"Those are not thoughts a normal kid should have. I'm just...I'm just fucking broken." pg 152.'A Really Awesome Mess' magically transports you into a world that you may have never been in or one that you would rather live without. This book gives the reader an insight into many social issues that are often ridiculed or taken for granted by those who are more fortunate. It delves into the minds of characters who don't recognize that they are at risk, or they imagine what they are going through is not as bad as their peers or parents insist it is.The fascination with this novel lies in following the lives of Emmy and Justin, two teenagers who feel that they have no place in the world and the somewhat strained relationships with their parents, as well as others. As much as there are painful scenes, which is where the quote comes from, there are poignant, funny moments that shows the camaraderie between the characters featured in this novel. It was so easy to lose myself with the pages of 'A Really Awesome Mess' just so I could read learn more about the characters in it.I really enjoyed the character development of each character and especially when they learned more about themselves. There were some great revealing scenes. It was easy to grow attached to them and to be horrified by what had led to them being inhabitants of Heartland Academy. The romance in the book was done with an extremely light touch. There was no long-lingering stares or zaps of electricity when they touched, which was really lovely. It was really quite sweet how it developed over time.'A Really Awesome Mess' is written in duo voices which gave me an insight into how Justin and Emmy are feeling - about themselves and everything else in general. It was really easy to connect with them because the book had been written this way. The pace was great and I enjoyed the setting. I know boarding schools have been done time and time again, but I honestly don't think this story would have worked as well if it hadn't been. There's that special touch of realism to it, although I can't really judge because the scenarios of each teenager are different from anything I've experienced, except possibly one. Now, I'd like to be able to point out a few things that I didn't like about it, but they barely seem worth mentioning, so I won't. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys general fiction books who delve into social issues.Now for my rating :-Four out of five stars(This book was supplied to me by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.)This review can be found here:- http://magicalmanuscriptsandwritingthings.blogspot.co.nz/
