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Crazy

by Amy Reed (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 348 ratings · 92 reviews

He’s falling in love—and she’s falling over the edge of sanity. From the author of Beautiful and Clean, a heartwrenching exploration of a romance marred by mental illness.Connor knows that Izzy will never fall in love with him the way he’s fallen for her. But somehow he’s been let into her crazy, exhilarating world and become her closest confidante. But the closer they get...more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published June 12th 2012 by Simon Pulse

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Lists with This Book

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May 28, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012

4.5.

Well, this one did a pretty good job of making me a wreck. Talk about an intense, completely realistic and painfully honest look at bipolar disorder. It hit way close to home on a number of levels.

Connor and Isabel met at camp, and they continued their close friendship via email after it ended. Connor and Isabel's relationship is loving and destructive. They're very close and very far apart, and each of their emails to one another gives both of these sides. They abuse each other and they apo...more 4.5.

Well, this one did a pretty good job of making me a wreck. Talk about an intense, completely realistic and painfully honest look at bipolar disorder. It hit way close to home on a number of levels.

Connor and Isabel met at camp, and they continued their close friendship via email after it ended. Connor and Isabel's relationship is loving and destructive. They're very close and very far apart, and each of their emails to one another gives both of these sides. They abuse each other and they apologize, but things start to change. They would after summer, of course, but they change dramatically. Isabel relies on disconnecting and Connor wants nothing more than to connect.

This was a book that made me love and hate both characters equally. They were so good and so bad for one another and so good and so bad for themselves, too.

Did I mention that at about page 300 I started to choke up, and then when I got to that scene (view spoiler) I was a mess. Then I was a mess at the end because (view spoiler).

I should add, though, the first 50 to 100 pages of the book are quite funny. Isabel and Connor really play off one another's insecurities and it makes for funny, almost voyeuristic, reading. The email set up only enhances it. Execution here is smart and appealing.

The writing is tight and the voices are distinct and believable. I'm bummed I only have a digital copy of this one because there's an entire passage written by Connor about love I'd have marked that sort of encapsulates his entire story for me. It never felt inauthentic.

Reed is easily in my top-of-the-top list for contemporary yas, and she keeps getting better and better.

Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/05/c... (less)

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Apr 17, 2012 Alyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-guy-of-ya, highly-anticipated, i-cannot-breathe-without-you, really-excited-for

This book hit so close to home I can't imagine NOT reviewing it. 4.5 stars and a definite reread.

Review to come.

---
Before Reading:

For some reason, this book sounds like it describes every single relationship I've been in.

To-read? Check.

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Jun 20, 2012 Laura Newcombe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: most-anticipated, high-expectations, memorable-covers, best-titles, bring-forth-the-hype, covers-that-make-you-go-oohhh, favorites, for-review, galley-grab, inspirations-what-you-are-to-me, 2011-reads, what-just-happened, priority-buys, pass-the-tissues, author-crush, 2012-cant-wait-release

Find this review and more at A Work of Fiction!

I’ve always loved contemporary, sometimes even more than I love any other genre. There was a time, however, when I almost gave up reading it completely. I needed more from it – a depth, intelligence and seriousness that I could only find in science fiction. I searched high and low for a contemporary that would deliver; something that would blow my mind, keep me up until the single digit hours of morning and that I would think about long after I’d tu...more Find this review and more at A Work of Fiction!

I’ve always loved contemporary, sometimes even more than I love any other genre. There was a time, however, when I almost gave up reading it completely. I needed more from it – a depth, intelligence and seriousness that I could only find in science fiction. I searched high and low for a contemporary that would deliver; something that would blow my mind, keep me up until the single digit hours of morning and that I would think about long after I’d turned the last page. Then I finally found it when I read CRAZY.

Connor and Izzy have a bizarre and beautiful friendship. Now that their summer of being art counselors at camp has ended, they stay in touch via email. At first, the exchanges are funny and they banter back-and-forth so effortlessly, it’s impossible to deny their instant chemistry. Then things start to change. Izzy starts to experience crazy ups-and-downs that show in each one of her return letters and Connor starts to fear the worst about her unpredictable behavior, but at the same time he doesn’t want to betray Izzy’s trust by talking to someone. What follows is a touching coming of age story with a difference as Amy Reed brings to life a young girl with a mental illness and the boy who refuses to give up on her.

The format of this book was wonderful. It’s easily accessible and flows neatly from start to finish. Unlike diary entries, which I find to be long and boring, reading from the perspective of the characters emails was far more compelling. It was a welcomed approach to view their very different lives.

