“B. A. Bellec has crafted a masterpiece of emotive and well-rounded young adult fiction.” K.C. Finn – Author“The variety of personages, situations, and mental illnesses represented allows all readers to relate to this book and take something away from reading! This novel is on our list of all-time favourites!” International Girls and Books“Someone’s … and Books
“Someone’s Story is a beautiful novel, written in great prose, very descriptive, and filled with insights about life. The author does an incredible job with themes of family, friendship, bullying, and personal development. It felt like I was reading a portion of my emotions and myself in Someone’s Story.”
Gobi Jane – Professional Critic @ Readers’ Favourite
In his debut endearing coming-of-age book, B.A. Bellec writes about a group of weirdos that find and save each other from the dark depths of their minds. Someone’s Story is literally Someone’s story, as in a first-person narrative of a teenager that calls himself Someone. As he struggles to find a new footing in a new space, we encounter the many ups and downs of modern teenage life, the difficulties that adjusting to adult feelings bring, and a few tear-jerking surprises along the way.
Littered with music, mental health, friendship, loss, meditation, advice, pop culture, and even inspiring an EP, there is so much nostalgia, inspiration, and depth here it is hard to absorb it all. Cozy up somewhere warm and enjoy!
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Someone is speaking, telling a story that could be…well anyone’s. In this moving and heartfelt story “Someone” has moved from his small town and he has to start over at a new high school. Someone is quiet, introverted and filled with anxiety. Luckily he befriends a group much like himself (in their own way) and during their friendship he learns much more about himself than he thought possible.
This is a beautiful and moving story. Many of us can remember our days in high school and just how hard it was to be on the outside of social standing. If we were lucky we managed to find like minds and somehow survive to graduation. Not many people are like the “Someone” in this story but I know there were some. I can only wonder about the pain and isolation they must have felt during those days…
The message throughout this story is strong and one we could all do well to remember – Not Done – There is always something we can learn, whether about ourselves or those outside our circle. Don’t give up…keep pushing…keep growing. Strength when we think there isn’t any left.
I sincerely appreciate the author gifting me this book for an honest review. The opinions stated herein are mine and mine alone.
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Someone’s Story
Author: B.A. Bellec
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 6/10
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
8 thought the cover was good or excellent.
9 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 2 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
9 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“I think the whole Someone idea was mega clever. As he hasn’t really got a name, it’s easy to pretend he’s me.” Boy, age 15
“I thought this was an inspirational book. Mental health is a big thing these days, and this author seems to understand what many teenagers are going through. I think this novel should be in high schools.” Boy, aged 16
“Thoughtful, but a bit slow going, this is not what I’d call a beach read. It’s a little uncomfortable in parts. To be honest I thought these teenagers were pretty messed up.” Girl, aged 16
“Wow, the characters in this book think a lot – about everything! This is a pretty dark book, the teenagers in it having a lot of thoughts and emotions I can’t begin to relate to. But I did find it enlightening and also thought-provoking. Possibly all teenagers don’t have it as easy as I do.“ Boy, aged 15
“This story is not an easy read. It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and I found reading it rather exhausting. Being a teenager, I could relate to lots of it; it can be very difficult to adjust to adult life. I think the author did a good job of getting inside a teenager’s head.” Girl, aged 16
To Sum It Up:
‘A gripping story of teenage life and the many problems they face. A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
“Someone’s Story” is an amazing novel by B.A. Bellec. Before I even get started I have to say it’s hard to believe this is his debut novel. I read it from cover to cover in two days.
The story centers around Someone. Readers never know his name, but it’s part of the intrigue that draws you in deeper. When Someone’s father transfers for his job, it’s a new city and a new school – and being the new kid definitely sucks. Someone quickly finds his own circle of friends though, a group of kids that really only fit in with each other.
Everyone in the group has their own issues to deal with but it’s Someone’s journey that will keep you up reading. Someone has some mental health issues that play out during the story but not completely until the end and you’ll wonder how he gets through each day. He has a great circle of friends who support him, a loving father (with his own secret) and a counselor he feels comfortable with and meets with often, but that doesn’t stop Someone from sinking into his own abyss.
The writing is compelling and there is a darkness that surrounds you the entire time you are reading this novel. The author captures that mood and it almost feels like there is a cloud over you while you are reading. Most of the story revolves around Someone, his friends, but there are some chapters where there’s an unidentified person that seems to be running in the race of his life and the reader is inside the runner’s mind. This really sets the dark mood. You’ll wonder what these running chapters have to do with the rest of the story but it all becomes clear at the end. The lessons in the story are things teens may be able to relate to at some level, if not personally, then by acquaintance.
I enjoyed all the characters as much as the plot. Typical high school with cliques, bullies, teachers that inspire (or don’t) and everything that goes with the last year of high school, falling in and out of friendships, and that transition from student to adult. Someone seems both sure of himself and awfully insecure at the same time. I like that he has strong convictions (like how he feels about blonde roast), but is also willing to try new things. Though I found him to be way more trusting than I would be in certain situations, like experimenting with drugs. He just seemed to go with things, where I would be more concerned with what I was putting in my body. Someone is definitely a complex character and someone I was interested in learning more about.
I recommend “Someone’s Story” by B.A. Bellec to the young adult crowd and older. There are some issues that would be better understood by this age level. Some of the things that happen with a few of the characters you will not see coming! The story twists and turns like a psychological thriller. This is an amazing book!
This artfully written novel tears down our social media-dominated definition of friendship in favor of a deeper connection by which “weirdos” can band together to overcome adversity. A flawed group of teens, struggling to play with the cards the world dealt them, learn to accept themselves and to support each other as they journey through life’s most awkward phase. The plot progresses slowly through the first third of the book, but the writing style and tone are engaging from page one. While I would have preferred a named character, the protagonist’s self-designation as “Someone” is thought provoking. His struggles with mental health serve as a poignant demonstration of strength growing from vulnerability. Overall, this insightful story is a shining example of perseverance and the power of friendship.