What do you think?
Rate this book
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Deep, understated, and wise, this engaging YA novel, winner of the Governor General’s Award in Canada, is about more than the tough issue of teens dealing with obsessive-compulsive order. It also has romance, and a whodunit element that will keep readers guessing. Perfect for readers who love Eleanor & Park!
Adam Spencer Ross is almost fifteen, and he’s got his hands full confronting the problems that come with having divorced parents and new stepsiblings. Add to that his obsessive-compulsive disorder and it’s just about impossible for him to imagine ever falling in love. Adam’s life changes, however, the instant he meets Robyn Plummer: he is hopelessly, desperately drawn to her. But is it possible to have a normal relationship when your life is anything but?
Filled with moments of deep emotion and unexpected humor, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B explores the complexities of living with OCD and offers the prospect of hope, happiness, and healing.
Adam Spencer Ross is almost fifteen, and he’s got his hands full confronting the problems that come with having divorced parents and new stepsiblings. Add to that his obsessive-compulsive disorder and it’s just about impossible for him to imagine ever falling in love. Adam’s life changes, however, the instant he meets Robyn Plummer: he is hopelessly, desperately drawn to her. But is it possible to have a normal relationship when your life is anything but?
Filled with moments of deep emotion and unexpected humor, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B explores the complexities of living with OCD and offers the prospect of hope, happiness, and healing.
291 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2013
About the author
Teresa Toten
21 books214 followersMy earliest and most fervent ambition was to grow up and take my rightful place among the other mermaids. When cruel and insensitive adults crushed that dream by insisting that mermaids did not exist, I settled on the more mature aspiration of becoming an intergalactic astronaut. Then I realized that math would likely be involved. So, in the end, I went to Trinity College at the University of Toronto where I got a BA and then an MA in Political Economy taking great care not to take a single English or Creative Writing class. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was never ever going to be a writer. That would be silly, fanciful and well, unrealistic. And then I started to write...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,050 reviews
March 27, 2015
I received an arc of this book for review from the publisher, and what I knew about it going in was pretty basic - boy falls for girl but has his own issues to deal with first. I didn't expect it to be a pretty raw and emotionally charged look at OCD.
There's a support group full of teenagers who all have different coping mechanisms and cleansing rituals for a variety of problems, mostly revolving in some way around anxiety. The main character, Adam, is torn between his single mum (a hoarder with her own mental illness) and her father and step family - especially the overbearing but exceptinally vulnerable little step-brother who's struggling with similar issues to Adam.
The love story is there, but it's not really about that. It's about finding friendship and letting other people in so you can face your own personal demons. Reading through Adam's escalating cleansing rituals was painstaking, and that's great. We get to FEEL his frustration and the ultimate futility of what he's doing. As someone who's suffered mildly with these kinds of compulsions myself I can honestly say that you KNOW touching that object a set number of times in just the right way isn't going to keep your family safe, but it doesn't matter because you FEEL you have to do it. Why would you risk it?! You can't help it, that's why it's called a compulsion.
I've read reviews saying this book is boring, that Adam's rituals are boring, that no teenagers will relate... let me tell you that
a. some teenagers will relate, all too well
b. if you can't relate then at least try to understand. This is still something relatively taboo, and it shouldn't be.
Wouldn't be surprised to see a movie adaptation on the horizon. Only teensy criticism would be a couple of characters that didn't quite work for me, but otherwise I really, really enjoyed it.
There's a support group full of teenagers who all have different coping mechanisms and cleansing rituals for a variety of problems, mostly revolving in some way around anxiety. The main character, Adam, is torn between his single mum (a hoarder with her own mental illness) and her father and step family - especially the overbearing but exceptinally vulnerable little step-brother who's struggling with similar issues to Adam.
The love story is there, but it's not really about that. It's about finding friendship and letting other people in so you can face your own personal demons. Reading through Adam's escalating cleansing rituals was painstaking, and that's great. We get to FEEL his frustration and the ultimate futility of what he's doing. As someone who's suffered mildly with these kinds of compulsions myself I can honestly say that you KNOW touching that object a set number of times in just the right way isn't going to keep your family safe, but it doesn't matter because you FEEL you have to do it. Why would you risk it?! You can't help it, that's why it's called a compulsion.
I've read reviews saying this book is boring, that Adam's rituals are boring, that no teenagers will relate... let me tell you that
a. some teenagers will relate, all too well
b. if you can't relate then at least try to understand. This is still something relatively taboo, and it shouldn't be.
Wouldn't be surprised to see a movie adaptation on the horizon. Only teensy criticism would be a couple of characters that didn't quite work for me, but otherwise I really, really enjoyed it.
February 26, 2014
The first 25 pages of this book had me begging for a window to jump out of. I almost have up reading it altogether.
What makes this book interesting is witnessing what OCD can do to a person, because before I never really knew.
However, aside from learning about this disease, there is nothing to this book. The romance is weak, the characters are strange and unusual, and I don't think any teen can have an easy time relating to this book unless personally affected by the struggles these characters deal with.
This book is boring. Practicing compulsion along side Adam makes the story quite irritating. This book does however allow you to sympathize greatly with Adam. I felt bad for him at several times in the book but never fell in love with anything this book had to offer.
I especially hated how Toten would change how she referenced the same character in a scene. One sentence would refer to as Adam's lol as "his mom" but then in the next sentence she would be Mrs. Ross.
I also found the author to be at a great descriptive loss. At one point she uses the sentence - Adam must have nodded, because they did.
To me, this makes no sense. Narrators know everything about a story. There is no assumption when a story is told in the third person, and yet, his head nod isn't certain. I don't think the author realized that her attempt at creatively expressing this story was actually awkward.
Didn't like this book at all. Couldn't relate to it or become emotionally attached in any form other than minor sympathy. If you suffer from OCD or have been personally affected by it, you will see this book differently than I did. But in general, this book is a pill to read, dry, uneventful and strange in the way that concerns you.
What makes this book interesting is witnessing what OCD can do to a person, because before I never really knew.
However, aside from learning about this disease, there is nothing to this book. The romance is weak, the characters are strange and unusual, and I don't think any teen can have an easy time relating to this book unless personally affected by the struggles these characters deal with.
This book is boring. Practicing compulsion along side Adam makes the story quite irritating. This book does however allow you to sympathize greatly with Adam. I felt bad for him at several times in the book but never fell in love with anything this book had to offer.
I especially hated how Toten would change how she referenced the same character in a scene. One sentence would refer to as Adam's lol as "his mom" but then in the next sentence she would be Mrs. Ross.
I also found the author to be at a great descriptive loss. At one point she uses the sentence - Adam must have nodded, because they did.
To me, this makes no sense. Narrators know everything about a story. There is no assumption when a story is told in the third person, and yet, his head nod isn't certain. I don't think the author realized that her attempt at creatively expressing this story was actually awkward.
Didn't like this book at all. Couldn't relate to it or become emotionally attached in any form other than minor sympathy. If you suffer from OCD or have been personally affected by it, you will see this book differently than I did. But in general, this book is a pill to read, dry, uneventful and strange in the way that concerns you.
May 18, 2015
Adam Ross. Remember his name, because there is no doubt you'll fall in love with him.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/05/t...
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is a beautiful, poignant and an incredibly playful read that's written with a loving hand, dealing with a very serious and very real issue of obsessive compulsive disorder. Almost fifteen year old Adam falls in love the moment Robyn breezes into the room. She also suffers from the same illness, and has just been released from a residential program and has joined the group to increase her chances of recovery. Each member has taken on a different persona of strength, with all but one choosing a superhero alter ego. So naturally Adam has become Batman, fiercely protective of Robyn, putting aside his own recovery in a selfless plight to save her.
Adam lives between his father's new home, with new wife and son. Wendell is five, affectionately called Sweetie and already displaying symptoms of anxiety and finds comfort in numbers. Sweetie is highly intelligent, but relies heavily upon his big brother for comfort. His mother is a hoarder, their home cluttered which only increases Adam's illness to cross the threshold. Although Adam is determined to battle his own illness, he never puts himself first. He takes on the grievances of those around him, including the disturbing and threatening letters his mother has been receiving. I felt fiercely protective of Adam, his tender personality of selflessness left me on tenterhooks, worried about his loving nature being taken advantage of. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B was written with such care and a respect for those who suffer from this debilitating illness. I was drawn into Adam's world and read the book in it's entirety in almost one sitting. It was not only entertaining, but so incredibly engaging and left me emotionally exhausted.
