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pandafan7's review
5.0
Sam Nolen’s family is experiencing the effects of an unexpected six-year drought. They are a sheep-herding family, so the drought has hit them especially hard. They are forced to cut back drastically on water usage by selling some sheep, taking shorter showers, and installing an outdoor toilet. As the Nolen family struggles to survive, they each deal with the stress in different ways.
Sandra Rostirolla crafts the story from twelve-year-old Sam’s perspective. This softens some of the blow of the subject matter. Rostirolla crafts each character to feel real as though they could be someone you know in real life. The way Sam was written in particular was very touching and as I read, I could feel the pain of what he was going through. I particularly enjoyed Sam's tips about the “monster” inside each of us. I highly recommend this story to everyone! It is a must-read book for 2023. I give it 5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pinkus Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sandra Rostirolla crafts the story from twelve-year-old Sam’s perspective. This softens some of the blow of the subject matter. Rostirolla crafts each character to feel real as though they could be someone you know in real life. The way Sam was written in particular was very touching and as I read, I could feel the pain of what he was going through. I particularly enjoyed Sam's tips about the “monster” inside each of us. I highly recommend this story to everyone! It is a must-read book for 2023. I give it 5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pinkus Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
martereadsbooks's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: Bullying, Murder, Suicide attempt, Rape, Pregnancy, and Self harm
angieturnsthepages's review
5.0
This book is so incredibly important to young and older readers alike. Told from the perspective of 12 year old Sam Nolen, it is easy for young adults to relate, as well as older adults, especially parents, because they are able to understand just how important mental health is for themselves and their children.
The Nolen family is dealt hardship after hardship, first with a drought that effects their livelihood by making it difficult to keep their sheep farm afloat. Additionally they have reached the point of having to ration their water usage. Sam sees the adverse affects these issues are having on his family and realizes that they all have their own "monster" within them. He makes it his mission to learn the most that he can about these monsters so that he can better help his family cope with them; but when tragedy strikes and Sam's life as he knows it is upended he must defeat his own monster, or perhaps learn to use it to his advantage. Not long after, another tragedy rocks Sam's family and as he searches for answers, he finds more than he was ready to face. With buried secrets coming to life, Sam begins to understand why his family's monsters have been holding onto them.
Though difficult subject matter, the author lightens the blow by telling it from the perspective of an adolescent and successfully evoking empathy for the family. The story is relatable, as the hardships faced are realistic can happen to anyone. My favorite thing about the book is how textured and layered it is, yet easy to follow and get lost in. Though throughout the book you may find yourself feeling sad, you're rewarded with hope, knowledge, and understanding. It is a gripping and touching story that you should not pass up.
The Nolen family is dealt hardship after hardship, first with a drought that effects their livelihood by making it difficult to keep their sheep farm afloat. Additionally they have reached the point of having to ration their water usage. Sam sees the adverse affects these issues are having on his family and realizes that they all have their own "monster" within them. He makes it his mission to learn the most that he can about these monsters so that he can better help his family cope with them; but when tragedy strikes and Sam's life as he knows it is upended he must defeat his own monster, or perhaps learn to use it to his advantage. Not long after, another tragedy rocks Sam's family and as he searches for answers, he finds more than he was ready to face. With buried secrets coming to life, Sam begins to understand why his family's monsters have been holding onto them.
Though difficult subject matter, the author lightens the blow by telling it from the perspective of an adolescent and successfully evoking empathy for the family. The story is relatable, as the hardships faced are realistic can happen to anyone. My favorite thing about the book is how textured and layered it is, yet easy to follow and get lost in. Though throughout the book you may find yourself feeling sad, you're rewarded with hope, knowledge, and understanding. It is a gripping and touching story that you should not pass up.
discogecko's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It might be a little too unbelievable that all these thoughts are coming from a 12 year old, and that so much tragedy could be happening to one family, but this book is very thoughtful and insightful. A required-reading-within-a lifetime kind of book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child death, and Animal death
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Mental illness
Minor: Rape
amichreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brandikae's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I couldn’t put this book down. It was so emotional, relatable,
and just damn good. From the very beginnining we’re drawn into
this family turmoil, from a long standing drought, to the dramtics
of a 6 year old that doesn’t understand, to a college boy with secrets
so deep it brings stress to the entire family. As Sam uncovers we all
have monsters and just need to make friends with them, to know it’s
okay to feel our emotions in the moment, but to feel and release is key,
I not on;y learned something about myself, but cried for my younger self too.
This book is a real eye opener and reminder we have a right to feel. Abby
was especially funny with her “dickbirds” and just being a typical 6 ur old.
Highly recommend this book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
and just damn good. From the very beginnining we’re drawn into
this family turmoil, from a long standing drought, to the dramtics
of a 6 year old that doesn’t understand, to a college boy with secrets
so deep it brings stress to the entire family. As Sam uncovers we all
have monsters and just need to make friends with them, to know it’s
okay to feel our emotions in the moment, but to feel and release is key,
I not on;y learned something about myself, but cried for my younger self too.
