This book was amazing. When I decided to read this book, I hadn't seen anything about it. The description looked compelling so I took a chance on it. I made a very good decision because this book ended up not only being one that I couldn't put down but one that I couldn't stop thinking about long after reading the final page. The story is both heartbreaking and hopeful with characters you want to spend as much time with as possible. This was an incredibly well told story.

Adam is the kind of kid that seems to have everything going for him. He has a great relationship with his mother and a very good home life. He has a tight group of friends that he cares about. He is a senior in high school and he is doing great in school. Adam seems to know just the right thing to say and sometimes can even make things better by offering up a quick smile at just the right time. Adam does have to deal with his ADHD but he has things generally under control.

Julian has had to deal with a lot in his life. His parents both died in a car crash when he was very young. He actually spent some time in the foster system and lived with Adam and his mother for a period of time. Julian moved in with his uncle years ago and as far as everyone knows everything is fine at home. But everything is not fine at home. Not by a lot. To make matters worse, Julian has no friends and is often teased and bullied at school. When Adam sees Julian at school and they reconnect, Julian is eager to be around someone that actually wants him around.

This wasn't really an easy story to read. My heart broke so many times while I read this book. I felt like I was there with Julian every time somebody said something mean to him and I was there with him at his house with his uncle. I also felt Adam's uncertainty regarding what was the right thing to do. Adam's determination to be there for his friend no matter what was equally powerful. The truly sad part of this book is that these kind of stories aren't too different than what really happens to some teens.

This book was wonderfully written. I honestly put the book down once to sleep and then picked it back up again and couldn't put it down until I was done. I loved the characters. Adam and Julian were wonderful but there was a whole cast of people in this book that each added something worthwhile to the story. Some scenes were intense and the way that they were written made them seem so incredibly real and vivid.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I think that this is a book that needs to find its way into everyone's hands. I cannot remember the last time that I was as emotionally involved in a book as I was with this one. It was really that good.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Disney Book Group via NetGalley.

A List of Cages was even more emotionally draining than I expected, and I was prepared for it to be quite intense. At times the writing and things that Julian (one of our main characters) would do really reminded me of Neal Shusterman's Challenger Deep (which I adore). Later on it had kind of a The Perks of Being a Wallflower feel. It wasn't particularly similar to either of these novels, but they both came to mind while I was reading, for mostly good reasons.

Our two leads in this novel, Julian and Adam, were very realistic teenagers. Julian is suffering under a lot of pressure, dealing with bullies and his outcast status, just trying to make it through life as a freshman. Adam is finishing his senior year and is the guy that everyone likes, he's one of those people that everyone wants to be friends with. The best thing about the relationship between these two is that Adam isn't a character that needs to be changed. He's genuinely nice and caring, easily makes friends, and connects people that would not be connected otherwise.

The side characters are enjoyable for the most part. Charlie, one of Adam's best friends, is probably my favorite of the minor characters. You get more hints about what drives him than you do about the others. You see him changing throughout (to an extent). Emerald was likable, but I never felt overly connected to her character. Adam's mom was another nice but not overly memorable character.

This novel deals with some really difficult subjects, but I don't want to get too much into that because it could be somewhat spoilery. Overall I think it handled these subjects very realistically and was informative. There were some things with pacing that I didn't particularly enjoy, a few details that were skimmed over, and the ending was a little cleaner (and also a little messier) than I would have liked. Some of the larger plot points were given very definite conclusions, which I think was a little extreme, and some of the smaller pieces were left a little mroe open than I would have liked.

This is a well written novel about the relationship between two teenage boys who enter each others lives again and again, just when they both need it most. This is an addictive read with some great messages that a lot of readers could benefit from.

4.5 stars

A List of Cages is hard to read at times, excruciatingly real, with well-developed characters and a story I couldn't put down. But it's also a story of friendship and love and hope. I know this one will stick with me for awhile.

I think the hardest part about reading this book is knowing the fact that while this story was fiction, this truly happens to children around the world. A List of Cages is a heart-wrenching and deeply emotional story with dashes of hope spread out just enough to keep me from becoming a ball of tears (which may have happened a little as well…). In all honesty, this book left me speechless, which really doesn’t happen a lot, especially if you’re someone who knows me in real life. It was raw, it was real, and it was terrible. I mean that in the best way possible, because the story was beautifully written. It seriously took me quite a while to fully process this book and what it means.

