A well written novel that touches on many aspects of teen counseling. The characters are realistic and it made for a good story.
Many thanks to TouchPoint Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest feedback.

William West's novel Kissproof World has a great title and a good Idea behind it. The book addresses some very uncomfortable issues and should be read with a number of trigger warnings in mind. These include, but are not limited to: sexual violence, trauma, bullying, patricide and sexual deviance.

The protagonist of West's story is Neva, who has never got over the death of her twin brother Jim - despite, or perhaps because of, their complicated relationship. She is now alienated from the only surviving member of her natal family, her mother, who does not wish to have anything to do with Neva.

Alongside Warren, Neva handles the day to day responsibilities for running Morning House, a halfway house for troubled teenagers. Warren has grown to care for Niva deeply, but she seems unable to recognise his feelings, let alone accept or reject them.

Instead she gets caught up in reliving her relationship with her brother, when she sees 2 of the 6 teenagers under her care - Alec and Emily - start getting close to each other. Unfortunately this is the beginning of a downward spiral for Neva, and leads to unexpected consequences.

West's attempt to show how a broken system fails not only to protect the children under its care, but also to adequately support the caregivers, is praiseworthy, but this book was hard to read. The writing style seems fragmented, and it is difficult to relate to the characters, including the protagonist. This one was definitely not for me, but other readers might well find it interesting.

Kissproof World focuses on the lives of 'troubled' teens, and Neva who works with them at Morning House.
West weaves a tale of friendships and healing, lighthearted moments and deep, difficult conversations, all while sensitively dealing with issues of abuse, and mental health.
Absolutely recommend this book, the characters are so likeable and relatable. West hasn't flinched away from 'taboo' subjects that should be spoken about.

Kissproof World
by William West

Thank you to Touch Point Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
I very much believe this book has to be read. Kissproof World searches through the complexities of teenage angst, lingering issues of abuse, and a social system that is not always capable of fixing the problems. It was a book that reminds me of this, and some are just not trying enough. It has such worth and should be read by educators, mental health workers, as well as parents, and to just not blame the unfixable.

Firstly, well worth a read. This is a great piece of fiction writing, dealing sensitively with the dark issues surrounding abuse and sexual abuse, trying to recover and the consequences of all of that. This book touched that part of me, being a teacher, where you realise you know so little of the lives of your pupils. I was drawn into the teenagers and adults lives in the book. I just wanted to listen to their stories and give them a hug. Thank you to Touch Point Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given: