Rgz Street Team: Alex reviews Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Alex skillfully reviews our featured April title, Impulse by Ellen Hopkins:

This book kept my heart and stomach in knots. It was a whirlwind of pain, humility, and sorrow. Everyone has secrets and some eat at us, slowly rotting us from the inside out. In Impulse, this was painfully obvious as three teenagers--Conner, Tony, and Vanessa--fought the demons within them that drove them to attempting suicide.

Tony used pills to fight his past of sexual abuse and abandonment.

Vanessa used knives to battle her bipolar disorder and fear of becoming her mother.

Conner used a gun to drive away his childhood sexual abuse and the lack of love from the person he wanted it the most from.

Each walked a different path in life but their roads collided when they were institutionalized.

This book emphasizes that depression is real and treatable. However, if not treated, it can lead to death--the most irreversible and final thing of all.