Dual narration seems to either work out perfectly well or not work at all, and here it flourished. Not only did the narration make complete sense, but Ms Roe is able to bring to life the true power of friendship and how understanding can change a person’s world. It also shows the difficulties of being a high schooler with a learning disability, be it ADHD or dyslexia or anything in between. I could go into detail but that’s a whole different can of worms that I shan’t open right now.

Moving on, this book addresses some very difficult subjects, and should not be taken lightly. Like I stated before, it blows my mind that this could actually happen to someone in our time and world, but it could and it does.

This book is listed as a contemporary, and I have to say that while there was romance involved (very slightly), it is refreshing to have a bond that surpasses the puppy romance we read about so much. The bond Adam and Julian share is something that does interfere with other relationships, but the fact that the others are willing to stick around says so much more about them and I love the depiction of this type of devotion friendship. It is a perfect example of how family doesn’t always mean those who are blood-related to you.

The only thing I wish is that we could learn more about Charlie and Emerald. I feel like they have stories as well and I really want to hear them! I highly recommend this book, I really can’t express my love for it adequately, but I do warn that it is hard to read at points.

Don't let the blurb mislead you.
It makes it sound like the main character is Adam, and he is, but Julian is also the main character. The book follows two points of views but it starts out with Julian's voice in the first chapter. His personality and voice was easily distinguishable because it is Adam's foil. They are polar opposites in dispositions, mannerisms, and thought processes. It was at first distracting but I nevertheless powered through because I wanted to see how Julian's story would unfold. It was quite devastating, to be honest. Events in his life stunted his character development severely and I empathized with his feelings of insecurity, shyness, and fears. So when Adam was introduced, his optimism and all the things that were going well in his life felt like a slap to my face. It was almost like the author was saying 'How could someone be suffering but elsewhere, others are living carefree lives?' This made me dislike Adam's group of friends because they felt contrived solely to represent Adam's popularity and contentment; was Adam was only friends with them out of convenience? It did not help that the author did not fully flesh out his friend group or provide more insight about their personalities. Aside from Emerald and Charlie, it seemed they were just there because it added numbers to his friends list. Side note: Charlie is practically the MVP of this book, I'm kind of proud but I wish there was more background information about him. He played a pivotal role and I wished he had more screen time since he's actually important.
"I used to think struggle was what aged you, but if that were the case, Julian should've been a hundred years old. Now I wonder if the opposite if true. Maybe instead of accelerating your age, pain won't let you grow."

Additionally, this book should come with a trigger warning just in case because I cried a lot. The tears did not come until the last quarter of the book. I was eating dinner while reading and tears were streaming down as I crammed food into my mouth. I SWEAR I'M NOT AN EMOTIONAL EATER. But wow, things escalated quickly and I liked that it was not all fully resolved by the end. The story Roe wants to tell is one that cannot be tied together neatly with a bow. In a way, the story ends with a marked change within Adam and Julian; this is a good place to leave off because they're still hurt and broken, but they now have each other to lean on and heal together. Although the genre indicates many tragic incidents, this is ultimately a story about courage, support, and friendship.

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

I finished this book at two in the morning because after reading the first few pages I just could not put it down.

At times touching, at times devastating, A List Of Cages is the type of book that will make you feel every emotion. It can be difficult to read at times because of the heavy subject matter but the ending is worth it.

I loved the writing style and am amazed that this is a debut. Robin Roe is definitely an author to keep an eye out for.

It's funny. I read this book a little bit ago, and now that I'm sitting and really thinking about it again, I feel all of the emotions over again. This review won't be as long as usual, because to be honest it's hard to describe a book like this. I think the most appropriate thing to say is, READ THIS.

A POWERFUL BOOK

Before you want to get into this, you should be aware of the trigger warning here: (SPOILER) child abuse (/SPOILER). This was no easy read. If I'm being honest, I read the three quarters of this book with a lump in my throat. This is the story of Adam and Julian, two high school boys who lived together for a few years after Julian's parents died, and until his uncle came back to take care of him. Or something like that, let's say, because these aren't the right words. Their lives grow apart for a few years, until they collide again...at the right moment. That book is a contemporary, but it's one that screams out loud. It's one that makes you grab the pages in anticipation, while the lump in your throat just grows and grows and cut your breath away. This wasn't an easy read, but it made me highly emotional. If anything, this is for me the sign of the power of this book.

