Clean

Amazing book

I absolutely love this book. It's addicting...lol.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Just okay.

This book was okay. I like teen fiction and I watch shows like Intervention on A&E so I was excited to read this book. I like the idea that the story is told from each character's point of view; however, the character Eva's chapters, stereotypical "emo" poetry, are confusing, annoying, and too drawn out to say the least. The book was too short for me. I would recommend it to be checked out of the library for a weekend, but for me it was a waste of money.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

Makes you realize how important a life really is... beautiful storie!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A SUPERB BOOK!!

A must read! I felt like I was qatching them and yet I was right there with them! I loved this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

AMAZING

I couldnt stop reading! The pages had so much expresion and i read it in a matter of days

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Beautiful

It made me think. I loved every page!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Changed my thoughts

This is an absolutely great book and i would recommend it to any troubled teen with drug problems. I am one of those teens & after reading this book it helped me realize that i can change because i have the ability to and i deserve to . My family does not deserve all of the hurt i have caused for them as wel and this book made me realize that. Thank you Amy Reed. DESTINEE

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Review from Blkosiner's book Blog

Clean is a powerful book about teens in a rehab center. It focuses on 5 different teens, two boys and three girls. I think that it's amazing how Amy wove their tales together, how they interacted with each other, but most distinctly, I really was impressed at how she was able to give them each a unique voice. They all had different things that led them to drugs or alcohol, but I love how they are able to band together, forgetting those differences and seeing each other as real people with real needs, and forming a friendship and a road to recovery.
I also liked Shelly the councelor, I hope that there are people like that for every recovery group. She seemed to know what each needed and pushed them to participate, share, and what is appropriate at what time for them. She told it like it was without sugarcoating, and I like that aspect. Sometimes things are skimmed over because it's YA, but this is a raw and powerful book.
I definitely recommend that you pick this up and give it a try. It moved me and I think given a chance it will speak to everyone who reads it. I was able to see pieces of myself in the characters and it made me so thankful that I've never been down that road, but it gave me glimpse of what that road could look like.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sample ' Sample:)

Omg just by reading the smple im in love with this book but ima just get it from the public library im so excited to read

Love!

I love this book it shows the struggles and the insite into an addicts mind. Absolutely wonderful!

Life style

An amazing book.The book i've ever read

Review: Clean

This really was a distracting book to read. I think that's a given when you have four different view points. It's did have it's good qualities though.

I did enjoy reading about each characters addictions and their lives. Each one has a different problem and different things that lead to there addictions. I found that fascinating. I enjoyed how each one came to terms with who they were and how their addictions were controlling their lives. While reading about each of their rock bottoms was a little horrifying, I liked having it all laid out for me. It helped me see how each one got to rehab, either by their own choice or by their actions. I think it also helped them when they each acknowledged that publicly.

I didn't really like the 4 person storyline, especially when a couple characters didn't have a distinct voice. Occasionally I had a hard time figuring out who was talking. It also felt like I didn't get to know the characters as well as I would have liked because of this. I also just didn't like the rehab set up. It didn't feel real. There was something that just didn't flow right for me about the whole thing.

Gritty & Emotional

Clean is a hard hitting contemporary novel that deals with the struggles of a group of teens in recovery. It's not a happy book by any means, but it is a hopeful one.

At the start of the novel you are introduced to all 5 main characters very quickly. Its a bit confusing at first trying to figure out who is who, but that doesn't last long due to each characters distinct voice. There's Kelly (the popular, party girl), Olivia (the new, rich girl), Christopher (the quite, weird boy), Eva (the rude, punk girl) and Jason (the loud, pretty boy). Most of the novel is told from Christopher and Kelly's POV, which is both a blessing and a curse since you get to know these two characters very well but also get a limited view of Eva, Jason and Olivia.

I really enjoyed Eva's characters the most because I really felt all her sadness and vulnerability hiding beneath all her anger. However, I think everyone will be able to identify with at least one of the characters since they're all so vastly different. Even if you can't relate to the substance or recovery issue, all of these teens have gone through a personal crises that have lead them down the road to addiction.

