Cullen: A Psychological Thriller Paperback – November 9, 2022

Cullen has probably had the hardest life of any character I’ve ever read. There were times when I yelled for him to kick some ass. (Can I say that?) Anyway, it goes from bad to worse for this poor kid. Maybe this book could teach some kids that are bullied to stand up for themselves. There are some lessons here. Since I’m not posting spoilers go and get the book and read it. I really enjoyed the nice characters and the premise of the story.

This book grabs your attention from the beginning and it makes you feel very easily for the characters. Cullen and his mom especially. I finished it in one day because i couldn’t put it down but also had to take breathers because it has such heavy topics. Bullying is no joke and everything in this book is very well written and the way Cullen overcomes his trauma through Jakob and the help of his friends “Zeke and Val” are exquisite. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.

I am a big fan of Solomon Petchers and have thoroughly enjoyed reading his tales of ghosts, vampires, and zombies. What I love most about his stories are the rich characters, their relationships with each other, and his ability to portray the goodness and humanity in all of them, even those who are struggling to do what is right. In Cullen, Solomon dug deep and creatively presented us with a heart-wrenching story filled with complex and diverse characters who are doing what they can to make it in this world. I connected to this story in many ways, as I think most people will. Cullen is a must read for people of all ages!

This book was very well written. It is a realistic combination of characters you can relate to and a classic crime scene type thriller with plot twists and an unexpected turn of events. It brings up real issues that I related to; mental health issues we don’t want to talk about or acknowledge for fear of being treated differently and being alienated. About half way through the book, I literally could not put it down and didn’t stop reading until I was done with it. I definitely encourage you to read it!

Wow! The author reached out for me to read and review this book and I couldn’t be happier he did. This is a YA psychological thriller, which gave me the opportunity to buddy read this with my 7th grader. I don’t read YA, as I often find them hard to relate to. This is different.We follow Cullen a boy who is bullied in extreme manners and it send him into psychological comma of sorts. Through months of gruesome, often unsettling therapy that the reader experiences alongside him, he makes his way back to normal life, only to face his fears, have run in with the law. We are left as readers hoping for the best for Cullen while expecting the worst.

Cullen is a young teen and while he should be hanging with his friends, he has the opposite. He has no friends and is bullied relentlessly.After an incident at Wilderness Camp, Cullen goes into a catatonic state. Dr. Morris may have a way to help Cullen, but can Cullen overcome the emotional effects the bullying had on him?This book hurt my heart, but I am so glad I read it. Great story!

I blazed through this book! Sooo many big feelings that are true to real life. You want things to turn out alright for Cullen, as the kid who was bullied. But you never know how he’s going to react to triggering situations. His feelings could go either way, and so did mine throughout the whole story. Definitely a recommended read, but make sure to check trigger warnings! It was a rollercoaster!

I appreciate the serious look at bullying that this book takes. By following the main character, and being pulled literally into his mind, you experience bullying first-hand. What is equally important is the journey to then see from the bully’s perspective. I thought it was an important message told in an original and engaging way.