Borrow, buy or beg for a copy. This isn't another young adult novel about teens dealing with illness, it's an experience. Where most novels in the genre usually veer towards showing the debilitating side of mental illness, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B shows obsessive compulsive disorder in a new light. That suffering from a mental illness is more than a feeling of darkness, it's also about learning to ask for help and learning to live in the moment, whether you're Adam, Robyn or even Batman. It was simply perfection.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/05/t...
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is a beautiful, poignant and an incredibly playful read that's written with a loving hand, dealing with a very serious and very real issue of obsessive compulsive disorder. Almost fifteen year old Adam falls in love the moment Robyn breezes into the room. She also suffers from the same illness, and has just been released from a residential program and has joined the group to increase her chances of recovery. Each member has taken on a different persona of strength, with all but one choosing a superhero alter ego. So naturally Adam has become Batman, fiercely protective of Robyn, putting aside his own recovery in a selfless plight to save her.
Adam lives between his father's new home, with new wife and son. Wendell is five, affectionately called Sweetie and already displaying symptoms of anxiety and finds comfort in numbers. Sweetie is highly intelligent, but relies heavily upon his big brother for comfort. His mother is a hoarder, their home cluttered which only increases Adam's illness to cross the threshold. Although Adam is determined to battle his own illness, he never puts himself first. He takes on the grievances of those around him, including the disturbing and threatening letters his mother has been receiving. I felt fiercely protective of Adam, his tender personality of selflessness left me on tenterhooks, worried about his loving nature being taken advantage of. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B was written with such care and a respect for those who suffer from this debilitating illness. I was drawn into Adam's world and read the book in it's entirety in almost one sitting. It was not only entertaining, but so incredibly engaging and left me emotionally exhausted.
Borrow, buy or beg for a copy. This isn't another young adult novel about teens dealing with illness, it's an experience. Where most novels in the genre usually veer towards showing the debilitating side of mental illness, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B shows obsessive compulsive disorder in a new light. That suffering from a mental illness is more than a feeling of darkness, it's also about learning to ask for help and learning to live in the moment, whether you're Adam, Robyn or even Batman. It was simply perfection.
June 9, 2015
It's definitely nice to see portrayals of mental illness in literature but I found this book frustrating in a lot of ways. I kind of took note of them as I was reading, so I'm gonna add in some of those notes here:
--The way eating disorders are addressed in this book is upsetting. On page 56:"Skinny girls worrying about getting skinnier totally perplexed him." Later, Adam and Robyn are talking about how they don't understand girls who starve themselves, and Robyn says she has a friend who "looks like hell" and looks like "a lollipop," "all head, stick body. I tell her all the time but she can't see" (156). These viewpoints would be helpful to the story if they were later disproved, but they never are!!!! It made me really sad. Making fun of people who have eating disorders, acting perplexed by them--what is that giving us here?
--The way Wolverine's hypochondria is addressed is also upsetting. I realize that this and the eating disorder thing may be a way of showing that Adam is out of touch, but it doesn't go far enough to make that clear and instead reads as Adam rejoicing that he isn't crazy as other people. Eventually, there's a moment where Adam thinks about how they all get that Wolverine's hypochondria is a thing, even if it isn't something they understand, but then that's kind of counteracted when Adam calls him crazy at the final meeting.
--I found a lot of the dialogue to be unnatural
--Adam actually comforts himself about his relationship with Robyn by stressing that she "Was a cutter, Adam reminded himself. Was a cutter. Was a puker. Was" (83). I don't know if this is supposed to be reflective of his desire for Robyn to be healthy (concern for her) but it read more as him not wanting to be in a relationship with someone who did something as "crazy" as purging or cutting
--Adam's inability to understand girls feels soooo weird to me. I know the writer is female and imagining a male perspective, but this quote bothered me: "She looked pained or someting. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be able to read girls' facial expressions!" (159). Also not a fan of him falling in love with her right away? I'm left with no clear understanding of what her personality even really is. I never really bought in to there being any chemistry between them.
--overall, the excessive use of the word crazy to describe others felt really derogatory to me. it's one thing to call yourself crazy but a lot different to call someone else crazy
--I'm seeing all these reviews of people saying they love Adam, and it's nice that he cares about people so much, but it actually never occurred to me that he was a caring person until Robyn pointed it out. He has a definite and strong voice, but he doesn't seem to be full or real enough for me to be like "yes, i love this fictional character"
That said, I did think it showed what it's like to live with OCD. This book seems to be pretty well received, so maybe I'm missing something, but it just didn't sit well with me in a lot of ways.
--The way eating disorders are addressed in this book is upsetting. On page 56:"Skinny girls worrying about getting skinnier totally perplexed him." Later, Adam and Robyn are talking about how they don't understand girls who starve themselves, and Robyn says she has a friend who "looks like hell" and looks like "a lollipop," "all head, stick body. I tell her all the time but she can't see" (156). These viewpoints would be helpful to the story if they were later disproved, but they never are!!!! It made me really sad. Making fun of people who have eating disorders, acting perplexed by them--what is that giving us here?
--The way Wolverine's hypochondria is addressed is also upsetting. I realize that this and the eating disorder thing may be a way of showing that Adam is out of touch, but it doesn't go far enough to make that clear and instead reads as Adam rejoicing that he isn't crazy as other people. Eventually, there's a moment where Adam thinks about how they all get that Wolverine's hypochondria is a thing, even if it isn't something they understand, but then that's kind of counteracted when Adam calls him crazy at the final meeting.
--I found a lot of the dialogue to be unnatural
--Adam actually comforts himself about his relationship with Robyn by stressing that she "Was a cutter, Adam reminded himself. Was a cutter. Was a puker. Was" (83). I don't know if this is supposed to be reflective of his desire for Robyn to be healthy (concern for her) but it read more as him not wanting to be in a relationship with someone who did something as "crazy" as purging or cutting
--Adam's inability to understand girls feels soooo weird to me. I know the writer is female and imagining a male perspective, but this quote bothered me: "She looked pained or someting. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be able to read girls' facial expressions!" (159). Also not a fan of him falling in love with her right away? I'm left with no clear understanding of what her personality even really is. I never really bought in to there being any chemistry between them.
--overall, the excessive use of the word crazy to describe others felt really derogatory to me. it's one thing to call yourself crazy but a lot different to call someone else crazy
--I'm seeing all these reviews of people saying they love Adam, and it's nice that he cares about people so much, but it actually never occurred to me that he was a caring person until Robyn pointed it out. He has a definite and strong voice, but he doesn't seem to be full or real enough for me to be like "yes, i love this fictional character"
That said, I did think it showed what it's like to live with OCD. This book seems to be pretty well received, so maybe I'm missing something, but it just didn't sit well with me in a lot of ways.
August 22, 2015
Originally posted to my blog, Stay and Watch the Stars
Want an example of how not to write a romance? Try this book.
I think that Adam's OCD was very well portrayed. It totally messed up his life, but it also didn't totally define his character. Near the end of the book, you could really feel his downward spiral, and his desperation to get better. I felt sympathetic for him through about half of the story (more on the other half later).
The mystery portion of the story felt well written. It didn't take center stage in the story- it was definitely a subplot- but it was enough to keep the tension up, which was nice. I don't remember ever feeling like the story was dragging too badly. Without the mystery, it definitely would have dragged.
The superhero codenames were such a cute idea, too! And it was an interesting concept, too- the ultimate fake it 'til you make it.
Adam said some really icky stuff though??? Like, most of the time he was a total sweetheart but he was REALLY demeaning to girls (all girls except Robyn, of course) and he was somehow an elitist about mental illness? He would be like "I may have OCD, but at least I'm not anorexic, haha! Anorexics are the REAL crazies!!!" and it was really gross. Basically, he thought OCD was okay, but anyone who was anorexic or a hypochondriac or self harmed was "crazy". He thought he was somehow better than everyone else in his support group.
This was Adam basically
Robyn was totally cardboard, which is weird considering that she was one of the most major characters in the story. I just didn't GET her character. I didn't really see any motivation for her except being in love with Adam.
This story should've been told in first person, and you could tell that the author felt the same way, at least subconsciously. It led to some really wacky storytelling. It was third person omnipotent most of the time, but there would be moments where she wrote things like "Adam must have nodded because..." which doesn't make any sense??? It's third person. There's no "he may have nodded". He either nodded or he didn't nod. So... I don't know. The voice felt weird and awkward, and it was confusing for the reader.
