A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa B. Sheinmel - MMC GBR - Starting August 1st 2020

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Only when she’s locked away does the truth begin to escape…

Four walls. One window. No way to escape. Hannah knows there's been a mistake. She didn't need to be institutionalized. What happened to her roommate at her summer program was an accident. As soon as the doctors and judge figure out that she isn't a danger to herself or others, she can go home to start her senior year. In the meantime, she is going to use her persuasive skills to get the staff on her side.

Then Lucy arrives. Lucy has her own baggage. And she may be the only person who can get Hannah to confront the dangerous games and secrets that landed her in confinement in the first place.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa B. Sheinmel will be our 2nd GBR for August 2020.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

Our MMC GBR review thread can be found here - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

[Krystal]

I put this book on hold and should be getting this within the week!

[Aaron]

I really like the sound of this book. It isn’t tagged as mystery or anything so I have no idea what to expect but I can’t wait to get started!

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

35%

(view spoiler)[ Well we don't know what she did and for the first part it seems like she doesn't realize that she's got a mental illness. This is interesting for now, it's going to get boring if something doesn't happen soon. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

54%

(view spoiler)[ If Jonah is imaginary then I think Lucy is too. that will explain how she managed to go off for her dance recital and come back without anyone noticing. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

64%

(view spoiler)[ I knew Lucy wasn't real. It's sad how she can't grasp how ill she is. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

80%

(view spoiler)[ So we still don't really know what happened to Agnes. They were playing a game and she ended up on a window sill either Hannah pushed her or she fell. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ Well that wasn't really a great ending. It just seemed to trail off. I liked it up until then. I don't think she should have been released so quickly after her outburst. i don't think she'll get the help she needs from her family either. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Oh yes! Lucy being a hallucination never occurred to me. But yes, because nobody ever realized she was missing and, honestly, I don't think they'd be having therapy sessions with another patient in the room. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

I'm on page 200.
(view spoiler)[ I usually like books that deal with mental illness, so I was excited to read this. So far I like it a lot. I find the story interesting, although it annoyed me a little at first how Hannah thought she was different from the other patients.
I have a feeling she's now starting to realize there might be something wrong with her. Can't wait to see how things will play out. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I never even thought about the therapy part. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Well, I'm a nurse so maybe I paid attention to that because of it 😁 unless you're a nurse too 😊 (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "80%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yes, I kind of like it how we are not given all the answers. That's how it is in real life, after all. Sometimes we don't know what's true and what really happened, and most of the times it doesn't even matter when you start thinking about it. Like in this story, even if Hannah did push Agnes, it wouldn't have made any difference. Agnes's fall still wasn't her fault because she was sick. Just like the judge said.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Lol no I'm not a nurse I'm a teacher assistant in a special needs school.
[spoilers removed]"

[Kikijanika]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
(view spoiler)[ I agree with you that Hannah's parents are not being very supportive. I understand it's hard for them, too, and they're probably scared, maybe even blaming themselves, but they should show even a little support. As for the ending, there wasn't any great climax or closure, but I liked how the last pages offered glimpses of different directions Hannah's life might take. She might deny her illness, she might stop taking her medication, she might relapse. Or she could accept her illness and learn to live with it, maybe even spread the awareness. She might even do all those things, but we will never know. Unless there'll be a sequel. (hide spoiler)]

[Mummy's Naughty Corner]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yes that's it because there was no closure. I reckon she'll struggle but like you said she could learn to live with it. I think her parents would cause more pain and she'll struggle that way. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

I think I'm going to give this a try! I don't think I've read something similar and the author is also unfamiliar to me. I haven't even started this so I can't read your comments about the book. But would you recommend this one? I think I'm reading this anyway 😂

[Kikijanika]

Johanna wrote: "I think I'm going to give this a try! I don't think I've read something similar and the author is also unfamiliar to me. I haven't even started this so I can't read your comments about the book. Bu..."

I really liked it, but I usually like books that have to do with mental illness. If you haven't read anything similar, I'd say definitely give it a try!

[Johanna]

Kikijanika wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I think I'm going to give this a try! I don't think I've read something similar and the author is also unfamiliar to me. I haven't even started this so I can't read your comments ab..."

