I didn’t expect to like Words on Bathroom Walls so much. Sure, the blurb looks really intriguing, but I expected it to be somewhat serious and heavy considering the topic it’s dealing with. Imagine my surprise upon reading something less heavy and funny. I am so hooked, I love it! Adam is such a delight to read. It is impossible not to like him. He is witty, smart, snarky and sarcastic at times, and so easy to connect with, you can’t help but root for him all throughout. The fact that he is schizophrenic, which we don’t see often is interesting enough. But his attitude towards his uncommon condition is so refreshing. He is not totally positive about life, not that. But he doesn’t wallow in self-pity, either. He is calm about it, and even hopeful. And if you’re not sold yet, Adam loves baking and he used it to deal with his stress. Now, that’s new, a teenage guy who bake. Also, all those Harry Potter references are just too funny!

Words on Bathroom Walls is a well-written story and it came as a surprise upon knowing that it is Julia Walton’s debut novel. I have no idea about how close the representation of schizophrenia is in the book but I’d say it is evident that the author did her research well. I feel like it was represented truthfully. She managed to write a story where people can learn more about mental illness and understand what it’s like to live with it. While some books that deal with mental illness can be emotionally heavy, sometimes even dark, this tackles the subject lighter than most yet still realistic. I honestly don’t know much about schizophrenia but this book gave me a better understanding of the illness. It is, in a way, can help educate people and remove the negative notion the people with mental illness constantly get. A truly engaging read and I hope a lot more people will get to read this.

The standard mental health novel meets Flowers for Algernon. We've got that sort of rise toward "normalcy' and the inevitable decline. I like that there's no cure, no miracle drug, no blanket love and acceptance. Just the ongoing struggle to keep hold of reality, to trust the people around him. In typical novel fashion, this does largely work out in his favor. Yes, he loses his "miracle drug" in a rather spectacular fashion but he does, in the end, get the girl. Its a bit of a risk, setting the whole thing as journal entries. This format can create a sort of emotional distance, a tendency to tell instead of show or experience. In this case, that is softened by the long entries, the narrator's long explanations.

It's hard to find a book that combines humor with such serious subject matter. I think the author managed to do that with Words on Bathroom Walls. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire book, which doesn't happen often. She also takes on teenage schizophrenia, an often misunderstood mental illness, and presents it through the eyes of a struggling teenage boy. I thought it was beautifully done and I applaud the author.

I was really interested in reading this book because I came in contact with a seven-year-old child recently diagnosed with schizophrenia at work. There had always been symptoms, but as the child grew older those symptoms became much more intense. He was often lost in his own mind and acted out in ways that didn’t make sense to those around him. The few times I had to work closely with him were extremely challenging because it pained me to realize how little I understood this kid. How unable I was to help him. Schizophrenia is something I hardly know anything about. I wanted this book to help me understand a little better.

So meet Adam. Adam is schizophrenic. In his case this means he hears voices in his head. Not the good kind. Not the kind of voices Harry Potter heard in his second year and that turned out to be real. Adam’s voices are never real, no matter how much he sometimes believes they are. Things went really bad at his last school when people found out. That’s why he’s determined to keep everyone at his new school in the dark. He volunteers to try an experimental drug called ToZaPrex and for a while he’s able to keep things under control. He still hallucinates, but the drugs at least help him tell fiction from reality. We learn Adam’s story as he writes it to the therapist he refuses to talk to. After all:

"Once words tumble out of your mouth, there’s no room for editing. It’s out there."

I loved Adam. There was just something about his voice that drew me in the minute I met him. He had a good sense of humour and was able to find irony in difficult situations. Most of all I appreciated his inner struggle, because it was so authentically done. I’m not entirely sure if the hallucinations were accurate, but the many struggles that come with suffering from mental illness were brought adequately and truthfully. It especially captured the isolation well. How having an illness no one really understands makes people afraid and wary. How prejudice unfortunately beats common sense too often. Adam’s thoughts on how hard it can get, dealing with mental illness, rang true.

I also really appreciated that Adam was in a fully functional relationship with this amazing girl Maya and that none of that miraculously cured him from his schizophrenia. Love does not conquer all, but it does help to know you’re not in it alone. The relationship was healthy and very realistically portrayed.

