The BookFest Fall 2025 Winner: 2nd PLACE IN NEW ADULT ROMANCE * The BookFest Spring 2023 Winner: 3RD PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE * The BookFest Spring 2022 Winner: 1ST PLACE IN YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE *
Sometimes it’s the family you can’t choose who are the ones to save you.
un·sound /ˌənˈsound/ adjective not safe or robust; in poor condition. not based on sound evidence or reasoning and therefore unreliable or unacceptable not competent, reliable, or holding acceptable views.
As I watched the rich Washington landscape of mountains and thick green forests, I didn’t know what to expect. Granted, I was watching it from the back of a squad car, so it’s not like I had a choice in the matter.
High school is hard enough—dealing with hormones, grades, the pressure of college, social media, prom, sex ed… the list can go on forever. I wished for that kind of normalcy. Instead, I was being shipped way up to the middle of nowhere woods of Washington state—a serene community of cozy cabins, the smell of burning firewood… and enough troubled, drug-addicted, almost-criminal teens to make me wonder if this was a better option than juvie.
Little did I know that these drug-addled, societal misfits were exactly what I needed to become myself again.
Written in four cohesive POV's, Unsound follows a tight-knit group of troubled teenagers living at a boarding school for at-risk youths up in a remote forest in Washington State. These kids have had their childhoods ripped away from them, but they're on the journey to take their lives back.
345 page standalone with a sequel is in the works! But no cliffhangers, because who really likes a cliffhanger!?
There are TRIGGER WARNINGS ranging from mental abuse, eating disorders, and depression to underage drug & alcohol use, underage sex, and mentions of rape, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking.
And please remember, Goodreads & Amazon reviews REALLY help indie authors!
I'm an author in Brooklyn, trying to promote my first book, Unsound. Unsound is a 20+ year project and I'm so proud of where it is now from where it was in 1999 coming out of a 14-year-old brain.
I just finished writing the sequel, Unconscious. I'm also working on a new project that is fantasy-based. Urban fantasy meets modern-day Brooklyn with fairies.
I love music, my latest obsessions being Bastille, 21 Pilots, Old Dominion, Dan+Shay, and AJR. I love having the radio play all day long in the background. I love old school WB: Buffy, Dawson's Creek, Charmed, just to name a few.
And most importantly, I'm constantly reading. After all, Stephen King said: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.” “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
Mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, these deeply troubled teens were sympathetic characters and it was nice to watch them interact and have a glimpse of hope. However, the adults seemed pretty clueless and peripheral to the story. Also, there a bit of cliche feel hung over the whole story for me. No real surprises here. I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
My first ever ARC, and it did not disappoint! Thank you so much, Ash! Congratulations on this beautiful milestone!
A group of traumatized teenagers with dark pasts and deep secrets, all together in a boarding school tucked away from the prying eyes of the public was enough to rope my interests in. I found it rather enjoyable! The book was written well and was very easy to read. We follow the disturbing story of each teenager, told by the characters themselves. It was nice to be immersed in each of the characters’ life. This way, we are able to understand and empathize with them. It’s a roller coaster of emotions—sadness, anger, happiness; and even though I do not relate to any of their stories, the way it was written makes me feel all their emotions and realize that they are valid.
If you are thinking of purchasing this book, I urge you to do so! You will find it enjoyable. You will not be disappointed. Do I see a sequel? :D
Unsound follows a tight-knit group of troubled teenagers living at a boarding school for at-risk youths up in a remote forest in Washington State. These kids have had childhood ripped away from them but they're on the journey to take their lives back.” So I read the above and thought it sounded intriguing so I would give it a go and omg it is so good! With no internet, phones or tv’s theses troubled teens just have the school, themselves and their demons that they have to face. There’s trials and trauma, drama, and heartache, laughter and tears, secrets and lies and is one hell of a coming of age story told from multiple pov’s. A gripping story of support and recovery and was a pleasure to read!
I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I always enjoy YA books that center around a group of teens in a treatment center or with substance and/or mental health issues and this was no exception. I really loved all of the characters and their personal growth as well as the romantic development.
Jon is an abuser and manipulator and I can’t believe the author romanticized that throughout this book. Aside from that, I don’t understand why Stacy or the girl from Jon’s past entered the book and didn’t have any type of storyline. Michelle, Marie, Tony, and Chris also had very little character development.
Bittersweet, heartrending, and full of hope! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
In Ash Finley's debut novel, she takes us through a story of multiple troubled teenagers and their quest to find a little normalcy in an otherwise hard life. Think in terms of "Breakfast Club" meets rehab. Kids from different backgrounds coming together for a common cause, so to speak. That's my best analogy because I have honestly never read a book in this type of format, with so many different POV's. I felt like I was reading multiple stories, and I have to say, I'm not made about that! This book is far from my normal dark romance books I love to read, but the cover was so beautiful and blurb caught my attention!
