Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just read Boy on Hold recently and had to read the second book immediately after. I always have the fear the the sequel won’t follow up to the first book, mostly because there is so much expectation behind this. You don’t have to worry about that with this book! Just as good as the first one! If anything I may have liked Boy Released a bit better.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing follow-up to Boy on Hold! After finishing Boy on Hold, I was delighted to discover Boy Released, and instantly had to read it! I was not disappointed in the slightest, J. D. Spero once again perfectly painted how much mental health can impact people’s lives, Tyler being released from psychiatric care at the beginning of the book ten years after the murder of sally Hubbard. It also does a good job at showing the changes to Hen in the ten years that have passed since the previous novel, showing his struggles as a teenager about to inherit an entire estate and struggling to know what to do with it. It was also interesting to see the different dynamics between Marcella and Bernie after ten years had passed. Definitely happy I read it!
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Boy Released is the second book in the Boy Series by JD Spero. I highly recommend reading Boy on Hold (first book) before reading this book. I found the book engaging. JD Spero takes on the complexity of mental illness. The story is compelling and realistic. The characters are complex and complicated. This book left me wanting more. I finished this book in one sitting. Tyler was released from psychiatric rehab. He is a witness to an attack. With his mind, it will be difficult to see if he is a criminal or a hero. Then there is the little thing about the wealth he is about to inherit. I highly recommend this book.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Boy Released by J.D. Spero is the follow on from Boy on Hold and is a YA cozy mystery thriller. The story takes place ten years after the first book Boy on Hold and is also told in multiple POV’s which enriches the reading experience as you get a much more in depth look into the characters. It is raw, it is honest, and is more grown up than the first book. The tension and emotions throughout are palpable and is heart-felt. It deals with mental illness and is a great story.
Reviewed by @jennadb
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Boy Released is the follow-up to J.D Spero’s Boy on Hold (and likely will not make sense if you didn’t read book 1). The story takes place 10 years later, when Tyler is released from psychiatric rehab. I had a hard time understanding the purpose of the book for the first half, then it all came together as to how it relates to the first book. Similar to the first book, I don’t feel like Hen acts his age- supposed to be 17 but is horrified by normal teen boy behavior. Perhaps what he went through as a child stunted his maturity… I’m not sure. But its not enough of an issue to withhold enjoyment in reading this story. While the book is told from the perspective of Marcella and Hen Trout, the story really is more of Tyler’s story. His actions and mental health are the reason for the story to be told. I loved the ending, and think it was perfect. If you enjoyed Boy on Hold, you should read Boy Released- it finishes the story and gives us, as the reader, resolution.
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Boy Released is the second book in the Boy series by J.D Spero. After reading Boy On Hold last year, I was excited to find this book had released and so I grabbed a copy and put aside my other reads to dive right in.
Even though this story takes place quite a few years after the events in book one- I really recommend reading Boy On Hold before starting on this book.
This is a gripping story, with a bit of a thriller feel to it-there is mystery, drama, emotion, heartache, tension, family dynamics, friendship, and dealing with mental illness. Again, the story is told from several points of view- which gives a really well-rounded perspective of what’s happening and adds extra depth and interest to the overall story.
J.D Spero doesn’t shy away from the difficult topic of mental illness- and shines a light on someone dealing with schizophrenia and how it affects not only them, but also their friends and family.
Well worth the read!
Thank you, J.D Spero!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great follow-up to the awesome Boy on Hold. Tyler is released and trying to reintegrate into the world and his family. We really get a close-up look on his paranoid schizophrenia and what that looks like for him. It was interesting to get into his head a little bit and understand how this illness can work. The family are stressed and drained again, and the bonds between characters in the story are tested. Where do Bernie’s allegiances lie? Where do Hen’s? Hen is mostly grown now, and the events of his childhood have dramatically shaped his personality and what’s important to him. Bernie and Marcella have been through a lot, but the events of this book really strain the bonds of their marriage, and what they can live with. Very interesting, highly recommend both books, very engrossing!
