Review: Finding Hope by Colleen Nelson

Hope lives in a small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go. With a drug addict for a brother, she focuses on the only thing that keeps her sane, writing poetry. To escape, she jumps at the chance to attend Ravenhurst Academy as a boarding student. She’ll even put up with the clique-ish Ravens if it means making a fresh start.

At first, Ravenhurst is better than Hope could have dreamed. She has a boyfriend and a cool roommate, and she might finally have found a place she can fit in. But can she trust her online boyfriend? And what can she do after her brother shows up at the school gates, desperate for help, and the Ravens turn on her? Trapped and unsure, Hope realizes that if she wants to save her brother, she has to save herself first. 

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3 Stars

I didn't think that this book featured anything special in terms of plot. I've read about addicts before, about cyber bullying, etc. However, what rated this book its 3 stars was the way it was written.

This book is written from two points of view: the first that of Hope; the second of Eric, Hope's brother. Hope was a bit generic for me and the only thing that set her apart from most of the other girls I've read of in similar situations is her poetry, which was honest, non rhythmic, and raw, but nothing that I would have read in a volume of poetry.

Eric's voice was the most frightening for me. The author really drew me into his paranoia, his need for more drugs, and all the horror and confusion that goes along with it. I found it unsettling, to say the list, but that's different for me. It isn't often I find a book that can make me unsure whether I want to keep reading or not because I'm feeling disturbed.

There was a part of the book I didn't like because it was a bit of a cliffhanger question that bugged me: what happened to Storm, Eric's dog?

Music Recommendation

Warning: This video is explicit, so be aware of that before watching it.

Monster by Eminem featuring Rhianna reminded me of Eric and all the horror he's facing as an addict.

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