I can say the same about Adam’s relationship with his mother and stepfather. Both of them were well-developed characters and definitely not your typical caricature (step)parents. Their relationship was not always easy, as no relationship ever is, but I thought the way he both fought and connected with his parents (especially his stepfather) was beautiful.

I liked this book a lot. The writing is very engaging. The words flow naturally and it’s almost as if Adam is directly talking to you. Reading books about people with mental illnesses can be tough and ‘dark’ sometimes, but this book finds the perfect balance between serious matter and light-heartedness. Would definitely recommend!

Adam has schizophrenia and learning to cope with of seeing people who aren't there with a trial drug. He's in a new school and can actually start over with people who don't know him which is nice enough. At this school Adam meets Maya and he wants to be a better person and hide his schizophrenia. It was working until cdhis meds stop working and things start to slowly go down.

"It's funny how sometimes your own hallucinations can hurt you without touching you or saying anything you didn't already know."

After reading the description of the book and hearing that it would appeal to those who are fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Which is my favorite book) along with a few others I knew this book was right for me. I just found myself so hooked to Adam as a character, this is my second time reading about a character with schizophrenia and I loved the different take in this book. Adam was a realistic type of guy who says what he thinks but then again, I can remember a few points there he pretty much was able to get that courage being that he wasn't telling anyone but writing it. I loved that he was self aware of what was going on and seeing how he dealt with what he was seeing. I thought it was interesting that little touch of what med he was taking and seeing it progressively get higher and how we was in certain states in how he was able to deal with certain moments of his schizophrenia. But I think the real eye opener for me was how people were treating him. Treating him as if he was a dangerous creature that shouldn't be around others which was tough and sad to see. It was a realistic and sad truth that many people think of this mental health issue is something to be afraid of. It just seems so strange to me. I got family members with different mental health issues so seeing something out of the norm is something that normal for me so seeing someone with a different issue, isn't intimidating or scary. So for a person to be scared or worried about a person with a different mental health such as schizophrenia is so strange to me. I would rather made it a learning opportunity and learn about the mental illness, rather then be afraid.

"Is it strange watching your world crumble around you, knowing there's nothing you can do about it? I imagine it's strange."

Back to the review, any who this book was a pretty enjoyable contemporary read and I enjoyed this. I think if you read Made You Up by Francesca Zappia you would be interested in this book as well with the POV of a character with schizophrenia. Or in general if you read and loved this book you might enjoy Made You Up as well. Overall Highly recommend you lovely readers to check out this book, I didn't think I would love this book as much as I did.

I’m going to do you a favor and warn you that you will need sweets or baked goods of some sort to munch on. The male protagonist bakes when he is upset, which I adore, but damn did I need some cookies! This is an outstanding debut about a boy who has just been diagnosed with schizophrenia. So often books on a mental health subject struggle, but this one is full on honesty and hilarity and the most incredible cast of characters. I could not get enough.

Adam is starting a new experimental drug to help him differentiate his visions from real life. He’s starting at a new school and is afraid people will find out about his schizophrenia. The story is told through his journal entries, a tactic suggested by his therapist.

Adam’s world is filled with amazing people - both real and imaginary. I could not get enough of his parents. They are truly loving and caring, well-developed human beings. Maya, his love interest, is a breath of fresh air. She is so intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind. His wingman Dwight is nerdy and fun.

There are times when I couldn’t stop laughing thanks to how cynical Adam is. His humorous commentary adds a little something special. Especially when other times I got a bit emotional. This is an emotional rollercoaster of a journey, but damn is it worth the payoff. The synopsis doesn’t even do the story justice.

What an important, yet wholly entertaining read. I highly recommend!

I loved this book so much. I learned a lot about schizophrenia without it being to info dumpy. I loved how this book wasn't only focussed on his mental illness but also on Adam's personal day to day teenager life and regular teenage issues. I loved the friendships in this book, they were just so wonderfull. And oh my god, Dwight is me new everything. The character development in this was crazy fantastic even for side characters. This book made me laugh out loud so many times but also made me cry and gave me all the feels. I loved how this book gave a new perspective on therapy. I feel like this book dealt with schizophrenia in a very respectful and well researched way. I would highly recommend the book to everyone because it's just so good.

