A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa Sheinmel is the sort of book you enter with a mild curiosity. You're introduced to the rather strong personality of Hannah immediately as she opens her thoughts to you regarding the reason for her confinement in a mental health facility. She knows she does not belong there, that her captivity is a mistake, and she is just waiting for the doctor--whom she nicknames Lightfoot--to come to the same conclusion. Almost instantly we are introduced to a character who knows what has happened and what is going on as a result, however we are left in the dark about the details and events that led up to Hannah's imprisonment. This was such a fascinatingly effective tool for the author as it kept me thoroughly engaged throughout the course of the novel. I grew more and more desperate to learn what had happened to Hannah's friend Agnes as the story continued.

Hannah's voice is a powerful one, filled with a singular perspective that leaves readers feeling completely captivated by her story. Though we spend very little time outside of the hospital, every moment of Hannah's experience is thoroughly engaging. We follow her through her initial days and the start of her therapy and experience her every thought during that time. I was constantly back and forth between whether or not I liked Hannah, her thoughts alternating between the sort I could empathize with and the sort that made me feel she was an awful human being. It was a fascinating reading experience, one that I don't have very often. Despite myself, I found that I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. She’s a flawed character in many ways, but it is that fact which makes her so fascinating.

Much of A Danger to Herself and Others is shrouded in the mystery of one’s own reality, what that means, and resultingly the reality of others. The truth is opened up to readers in a slow, but enticing manner. You’re left at the edge of your seat, devouring each page with an odd need for more. In the strangest of ways, I could sometimes see myself in Hannah’s position, feeling as she was feeling. And in a character as dark as she is, the fact that the author managed to evoke such feelings from me was shocking and extrordinary. It’s certainly a reading experience that I am unlikely to ever forget.

A Danger to Herself and Others isn’t a book that I’d go out of my way to buy nor one that I see myself reading a second time. But that does not take away from how raw and exemplary the first reading of it is. I definitely am glad that I had a chance to read this book and I believe others should definitely read it themselves. The writing was superb, capturing the internal thoughts of a girl dealing with a significantly difficult to grasp change in her life, the slow burn of her realization about who she is and what that means. I would 100% recommend this book for the initial experience alone.

Meet Hannah, a teenage girl who is very intelligent, comes from a wealthy family, and has a perfect life.
Or does she....
Hannah has been placed in a mental facility after her friend has an “accident” and Hannah is the main suspect.the relationship Hannah has with her parents is very hard to read. They definitely struggle with her having a mental illness and react to it in a very ugly way.
Hannah has to come to terms with her diagnosis and we are all left wondering what really happened?

In "A DANGER TO HERSELF AND OTHERS" readers meet Hannah Gold who presents as a typical teenager. She may seem a bit arrogant, but I found that trait easy to overlook.

Hannah has been sent to a mental institution after her roommate was injured in an accident. She knows she isn't like the other residents, she is only there because of a misunderstanding.

It is the way that Hannah comes across initially that makes her such a memorable character. Even after the book ends, Hannah's journey will stay in the hearts and minds of readers for a long time.

Once in awhile a Young Adult book is published that actually provides an authentic look at the lives of a segment of the teen population that  has been largely ignored by the majority of authors. This lack of diversity is finally being charged with the publication of books like this one.

While mental illness is starting to be talked about more and more - with such movements as the "You Are Not Alone" and events such as "Mental Health Awareness Week" we still have a long way to go before the societal stigma attached to mental illness is a thing of the past.

That is why books like this are not only entertainment. They are also eye-opening and help people to identify with the person rather than the illness.

In Chapter Seven, Dr. Lightfoot says: "We need to wait until my evaluation is farther along before making any changes to your treatment plan." In her head, Hannah thinks:
"Further, not farther, I think. They could at least give me a doctor who knows basic grammar. It's not exactly comforting that my fate is in her hands."

I had already begun to like Hannah's character, and her reaction to the doctor cemented it for me. I like this girl.

I barely knew anything about her yet, but somehow the author has created a sympathetic character that I could relate to. Other readers will likely have the same reaction which means they will become invested in the outcome of her incarceration, making it likely they will not want to put this book down.

I rate "A DANGER TO HERSELF AND OTHERS" as a full 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I believe this book will not only be on the 2019 Bestsellers List, but will also win multiple awards.

Thank you very much to the Publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book.

A Danger to Herself and Others follows the main character, Hannah as she is placed in a mental facility after she was court ordered by the judge as she was deemed to be a danger to herself and others based on an accident that happened to Hannah's roommate Agnes that lead Agnes into a coma. Throughout the story line Hannah says it was an accident and does everything possible to be able to get released and go on back in her life as it was before she was sent there. We end up finding out what really happened to Agnes as Hannah starts to think and replay that day out. Agnes' accident was neither Hannah's or Agnes' fault. Eventually, Hannah does get released towards the end of the book after her appearance in court.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I just couldn't put it down. It was an easy read as the chapters didn't seem very long. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars was because I would have wanted to read how her life would have been after being home and following up with her new doctor. It kind of just left it open with no actual ending as to how Hannah and her parents get through with her mental illness and figuring out ways to make Hannah's life better, as well as their relationship.

