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HappyHead #1
El proyecto HappyHead
Estamos en medio de una epidemia. Una epidemia de infelicidad. Pero tenemos buenas HappyHead es la respuesta. Seb ha ido unos días a un lugar muy especial con otra gente de su edad. En principio, se trata de un novedoso retiro diseñado para resolver la ola de infelicidad que se ha extendido entre los jóvenes. Seb está decidido a cambiar cómo le ve la gente y a hacer que sus padres se sientan orgullosos de él. Pero nada más llegar, empieza a cuestionarse el auténtico motivo por el que se llevan a cabo las pruebas extremas que le obligan a superar. Junto con el enigmático Finn, un chico por el que empieza a sentir una fuerte atracción, Seb ve que el programa se vuelve más siniestro a medida que avanza… y puede que nadie consiga salir de allí con vida. Una lectura perfecta para fans de Al final mueren los dos y El juego del calamar, que además ha vendido los derechos para su adaptación a pelí la producirá el actor Taron Egerton.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2023
150 people are currently reading
7564 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 787 reviews
February 15, 2023
Holy hell I need the next book now.
April 2, 2023
It has been YEARS since I was this engaged in a book. Read this in one sitting and I’m literally shaking over the ending I NEEEEEEED the next one NOOOOOW!!!
March 28, 2024
Ultra ciekawa książka, która jest połączeniem trochę dystopii z jakimś nwm kryminałem młodzieżowym.
Dodatkowo trochę brutalna i straszna.
Nigdy nie czytałam czegoś takiego
Dodatkowo trochę brutalna i straszna.
Nigdy nie czytałam czegoś takiego
March 29, 2024
“Like Hunger Games but better” is absolutely not true (sadly)
update months later as I’m still annoyed by this: IF you’re going to make a dystopian novel, at least make it somewhat brutal — this was honestly too close to reality to be entertaining
update months later as I’m still annoyed by this: IF you’re going to make a dystopian novel, at least make it somewhat brutal — this was honestly too close to reality to be entertaining
April 23, 2024
Z głównym bohaterem nie polubiłam się od razu, ALE kocham jego miłość do Bowiego. I CZEKAM NA KOLEJNE TOMY!!
April 22, 2024
?????🤨
July 8, 2023
you’re fucking lying that is not how this book ends what in the actual ever loving FUCK
yes i did finish this in a day and yes i think it is one of the best books i have ever read
a gay dystopian??? i didn’t even realize it was fucking gay until i started reading it and i physically cannot handle waiting for the second book there better be a second book or i’m losing my shit
i will not shut up about this ever
yes i did finish this in a day and yes i think it is one of the best books i have ever read
a gay dystopian??? i didn’t even realize it was fucking gay until i started reading it and i physically cannot handle waiting for the second book there better be a second book or i’m losing my shit
i will not shut up about this ever
July 17, 2023
Not for me. I am going to have to search for the word "dystopian" harder in blurbs than I do now. I mainly found this book irritating, unrealistic (as regards parents/feelings rather than the concept of a place to "make" you happy). The only people who appeared to be happy at the end were Lucy and Raheem so the whole project had failed 98 of the 100 intake. Or maybe the point was that we should pretend to be happy for the sake of others, which appears to be the status quo.
I don't think the hiding his nature or homosexuality particularly helped Seb but maybe that was the point of the book also. Or maybe you're supposed to hide that too.
As you can tell I wasn't entirely sure what the point of the book was other than to enrage me and wonder why everyone is so obsessed with being happy. Its a purely western concept that we deserve happiness. Why not just do what puts a smile on your face for however brief a time?
The part of the book that I did enjoy was the autobiographical part at the end. It made me glad that Josh Silver enjoys writing. I hope he continues to enjoy it and is a success. I don't think he was writing for me so I'll give the next book a miss thanks. My advice to myself for being happy - stop reading dystopian novels.
The narration was good though. Huw Parmenter does a fine job of various accents and a stellar job of irritating teenage girl squeak. His vocal chords must have hurt after intoning Eleanor for more than a second or two.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda for the advance review copy.