As far as main characters go, Connor and Izzy are fantastic. Their growth throughout the book is very sincere and the emotions they divulge in each of their exchanges are equal parts real and complex. It was so easy for me to sympathize and connect with both of them from the beginning and not once did my feelings waver.

Once again, Reed’s unique writing style has left me speechless. It is vibrant yet somber at the same time, illuminating some of the darker paragraphs. She does not shy away from the more intense problems teens deal with today and instead tackles these issues boldly, rewarding us with stunning novels like CRAZY.

So I only have one final piece of advice – if you’re feeling a little lost, like I was, looking everywhere for a powerful, heartrending read that’ll change your mind about YA contemporaries, then I suggest you go CRAZY.(less)

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Mar 20, 2013 Sandy Shen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ANYONE! THE WORLD. Except Voldie. He doesn't deserve this awesomeness.

Shelves: young-adult, love-4ever

CRAZY
Rating: ~~4.99 stars.~~ 5 stars!
STORY RANY!
Amy Reed's writing was so raw, vulnerable, and naked. The truth is outside, but authors tend to jsut skirt on it's edges and write a place to escape where characters can be brave and smart and true and false. Crazy is about a girl named Izy who's living on the edge, who's emailing a boy named Connor who's trapped on an island. *Sigh.* If only that were real in life. Izy is hilarious, true, and at times, breathtaking. She knows the right words to sa...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT
My god, what an amazing book. I loved Beautiful and Clean, and I think I like Crazy the best so far (although I'm the kind of person who's favourite book is whatever they just finished, so that isn't the most reliable opinion). I finished it within a day (mostly during class...whoops), because it was amazing and addicting and insane and beautiful. It was good at the beginning, but it didn't get exciting and crazy for me until the middle/end. You read it, and it's good, and I just ha...more SPOILER ALERT
My god, what an amazing book. I loved Beautiful and Clean, and I think I like Crazy the best so far (although I'm the kind of person who's favourite book is whatever they just finished, so that isn't the most reliable opinion). I finished it within a day (mostly during class...whoops), because it was amazing and addicting and insane and beautiful. It was good at the beginning, but it didn't get exciting and crazy for me until the middle/end. You read it, and it's good, and I just had this impending sense that something would happen to Izzy. Not that I could have predicted what happened, though, even though I was sort-of expecting it, I was still shocked and devastated. The format of (mostly) emails worked well, and because they're such good friends, all those secrets and thoughts spilled out made sense.

What I really loved about this book was that it wasn't about the romance. You get the sense from the very beginning that they belong together, but it's barely hinted at, and definitely not one of those books where it's equally or more important than the main plot. It was so, so subtle and perfect that it came as an honest shock to me when she wrote her confession about loving him and wanting to kiss him. I knew they loved eachother, but I honestly didn't think too much about romantic love. There's a part of the book, where Connor tells her he loves her, and is in love with her as well, but the in love part isn't even important. And it's so, so true. That kind of unromantic love is portrayed gorgeously in this book.

The characters, of course, these amazing, amazing characters. Izzy was brilliant, and I loved her from the start. The progression of her bipolar disorder was amazingly written- just becoming erratic, undependable, wilder. The best part about it was that you don't go "Oh, she must have bipolar disease", you don't understand what is happening and you're just so, so wrapped up in her life and god, Izzy, and loving her, even when you come to understand there is something wrong with her mind, even when Connor's mother says that it's bipolar disease, I never really applied that label to her. Connor was, of course, an amazing character as well. I really, really, wish I had a friend like him, someone I could tell absolutely everything and laugh with and talk with and depend on all the time who loved me so much.

Amy Reed captures their voices beautifully- the way they think, the way they write, and conveys the mood so well with the run-on sentences, and never needs to depend on all caps to show you that they're angry and terrified and yelling inside. The use of the emails and dates was very well done, too- with the gaps between emails, she conveys so much about what is going on, how they feel. Near the end, when all of a sudden there's blank pages with splatters of paint?ashes?, I started going "No, no, no, no!" and then I realized there was still a good chunk of pages left so there must be more to the story, and suddenly a horrible thought occurred to me: what if all those remaining pages were all blank with the black splatters on it? As you can see, this book was a crazy roller coaster of emotions for me- when she leaves home and Connor is emailing her and stops pretending everything's normal and describes crying with her sister, I started crying too. From there on, there were multiple parts that had me full-out sobbing. I could not put this book down. It made me a mess, but I loved it, because it was amazing.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-stories, friendship, mental-illness, self-discovery, washyarg, young-adult

Isabel (Izzy) and Connor met at summer camp where they were counselors. They struck up a friendship that continued when they returned to their homes -- Bainbridge Island (Connor) and Seattle's Capitol Hill. Although Puget Sound separates them e-mail keeps their relationship alive. Told in alternating messages, the reader learns of their growing relationship and of Izzy's descent into mental illness.

Within the first 12 pages, there's a lot of profanity and a very clear (although not graphic)and d...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Crazy encompasses the lives of Isabel and Connor and the entire story is made up of their emails between one another. At first I was surprised when I realized this, then I began to really enjoy the emails because I realized that they were being real with each other and it is sometimes easier to talk to someone and share the ugly truth with them when you are hidden behind a computer screen. Izzy and Conner had previously worked together at what seemed like a summer camp and had shared a bond ther...more Crazy encompasses the lives of Isabel and Connor and the entire story is made up of their emails between one another. At first I was surprised when I realized this, then I began to really enjoy the emails because I realized that they were being real with each other and it is sometimes easier to talk to someone and share the ugly truth with them when you are hidden behind a computer screen. Izzy and Conner had previously worked together at what seemed like a summer camp and had shared a bond there, and now they are separated by distance and are forced to keep contact with each other by messages for the time being.

After reading the title, “Crazy,” and being introduced to both of the main characters I immediately questioned which one, if not both, would fit the description. I soon learned that Izzy had many self esteem issues as well as other more serious mental concerns. It was touching to read how they chose to interact with each other; often times they were very open and honest and I found myself delighted in how realistic their conversations were. They were both comfortable enough to share their deepest darkest secrets knowing that the other would not be judgmental, but rather accepting.

Izzy had a lot of issues some revolving around depression and low self-esteem that were causing her life to plummet in the wrong direction. Here is where I began to LOVE Connor! He coaxed her back down to reality on many occasions and was, literally, always available for her. She was a flight risk and he just waited so patiently for her to come around and let her decide when she was ready to talk about things. Every other day Izzy is on another rampage about something or someone and she always asks Connor for help but then backs out as soon as he offers to provide her with any. This is where I had the most problem with Izzy. She ignored the one that adored her and adored the one that ignored her. She ran to the arms of the wrong guy when Connor was right in front of her, but that is what most of us girls do anyways!

I really did enjoy their friendship and the conversations that they had; they just seemed so real and they were really themselves and down to earth teenagers through the various emails. Amy Reed has comprised a book that is far different from others. She shares issues, problems, and language that are relevant to most adolescents and she shares common dilemmas that could happen to anyone. This book is unique and goes far beyond your average young adult literature!
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Jan 13, 2012 Melissa Jackson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galley-grab, contemporary, young-adult

Expected release date: June 12th, 2012
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Connor knows that Izzy will never fall in love with him the way he’s fallen for her. But somehow he’s been let into her crazy, exhilarating world and become her closest confidante. But the closer they get, the more Connor realizes that Izzy’s highs are too high and her lows are too low. And the frenetic energy that makes her shine is starting to push her into a much darker place. As Izzy’s behavior gets increasingly erratic and self-destr...more Expected release date: June 12th, 2012
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Connor knows that Izzy will never fall in love with him the way he’s fallen for her. But somehow he’s been let into her crazy, exhilarating world and become her closest confidante. But the closer they get, the more Connor realizes that Izzy’s highs are too high and her lows are too low. And the frenetic energy that makes her shine is starting to push her into a much darker place. As Izzy’s behavior gets increasingly erratic and self-destructive, Connor gets increasingly desperate to stop her from plummeting. He knows he can’t save her from her pain… but what if no one else can?

Connor and Isabel meet over summer at camp, and exchange email addresses at summer’s end. Crazy begins with Connor emailing Izzy--and the majority of the book is made up of their email conversations. I’ve never read an epistolary novel before, so I cannot compare this one to any others, but I think this one was very well done. I got lost in their stories and their fluctuating moods, forgetting at times that this wasn’t structured like a standard novel.

Because Connor and Isabel are so honest with each other (so much so that sometimes the honesty made me squirm!) reading this felt incredibly voyeuristic. Like I had stumbled across a file of very personal information and was unable to look away until I’d devoured every last word. Izzy’s systematic unraveling aided in that as well; it was like seeing a car wreck on the side of the road and being unable to tear your eyes away. Equally invested and horrified by what you’re seeing come undone before you.