Clean is a very quick read due to the stories short time frame and essay like structure. Plus with the intense subject matter its nearly impossible to put down. I found the various different storytelling devices (narrative, dialogue, essay, questionnaire & group sessions) to be a really unique way to get to know all the characters. It also helped to create a more secluded and intensely emotional atmosphere within the rehab center forcing the 5 teens into relying and confiding in each other, something which they all are hesitate to do.

I really appreciated author Amy Reed's ability to create a gritty emotional journey into the lives of these teen addicts. There is nothing glamorous about what these characters have gone or are going through. I also appreciated the honest, unapologetic and often brutal language and interaction between the teens. Was it hard to read sometimes? Yes. Was it always necessary? I think so, because I needed to feel that all 5 of these teens had hit rock bottom, which I did. That if they didn't get their lives together they were all going to end up dead or in jail.

Towards the end of the novel we get a glimpse into how far these characters have come, but also how far they still have to go. I love the hopefulness of it because in my opinion, that's what this novel is about. That no matter what you've done to yourself or to others, things can always get better and their is always hope.

Clean is not a book everyone is going to enjoy as there's sex, drugs, drinking, and foul language throughout. With that being said, I think that its an important novel that deals with a very delicate subject matter in a mature, realistic and hopeful way. I would definitely recommend Clean to older teens or adults who enjoy contemporary novels dealing with social and family issues.

Moving Stories

Clean is the story of 5 teens in rehab. Each of them had different lives and upbringings, and each of them had a different drug of choice. They all shared addiction and the need to get help, so now they are all in the same rehab center. This book follows all 5 of them through various stages of recovery. Even though they come from very different backgrounds and lifestyles, they seem to bond over their shared problems.

As you can imagine, a book about teens in rehab is rather hard to read. I had a particularly hard time figuring out why some of them turned to drugs. The language was often harsh, but it was realistic to the setting. I felt the most sympathy for Olivia, whose problems truly seemed to be caused in large part by the actions of others. I was glad to see that they were all forced to take responsibility for their actions. Their group councilor was awesome. We could all used someone like her around to help us see things clearer.

Just like in real life, the end wasn't cut and dry. I worried that some of the characters may never get past their issues. However, there were a lot of really good things said in this book. I think this book can really facilitate some important discussions about how we react to things, what healthy ways to cope are, and how to recognize when people have a problem. There is also great hope that people can change and get better. That's something we could all stand to understand a little better.

Galley provided by publisher for review.

Gritty and moving. Clean is a story about the power to overcome and that no one can do it alone.

Teens experience quiet a few "firsts", from jobs to cars and potential loves. It's not often a person's first time in rehab happens during their teens, but for Olivia, Kelly Chris, Jason and Eva rehab is a part of their teenage experience. Each suffering various forms of addiction and each in need of the other, though they may not know it yet. During their time together in rehab they'll learn to overcome not only their addictions, but their aversion to the others who will become their greatest source of strength. Amy Reed is known for writing about gritty tough situations that perhaps not every teen will encounter, but with an insight that many will be able to relate to. Clean was told from the viewpoints of five very different characters, each suffering from a different addiction including anything from eating disorders to alcohol or drug abuse. At first it took quite a bit to get used to the alternating viewpoints, but once I settled into my reading I was able to really appreciate how each voice worked with the others to create a gripping read. Though reading about kids recovering from these types of addictions wouldn't normally be my cup of tea, I found myself completely absorbed in their stories and hoping they'd each make it out okay. What was most appealing to me about this story, besides being something I'd never read about before, was what happened to the characters throughout the course of the story. Each one of them came from somewhere that they felt was their last stopping point and that they had nowhere to go, because of that they turned to their various addictions as comforts in the absence of what they lacked. How many of us do this to a certain degree? I would wager that most of us have varying addictions, even if only a few of us need professional help to overcome them. Through their journey in the book each of the characters discovered that first of all they hadn't reached the end of their personal stories and secondly, they could find hope in the companionship & support of the others in their same situation. That's where the story comes to life and where it shows readers the potential in their own personal journeys, no matter the ease or severity of their situation. Clean is more than a story about five washed up teens struggling through their own version of rehab. It's a story about self-awareness, confidence, strength, friendship and most of all hope. Amy Reed has shared yet another gritty and raw read that will have readers contemplating their own sources of strength and hope. Be aware, it's realistic fiction and it's obviously set in a rehab clinic filled with less than savory characters which may be uncomfortable for some to read about. Honestly, there were a couple of scenes that turned my stomach a bit, but nonetheless had me thinking this would be a great book for discussion with teens from all walks of life. Find hope in a place you might not normally go looking, in the hearts and souls of the five teens in Clean by Amy Reed. Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site, There's A Book.

