays and films have been featured and placed in the final rounds at HollyShorts Film Festival, NALIP: Latino Lens Film Festival, Shorts TV, Stage 32: Comedy Screenplay, Beverly Hills Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, Indie Night Film Festival, Hollywood Screenplay Contest, Table Read My Screenplay - Austin Film Festival, and others.
She was also an ambassador for Jen Zeano Designs (JZD), a clothing company in association with USA Networks. While Natalie continues to build her creative background, she is always open to collaborating with other artists and advocates. In-between productions, Natalie spends most of her time writing books and watching horror films. Her first young adult thriller book series, "Elephant," was published during the pandemic. The series is about four childhood best friends who uncover multiple family secrets. The books were also a finalist at Clare Books' the Binge-Watching Cure II contest for 'Best Novel.' The final installment of the series is set for publication in late 2022. In addition, she also adapted "The Extraordinary Ordinary" into a New Adult novel which will be available in eBook and paperback in spring 2022.
For details on previous and upcoming projects, be sure to check out her social media pages by visiting linktr.ee/extraordpictures
Skeletons by Natalie Rodriguez is a thrilling tale rooted in mental illness and comes across as a fine sequel of its predecessor, Elephant. While Elephant talked about 'the elephant in the room,' Skeletons attempts to elaborate on the secrets thrown under the carpet. It is based on the premise that there are secrets in the closet, screaming and grappling to come out!
Skeletons follow Matt who wakes up in the hospital after a prolonged coma. Two of his best buddies, Jamie and Derek, along with his grandma, Lucia, are missing. He has Lisa and together they'd find out the truth behind the 'stranger.' The tone of the book continues to be dark throughout without showing any hint to tone it down. After all, that's how grave mental illness really is and it's high time we address its enormity. The story further breaks down unattended trauma and the consequences of living with it.
The book essentially brings out the importance of talking out one's problems. We shouldn't be forcing pity or ignorance down one's gut. Instead, we should take our lessons from such books and start dealing with the gravity of mental health. In between Matt's journey of unravelling the secrets of his Smith family, we also stumble upon the themes of sexual abuse, depression, family values, love, and friendships. In all, Skeletons promises to hook you, thrill you, and move you.
I am glad to have come across a book that vividly talks about mental health. I've read a few books in the past as well and reading them always gives me solace. The author has done a fairly good job of weaving a YA mystery heavily focused on mental problems.
Do read Elephant and then Skeletons but please make sure that you're in your best mental state and spirits before you dive into this series.
This book continues the story of Elephant, so please read that one first. Matt's story continues, now with more things to get addressed and more demons to conquer. Matt is a teenager that goes through some experiences in life that gets him into depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Mental Health is real and so is the way it was written into this story. Definitely a must-read after Elephant and consider that this book might not be for everyone as it might have some triggers for some people, so please read with caution, I would strongly recommend it for anyone that works with mental health patients. The characters are very well developed and the situations are as real as they can get.
Immediately following book one, “Elephant”, Matt awakens from his coma only to discover that his worst nightmare has come true. His grandmother, Jamie, and Derek have gone missing and his mother murdered his father and grandfather years ago.
After reading the first book, Elephant by Natalie Rodriguez, I was impatiently waiting for the second book and I must say that it is worth the wait. The book starts with Matt waking up from comma. The hospital authorities have placed strict restrictions on Matt that no one can come to visit him. Regarding his grandmother and friends, Matt was convinced that some stranger kidnapped them but no one was ready to believe him and all the hospital authorities were of the view that Matt’s health is further getting worse and gradually Matt is sliding towards an unhealthy mental state.
The concept and theme of this book are in continuation with book one and talk dedicatedly about mental health. Although this story got more refreshing and delightful because of the new characters introduced to the journey of Matt. We all are aware of how mental health is as important as physical health but still the scenario is like we never hesitate to talk to people about our fever or headache but we feel insecure or hesitant to take help or talk to someone when we are not in a goon mental state. It is really amazing to see so many literary works being put forward to make people more and more aware of the importance of good mental health and that how bad mental health can destroy the whole of your life.