Why was it even written in third person? Why knows?
I WAS NOT AT ALL SOLD ON THE LOVE STORY and it makes me really angry because it had so much potential for cuteness. It was bizarre. Adam was obsessed with Robyn, in a totally unhealthy way. Their relationship was not love, it was infatuation- mostly on Adam's side. And so little characterization was given to Robyn that it was impossible to feel any chemistry between the two of them. I've heard people raving about how cute this story is, and just... no??? It's not cute??? It's creepy as heck and totally unbelievable and I just DON'T GET IT.
It had potential to be a great story about struggling with mental illness but it was kind of ruined for me by a crappy instalove plot (not to mention Adam's weird elitism). So... my reaction to this one is basically "no". I'm going to be generous and give it two stars for a good premise and some redeemable parts.
2/5 stars
Recommended for: as I said- anyone who wants advice on how not to write romance
Want an example of how not to write a romance? Try this book.
I think that Adam's OCD was very well portrayed. It totally messed up his life, but it also didn't totally define his character. Near the end of the book, you could really feel his downward spiral, and his desperation to get better. I felt sympathetic for him through about half of the story (more on the other half later).
The mystery portion of the story felt well written. It didn't take center stage in the story- it was definitely a subplot- but it was enough to keep the tension up, which was nice. I don't remember ever feeling like the story was dragging too badly. Without the mystery, it definitely would have dragged.
The superhero codenames were such a cute idea, too! And it was an interesting concept, too- the ultimate fake it 'til you make it.
Adam said some really icky stuff though??? Like, most of the time he was a total sweetheart but he was REALLY demeaning to girls (all girls except Robyn, of course) and he was somehow an elitist about mental illness? He would be like "I may have OCD, but at least I'm not anorexic, haha! Anorexics are the REAL crazies!!!" and it was really gross. Basically, he thought OCD was okay, but anyone who was anorexic or a hypochondriac or self harmed was "crazy". He thought he was somehow better than everyone else in his support group.
This was Adam basically
Robyn was totally cardboard, which is weird considering that she was one of the most major characters in the story. I just didn't GET her character. I didn't really see any motivation for her except being in love with Adam.
This story should've been told in first person, and you could tell that the author felt the same way, at least subconsciously. It led to some really wacky storytelling. It was third person omnipotent most of the time, but there would be moments where she wrote things like "Adam must have nodded because..." which doesn't make any sense??? It's third person. There's no "he may have nodded". He either nodded or he didn't nod. So... I don't know. The voice felt weird and awkward, and it was confusing for the reader.
Why was it even written in third person? Why knows?
I WAS NOT AT ALL SOLD ON THE LOVE STORY and it makes me really angry because it had so much potential for cuteness. It was bizarre. Adam was obsessed with Robyn, in a totally unhealthy way. Their relationship was not love, it was infatuation- mostly on Adam's side. And so little characterization was given to Robyn that it was impossible to feel any chemistry between the two of them. I've heard people raving about how cute this story is, and just... no??? It's not cute??? It's creepy as heck and totally unbelievable and I just DON'T GET IT.
It had potential to be a great story about struggling with mental illness but it was kind of ruined for me by a crappy instalove plot (not to mention Adam's weird elitism). So... my reaction to this one is basically "no". I'm going to be generous and give it two stars for a good premise and some redeemable parts.
2/5 stars
Recommended for: as I said- anyone who wants advice on how not to write romance
March 11, 2015
For me, this is book is really boring and has no substance to the plot. I couldn’t connect with the characters or become emotionally invested in anything. The only redeemable quality about this book is how it might teach people about OCD and how serious is it.
Full review: http://bibilophilegathering.com/2015/...
Full review: http://bibilophilegathering.com/2015/...
July 12, 2017
داستان زیبا و تلخ زندگی یک جوان 14 ساله به نام آدام اسپنسر که شرایط زندگیش رو با ocd، دو خانواده متفاوت و تکیه برادر ناتنیش بهش و همچنین رفتار های اجباری گری مادرش رو نشون میده.
داستان تلخ و ناراحت کننده ایه که مسائل زندگی رو به زیبایی به نثر تبدیل کرده و اونها در قالب این داستان ریخته. واقع گرایی های خوبی داره و نثر ساده ای داره. سرعت پیشروی داستان مناسبه. احساسات جوانی و نحوه واکنش شخصیت اصلی داستان به این شرایط خیلی خوب توصیف شده.
داستان تلخ و ناراحت کننده ایه که مسائل زندگی رو به زیبایی به نثر تبدیل کرده و اونها در قالب این داستان ریخته. واقع گرایی های خوبی داره و نثر ساده ای داره. سرعت پیشروی داستان مناسبه. احساسات جوانی و نحوه واکنش شخصیت اصلی داستان به این شرایط خیلی خوب توصیف شده.
September 1, 2015
This book was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!
Full RTC.
Full RTC.
May 20, 2015
I just love it when books like this fall in my lap! The storyline was spot on...the characters were outstanding...and the writing was superb. Teresa Toten has hit it out of the park with this one and I'm so glad that I get to share it with you!! I was blown away from page one and I couldn't put it down. The main reason I keep reading a book is because of the writing. If it isn't there, I'm done before I even started. This book was amazing and caught my attention from the very first page.
When I first started reading this book I felt like I was reading The Fault in our Stars, which is a good thing, because it's about a group of kids who have severe cases of OCD who meet in a support group to talk about it. I mean, like severe cases. Like I can't go on with my day until I've brushed my hair exactly thirty-five times or turned on and off the lights in the bathroom exactly twenty times. Adam is the main character in the book and it opens in his support group where he meets Robyn, the love of his life, or so what he wants. This love feeling is new to him and he's not quite sure how to handle it. He has major OCD and anxiety and I love how you see everything through his eyes even though it's written in third person.
The characters were so spot on. Adam and Robyn were my favorite of course, but I loved all of the quirky kids in the support group. The superhero theme runs through the book because they all choose superhero names to call each other. It's kind of cute because they choose heros that relate to them. I also like how they start to come out of their shells and start to help each other out instead of just sitting there. I remember counting my steps when I was younger or not stepping on cracks, but that's nothing compared to what these kids have to face on a daily basis. The research that Toten had to do and keep it going through the book probably took forever, but it paid off for her in the end.
I also loved the book because it had a family. Yes, there are books out there that have family in them, but lately it's like the parents are distant or not even there. I loved the relationship he had with his little brother "Sweetie." It made me giggle sometimes and I caught myself smiling during the scenes that they were in together. I can totally relate to his mother as well. She has major anxiety like Adam and is a hoarder. My mother-in-law is a hoarder and I didn't quite understand her until I read this book. A lot of the things that I saw in the mom, I see in her. I was emotional during the family parts to say the least.
Overall, I LOVED this book and can't wait for you guys to read it too. I know that I will be reading everything else that this writer has written. She is a fabulous writer and I can't get enough of her! I look forward to hearing what you guys think about it!! - Laura
When I first started reading this book I felt like I was reading The Fault in our Stars, which is a good thing, because it's about a group of kids who have severe cases of OCD who meet in a support group to talk about it. I mean, like severe cases. Like I can't go on with my day until I've brushed my hair exactly thirty-five times or turned on and off the lights in the bathroom exactly twenty times. Adam is the main character in the book and it opens in his support group where he meets Robyn, the love of his life, or so what he wants. This love feeling is new to him and he's not quite sure how to handle it. He has major OCD and anxiety and I love how you see everything through his eyes even though it's written in third person.
The characters were so spot on. Adam and Robyn were my favorite of course, but I loved all of the quirky kids in the support group. The superhero theme runs through the book because they all choose superhero names to call each other. It's kind of cute because they choose heros that relate to them. I also like how they start to come out of their shells and start to help each other out instead of just sitting there. I remember counting my steps when I was younger or not stepping on cracks, but that's nothing compared to what these kids have to face on a daily basis. The research that Toten had to do and keep it going through the book probably took forever, but it paid off for her in the end.
