The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B (audiobook)
by Teresa Toten
AR Level 4.6, 9 points
This story is about a high school boy named Adam with OCD. He lives with his mom, a hoarder who is receiving abusive letters from a stranger, and he often visits his dad, step mom, and little brother Sweetie, who also has some kind of mental illness (or just copies what Adam does). Adam meets a girl named Robyn in his OCD counseling group (where they all take on super hero personas), and immediately falls in love with her. They become fast friends, and he is determined to get better for her sake. Adam struggles with having to be strong for Robyn, for his mom, and for Sweetie, while being dishonest with himself and with his therapist. It may seem like a depressing book, but it is actually written with humor, making a dark subject lighter, while respecting the seriousness of mental illness.
What I liked about this book was how incredibly likable the main character is. He truly is a hero for what he deals with, and his sunny disposition and willingness to go out of his way to help others and put their needs before his own. I really felt for him in his struggles. I also was shocked when I learned who wrote the letters.
What I didn’t like about this book was that he had to live with such a rotten mom! I understand she also had mental illness, but I really disliked that she put her son through that, despite his own mental illness! Why would a mother subject her child to her own horrors?
Book 50 of 40 (40 Book Challenge)
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