While Connor and Izzy’s interactions were initially funny--sometimes hilariously awkward--slowly their conversations turned into something else. I found myself trying to figure out who irritated me more. Connor was too much of a wimp and a pushover, Izzy was too melodramatic and callous. Then I hated Izzy for treating Connor like he was a worthless puppy dog who would happily follow her to the ends of the Earth. Then I was annoyed Connor was a nothing more than a puppy dog who would happily follow her to the ends of the Earth. I never loved them both at the same time!

I knew something bad was going to happen to Izzy. It was hard not to see it coming. But we weren’t sure if Connor would be able to get to her in time. We wondered which of Izzy’s promises and threats were true. We wanted Connor to tell her to stop complaining, to just take hold of her life and fix it. We wanted Connor to save her. We wanted Connor to cut her loose.

We wondered what we would do if we were in Connor’s shoes.

I don’t know anyone who suffers from bi-polar disorder, but I hope all the Isabels in the world who do have a Connor in their corner, someone who does everything in their power to help them, even when they get pushed away. Someone who will fight for them when they’re too weak to fight for themselves.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Julia Di Piazza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, ya-reads, wishlist

I feel like I'm a snow globe and someone shook me up and now every little piece of me is falling back randomly and nothing is ending up where it used to be. (p. 162)

I devoured this book in a day. The email format is ridiculously addicting. I kept telling myself I'd read just one more email and finally take a shower and I'd find myself 20 minutes later still truckin' along. Connor is adorable. Seriously. Who wouldn't want a friend like Connor? Isabel is hard to like at times but I think that's th...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Ivy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Crazy takes place in New York. It is a series of emails between Isabel and Conner, who met at a summer camp as counselors. Conner lives with his mom who is a therapist, and is always giving him advice about life. His life is pretty normal, although he doesn’t have many friends. Isabel has a more complicated life. In her emails she always talks about how her mom is too controlling, her boyfriend who she thinks she loves until she contemplates it later in the book, and her feelings. In each email...more Crazy takes place in New York. It is a series of emails between Isabel and Conner, who met at a summer camp as counselors. Conner lives with his mom who is a therapist, and is always giving him advice about life. His life is pretty normal, although he doesn’t have many friends. Isabel has a more complicated life. In her emails she always talks about how her mom is too controlling, her boyfriend who she thinks she loves until she contemplates it later in the book, and her feelings. In each email she is either really happy about something or so sad and angry that she leaves Conner feeling like she doesn’t appreciate him at all. Near the end of the book, we realize that Izzy is bipolar, and Conner starts to panic that things might go too far.

I thought that this book was pretty good, although I think it could have been better if the author made it more exciting. This wasn’t one of those books I couldn’t put down. I think that putting the book in an email format made it harder for her to make the book exciting, and I thought it would have been better if there was some dialog between Conner and Izzy when they could actually see each other. I thought she did a pretty good job of writing Izzy’s emails. I thought that she used a lot of similes to show how Izzy felt and made it more interesting to read.

I think that the author used words to describe what Izzy felt like, but I think the emotion would have come out a lot more if she used more imagery, which was hard to do with the book being all emails. I think that the author did show what Izzy felt like, but I don’t think that she really did a good job of making you feel her emotions. In some books, I can really feel what the characters are feeling, and relate to them, but I couldn’t really in this book. I think this was another reason the book wasn’t as exciting and interesting as it could have been.

I would recommend this book to people who haven’t read many of the type of books about scary real life problems that could happen to anyone. If you have read a lot of books about scary things that happen in real life, I wouldn’t recommend this book to you. I think that this would be a good book to start with in this genre, but if you have already read a lot of this type, there are a lot books better than this that you could read.

Overall, I thought that Crazy could have been a lot better. I don’t think that the email format helped bring out so much of the emotion the author could have brought out, and I was really hoping throughout the book that they would meet so I could actually “see” each of them. Although they did meet once in the book, I didn’t think this was enough. Crazy is a good starting book for its genre because it won’t scare you too much, but I don’t think it would be one I would really recommend.
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Oct 17, 2012 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This book was completely wonderful. A little melodramatic in some parts, a little whiny in some parts, but overall it was a really great description of bipolar disorder and what it's like to love someone who has it.

Izzy and Connor met at a summer camp where they were counselors and keep in touch throughout the school year. Told entirely through emails, you see firsthand the honest love Connor has for Izzy while she battles with her own emotions and moods every day.