I also loved the book because it had a family. Yes, there are books out there that have family in them, but lately it's like the parents are distant or not even there. I loved the relationship he had with his little brother "Sweetie." It made me giggle sometimes and I caught myself smiling during the scenes that they were in together. I can totally relate to his mother as well. She has major anxiety like Adam and is a hoarder. My mother-in-law is a hoarder and I didn't quite understand her until I read this book. A lot of the things that I saw in the mom, I see in her. I was emotional during the family parts to say the least.
Overall, I LOVED this book and can't wait for you guys to read it too. I know that I will be reading everything else that this writer has written. She is a fabulous writer and I can't get enough of her! I look forward to hearing what you guys think about it!! - Laura
October 17, 2016
"The boy inhaled as the door opened."
Honestly, I expected more.
When I first found this book a while back on Goodreads, I was absolutely taken aback by such wonderful reviews. It made this an automatic want. A desire. A necessity. So I hate to say that I'm somewhat disappointed.
For those who aren't aware, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is a YA novel about a group for teenage sufferers of obsessive compulsive disorder. Every teenager has some form of OCD, including a hypochondriac, a boy with intrusive thoughts, and threshold issues. From what I could tell—although I am not diagnosed with OCD, and therefore have no personal account—the book seemed to be pretty accurate to the many different faces of the disorder. It doesn't romanticize, either, which I loved; it's right in your face, and since it's from the first-person-POV of a teenage boy, you know his thoughts. It's brutal.
I know that so many Goodreads reviewers loved the main character, Adam, but I honestly didn't care for him too much at all for a large part of the book. In truth, it was very hard to connect with any of the characters. Something about them lacked depth. Any of them could talk and I would not be able to name who it was. Similarly, I also disliked the main female, Robyn, for a majority of the book. Most of my time spent reading was focused entirely on Adam's downward spiral in dealing with his mental illness, not the romance that came across as very important. Sorry to say, but it was boring. I often found myself rolling my eyes, groaning... I don't like instalove, but I also don't like bland, first-person-POV protagonists who aren't very clear. The writing is very easy to read, at least.
But I stray, I stray. I know I just spent a good bit of time ranting on this book, but it honestly wasn't that bad. It just wasn't remarkable. Was it cute? Yes. Did I enjoy my time spent reading it? Yep, mostly. It gave me something to do while walking during gym, or waiting for my ride. Would I read it again? Probably not. I would, however, recommend it. It's cute, it's light and easy, and it's, for once, an accurate portrayal of mental illness. It was just far from perfect.
"And then, for the first time since that man was a boy, Adam Spencer Ross sat on the very edge of his bed, in that very bright room, and wept."
October 16, 2016
The Unlikely Hero Of Room 13B is one of my favorite books ever! It will bring on your full emotion, showing you the kind, truthful, honest, and pained sides of a boy with OCD.
Adam Spencer Ross is a fourteen year old boy that is living the life of someone who's parents are divorced, has a step sibling and stepmother, takes medication regularly, and has OCD. Let's just say that his life is far from a fairytale, even with an adoring little stepbrother - Sweetie - that idolizes and loves him more than all of the adults in his life put together. Weekly, Adam goes to an OCD support group where they discuss their problems, fears, hopes and dreams. Group is just, well... Group. Until Robyn Isobel Plummer joins. Adam knows from the second that he laid eyes on Robin that he is in love with her. She is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen (not that he's ever noticed girls before), and he has now vowed to love and protect her until the day he dies. Adam will become the Batman to her Robin. With Adam tripping and choking over his feeling for Robyn, it is difficult fo him to think about anything else except getting better. For her. But when Adam's mom starts getting anonymous letters that are more sick and evil than imaginable, Adam is forced to think about more than just Robyn. Adam realizes that his mother's life is always in danger, for other reasons too. Will Adam find solutions that could save his family and... Him? Will Adam be cured? Will Robyn ever love him? The Unlikely Hero Of Room 13B is such and incredible story, I seriously could not pry my own hands from it! The end was by far my favorite part; it turned out so much different than I could have imagined! This book is a love story, with a bit of a romance, where Adam must stay strong and fight his own battles. I did not think that this book was inappropriate, except for a few bad words. It is a little sad, but it touches your heart for sure! Readers who like books like the sweet parts of friendship (not the ending!) in We Are All Made Of Molecules and the romantic parts of Harry Potter will be falling head over heals for this book! I hope that you enjoy!
Adam Spencer Ross is a fourteen year old boy that is living the life of someone who's parents are divorced, has a step sibling and stepmother, takes medication regularly, and has OCD. Let's just say that his life is far from a fairytale, even with an adoring little stepbrother - Sweetie - that idolizes and loves him more than all of the adults in his life put together. Weekly, Adam goes to an OCD support group where they discuss their problems, fears, hopes and dreams. Group is just, well... Group. Until Robyn Isobel Plummer joins. Adam knows from the second that he laid eyes on Robin that he is in love with her. She is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen (not that he's ever noticed girls before), and he has now vowed to love and protect her until the day he dies. Adam will become the Batman to her Robin. With Adam tripping and choking over his feeling for Robyn, it is difficult fo him to think about anything else except getting better. For her. But when Adam's mom starts getting anonymous letters that are more sick and evil than imaginable, Adam is forced to think about more than just Robyn. Adam realizes that his mother's life is always in danger, for other reasons too. Will Adam find solutions that could save his family and... Him? Will Adam be cured? Will Robyn ever love him? The Unlikely Hero Of Room 13B is such and incredible story, I seriously could not pry my own hands from it! The end was by far my favorite part; it turned out so much different than I could have imagined! This book is a love story, with a bit of a romance, where Adam must stay strong and fight his own battles. I did not think that this book was inappropriate, except for a few bad words. It is a little sad, but it touches your heart for sure! Readers who like books like the sweet parts of friendship (not the ending!) in We Are All Made Of Molecules and the romantic parts of Harry Potter will be falling head over heals for this book! I hope that you enjoy!
December 22, 2015
Actual rating: 3.5-4
- Portrayal of OCD/mental health illness was incredibly on point
- Positive light on support groups and getting help
- Exaggerated romance, but def had some sweet points
- The mystery of the threatening letters was surprising and well-plotted
- YA characters actually interested in religion/Catholic faith
- Positive relationship with step family
- Adored Adam with his step sibling, Sweetie <3333
- Portrayal of OCD/mental health illness was incredibly on point
- Positive light on support groups and getting help
- Exaggerated romance, but def had some sweet points
- The mystery of the threatening letters was surprising and well-plotted
- YA characters actually interested in religion/Catholic faith
- Positive relationship with step family
- Adored Adam with his step sibling, Sweetie <3333
February 15, 2021
*3.5
“Well hell, maybe everybody has a damn good reason to lie. Maybe we all just lie to hide the hurt or to fake being strong until we can be strong.”
This was a nice surprise! I didn’t expect to like Adam as much as I did and albeit the fact that it felt very rushed, I loved the ending. Now where is the spin-off focusing on Thor?
“Well hell, maybe everybody has a damn good reason to lie. Maybe we all just lie to hide the hurt or to fake being strong until we can be strong.”
This was a nice surprise! I didn’t expect to like Adam as much as I did and albeit the fact that it felt very rushed, I loved the ending. Now where is the spin-off focusing on Thor?
October 2, 2018
I haven't read many books on mental health issues and am so glad I selected this! Adam, the main character, was such a likable teenage boy, and I just rooted for him the whole way through the story. I wasn't too interested in the romance between Robyn and Adam but still thought it was very sweet and cute. My favorite parts of the book were the Group meetings with Adam and others his age with OCD. This book is a great representation of a positive relationship with one's step-family, and Sweetie was adorable. I also loved Thor. The book was a little too slow-paced at times, and I felt fidgety waiting for it to speed up so I could finish it. This book, like Adam himself, is very brave; it describes OCD so vividly, from threshold issues to describing rituals in detail.
April 23, 2023
Such a promising start but i was so bored towards the end…
December 7, 2015
Adam isn’t looking for romance at his OCD group therapy session but when Robyn walks in, everything changes. Adam has enough going on in his life with his divorced parents, a stepmother, and a little brother who needs Adam all the time. As Adam starts to teach Robyn about Catholicism, the others in his group become intrigued too. Soon Adam finds himself showing them all the church that he and his mother left years ago. Adam reassures himself that everyone lies, but his lies seem to be increasing each day, from lying to Robyn about where he lives to lying about his mother’s escalating condition. Adam wants to feel in control of his life and to get better, but it is all getting out of control, especially his OCD.
