All Things New

by Lauren Miller

• ISBN10: 0998511110
• ISBN13: 9780998511115
• Publish Date: 1 August 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Three Saints Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 328
• Language: English

Reviews

[Bianca]

— This had so much potential for a book tackling anxiety. But for its length, it was trying to do a lot of things, an insta-romance subplot included. I mean, is it really so hard to write a book without a romance subplot? And that ending was just very very very off.

[Leah]

All Things New was a read I started on a whim – I wasn’t sure what it was about, but I clicked on it on my Kindle anyway and of the three books I had already tried, this is the one that stuck. And, actually, it was a pretty great read. I really liked Jessa’s voice and her friendship with Marshall and Hannah, who are twins. I liked how the book didn’t brush past Jessa’s mental illness – she wasn’t instantly cured, her anxiety didn’t just vanish, love did not heal the bad things in her life.

The novel starts with a bang – or, rather, with a car crash, as Jessa flees her boyfriend’s house (it may not have been his house, I forget) after finding out he’s also seeing another girl and ends up in a car crash, after another car runs a red light. After the crash, after recovering, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad – to give herself a fresh start. But ever since the accident she’s had hallucinations – visions of scars and bruises on people’s faces. That she knows aren’t there, and must be a representation of what *her* face looks like after being impaled by tons of glass when the windshield broke. I loved seeing everything Jessa had to overcome – she was so strong. I can’t say how I would react to the car crash or the hallucinations or the anxiety, but it wouldn’t be even half as strongly as Jessa.

There’s not a lot to say about All Things New, really. In the grand scheme of things, not a lot happens, although I did like seeing the differences between Marshall and Hannah. How Hannah felt like she had to strive for her scholarship whereas Marshall could kind of coast along with his life, due to his heart condition. But this was really about Jessa overcoming, or coping with, because like I said, she isn’t magically fixed in the end, her anxiety and other issues.

The ending for All Things New was a bit… out of the blue. It wasn’t a terrible ending by any means, but it kinda took a different turn than the book had otherwise been on. That’s all I’ll say about that. I would love a sequel, mind, because I felt like a lot was left up in the air, and I would love to catch up with Jessa, Hannah and Marshall again, maybe like a year down the road or something? There definitely left room there for Lauren to write about the trio again, maybe even something from Hannah’s perspective this time? IDK. I’d read it. I really enjoyed All Things Knew, it was a pretty intense read, but quick, too and it was so good I read it in one sitting.

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
All Things New deals with a character who has suffered from panic attacks ever since her parents' divorce.

Story:

All Things New is an important book, as it deals with panic and mental disorders in teenagers. There were some aspects of the book that I found extremely good, and others I could have done without.
The 'angel' aspect did not work for me. Nor did the fact that the psychiatrists in this book were all smirking, pill-pushing individuals. I also think I would have liked it more if the group therapy was actually group therapy, not a group of teens just sharing among themselves, without adult supervision.
Also, it seems more than a little flimsy to me that 'love' can help Jessa get better - this could be a problem for people who do suffer from panic attacks.
I did appreciate the fact that there are parents present in All Things New. It's important sometimes to see responsible family situations.

Characters:

Jessa had some techniques to deal with her panic attacks, but not all of them helped. After a car accident, she moved to her dad's place in Colorado, to get away from everything that had made things difficult to her.
Hannah is Jessa's new best friend. A music prodigy who is stressed out, and sad about taking second-seat to her brother's illness.
Marshall is Hannah's brother. He has a hole in his heart, and is strangely happy about that.

Writing style :

First person present tense from Hannah's perspective, but with third person present tense when the spotlight is on other characters. The dialogues were rapid, and made getting to know the characters easier.

Feels :

I was a bit frustrated, to be honest. All Things New could have been a great story about teens who struggle with mental illnesses, but it felt like it didn't take mental illness seriously.



On a clear day, you can see past downtown and almost all the way to the beach from here. But tonight the sky is muddy with haze. The skyline looks as if someone has wiped parts of it away, the buildings fading into a brown blur, the furthest ones totally out of sight. It's eerie.

Every part of me aches. My brain feels to big for my skull. I shuffle toward the bathroom. There is a towel hanging over the mirror, tucked in tight at the sides. Its presence there, the fact that someone felt the need to hang it, sucks the air from my chest.

[Sam@WLABB]

This book follows Jessa on her journey of healing. She was healing from a car accident that left her scarred and unable to form images in her mind's eye, but she is also healing from years of hiding her mental health issues.

There were many things I liked about All Things New, and here are five of them.

1. Mental health issues are front and center
My anxiety is not as bad as it used to be, but I still remember what it was like to pass out in public, I often still cry while at the supermarket, and I sweat as my heart races when I have to go out after dark. Needless to say, this is a world I navigate on a daily basis, and I thought Miller did a great job portraying the feelings and other issues that are by products of one's mental health issues. Mental health is not a one size fits all thing, but I did find a lot of commonalities with Jessa. Maybe someone else will too.

2. Multiple ways to deal with mental health issues were explored.
Again, it is not one size fits all. Jessa had to try different medications and therapists. She tried group therapy and even religion. I really appreciated that this idea that there is more than one way to treat mental health issues was explored.

3. Jessa's dad
When her dad left, Jessa's world sort of fell apart for her, but here he was now, when she needed him most. He was patient and understanding, but also pushed her a little. With his love and encouragement, Jessa grew and began to believe that things could be different for herself. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and heal as Jessa grew and healed.

4. The twins
I liked Hannah from the her first appearance on-page. There was something special about her, and I knew I wanted to know more. But the real star of and owner of my heart was Marshall. This fun and fancy-free boy with the devilish smile and the wounded heart carried the sun to every scene he was in. I cried when he was in peril, and kept was mush when he was flirting so adorably with Jessa. Marshall accepted Jessa as it, mental and physical scars and all. I kind of wanted him on page more often.

5. Magical realism or unreliable narrator?
There are some things that happen within the story that may or may not be real. Some are addressed, while this other bigger one is sort of left up in the air. I am not sure what these things were a product of, but I liked the extra dimension it gave the story.

I am really struggling with properly articulating my thoughts about this book, but I will say, they are all positive.

Overall: A thought provoking and emotional story, which left me feeling quite positive and buoyant at the end.

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