So I've never read anything by C L Taylor, despite having one of her adult thriller novels on my shelf. I saw she was coming out with a YA thriller, which is a genre I really enjoy, and I was lucky enough to be accepted for it on NetGalley, so what better opportunity to dive into this authors work. This is the story of Drew whose twin brother Mason is sent to a residential reform academy after being expelled from another school. One day she is approached by a Dr from the academy claiming to have a strange message from Mason. It seems that the academy isn't what she first thought it was. Drew is determined to rescue her brother and discover the secrets of the academy before he undergoes 'the treatment'.

This was a really enjoyable read. It was fast paced and gripping and it kept me wanting to turn the pages. I thought the brainwashing idea was really interesting and it gave an interesting spin on the story. The chapters were short which, if you've read my other reviews, you will know is something I really enjoy in thrillers. It really helps to keep the story moving and encourages me to just read one more chapter. There were several twists and turns along the way that I didn't see coming and the direction the plot took was sometimes unexpected. It really kept my interest and as a result I finished this in a couple of days.

I liked Drew as a character, she did seem quite juvenile at times however, as a YA thriller I would expect this, but this didn't stop me from liking her. She showed determination when it came to rescuing her brother and she didn't let others get in her way. As someone who started off the novel as an introvert and someone who liked to keep to themselves it was nice to see her grow and develop in confidence throughout the book. I also liked the friendship that bloomed between her and Mouse. It was nice to see Drew becoming close to someone again. You had the usual mix of characters in this novel, the 'hero', the 'sidekick', the person being 'rescued' and the 'bully/villain' and they all played their parts well. Each one worked with the plot and had their own individual traits. The one character I would say felt a bit out of place was Lacey. I understand the part she played in Drew's high school life but I didn't understand why she arrived at the academy. I don't think this added anything to the story.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was an engaging and fast paced read with an interesting plot focus. I would recommend this if you are a fan of thrillers, particularly of the YA variety. I'm really excited to pick up some more of C L Taylor's adult work and I hope she writes more in the YA genre in the future.

Designed for a younger audience and not what I was expecting from Cally, but a great book all the same.

We meet the main character, a sixteen-year-old girl Drew Finch, her brother, Mason, has been sent to a reforming school known as Norton House, a place which is most definitely not what it seems. Randomly one day, whilst escape the high school bullies, Drews path crosses with that of a person we come to find little about called Dr. Cobey, a person who has been working at Norton House. Cobey gives Drew a letter from Mason saying that the school has been brainwashing teenagers.

From here on in we follow Drew in her quest to find out more about the school, what her brother is doing there and an insight into their past, which again opens many doors, twists the plot and left me randomly saying "Oh god" as it delved into deep dark themes, ones which were not expected and some which threw the storyline wide open.

This was a really interesting book. It took a detailed look into brainwashing and the way that it could be used to bring out of control children into line. It really went into the horror of how society could be changed so much if people in the government decided to fund this kind of research and kept it hidden like this.

I loved all of the characters, though Drew was a little stupid and headstrong. I don't know what I'd have done in her situation or what other options there were available, but getting yourself sent to the same place seemed a little reckless. I'm not sure what she thought was going to happen when she got there.

There was an interesting array of characters though and even though I think Drew should have thought things through a bit more, I felt she was clever and resourceful. I really liked her as a character.

I'll be interested to see what C.L Taylor brings us next.

I'm a huge fan of C.L Taylor's psychological thrillers, so I was so excited to find she had a new book. I'm not usually the biggest fan of YA literature, as sometimes it can be a little too simple. However this was a huge exception. I devoured this book in an evening, I could not put it down (much to my boyfriends dismay at 1am). The characters are amazing, I adore Drew and Mouse! The flow was fabulous, the ending was perfect and overall this was one of the best books I've read this year. So impressed with it, i'll be recommending it to everyone and anyone!

Actually 4.5 stars.
I am a big fan of this author so, even though I have seen young adulthood for too many years to count, I didn't hesitate when the chance to read this was given to me. Indeed, my thanks must go to the Publisher and Netgalley for this chance.
So, the star of our book is 16 yo Drew Finch. She lives with her mum and stepdad, her dad having died. Her brother, Mason, is currently in a residential reform academy as he was too disruptive for her folks to handle. One day, a stranger passes her a message from Mason saying that all is not as it should be at the academy and that the "help" they are "offering" is somewhat sinister. Her interest is piqued but she is dubious. Until that, is when the stranger is subsequently killed in an "accident". Coincidence? Or is there really something sinister going on? Drew starts to investigate the academy but, on the surface, can see no wrong. Digging deeper however, she starts to uncover certain facts, backed up by a meeting with a contact she finds online. She now firmly believes that all is not what it seems at the academy. Failing in her endeavour to get her parents on board, she does the only thing left available; infiltration from within. Can she get to the bottom of things and expose the truth? And if so, will she be in time to save Mason, and at what cost?
Firstly, I must say that I have read more than my fair share of YA books even though I am well out of their target age-range. If the characters are good and the story is interesting I really don't think this matters and I would have missed out on some cracking reads had I excluded myself from this selection. Indeed, I find it a great way of dipping my toe into new genres as I find that they tend to ease me in gently. This genre however I am very familiar with so it was quite interesting to see what Ms Taylor would present me with. And I have to say that I enjoyed it very much.
I warmed to Drew pretty much from the off. I sympathised and indeed empathised with her own struggles to fit in at school and how she was endeavouring to make her transition into adulthood, balancing conformation with retaining her own identity and individuality. Which, lets face it, is pretty much the whole message the book left me with at the end. But I get ahead...
Other characters weren't quite so good for me. Some of their interactions left me a little dry but I am not sure if that is due to my age and corresponding distance from what the youth of today thinks and does so I let those feelings go. Easy to do as the story being told was enough to keep me going.
The story itself was very well plotted. It included all the requisite twists and turns, secrets and lies expected of the genre but delivered in a slightly easier way to follow. It would definitely suit adult readers new to the genre for this alone. But at the same time it was gritty enough to keep me on my toes, guessing throughout. Even I, a hardened reader of this sort of book, didn't have it all worked out ahead of the reveals. It had me turning the pages like a mad thing and I pretty much read from start to finish in only as many sittings as life allowed me with every break I was forced to make leaving me hankering to get back to it.
The ending left me with plenty to think about. I can see pros and cons with quite a bit of what was happening. Obviously some of the things that were described were completely over the top and definitely morally and socially unacceptable but, on the other hand, for the extreme cases, maybe a toned down, more safely delivered option... who knows? Definitely a good book for discussion both by old and young adults. Indeed discussion between them could also prove interesting.
All in all a good solid read that kept my attention throughout and left me satisfied at the end. What more could I ask for?

wow, this is going to be a hard book to review without giving away any spoilers because it is just so twisty and action packed with full of exciting characters and plot. I really enjoyed this book and it was a very different read for me! This is CL Taylor's first YA novel. I love her usual thrillers and this one had just as much action and set my pulse racing just as much as her adult novels do. This book has a slightly dystopian feel about it and is set in the near future. Don't let the dystopian feel put you off though, I could recognise everything in this book and it made for some familiar feeling and ` familiar setting but with CL Taylor's plot twists and a very uncomfortable reality.

This book follows Drew and her quest to help her brother. Drew is a fabulously strong female lead. She fights for what she believes in and finds some incredibly clever ways to get her own way and to get exactly what she wants. She doesn't make friends in real life easily because she values her independence so much and i found this really relatable and also very admirable. Her bother Mason is a character in this novel but we don't get to know as much of his back story as we do Drew's therefore I didn't feel as much of a connection to him or the other characters in the novel as much as my connection with her.

The adults in this book are definitely not to be trusted and that's what makes the kind of classic YA characteristics in this novel. I love the fact that we can solve to hate the authority figures here, especially since this is mainly set in a school so we can all hate the OFSTED inspector! Some of the plot lines of this book are definitely not for the faint hearted just because we don't know exactly what The Treatment is but we know its not a nice thing! And because we love to hate the authority, some may find the reasons why we hate them fairly shocking. But I loved all the dark and twisted bits of this book, they made for excellent reading and kept me on the edge of my seat right until the bitter end!