I love reading books featuring different types of mental illnesses and this is the first one I read featuring schizophrenia. I didn't have any expectations for it, and I read the synopsis quite long ago and I didn't remember what it was even about. But I was hooked from the first page!

As you may know, schizophrenia is quite a difficult illness. It's basically a mental disorder where the person can't distinguish real from unreal. It's never the same with anyone, but the symptoms can vary from hearing voices no one can hear, seeing things no one can see, delusion, confused thinking, lack of motivation, reduced social/ emotional expression... which can lead to other mental illnesses like depression and anxiety; and even addiction.

It's an illness that requires a lot of help. There's is no cure, although there's a lot of medication that can be used, and the trick is to try to find the one that fits better with each person. Without that, it can lead to harm to self or others and even suicide.

It affects mostly male's in their late 20s, but our main character is 16 years old. Adam is a very strong, intelligent and (dark) humoristic person, and although I couldn't connect with what was going on, I sympathized with him with all my heart. Adam is lucky enough to have a family that really worries and protects him, but that's not enough to make others see what a good person he is.

People are often afraid and prefer to just step aside than to try. But when he moves to a new Catholic school, the kids don't know anything about him, and he has the opportunity to be "normal" in their eyes, while he is in a drug trial.

He gains two friends and they are really great and different characters. Maya was a character I was very fond of. She is the type of person that says everything in her mind as it is. She is rational, decided and incredibly intelligent. And although less humoristic then Adam, I had a great time reading about her.

But the key part about this book has to be Adam's illness. Both in a good and a bad way. It's quite emotional to read about but at the same time incredibly funny and interesting! I absolutely love dark humor and Adam is the king of it! He is the type of person that doesn't want pity from others neither does he pity himself. And although the humor may also be a protection for Adam, I think it's the best attitude anyone could have!

The book reads like a diary, and each entry is a made to give to his psychologist about his week. It makes it feel incredibly personal and gripping. We see everything through his eyes and it's impossible not to get emotional. This book made me cry my heart out a couple of times and I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like reading books featuring mental illnesses!

I knew going into this, that the book would hit me hard. A lot of people in today's society don't like talking about mental health; although, I do believe that it's getting better and better as the years go on. Schizophrenia is one so complex and interesting. And I say that not trying to be offensive at all. I remember one year when I took college psychology, my professor told us a story about a man he was treating for schizophrenia. The man's brother was the one taking care of him and the brother would wake in the middle of the night to find the young man missing. He would then find him in an abandoned field fighting like he was in the avengers - saving us from the evil. And that's exactly what it was. He had a vision that demons would be coming to invade our world. Now the whole point of my story is my professor and the response he had for his patient. When the young man was explaining to him what was happening, my professor looked at him and said, "I believe you". And the look at the patient's face was something he couldn't explain; it was such deep relief and elation, that someone believed him. It touched me deeply and I never ever forgot that story.

Adam has struggled with schizophrenia and all the symptoms that manifests with it. Such as seeing things and people that aren't really there. He's the test subject for a new drug to help with the hallucinations. And for a while there, it's working. Adam can actually have a normal life and not have to worry about jumping at things that aren't actually there. He meets Maya, and she's perfect. Everything is perfect, until it isn't. The drugs start having a negative effect and Adam will do anything to keep Maya in the dark.

The book starts off with Adam explains his illness to his therapist, who allows him to write in a journal instead of talking. I immediately liked Adam; he's funny, tries to keep a positive attitude, and he's a character I could see myself being friends with. Overall, I think it's one of the better YA novels about mental health. Also, Adam is a totally Harry Potter nerd. That right there means he must be awesome! Now I leave you with the wise words of Dumbledore himself.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Where do I even start with this book? I finished it last night after an emotional roller coaster that left me exhausted. I'd casually read the first 80% of the book over the previous nights. It was intriguing and obviously captivating since I read it each night. However, the last 20% is where the payoff is. It's where I was sniffling and silent tears streamed down my cheeks while my husband snored away on the pillow next to mine. It's not traditionally sad so to speak. No character deaths occur. After spending so much time inside of a character's head, you cannot help but be invested in Adam's recovery.

