Marvelous Mess

A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin

* Received from the publisher for review. 

4 out of 5 gnomes

This book was a great read.  It takes a look at a myriad of serious issues and shows people they aren’t alone with their problems.  

It has a really great dual point of view because Emmy and Justin both have very different problems but they and everyone around them have to come to terms with their actions and what brought them to Heartland Academy.  

I love that this book expertly mixes both funny, sad, and sarcasm.  It doesn’t feel like you’re being preached to like in some other books about important issues it just feels like you learn along with the characters and realize before they do that they do indeed have problems.

When you read you’ll find yourself immersed in the story and rooting for all of the characters to succeed.  Figuring out what exactly is wrong with all the characters is both interesting and surprising.

I love the anger management group that brings all the characters together and the fateful trip that leads to some sincere moments and one heck of a funny/difficult situation for them all.  

Emmy and Justin feel like very realistic characters and it’s great to see them grow throughout the book.  They both learn to be better people and to stop blaming others.

The ending was extremely unexpected but left the characters going in the right direction.  I liked that they are essentially still on their journey to recovery and that the book doesn’t have an easy ending.