I don't think the hiding his nature or homosexuality particularly helped Seb but maybe that was the point of the book also. Or maybe you're supposed to hide that too.
As you can tell I wasn't entirely sure what the point of the book was other than to enrage me and wonder why everyone is so obsessed with being happy. Its a purely western concept that we deserve happiness. Why not just do what puts a smile on your face for however brief a time?
The part of the book that I did enjoy was the autobiographical part at the end. It made me glad that Josh Silver enjoys writing. I hope he continues to enjoy it and is a success. I don't think he was writing for me so I'll give the next book a miss thanks. My advice to myself for being happy - stop reading dystopian novels.
The narration was good though. Huw Parmenter does a fine job of various accents and a stellar job of irritating teenage girl squeak. His vocal chords must have hurt after intoning Eleanor for more than a second or two.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda for the advance review copy.
June 6, 2023
WHAT THE FUCK. 😭 I NEED BOOK 2 RIGHT NOW
April 10, 2023
A difficult book to tear your eyes from, but even more difficult to describe and review. As I sit here, with no notion of where to begin, all I can remember is the overwhelming feeling of having to inhale every word, and the utter gutwrench of the finale.
Silver has done something special here. Although some would have you believe this novel is akin to The Hunger Games, I don’t subscribe to that opinion. Yes, we have a group of teenagers in an unsettling and veiled circumstance, where trusting authority may or may not be the best option. The similarities end there.
We explore the idea that an epidemic of unhappiness has infiltrated the minds of the nation, particularly our young people. What if preventative measures could be taken to allow our young minds to be happy? Some sort of wellness retreat or boot camp? Enter HappyHead - the one thing that will make everything better. Tasks, assessments, and teamwork all combine to allow the students to be analysed, catergorised, and ultimately scored. It all seems fairly innocuous, if odd, until things begin to be cast in a strange shadow of doubt.
I was immediately engrossed with this. Silver’s writing allows you become immersed with Seb’s experiences working through both the HappyHead process and his own identity, as they seem not to fit together. From the beginning, there are undertones of disquiet - something feels off; I believed my brain had been programmed to persevere at all costs, and to discover the motives and person behind all of these perplexing cogs.
To say anything else would be cruel of me, as this is one best experienced with an open and untarnished mind. What I will say is that the finale came at me like a slap in the face, and I am craving a sequel.
Silver has done something special here. Although some would have you believe this novel is akin to The Hunger Games, I don’t subscribe to that opinion. Yes, we have a group of teenagers in an unsettling and veiled circumstance, where trusting authority may or may not be the best option. The similarities end there.
We explore the idea that an epidemic of unhappiness has infiltrated the minds of the nation, particularly our young people. What if preventative measures could be taken to allow our young minds to be happy? Some sort of wellness retreat or boot camp? Enter HappyHead - the one thing that will make everything better. Tasks, assessments, and teamwork all combine to allow the students to be analysed, catergorised, and ultimately scored. It all seems fairly innocuous, if odd, until things begin to be cast in a strange shadow of doubt.
I was immediately engrossed with this. Silver’s writing allows you become immersed with Seb’s experiences working through both the HappyHead process and his own identity, as they seem not to fit together. From the beginning, there are undertones of disquiet - something feels off; I believed my brain had been programmed to persevere at all costs, and to discover the motives and person behind all of these perplexing cogs.
To say anything else would be cruel of me, as this is one best experienced with an open and untarnished mind. What I will say is that the finale came at me like a slap in the face, and I am craving a sequel.
February 25, 2023
‘Happyhead’: a gripping YA thriller with LGBTQ representation, elements of dystopian fiction and many, many twists!
It sounds like I’m exaggerating when I say I *inhaled* this book, but I was physically unable to put it down. I read it in bed, when walking my dog, whilst having a 2 hour tattoo… you get the picture. From the moment I read its blurb, I knew I couldn’t rest until I knew how the story ended. (I actually still can’t rest even now I know the ending, but more on that later.)
