"The thing is, mom's right about one thing: I deserve to be punished. She’s just wrong about why."
~ The Castle School( For Troubled Girls), Alyssa B. Sheinmel ~
So, today's my turn on the blog tour of The Castle School (For Troubled Girls) by Alyssa B. Sheinmel!! Thanks to TBR&Beyond Tours for the e-ARC of this book. My review is completely honest.
BOOK COVER
Here's my bookstagram post for the tour!
BOOK SYNOPSIS
When Moira Dreyfuss’s parents announce that they’re sending her to an all-girls boarding school deep in the Maine woods, Moira isn’t fooled. She knows her parents are punishing her; she’s been too much trouble since her best friend, Nathan, died―and for a while before that. At the Castle School, isolated from the rest of the world, Moira will be expected to pour her heart out to the odd headmaster, Dr. Prince. But she isn’t interested in getting over Nathan’s death or befriending her fellow students.
On her first night there, Moira hears distant music. On her second, she discovers the lock on her window is broken. On her third, she and her roommate venture outside…and learn that they’re not so isolated after all. There’s another, very different, Castle School nearby―this one filled with boys whose parents sent them away, too.
Moira is convinced that the Castle Schools and the doctors who run them are hiding something. But exploring the schools will force Moira to confront her overwhelming grief―and the real reasons her parents sent her away.
REVIEW:
"The words we use are very powerful."
The Castle School (For Troubled Girls), Alyssa B. Sheinmel
I very rarely, like once in a blue moon rare, read the synopsis of a book before reading the story within. This, thankfully, wasn't the one where I read the synopsis. Looking at the title, I thought this would be something having medieval, gothic castles, strict and elegantly dressed staffs, rebellious teenage girls, with lots of sneaking out and discovering secrets. But my expectations were betrayed and never was I so happy that they were.
This story talks about Moira, who is sent away to a far-off boarding school after she becomes reclusive of all activities due to her best friend's, Nathan’s, death. She soon discovers that there are 11 more girls like her, suffering from a variety of mental illnesses. The best thing here is, the mental illnesses are not just limited as just some part of the characters past and make them deal with concerns of the present. Rather, they were always present, a big part of what they are. And we also get to see the POV of every girl mentioned. A very genius idea to portray the difficulties and trauma which such illnesses bring. Also the general stigmatized view of them, that is why they were sent away in the first place.
Later, thanks to Moira's daredevil ventures (what a lass), we come to know of a similar school with all-boys but less restrictions than them. And thus starts their efforts to uncover the mystery around Castle School and its principal, the enigmatic Dr. Prince (Yes, I laughed at this. You all should too). All these, while they struggle to keep their illnesses at check and lending a shoulder to each other makes it hard to put down the book. And the way Moira connects everything with Nathan and how he would react to it is just so endearing and heartbreaking.
Overall, the balance of mystery with the personal ordeals of every character is absolutely masterful. I would recommend it to everyone, especially contemporary lovers.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the story!
BOOK LINKS: THE CASTLE SCHOOL (FOR TROUBLED GIRLS) HERE!!
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-castle-school-alyssa-sheinmel/1137089676?ean=9781728220987
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Castle-School--for-Troubled-Girls-/9781728220987
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781728220987
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alyssa was born in Stanford, California, and even though she moved across the country to New York when she was six years old, she still thinks of herself as a California girl.
She still remembers the very first chapter book she ever read—The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo, by Judy Blume. Before long, reading was her favorite thing in the world. She loved it so much that when there was nothing to read, she wrote my own stories just to give herself something to read. And when there was no pen and paper to be had, she just made up stories in her head.
YOU CAN INTERACT WITH HER TOO!
Website: https://alyssasheinmel.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyssaSheinmel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssasheinmel/
TOUR SCHEDULE:
Check out the other amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers who are also a part of this tour: https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2021/02/02/tour-schedule-the-castle-school-for-troubled-girls-by-alyssa-sheinmel/