REAL, GENUINE CHARACTERS. ALSO, NEEDING HUGS.

Told from a dual point of view, we get to meet Adam, and Julian. Both characters are very different and their voices stood out, which I appreciated. Both felt real and genuine. Adam has ADHD, and it was my first time reading about this, which was very interesting. Moreover, it didn't feel stigmatized or cliché or anything, it just felt real and part of his life, his mother's life, which I really appreciated. It wasn't here to make a point, it was just here because it was part of the character. Adam was so refreshing to read about. He was always positive, always trying to help, which made me want to hug him basically all the time.
Julian, on the other side...well, I just wanted to hug him forever. When you feel like hugging the characters in a story, I'm guessing that's a good sign, isn't it? Julian is such a good character, yet he goes through so, so much. It's heartbreaking to read about, and I just wanted him to be okay. He was so endearing, I quickly grew attached to him.

A BEAUTIFUL, HEARTBREAKING SURPRISE


A List of Cages definitely was a surprise. I started this book with no expectations at all, I kind of stumbled into it on NetGalley and decided to give it a try, and boy, I'm glad I did. I really am. I thought I wouldn't feel too much. I thought it would be good, but nothing exceptional. But that book was different. At times, I wanted to stop reading, take a break, because everything happening just felt overwhelming and it was too much. But I couldn't. The story was gripping, and the writing style was gorgeous, making me feel everything for the characters. It was a highly emotional, powerful, beautiful book. The subject is nothing easy to read about, let me warn you. But if you're feeling okay with this, give it a try. Despite my discomfort about this, at times, I still ended up loving it, and I hope you will too.

Summary

A List of Cages by Robin Roe is probably one of the most emotional and powerful books I read in 2016. It follows two boys, Adam and Julian, as they are reunited after five years apart. While Adam is much older than Julian, they rekindle their friendship. From there, however, things take a darker turn as a secret is revealed which would threaten both boys’ lives.

Plot

This book delivered more than I expected it to. A number of various themes and topics were covered, from the foster system to ADHD (which Adam has) to child abuse, but none felt particularly forced or overlooked. While I don’t have experience of any of those mentioned, it did feel like Roe had done a well-rounded depiction of each and treated the more difficult themes with the necessary respect. However, that being said, if you are affected by them, it does get quite dark towards the end, so I would recommend doing a touch more research into the book before reading it.

Every component of the story fit perfectly and I ended up being quite emotionally invested in the story-line, so much so that I ended up feeling like a helpless bystander, wanting to do something but being unable to, in the latter half. There were sections which I found difficult to read, but that was purely the content. The writing was brilliant and allowed for easy reading so you could really focus on the story.

Characters

I really enjoyed the characters of Adam and Julian. They felt real to me, which only increased the impact of the story. I thought Roe conveyed their experiences well through how they acted and also developed their friendship with each other beautifully.

However, where the book is let down is in the other characters. I felt like they were not quite as developed as they could be and this did lessen their relationships with the two main characters a bit and stopped me connecting with them. Aside from Charlie and Emerald, I can’t remember the names of the rest of Adam’s friends, nor Adam or Julian’s family members. While the plot mainly focuses on the two boys, it would have been nice to see a bit more of how the other characters were affected by the events unfolding.

Final thoughts

This book connected with me from the start and I found myself fully caught up in the boys’ journey.  While it did take me a little while to get into it at the beginning, I ended up reading the second half well into the night and I still think about it long after finishing that final page. Robin Roe has written a powerful story in A List of Cages.

A List of Cages will be released on January 10th 2017 and I would fully recommend reading it.

3.5 stars

Trigger Warning: Physical (= violence) & Mental Abuse. Do not read if you're sensitive to these things.

