Review by Sabrina2000 -- Unhinged by Steve Galley

[Sabrina2000]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Unhinged" by Steve Galley.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The last year of high school can be stressful, but for Eddie, keeping up in school was the least of his problems. The Hunter, the voice inside Eddie's mind, was out to destroy him. He tries to live a normal life. He goes to parties, gets a girlfriend, and spends time with his little brother Trent. When life starts to go south, Eddie must make a life-changing decision whether to stay or go. Unhinged by Steve Galley is a story about Eddie's journey dealing and living with mental illness.

After reading this book, I have a very neutral outlook on the story. I don't dislike the book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The book kept on this straight and mundane path with only a handful of exciting parts. This book would've been better if it had more drama and suspense in it. The things I did like in the book was Eddie's relationship with Jillian. I was happy and relieved that Jillian decided to give Eddie a chance. Eddie deserves happiness in his life. Their relationship was so precious and perfect, at first, that I got a little jealous. I wanted a relationship just like theirs! Another thing I enjoyed was Eddie's relationship with his little brother. It was cute to see how close they were and how Eddie made time for him.

I didn't like how dull the book was overall. There wasn't enough focus on Eddie's struggle with the Hunter. How did the Hunter develop? Why did Eddie think all these negative thoughts? I wanted more backstory on Eddie's childhood. I didn't want to read about Eddie's everyday life. I wanted to see Eddie's battles with the Hunter. Also, I felt like Jesse's storyline was wasted. There could've been an opportunity for more character development. What was going on in Jesse's life that drove her to start taking drugs? How did she meet and end up with Jimmy? I feel there could be a spin-off story focused around Jess. I would be interested in reading that.

All in all, I give this book a 2 out of 4 stars. The story was lackluster at best. I wanted more focus on Eddie's inner dialogue with the Hunter. I would've liked more backstory and character development for both Eddie and Jess. His relationships with Jillian and Trent were cute but not enough to carry the story. Young adults and people who can relate to mental illness should read this book.

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Unhinged
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