Review : Schizo By Nic Sheff.

                                                   

Hardcover, 272 pages                                                       Published September 30th 2014 by Philomel Books            Genres: Ya , Contemporary

The fascinating, shocking, and ultimately quite hopeful story of one teen’s downward spiral into mental illness by the bestselling author of Tweak.

Miles is the ultimate unreliable narrator—a teen recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown who believes he is getting better . . . when in reality he is growing worse.

Driven to the point of obsession to find his missing younger brother, Teddy, and wrapped up in a romance that may or may not be the real thing, Miles is forever chasing shadows. As Miles feels his world closing around him, he struggles to keep it open, but what you think you know about his world is actually a blur of gray, and the sharp focus of reality proves startling.

Written by the New York Times bestselling author of Tweak, Schizo is the fascinating, and ultimately quite hopeful, story of one teen's downward spiral into mental illness as he chases the clues to a missing brother. 

Lately I have read a large amount of books dealing with mental illness, perhaps starting my degree in psychology is influencing my decision in books.Anyways this is one of the better Ya books dealing the mental illness.This book not only tug my heart strings but also open up to a reality I do not live but many do.The novel not only deals with schizophrenia but the life on must live with it.Nico is able to make Miles a character you care for despite the lack of relatedness.

Miles deals with schizophrenia , but is still an caring brother, son and friend.He cares for his little sister and his two best friends.Miles is character who I rooted for to get better.I really did like him.His family is an awesome addition to this book , because you can how miles disorder affect them.Even through their struggle , they try there best to be supportive for miles, even though it not the easiest thing to do.Miles continues to blame himself for the disappearance of his brother, blaming him for creating stress i his family. Obsessed with finding him and making things right for his mother, father and sister.

As we miles in his epsiodes, those moments of vulnerability are quite sad and emotional. I feel for him , and hate that he see himself his life as over.When everyone was scared of him , I just wanted to give him a hug and let him know it's okay.The author is trying to tell reader that a  disorder should not destroy your life , and to overcome the problems instead of giving up.

I do have to mention that is book opened my eyes to the extent of this disorder, and the major ways it influencing ones life.Before I never understood as that serious but this book opened my perspective on it.

This book was a short , yet an emotional read. I am glad the direction of the book went and enjoyed learning more about schizophrenia and how it affects an whole family together

I was here by Gayle Forman.

                              I was here  by Gayle Forman.                   

  

Published January 27th 2015 by Viking       Juvenile (first published January 1st 2015)

Hardcover, 270 pages

Genres: Ya, Contemporary.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

 
I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss

What a surprise this book was, a good one actually.I have read Gayle Forman's past books, and really did not enjoy it as much as others did . But this one was truly a wonderful piece of work.The novel follows Cody after losing her best friend to suicide. She feels left in dark , wondering how could she missed the signs and why her friend never approached her about her problems.She agrees to pack Meg things from college for her parents. Through this wild wind adventure the truth starts to float to the surface , one that is hard to fully understand.

  

This book was amazing , the plot had a tragedy in it but yet I was in golfed by this mystery , which moved along the plot gracefully.I love the book for not focusing on the funereal and the after proceeding of one's death but straight went in to the real focus in the book.I applaud Gayle for real showing the sadness in this tragedy instead of glossing it over, suicide as romantic or black and white.It complicated, messy and leaves many forever wounded.That is what makes this book phenomenal.

The writing was okay , nothing whimsical and poetic like If I Stay, but it did not need it.Cody is a very cut and a dry narrator , the topic was hard and the writing also showed that. Reading it, you felt absorbed to the pain and get this eerie feeling, but that feeling is needed to understand how everyone feels.

The characters we pretty amazing. Cody is young adult who has identified what she is supposed after meg has left her, alone and confused.But she is determined, truthful and a layered character.She does not want to become what expected of her , but beyond it.She meets a Megs roommates, who I loved. Stoner dude is hilarious and love the depth Gayle gives him, he is not a flat character at all.Alice is a funny and sweet girl who loves to help Cody and truly be her friend. Harry was the true underdog in the book for me , beside me a computer hacker, he is sweet and lovable. Lastly is the love interest ( because this books dyingly needed one ), He is a rocker dude, who knew meg before she fell to her demise and is the puzzle to the this complicated mystery.

The character development is beautiful, the relationship between Cody and her mother began a broken one but flourished into a supportive relationship which was heartfelt to watch.Both grew from this tragedy and come out stronger as a whole unit, Cody able to call her mother "mom", admitting her pain and receiving undeniable support is beautiful.

This novel truly showed me the reality of suicide and not the YA version of it.Its tough complicated and a sad.This book just thinking about it gives me goosebumps, but well worth it.

I give this book a 3.75, I believe everyone should check this novel out.I do warn that they are some suicide triggers, and if your affected please skip this one out.