To avoid any spoilers, I'm not going to comment further on the plot with the exception of saying this felt like a very realistic portrayal of schizophrenia. Every case is different, of course. The author includes a special note about mental illness and seeking help with resources at the end of the narrative.

To round up a few stray thoughts:
This book would translate very well to the screen. (Hey, Netflix, wanna get on this one?)
The inevitable comparisons to Challenger Deep will come along. Don't bother. Every instance of mental illness is different. BOTH of these books are valid and worthy representations on their own merit.
I didn't care for Maya until the very end of the book. She was hard for me to connect to, but perhaps that is because she was hard for Adam to connect with on a real level?
The writing was very accessible. It's my first Julia Walton book, but it won't be my last. She's got something to say with her work.

"You'll hear one thing that gives you hope and another thing that takes it away.
Be who you are. But not that. Anything but that."


Adam has schizophrenia and he's on an experimental treatment for a new drug that helps him to differentiate his hallucinations from the real world. Also he is new student in a Catholic school and he has to pretend that he's a “normal boy” to avoid everyone from being afraid of him or treat him like a menace. His life is narrated through entries in a diary, suggested by his therapist (since Adam prefers writing than speaking to him). He explain how is living with hallucinations and the typical problems that teenagers have in the world: attraction, bullying, friendship, love.


My problem is that I'm not so sure I liked it at 100%. I loved Adam and how he tells his story, but I think his illness was a bit "romanticized" or softened. Not long ago I read Challenger Deep and it was brutal. I think that is what made Words on Bathrooms Walls kinda low; I mean, I tried not to compare them but it was impossible.

And that doesn't mean I did not enjoy the book, it was just the opposite. I was fascinated by Adam's style of expressing himself, he's quite sarcastic, cynical and realistic about what is happening to him. One of the things that terrifies me the most in the world is to fear my own mind and lose the sense of reality. And in that thing, the book fulfilled all my expectations. Adam's hallucinations are realistic and hard to read for what it means to him to live day after day with them. It was the most painful/dark part of the book and it's the reason I recommend it.


But I got exasperated with the way the book is writeen: through journal entries with the date at the begginning. Sometimes I had to go back to find out how much time had passed between the entries and it was SO stressful.


So, even though there were some things that I didn't like at hundred porcent, I enjoyed the story and how it shows what it's to life with a illness as stigmatized and feared as schizophrenia. Adam is a character I felt connected with since the first page, I enjoyed reading his thoughts, his fears, his problems. I didn't feel the time went by and when I realized, I was almost finishing the book. It was completely addictive and highly recommended.

While a little at odds with what I expected, I found Adam's story in <i>Words on Bathroom Walls</i> to be compelling and thought-provoking. It provided an interesting and insightful perspective on life inside the mind of a schizophrenic. Adam was an intensely likeable character and I desperately wanted his story to work out well.

I enjoyed reading this book that dealt with serious issues and finding love. I loved that this these entries were all journal thoughts. He went in different directions at times but it was enough to follow the story. Great book

This book handled the mental health issue of Schizophrenia with humor. It provided a unique view of the mind of a young man facing a lifetime illness.

Adam is young and suffering from schizophrenia. Taking part in a drug trial, he is writing diary entries to record his thoughts and feelings throughout the process of his dosage being altered around to his needs as the voices and characters he sees and hears become stronger again.

As we see his life in diary form and his medication doses up and down, we follow him make friends with Dwight and get a girlfriend, Maya at his new catholic school his stepdad pays for him to attend. We also see his mum and step dad face a new challenge and not just with Adam as he manages his schizophrenia.

It was a very good book and especially as we see him fall in love despite hiding his illness from everyone around him, he finds strength and support when he needs it most. It shows truly how people suffer with the condition day to day and proves they can still lead normal lives just in a different way to a lot of us.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me a copy to review!

This is one of the best YA novels I've read this year!

