Happy release day!!
Thanks to Inkshares for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
SUNSHINE IS FOREVER by Kyle T. Cowan is out today 🙂
This is the final August #CJSReads2017 title and this one was slightly different than what we typically read as a group (almost always thrillers). So keep your eyes peeled for the collective thoughts!
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars!
Normally the #CJSReads trio focuses on thrillers, horror, and crime books, so when the publisher sent this along with a few other books I was going into it blindly. SUNSHINE IS FOREVER by Kyle T. Cowan is definitely different from what I normally read, but I’m so happy that I gave it a chance. Teen suicide and depression are topics not too widely covered, and Cowan did a great job making this raw with a twist of dark humor.
Hunter Thompson has attempted to take his life multiple times. After “the Incident” and then losing his only friend, his depression began to get the better of him. He is then sent to Camp Sunshine – a rehab camp for depressed teenagers. He is determined to keep everyone at a distance, including his new therapist. However, there is one person that he feels he can open up to, Corin. Despite being warned that she is someone to avoid, Hunter finds himself drawn to her. When she tries to enlist his help in an escape will Hunter continue to run from his traumatic history or will a mistake force him to face the consequences?
I’d have to say that this book was a pleasant surprise for me! I didn’t know what to expect going into it and I had only read the description on the back of the book. I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up off the shelf (mainly because I’m awful at straying from the thriller section – I’m working on it though!) and I would have missed out. This is a great look into the mind of a teenager coping with his depression. This story is incredibly raw and realistic throughout. I kept flipping the pages so I could find out what “the Incident” was! I needed to know what happened to bring Hunter to where he currently was. Cowan created characters that the reader can instantly connect with and they were all unique. With it being a more serious topic, there was a dash of dark humor added in to lighten the mood.
Overall, if you want an incredibly realistic look into the mind of a teenager struggling with his depression and finding a way to cope, then this is one you need to pick up. Definitely one that I’m happy I took a chance on. As a warning, this could be a harder one to read for anyone that is or has struggled with similar issues.
Is this a topic you think should be covered more? I think it’s really interesting getting a glimpse into the mind of someone struggling with these issues – really try to understand what they’re going through and see it through their eyes.
–Jess
Jessicamap Reviews 