The novel begins with its protagonist Seb (Sebastian) being driven to Happyhead: a facility in which 100 handpicked teenagers will help scientists cure adolescent depression. At least, apparently. Seb's clueless parents and irritating sister Lily make the car ride into something of an endurance test, and immediately had me sympathising with him. As I’m sure you can imagine, though, it’s nothing compared to the trials that await him once inside the testing centre.
These tests range from displays of skill to truly upsetting discussions of trauma. One particularly horrifying moment includes (SPOILER ALERT) the characters having to kill, then cook a chicken. These increasingly worrying tests, as well as fellow participant Finn, soon help Seb realise that Happyhead isn’t the innocent experiment its founders pretend it is. Together they began devising a plan to bring it down, without capturing the attention of any of their surveyors. (Romance also ensues!)
I believe that people who love ‘The Hunger Games’, and fans of ‘The Maze Runner’ who ship Newt and Thomas, will particularly enjoy this novel, which I was shocked to realise is John Silver’s first. There’s a perfect blend of character-driven themes and plot-centered scenes as well as Silver’s delightful writing style. My only criticism, which I hinted to before, was the story’s ending; though I think it was utterly brilliant - and an excellent set-up for a sequel - I am now devastated trying to create my own ways to tie up the loose ends that were left. That just speaks to the powerful world SIlver created though, and I can’t wait to read lots more about it!
It sounds like I’m exaggerating when I say I *inhaled* this book, but I was physically unable to put it down. I read it in bed, when walking my dog, whilst having a 2 hour tattoo… you get the picture. From the moment I read its blurb, I knew I couldn’t rest until I knew how the story ended. (I actually still can’t rest even now I know the ending, but more on that later.)
The novel begins with its protagonist Seb (Sebastian) being driven to Happyhead: a facility in which 100 handpicked teenagers will help scientists cure adolescent depression. At least, apparently. Seb's clueless parents and irritating sister Lily make the car ride into something of an endurance test, and immediately had me sympathising with him. As I’m sure you can imagine, though, it’s nothing compared to the trials that await him once inside the testing centre.
These tests range from displays of skill to truly upsetting discussions of trauma. One particularly horrifying moment includes (SPOILER ALERT) the characters having to kill, then cook a chicken. These increasingly worrying tests, as well as fellow participant Finn, soon help Seb realise that Happyhead isn’t the innocent experiment its founders pretend it is. Together they began devising a plan to bring it down, without capturing the attention of any of their surveyors. (Romance also ensues!)
I believe that people who love ‘The Hunger Games’, and fans of ‘The Maze Runner’ who ship Newt and Thomas, will particularly enjoy this novel, which I was shocked to realise is John Silver’s first. There’s a perfect blend of character-driven themes and plot-centered scenes as well as Silver’s delightful writing style. My only criticism, which I hinted to before, was the story’s ending; though I think it was utterly brilliant - and an excellent set-up for a sequel - I am now devastated trying to create my own ways to tie up the loose ends that were left. That just speaks to the powerful world SIlver created though, and I can’t wait to read lots more about it!
April 4, 2023
If a book is marketed as “like the hunger games but better” I’m always going to read it, add in being likened to the squid games and I’m 10000% going to need to read it. From the very start you can tell there’s something not quite right but there’s no obvious clues as to what that could be.
The pacing was perfection and you can’t help but be pulled in from the very first chapter, and you were kept hooked as you sped through the rest of the book. The cliffhanger ending was certainly edgy enough to make me pick up book two.
This one is a really great read if you enjoy a good YA dystopian world to get lost in.
Thank you to Rock the Boat for sending me a proof package of this one.
The pacing was perfection and you can’t help but be pulled in from the very first chapter, and you were kept hooked as you sped through the rest of the book. The cliffhanger ending was certainly edgy enough to make me pick up book two.
This one is a really great read if you enjoy a good YA dystopian world to get lost in.
Thank you to Rock the Boat for sending me a proof package of this one.