Reviewed by @ericalorraine
View all my reviews
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was just as intense as the first one. Ten years later, Ty has been released and everyone is living and working at a motel that Marcella and Bernie bought. They are dealing with the aftermath of the trial and other items. Hen is a couple of months of coming into his inheritance. He just wants to do what’s right. Ty just wants to feel normal. One night a fat punk comes in and attacks Marcella. The family is put into turmoil again dealing with this as the police are trying to investigate. The family, except Marcella, feels Ty did it. Marcella said it wasn’t him. Oh, you will feel as shocked as I did with that surprise. Again, the author fills the book with twists and turns that will make you feel like you are on a mountain road (but they all tie nicely together). She does a wonderful job again of relating facts of schizophrenia and the law and mental system. It truly is a great book. Wonderful characters and a really intense plot that keep you wanting to never put it down. I read it in a day because I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this book.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
4-stars
Boy Released was a phenomenal story! Given that this follows the previous book closely I would highly recommend reading Boy On Hold first in order to get the full backstory.
I loved being able to continue reading about the original characters and following along with their journeys. It was a pleasure getting to know Hen on a deeper level, he was a character that I was easily able to connect with.
The author writes with just the right amount of detail to leave you guessing but also filling in the much-needed blanks. I found the author did a great job portraying mental illness in a real and honest way and I enjoyed that.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and would recommend these books to others.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Boy Released by J.D. Spero is the fantastic follow up to the first book Boy On Hold. Set 10 years after book one we are taken back into the lives of these complex and real characters. I really enjoyed the first book but I think this one is so much better. The whole book just had a raw vulnerability about it that really made me connect to what the author was trying to do. I think the author did an amazing job of portraying mental illness in all is forms. The different perspectives we got to see this story through added an even deeper layer to an already detailed book. This book is a brilliant and an absolute must read for everyone.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book that I have read by this author which I enjoyed just as much as the first one. If you haven’t read the first book, I highly suggest doing so. It will help enhance your enjoyment of this story. This is a great story about Tyler and what happens after he is released from rehab. This author’s use of details gave the story a realistic feel as well as kept it engaging. Tyler is a great character even though he is a troubled soul. What will happen when tragedy comes calling again? What will fate have in store for Tyler? This is a fast paced story where the characters give the story life. They had me wanting to know what would happen next which made it hard to put down. I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend this book as well as this author.
Review by @bjwagner
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero
4 Stars
This book takes place many years after book 1. I enjoyed this one as much as the first one, but again got a bit confused in some places. This had everything you want in this genre. The mystery aspect was spot on, and I never knew what was going to happen next. I truly need to go back and reread book 1 and then read this one again. I love the storyline and I love the writing style. I felt like I had a good grasp on the characters and this author handled the mental illness aspect beautifully in my opinion.
I don’t recommend reading this one without reading the first, although this author did a great job bringing me back into the story, I still felt like reading the first was essential for me.
I will absolutely read more from this author and truly can’t wait to reread both of these books.
Boy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is such an emotional read. It follows on from the book Boy on Hold and I really recommend reading that one first so you get the full impact of this story.
It’s 10 years since Ty was convicted of murder and sent to a psychiatric institution. Now he’s back with his family and even though things seem to be improving for the family there is a dark cloud ahead.
When Ty’s mum is attacked in the hotel that they own Ty is the only witness to the attack. However, the wrong choice of words at the wrong time sees Ty go from witness to suspect and with his past conviction he is the most likely suspect.
His mother however knows this isn’t the case and now the family needs to fight yet again to stop Ty getting convicted for another crime. This one he didn’t commit. However you can sense and feel the doubt of his innocence from his brother Hen and the boyfriend of his mum. After all if Ty could commit murder why couldn’t he be responsible for this attack?
It is an amazing read and the author does a great job of handling the sensitive subject of mental illness and how having a mental illness cause automatically label you. The rollercoaster Ty goes on with his mental health is really interesting to go through but also to see and feel the effect it has on his family shows you that mental healthy doesn’t just affect the person with the illness.
~ ~ ~ ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Johannah Davies (JD) Spero’s writing career took off when her first release, Catcher’s Keeper, was a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award in 2013. Since then, she’s found similar success with her young adult fantasy Forte series, winning recognition from National Indie Excellence Award (2014, 2016), Adirondack Literary Award (2015). Her newest release, Boy on Hold, was a winner in the 2020 Book Excellence Award and a 2020 IPPY Gold winner for Best Mystery/Thriller ebook. With a Masters in Education, Spero leverages her years as a high school English teacher in author presentations across the country, most notably at DFW Writers Conference in 2014. Having lived in various cities from St. Petersburg (Russia) to Boston, she’s settled with her husband and three sons in the Adirondack Mountains, where she was born and raised.
