Review: The Program by Suzanne Young!

The Program
by Suzanne Young
416 pages
Expected publication: April 30th 2013
by Simon Pulse
ARC provided by Around The World ARC Tours

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Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.

With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.

The Program by Suzanne Young is broken down into three parts and each part is just as good as the first. I found myself at the edge of my seat with butterflies in my stomach, and also fear that Sloane and James would be flagged and taken into The Program.

The world that Sloane and James live in believe suicide is a disease and can be cured. I was taken by surprise over this unique idea. It's a very touchy subject because it's happening in the real world more and more. But the view Suzanne Young creates in The Program on suicide was beyond entertaining and refreshing as well as super, super scary. If you cry, you can get flagged. If you show any type of sadness you can be flagged. Even lashing out over things that you have every right to lash out about can get you flagged. Basically, to survive you have to constantly be happy and smiling. It's the only way you will not attract any attention to yourself.

Things for Sloane are already rough as it is. She lost her brother to suicide so she has to be even more cautious. Since, according to The Program suicide spreads like Cancer, Sloane can easily “catch it” and attempt to take her life.

This book was sick! I mean this in a good way. I truly enjoyed this novel. I did feel though that somewhere in the middle is drags a little, but it’s all necessary in order to understand how the world Young has created works. I loved some of the scenes between James and Sloane and quickly fell in love with them both. They have been through so much and know that they can only count on each other to get through all this. There is so much betrayal, hurt, confusion, loss , and love in this book that it was hard not to like it. I was highly entertained and was eager to get to the end and find out what happens.

Things I was not very happy with were the slight love triangle and the ending. I was not happy one bit with the ending, but it leaves room for a second book so I guess I will just have to wait to find out what happens next.

Overall, The Program is a pleasurable story with a unique take on teen suicide. The story climaxes at the right time, and the characters are very likable. There is lots of suspense, romance, and action to keep you glued from page one until the very end. I highly recommend this book!

4 out of 5 stars!