April 20, 2024
I'm glad May is right around the corner because I need book 2 nowww
November 10, 2022
I was very grateful to be gifted a copy of Josh Silver’s Happy Head in the lead up to Rock The Boat’s 2022 showcase with the Tandem Collective. Immediately my attention was piqued by its premise so I had to pick it up straight away. My only issue, I’ve got to wait over a year for part 2!
HappyHead is an incredible dystopia. It’s been likened to Squid Games meets They Both Die at the End, but Silver also threw in meets Love Island during the showcase. If you enjoy YA dystopias you must put this one on your radar for next year - it’s out in March.
HappyHead is the story of Seb, who has been offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness. A chronic people pleasure, Seb is determined to finally make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges that he and the cohort are being pushed to undertake. The deeper into the program the boys get, the more disturbing things become and the more they fear there is no escape…
HappyHead is a desperately hard book to put down. It’s the kind of book where the further into it you get the more impossible it is to stop reading. Written in the first person, we are immediately drawn into Seb’s world and are able to really feel his sense of growing unease the further into the program he finds himself. Along with his conflicting emotions relating to his place and everything that is going on, we are also witness to the conflicts he feels around Finn. Whilst Seb feels he needs to prove himself at HappyHead he can’t help but be drawn to Finn, the same person who continues to act out and rebel. I want to avoid any spoilers here but I loved some of the private moments between these two. Though following the cliffhanger I’m desperate to know what comes next!
This is a story rooted in its exploration of the prescribed notions of what it is to be happy, well and successful, and what happens when those who are telling you they’ll make you ‘better’ have much more sinister plans. That Silver is writing this story as a mental health nurse himself is fascinating and I urge the reader to read his Q&A at the end. I also greatly appreciate that in Seb, he’s given the reader a gay hero, along with an LQBTQ love story, that though secondary to the actual story is still significant.
This is a brilliant debut and I cannot wait for the next instalment.
With thanks to Rock the Boat and Tandem Collective for my gifted copy.
HappyHead is an incredible dystopia. It’s been likened to Squid Games meets They Both Die at the End, but Silver also threw in meets Love Island during the showcase. If you enjoy YA dystopias you must put this one on your radar for next year - it’s out in March.
HappyHead is the story of Seb, who has been offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness. A chronic people pleasure, Seb is determined to finally make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges that he and the cohort are being pushed to undertake. The deeper into the program the boys get, the more disturbing things become and the more they fear there is no escape…
HappyHead is a desperately hard book to put down. It’s the kind of book where the further into it you get the more impossible it is to stop reading. Written in the first person, we are immediately drawn into Seb’s world and are able to really feel his sense of growing unease the further into the program he finds himself. Along with his conflicting emotions relating to his place and everything that is going on, we are also witness to the conflicts he feels around Finn. Whilst Seb feels he needs to prove himself at HappyHead he can’t help but be drawn to Finn, the same person who continues to act out and rebel. I want to avoid any spoilers here but I loved some of the private moments between these two. Though following the cliffhanger I’m desperate to know what comes next!
This is a story rooted in its exploration of the prescribed notions of what it is to be happy, well and successful, and what happens when those who are telling you they’ll make you ‘better’ have much more sinister plans. That Silver is writing this story as a mental health nurse himself is fascinating and I urge the reader to read his Q&A at the end. I also greatly appreciate that in Seb, he’s given the reader a gay hero, along with an LQBTQ love story, that though secondary to the actual story is still significant.
This is a brilliant debut and I cannot wait for the next instalment.
With thanks to Rock the Boat and Tandem Collective for my gifted copy.
July 19, 2023
Wow - This really took me by surprise and blew me away! The creepy atmosphere was present right form the outset and really pulled me in. One of the quotes on the cover of the book says that it's like Hunger Games, but better and I thought - 'Yeah, right'. Hunger Games is one of my favourite series and this is certainly along the same lines, but in a contemporary setting. I loved the main characters and they felt very relatable. My favourite books are genre fiction with queer main characters and this really delivers!
I'm finding it difficult to explain why this was so good without spoiling the entire plot and I do think that it's worth going into this without knowing much about it. But all I know is that I absolutely can not wait until the next book comes out. I need to know what happens!
