Publishers Weekly
04/20/2015
Stone (Time After Time) delves into the mind of an obsessive-compulsive teenager to explore how her mental disorder affects her relationships and interactions with the world. “Debilitating, uncontrollable” thoughts are nothing new for 16-year-old Samantha, but fearing rejection, she’s kept her disability (and her treatment for it) secret from her popular friends. But now, intrigued by a group of offbeat poets, Samantha begins to want to open up and express herself. The secret room where the poets meet becomes her place of refuge. One member, Caroline, becomes her confidante, while another, A.J. (who Samantha bullied as a child), becomes a romantic interest. As Samantha is caught between conflicting loyalties to her old and new friends, she realizes that her perceptions may be distorted. Although it’s somewhat hard to believe that none of Samantha’s friends notice her obsessive patterns of thinking, her emotions—ranging from panic to insecurity and elation—are very real. The story’s surprising climax will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Ages 12–up. Agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (June)
From the Publisher
"Clueless meets Dead Poets Society with a whopping final twist."—Kirkus Reviews
"This book is highly recommended-readers will connect with Sam, relating to her anxiety about her peers, and root for her throughout the book." —VOYA
"A thoughtful romance with a strong message about self-acceptance, [this] sensitive novel boasts strong characterizations and conflicts that many teens will relate to. Eminently readable."—Booklist
"A brilliant and moving story about finding your voice, the power of words, and true friendship. I couldn't put it down."—Elizabeth Eulberg, Author of The Lonely Hearts Club
"Brilliant, brave, and beautiful." —Kathleen Caldwell, A Great Good Place for Books
"A riveting story of love, true friendship, self-doubt and self-confidence, overcoming obstacles, and truly finding oneself."—Melanie Koss, Professor of Young Adult Literature, Northern Illinois University
"Romantic, unpredictable, relatable, and so very enjoyable."—Arnold Shapiro, Oscar- and Emmy-winning Producer
"Characters to love and a story to break your heart. Readers will want to turn page after page and read every last word. Then do it all over again."—Marianne Follis, Teen Librarian, Valley Ranch (Irving) Public Library
School Library Journal - Audio
02/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—Sam seems like any other 16-year-old girl. She enjoys competitive swimming, hanging out with her girlfriends, talking about boys, and going to concerts. But underneath the surface is a troubled teen who suffers from Purely Obsessional OCD. Her only respite comes when she meets Caroline, who introduces her to a secret poets' society. There she meets up with AJ, a boy from her past, and discovers a place where she can turn words into beautiful expressions and begins to discover her real self. Amy Rubinate narrates the story with a soft, smooth tone. Her voice is best suited for female characters but handles AJ's part appropriately. VERDICT Teens, and their parents, would benefit from listening to this treatment of life with a mental illness. ["While the beginning is slow and requires some suspension of disbelief, the climax and resolution are resounding enough to rise above any shadows of doubt": SLJ 6/15 review of the Hyperion book.]—Alice Davidson, Indianapolis, IN
School Library Journal
06/01/2015
Gr 8 Up—Sixteen-year-old Sam spends her summers training at the private club pool, working to earn the county title and a college scholarship. Her school-year counterpart, Samantha, is tied to a toxic group of popular besties-for-life, trying to keep her Purely Obsessional OCD a secret. Running with a crowd who takes hostile notice of every social misstep, every misapplied bit of makeup, and any move that is less than normal, keeping her diagnosis a secret is not easy. Out of the blue, Samantha meets Caroline, who introduces her to a secret society called the Poet's Corner. Slowly, Samantha begins to discover how she can remain Sam and be true to herself outside of summer and the pool, and even trust the cute musician AJ enough to fall in love with him. Just when Sam begins to feel confident in herself, the very thing that helped her feel normal is what ultimately makes her question her sanity. Approached in a very respectful and informative manner, this story of coming to terms with a difficult diagnoses and being less-than-normal is in no way didactic. While the beginning is slow and requires some suspension of disbelief, the climax and resolution are resounding enough to rise above any shadows of doubt. VERDICT While the story's romance falls almost too easily into place, this title will do well in libraries where Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins are in high demand.—Brittany Staszak, St. Charles Public Library, IL
Kirkus Reviews
2015-04-01
Spa days. VIP concert tickets. The envy of the girls in the lunchroom. Sixteen-year-old Samantha and her friends, the Crazy Eights, have it all—at least, that's what Samantha has always let everyone believe. Nobody can know the real Sam, the crazy girl with OCD. If they found out, it would cost her everything. But when an unlikely new friend introduces Sam to a secret society of student poets, speaking her truth becomes increasingly appealing. While the novel gets off to a misleading start as Sam battles violent, obsessive thoughts that are unlike anything else she experiences in the rest of the story, Stone does offer readers a fresh take on OCD by focusing on Sam's internal struggle as opposed to the external behaviors that are typically associated with the disorder. Sam is an endearing protagonist readers will find familiar and enjoy rooting for. And while the Eights come off as flat, stereotypical cool girls, the oddball members of Poet's Corner are genuinely intriguing. With the exception of Caroline, who introduces Sam to the group, and AJ, Sam's new boyfriend, who are fully developed, readers, like Sam, will be left wishing they'd been allowed to get to know the rest of the crew better. Clueless meets Dead Poets Society with a whopping final twist. (Fiction. 12-18)
