Unboxed (Super-readable YA)

by Non Pratt

[Leah]

Unboxed is my first ever Non Pratt book, but believe me when I tell you it won't be my last (helped by the fact that I'm pretty sure I got another of Non's books in my Illumicrate a few months ago). It's probably more of a novella than an actual novel, coming in at 139 pages with a pretty big font, which is Barrington Stoke's way to getting readers (or reluctant readers) reading - the pretty cover that continues on the covers inside pages, and the special paper/text combo that helps dyslexic people read books which is a pretty neat thing to do.

Back to the story, Unboxed is all about 5 friends who put away a time capsule when they were 13 who come back five years later, after the death of one of the friends to open up the time capsule. It's told from the POV of Alix, and seeing the friends - Zara, Dean, Ben and Alix come back together after Millie's death to open up the capsule was lovely to read. Sad, obviously because Millie passed away, but nice of them all to come back at 18 even though they're barely in touch with each other anymore.

Like I said, it's a very quick read although it does lack quite a punch. Alix is hiding a pretty big secret, that she's a lesbian and it hurt me for her to keep it a secret, because she wasn't sure how her friends would react. All the others have issues, too, that I would have loved to explored in more depth. Especially Dean. But otherwise this was a well rounded, enjoyable read. It made me teary, it made me laugh, it made me remember what it was like to be a teen, to have that group of friends who mean the world to you one minute but who may not always be around because life isn't always fair. I'll definitely be picking up more of Non's books because this was incredible.