If you love CL Taylor's psychological thrillers already then you will definitely enjoy this read. If this is your first of her books then you are in for a treat! I would definitely recommend this book for older readers and you should definitely prepare yourself to be challenged, to be entertained and to be thrilled by this awesome novel!

🌟🌟🌟Stars
The Treatment By C.L. Taylor was a decent enough read that I really quite enjoyed.
I also took into account when reading, that this was aimed at a much younger audience than myself, so I have been slightly lenient in my rating as I feel there were things I noticed that would probably go over the heads of this books intended demographic.
I would say this is a read my twelve and thirteen-year-old boys would really enjoy, Myself being a mum in my forties, well let's just say I enjoyed this, while not overtaxing my brain overmuch.
So The Treatment is about sixteen-year-old Drew Finch and her actions when her younger brother Mason gets expelled from yet another school and sent to Norton House, a residential reform academy.
so After being followed by the mysterious Dr Cobey and receiving a strange message about the treatment, her brother is receiving while residing at Norton House. Drew decides to investigate herself by getting herself admitted as a pupil.
So as I said this was an enjoyable read that does what it says on the tin.
There were no great surprises here, This was more, the underdog saves the day type of tale.
Drew herself, well I felt a bit sorry for her bullied by her ex-best friend (which there was no real explanation for)
Does one thing wrong and then gets shipped off to a reform academy, I know she needs to be for the story to work but jeez, her mum, hardly mother of the year actions are they.
Drew herself seems to be quite a resilient girl with a bit of a kick-ass attitude, more so maybe than I would expect from someone who's been bullied so relentlessly.
But anyway she seems a very likeable pragmatic type of girl.
She teams up inside Norton with her roommate Mouse and the two try to coordinate an escape while steering clear of there other roomy Jude.
Jude is every mean girl cliche you can think off, horrid just for the sake of it. Shes even worse when Lacey, Drew's arch nemesis turns up like a bad penny and the two join forces to torment Drew.
I did find both Jude and Lacey to be slightly one dimensional in their behaviour.
So anyway to cut a long story short Drew strives to save the day, while rescuing her friends and brother along the way.
This is done in true kick-butt style with only the one extra unsurprising twist along the way.
So the wrap up of "The Treatment" I felt was a little bit rushed, I would have liked to have seen things eked out and explored in a little more depth.
But besides that, this is a great addition to the Young Adult/teen genre-leaning more heavily towards the Teen age group.
So I would definitely recommend this to the younger generation, It is a fun action packed clean read, that is well written and is sure to catch imaginations.
thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an Arc of "The Treatment" By C.L. Taylor this is my own honest unbiased opinion.

I was going to rate this slightly lower as I thought the ending perhaps simplified a little too much but upon pondering my feelings about this book I realise that as its a YA about teenagers then my reaction was perhaps too harsh. I'm clearly not the target market for this book but I have to confess I found it a riveting read that had me eagerly turning the pages .
Essentially it's the story of Drew a young girl whose life has suffered huge upheaval. She's always been the 'good girl ' but losing her father and then seeing her younger brother Mason taken away sets her on a new path. Meeting someone with disturbing news about her brothers situation sets in motion a chain of events that sees Drew incarcerated in the same rehabilitation institute as Mason . Drew isn't there accidentally though no, she's there for the sole purpose of getting Mason out !
This story painted an unpleasant picture of what could , would or even will happen. Like many I've heard of the infamous Pavlov dog experiment but this author takes that idea and runs with it to give what is initially an ambiguous storyline that quickly escalated into a horrifying idea. We frequently hear of students suspended from school due to acting up or antisocial behaviour but what if they could be permanently altered making them model citizens ? On paper and in theory that sounds desirable but would we question the practices ? After all does not imagination and creativity stem from thinking or acting beyond the norm ? This story raises many questions leaving uncomfortable thoughts and fears behind .
I did like Drew but she seemed to attract the wrong type of attention with history unfortunately seeming to repeat itself. We do meet supporting characters who play a part but I never really felt any connection to them. After such harrowing events that truly turn Drews world upside down I did find the ending a little too pat . There is a resolution that seemed to happen awfully quickly and it just didn't satisfy me completely. Still it was an entertaining read and thought provoking to boot .
Recommended for teenagers and young adults
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from NetGalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This was branded as a YA book, but as I love Cally Taylor's books I thought I would read it, and I was pleased I did.