This teen novel won the Governor General’s Award in Canada. It speaks to the OCD condition and the difficult journey towards a healthier mental state. It also has a huge heart and a large dose of humor. Adam’s entire life could be seen as a tragedy but thanks to the writing here that keeps it from becoming morose, the book is triumphant and so is Adam. This is not a book that minimizes the impact of mental illness, instead it embraces the difficulties and concerns, showing how each and every day, each threshold and each twist of panic can change what is happening.
Adam and Robyn are beautiful foils for one another. Adam begins the book as the person with it mostly together while Robyn is freshly released from a residential program. But as the book and their relationship progresses, that changes in a realistic and heart-wrenching way. Throughout, readers see the depth of Adam’s issues and the strength it will take to stop lying to everyone, but mostly to himself.
Funny, deep and immensely satisfying, this novel deals with teens with OCD and how life just keeps on happening no matter how many lies you tell. Appropriate for ages 14-18.
This teen novel won the Governor General’s Award in Canada. It speaks to the OCD condition and the difficult journey towards a healthier mental state. It also has a huge heart and a large dose of humor. Adam’s entire life could be seen as a tragedy but thanks to the writing here that keeps it from becoming morose, the book is triumphant and so is Adam. This is not a book that minimizes the impact of mental illness, instead it embraces the difficulties and concerns, showing how each and every day, each threshold and each twist of panic can change what is happening.
Adam and Robyn are beautiful foils for one another. Adam begins the book as the person with it mostly together while Robyn is freshly released from a residential program. But as the book and their relationship progresses, that changes in a realistic and heart-wrenching way. Throughout, readers see the depth of Adam’s issues and the strength it will take to stop lying to everyone, but mostly to himself.
Funny, deep and immensely satisfying, this novel deals with teens with OCD and how life just keeps on happening no matter how many lies you tell. Appropriate for ages 14-18.
March 5, 2020
CW’s: OCD, Grief, Blackmail/Threats
This … just wasn’t good. I rarely give out 1-star ratings, but here I could barely find two things that I liked about the book, so here we are. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B went wrong on so many levels for me and had a lot of content that bothered me, making it a chore to finish. I honestly was like “oh no, this is not going to be great” from chapter 1 when the insta love was introduced, but I hoped that the book would get better. It didn’t. The only two things I even liked about the book was the OCD representation, because it was well-written and interesting to read about and the family relationships that Adam had, especially with his little brother.
This is where we already get into everything else, because there is nothing I liked apart from the two points that I mentioned, which is why I gave the book 1 star, it just did not work for me at all and had a lot of issues that I saw.
➡ Adam looked down on any other mental illness other than his OCD and often came across as very judgmental. I know that this might be the case in the real world, where someone with mental health issues might look down on other people who are struggling with something different, but the problem here is that the narrative never calls Adam out on this behavior. That, in turn, makes it look like he is justified in his prejudices against mental disorders such as eating disorders as well as self-harm. That really bothered me, as Adam is derogatory about some of his group therapy mates, e.g. a girl with an eating disorder. He literally discusses with his love interest, why she “just doesn’t eat”, as if it is that easy. I was appalled by his lack of understanding and the fact that this viewpoint was not challenged, making it a harmful statement. Someone with eating disorders cannot control their mental illness easily, just like Adam cannot easily control his rituals. I don’t know why this was so hard to understand for him. Sadly, he remained ignorant and later on is relieved when Robyn says that she used to have bulimia and self-harm, but doesn’t any longer (as it, it would have been a problem for him, if she was still struggling with it). In general, I got the sense that Adam looked down on everyone else.
➡The therapy/group session is connotated negatively. Not in the sense that it is bad, but Adam never takes it seriously and his therapist doesn’t seem to be able to get to him even remotely, Instead. I feel like he is portrayed as clueless and not like someone that could help Adam. Like I already mentioned, Adam also felt like he was superior to his group therapy mates, looking down on their mental health and problems as if only he was legitimately ill.
➡Oh the romance was such a deal-breaker to me. I honestly didn't remember this being advertised as an insta-love in the synopsis (it literally says there that Adam and Robyn will fall madly in love at once) somehow, so I was a bit shocked when the very first page smacked me in the face with the instant love/infatuation that Adam has when he sees Robyn for the very first time. From there on it went downhill, as the romance has a lot of problematic aspects, that also didn’t sit well with me and made me quite angry. As the romance takes up such a large part of the book, it also severely brought down my rating. Let’s break it down in list form:
⬛ Adam is immediately in love with Robyn the moment he lays eyes on her and already starts planning their wedding (I’m not kidding, he literally does this). I know he has OCD and might be more prone to obsessing over certain things, but here it is just too much and very worrying to me how quickly he decides that Robyn is the love of his life. Does she get a say in this? No. Adam doesn’t even consider if she likes him back (a bit hard, given that she doesn’t know him at all) and instead just decides that he wants her as a girlfriend. I know he is very young (15 I think), but this is already worrying behavior, as it happens too often that women and girls are accosted by men who think they have ‘a connection’ and then will not back down, because of their sudden infatuation, making it a very uncomfortable and threatening situation.
⬛ Adam also stalks Robyn several times, as he wants to know how to approach her … maybe NOT stalk her and actually talk to her after the session? But no, he continues following her, which is a big red flag for me, as it is downright scary to be followed by a man, no matter what his intentions are or how ‘nice’ he might seem. However, later it comes out that Robyn knew about it … and thought it was cute … like it’s not.
⬛ What was very cringe-worthy as well as Adam’s tries to become ‘strong’ for Robyn and grow up quickly in order to appeal to her … it is literally said that he grew so much taller … like that might be a growth spurt, but the book made it seem like it happened just for Robyn … I’m frankly a little concerned because that makes no sense. Even worse, Adam tries to act like the ‘alpha male’, as another character tells him it’s the way to go. Just no.
⬛ He constantly fantasizes about kissing Robyn (always without her consent) and gets annoyed when she doesn’t give him all her attention/talks to someone else. When she doesn’t immediately want to kiss him or makes a move (I mean why should she? He just assumes she has to want to kiss him), Adam gets annoyed. He has not a lot of respect, as she fantasizes about kissing her in a graveyard and later is mad that Robyn isn’t always 100% catering to him … even when she just opened up about her mother’s death and needed a moment. How can you get mad at her then? Robyn doesn’t own Adama anything, but it seemed like he wanted her to revolver around him all the time, which is not healthy.
⬛ I was also appalled at Adam’s constant sexist notion that he was a protector and Robyn in need of protecting. Like why? It is such a harmful stereotype that women are weak and cannot do anything for themselves.
⬛ Robyn sadly also has no personality, as she is Adam’s wish-fulfillment/fantasy and does not seem to be allowed to be much more. She kind of came across as a ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ and I’m a bit confused why she liked Adam back for no real reason. They had nothing in common and I don’t know why they suddenly loved each other. The end was also … strange.
➡Then there are several other things that bothered me and added to me not liking the book such as Adam makes fatphobic comments about his friend/has a weird obsession with constantly commenting on his weight.
⬛ While Adam’s brother is a sweet guy, his character was so very exaggerated and bit too much, which sometimes made the scenes a bit cringe-worthy.
⬛ None of the secondary characters had a distinctive personality (except for maybe Thor, who I liked)
You can find me here 💖 Book Blog | Twitter | Be my friend on GR!
This … just wasn’t good. I rarely give out 1-star ratings, but here I could barely find two things that I liked about the book, so here we are. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B went wrong on so many levels for me and had a lot of content that bothered me, making it a chore to finish. I honestly was like “oh no, this is not going to be great” from chapter 1 when the insta love was introduced, but I hoped that the book would get better. It didn’t. The only two things I even liked about the book was the OCD representation, because it was well-written and interesting to read about and the family relationships that Adam had, especially with his little brother.
This is where we already get into everything else, because there is nothing I liked apart from the two points that I mentioned, which is why I gave the book 1 star, it just did not work for me at all and had a lot of issues that I saw.