Gritty and moving. Clean is a story about the power to overcome and that no one can do it alone.

Teens experience quiet a few "firsts", from jobs to cars and potential loves. It's not often a person's first time in rehab happens during their teens, but for Olivia, Kelly Chris, Jason and Eva rehab is a part of their teenage experience. Each suffering various forms of addiction and each in need of the other, though they may not know it yet. During their time together in rehab they'll learn to overcome not only their addictions, but their aversion to the others who will become their greatest source of strength.

Amy Reed is known for writing about gritty tough situations that perhaps not every teen will encounter, but with an insight that many will be able to relate to. Clean was told from the viewpoints of five very different characters, each suffering from a different addiction including anything from eating disorders to alcohol or drug abuse. At first it took quite a bit to get used to the alternating viewpoints, but once I settled into my reading I was able to really appreciate how each voice worked with the others to create a gripping read. Though reading about kids recovering from these types of addictions wouldn't normally be my cup of tea, I found myself completely absorbed in their stories and hoping they'd each make it out okay.

What was most appealing to me about this story, besides being something I'd never read about before, was what happened to the characters throughout the course of the story. Each one of them came from somewhere that they felt was their last stopping point and that they had nowhere to go, because of that they turned to their various addictions as comforts in the absence of what they lacked. How many of us do this to a certain degree? I would wager that most of us have varying addictions, even if only a few of us need professional help to overcome them. Through their journey in the book each of the characters discovered that first of all they hadn't reached the end of their personal stories and secondly, they could find hope in the companionship & support of the others in their same situation. That's where the story comes to life and where it shows readers the potential in their own personal journeys, no matter the ease or severity of their situation.

Clean is more than a story about five washed up teens struggling through their own version of rehab. It's a story about self-awareness, confidence, strength, friendship and most of all hope. Amy Reed has shared yet another gritty and raw read that will have readers contemplating their own sources of strength and hope. Be aware, it's realistic fiction and it's obviously set in a rehab clinic filled with less than savory characters which may be uncomfortable for some to read about. Honestly, there were a couple of scenes that turned my stomach a bit, but nonetheless had me thinking this would be a great book for discussion with teens from all walks of life. Find hope in a place you might not normally go looking, in the hearts and souls of the five teens in Clean by Amy Reed.

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site, There's A Book.

Powerful, heart-wrenching and real

Meet Kelly, Olivia, Christopher, Jason and Eva. All of them are teens with promising futures. All of them are addicts.

These five kids all come from different backgrounds and they all have different addictions. They're being forced to reevaluate themselves in a suburban rehab center for teens. Some of them want to change, while some of them still won't admit they have a problem. They're all going to have to work together as a group to find themselves again, and put themselves on the road to recovery.

Amy Reed has written an amazing, gut-punch of a novel filled with raw emotion. I haven't met characters so real since I read Ordinary Beauty. The author doesn't hold back. The language is raw, the emotions are heavy and the situations these kids have put themselves in are not pretty. At the same time, there is a light at the end of this deep, dark tunnel. These five kids, so unalike in the beginning learn to love and respect one another as they face the cold, hard realities of what they've done to their lives and how it has affected others.

I opened the ARC of this one just to read the first page or two to get a feel for it, and I didn't stop reading. I didn't put my nook down until I had finished the book. I was completely lost in the story. The writing style is very unique. It's told through a series of essays, group sessions and first-person narratives. I was completely engaged. I laughed at some parts and cried in others. I felt every emotion possible. The most heart-wrenching scenes in the book had to be when the parents came to rehab for group sessions with their kids. I was cheering for every single one of these kids by the end of the book. I can not recommend this one enough. Though the story does deal with some heavy subjects and the author doesn't hold back in her descriptions, I think this book should be read by teens and parents, especially those who use, have ever considered using or have friends who use drugs.

(Review based on an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher via Simon & Schuster GalleyGrab)

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.