When Drew's younger brother was taken away to a special school to be 'reformed' she was delighted as he was being a pain, but when a lady doctor turned up with a note from him to say that he was being brainwashed, and then she was immediately killed, Drew was horrified and vowed to get him out.

The only way to get him out was to get herself sent to the school - and that's where her problems began.

A quick but very enjoyable read.

The cover and intro make this one look way better than it is in my opinion. The book just seems to drag. I kept reading in hopes something would happen. The idea of Drew risking herself her younger brother is noble, however that was really the only memorable thing about the main character. This book just did not hold my interest.

When I first requested this book I was not aware that this was a young adult book, I just noticed the author C.L. Taylor, whose book The Escape I enjoyed very much.
However this book grabbed my attention so I still wanted to read it. This book was addictive, every few minutes I had spare I found myself reading this. I think this is down to how likeable the main characters were Drew, Mason and 'Mouse' I found myself routing for them. The concept of this book really peaked my interest and has made me want to find other books with this similar theme.
I did really enjoy this book however due to this being a young adult book I did find myself wanting a bit more drama.

Drew Finch's brother has been sent away to a correctional school for young adults with behavioural problems.

When one of the doctors finds Drew and passes her a message that the treatment isn't one for the better, it's one of brainwashing, she acts out deliberately and finds herself placed in the same facility.

Whilst there she finds an ally in Mouse, and together they try and find Drew's brother and unravel the conspiracy that's hidden behind the walls...

As a YA book I think this is absolutely cracking. It's fast paced, engrossing and has a great plot. This is my first read by C.L Taylor (much to my shame, for I have The Escape on my TBR pile), so I'm a great way I had no assumptions when reading this.

I read it in 2 sittings, and found myself really desperate to find out how Mouse, Drew, Mason & Israel would fare. There were characters that were brilliantly depicted as bullies (such as Lacey), and it had a great plot that will really capture the YA audience (and this adult!).

I'm of the Point Horror era, and devoured these books when I was younger. Taylor has written a story that will engage teenagers and will have them hooked on the twists and turns that this book will take them on.

I would like to thank Netgalley & HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I feel a bit dazed, I'm not completely sure what happened in real life for the past couple of hours, as I was completely absorbed in The Treatment. I suspect there is a chance I may have nightmares tonight, as a result of what Drew and Mason had to go through in this book.

I'll admit I was a bit worried whether an author I absolutely love was able to write a Young Adult book that I would also enjoy, being quite a bit older than the YA audience, however other than the characters being a bit younger, the situations were gripping, the writing draws you in and hopefully my breathing my return to normal.

I was hooked on The Treatment, absolutely none of it played out how I expected and I absolutely could not put this book down once I started reading it. You are warned - clear time in your busy day to sit and just read this book.

It is so different to almost everything I have ever read, the only thing I can think of is I felt some similarities to The Demon Headmaster series, but given its been perhaps over 20 years since I read those I don't recall the specifics other than the same general feeling I had reading those. The book is terrifying but not in a horror sort of way, just that its chilling what can happen to the human mind.

I really can't say much about the plot, as it moves as a quick enough pace that I may accidentally give away spoilers. Suffice to say Drew is one special young woman, and I really liked her, whereas most of the other characters I wasn't sure on. It is the sort of book where you really aren't sure who you can trust.