I was given access to the audiobook by the publisher via Netgalley. I really enjoyed the narrator and his accents (especially his Manchester accent) were really good! There were several points though that I could hear him swallowing and I found it a bit....erm...unpleasant. But other than that minor thing, it was an excellent audiobook!
I'm finding it difficult to explain why this was so good without spoiling the entire plot and I do think that it's worth going into this without knowing much about it. But all I know is that I absolutely can not wait until the next book comes out. I need to know what happens!
I was given access to the audiobook by the publisher via Netgalley. I really enjoyed the narrator and his accents (especially his Manchester accent) were really good! There were several points though that I could hear him swallowing and I found it a bit....erm...unpleasant. But other than that minor thing, it was an excellent audiobook!
June 3, 2023
Big ol five stars from me. Read most of this in one day. Not often that I can remain focused and glued to a book for that long.
Loved the concept, but definitely not "like the hunger games". I'd say a bit more squid games more than anything.
A new dystopian concept that was totally different to anything else I've read. Now where's book 2?
April 28, 2024
just as great the second time!!
January 29, 2024
There is something incredible about picking up a book on a whim and having it become a favourite immediately when reading it.
I was drawn in my the comparisons to Hunger Games and Squid Game, and even They Both Die at the End. I was curious about these comparisons and as a fan of things like Squid Game and Battle Royale I was interested in seeing what HappyHead would be like. Though I personally wouldn't compare it to those franchises, do not go into this book expecting a death game concept, that is not what it is.
HappyHead is a horrifying origin story to a dystopia. From the very start of the book there is an eerie sensation that builds and builds, the suspense keeping your heart racing and you firmly on the egde of your seat. Knowing that Josh Silver works as a mental health nurse adds so many layers to this story. This is, in a way, a critique of the mental health system, especially the way it treats teenagers. From the very beginning of the book our protagnist, Seb, is isolated from his loved ones, cut off from the outside world, stripped away from his hobbies and passions, and forced into a pristine and too clean enviroment. This is something real people go through in the real world, mental health facilities are often critcised for their practices and this book goes so much further with that.
HappyHead builds upon the already unnerving feeling that can come from being a young person in a mental health facility, the condescending and often infantilising activities that you are forced to do and builds upon it. The HappyHead facility feels like a social experiment, such as the Stanford Prison Experiment. This is an example of a seemingly positive idea put entirely in the wrong hands. With the added element of our main characters being members of the LGBTQ+ community it also adds an extra layer, an almost conversion therapy esque feeling. Seb, especially, feels pressured into repressing his sexuality, repressing who he is, making him a preferred candidate to his opressors. Our leading love interest, however, Finn, is the opposite. Finn is loyal to who he is, to his sexuality, his sense of self, to his feelings. This makes him a problem in the eyes of his opressors. Finn has lived a life where if he does not stay true to his identity he will lose everything. Seb has lived a life where if he is true to his identity he risks losing everything. The dynamic between them is fantastic.
The love story weaved into the tense and hostile story line gives the reader so much more. It gives us something to believe in as well as something to worry for. These two boys are so beautifully written and so complex that you can't help but feel so attached to them and their romance.
HappyHead is a work of art. It feels so much more terrifying than many dystopian YA stories because it feels so real. HappyHead almost feels like something that could very well happen, something that some people want to happen. HappyHead is a story about opression, brainwashing, and destruction of self in the guise of help and salvation. I am so invested, I can not wait for Dead Happy to come out.
I was drawn in my the comparisons to Hunger Games and Squid Game, and even They Both Die at the End. I was curious about these comparisons and as a fan of things like Squid Game and Battle Royale I was interested in seeing what HappyHead would be like. Though I personally wouldn't compare it to those franchises, do not go into this book expecting a death game concept, that is not what it is.
