Cracked by K.M. Walton

Okay, I have another heavy book for you, but I promise I’m not obsessed with dark and depressing things.  I wouldn’t exactly describe this next book that way anyway. . . timely, yes, but not depressing.  Cracked is the debut novel by K.M.Walton, and let’s just say that she doesn’t just ease her way onto the teen book scene. 

Title:  Cracked

Author: K.M. Walton

Pages:  311

Publisher:  Simon Pulse

ISBN:  9781442434424

Publication Date:  January 3, 2012
AR Levels:  Interest Level--9th to 12th; Book Level--4.1; Points--8.0

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9930875-cracked

In a Nutshell:  Sixteen-year old Victor Konig is definitely a loner; he doesn’t have a friend at school, he doesn’t have a friend at home (save for the family dog), and the local bully has an eye out for him.  Bull (the bully—aptly named) also has a terrible home life and doesn’t have much going for him at school either.  Their decisions to take matters into their own hands get them into the same psych ward.  There, they must tackle their own demons and try to make sense of their lives, but will having the enemy in the hospital bed next to you get in the way?

I’d Recommend It for Grades: 9^th-12^th.  Again, this is a high school book because it deals with topics like suicide, abuse, and depression, and it also features some strong language. 

I’d Recommend It To:  Anyone who’s ever felt isolated.  I’d also recommend it to educators and parents just so they can see what depression and suicidal thoughts can look like for teens.

What I Liked Most about This Book:  It’s realistic and not overly dramatic.  The characters in this book could be real people and the events of the book aren’t “Hollywood” storylines (with the exception of Victor and Bull ending up as roommates in the psych ward). 

Single Favorite Moment (without getting spoiler-y):  I’ll admit that I have a pretty quirky sense of humor, so I appreciated one activity that went on in the psych ward.  The people in the ward had a game they would play in which they would try to guess why a new person was admitted.

Star Rating (where 5 stars is awesome and 0 stars is atrocious):  I’m going with 5 stars on this one.

*****NOTE:  If you ever have feelings like the characters in this book, talk to someone about it—a parent, a teacher, a counselor, someone! Or you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.*****