Review: All the Rage by Courtney Summers

Summary:

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out,All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Courtney Summers became one of my favorite authors after I devoured This Is Not a Test last year. Although the plot of All the Rage is so different than that novel, I still found myself drawn into the world Summers crafted. The author has a way of making you feel such a strong connection with the characters.

Romy is complex, just like Summer’s other female heroines. She has very honest feelings about what it means to be a girl in a world that isn’t always the kindest to girls. Her emotions were honest and realistic and I’m betting so many girls will be able to relate to Romy.

The book has some dark stuff going on. The small town people in Romy’s world are small-minded and she is treated cruelly after suffering through a horrible trauma. Reading about Romy’s self-loathing was heart wrenching and I did have to put the book down from time to time to give myself a breather from the intensity. I was glad not all the characters were evil and Romy did have a strong support system.

My only complaint is the timeline confusion. I couldn’t figure out when some of the events were happening. I did have an advanced copy, so maybe chapter headings will be clearer in the final proof. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the romance. I just felt like a love interest wasn’t necessary and took away my focus from the awfulness of what Romy goes through.

Overall, another amazing book by Summers and I can’t wait to read more from her!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!