The Recovery

Suzanne Young

Feb 2015 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Realm hopes that with each past he helps to recover, he’ll be able to reclaim a small bit of his own in this spinoff story to Suzanne Young’s bestselling duology, The Program and The Treatment.

Six months after the fall of The Program, ex-handler Michael Realm is struggling with his guilt. After all, he was instrumental in erasing the memories of several patients—including one he claimed to love. With a lifetime of regret stretched before him, Realm vows to set things right.

Along with his friend (yes, friend) James Murphy, Realm will track down those he’s hurt in an attempt to give them back their lives—starting with Dallas Stone. He’s not looking for forgiveness or redemption; he’s not a hero. But helping others may be the only way to save himself.

Ratings and reviews

I honestly don't know if this story made me like Realm some or hate him more than I already did. He is too flip floppy for me, and his character is very whiny. I also hated how he treated Dallas in "The Treatment", and after learning even more about their past, I got even more furious. He had something real with Dallas, but all he cared about was Sloane, and that relationship seemed forced. If I were Dallas, I would not have forgiven him or taken him back. I don't know. A lot of the relationships in this series seemed forced to me. Same with Corrine. She, genuinely, seemed to like Realm, but he turned her down. He continuously turned down girls who actually, truly, cared for him, but then he has the nerve to whine about being lonely, or being an unrequited love, or saying guys like James have it easy. No, guys like you are just dumb and blind. Yeah, this story made me hate him more. The only good thing about this was James and Dallas were in it, and I love those two. I wish they were a couple. Sloane and Realm deserve each other because they both suck!!

The Program was pretty great. There were some plotholes but an attractive storyline I was immersed in. The Treatment seemed to be going okay too but out of no where the climax happens and the book ends. And you think "okay okay, there's 4 more books to wrap it all up and look forward to". But wait! Turns out that Sloane and James' storyline ends there? Like 20 pages after the climax?? After so much was going down? And turns out there's this "2.5" which doesn't even to begin to satisfy those plotholes. It just brings out even more?? I'm just frustrated that I have to fix the book myself in my head haha. Good luck!

I was so happy to read in Realm’s point of view. I was also happy to get a better understanding of his and James’ friendship. This journey to redemption he is on is a hard one. I felt so sad for him and for James. Also for Dallas. I hope Realm and Dallas can at least be friends. I’m so glad I read this. I’m ready for the next book!

About the author

Suzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program series. Originally from Utica, New York, Suzanne moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She is a novelist and an English teacher, but not always in that order. Suzanne is also the author of Girls with Sharp Sticks, All in Pieces, Hotel for the Lost, and several other novels for teens. Visit her online at AuthorSuzanneYoung.com or follow her on Instagram at @AuthorSuzanneYoung.