➡ Adam looked down on any other mental illness other than his OCD and often came across as very judgmental. I know that this might be the case in the real world, where someone with mental health issues might look down on other people who are struggling with something different, but the problem here is that the narrative never calls Adam out on this behavior. That, in turn, makes it look like he is justified in his prejudices against mental disorders such as eating disorders as well as self-harm. That really bothered me, as Adam is derogatory about some of his group therapy mates, e.g. a girl with an eating disorder. He literally discusses with his love interest, why she “just doesn’t eat”, as if it is that easy. I was appalled by his lack of understanding and the fact that this viewpoint was not challenged, making it a harmful statement. Someone with eating disorders cannot control their mental illness easily, just like Adam cannot easily control his rituals. I don’t know why this was so hard to understand for him. Sadly, he remained ignorant and later on is relieved when Robyn says that she used to have bulimia and self-harm, but doesn’t any longer (as it, it would have been a problem for him, if she was still struggling with it). In general, I got the sense that Adam looked down on everyone else.
➡The therapy/group session is connotated negatively. Not in the sense that it is bad, but Adam never takes it seriously and his therapist doesn’t seem to be able to get to him even remotely, Instead. I feel like he is portrayed as clueless and not like someone that could help Adam. Like I already mentioned, Adam also felt like he was superior to his group therapy mates, looking down on their mental health and problems as if only he was legitimately ill.
➡Oh the romance was such a deal-breaker to me. I honestly didn't remember this being advertised as an insta-love in the synopsis (it literally says there that Adam and Robyn will fall madly in love at once) somehow, so I was a bit shocked when the very first page smacked me in the face with the instant love/infatuation that Adam has when he sees Robyn for the very first time. From there on it went downhill, as the romance has a lot of problematic aspects, that also didn’t sit well with me and made me quite angry. As the romance takes up such a large part of the book, it also severely brought down my rating. Let’s break it down in list form:
⬛ Adam is immediately in love with Robyn the moment he lays eyes on her and already starts planning their wedding (I’m not kidding, he literally does this). I know he has OCD and might be more prone to obsessing over certain things, but here it is just too much and very worrying to me how quickly he decides that Robyn is the love of his life. Does she get a say in this? No. Adam doesn’t even consider if she likes him back (a bit hard, given that she doesn’t know him at all) and instead just decides that he wants her as a girlfriend. I know he is very young (15 I think), but this is already worrying behavior, as it happens too often that women and girls are accosted by men who think they have ‘a connection’ and then will not back down, because of their sudden infatuation, making it a very uncomfortable and threatening situation.
⬛ Adam also stalks Robyn several times, as he wants to know how to approach her … maybe NOT stalk her and actually talk to her after the session? But no, he continues following her, which is a big red flag for me, as it is downright scary to be followed by a man, no matter what his intentions are or how ‘nice’ he might seem. However, later it comes out that Robyn knew about it … and thought it was cute … like it’s not.
⬛ What was very cringe-worthy as well as Adam’s tries to become ‘strong’ for Robyn and grow up quickly in order to appeal to her … it is literally said that he grew so much taller … like that might be a growth spurt, but the book made it seem like it happened just for Robyn … I’m frankly a little concerned because that makes no sense. Even worse, Adam tries to act like the ‘alpha male’, as another character tells him it’s the way to go. Just no.
⬛ He constantly fantasizes about kissing Robyn (always without her consent) and gets annoyed when she doesn’t give him all her attention/talks to someone else. When she doesn’t immediately want to kiss him or makes a move (I mean why should she? He just assumes she has to want to kiss him), Adam gets annoyed. He has not a lot of respect, as she fantasizes about kissing her in a graveyard and later is mad that Robyn isn’t always 100% catering to him … even when she just opened up about her mother’s death and needed a moment. How can you get mad at her then? Robyn doesn’t own Adama anything, but it seemed like he wanted her to revolver around him all the time, which is not healthy.
⬛ I was also appalled at Adam’s constant sexist notion that he was a protector and Robyn in need of protecting. Like why? It is such a harmful stereotype that women are weak and cannot do anything for themselves.
⬛ Robyn sadly also has no personality, as she is Adam’s wish-fulfillment/fantasy and does not seem to be allowed to be much more. She kind of came across as a ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ and I’m a bit confused why she liked Adam back for no real reason. They had nothing in common and I don’t know why they suddenly loved each other. The end was also … strange.
➡Then there are several other things that bothered me and added to me not liking the book such as Adam makes fatphobic comments about his friend/has a weird obsession with constantly commenting on his weight.
⬛ While Adam’s brother is a sweet guy, his character was so very exaggerated and bit too much, which sometimes made the scenes a bit cringe-worthy.
⬛ None of the secondary characters had a distinctive personality (except for maybe Thor, who I liked)
Read for ...
💌 #LibraryLoveChallenge
🌺 #MentalHealthBingo
You can find me here 💖 Book Blog | Twitter | Be my friend on GR!
January 10, 2021
“everyone lies.
well, hell, maybe everybody has good reasons to lie. maybe we all just lie to hide the hurt or to fake being strong until we can be strong. that’s not so bad, is it?”
this book is one special to my heart. as someone who lives with a family member living with OCD, this book does cast a very authentic light on what life is truly like living with OCD, and in such a tragic and beautiful way. the way that Adam was portrayed in this novel, his group therapy friends, and his family was just beautiful - and so real too. mental illness is something that needs to be talked about more. and it needs to be talked about in a REAL WAY. because mental illness is tough, and it takes all the strength in order to get through it.
all-in-all, if you want to read a book that does an excellent job at painting life with OCD, then definitely read this book.
well, hell, maybe everybody has good reasons to lie. maybe we all just lie to hide the hurt or to fake being strong until we can be strong. that’s not so bad, is it?”
this book is one special to my heart. as someone who lives with a family member living with OCD, this book does cast a very authentic light on what life is truly like living with OCD, and in such a tragic and beautiful way. the way that Adam was portrayed in this novel, his group therapy friends, and his family was just beautiful - and so real too. mental illness is something that needs to be talked about more. and it needs to be talked about in a REAL WAY. because mental illness is tough, and it takes all the strength in order to get through it.
all-in-all, if you want to read a book that does an excellent job at painting life with OCD, then definitely read this book.
May 1, 2016
In the past I've read a few YA novels that tried to tackle OCD in teens, and fell really short. Since, I've made a conscious effort to avoid this topic in YA specifically. However, this one had a unique twist and seemed to tackle it differently, which intrigued me enough to make the purchase. I wasn't overly disappointed either, but it wasn't fantastic.
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B is about a group of teenagers who all seem to struggle with different types of disorders. Our "unlikely hero", Adam, deals with a strong case of OCD. When Robyn, a new girl, joins their therapy group sessions, Adam is instantly head over heels for her and finds a million and one ways to get closer to her, slowly getting out of his shell to do so.
There were many strange things going on in this story, quite a lot happening at the same time. One theme was obviously the romance between Adam and Robyn, which honestly, didn't exactly do it for me as far as romances go. However, there was also the silent brooding Thor, who barely uttered a word in the sessions and yet was suddenly Adam's biggest ally for some unclear reason. Then there's Adam's most important threat, his own mother, who is a hoarder and unintentionally seems to be destroying her son's life and making his OCD worse. Adam's mother is receiving threatening letters, and every time she gets one, she gets into a mood, which ultimately puts Adam in one as well and he can't seem to escape it. It gets harder and harder for him to enter his own household, his OCD acting as a literal barrier to his own home. However, he is conflicted, as he cannot report those letters because he had promised his mom not to or else they'd take him away from her.
And finally, there's his stepbrother Sweetie. Yes, they nickname him Sweetie, which really annoyed me. In fact, that entire character was irritating to me. Clingy, annoying and unreasonable. I couldn't get or understand what was wrong with him. Did he have OCD as well? Paranoia? Something else? It was never explained or made clear. I could not invest myself in this child who seemed extremely attached to his brother in an unhealthy way, and his parents only seemed to encourage that attachment rather than try to solve the underlying issues there.
I mean, Adam is only fifteen, and dealing with his own problems - which aren't your everyday teenage problems - and yet, he had to take on the responsibility of his eight year old clingy brother who suffered from random nervous breakdowns and threw tantrums.
I enjoyed the mystery that revolved around his mom and was very keen and curious to know what was going on throughout. The twist in the end was very interesting, unpredictable and I was pleasantly surprised to be taken back by it. The struggle of having OCD was presented very well in this book, and I appreciated that. It was an eye opener and quite enlightening to see how real the battle is.
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B is about a group of teenagers who all seem to struggle with different types of disorders. Our "unlikely hero", Adam, deals with a strong case of OCD. When Robyn, a new girl, joins their therapy group sessions, Adam is instantly head over heels for her and finds a million and one ways to get closer to her, slowly getting out of his shell to do so.