This was another one of those...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was so easy to read. I wasn't necessarily addicted but I continued to turn the pages because of how easily it flowed. However, I didn't like this book as much as I expected to. I have two theories for this. One is because it reminded me of a bipolar friend and the troubles we've been through and how frustrating it is to love and want to help someone that doesn't understand themselves. So maybe it brought back bad memories and feelings that I was trying to push away. Another possibility...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Florence rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I started this book, I didn't quite like it. The way it was written just made me feel like I was missing out on so much. But for a book that's about 99% written in emails, it worked quite well. It just bothered me because I didn't know what else was happening outside of Connor and Isabel's conversations. Like, I enjoyed reading about Jeremy and wish he was more involved but it wouldn't work with this sort of format.

Is it weird to say that there were parts of this book that actually scared m...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Janice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mental-health

It's the first and only book so far that I've read by Amy Reed. However, it's definitely gotten me more interested in reading her work.
Someone who has experienced mental illnesses and instability secondhand, it was a great book to read for the two characters were very realistic. The mental instability did not define them and that's what this showed, with the beginnings of the book where they just talk about normal teenager things.
Sex, relationships, love, university-they're all very normal and...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Melissa (YA Book Shelf) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Such a great novel - the kind of book that will keep you up long into the night.

Once again Amy Reed's edgy YA writing rocked me to the core. It's written in a series of emails back and forth between Isabel, a teen girl with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, and Connor, a teen boy who has fallen in love with her charismatic personality when they both worked in the Arts & Crafts cabin at a summer camp. The plot is very intense and may have you in tears at several points. Reed illuminates the highs...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, for-review, 2012, read-june-2012

When this book started I didn't know what I was going to think about it. The language is a little rough. The characters a little rough around the edges. But then I began to get to know Connor and Izzy and connect to them. Connor has his loving life with his caring mother, but he's in love with Izzy who's not in love with him. Izzy in her life where it seems no one loves her at least by the way she tells it. They are different and yet they are the same, they are two teenagers trying to feel their...more When this book started I didn't know what I was going to think about it. The language is a little rough. The characters a little rough around the edges. But then I began to get to know Connor and Izzy and connect to them. Connor has his loving life with his caring mother, but he's in love with Izzy who's not in love with him. Izzy in her life where it seems no one loves her at least by the way she tells it. They are different and yet they are the same, they are two teenagers trying to feel their way through life through mistakes and leaning on each other. Connor needs Izzy and Izzy needs Connor even when they think they don't. It's not the healthiest relationship, but it's there for both of them and it's interesting to watch.

This book is not for the younger aged young adults. As I mentioned, the language can get rough, but it's there with a purpose. These are not perfect teenagers living perfect lives. The book serves as a book that teens everywhere can relate to. Not everyone has a perfect life and some, like Izzy, do need help and they need friends like Connor to see that when others closer to them do not.

Crazy is amazing, I could not put it down. I am a big fan of books in the format of emails and messages. I find them an interesting way to read a book. So I loved this. I love the way that Connor and Izzy talk back and forth to each other. Their honesty and dishonesty, and just they way they share with each other. There is so much to this book and yet I don't want to give anything away. It is a must-read, but carve out some time, because once you get into this one you won't want to put it down. I was enthralled by the book. It's kind of like a train wreck, you just can't look away. And I mean that in a good way, the writing is excellent, it's the story that is the train wreck, because it's a tough one, but I like the tough ones. I like the light ones too, but I enjoyed Crazy. It's real, it's honest and it's a book that should be read by adults and teens alike.(less)

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May 07, 2013 Lauren added it

Shelves: ya-middle-grade, identity

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 12, 2012 Corryn Finch rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was about two characters named Connor and Izzie. They met each other at a kid’s camp that they volunteered at over the summer. The whole book is them emailing each other back and forth of things that they are dealing with in a teenager’s high school life. At first their emails are happy and they are talking about all their good memories they had at camp and all the funny things that are happening at school. Suddenly Izzie just starts to become extremely negative all the time and becom...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Shonna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lingerer

This book was a tight read. I'd checked out some of the reviews that included a synopsis of what to expect. And, most are true to that. What I'd add, is that I didn't expect the level of crazy (Isabel's mental issues) to reach the level they did. Kudos to Amy Reed to capturing a glimpse of the enormity of mental issues and the effects on those affected.

This book left me with some quotes I admired.

"Our forepeople didn't work for thousands of years creating this eloquent technological mud by a bun...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow.

Once again, Amy Reed has left me speechless.