This book is a real eye opener and reminder we have a right to feel. Abby
was especially funny with her “dickbirds” and just being a typical 6 ur old.
Highly recommend this book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
roshreviews's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
In a Nutshell: Almost brilliant! A couple of things didn’t work well for me, but on the whole, this is a hidden indie treasure, albeit a somewhat emotional and depressing one. Better suited to the older YA segment and adults. Triggers galore: Reader discretion advised.
Story Synopsis:
2006. Tamworth, Australia. Twelve-year-old Sam Nolen’s life isn’t a happy one. His family farm has been affected by the ongoing drought, and the resultant stress has created a lot of monsters in the family. His dad has one, his seventeen-year-old brother Ben has one, and sometimes, even his six-year-old sister Abby has her own little monster. Sam tried his best to keep track of all the monsters and even writes on about what he has learnt about monsters, all so that he can help his family. However, there is soon a devastating accident, and Sam discovers that he too has a monster of his own.
The story comes to us in Sam’s limited first person perspective.
I don’t even know where to begin showering praise on this YA work. I loved almost everything about it, right from its purpose to its writing to its character development to its scenic descriptions
The purpose: The author’s introductory statement (which brought tears to my eyes) sets the right tone for the book. She mentions how her father had killed himself when she was thirteen, and how this led to her growing up amid dysfunction. The idea behind this book is to offer young readers a way of understanding mental health issues, euphemistically called ‘monsters’ in this book. Most of the content makes me feel that she nailed the agenda.
The writing: Not once did I feel that I was reading an indie work. Sam’s first person narration is endearing. You can sense his vulnerabilities and his determination at the start, and can sense the slow change in his perspective to anger and resentment.
The characters: Every single Nolen was written in a way that brought them alive. From the frustration of the father, the desperation of the mother, the rebelliousness of Ben, the unflinching optimism of little Abby, and of course the anxious sensitivity of the narrator Sam, the sketching was wonderful. There’s no way you will complete this book without loving Abby with all your heart. There are a few memorable secondary characters as well.
The setting: Just yesterday, I had complained about a book set in Australia that didn’t let me feel the place at all. And today, I come across this gem that is on the exact opposite of the spectrum, showing me a side of Australia I have not often read in fiction and brought vividly alive. The impact of the drought in the rural area of Tamworth is portrayed in a gutwrenching yet relatable way.
The themes: Mental health is the key focal area of the story, and the author makes good use of this in multiple ways. Sam’s “notes” about the monsters are brilliant and simplistic, and I am sure they will offer all of us (and not just YAs) a unique way of looking at our inner demons. I’ve read many MG/YA books covering mental health, and this is among the very best.
The cover art and the title: Both brilliant. Both perfectly suitable for the story.
Does this mean that the book was perfect in every way? Well, you know me. I always have at least one complaint. 😉 This time, I have two complaints, a major one and a minor one.
Major issue: I knew the book had triggers, and the author does warn about it right at the start, but I think it went too far in collecting traumatising topics. It was almost like the author had a checklist and with every subsequent chapter, the items on the list were getting ticked.
Story Synopsis:
2006. Tamworth, Australia. Twelve-year-old Sam Nolen’s life isn’t a happy one. His family farm has been affected by the ongoing drought, and the resultant stress has created a lot of monsters in the family. His dad has one, his seventeen-year-old brother Ben has one, and sometimes, even his six-year-old sister Abby has her own little monster. Sam tried his best to keep track of all the monsters and even writes on about what he has learnt about monsters, all so that he can help his family. However, there is soon a devastating accident, and Sam discovers that he too has a monster of his own.
The story comes to us in Sam’s limited first person perspective.
I don’t even know where to begin showering praise on this YA work. I loved almost everything about it, right from its purpose to its writing to its character development to its scenic descriptions
The purpose: The author’s introductory statement (which brought tears to my eyes) sets the right tone for the book. She mentions how her father had killed himself when she was thirteen, and how this led to her growing up amid dysfunction. The idea behind this book is to offer young readers a way of understanding mental health issues, euphemistically called ‘monsters’ in this book. Most of the content makes me feel that she nailed the agenda.
The writing: Not once did I feel that I was reading an indie work. Sam’s first person narration is endearing. You can sense his vulnerabilities and his determination at the start, and can sense the slow change in his perspective to anger and resentment.
The characters: Every single Nolen was written in a way that brought them alive. From the frustration of the father, the desperation of the mother, the rebelliousness of Ben, the unflinching optimism of little Abby, and of course the anxious sensitivity of the narrator Sam, the sketching was wonderful. There’s no way you will complete this book without loving Abby with all your heart. There are a few memorable secondary characters as well.