The protagonist of this story, Matt, is a teenager. This is the age where we make new friends, have new experiences, decide about which course we want to pursue, which college we want to go to, make plans about our future, and much more. But, poor Matt is dealing with everything in contrast. It’s heartbreaking to see him suffer like this that too where he is not at fault.
If you have read book one – ‘Elephant’ then you should definitely read this one. If you have not, then read both the books because it is high time now that we start addressing the elephant in our rooms.
Trigger warning:- The whole vibe of both the books is majorly dark which is balanced in between by the hint of the love of family and friendship. Still, if you are someone who is dealing with difficult situations in life or stuffs like hospital, comma, blood, etc, disturbs you then you should probably make a pass at this book for now.
'Skeletons by Natalie Rodriguez' is the sequel to her first book, 'Elephants'. A thriller story centred around mental health and continues the same tone as the first part. Matt wakes up in a coma and faces a turbulent hit of memories and realisation. Jamie and Derek have disappeared, and Matty learns reality with regards to the passing of his dad and granddad. Trapped in his medical hospital with no appearance from his friends and family, Lisa helps him in escaping from it. . . This book like the first one follows the central topic of Mental health and focuses on how it destroys young minds, and when they ask for help gets ignored. The author has kept a fine balance between fictional and introspective elements of the story and that makes it more interesting while reading. . . Written under YA Mystery it follows a theme of family drama with a hint of a contemporary vibe in just over two hundred pages. I also liked the character of Matt and could relate to it because I have been through rough mental health phases. . . Composing and portrayal of the novel is straightforward and is gently created to convey the right tone and quality. I truly adored this book. I trust an ever-increasing number of individuals can comprehend that psychological wellness should be talked about. It's a subject which needs appropriate training.
Skeletons is the new book written by the author Natalie Rodriguez and it's the continuum of the book Elephant.
The Story starts immediately after the first book ended. Comparing this with the first, the flow of the storyline is smooth and less confusing.
The highlight of this book is no doubt the storyline, from mystery to pain, from drama to unique characters, from unbelievable moments to emotions, from shock to relief, from the family secret to bonds, everything in this book is creatively written, and at the end, it will just blow your mind with its uniqueness.
The characters are developed and grown smoothly as the story moved forward. The detailed description makes the story intriguing. The author has written a very compelling and unique story that you will never forget.
This book "Skeletons" is the continuation of the book "Elephant" that I had already reviewed a few days back, if you guys had read that review, you'll be able to grasp the discussion dedicatedly focused on one sensitive issue that we usually underlook, which is mental illness. I didn't give out any spoilers for the first book "Elephant" but i'll have to give out some for this one as this doesn't only continues the story from earlier but this one also has a lot more going on from a perspective where you will eventually question yourself that which is the real event and which is the recurring nightmare. As we had read, Matt, a teenage boy who's suffering from a post traumatic stress disorder was wandering between the truths and the lies where he had no idea where to go. In this sequel, Matty finally wakes up from a coma after the incident he had with his friend. Matty here gets to know the tragic truth about the death of his father and his grandmother. Matty was kept in the hospital under some serious restrictions of having no visitors. Already suffering Matty, now had his mental health tipped over after finding out that his friends have gone missing, his father and grandmother were both killed by his own mother. Broken Matty then runs away from the hospital with the help of his friend, Lisa. The further story revolves around how Matty and Lisa get on the journey of finding out the truths and secrets behind the tragic massacre. The storyline on this one is a direct communication with the first book of this series. I loved the details on this one as much as I did in the previous book. In terms of giving out messages and things to learn for our youth and adults, this book has really stood up to all my expectations. I always enjoy reading dark books, but this one had me actually connect to the protagonist and the pain, suffering and the sorrow Matty was undergoing really came through and touched my heart. As I said in the previous review, it's heartbreaking to see how today's teens are more caught up with traumas instead of the life they're meant to live. How Matty discovers the hidden truths about his older generations is what made me more drawn towards it as the quote that personally always stays in my heart "Worst thing about pain is that it never comes from a stranger" fits perfectly well with this story. Now, that's the thing... it's not just another dark vibed book that'll make you emotional, it's something that all of us could relate to, which is exactly what makes it one worth reading.