This book grabs you from the beginning and never lets go. I absolutely loved the email format between Isabel and Conner, and I found myself frantically turning pages to see what the next email would say. When Isabel's emails became increasingly more manic, I found myself worrying right along with Conner when she didn't reply for several days.

I only intended to read a few chapters of this book last night, but there was literally no good stopping poi...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was super excited for this title after reading Amy Reeds book Clean. The concept for this book was a bit different. Where Clean was a series of journal entries Crazy is also epistolary but in the form of an email exchange between Conor and Izzy. Conor and Izzy met at a summer camp and live far enough apart that their friendship is long distance. Conor is an only child and lives with his mother a psychologist on a small island that requires a ferry ride to and from the mainland. Izzy is the you...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Izzy isn't a normal girl, but she's never thought of herself as crazy. When she meets Connor at summer camp, the two hit it off and decide to correspond via email. The more Connor gets to know Izzy, the more he realizes that sometimes she is far too high and sometimes she is far too low. The two talk through their feelings, even the most embarrassing, as well as everyday activities and arguments with friends and parents. The reader will really get to know these two characters; their hopes, dream...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Jeannie Henry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow.
Just wow.
As someone struggling with anxiety, this book hit a little close to home. I feel for Isabel. I know her struggles and how she feels spiraling out of control. But enough about that.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate Connor? Even though Iz thinks he's overbearing, he is one of the sweetest and most caring protagonists I've encountered. Gah. (view spoiler)

I thought (as m...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, contemporary, realistic-fiction, tbr-challenge, ya-realistic-fiction-challenge-2012, young-adult, galleygrab, favorites, quarterly-challenge-6-2012

Note: I received this as an ARC from S&S Galley Grab.

Initial reaction: Another book that kept me up to the wee hours of the morning to read through. It was worth every moment. I loved the story, even if there were parts of the story that I didn't care for. That may not make sense in my sleep deprived brain. I'll try to explain it more tomorrow.

Full Review:

"Crazy" is the first book I've ever read from Amy Reed, and what a story to start out with. For such a difficult subject matter, this boo...more Note: I received this as an ARC from S&S Galley Grab.

Initial reaction: Another book that kept me up to the wee hours of the morning to read through. It was worth every moment. I loved the story, even if there were parts of the story that I didn't care for. That may not make sense in my sleep deprived brain. I'll try to explain it more tomorrow.

Full Review:

"Crazy" is the first book I've ever read from Amy Reed, and what a story to start out with. For such a difficult subject matter, this book hits the nail on the head when it comes to portraying the story of someone struggling with bi-polar disorder, and the desperation of a boy determined to help the girl he cares about. One of the first elements that most may notice with this book is that it's written in a series of emails and chat sessions between Isabel (Izzy) and Connor, two friends who have their stark differences, but help each other along as they have various struggles to face. Connor's problem lies more in his stability with romantic relationships and prepping for the future, while Izzy seems to have problems along those lines on the surface.

However, Izzy's behavior starts taking a turn for the worse. At her best, she tends to be creative, spontaneous, and have a no-holds-barred attitude, but at her worse, her foulest moods attack the people she loves as well as herself - and she sets off in a panicked path of self-destruction. I understand that there are people who won't like Izzy for her off-filter comments (some of the things she said made my eyebrows lift as I read through), but I found it hard to not feel for the girl when she's at her worst moments. I could understand her conflict with her dysfunctional family in sorts. In the same vein, I also understood why she acted the way she did and hit a point where she lost all control and didn't know who to turn to. Connor is sympathetic, because you understand he's having his own ups and downs, but at the same time he's trying hard to balance his frustration and concern for Izzy.

The tension builds slowly at first and then accelerates into a whirlwind that doesn't come without pain, and it hit me rather hard. I won't spoil anyone to the events that occur, but I think Reed does an excellent job with balancing the tension, showing the lives of the two teens interacting through their distinct voices, and ultimately showing the impact of a young woman's condition and the road to helping her come to terms with it and get the help she needs.

Overall score: 4/5(less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Miranda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

There is no way I’m going to manage to be rational about this book. There isn’t. Like Izzy, I have (undiagnosed) bipolar disorder or, at the very least, cyclothymia. I’ve probably always had it, but it hasn’t been until the last few years where it’s become truly noticeable and an actual problem. Like Izzy, I go through spells where I’m so manic that I have trouble sleeping and can go for hours focusing on one specific thing. Then I crash into a depressive episode where I have trouble even gettin...more There is no way I’m going to manage to be rational about this book. There isn’t. Like Izzy, I have (undiagnosed) bipolar disorder or, at the very least, cyclothymia. I’ve probably always had it, but it hasn’t been until the last few years where it’s become truly noticeable and an actual problem. Like Izzy, I go through spells where I’m so manic that I have trouble sleeping and can go for hours focusing on one specific thing. Then I crash into a depressive episode where I have trouble even getting out of bed. These episodes can last from one week to several, and it’s always a cycle.

