my first good quality book cry of 2013.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect but I enjoyed this novel. It is a story of grief and healing , friendship and acceptance. I will be sharing this with my older students.

I sped through this book - Henry's struggles to come to terms with 'IT", his parents' rocky relationship, and his new school read very authentic. It's a great story that deals with bullying and loss. I didn't like it as much as [b:Hate List|6316171|Hate List|Jennifer Brown|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388416246s/6316171.jpg|6501420] but it's a personal preference more than any failing on the part of this book

Henry is at a new school just trying to get along. But that's not all. He has a lot to work through from what happened at his old school. His therapist insists that Henry keep a journal but Henry isn't sure that it will help him forget.

I was really surprised at just how much I enjoyed this book. It's similar to Perks of Being a Wallflower in several ways: written in a diary format, something (several things) happen that are quite tragic and dark, and it's actually quite uplifting. Ultimately I think its about friendship and acceptance - of others and of yourself, especially acceptance of what's happened in your past and looking forward to the future. Definitely recommend for any teen or adult.

This is a gripping tale read in one sitting. I predict it to win many awards.

I love a novel that lingers. I read a lot as a job hazard, which often means once I finally close the cover on a book I generally leave it behind and mentally move on to the next title on my list. But some books won't let me move on right away, as the characters keep calling to me and my mind keeps replaying their stories. This is one of those books.

I nearly gave this five stars due to my emotional engagement and the tangible nature of the characters, but in some ways it was almost too perfect--the pacing and gradual reveal of information, the timing of character interactions, even the flaws and imperfections of the characters all felt a little too carefully crafted in a way that made things seem less natural and original. Still, it was very good writing and storytelling, enough so that I'll gladly give it four-and-a-half stars.

This is the story of a young trauma survivor dealing with the collapse of his family after his older brother did . . . something horrific. There is anger and guilt, social isolation, and more, all very real and believable. It's a good read that creates empathy.

This is a great read. Short and easy but captivating and powerful. It deals with an unfortunate event brought on by bullying and how the family copes with the aftermath.

Read this in just a few short hours. Couldn't put it down! Great voice and characters, especially Henry and Farley. Tough topic but view from this perspective is even more important.