This is a really tough book to review. Or to rate for that matter. I know that when you're reading this you can see my rating already. But as of right now, when I'm writing it, I still have no idea how to rate it. Because for the longest time this looked like it'd be a 3-star read. It wasn't bad... but it also wasn't great either to me. But then the second half amped things up to eleven and it was intense as all hell. So now I have no idea where I'm at anymore. Maybe I should follow my wise ruler Cait's example and make a list. Because lists solve all your problems, obviously. So here goes.

The Things I Liked/Loved:

♦ I liked the friendship between Lucian and Adam. It felt very genuine to me and it was just very nice to see them reconnect and get better friends throughout the book. I love great friendships in books so I'm glad this one was done well and it was the heart of the story really. So yay friendship!

♦ I liked the characters themselves. Of course I hated Lucian's uncle with the passion of a million suns, but I'm supposed to so that's great. If you don't hate him, I'll be very worried about your sanity. But I liked all the others. Especially Charlie, Adam, Lucian and Adam's mom.

♦ Lucian reminded me a bit of a character of one of my own projects and I liked that! Because that character of mine is one of my most precious darlings and though they're lives and stuff are very different, they had the same quiet, shy, adorable thing going on. They're both the type of character you just want to wrap in warm blankets and cuddle and keep safe. I very much wanted to do that with Lucian. He's so precious and sweet and I just want to protect him from harm, poor thing.

♦ I also liked how Adam was the opposite of Lucian but they still worked very well as friends. Adam is this very bright, energetic, caring and sweet guy. He's often silly and he has ADHD and sometimes he does stupid things in this book like neglecting his best friend Charlie but I still cared about him so much because he has such a big heart. He's like a ray of sunshine and I just really liked him a lot.

♦ And lastly, I liked that it didn't shy away from the tough things. This book got really intense and super heartbreaking at times and the author didn't shy away from anything and went full-out with it. Which I appreciate, even though it was greatly upsetting and maybe even triggering for some people. This book should definitely come with a trigger warning. For sure. But the whole second half was SO intense and so engaging and I found myself finishing it in one sitting because I just HAD to know how it would end.

The Things I Didn't Like:

♦ Okay so the beginning was super confusing to me. The pacing and plot felt all over the place and I had no idea what was going on. Yes, that did get better eventually and I'm glad I kept reading, but I still have no idea why the beginning was so confusing. Maybe it's just me though.

♦ I was bored a whole lot in the first half of the book. I was interested in the story and I liked the characters and all, but overall I was very bored at first.

♦ I also wished I could've gotten to know the other characters more. Because while I liked them, the only ones that got some developement are Adam, Lucian and Charlie a little bit. But even Charlie I didn't get to know as much as I wanted to. I didn't really know the others. Which made me sad.

♦ Due to this, the romance also fell a bit flat to me. I didn't really know Emerald and her romance with Adam came a bit out of nowhere and felt more like a plot device than anything else. I never really bought it. I didn't see what its purpose was in the end. If it had been left out, I don't think the book would've changed at all. Maybe it would've been better. Not every book needs romance. This one would've been better off without it. In my opinion.

So in the end... A List of Cages is a very tough book to read at times. It's heartbreaking and intense, but occasionally also very sweet and Adam and Lucian's genuine, normal friendship is the heart of the story. So should you read it? Yes. Provided you won't be triggered by the aforementioned tough parts, you absolutely should check it out.

"Hate ricochets, but kindness does too."

"A List of Cages" is a powerful and sometimes disturbing look into the world of child abuse. Julian's parents died unexpectedly about 5 years ago. Julian was briefly placed in a foster home where he met Adam, the son of his foster mom. Adam quickly became like a brother to Julian. Then one day Julian's long lost uncle came to claim him. Julian disappeared with him without a trace. Until one day, several years later, Adam accidentally bumps into him at school. But Julian is very different from the boy he use to be.

This book is indescribably mind blowing. It was very eye opening to watch how vulnerable Julian was to abuse. How easy it can happen. How bad it can get. I think this is an important book for young people to read. To help people look beyond their own world and take in what can be happening just under their noses.

***Advanced Copy obtained from Disney Book Group/Disney-Hyperion via Netgalley***

I was not entirely impressed by this book. THe pacing was decent and the flow was natural. THe characters were so-so. While the voices were strong they were a little too extreme, one too good to be true and the other too down-trodden. The plot was a bit extreme in its cruelty. I might have passed it off as amateurish if not for the writing. There were a few lines that just blew me away. I suspect people will oject to the violence, the cruelty, and the unbelievability of Russell.