It’s hard. It’s harder on my friends and family to deal with it. And normally, I’d be wary of a book that has an MC with the disorder. It’s too personal to me, and if it had been portrayed badly, I would have been highly upset. As much as I enjoyed Amy Reed’s other two books, I went into this one with a bit of trepidation. (I realize I’m perhaps being a little unfair about this, but I can’t help how I feel.)

I needn’t have worried. Despite a rocky start, Crazy soon hit me squarely in the feelings and the depiction of the mental illness and the people it affects is stunningly realistic and respectful.

Several times I had to put this book down because I was tearing up too much to read it properly. What Izzy goes through was just so familiar to me, and the questions it makes her ask herself are things I’ve asked myself a lot.

The thing about bipolar is, it affects your entire being. It’s not just occasional periods of mania or depression. It’s with you all the time in less obvious ways; it makes you moody and oversensitive. You could be having a great day, but one little thing can ruin your entire mood for the rest of it. It’s something that makes you wonder if you really are just this awful a person, if it’s not the disorder making you act like this but just you, yourself. It can change your entire personality and who you are. It’s awful, to put it very lightly.

But other than the great portrayal of bipolar disorder, the other aspects of the book are good too. Both main characters, Connor and Izzy, are wonderfully realistic. Sometimes they can be a little irritating and do some things that aren’t entirely likeable, but that’s what makes them human. Of the two, I was of course a little more attached to Izzy and her struggles, but Connor was a good character too. They’re both just trying to figure themselves and their lives out.

I wasn’t entirely on board with the love story. Connor and Izzy do love each other, it’s obvious, but they tend to toe the line on being too co-dependent on each other. I did appreciate their love for each other, but I hope they can move past being quite so unhealthy.

I will say, though, one sour note for me was Izzy’s instances of slut shaming other women in her e-mails. She calls herself a feminist, then turns around and derides women for acting in ways she considers slutty or demeaning. Hate the war, not the victims. You can’t call yourself a feminist and then turn around and actively insult women for acting a certain way, even if it’s not one you yourself agree with. Also, the last thirty pages weren’t as good as the rest of the book, but it doesn’t detract from the story overall.

Amy Reed once again proves herself to be a great writer, and one of my favourites. I’ll gladly read anything she puts out. Crazy is going to become one of those books that means a lot to me and one I’ll revisit again.(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you’ve been around me at all lately, you’ve probably heard me mention Amy Reed at least a few times. This woman is an amazing author. She doesn’t hold back and writes with an intensity and honesty that is rarely seen. She’s probably one of my favorite authors, so when I saw this book come out, I knew I needed it immediately. Crazy was so good that I devoured it in two days.

Crazy is written in a series of emails between two teenagers, Connor and Isabel/Izzy, who met at summer camp. At first, I...more If you’ve been around me at all lately, you’ve probably heard me mention Amy Reed at least a few times. This woman is an amazing author. She doesn’t hold back and writes with an intensity and honesty that is rarely seen. She’s probably one of my favorite authors, so when I saw this book come out, I knew I needed it immediately. Crazy was so good that I devoured it in two days.

Crazy is written in a series of emails between two teenagers, Connor and Isabel/Izzy, who met at summer camp. At first, Izzy seems like any hormonal teenager with her intense emotions and mood swings. As the story progresses though, her behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Her highs are too high and her lows are too low. Connor is forced to watch from afar as Izzy descends into self-destruction. As Connor gets pulled deeper and deeper into Izzy’s world, he must find out a way to help before it’s too late.

I’ve read a lot of books dealing with the theme of mental illness, some better than others, so I was looking forward to see if Amy Reed would successfully pull it off. Her portrayal of bipolar disorder was probably one of the best I’ve ever read. She was nearly spot on with the kind of devastating destruction mental illness can cause in one’s life and relationships. The writing style and flow of Izzy’s emails spoke volumes about what kind of condition Izzy was in at the time. Like Connor, I found myself being pulled into Izzy’s world. I wanted to save her, but felt helpless and confused at the same time.

