I found thuis book hard to get through, but I enjoyed it by the end. Thank you for the publisher for giving me a copy to read.

This was a DNF for me personally but don’t let it dissuade you from giving it a chance. I think I’m just coming to the conclusion that angsty YA just isn’t my jam anymore. I’m becoming more particular about the YA I read and this one wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me.

this was a lot of fun to read, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it gave me a lot of laughs along the way. It was a great journey.

This book was not for me. I found it hard to read and it took me months to get through it. I wouldn't recommend it.

1/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and REUTS for this ARC.
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This was a solid YA book. I loved its originality, and the fact that Bagnis wasn't afraid to shy away from mental health, as its such a polarizing topic. As I was reading, I was reminded many times of Ned Vizzini's 'It's Kind of a Funny Story', a book that I love, and have read many times. That said, it's also not for people who are quick to be triggered or offended, so be careful of that.

I enjoyed this book, interesting narrator, moving plot. However, it’s too old for my middle schoolers so I won’t be bringing it into my classroom.

I'm not a professional singer or a psychotherapist, maybe I'm just an uptight parent. But reading this book full of gratuitous expletives and unhealthiness, written for young adults, made me anxious. I think it's great to have a main character like Salem Scott who's 17 and confronting mental health issues himself and in his family, and who sees beyond mental patients' limitations in order to increase opportunities for them. I also liked the inclusion of a female janitor.

But to me it seems rather reckless to be glorifying dangerous pranks and addiction to caffeine, and normalizing or trivializing smoking, hard licquor, and junk food. Maybe it was meant to be humorous but I didn't understand why Salem's mom was thinking he's gay, or why his best friend Jace would toss his empty glass into the darkness at a party, or why Bagnis kept making such outdated references like Burt Reynolds, the Hardy Boys, Grease and Born to Run. I got the sense that this was semi-autobiographical and think it would have benefited by being written completely that way.

I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. The first one being the fact that it was unlike anything else I've read, and I've read alot of books. The second reason is because I could rate somewhat to the characters in the book to a point anyways. I think everyone could relate to it a little bit. And third and not last, it reminded me of myself and how socially enept I was in high school. This book was a funny read, a sad read, a belly laughing read plus more. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.

Mind Riot is a heartwarming, occasionally disturbing and wholesome read that everyone needs to have on their TBR.

THEMES- Something that I really appreciated about the writing was how it discussed mental health and trauma in a very respectfull and digestible way. They were handled with the right sensitivity and I really appreciated that because it does talk about some triggering topics.

CHARACTERS- The characters have a realness to them. Our main protagonist, Salem Scott, is a clever, (a lot of the times depressed) 17 year old just trying to make the most of his last year's of high school.
He is just a funny, really intuitive and just a likeable, wonderful main character to go along with.
His story arc was really well done, because at the end of this book he had a better understanding of himself and learns to express his emotions.

WRITING- The author does a really good job of balancing really sensitive and touching topics with humour in any places. The perfect mix of loaded humour and highly comical scenes with really insightful exploration of mental health.

Dealing with mental health takes compassion and deep insight into the topic. It also sheds light on the stigma that people have to face when they are struggling, and it is a book just as much for adults as it is for teens.

It is a well-paced novel with a multigenerational appeal, so overall I would like to say that I highly recommend this read, especially for children and their parents to read together.

4/5⭐: I honestly really enjoyed this book. In this story, we follow Salem on his journey through "volunteering" i.e paying off his debt at a private mental institution. The first 2 or so chapters goes through the incident that leads to this and at first, I was really thrown by the tone of the story and I find a little slow to start. I found the narrator, Salem, to be a little uppity and his friends to be obnoxious. But as we move beyond teenagers during summer, he interacts with patients at the hospital and that's were the story (and it's characters) really pick up.