Meet Holly. Holly finds herself shipped off to Rainier High School in Washington State. A rehabilitation school for troubled teens. Here she meets Jonathan, Michelle, Marie, Jay and Tony... and then eventually Topher and Mindy. Through lots of trials and tribulations, laughs and tears, you will learn the story of these troubled teens and the demons they fight daily to just get through it all. It's a harsh coming of age story dealing with childhood / teen trauma.
Honestly the book moves a tad slow at times, but it gives to the overall feel of the book. The kids are isolated. There is no television, no cell phones, just them and the school. They literally have not type of outlet. You only get a feel of the small group, not really any other outside influences. Though their trauma's are hard, the enlightening part of the book is they have adults there that actually support and care for them, and the bonds they create are with each other are beautiful to watch grow. You will find yourself cheering for their recovery!
⚠️Trigger warnings⚠️
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I almost exclusively read mysteries and thrillers but I received a copy of this book from the author and truly had no idea what it was about. I saw the cover and made an assumption that it was another mystery ..... I was wrong and I'm glad as it allowed me to read something out of my genre. At first I was a bit distracted by the background of the characters and how fast they suddenly arrived in the story, but by the time I was done, I was glad I had read it. It's nice to read a story that turns out well for everyone in the end and the characters were likeable. While this is not my typical read, I appreciated the story and liked the change of pace. I won't say more to avoid giving anything away but thank you Ash Finley for letting me read a copy. I am looking forward to more from you!
Whilst this is definitely not a genre I would normally read, I was happy to accept Ms Finley's offer of a free ebook in return for an unbiased review. Unsound by Ash Finley is a sometimes harrowing account of a year or so in the lives of several teenagers who, for various reasons, find themselves lumped together in a care home environment. The story is told, sometimes in flashback but mostly linearly, from the viewpoints of six chief characters. It follows them as they learn to deal with past and present traumas and also learn the value of trust in one another. Despite coming from a generation that rarely heard the sort of tales exposed in Unsound (Though I'm sure there were many cases swept under the carpet) I found I related easily to the plights and difficulties of the young people depicted in this book. I did find there were so many characters going through so much trauma that I sometimes had to reread sections to remind myself of just who was who. But that's just me. All in all, I found Unsound to be a most intriguing and well-written story of the issues faced by many young people today. I believe there is a sequel in the pipeline. I'll look forward to reading about the next twelve months.
Learning and reading about these misplaced teenagers was a very interesting topic. Reading about their problems and how they came to peace with them was very heartwarming; however, what I didn’t like about the book, is the hormones and rule breaking they were all allowed to do. With previous experience as a parent with a child struggling with addiction, the sexual activities and interaction disappointed me. These children were there to overcome and understand their addictions and problems and I felt that the sexually among them wasn’t appropriate for the facility or the story
I’ll never get over a book that breaks you in the best ways. Unsound was soo good and I just couldn’t put it down once I started reading it.
Getting to know each of the individual characters and their stories while seeing how they all flowed together was amazing! I loved how well the multiple povs didn’t take away from one another even though each of their own challenges was so heavy.
The story of a group of teenagers overcoming their battles at a boarding school for “misfits”, somehow they all fit together perfectly.
Be sure to check the triggers because there are a ton of heavy topics - mental abuse, eating disorders, rape and sexual abuse, drug use, depression and loss.
What a different book. Filled with multiple POVs making the readers experience different then any other read off the bat. I thought it was a well thought our story bouncing between multiple teenagers who have hard a difficult start to life. Throw in a few adults and the story becomes a bit more tangled. The plot and story was enticing I throughly enjoyed the story. I will definitely give this author another shot and see what else is up her sleeve!
This is by far my favorite book of 2022 so far. It took me longer than most books because I felt so deeply connected to, and invested in, each character that I took my time to feel every connection. I was especially hooked on Holly and seeing her transformation and growth as a character and person. Trust me, you don't need to have experiences like these characters to feel all of their heartbreak, triumphs, and emotions. I cannot wait to see this book take off and I sincerely hope to see more from Ash in the future!
This book is different from what I normally read but I loved it. Unsound is about troubled teens that get sent to a boarding school. These kids hold secrets and have had traumatic experiences. Lots of emotions came through as I read the book. In reality teens go through so much today that they need help not being sent to boarding school. They need understanding, guidance and support. It’s nice that these kids have support in each other. Can’t wait for more books from Ash Finley.
I received this book in a #goodreads giveaway and it did not disappoint. Unsound follows a group of troubled teens who find themselves thrown together at Ranier, a last chance school for youth overcoming addiction and abuse. They must learn to trust and rely on each other to face and overcome the demons of their past to believe in and embark on a more positive future.
I’m floored. This book had everything I’d hoped for when I read the blurb. The teens in this book were real. ABSOLUTELY and 100% real. The teens in this book were so much like my ‘at risk’ and ‘fragile’ students over the years. Ash Finley wrote with careful finesse and I’m so happy I read this book!