This was one of those books that, after finishing, I needed some time alone to think about what I had just read. When trying to describe how I felt to a friend, I was speechless. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading stories that involve raw and pure emotion, because this one sure does. Crazy is a powerful story of love and hope and the reality of mental illness. With every book she writes, Amy Reed just gets better and better.

This review (and more!) can be found at Rachel Reads (less)

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May 31, 2012 Brandi Kosiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Crazy deal with important and sensitive material, and as usual I think that Amy Reed writes about it with class, while still fleshing out the characters, making them realistic. This book is gritty at times, definitely keeping it real.
One important thing that I didn't know before reading--Crazy is written in emails and instant messages. Honestly, I don't know if I would have picked it up if I knew that, but I would have missed out. It isn't like prose, which doesn't do it for me, but it is sti...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Renae M. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, books-i-own, published-2012, epistolary, lgbt, contemporary-or-realistic-fiction

I have a few favorite authors. I have authors whose books I read with the expectation that they’ll be good. I have authors whose books I’ll pick up just because that author’s name is on the front cover. So yeah, I have favorites.

What I don’t have are authors who get 5/5 ratings across the board. I’m a fairly picky reader. I don’t dish out full marks on a whim. If a book gets a 5/5 rating, that basically means I want to fall down and worship it.

Amy Reed is an anomaly in my curmudgeonly reading c...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1st-person-female, 1st-person-male, 2nd-person, contemporary, read-in-2012

This book is the first Amy Reed book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. It is told in a unique format, which is e-mail format. Towards the end there are also a few journal entries. The story kept me turning the pages to see what else would happen in Connor's and Izzy's lives.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Connor is a really great guy, and he is very caring. Connor wants to help Izzy, but he also doesn't want her to get mad at him. He is supportive of her, and he lets her know that he's there if sh...more This book is the first Amy Reed book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. It is told in a unique format, which is e-mail format. Towards the end there are also a few journal entries. The story kept me turning the pages to see what else would happen in Connor's and Izzy's lives.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Connor is a really great guy, and he is very caring. Connor wants to help Izzy, but he also doesn't want her to get mad at him. He is supportive of her, and he lets her know that he's there if she needs help. He gets annoyed when she skirts around his questions to avoid answering. He doesn't really have any friends at school, but during the book, he finds a friend named Jeremy. He's in love with Izzy, and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to her. He knows that his therapist mom could probably help her, but he also knows Izzy will be angry if he finds help for her.

Izzy has many problems of her own. She has bipolar disorder, but she doesn't know this yet. She experiences many highs and lows. She goes from feeling depressed to feeling almost too energized. She doesn't want to admit to Connor that she may need professional help. Her family has problems too. Her older brother is in jail. Her sister, on the other hand, is married and will be having a child. Izzy has a boyfriend named Trevor who is rather distant from her. He is in a band, and he'll see her when he's around, but he's really just using her physically. Izzy could find an emotional relationship in Connor if she realizes he's in love with her.

The format of this book is unique. It is told in e-mails, a few instant messages, and a few journal entries. When a book is told in first person POV, the main characters have thoughts that they keep to themselves that the reader knows. In e-mail format, the characters are sending each other every word on the pages. They are putting much emotion and honesty into all their e-mails. This shows that Connor and Izzy really trust and care about each other.

If you like heavier YA contemporary, read this book.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Jenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: drugs-mental-illness, favorite-authors-club, oh-the-feelings

I have been a fan of Amy Reed's work for a long long time. Ever since I bought Beautiful, I have been in love with her writing. The voice the narrator has is always so lifelike, it's like you're reading someone's journal or you can actually picture the person talking to you. And the subject matter is always something I'm very interested in reading.

Crazy did not make me cry. But it did make me emotional. Here we have a boy who is so infatuated, so in love with this wonderful image of a girl he me...more

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About Amy Reed

Amy Reed was born and raised in and around Seattle, where she attended a total of eight schools by the time she was eighteen. Constant moving taught her to be restless and being an only child made her imagination do funny things. After a brief stint at Reed College (no relation), she moved to San Francisco and spent the next several years serving coffee and getting into trouble. She eventually gra...more

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Quotes from Crazy

“What if talking about your feelings doesn't fix anything? What if what you really need is to make the feelings go away?” — 47 people liked it

“Even though I'm sleeping again, everything still feels a little rickety, like I'm here but not quite here, like I'm just a stand-in for my real self, like someone could just reach over and pinch me and I'd deflate. I thought I was feeling better, but I don't know anymore.” — 23 people liked it

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