Told in the first person, it's an account of Adam's life, a sixteen year old, high school senior who is diagnosed with Schizophrenia. The book is his account of the effect of the experimental drug he is taking and since he cannot speak to his therapist, he writes down his experiences, feelings and he's brutally honest about what it means to live with Schizophrenia.

I loved the prose, mainly because the story is in the form of a diary.
I also identified with his list of the 6 things that bother him, and top on his list is my ultimate too:
When people borrow my books and dog-ear pages.

Adam moves to a new Catholic school and he is afraid of how people would react to the fact that he has Schizophrenia and that he hallucinates most of the time. It is this fear, that makes it hard for him to tell his girlfriend, Maya, about his condition, and being that they are high school, anything and everything goes against him and his take on the breakdown is In a lot of ways, she's the thing that keeps me sane.

The thing that made me empathize with Adam was the tone of the book. It is a first hand account of a teenager who is diagnosed with Schizophrenia. The narrator, Adam, also has a very loving and understanding family who go out of their way to protect him from the prejudice of those who do not understand him. The fact that his step-father, Paul's, an attorney, brought out the importance of people understanding and using the law in favor of everyone, especially those diagnosed with a mental illness.

However, I wonder, how tragic this book would have been if Adam's mother was single and could not make ends meet, what angle and tone would it take? I reckon, it'd reflect the tragedy and misery caused not by mental illness but by prejudice against those who are mentally ill.

Thank you: NetGalley for this insight into Schizophrenia, it took me back to my Psych lessons on Abnormal Psychology, with Dr. Joe Omolo telling us that everyone is crazy, it's just that some have to live with the fact every second of their life!

I do think this is a solid book, I adore the cover its so different and unique. I enjoy the overall story and I really liked the main character Adam.

Adam had schizophrenia, I've not read a book with a character that has this. Adam is starting a new drug and its meant to help him control it. All at the same time starting a new school where the kids don't know that he has schizophrenia.

I think the author did a lovely job in telling this story, I enjoyed it to the end.

Overall I rated the book three stars and the cover 1 this equalling 4 stars!

<b>"You can't possibly know what it means to doubt everything."</b>

Adam is starting a new experimental drug, ToZaPrex, to help him control his schizophrenia. He's also starting a new school, where his illness won't be known to his peers, and he has a new therapist who lets him write letters instead of talking during sessions. All in all, not so bad, considering. But no matter how high the dosage, his delusions never fade. There's still Rebecca, the constant presence in his life who seems to silently mirror how he's feeling. He occasionally gets visits from the mob bosses who shoot up public places, forever naked Jason, and the British comedy duo. Then there are the voices telling him that everyone would be better off if he killed himself. What Adam fears is not the hallucinations or the voices but believing they are real.

The new drug works until it doesn't. At first, it helps him separate reality from the tricks his mind plays on him. He makes a new friend who won't stop talking and starts dating a girl named Maya. But he keeps his illness a secret because he doesn't want them to fear him and abandon him. This gets more and more difficult as he's tapered off the drugs.

<b>"It's significantly more difficult to make friends when people know you see things you shouldn't be able to see."</b>

The cynic in me thinks authors like writing about schizophrenia because there can be a "twist" where none of the characters are real <spoiler>reading Made You Up soured me a bit</spoiler>. Adam is a good narrator and easy to connect with. I loved his bitterness over Harry Potter (the mysterious things <i>he</i> saw and heard turned out to be real). I enjoyed the healthy relationship he had with his mother and especially his stepfather.

Is this book a great representation of schizophrenia or mental illness? I honestly don't know. I'm not close enough to the issue to have an opinion on that. But I do think this is a solid book, and better than similar YA novels I've read.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

4.5 Stars - A super important book that opens up a candid conversation about schizophrenia and mental health. Adam is an AMAZING protagonist, one that feels so completely real that teens will easily be able to relate to him as he not only navigates his illness but the highs and lows of adolescence as well (and there are many!). Seriously, I cannot recommend this book enough. It's not only a great example of compelling storytelling and character development, but it will educate and help alleviate the negative stigma we are quick to attach to an illness very few truly understand