Everything’s Not Fine is the kind of book that will draw you in and you won’t want to stop.
Everything’s Not Fine by Sarah Carlson is about a teen named Rose Hemmersbach whose mother has just overdosed on heroin. Now her family is dealing with social workers, struggling to keep the house clean and children out of trouble, and their grandmother suddenly being back in the picture. Not only that, there is also a new boy at school that she may be developing feelings for and her college applications looming ahead. Will things be okay for Rose and her family?
Note: Sorry if the summary was terrible.
The first thing I really liked about this book was the writing. The style of writing the author choose was very descriptive and captivating. The book has some build up, but for the most part it seems to get right into the story. The book is at a pace that is slow enough to allow you to get to know the characters, setting, and other factors of the book. However, it is also fast enough to keep you entertained and engaged till the very end.
Something else I enjoyed about the story was the character of Rose. Rose is sorta cynical and serious a lot of times. This is completely justified and understandable though based on the life she had. I feel like the story was not only extremely realistic, but the characters as well especially Rose. Her character writing was spot on and you can definitely root and empathize with Rose.
Finally, I really felt like Sarah Carlson did well in terms of realism. While this somewhat goes back to the character writing, I feel like every character and the actions taken by the characters were completely understandable and justified. Not only that, the story itself felt very brutally honest and truthful in terms of the situation that Rose and her family are in. I really felt like the author knew what she was talking about and did her research. Those are two things I really appreciate in authors and Carlson nailed them both.
If I had to say one issue, I felt like there were a few times when the book could be a little slow than I had hoped. For the most part it was pretty balanced, but I wished there were a few more lines of dialouge instead of descriptions in some of the spaces. This is just a small nit pick though and in no way should it defer anyone from reading this amazing book.
This book is honest, realistic, heartfelt, and filled with great characters. If you’re looking for a book that really takes a look at how a teen can be impacted by parents and drug use then please pick up Everything’s Not Fine in May.
Until next time dear readers.
-Jessica
I was sent this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Dear Readers,
Dear Readers,
Note: This book delves a bit into mental health and suicide. If you are not comfortable with reading about those subjects then I would suggest not picking up this book.
I was never a huge soap opera fan. I had a ton of changes to watch them when I was younger since I was home during sick days, summer vacation, when I was going part time to community college, and various holiday breaks.
When you request an ARC you never know what to expect. Sometimes you expect something to be great and you end up hating it. Sometimes you don’t know what to expect from a book and end up loving it.
I have read a few books in the past that have main characters who are also big book fans. From Hazel in TFIOS to Amy in The Bookworm Crush, there has been a positive trend lately of more and more main characters of YA books being bookworms themselves and not only that but also part of book fandoms. They are book bloggers or book event goers or bookstagram users. These books have been relatable, fun, and just stories that holds a special place in my heart.