This is one of those beautifully broken stories. The ones that make your heart hurt, your eyes water and have you wanting to just hug the main character. Especially when that character is a young man with a childlike mind and sense of being.

Julian has not had an easy life. Having his parents ripped away from him at a young age was never going to be easy, but he was lucky when he landed at Adam Blake's house. He quickly wove his way into Adam's families hearts, but was then ripped away without much word afterwords.

Years later fate brings these two young men together again. While Adam is a happy go lucky senior, Julian is a quiet underclassman whom is constantly the subject of ridicule. From the moment Adam realizes who exactly is before him, he tries to turn Julian's outlook on life around. There's only one problem, Julian's current guardian.

This story was hard to read a times, but only until I told myself that it had to get better for Julian. With the type of character he is, I couldn't see the author tormenting him until an untimely end. I just knew there had to be something more in store for him. Make sure to pick up your copy to see if I was right.

Received from NetGalley for review.

Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.


A List of Cages is a heart-breaking, but ultimately heart-warming, novel about the friendship between fourteen-year-old lonely and shy Julian and seventeen-year old vibrant and loving Adam. We learn early on that Julian used to be Adam’s foster brother, until his Uncle claimed custody, and five years later they meet again, with Adam taking an elective as the school psychologists’ assistant and being assigned to Julian – initially to escort him to his appointments with Dr. Whitlock.

The narrative switches between Adam and Julian’s perspective, which quickly builds an image of each character and their vastly different lives; I can guarantee that Julian’s chapters will tear you apart and have you feeling so deeply for him it hurts. Adam is a happy-go-lucky senior, who happens to have ADHD, and his personality shines off the page – you can easily imagine him being loved by all who come across him, as he has a naturally happy disposition and looks on the bright side of life thanks to his strong relationship with his mother and his friends (you’ll love Charlie, trust me). When he is assigned to Julian he immediately knows something is wrong; yes Julian’s parents are dead but Adam remembers him as so much more when he was younger, now he is just a shell of his former self, hollowed out and in clothes that don’t fit. Julian’s story is slowly revealed throughout the novel and it will break your heart – his teachers are impatient with him, his Uncle is abusive, and friends are non-existent, but Julian remains a bright, sweet, and kind boy who deserves love and kindness in return.

Because when you’re between two shores and no one can see you, you don’t really exist at all.


The writing is fast-paced and easy to read whilst still building a very strong sense of Adam and Julian’s characters and all the atmosphere and feelings that go along with being in high school. I especially love how Roe has shown how vastly different people’s lives can be, especially in terms of the school setting; Julian’s home life shows the sad reality that not everyone has a loving home and that perceived behaviour issues are often the result of something else, something entirely out of the student’s or teacher’s control. People (teachers and students alike) think that Julian is a strange loner who can’t read or write and cuts class but it is his home life and the influence of his Uncle that cause many of his problems. I know myself how hard it can be when you have a student you just can’t seem to reach, but A List of Cages reminds me to simply keep trying and to always remember that there’s usually a good reason for disruptive or rebellious behaviour.

If you enjoyed The Perks of Being a Wallflower I imagine you’ll enjoy this, as the story has a very similar vibe without being a carbon copy. There’s heartbreak and horror, but I think it is ultimately uplifting; everything is not resolved and sunshine and daises at the end, but there is hope and potential for such a thing. I’m going to sign off this review with this gem of a quote that had me laughing out loud and falling more in love with this book:

“Getting smacked in the face with a Harry Potter book does not qualify as a fight,” Charlie says.

“First of all, it wasn’t just any Harry Potter book. It was Order of the Phoenix.”

Matt gasps. He knows Order of the Phoenix is the longest and most potentially dangerous of all the Harry Potter books when used as a weapon.

Where are the happy, "feel good" young adult titles? I have just finished reading some soon-to-be or newly released YA books, but it is difficult to call any of them truly uplifting. Perhaps the titles should have given me a hint of how dark they would be?