The Treatment is C.L. Taylor at her best, its been ages since I was this hooked on a book to the extent that I didn't even think about doing the many other things I should have been doing! i was only interested in the story and didn't even notice the time going past which is a good indication of how absorbed I was.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Young Adult for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I've been a fan of Cally Taylor for a while, having read and been gripped by her adult fiction. So I was excited to read her first YA offering - 'The Treatment' - and it had me hooked from the start.
Drew is depicted as an underdog from the start. Bullied relentlessly by a horrible group of girls, living with her somewhat downtrodden mum and overbearing step-father. So, everything is fairly crappy for Drew, and then she's given a note by a random woman claiming to be a doctor who worked with her brother, Mason. Unsure whether she believes the doctor or the note, she begins to investigate the 'academy' where her younger brother has been shipped off to. It is easy to like and support Drew as she acts purely out of love for her brother, equally her newfound friend Mouse is both feisty and vulnerable.
This book was full of drama and tension and kept me turning pages and anticipating what would happen next. I'd even go so far as to say it's my favourite of Taylor's books. However, (I know, no one likes a 'however', but...) about two thirds of the way through, this book became maddening, because I anticipated that when I reached the end I would discover there would be a sequel – it just felt like the book was running out and too much was unresolved – and I didn't want to have to wait for more. As it turned out the book finished with 'The End', but in typical Taylor style, she still left me guessing as to whether it was over.
This was an action-packed, creepy, thrilling read that really got me in the mood for some more chilling October reads.

Having loved The Lie and really enjoyed The Escape by this author, I wanted to give her first young adult fiction book a go.

I’m pleased to say I liked this book. I can be a bit hit and miss with young adult fiction, and this one didn’t quite grab me as I hoped it would. I’d say this was perhaps a little too young YA for me, and something I may have got into more when I was about 12 or 13 years old and reading books like the Point Horror series, before I got into proper scary horror by authors like Clive Barker.

The Treatment would have worked better for me if there was less action and more character development. Not that I’m saying the characters were under-developed, I just personally would have preferred less of the action and more of getting into their minds.

I loved the idea behind the book, which focused on society first, family second. The idea that there could be a treatment to make naughty, excluded children become useful members of society, rather than drug addicts and criminals was somewhat thought provoking. The question with this and many other similar ideas, is where do you draw the line? When does it become controlling rather than influencing, or brainwashing rather than teaching?

This book reminded me a little of Flawed, by Cecelia Ahern, which I did prefer. So, as I gave Flawed 4 stars, I’m giving this 3 stars. The Treatment is definitely one I recommend to those who enjoy young adult action thrillers.

The treatment by cl Taylor.
“You have to help me. We’re not being reformed. We’re being brainwashed.”
All sixteen year old Drew Finch wants is to be left alone. She's not interested in spending time with her mum and stepdad and when her disruptive fifteen year old brother Mason is expelled from school for the third time and sent to a residential reform academy she's almost relieved.
Everything changes when she's followed home from school by the mysterious Dr Cobey, who claims to have a message from Mason. There is something sinister about the ‘treatment’ he is undergoing. The school is changing people.
Determined to help her brother, Drew must infiltrate the Academy and unearth its deepest, darkest secrets.
Before it’s too late.
A absolutely fantastic read. I loved drew. She was my favorite character. How she tried to save her brother mason. Wow didn't expect that. Must read. 5*. Netgalley and hq.

You have to help me. We’re not being reformed. We’re being brainwashed. When sixteen-year-old Drew Finch receives this note from a strange woman on the street claiming to be her brother’s psychologist, she does not know how to react. But when a speeding car hits the doctor immediately after, Drew begins to think something portentous is afoot. In The Treatment by C. L. Taylor, the Residential Reform Academy in Northumberland is achieving great things, turning antisocial teenagers into model citizens. Mason, Drew’s brother, has been expelled from three different schools and has been sent to the academy as a last resort, however, Drew now suspects that Mason is in trouble.

In a slightly dystopian setting, Drew, a usually quiet girl, easily gets herself admitted to the academy by punching the school bully. With the intention of helping Mason escape, Drew calmly arrives at the Academy, not realising how much danger she is placing herself in. She soon discovers that this would not be a transitory admission and, unless she escapes, she will become like all the other narcotised students.

