Blog Tour (Review): All The Rage - Courtney Summers

All the Rage by Courtney Summers
Date Released: April 14, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Pages: 321 pages
Format: E-ARC
Source: For Review (Thanks!)
Rating: 5 Stars
Series: Standalone!

Goodreads Synopsis:  The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　
With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive? 

From Goodreads

 

All The Rage by Courtney Summers was such a poignant and mind-opening book that everyone should pick up right now. It's that type of novel that hits home for any reader and Summer delivers her message in such a clever and well-written way. Additionally, Summers hits home with a perfect feminist YA novel that explores rape, lying, and teen pop culture in a new and refreshing way. Easily one of my favs this year!

All The Rage begins with Romy Grey, a fragile and vulnerable protagonist, who knows that the sheriff's boy Kellan Turner isn't the boy he really is. Romy also faces a band of bullies and is branded a liar that only causes more stress to her life. Her only safe haven is a diner where she works late shifts that helps her to stay low. Summers kicks up the suspense when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Hands down, this was one of Summers's best YA books to this date, she has a perfect yet flawed protagonist, a message and suspense she perfectly weaves into the novel. Romy was such a great character and I loved seeing her growth in the novel and how she slowly started to uncover what happened the night of the party to who drugged her. All The Rage was very much a character driven novel and I think Romy was great for it. 

Summers's writing was amazing in All The Rage. She wrote Romy's thoughts and emotions in such a simple, clean way, any reader could easily relate to what Romy was experiencing. In addition, the book had great suspenseful elements - when Romy was piecing together what happened to finding out who drugged her and to realizing if she could open up to those close to her. Ultimately, Summers's did a perfect job in writing such a powerful piece of fiction.

 “He was planning to rape me -"
"Why would he ever -"
"Because he knew he'd get away with it”

The message behind All The Rage was so accurate in today's culture, especially on issues of rape, women, and men. Usually these things are rarely talked about in schools or in real life, and I think they should. The young generation needs to know the problems women face out there. It is real, it does happen, and Courtney Summers's depiction of a girl finding the way to break the silence of what happened to her is perfect. Everyone definitely needs to pick up All The Rage right now, it was such a memorable read I'll be sure to read this one for ages to come. 

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