Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another winner of the 2022 Nerdie Book Club Graphic Novels---Katie and Kacey are best friends until Kacey starts acting weird, but Katie has some ticks that she does not want anyone to know about because that would make her weird. Being home schooled she has her world of friends there but there are cracks in friendships, worry about getting braces & what is going on in her mouth? Middle Grade Readers will love Katie's story and enjoy her growth as she meets each challenge head on and has supportive parents who help her navigate the tough times. Highly recommended!

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Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, this was an awesome book to listen to, Kate Rudd nailed Aza's obsessive compulsive mental illness-BUT it was tough to listen to (I ached for Aza) but a book teens need to read and will resonate with as mental illness, friendship, loss, families, are all explored and not easily resolved. Green is such a great writer and the fact that he himself suffers from OCD, it brought immediacy and urgency to Aza's story. She is naturally weird, so her obsessions don't help, making her shy and aloof. She has a very capable therapist, but Aza won't take her medicine as prescribed, doesn't always tell the whole truth and as she devolves--- fights the part of her illness that is obsessed with germs and microbes, breaking open a scab on her hand and compulsively cleaning and re-bandaging it- I asked myself, is it because she is a teen and doesn't know any better that she drinks hand sanitizer, and shirks the healing effects of taking her medicine? This book was a journey - Aza's friendship with Daisy and her romance with Davis saddened me; I wished a happy outcome and life for Aza, but I guess we need another book about an older Aza, don't we?

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Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I ached for Norah and her OCD and agoraphobia; she really is a prisoner in her home and her mind, until the day Luke moves next door!!! Gornall's book was especially poignant when I read the Author Notes and she writes what she knows because she lives with mental health struggles. Norah's inner voice, her anguish, depression, crushed me. As she tries to fight/overcomemove forward with her sickness, I rooted for her (also Luke was such a sweet, supportive teen who "got" Norah) and you will too. This is a must read for teens!

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Finding Perfect by Elly Swartz

Finding Perfect by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book for 2 reasons (1) Pernille Ripp recommended it & (2) I am reading debut authors for March twitter chat and this little gem is Elly's first novel. Molly is 12 years old, loves composing and acting our slam poetry, but desperately misses her mom who has moved away for a year for a job (and also separate from her dad). Molly likes even numbers, the orderly arrangement of her glass animals, but as time goes on and with her little brother, Ian and her older sister, Kate this family yearns for their mom to return. As Molly realizes her mind (SHE IS CRAZY) is crazy and holding her back, more & more counting is required to get through the day who can she tell about her worries? I ached for Molly as she is pitted between her two best friends, begins to realize her mother may not be coming home for a much needed visit, daily life becomes a living hell. I was happy Molly researched OCD, asked her Dad if there was a family connection & found online OCD friends but that still did not help Molly. In the end, finding perfect for Molly was learning her Grammy Jean had OCD, getting help through doctors and family & friend support. Loved this middle school book & heroine!

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The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great book about how Mikey & his friends slog through senior year trying to be "normal" while experiencing many extraordinary things such as blue lights, mountain lions, gods, immortals, love, friendship, OCD, vampires and much, much more. Ness' characters Mike and sisters Mel & Meredith hang out with Henna and Jared and talk about the group of indie kids and vampires and their goings on...life is anything but normal. They are normal kids dealing with some big issues and how will they impact life, prom & graduation?

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The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook because my friend, Tiff Emerick highly recommended it and also as part of the 2016 Hub Challenge. What a great book about friendship, battling OCD, first love and the crushing feelings/lies/secrets have on teens. Adam is the main character struggling with OCD and we meet him as part of an OCD support group (loved his therapist!!!) and I especially enjoyed their nicknames as a way of working through their discussions, therapies, and life. There is so much humor to help level the angst that these teens grapple with. Robyn and Adam's growing friendship totally sucked me in, loved them, their support for each other, and their love for each other. The hoarding and letters Adam's mom received are examples of the lies/secrets I hated that Adam felt he could not share...It was good to see Adam's other family where his little brother, Sweetie totally idolized him and his Dad and Stepmom loved and worried about him. I wish there had been another ending...but this a book I highly recommend for teens.

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