HappyHead by Josh Silver
Published by Rock the Boat on March 16, 2023
ISBN: 0593812026
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Horror, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Psychological thriller, Romance, Suspense
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

When 17-year-old Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. When the assessments at HappyHead get increasingly more disturbing and dangerous, Seb finds himself wondering what is really going on and how far he’s willing to go to be ‘happy.’

This first novel in the HappyHead duology by debut author, Josh Silver, features strong character development, a well-developed plot, suspense, horror elements, LGBTQ+ relationships, and steady pacing. The HappyHead series is recommended for fans of Squid Games and the Hunger Games series and features similar elements of survival in extreme circumstances. This series is recommended for YA readers.

Reviewed by Sarah Hartje, Lewiston Public Library, Lewiston Maine