Book Review: Counting Backwards by Laura Lascarso

Counting Backwards
by Laura Lascarso
Release Date: August 14th, 2012
Publisher: Atheneum
Format: Paperback ARC, 288 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0690-2
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Goodreads Summary: Three weeks ago I tried to run away from home. Now all I want is to go back.

When troubled Taylor Truwell is caught with a stolen car and lands in court for resisting arrest, her father convinces the judge of an alternative to punishment: treatment in a juvenile psychiatric correctional facility. Sunny Meadows is anything but the easy way out, and Taylor has to fight hard just to hold on to her sanity as she battles her parents, her therapist, and vicious fellow patients. But even as Taylor struggles to hold on to her stubborn former self, she finds herself relenting as she lets in two unlikely friends--Margo, a former child star and arsonist, and AJ, a mysterious boy who doesn’t speak. In this striking debut, Laura Lascarso weaves together a powerful story of anger and self-destruction, hope and love.

Cindy's Review: I got this book also from my Teen Read Week pile. ;) I think this is the second to last so I've almost finished the whole pile!

The Cover: 

Hmmm. I find the cover hard to look at. LOL. I don't know which person I should look at. But I must say, she looks pretty looking down like that. I don't think she has any make-up on. If she does, it must be light make-up.

The Characters:

Her name is Taylor Truwell. She goes to Sunny Meadows which is a place where teens get treatment in a juvenile psychiatric correctional facility. Taylor doesn't have any mental problems. She just stole a car and resisted arrest. Oh and she ran away from home. But all those actions were triggered by her family problems. Her mom who just drinks everyday and night and brings guys home. Her dad who left her mom and her and doesn't even care. Now trying to run away from her life, she gets lock up in a prison instead. 

A. J.  A guy who also goes to the juvenile center with her. Taylor found her trust in him. This mysterious guy who doesn't talk. And A.J. turns out to be a very important person in the story. ;) (Also to the note, I know so much A.J's. Why is everyone's name that starts with both A and J gets initialed AJ? Hmmm. Let's see. There's an A Juan Silva. I forgot his first name. Then I know an Ayzher Jubilee Neri Ocsona. It's a SHE. LOL. Yeah. So much A.J's)

The Plot:

The plot? Hmmm. Taylor was forced to go this juvenile psychiatric facility for six months. She doesn't want to and tries many ways to escape, but later she soon realizes what she could gain out of this place. And with friends supporting her so much, does she really want to leave this place after all? 

Book Comparisons:

This book sort of reminded me of Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson. Both main characters were forced to go to this juvenile psychiatric center when they haven't really done anything wrong. Well. They kinda did. But still, it's not like they did it on purpose. And both of them fell in love with someone form the facility, except in Ultraviolet, the romance is UGH. And in Counting Backwards, the romance is sweet and I totally encourage it to continue. ;)

The Ending:

The ending ended perfectly with a lesson taught both to the main character and the reader. But the only one I thing I wanted to know more about is the romance. Is it going to continue? I hope it does. ;D

The Bad:

The romance started to late. They didn't even have a first kiss till like 200 something pages into the book.  ;(

The Good:

I totally enjoyed was there of the romance though. It's really sweet. The guy seems like a good guy. And I'm pretty sure you have an idea who it is, because there's only one guy I mentioned. LOL. 

Rating: (1-10): 8.5

My average rating. :P

Happy Reading~