Unfortunately bullying is a universal language that must be fought to be extinct not only from schools, but also from any social environment that pressures for acceptance or isolation, leading a human being to destruction.

As a teacher and educator this subject concerns me. I was curious to see how the author dealt with it. I would have loved to see a better image of the teachers along the book thought.

The best part of it is getting to know Joshua and Eve in their daily routines. The author attributes one chapter to each other. It’s a great way to advance the story with tension and interest. We see through their eyes how they accept or deal with every day challenges. The characters are well built and distinct from one another, and most of the times I can hear their voices.

Joshua is quiet and depressed, but keeps his dark humor and spunk. He’s used to be bullied for so long that he already developed strategies to move around school to avoid the bullies. He endures all alone until Eve realizes she’s been on the wrong side of the right and wrong for the past months.

Again I was surprised the adult characters didn’t appeal to me or looked very credible. But this is about Joshua and Eve… and other characters that will add up to friendship with humor and courage.

The book speaks to both boys and girls in a very sweet way instead of focusing the problem in just one gender which was clever, but sometimes the characters aren't very convincing. The main characters act a bit too mature near the end. Still, we root for them throughout the entire book, making it so easy and fast to read.

I’m very demanding with endings, I lost a bit of the enthusiasm near the end, but teens will think it is cool.

There are not enough books on the matter. Everyone should read them, even if it doesn’t quite portrait exactly what you or someone you known experienced. Share it.

Populate your island.

“Do what I do … look at it like it’s a brand-new world, one worth exploring.” – Joshua’s Island ( )

I was pleasantly surprised, reading this book. To me, it seemed to start slow, but it soon became hard to put down. I am not a young adult and have not been one for many decades, but this was a good read. A good story and well written. It brought back memories of my own days as a teen, and while I was not bullied so much, I could sympathize greatly with the characters in this story. I do recommend reading this book. A good job by Patrick Hodges. Well worth reading. ( )

Even though this book is fiction, it gives the reader an idea what it is like to be bullied. I enjoyed reading the authors story and felt that the storyline could easily have been true. It's not only a good book for young adults, but for you parents and grandparents out there, it may help you see the signs if your child/grandchild is being bullied. The book covers youthful friendships, young love, and peer pressure. The characters and settings are very real. It is a fast and easy read. I highly recommend Patrick Hodges book, Joshua's Island. ( )