As a huge fan of Neal Shusterman's books, I have always been captivated by his ability to create intricate and immersive worlds. While "Roxy" may not be a series like some of his other works, it still showcases Shusterman's talent as a stellar world-builder.

While "Roxy" may not have the sprawling world-building of Shusterman's series like "Unwind" or "Scythe," it still manages to create a vivid and unsettling atmosphere. The authors use vivid metaphors and a blurred line between reality and fantasy to mirror the disorienting effects of drugs. This narrative technique adds an extra layer of depth to the story and keeps readers engaged throughout.

this book was a big issue for me due to the fact that I have ADHD and I've been called so many names due to my disorder and due to stigma with the medication, I suffer throughout my school career. Yes, most people who don't have the disorder abuse the medication due to pressure at college especially elite schools, but to put it in the same category as oxy is insulting. I think the author's poor choice of subject made it so that I never like that book, nor would I promote it.

4*

I'm very happy to pick up any book that Shusterman throws down and this was no exception.

Roxy plays on the wild world of narcotics, with a cast of characters that feel authentic and compelling.

My only complaint is there was more focus on the drugs/desires than on the characters/story arc.

Reading about drug addiction is a hard topic for me since I had to deal with it first hand with a loved one.
This gave me a better understanding but I found it upsetting at times. It left me with an uneasy feeling.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This book was probably one of the most creative concepts I've seen for a book in a long time. Neal and Jarrod are expert writers at the top of their game, and I eagerly await their next book.

I loved Shusterman's Scythe novels and was excited to try another series by him. Unfortunately, when you've already read something AMAZING by an author, it's difficult to not compare the titles. The goal of this novel seems to be to provide a new perspective on drug/human interactions and personification of drugs. However, I found myself having to suspend disbelief frequently throughout the text.

I was provided a free copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows two teen siblings who are battling addiction. I knew there were mixed reviews, but I have really enjoyed Shusterman's writing and I definitely think the writing was perfectly fine. I expected this to be a 5 star read. The approach of addiction was interesting and I don't think it was done in an insensitive way. I think it was a really authentic look at addiction. I don't have first hand knowledge of addiction but do have second hand knowledge of addiction seeing family members experience it. Personifying different drugs was fascinating especially in the throes of addiction and how they interacted with the characters. I didn't rate this higher due to me not really liking the characters. This is not due to the addiction but just their general personalities. Some of the drugs were not necessarily my favorite either. I think the scene with the pastor with cancer was probably my favorite in the book. I think I would 100% read short story/essays with different drugs personified in situations. That part was really fascinating.

Great book and enjoyed the characters . loved the slight romance and the how well the group worked together. Overall a great book . I would read this author again.

It is such a hard read at times, unsurprisingly. I've never had much in the way of experience with prescription drugs to comment on the authenticity, but overall it is so clever. The writing, the setting, the whole thing.

This was a great book. I liked the way each of the drugs/medications had a personality that reflected their intended effects and side effects. The story shows how easily one can be pulled into situations involving drugs no matter your background/lifestyle. I would definitely recommend this book and will probably re-read it in the future.

I apologize but I simply cannot finish this book at this time. It is due to the news of the day and having a lot more on my plate than I originally thought. I will happily read whatever else the author publishes.

Neal Shusterman can do no wrong on his own, but add his sons into the mix and he is unstoppable. Neal's books always do a great job of exploring some of the big questions facing humanity. What a powerful story.

I had to struggle to get through this book. I've loved Neal Schusterman in the past and hoped to love this one too but it fell quite short.

Addiction is a very important topic but I don't think the authors did a good job portraying it. It's not the worst but it could have been better.

I really liked the premise of the book with the drugs taking character roles and competing for new addictions. Interesting how they rank themselves and talk about their different roles in society and social acceptance as well. I'm a slow reader, so I'm still working on it, but that hasn't stopped me from book talking it to some teen and adult readers.

This was an interesting take on the topic of drug addiction. It took me a little bit of time to get into the story and then it really became engaging. I think it gives an important message about drug use and addiction in an engaging and different format.

An ambitious novel that looks pits current medications (as gods) against each other. A riveting read that will leave on thinking. Highly recommend.

Roxy is a very unusual book in that it is mainly about four characters, Isaac and Ivy who are human teenage siblings, both of whom are taking medication for very different reasons. The other two characters are the drugs that they take, Roxy (oxycodone – Isaac’s pain relief) and Addison (Adderall – Ivy’s medication to treat her ADHD).

Interesting take on the complicated issue of prescription drug use and abuse. I recommend it, but take note that it takes up some head space while you read it. It's definitely worth reading. The Shustermans did a great job.

⚠️Content warning: drug use, death, addiction
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OH. MY. GOD. Y’all. This book. I literally am speechless. Neal and Jarrod did it again. This book is amazing and important and terrifying. Isaac and Ivy are siblings and both have their issues: Ivy is the “screwup” to her parents. She is failing in school, has a loser boyfriend, and doesn’t care about much because she can’t focus on much.
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Isaac is your typical “good kid,” he goes well in school, has good friends, never stays out too let, even helps his parents out in their business.
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Until one night when Isaac goes to bring Ivy home from a party and gets in a fight that leaves him with a sprained ankle. This is when Isaac meets “Roxy,” aka OxyContin. She woos Isaac and he falls for her. Hard.
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Ivy starts taking Adderall or “Addison” to help her focus in school and try to turn her senior year around so that she can graduate, but ends up in a relationship with Addison.
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What made this book really unique was how the Shustermans (ShusterMEN?) personify the drugs as people and the way they interact with their “plus Ones”. The drugs spend their time at a “party” and interact with each other and all have uplines that they have to answer to. Addison and Roxy start a wager about who can bring Isaac or Ivy to the party first.
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I won’t lie to y’all, this book is as addictive as the drugs it describes. And is essentially a cautionary tale for teens or all people and drug use. Definitely have conversations with your students before reading it because of how it makes the drug use seem, and how things end up for the siblings.
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Overall this book was AMAZING and worth every dark circle under my eyes because I started up until 3am to finish it!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this Arc!

This was a tough read for me. I understand the opioid crisis and drug addiction in general very well. I have seen friends taken by this and now older family members who just ran out of choices.

This begins with the death of an Ramey, I... alluding to either of the brother sister duo Isaac and Ivy Ramey. Both seem to be down on their luck and it just spiraled downward from there. With the main drugs being Oxy and Adderall.

There are so many triggers in this book I don't even know where to start. Drug addiction, depression... everything that comes along with that and also effects the family as a whole.

This is a masterful piece of work on this subject and I just want to say how appreciative I am for authors like these that shine a light on such a dark place.