Lastly, as a reader, you would absolutely love every single thing about this story. The way it's written, the way everything is portrayed is just astonishing. I would recommend everyone out there to give the books "Elephant" and "Skeletons" a try. However, if you suffer from any type of mental issue, please read this with a strong heart and stay strong. As they say "Nothing is permanent" so the pain will go sooner or later as well, chin up kings/queens!
Mind blowing and highly appreciable work by @natchristinerod ❤
Skeletons is the sequel to Elephant by Natalie Rodriguez. It’s a YA mystery, psychological, and suspense thriller that revolves around Matty, a teenage boy who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In this second book, Matty wakes up from his coma four weeks after the night incident with his friends and the stranger. Jamie and Derek have gone missing, and Matty learns the truth about the death of his father and grandfather. Stuck in the hospital with no visitation rights from his loved ones, Lisa helps him escape from the hospital. But how will Matty survive the reality that is consuming every step that he takes, and what are the secrets that everyone has been keeping from him?
Review
What an emotional roller-coaster ride this was! It felt like I was transported into Matty’s body and I could feel the torture that’s eating him! His state of mental turmoil was perfectly written in meticulous details, which enabled me to see, feel, and experience his distressing, but thrilling journey with Lisa.
I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a story that is both charming and disturbing, one that will make you question which events are real, and which ones are recurring nightmares. I highly recommend this book to everyone who read Elephant, and to all mature readers who want to experience a ride into the mental state of a teenage boy who suffers from PTSD.
The central topic of the book is mental health. The story is for those who feel their voice is unheard and for children, teenagers, and adults who never had the chance to heal from their pain. The author has maintained the balance between fictional and introspective elements of the story.
We all know about the importance of good mental health. A mental illness is a physical illness of the brain that causes disturbances in thinking, behavior, energy or emotion that make it difficult to cope with the ordinary demands of life. The protagonist ' Matty' has gone through this phase. Being a teenage, Matty learns reality with regards to the passing of his father and grandfather.
Not only mental health, but the author has come up with other themes like sexual abuses, importance of family, love and lots more. The author has beautifully weaved a YA mystery based on mental illness. I truly adored this book.
Skeleton is the continuation of the book Elephant written by Rodriguez. Natalie books are very different from the others in that genre, her writing style is special there's always a metamorphic moral that she conveys through her writings and this quality stands alone and it deserves a place in your bookshelf. She always centres her books around mental health. While we are on that topic this story is Matty's journey of living and then leaving a trauma. It's a beautifully written young adult psychological story. This book will make you feel heard while encouraging you to open up and reach out to the people who are there to listen. The author addresses how emotional pain uniquely affects every community, and how to address it head-on without feeling ashamed. Rather than a disorder to be ashamed of, the book brass encourages readers to look at their anxiety as an intimate aspect of who they are. _________ It's not just a book, it's a research, it's an depressed mind. Diligently curated story of mental health experiences help break the stigmas that so easily surround the mental health space. I would suggest each person to read this. Though people with mental health issues might connect to this book more. I would suggest Skeletons to every mind. You should read the book to understand the being of people around you. Lucky to find and read such a great epic !
🍷After reading Elephant, I was so much in love with the way the concept was brought out so well! This book is definitely one of those books which you can't really leave once you start, it's actually one of those books I was actually waiting to come out and trust me it totally lived upto or maybe more than I ever expected. . . The storyline is a direct continuation of the first volume but anyone can read it as a standalone because it's an independent story where we see some amazing characters along with Matt and they together brings out a story which is hard to forget.
The storyline has a very thrilling and a dark vibe but it's not a horror read, rather it talks about the internal horrors that exists in humans, especially teens who have faced something bad. This is such a great book, in terms of what it talks about and also it educates the young and adults so well in a form of an engaging storyline! I totally loved it. . I will highly recommend it. Rating: 4.75⭐️