HappyHead is a horrifying origin story to a dystopia. From the very start of the book there is an eerie sensation that builds and builds, the suspense keeping your heart racing and you firmly on the egde of your seat. Knowing that Josh Silver works as a mental health nurse adds so many layers to this story. This is, in a way, a critique of the mental health system, especially the way it treats teenagers. From the very beginning of the book our protagnist, Seb, is isolated from his loved ones, cut off from the outside world, stripped away from his hobbies and passions, and forced into a pristine and too clean enviroment. This is something real people go through in the real world, mental health facilities are often critcised for their practices and this book goes so much further with that.
HappyHead builds upon the already unnerving feeling that can come from being a young person in a mental health facility, the condescending and often infantilising activities that you are forced to do and builds upon it. The HappyHead facility feels like a social experiment, such as the Stanford Prison Experiment. This is an example of a seemingly positive idea put entirely in the wrong hands. With the added element of our main characters being members of the LGBTQ+ community it also adds an extra layer, an almost conversion therapy esque feeling. Seb, especially, feels pressured into repressing his sexuality, repressing who he is, making him a preferred candidate to his opressors. Our leading love interest, however, Finn, is the opposite. Finn is loyal to who he is, to his sexuality, his sense of self, to his feelings. This makes him a problem in the eyes of his opressors. Finn has lived a life where if he does not stay true to his identity he will lose everything. Seb has lived a life where if he is true to his identity he risks losing everything. The dynamic between them is fantastic.
The love story weaved into the tense and hostile story line gives the reader so much more. It gives us something to believe in as well as something to worry for. These two boys are so beautifully written and so complex that you can't help but feel so attached to them and their romance.
HappyHead is a work of art. It feels so much more terrifying than many dystopian YA stories because it feels so real. HappyHead almost feels like something that could very well happen, something that some people want to happen. HappyHead is a story about opression, brainwashing, and destruction of self in the guise of help and salvation. I am so invested, I can not wait for Dead Happy to come out.
March 9, 2024
When 17-year-old Seb is selected for an exciting new retreat programme called ‘Happyhead’, designed to counteract an epidemic of teenage depression and anxiety, he hopes that this could be the solution he needs to get his life together and make his parents proud.
As the programme begins Seb discovers that there’s a hierarchy and the participants are being pitted against each other to gain rankings. Seb wants to do well to please his parents and the people in charge, but he finds himself drawn to the rebellious Finn who is asking difficult questions and resisting the programme.
When Seb and Finn discover that the fences are electrified and that they are all trapped, they have to investigate to find out the true aims of HappyHead and how far will those in charge go to achieve their aims?
It’s a great premise, as we are currently living in a mental health crisis so the context feels very convincing and urgent, and HappyHead sounds like exactly the kind of programme our government might dream up as a solution.
‘HappyHead’ is incredibly gripping and compelling, I couldn’t put it down. It reminded me a lot of ‘Brave New World’. Perfect for fans of ‘Maze Runner’, ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Scythe’. Brilliantly done!
As the programme begins Seb discovers that there’s a hierarchy and the participants are being pitted against each other to gain rankings. Seb wants to do well to please his parents and the people in charge, but he finds himself drawn to the rebellious Finn who is asking difficult questions and resisting the programme.
When Seb and Finn discover that the fences are electrified and that they are all trapped, they have to investigate to find out the true aims of HappyHead and how far will those in charge go to achieve their aims?
It’s a great premise, as we are currently living in a mental health crisis so the context feels very convincing and urgent, and HappyHead sounds like exactly the kind of programme our government might dream up as a solution.
‘HappyHead’ is incredibly gripping and compelling, I couldn’t put it down. It reminded me a lot of ‘Brave New World’. Perfect for fans of ‘Maze Runner’, ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Scythe’. Brilliantly done!
May 28, 2023
does it get any better than this? incredibly thrilling, witty and fast-paced. the characters are highly relatable and really add to the book‘s immersion. i don’t think i’ve ever read a book with such an accurate depiction of teenagers. and do not get me started on all the Bowie references (looove the little lightning bolts hehe)
the storyline is insanely compelling;
i am ON EDGE!!! bro casually dropped the cliffhanger of the century and thought we wouldn’t notice. book 2 when?!
i am equally impressed and intrigued (literally read this in one sitting and that never happens)
the storyline is insanely compelling;
i am ON EDGE!!! bro casually dropped the cliffhanger of the century and thought we wouldn’t notice. book 2 when?!
i am equally impressed and intrigued (literally read this in one sitting and that never happens)
January 19, 2025
Seb is 1 out of 100 teens who have been selected to participate in an experimental treatment at HappyHead retreat to combat the unhappiness epidemic happening in the world.