GOODREADS Giveaway Win - Thank you, Ash Finley and Amazon
In this story; Holly and members of the Mountain Climbers group detox physically and emotionally. Slowly, they begin to trust and bond with each other. This begins the healing process. The author creates characters that readers care about. Perhaps this book could have been written as a series with each novel focusing on specific persons or couples. As a stand-alone, the content became somewhat unwieldy. More research into security and rules at rehabilitation centers would have made some parts more authentic.
Loved this book, loved Holly's character, so sarcastic, but I feel it was in a hide my feelings type of way. I loved how a the book described what she went through and came out the other side. It was a great read and really well written. I love the different pov's that you get it really brought the emotion out for me cause you could see why every one was doing what they were doing. Definitely would recommend it's a great read.
I love this book. I couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with each character and craved more of them around me at all times. I didn’t want it to end! It’s one of those books that I will definitely miss the imaginary friends I made while reading
Ash Finley has such an unique voice. Unsound, with its varied POVs, captured my attention and I was immediately invested in these characters. I need to more about them! Unsound is not my typical read, but I'm happy I received this advanced copy.
I loved how raw and real this book is. The characters are all well thought out, complex, and weave into each others lives in believable ways. I love that you get to see through the eyes of multiple parties and see their stories unravel and evolve through their own eyes as well as those of their peers. There are a few grammatical errors peppered throughout the book and it ended a little abruptly for me (though I was relieved to know there’s a follow up in the works!). Overall an enjoyable story and I look forward to the continuation!
This book was VERY different from what I typically read, but I did enjoy it. The multiple POVs kind of got confusing at points for me, but by the end I really knew all the characters and enjoyed every bit of their growth!
This was amazing. The world building was simple and realistic. However, from the beginning, these characters make for a gripping novel. Their joy is as uplifting as their pain and trauma are gutting. This story, their stories, will stay with you! Phenomenal ensemble cast of characters.
Amazing book! I loved all the different views from each character. When I received the book I read a bit of the beginning and I just loved it. I rushed through the book I was currently reading to start this one and it did not disappoint!!
This story follows a group of teens that are sent to a camp/school for youth that have had runs in with the law, substance use etc. The seamless transition between viewpoints of all characters including the teens and their teacher/camp leader had me hooked. A great read.
Won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my first DNF. I could not connect with the characters, younger and older. Adults at a school for troubled teens were completely lackluster in their attention. I made it 40% and honestly could not get myself to pick it back up.
Just finished- initial thoughts are that I really enjoyed it! I loved reading through multiple perspectives- it gives you a glimpse of how each character processed their trauma and how they reacted to the ways their fellow group members did also.
Full review coming soon!🖤 Thank you to the author, Ash for the advanced copy!! ________________________________________________ Full REVIEW: A remote school for trouble(d) teens in the wilderness? CHECK Multiple POVs? CHECK Secrets and lies? CHECK Addiction? CHECK Family drama? CHECK Spicy, spicy sexual tension? CHECK CHECK CHECK!
I absolutely DEVOURED this debut novel by Ash Finley- it hooked me right from the start. We follow multiple students throughout, but you'll get attached to certain ones- I promise. I thought the atmosphere and the setting was really well done, and the special school to help rehabilitate these kids was so unique.
Some characters I just wanted to smack- you know the type...snotty, jealous, whiney...so you know they were written well in order to get under my skin! The dramatic and messy relationships with one another (because, like..you know when you throw teens together with no phones/internet- they're going to develop the feels..) kept me wondering where things would lead. Although each one was sent to this school under horrifying experiences, their mutual need for understanding, safety, and ultimately love binds them as a family as they begin to heal. *TRIGGER WARNINGS*
Review This book was very well written and I read it with ease. The author has a way of writing each character that pulls you in so you empathize with their situation. I wish I had read the synopsis before reading the book because it is about teenagers and I haven’t been one in a very long time. Andy probably would not have picked it up if I had. But, with teenagers comes lack of communication and with trauma comes drama so there is ALOT of it in this book. It was nice to see a good ending. This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway and my review is it’s has moderate spice (again teenagers) but it’s a book of how growth can come from honesty and learning to trust and communication.
I loved all of the positive affirmations at the beginning of each chapter.
I loved this book. The story is told from a first person POV; however, instead of one narrator, the story shifts between a group of them (I think 6). I liked that one scene could be told from different angles this way. It wasn't retold, but one narrator would pick up where another left off. Usually right where you'd be wondering what the second narrator's reaction was to the scene.
The story is so real and so raw. I found myself really transported into their reality. I also found myself reading this book straight through in two days.
There were a few other things that I would like to note. Never having experienced rehab myself, I can't say definitively, but there did seem to be several situations throughout the book that were rather contrived and some that seemed downright unlikely. Also while I did enjoy the rotating POV, there are many shifts within one chapter which some people may not like.
Overall I'd highly recommend reading this book.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.