How does Samantha’s relationship with her therapist, Sue, aid in her journey towards self-acceptance? Real life doesn't work that way. Mental illnesses don't work that way. I know very well it doesn't work that way because I've got it. Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

La evolución que sufre el personaje de Sam es increíble, entendible y detallada. En un entorno realista, sin estereotipos y con una trama romántica que parece algo típica pero que se va convirtiendo en una simple excusa para la evolución del personaje principal. Todos los elementos de la novela juegan un papel importante, y creo que es como debería ser: que todo confluya en el protagonista, de algún modo u otro. I loved this book, I mean epically loved it. I related so much to Samantha and you don’t have to be OCD to understand her. I think that just about everyone can relate to how Sam felt. Most everyone struggles with belonging and fear of judgment at some point in their lives. I love the lessons Sam learned and how she grew throughout the story. Reese and her debate team partner and longtime crush David are in Arizona when it happens. Everyone knows the world will never be the same. On their drive home to San Francisco, along a stretch of empty highway at night in the middle of Nevada, a bird flies into their headlights. The car flips over. When they wake up in a military hospital, the doctor won’t tell them what happened, where they are—or how they’ve been miraculously healed. The “Crazy Eights”: This group of popular girls includes Sam. They adhere strictly to the norms of high school popularity, which often leads to toxic behavior. Their influence on Sam becomes a significant conflict in the story. An exceptionally well-written, beautifully-told and incredibly moving story. Inspiring and uplifting and utterly enchanting…. peppered throughout with some truly fantastic poetry. It delivers a love story that will make readers smile. And it adds a twist that is sure to surprise. It is a gorgeous and amazing and unforgettable must-read.” — Fiktshun

Mistakes. Trial and error. Same thing. Mistakes are how we learned to walk and run and that hot things burn when you touch them. You’ve made mistakes all your life and you’re going to keep making them.” I know I'm not my mental illness. I think I'm an awesome person. I'm smart, I'm funny, I'm pretty good looking for my age. But at the same time, there's a part of me that just constantly whispers "You're not normal. You'll never be normal." It takes a lot of effort go to through my day sometimes.

Además las relaciones entre los personajes van creciendo y evolucionando poco a poco y me ha gustado mucho porque no hay nada que sea instantáneo ni aleatorio, sino que sabemos qué va a pasar y vemos cómo pasa con naturalidad.

Every Last Word by Stone Tamara Ireland

Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley.) And then there's the artificially sweet and improbable artsy-fartsy little Poetry Corner with whom she falls in when she tries to make some true friends, people who understand her, people who express their emotions through words and poetry and song. A private little club that nobody knows about. Gag me, really. Real life doesn't have this shit. As I scan the room, taking in the slips of paper scattered around me, I think I catch Caroline and pixie-cut girl look at each other. “What is this place?” I ask again, hearing the amazement in my own voice. I was honestly hooked from the start. It had a plot-line that kept me completely engaged the entire time and the romance was portrayed so realistically and was so swoon-worthy it had me smiling to myself while I was reading. I just think that the romance is so real and fun to read about and it was perfectly paced. The characters were all great! I loved her psychologist and the poetry group and everyone in it so much! I just felt for them all and felt like I was friends with them too by the end! I also loved how poetry was incorporated into the novel. It was done wonderfully and the poems were all so unique and different and lovely. Es también bastante predecible, de hecho es lo que menos me ha gustado, porque desde el principio sabía cuál iba a ser el giro final. Aún así ese giro final no se da tan al final como esperaba sino que la historia continúa y eso lo ha mejorado bastante. I absolutely loved the first two-thirdsof the book. I connected with Sam’s pain, and I feel like a lot of the OCD aspects were portrayed reallywell.

Once again Tamara Ireland Stone blows me away with incredible characters and a story I couldn’t put down. Put this one on your to be read list immediately and then hide away where no one can interrupt you while reading. It’s such a poignant, beautiful story.” — Jaime ArkinTalks about medication: Sam is on medication, and even though she doesn’t consistentlytake it, the book shows how beneficial being on meds for mental illness can be. As she immerses herself in this newfound community, she begins to experience a semblance of “normality,” far surpassing what she felt amidst her popular counterparts. However, just as Sam settles into this comfort, she stumbles upon a revelation that rattles her perception of reality, propelling her to reassess her sanity and everything she cherishes.

It’s even better when these stories include therapy sessions and showcase the positive impact they can have. A good therapist can do that.

Caroline: A down-to-earth and humorous girl, Caroline becomes Sam’s new friend. She introduces Sam to Poet’s Corner and plays a crucial role in her journey of self-discovery and acceptance.