When he arrives and begins to undergo their assessments, he starts to see the cracks in their smiles and begins to suspect that HappyHead’s motives may be more sinister than they let on.
Let me start with the elephant in the room. On the cover there is the quote “Like Hunger Games but better”. It will not shock you to know that that is simply not true. I imagine the comparison is probably click-baity (it got me to read it), but it only sets itself up for failure by being nothing like The Hunger Games, neither in plot nor quality. The only similarity is that they are both YA Dystopians, but even that is a stretch because HappyHead is more like Dystopian-lite.
The plot is shabbily held together by duct tape as vital points of the book are never explained and the main character is mainly passive in moving the plot forward and has to be dragged along by the side characters.
I don’t recommend this one.
When he arrives and begins to undergo their assessments, he starts to see the cracks in their smiles and begins to suspect that HappyHead’s motives may be more sinister than they let on.
Let me start with the elephant in the room. On the cover there is the quote “Like Hunger Games but better”. It will not shock you to know that that is simply not true. I imagine the comparison is probably click-baity (it got me to read it), but it only sets itself up for failure by being nothing like The Hunger Games, neither in plot nor quality. The only similarity is that they are both YA Dystopians, but even that is a stretch because HappyHead is more like Dystopian-lite.
The plot is shabbily held together by duct tape as vital points of the book are never explained and the main character is mainly passive in moving the plot forward and has to be dragged along by the side characters.
I don’t recommend this one.
dnf
October 9, 2023DNF at about 30%.
I decided to bail because despite being really intrigued by the concept it was way to slow moving for me. It had me then lost me because it seemed like it was never going to move beyond the scene setting.
I decided to bail because despite being really intrigued by the concept it was way to slow moving for me. It had me then lost me because it seemed like it was never going to move beyond the scene setting.
April 6, 2025
While this was a compelling read overall with an interesting premise, I found that it started stronger than it ended and ultimately I finished the book feeling unstatisfied. I'm sure this is partly thanks to Josh Silver setting the stage for book 2 in the series, but even so, it didn't quite stick the landing as a cliffhanger either. 3.75 rounded up.
August 14, 2023
Format: audiobook ~ Narrator: Huw Parmenter
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 4.5 stars
Complete audiobook review
100 teenagers are selected to participate in a project called HappyHead (a retreat for teenagers to help them with their unhappiness). Seb is one of those participants.
I’m a bit thorn to write this review. I generally liked it, but I think there were some unrealistic details (like family relations). But I like the way it was written when Seb’s internal voice mixed with actual conversations.
There are some similar elements to Hunger Games, but I wouldn’t directly compare it. Maybe it is a little similar to Squid Game, but still different. I’m not sure about dystopia, either. I would say HappyHead is a YA thriller. It is tense, fast-paced, and thought-provoking.
The narrator had a tough job narrating this audiobook, but he did great.
3.5 because of the details I mentioned above, but I will round it to 4 because it was a well-imagined YA Squid Game equivalent.
Thanks to Bolinda Audio for the advanced copy and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 4.5 stars
Complete audiobook review
100 teenagers are selected to participate in a project called HappyHead (a retreat for teenagers to help them with their unhappiness). Seb is one of those participants.
I’m a bit thorn to write this review. I generally liked it, but I think there were some unrealistic details (like family relations). But I like the way it was written when Seb’s internal voice mixed with actual conversations.
There are some similar elements to Hunger Games, but I wouldn’t directly compare it. Maybe it is a little similar to Squid Game, but still different. I’m not sure about dystopia, either. I would say HappyHead is a YA thriller. It is tense, fast-paced, and thought-provoking.