Trying to remain fastidious whilst avoiding garrulous roommates and staff, Drew desperately tries to concoct an escape plan, however, she may be too late. The more she learns about the Residential Reform Academy, the more she discovers about the evil intentions behind it. How can she break out of the prison-like building and seek help when the government is deeply involved with the whole sordid procedure?

C. L. Taylor devises an exciting scenario that will appeal to fans of Cecelia Ahern’s Flawed and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. A thriller that needs a hero in the unlikely form of a teenage girl, The Treatment is a stimulating story about those without a public voice overthrowing the immoral experiments of the dastards in power.

A One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for teenagers, this book deals with themes of mental health, oppression and the misuse of authority. Told from the perspective of a girl who has been bullied most of her life and coming from a dysfunctional family, there is a lot for the reader to connect with. Although it does not allay the growing fears of governmental conspiracies, The Treatment ends with the positive message that by standing up to those who do you wrong has its rewards, not only for yourself but for those in similar situations too.

The Treatment is a very enjoyable book that pulls the reader into the story, causing them to question how they would handle a similar situation. Would they be as brave as Drew and her new friends, or would they be doomed to a fate of mindless obedience? Compelling from beginning to end, C. L. Taylor’s latest novel is a refreshing break from the over-the-top science fiction dystopian novels, preferring to tackle futuristic ideas that are much closer to home. This is a book that can be fully recommended to the Young Adult community.

A fab, fast-paced young adult fiction book full of good characters and twist and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope there is a second instalment.

Drew and Mason are pretty much normal teenagers, one rebelling against the world, the other one keeping head down and out of the way. When Mason is sent away to the Reform Academy, everything changes. And when Drew gets the mysterious message in the hands of Dr Cobey, things get plain dangerous.

Drew decides to be brave and see for herself what sort of treatment this revolutionary school delivers and gets herself enrolled through basically making herself seems like a bad egg. She soon realises there is much more to that place then strict regime and therapy.

Great story that never really stops with Drew as the main character, which you can’t help but like and spur on throughout the book.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for access to this book in return for this honest review.

When 15 year old Mason Finch is expelled from school for the third time his parents decide to send him to a residential reform academy far away from their home. They are desperate to stop him going off the rails and live a worthwhile life, obeying the laws of society. His sister Drew is never any bother at all and feels that Drew has taken it too far. She feels relieved that he is going to get the help that will teach him life lessons that will make him more mature and show him the error of his ways. It will be his wake up call.
Sometime later she is handed a note from Mason by a stranger in the street. The young lady introduces herself as Dr Cobey and she tells Drew that she had helped Mason at the academy. She is very obviously frightened and when she runs off Drew is startled. But when Dr Cobey meets a horrible end minutes later, she begins to take the letter seriously. It is in Mason’s handwriting and reads “You have to help me. We’re not being reformed. We’re being brainwashed.”
She tries to find out more about the academy, but with only minimal success and a map to help her, she decides to make a plan that will involve a daring rescue of her brother. But first she must get herself into trouble so that she is also sent away from home, only then can she hope to rescue her younger brother and liberate him, exposing the residential reform academy as a facility used to brainwash young, vulnerable scholars.
‘The Treatment’ is written for a target audience of Young Adult readers. It is fast paced and exciting but is also very far-fetched. This is C.L. Taylors debut Y A novel. She has developed the idea over time and fitted the writing of it in between the writing of her addictive adult thrillers. I liked the family content and the fierce loyalty both of the children had for their missing father. I think it will appeal to younger readers who may well like the action-packed storyline and the conspiracy theory content. They may also like the heroine Drew, who is fearless, courageous and brave. As always with Cally’s novels, the storytelling is very good and the characters diverse and interesting, but some are very seriously wicked and full of evil intent. The story concludes in a bit of a hurry and I felt the plot could have been given more time to capitalise on Drew’s achievements, focusing on how good has overcome evil a little more.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher HQ Young Adult for sending me this novel in return for an honest review. I enjoyed reading it and it’s a solid 5/10 from me.