Recovery Road

Reader: Elise S.
Age: 14
Title: Recovery Road
Author: Blake Nelson
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub Date:
Galley: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Recovery Road had a lot of hope in the story. When I picked it up, I thought that it was the kind of book that could be summed up in three words: love in rehab. But the farther I read, the more interesting it got. The love aspect was way overdone, when it was really a story about survival, second chances, and determination. The protagonist wasn't anybody spectacular, but she was interesting and relateable enough, and the way she dealt with her situation trying to get a good life, and the way people viewed her was really fascinating to read about.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I loved the way it wasn't about her bad actions, it was about Maddie dealing through the consequences. So many YA books are just plain depressing, but this told a sad story, but was about life continuing. It also made me understand and feel a little bit more connected with my classmates who make bad choices. I hope now, if the situation arises, I can be more compassionate, which is a great thing for a book to do. Another thing was how the story showed the consequences of drugs and alcoholism without being preachy about it. There wasn't a lot of "Just say no" stuff being shoved in your face, but it was still there.
Cover: In my opinion, the cover was flat, cliche, and gave away a lot of the book. It related very well, but really? A heart made out of pills? And the main character isn't so much of a drug addict as an alcoholic, if you want to be persnickety. The cover made it look like the whole book surrounded one message, but there was a lot more to it. The plain blue made everything look so flat and uninteresting, the heart just blah.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most