There were many strange things going on in this story, quite a lot happening at the same time. One theme was obviously the romance between Adam and Robyn, which honestly, didn't exactly do it for me as far as romances go. However, there was also the silent brooding Thor, who barely uttered a word in the sessions and yet was suddenly Adam's biggest ally for some unclear reason. Then there's Adam's most important threat, his own mother, who is a hoarder and unintentionally seems to be destroying her son's life and making his OCD worse. Adam's mother is receiving threatening letters, and every time she gets one, she gets into a mood, which ultimately puts Adam in one as well and he can't seem to escape it. It gets harder and harder for him to enter his own household, his OCD acting as a literal barrier to his own home. However, he is conflicted, as he cannot report those letters because he had promised his mom not to or else they'd take him away from her.
And finally, there's his stepbrother Sweetie. Yes, they nickname him Sweetie, which really annoyed me. In fact, that entire character was irritating to me. Clingy, annoying and unreasonable. I couldn't get or understand what was wrong with him. Did he have OCD as well? Paranoia? Something else? It was never explained or made clear. I could not invest myself in this child who seemed extremely attached to his brother in an unhealthy way, and his parents only seemed to encourage that attachment rather than try to solve the underlying issues there.
I mean, Adam is only fifteen, and dealing with his own problems - which aren't your everyday teenage problems - and yet, he had to take on the responsibility of his eight year old clingy brother who suffered from random nervous breakdowns and threw tantrums.
I enjoyed the mystery that revolved around his mom and was very keen and curious to know what was going on throughout. The twist in the end was very interesting, unpredictable and I was pleasantly surprised to be taken back by it. The struggle of having OCD was presented very well in this book, and I appreciated that. It was an eye opener and quite enlightening to see how real the battle is.
August 7, 2013
I won this book on the goodreads giveaway page and got the astounding opportunity to own and read this book before its release date.
For Starters I found this book really spoke to me. It’s a great story and I found that I could really relate to the characters. The touching story was especially great because the main character wasn’t alone. He had many people to love and help him cope with OCD. This was my favourite factor in the story. I loved reading about the support group and how eventually they learned to trust each other. This book really showed how difficult it can be to live with OCD and how it effects everyone differently.
I also liked the element of love the author brought to the story. It was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the story.
Another great part of this story was the lists Adam were asked to write. These really summed up the book at certain points and tied the whole story together, it also showed how Adam changed and started believing different things throughout the book.
I also liked the fact that even though Adam was experiencing drastic challenges at home he still had hope and really tried to get better during the course of the book. The whole process of Adam getting better was very lifelike.
Overall this book was easy to understand, the plot was tremendous and the characters were very relatable. I hope everyone can have the opportunity to read this heartbreaking yet awe-inspiring novel.
October 11, 2016
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY GOOD book! I would definitely read it because this guy has to go to these groups and when he goes there he sees this girl named Robyn. after he sees her he has planned out his life
1. he has to protect Robyn
2. he will marry her
This book is about a guys named Adam and his mom gets these really weird letters and he can't tell anyone because she would go to jail; his parents are divorced so he the groups for therapy. Adam gets new friends some are like Robyn and some are a little creepy, but tether way he still likes them as friends.
One day Adam follows Robyn to a graveyard and they start talking to other. After that day they walk home together after every meeting. I'm not going to give any spoilers but I will say that this book has a little suspense and it has some relationships with ups and downs. This book is really sweet so don't have any doubts and just read it. I know the tittle isn't that appealing but its a good book.:)
This book has a little romance and drama. This book also has some suspenseful moments like break ins, surprising moments,but it also has some REALLY SAD moments.... Breakups, parent problems,death but if y put aside all of the sad parts it has some sweet and funny moments. If you read this I hope you will like it as much as I and many other people have. Enjoy
1. he has to protect Robyn
2. he will marry her
This book is about a guys named Adam and his mom gets these really weird letters and he can't tell anyone because she would go to jail; his parents are divorced so he the groups for therapy. Adam gets new friends some are like Robyn and some are a little creepy, but tether way he still likes them as friends.
One day Adam follows Robyn to a graveyard and they start talking to other. After that day they walk home together after every meeting. I'm not going to give any spoilers but I will say that this book has a little suspense and it has some relationships with ups and downs. This book is really sweet so don't have any doubts and just read it. I know the tittle isn't that appealing but its a good book.:)
This book has a little romance and drama. This book also has some suspenseful moments like break ins, surprising moments,but it also has some REALLY SAD moments.... Breakups, parent problems,death but if y put aside all of the sad parts it has some sweet and funny moments. If you read this I hope you will like it as much as I and many other people have. Enjoy
December 4, 2018
This book was less than meh. It didn't feel real or authentic in any way. Adam is a very sympathetic character, but he reads like a 13 year old instead of a 15 year old. I usually like mental health books and thinking, but in this I felt like Toten doesn't really have a grasp on Adam's interior life. Instead it felt like she was just sort of describing the symptoms without really exploring their emotional impact. The most damaging part of the book (his mom's breakdown) was clearly foreshadowed (and so not surprising) and also way too dramatic...house was gonna burn down except he came home for the first time in weeks. Overall it is YA and addresses an important topic, but was less than well done.
July 13, 2016
A great contemporary YA novel that follows Adam (Batman), a 15 year old who is part of a motley crew of superheroes (including Robyn, Wonder Woman, Thor and more)... and ...they just happen to all be in an OCD support group and have varying presentations and degrees of OCD.
The writing lends itself nicely to the mental and emotional journey that Adam is on – he comes across as authentic and cheer-worthy, as do the other superheroes. It’s an honest and moving portrayal of mental illness, but mostly it’s a story of love and hope. Recommended/target audience = 6th grade and up.
The writing lends itself nicely to the mental and emotional journey that Adam is on – he comes across as authentic and cheer-worthy, as do the other superheroes. It’s an honest and moving portrayal of mental illness, but mostly it’s a story of love and hope. Recommended/target audience = 6th grade and up.
May 26, 2020
A book where you laugh and cry at the same time! What a beautiful story.
I will admit, at some points I was frustrated with the story and it took a while to get into the book, too. But it all comes together!
I will admit, at some points I was frustrated with the story and it took a while to get into the book, too. But it all comes together!
March 5, 2015
Een hartverwarmend verhaal wat ik niet neer kon leggen. De charismatische, maar ongemakkelijke held zal je hart stelen.
March 4, 2016
4.5 stars for now. I might change this later, BUT THIS WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
December 24, 2019
Dit boek stond al een tijdje in mijn kast. Lang geleden aangeschaft op het boekenfestijn, aangezien ik goede recensies voorbij had zien komen! Nu was ik op zoek naar een dun boekje voor tussendoor. Dit boekje kwam daar perfect voor in aanmerking!
Adam moet naar groepstherapie. Een groep met jongeren met ieder hun eigen dwangneuroses. Daar binnengekomen ontdenkt hij Robin en is hij op slag verliefd. Dit wordt zijn doel: beter worden, zodat hij Robin kan helpen, beschermen en verliefd op hem laten worden!
Dit was niet helemaal wat ik er van verwacht had. Ik heb het boek in minder dan 24 uur uitgelezen, maar ik heb er niet echt van genoten. Ik vond de karakters interessant en er was zeker een mooie groei leesbaar in krap 250 pagina's, maar op de een of andere manier stond de schrijfstijl me totaal niet aan. Hierdoor kon ik gewoon weinig plezier beleven aan het lezen van dit boek. Zeker een interessant boek om te lezen hoe het leven van iemand met dwangneuroses er uit zou kunnen zien en hoe hij hier mee omgaat, maar emotioneel werd ik hier zeker niet van.
Adam moet naar groepstherapie. Een groep met jongeren met ieder hun eigen dwangneuroses. Daar binnengekomen ontdenkt hij Robin en is hij op slag verliefd. Dit wordt zijn doel: beter worden, zodat hij Robin kan helpen, beschermen en verliefd op hem laten worden!
Dit was niet helemaal wat ik er van verwacht had. Ik heb het boek in minder dan 24 uur uitgelezen, maar ik heb er niet echt van genoten. Ik vond de karakters interessant en er was zeker een mooie groei leesbaar in krap 250 pagina's, maar op de een of andere manier stond de schrijfstijl me totaal niet aan. Hierdoor kon ik gewoon weinig plezier beleven aan het lezen van dit boek. Zeker een interessant boek om te lezen hoe het leven van iemand met dwangneuroses er uit zou kunnen zien en hoe hij hier mee omgaat, maar emotioneel werd ik hier zeker niet van.