A Danger to Herself and Others starts off as a story of a conceited teenage girl who finds herself wrongly placed in a mental institution after being involved in a friend’s accident. Hannah is so mature, so sophisticated, and so intelligent. She certainly cannot belong in this crude and inhumane mental hospital under the watchful eye of countless orderlies and the condescending and unethical Dr. Lightfoot.
A Danger to Herself and Others immediately pulls you in and grips you tight as Hannah navigates her new surroundings and routine inside the institute while you slowly learn the truth of what happened to put here there in the first place. Hannah is eventually diagnosed with a mental illness and placed on medication. As her symptoms subside, she’s forced to reckon with her experiences of the past few months as well as what being mentally ill means for her future outside of the walls of the institute. If you’re looking for a novel that offers deep analysis of mental illness, this isn’t the book for you. Although it doesn’t really offer any profound ideas about mental illness, A Danger to Herself and Others is captivating and well written with a narrator who you can’t help but wish the best for as she starts a rocky new chapter in her life.

What an incredibly unreliable narrator, and I mean that in the best way! Without going into too much detail and spoiling the story for someone else, I loved that I never knew if I could trust Hannah. Were the events taking place real? Was she lying...again? Since Hannah isn’t even sure of this, it really left the reader trying to put the pieces together.

This was a very quick read for me. The beginning was so captivating. I had trouble putting the book down because I needed answers. I also feel like the author did a great job with shining some light on mental health and the stigma that comes with it. The ending fell a little flat for me and I found it to be a bit abrupt, but I still give this four stars. I’m curious to see what else this author has written.

Thank you NetGalley, for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book.

For the most part, I found this a fast paced, thrilling book. Lots of wondering what the hell is going on and then pieces of the story slot in to place and things begin to make sense . . . or so you think and that’s just the first part of the book – unfortunately, it begins to slow down in parts 2 and 3, which is a real shame.

Hannah is our protagonist. She has been hospitalised against her wishes after a game that she was playing with her best friend goes wrong – but it’s ok. It’ll all be sorted out soon and everything can go back to normal. But until then, Hannah has been labelled “A danger to herself and to others” and must be kept in isolation.

There are some really well thought out characters in this book who I really wanted to know more about but I accept that if other characters had been allowed to develop, it would have taken the focus away from where it needed to be.

I don’t want to go into any more detail, for fear of giving the plot away but I gave this book a 4 star review on Goodreads.

Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS FIRE and Netgalley for allowing me access to the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. *trigger warning: self harm, eating disorders, mental illness*

This book follows the main character Hannah and her stay at a mental institution after an accident with her roommate. As a mental health professional, I am intrigued by books about mental illness and I felt that this did not necessarily portray an accurate account of what would happen when you are ordered for an inpatient stay while awaiting a legal issue. The ending was abrupt and did not leave the reader with much closure.

I think the overall idea of the book was good and YA readers that are not familiar with psychosis will find this a fast read that they cannot put down. I think younger adults will enjoy the thrill of wondering if Hannah deserves to be there or not.

One other note, I understand that the title of the book is A Danger to Herself and Others, and as a mental health professional, labels can stick with a person and shape who they are. However, I feel that the use of the title every time that she is reminded that she's dangerous was redundant. I searched on my kindle and a variation of that whether it was stated by her, in parenthesis, or in her own head was utilized at least 36 times. I think that the reader understands the gravity of her condition and doesn't necessarily need to be reminded, even though the character herself may be reminding herself of it (which may have been the reason the author chose to continuously use the phrase).

I wanted to like this book so much, but it just didn't quite hit the mark with me. Unfortunately, I can't really even pinpoint where or why that is the case. Hannah is interesting and snarky, the setting is intriguing, Hannah was the "it girl," she had everything set in front of her on a golden platter. But the more that time goes on, the more you see that the patina on her life is rusted over. A truly interesting look into mental illness in the college-aged set - an age gap from 18-22 that no one covers as much any more - but it just didn't hit right for me..

This book is ok. Not great by any means. There are just too many loose ends and errors in the story. There is never an actual diagnosis given and there’s a real chance that the author failed to hit on—both the mental illness and the fact that there was a great opportunity to build more suspense and mystery, but it failed to deliver that as well. As long and involved as this book is, the ending is abrupt and the story feels like it is left unresolved. I can’t see YA readers enjoying the feel of a huge let down after investing so much time in this story. I didn’t like it.

Advanced reader copy provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.

A Danger to Herself and Others is a book I would definitely read again. It leaves your mind soaring to new heights as each piece of the story finally makes sense. It's one of those stories that leaves you on the edge and makes you read further until you realized how much time flew by.