The setting: Just yesterday, I had complained about a book set in Australia that didn’t let me feel the place at all. And today, I come across this gem that is on the exact opposite of the spectrum, showing me a side of Australia I have not often read in fiction and brought vividly alive. The impact of the drought in the rural area of Tamworth is portrayed in a gutwrenching yet relatable way.
The themes: Mental health is the key focal area of the story, and the author makes good use of this in multiple ways. Sam’s “notes” about the monsters are brilliant and simplistic, and I am sure they will offer all of us (and not just YAs) a unique way of looking at our inner demons. I’ve read many MG/YA books covering mental health, and this is among the very best.
The cover art and the title: Both brilliant. Both perfectly suitable for the story.
Does this mean that the book was perfect in every way? Well, you know me. I always have at least one complaint. 😉 This time, I have two complaints, a major one and a minor one.
Major issue: I knew the book had triggers, and the author does warn about it right at the start, but I think it went too far in collecting traumatising topics. It was almost like the author had a checklist and with every subsequent chapter, the items on the list were getting ticked.
Spoilers: With mental health being the main theme, I expected and found drug abuse, alcohol abuse, medical trauma, self-harming, suicide and other triggers related to the core idea. But even beyond these, the book ventures into illegitimacy, pre-marital pregnancy, (discussed) abortion, (possible) rape, amputation, bullying, assault, and a few more unrelated but difficult topics. By the end, my head was reeling with the extent of devastation faced by one family within the span of a few months.
Minor issue: There are a few scenes in the book where Sam is made to narrate thoughts I didn’t find appropriate. Lines like “Her two perfect breasts swing like happy melons in a hammock” don’t look good coming from a sensitive twelve-year-old. Yes, boys that age might start thinking about women and breasts, and it might be accurate and all that, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it, right?
That’s it. No other issues. If you are okay with the overabundance of traumatic events in the book, then this would be a brilliant work offering a novel perspective of the mental health monsters within us. The nature of the content makes me push the recommended age to 16+, though our narrator is only 12.
4.5 stars, despite my reservations about the excessive negative triggers and the needless sexist content. The characters and the ‘monster’ idea makes the book worthwhile.
My thanks to Pinkus Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Making Friends With Monsters”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
That’s it. No other issues. If you are okay with the overabundance of traumatic events in the book, then this would be a brilliant work offering a novel perspective of the mental health monsters within us. The nature of the content makes me push the recommended age to 16+, though our narrator is only 12.
4.5 stars, despite my reservations about the excessive negative triggers and the needless sexist content. The characters and the ‘monster’ idea makes the book worthwhile.
My thanks to Pinkus Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Making Friends With Monsters”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
_cassidyreads_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
3.0
I love that the author is trying to shine a light on mental health issues and the resounding impact they can have on families. The message of this book is really brilliant and the main character Sam has a unique voice which was pleasant to read. Overall I enjoyed reading this!
However, I found that the constant influx of 'issues' experienced by the main character made me start to feel detached from the story and the characters and therefore didn't recieve the full emotional impact that some of the situations should have provided. Reading negative event after negative event seemed too overwhelming for a book of this length especially because this book is aimed at younger readers I would have thought one or two main 'problems/obstacles for the MC to overcome' would have been more than enough.
However, I found that the constant influx of 'issues' experienced by the main character made me start to feel detached from the story and the characters and therefore didn't recieve the full emotional impact that some of the situations should have provided. Reading negative event after negative event seemed too overwhelming for a book of this length especially because this book is aimed at younger readers I would have thought one or two main 'problems/obstacles for the MC to overcome' would have been more than enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Self harm, Addiction, Gun violence, and Medical content
mxbluet18's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Trigger warnings for Making Friends With Monsters include: suicide, death, depression and mental health issues.
☆
☆
I wasn't entirely sure about this book when I first picked it up. But I liked that the chapters were short enough that I could read multiple in one go without feeling like I was reading a massive amount.
~
I think the premise of Monsters threw me off a little bit because I didn't know what to expect from that, but once that became clear I loved it. When things were revealed about different characters towards the end of the book, I was surprised, but I'm not entirely sure why I was, because when it was said it felt obvious from the signs.
~
Overall, it was a really enjoyable book, the characters were well written and I really liked them, especially the way the emotions felt real and the responses to situations throughout the story felt accurate to how someone might feel.
•
Thank you to BookSirens for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
☆
☆
I wasn't entirely sure about this book when I first picked it up. But I liked that the chapters were short enough that I could read multiple in one go without feeling like I was reading a massive amount.
~
I think the premise of Monsters threw me off a little bit because I didn't know what to expect from that, but once that became clear I loved it. When things were revealed about different characters towards the end of the book, I was surprised, but I'm not entirely sure why I was, because when it was said it felt obvious from the signs.
~
Overall, it was a really enjoyable book, the characters were well written and I really liked them, especially the way the emotions felt real and the responses to situations throughout the story felt accurate to how someone might feel.
•
Thank you to BookSirens for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.