July 25, 2016
This review also appears on my blog, Reading with Jenna.
Where do I even begin with these 270 pages of goodness? It was a harrowing look into OCD and the effect it has on not only those suffering from the disorder but those around them too. But even though it was an emotional book about serious issues, there’s an abundance of humour and wit that made it an absolute delight to read. This is my favourite book about OCD that I’ve read so far and I cannot recommend it more highly.
While the book ostensibly is about the romance, there was so much more to it. In fact, I think the romance was the least important aspect of the book. It’s really a book about OCD and the struggles that our main character, Adam, has to go through and the impact OCD has on his daily life. It’s about the friendships that he forges and the relationship he has with his family members. It was a truly beautiful book and a very honest and accurate depiction of OCD and the extent to which it can significantly affect a person’s daily life. I really loved that the novel really focused on this debilitating effect that compulsions can have on a person and their ability to go about their day to day activities. I feel as though most OCD books that I’ve read have focused on obsessions with cleanliness or perfection and haven’t really addressed how people suffering from OCD aren’t able to do a lot of things that others would consider normal because they spend so much time performing rituals to make themselves feel better. I thought The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B dealt with this exceptionally well, along with other ways OCD can manifest. If you want something that’s very impactful, while remaining genuine and realistic, you can’t go wrong this book’s depiction of OCD.
But even more than the accurate portrayal of OCD, I loved the characters in this book. If you love a character-driven story, you will really enjoy this book. Adam is now one of my favourite protagonists of all time. He was so endearing and sweet and I loved him to bits. It’s just almost impossible not to love him and be swept into his life from the very first page. He was so relatable and, despite him having to deal with his crippling anxiety, he was supportive of others around him and took care of those who needed help. His voice was unique and wonderful to read from. I felt like I completely understood him and was with him every step of the way. I also absolutely loved the side characters. There was such an eclectic set of characters all with their own little quirks. Adam attends a weekly support group with other teenagers and young adults who suffer from OCD. Together, they take on superhero alter egos and it’s just so crazy adorable and funny. They take their alter egos so seriously as well, purchasing merchandise to wear and styling their hair to match. I just really enjoyed the group dynamic and how they really supported each other inside and outside of their support group. It was just so wonderful to see them develop friendships and look out for each other (I love Thor so much!). There was no judgment and only understanding between them and I really appreciated that they gave each other space to deal with their own issues. My heart was just swelling with love for those characters. If you’ve read this book, I think you’ll understand.
I also really loved seeing Adam’s family and the role they played in this book. They all have their own problems too and it’s not always the case that they’re supporting and caring for Adam; he does the same for them too. When his 5-year-old half-brother struggles with his own anxiety problems, Adam is always there to soothe him, take care of him and be his superhero. When his mother receives some terrifying and threatening letters from an unknown source, Adam is there to give her reassurance and act as a semblance of normality in their household. He’s there to help her with her own hoarding issues. I really loved all of the relationships in this book but it was the way that Adam and his family interacted that really had me emotional.
And of course, there was the romance between Adam and Robyn, which was simultaneously a massive part and a tiny part of what the book was about. From the very first page of the book, Adam is in love with Robyn. He thinks she’s perfection in every single way and wants nothing more than to marry her and be with her forever. He’d do anything for Robyn, including saving her from her OCD and fixing himself so that he can be the best person he can be for her. There were times when Robyn came across as a little bit of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl but I never ended up minding that she was portrayed that way. Sure, she was put on a bit of a pedestal but she had her own flaws and the way that her and Adam’s relationship unfolded was so realistic and genuine. Their relationship progressed at the perfect pace and it was just so, so adorable and sweet. I loved that they were really there for each other and that they were able to be honest with each other and push each other to be better.
I have so much more that I want to say about this book but this review is getting out of hand. Just know that I absolutely loved this book and will now recommend it to everyone for the rest of my life as one of my favourite books of all time. The plot was great. The characters were great. And the feels were so, so real.
Where do I even begin with these 270 pages of goodness? It was a harrowing look into OCD and the effect it has on not only those suffering from the disorder but those around them too. But even though it was an emotional book about serious issues, there’s an abundance of humour and wit that made it an absolute delight to read. This is my favourite book about OCD that I’ve read so far and I cannot recommend it more highly.
While the book ostensibly is about the romance, there was so much more to it. In fact, I think the romance was the least important aspect of the book. It’s really a book about OCD and the struggles that our main character, Adam, has to go through and the impact OCD has on his daily life. It’s about the friendships that he forges and the relationship he has with his family members. It was a truly beautiful book and a very honest and accurate depiction of OCD and the extent to which it can significantly affect a person’s daily life. I really loved that the novel really focused on this debilitating effect that compulsions can have on a person and their ability to go about their day to day activities. I feel as though most OCD books that I’ve read have focused on obsessions with cleanliness or perfection and haven’t really addressed how people suffering from OCD aren’t able to do a lot of things that others would consider normal because they spend so much time performing rituals to make themselves feel better. I thought The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B dealt with this exceptionally well, along with other ways OCD can manifest. If you want something that’s very impactful, while remaining genuine and realistic, you can’t go wrong this book’s depiction of OCD.
“I sweat terror, Robyn! I’m scared every single second about every singled goddamned thing. I worry obsessively about being buried under an avalanche of fear. Jesus, Robyn, I’m scared like only the truly crazy can be.”
“But that, you dope, is the definition of courage: you go on, despite the fear.”
But even more than the accurate portrayal of OCD, I loved the characters in this book. If you love a character-driven story, you will really enjoy this book. Adam is now one of my favourite protagonists of all time. He was so endearing and sweet and I loved him to bits. It’s just almost impossible not to love him and be swept into his life from the very first page. He was so relatable and, despite him having to deal with his crippling anxiety, he was supportive of others around him and took care of those who needed help. His voice was unique and wonderful to read from. I felt like I completely understood him and was with him every step of the way. I also absolutely loved the side characters. There was such an eclectic set of characters all with their own little quirks. Adam attends a weekly support group with other teenagers and young adults who suffer from OCD. Together, they take on superhero alter egos and it’s just so crazy adorable and funny. They take their alter egos so seriously as well, purchasing merchandise to wear and styling their hair to match. I just really enjoyed the group dynamic and how they really supported each other inside and outside of their support group. It was just so wonderful to see them develop friendships and look out for each other (I love Thor so much!). There was no judgment and only understanding between them and I really appreciated that they gave each other space to deal with their own issues. My heart was just swelling with love for those characters. If you’ve read this book, I think you’ll understand.
I also really loved seeing Adam’s family and the role they played in this book. They all have their own problems too and it’s not always the case that they’re supporting and caring for Adam; he does the same for them too. When his 5-year-old half-brother struggles with his own anxiety problems, Adam is always there to soothe him, take care of him and be his superhero. When his mother receives some terrifying and threatening letters from an unknown source, Adam is there to give her reassurance and act as a semblance of normality in their household. He’s there to help her with her own hoarding issues. I really loved all of the relationships in this book but it was the way that Adam and his family interacted that really had me emotional.
And of course, there was the romance between Adam and Robyn, which was simultaneously a massive part and a tiny part of what the book was about. From the very first page of the book, Adam is in love with Robyn. He thinks she’s perfection in every single way and wants nothing more than to marry her and be with her forever. He’d do anything for Robyn, including saving her from her OCD and fixing himself so that he can be the best person he can be for her. There were times when Robyn came across as a little bit of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl but I never ended up minding that she was portrayed that way. Sure, she was put on a bit of a pedestal but she had her own flaws and the way that her and Adam’s relationship unfolded was so realistic and genuine. Their relationship progressed at the perfect pace and it was just so, so adorable and sweet. I loved that they were really there for each other and that they were able to be honest with each other and push each other to be better.
I have so much more that I want to say about this book but this review is getting out of hand. Just know that I absolutely loved this book and will now recommend it to everyone for the rest of my life as one of my favourite books of all time. The plot was great. The characters were great. And the feels were so, so real.
August 28, 2017
this was so hopeful but also so sad i want to cry a little
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,050 reviews