For example, A List of Cages by Robin Roe is extremely well-written. Once I reached a certain point in the novel, I did not want to stop and kept reading long into the night. A List of Cages is the story of Julian, a high school freshman who is befriended by Adam, a senior whose work study job is with the social work department. Adam has ADHD and Julian has dyslexia. They come from different home situations and teachers are portrayed as reacting very differently to each of them. Sadly, there is a strong element of child abuse in this novel which can make for some very uncomfortable, though compelling, reading.

Although several of the educators tend to appear overly harsh or clueless, debut author Roe runs a mentoring program for at risk teens and gives her adolescent characters realistic voices. A List of Cages received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

2 stars

A List of Cages follows two young men at very different stages of adolescences who share a past. Julian is a shy fourteen-year-old freshman. His parents’ tragic passing has left him stunted socially, emotionally, and physically; being under the care of Russell doesn’t help. Adam is a senior in high school and he has a group friends that mean the world to him. His ADHD makes him the lovable guy around campus and when he runs into Julian, his old foster brother, he makes it his mission to get Julian to break out of his shell.


I probably would have never read this novel if I wasn’t invited by Disney through Netgalley to review this title. It’s not my type of story. I’m not a big contemporary reader. The only time I read novels that have fantasy is if it’s historical or psychological because that’s just my preference. Even when I enjoyed contemporary as my main literary diet, I probably would’ve never picked this novel up. It’s not a striking novel. It has a gorgeous cover, but the synopsis doesn’t really draw me in or make me instantly interested in stepping out of my comfort zone.


I wish I could say that leaping out of my usual reads was amazing and groundbreaking, but this book left me feeling inconclusive about the overall story. It’s a quick read, but it’s not a read that will stick with me or haunt me. I like my contemporary to strike my heartstrings and make me feel like the lessons and tribulations the characters have experienced have helped me to become a better person. I don’t really think I took away from this novel. All I can say is… meh.


The writing wasn’t horrible, but it felt elementary. The sentences were choppy and short. There was also a lot of repetition. I can definitely see younger middle school students enjoying this novel because of its readability. My biggest issue is that it felt like a Perks of Being a Wallflower rip-off. Shy, awkward kid (who probably has a mental or social handicap) is welcomed into a large group of seniors who have fun parties. It felt way too much like watching Charlie interact with Sam and Patrick; just characters had different names and genders. Although there is a character named Charlie in this novel who plays a HUGE role throughout the novel.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 2

The main characters are Adam and Julian. I honestly didn’t care for the majority of Adam’s POV throughout most of the novel. It felt inconsequential and irrelevant. I think his POV was only necessary towards the end in the second part. His whole passages with his friends and their interactions were just boring and pointless. Julian is a really sad character, but everything just felt a little too sad for him. I just couldn’t connect to him. I felt sorry for him, but I also didn’t care until he was going through the absolute worst forms of torture. After that I just felt frustrated with him and I couldn’t wait for the whole story to be over. He’s too naïve and it was probably supposed to make me want to hug him, but I wanted to sit him down for a long talk on being sensible.


Adam’s friends were an interesting aspect to the story. I can’t say I really cared all that much for them. Charlie’s interaction with Julian were integral to the story and I enjoyed seeing the progression of the relationship. Besides that, I couldn’t connect to any of these characters and I just could care less overall.


Character Scale: 2

The Villain- I love villains, especially in everyday stories because in reality there aren’t any visible villains unless you find yourself in something akin to an Investigative Discovery special. The villain, Russell, Julian’s adoptive guardian didn’t feel understandable. I didn’t get why he was inflicting the horrible level of psychological torture that he was. That half-assed explanation in the heat of the “final showdown” felt disjointed and like a failed attempt to explain why he did what he did. Then, again, do we ever really know why serial killers kill? I guess I can see why his actions don’t make sense, but from my standpoint I’m dissatisfied.


Villain Scale: 2

Overall, I’m not sure who I would recommend this novel to. It’s one of those stories that I would recommend if you are interested based off the synopsis or if someone recommends it to you personally, but besides that I don’t feel like it’s a novel to seek out in a bookstore.


Plotastic Scale: 1.75

Cover Thoughts: I do love this cover. The illustrations are beautiful.

Thank you, Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.