While his best friend Jace was a bit of an acquired taste and I fond myself have off-on moments of enjoy-ability with him. I loved the friendship between the two as it felt genuine and nice. I also enjoyed the interactions with the patients, the observing Salem really gave an insight into the people and their struggles. I found myself invested with them (especially Andy). The way this book deals with grief and mental illness was done beautifully and it definitely gave me a deeper understanding.

My only griefs about the book are the band (Jace and Salem's original one) and the mom. It might be because the last two books I've read, the moms have been super frustrating that I found myself kind of taking it out on this one in particular but she was very unlikable. I understand that she tries and is flawed, but sometimes it just broke me (which is why I had to bump it down a star, just for personal sake). Also, I just thought because of the blurb that the band would have more stake in the book and we would see more of them but it was really not focused on that at all. I don't think more was needed, just don't emphasize if it isn't a major factor.

Do you know those times when you say something was hysterical... those times when you knee-jerk an LOL text but have barely cracked a real life smile? Well this book isn't that. Mind Riot is truly laugh out loud funny with honest to goodness giggling sounds and belly jiggling and tears of joy. Laughter that my hubby wasn't a big fan of in the wee hours when all was silent in the house except for that damn clock ticking away downstairs, the branches scratching up against the window and me... bray-laughing like a silly, slightly crazed donkey AND I loved it. I got this book from NetGalley and there was no request necessary, it was an instant Read Now type thing. I can't believe how easy it was to get my hands on this book because I would have easily begged, pleaded and thrown in a grumpy sleep deprived hubby for the chance to read it.

Salem (our complex MC) leads a ragtag team of musically (and mentally) beautiful messes and he (and his best friend Jace) fits in perfectly. The entire cast is a heterogeneous collection of cooky characters that are perilously close to representing all it means to be Human... cracks, ragged shards and all.

Overall:

I had alternating bouts of hysteria and silent tears and I didn't want it to stop. I felt jipped when it was all over. I wanted more, SO much more and that alone would have been cause to give it 5 stars. BUT it was more than just its addictive nature. It was full of great writing, characters that will have you fully invested and a backdrop perfect for a quirky story about misfits selfidentifying as such. I would have given it more than 5 stars if there were more to give. Maybe the ratings should be out of 10 from now on and if so, Mind Riot easily deserves them all!

~ Enjoy

*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

This books was something very different to what I was expecting in a good way. It’s incredibly well written and every character is relatable and almost feels real. I love the fact it touches on some very tough subjects but still is very heart warming and funny. This is one of the few books where I’ve felt pure joy just from reading of Salam’s experience and all he achieved in such a short time and in an unexpected way. It was incredibly enjoyable and I finished it in no time.
I also received a short glimpse (two chapters) of Break a new book from the author and that was insane...like I really wish it was out now!

This was such a fun read! After a prank gone wrong at a party, Salem and Jace try to make amends by spending their summer vacation volunteering at a mental institution. Only problem is, the boys no longer have time for their band rehearsals so the other members kick them out. Recognising that music is a great outlet, Salem and Jace get permission to form their own band with the institution's patients.
This isn't the first book we've seen about a group of misfits coming together to form a band, but it was still an enjoyable read. This is a warmhearted, humorous story full of optimism and acceptance. It also deals with some tougher issues like grief and depression. I loved seeing the support and love the two boys had for each other, and Salem's relationship with his mother was sweet too.

Mind Riot is a fun and lively YA novel that also portrays the struggles of mental illness. It's a book about mental health, with teenage characters, centered in a small town.
This may seem like an overdone or unoriginal premise, but Mind Riot was a pleasant surprise for me!
Salem Scott is a relatable protagonist who grabs your attention and keeps you invested throughout the novel. The plot is quick, with humor, and strange events that made it difficult to put the book down.
I really enjoyed Mind Riot and I would definitely recommend it!

Granted an early release copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was not great. The plot meanders and does not have the pay off that Bagnis seemed to be building too. Teens may enjoy, but it was not very good at all.