Fast-paced and thrilling, A Danger to Herself and Others is an eye-opening book narrated by our protagonist with a voice that is just as interesting as her story. Hannah has the voice of an empowered woman and her growth from being a driven girl who believed that she held all the secrets in the world to being somebody who realizes the truth to the realities around her is a tale that lifts the soul, makes amends, and fills it with the acceptance of certain truths.

Although the book is mainly centered around Hannah, we are still able to see the other characters that revolve around her develop. In the smallest of actions, we can see how others view people with mental illnesses. Like Hannah's remarks and commentary, it is subtle yet striking, leaving a mark that is ingrained not only in the emotional wellbeing of our protagonist but in the reader as well.

The only disappointing thing about this book is the sudden decline of pacing. The book, which is divided into three parts, was fast and thrilling at first. Yet as we progress into the last fifteen to twenty chapters, things begin to slow down. The second and third part of the book felt a bit condensed yet slow. Still, Hannah's perspective in these parts makes up for the lack of intensity parallel to the first part.

Overall, I really loved the voice used for this book. The plot is well thought out and narrated by a voice that leaves you on the edge. I recommend this book if you want to read a Young Adult book that gives another angle on how people deal with being diagnosed with a mental illness. If you are fond of confusing protagonists with stories you want to solve, you might want to try this out.

I was given an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review

Wonderful, very empathetic story about a girl with mental illness. It was much better than I expected and I didn't want my time with Hannah to end. I don't want to say much about it because I don't want to ruin it, but do yourself a favor and read it. Five stars- a new fave.

*i received an e arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
****Trigger Warnings for : purging, bulimia , self harm, parental neglect (maybe?), hallucinations, eating disorders

A Danger to Herself and Others follows our main character Hannah as she deals with being in an institution. The story involves Hannah’s best friend Agnes how has been in a accident and is currently in a coma. Hannah is sent to be evaluated in a mental institution since there is some speculation as to how Agnes was injured.
Hannah believes it is all a misunderstanding and the book follows her as she tries to act how she believes will allow her to be released home.

I really enjoyed this book. I got a lot of We We’re Liars vibes. Although I feel as though there were definitely a lot of triggers. (See above). I felt that the mental health was represented well( though I do not suffer from hallucinations ). Overall I would recommend to anyone look for a good mental health related read. Four stars

This book is such a trip that I almost want to read it again just to see what tiny details I missed!

“A Danger to Herself and Others” sees Hannah in psychiatric care following what she describes as an accident with her roommate Agnes that has left her in a coma. Determined to leave the facility Hannah works to put on a brave face and be the picture perfect patient for her doctors but the more time she spends in their care the more she questions whether or not she deserves to be let out.

This book benefits from being told in first person and sticking us right into Hannah’s mind as she deals with the issues that have put her in the hospital and later as she undergoes treatment. It sets us up for one of the best unreliable narrator point of view that I’ve ever read as we know only what she tells us and as the book progresses we learn much more about her life and all of her lies.

I’m not someone who has been diagnosed with mental illness nor have I studied it enough to give a good enough analysis on its portrayal in this book but I will say I really enjoyed how it plays to the true crime element in the way of making you question if she’s a psychopath or if there’s something less sinister at play.

This is a really good read for anyone looking for a character study wrapped up in a nicely done mini thriller that keeps your head spinning up until the bittersweet end.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**

Part 1 of this book was incredibly compelling, but parts 2 and 3 just sort of fizzled out for me. I’d recommend this if you adored “The Walls around us”. On a positive note, this book gave a very interesting perspective on mental health.

Well, wasn't this book unputdownable (is that even a word?)! I began reading it and I just couldn't put it down until I had finished it around two in the morning. It is THAT good.
We find Hannah, our main character, a girl who finds herself in a mental institution against her will, labelled "a danger to herself and others" as a result of a game played with a friend which has ended with said friend in a comma. Hannah firmly believes it has been some error, and when they find out, she is gonna walk out. Only it seems they aren't finding out it was an error... So, what happened to Hannah's friend? What did she do, if she did do anything?
I don't want to give anything up plot wise, because I think the less you know, the better. Just now the narrative is top notch, the characters are really fleshed out, and when we began discovering what's inside Hannah's mind we are gonna be left astonished, scared sometimes, and wanting to know more. And all the while Hannah keeps being a character we want to know more of, with a story to tell us, a character that is gonna show her layers until we get to her core.
I have to say that I read this book more as a thriller kind of book than a mental health one, it felt better this way. What I mean is, this is not a book to raise mental health awareness -even if it dwells a bit there-, but a book were something terrible happened and as we are reading we are getting insight into what, how and the consequences of that. Probably there are artistic licenses taken in order to provide us with this alluring masterpiece, but this is a book I enjoyed a lot (as you can see from the top notch rating I gave it). In fact, I enjoyed this book so much, that already I am looking through the other books that she has written :)

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire, for the arc of this book.
A very raw and touching book, very well written.
At the beginning you think Hannah has it all, wealthy parents, holidays, expensive meals etc, only to learn that while she had life’s luxuries she was a lonely vunerable girl, my heart broke for her at the end.