Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by sarahscupofcoffee
The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
5.0
Read this and other young adult book reviews at www.travelthoughfiction.wordpress.com!
Check out my brand new BookTube! I've gone visual! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ?view_as=subscriber
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I hunted for a Moose in the woods with Stevie.
In this third installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie solves yet another chunk of the Ellingham Academy murders, as the school sees even more death.
The Writing
Reviewing books in a series is difficult because you don’t want to give anything away. It’s easier if the books are bad, but when they’re amazing… you don’t want to say too much.
So, I’ll keep this one short and sweet.
Her writing is amazing, which I keep saying. Her description is spot-on and she understands balance. She also has a way of recapping what happened in previous books without summarizing it.
Anxiety Representation
I loved this third book because Stevie does it again! You see her struggling with her anxiety, which I know I hinted at before in previous reviews. You really see it in this one, though. You see her anxiety spiraling when she doesn’t have access to her medication. The way it’s described made me cry because I know exactly how it feels.
“Anxiety doesn’t ask for your permission. Anxiety does not come when expected. It’s very rude. It barges in at the strangest moments, stopping all activity, focusing everything on itself. It sucks the air out of your lungs and scrambles the world. Her vision went spotty around the edges. The ringing in her ears swelled again. Her knees buckled.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall
Being a sufferer from anxiety, it’s difficult to find proper representation. Anxiety is often painted as intense nervousness, but it’s not. Anxiety literally jumps you. There doesn’t need to be a trigger. I love how Maureen Johnson represents anxiety like this.
I stole Stevie’s breathing technique: “In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. She let thoughts come and go and kept setting her attention back on the breathing.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall I have my own techniques, but I was having a panic attack this week and thought of this. It helped a lot.
Should You Read It?
The fourth book comes out next year, so if you don’t want to get stuck waiting for it… wait to read this. I’m regretting jumping into this series now because I have to wait! If you like mysteries and murder, you’ll love this series. It’s dark and twisted, with amazing characters and set in an iconic school.
Check out my brand new BookTube! I've gone visual! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ?view_as=subscriber
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I hunted for a Moose in the woods with Stevie.
In this third installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie solves yet another chunk of the Ellingham Academy murders, as the school sees even more death.
The Writing
Reviewing books in a series is difficult because you don’t want to give anything away. It’s easier if the books are bad, but when they’re amazing… you don’t want to say too much.
So, I’ll keep this one short and sweet.
Her writing is amazing, which I keep saying. Her description is spot-on and she understands balance. She also has a way of recapping what happened in previous books without summarizing it.
Anxiety Representation
I loved this third book because Stevie does it again! You see her struggling with her anxiety, which I know I hinted at before in previous reviews. You really see it in this one, though. You see her anxiety spiraling when she doesn’t have access to her medication. The way it’s described made me cry because I know exactly how it feels.
“Anxiety doesn’t ask for your permission. Anxiety does not come when expected. It’s very rude. It barges in at the strangest moments, stopping all activity, focusing everything on itself. It sucks the air out of your lungs and scrambles the world. Her vision went spotty around the edges. The ringing in her ears swelled again. Her knees buckled.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall
Being a sufferer from anxiety, it’s difficult to find proper representation. Anxiety is often painted as intense nervousness, but it’s not. Anxiety literally jumps you. There doesn’t need to be a trigger. I love how Maureen Johnson represents anxiety like this.
I stole Stevie’s breathing technique: “In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. She let thoughts come and go and kept setting her attention back on the breathing.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall I have my own techniques, but I was having a panic attack this week and thought of this. It helped a lot.
Should You Read It?
The fourth book comes out next year, so if you don’t want to get stuck waiting for it… wait to read this. I’m regretting jumping into this series now because I have to wait! If you like mysteries and murder, you’ll love this series. It’s dark and twisted, with amazing characters and set in an iconic school.