Thanks for your comment! I'm going to try this and will be back with my thoughts ^_^

[Aaron]

34%
(view spoiler)[ This is interesting because it’s impossible to know if she is telling the truth or not. At first I thought it was a mistake that she was in there but it’s become pretty clear she does have a mental illness but isn’t aware of it. I want to know what happened to get her sent there. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ it also didn’t make sense that she got back in the room without anyone unlocking the door for her and she didn’t have a key. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

75%
(view spoiler)[ I can’t imagine not knowing whether you pushed your best friend or not. I’m like that she has sort of accepted that it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t suggested playing the game. It must make it easier to move on. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
[spoilers removed]"

Done
(view spoiler)[ The ending felt realistic for the situation. I’m sort of glad there was no closure because there’s no closure for Hannah. She would have to deal with that forever. I hope her parents would come to understand it later after being around her a bit more. (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

12% (view spoiler)[ I need this to move along now. I'm curious to the ends and outs of what she did. (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

Aaron wrote: "Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
[spoilers removed]"

Done
[spoilers removed]"

Yes. That's kind of how I felt, too.

[Krystal]

30% (view spoiler)[ So much filler in this. Seriously. I get they are trying to build a story but sheesh. (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "35%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Lol, I'm there right now. Need something to happen! (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

Kikijanika wrote: "I'm on page 200.
I usually like books that deal with mental illness, so I was excited to read this. So far I like it a lot. I find the story interesting, although it annoyed me a little at first ..."

(view spoiler)[ I'm curious to get to this part where she starts to realize. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[There is something quite creepy and scary not knowing what has happened and what are we to getting to know of her. She has rich parents but they don't show emotions. Really horrible. I'm pretty sure she has made her friend to jump so that she would get the boy she is interested of. This is sooo creepy/scary story... (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 18
(view spoiler)[Not so much happening, repeating the same things that were already told in the first chapters. We will see if there is starting to happen a bit more now. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "35%

[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[Nice to notice I wasn't the only one thinking the story started to offer nothing new!! (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Aaron wrote: "34%
[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[I was thinking all the time that she has a mental illness she doesn't realised 😃 (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 30
(view spoiler)[Things are started be quite interesting. I started to think if Jonathan was real and then they said he isn't. I also wonder if Lucy is real or not... (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "54%

[spoilers removed]"
We had again same thoughts!! 😂😂

[Johanna]

Kikijanika wrote: "I'm on page 200. "
(view spoiler)[For me it was easy to understand she thought she was different: she has always succeeded in school and was from the rich family. There wasn't bad things that had happened to her and made her to grow up - everything/life has been easy to her. I don't see that Hannah would have started to understand her situation now but it can be something I don't see 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 36
(view spoiler)[This book is interesting, I feel sorry for Hannah. It's heartbreaking now when she has started to understand that Lucy and Jonah are her imagination. There has been things I have not guessed beforehand and I like when book suprise me. I like reading this, much more than I thought I would. Nice that I decided try to read this book. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 42
(view spoiler)[Oh no, she is going to hurt herself. Pure Hannah. I feel so strongly for her. Her mother is really disgusting, doesn't care anything else than how she looks. I thought there was something strange when her mother has said to Hannah she doesn't understand parents that travel without their children. Maybe they should have done that too and let their daughter to be child. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "80%

[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[I think it has been made clear through Hannah? She has thought many times how Lucy's voice commanded her to push. Well she started to think that maybe she have imagined it but I think she doesn't want to think she have done that and that's the reason she has started to dream she hasn't. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Aaron wrote: "75%
[spoilers removed]"
That's the exactly what I was thinking too.

[Johanna]

F I N I S H E D
(view spoiler)[This started a bit slowly but just when I started to hope that something would happen it went interesting. This was a book I didn't thought I would like but I enjoyed reading this book SO MUCH. This was really interesting and touching book. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[Yes it's true that they let her go quite easily. I got the same feeling that she isn't going to get the help she needs but there was known that she would institutionalised again so maybe that was something to happen again. I liked the ending because it wasn't too beautiful. It was quite horrible but quite real at the same time. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[I felt excatly the same! I loved the ending because it was so mysterious and realistic. Thank you recommending to give this book a try - I enjoyed this so much! (hide spoiler)]

[Kikijanika]

Johanna wrote: "Kikijanika wrote: "Mummy's Naughty Corner wrote: "Finished

[spoilers removed]"

I finished.
[spoilers removed]"
[spoilers removed]"

I'm glad you liked it! 😊

[Carolyn]

0%: Just starting this novel today. It sounds good, but I'm not sure how I'll like it. I was having trouble finding it at my public library, but luckily, I found it on the cloud library. We'll see how it goes.

[Carolyn]

8%: (view spoiler)[ What did Hannah do wrong? <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Carolyn]

24%:(view spoiler)[ I just feel so bad for Hannah. Then again, I don't. I think Hannah might be certifiably crazy. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Just started this

[Aly]

25% (view spoiler)[ Hannah definitely seems like she has issues. She hurt Agnes somehow but is denying it. Jealousy over a guy? (hide spoiler)]