The narrator had a tough job narrating this audiobook, but he did great.
3.5 because of the details I mentioned above, but I will round it to 4 because it was a well-imagined YA Squid Game equivalent.
Thanks to Bolinda Audio for the advanced copy and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
March 12, 2023
I am beyond obsessed and need the sequel immediately 😭
March 19, 2023
my head is absolutely swimming i want to cry
April 16, 2024
POV: Thomas z „Więźnia labiryntu” zanim został uwięziony w labiryncie
January 8, 2023
What a fantastic start to my 2023 journey of reading. I have been waiting for many years for a new dystopian concept to emerge which truly captured my imagination, the last being Cecelia Ahern's fantastic 'Flawed' duology back in 2016. 'HappyHead', Josh Silver's debut novel, is doing a lot to fill the dystopian void with its chilling narrative and smart commentary. Teenager Seb is invited to join the HappyHead retreat, designed to support teenagers with their emotions and chronic unhappiness. A series of group 'assessments' are given to Seb and his team in the remote Scottish retreat. Seb is determined to be successful for once and win the approval of his family, but finds himself increasingly distracted by the enigmatic and rebellious Finn.
There was a lot to enjoy in this book with its addictive pacing. At first, the assessments seem innocent and genuine therapies to support Seb with tapping into his emotions. It soon becomes clear that some of the assessments are a lot more threatening than they appear as the teenagers are seemingly pitted against one another. My transition from blindly trusting the therapists to deep suspicion and then disgust was quite the journey to go on with Seb. Silver has created a bizarre dystopian world where the only respite is the growing romance between Seb and Finn - it was a relieving counterpoint to the brutality of some of the other sections of the book.
Overall, I loved Seb and Finn's relationship, the twisted assessments were absolutely gripping and the ending made me gasp (partially in frustration! Sequel now please!!). This is a must-read - 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There was a lot to enjoy in this book with its addictive pacing. At first, the assessments seem innocent and genuine therapies to support Seb with tapping into his emotions. It soon becomes clear that some of the assessments are a lot more threatening than they appear as the teenagers are seemingly pitted against one another. My transition from blindly trusting the therapists to deep suspicion and then disgust was quite the journey to go on with Seb. Silver has created a bizarre dystopian world where the only respite is the growing romance between Seb and Finn - it was a relieving counterpoint to the brutality of some of the other sections of the book.
Overall, I loved Seb and Finn's relationship, the twisted assessments were absolutely gripping and the ending made me gasp (partially in frustration! Sequel now please!!). This is a must-read - 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2023
“Squid Game meets They Both Die at the End in this original and thought provoking LGBTQ+ thriller”
Our main character Sebastian is invited to a retreat for a new project called Happyhead. Said to be an intervention to solve the epidemic of unhappiness.
In the first 10%, the book is giving really ominous vibes. Something feels off and it’s not quite clear what that is.
It really drew me in and knowing it was likened to Squid Game added to that.
As the book progresses, the characters go through a number of assessments which are designed to bring out the best in them but the tension increases.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and read it in just 2 sittings!
Very grateful to Tandem Collective UK and Rock the Boat for providing me with this proof as part of the Rock the Boat virtual showcase event last year!
Our main character Sebastian is invited to a retreat for a new project called Happyhead. Said to be an intervention to solve the epidemic of unhappiness.
In the first 10%, the book is giving really ominous vibes. Something feels off and it’s not quite clear what that is.
It really drew me in and knowing it was likened to Squid Game added to that.
As the book progresses, the characters go through a number of assessments which are designed to bring out the best in them but the tension increases.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and read it in just 2 sittings!
Very grateful to Tandem Collective UK and Rock the Boat for providing me with this proof as part of the Rock the Boat virtual showcase event last year!
May 20, 2023
Oke absolutely loved it, kon het echt niet weg leggen de tweede helft.
Love this debut, de volgende delen moeten wel asap uitkomen want ik jan niet leven met deze vragen
Love this debut, de volgende delen moeten wel asap uitkomen want ik jan niet leven met deze vragen
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