My younger brother brought this book and i read a few pages Ellen's writting style is really unique and poetic but this is not a good book for impressional young adults. i'm not blaming this book for my brothers actions, because only he is responsible for them, but i honestly think him reading this book didn't help. yesterday my brother tried to hang himself, my parents found he was reading this book and took it away from him. this book is realistic but maybe a bit too graphic as it talks about shoting oneself in the head and stomach, and stabing oneself. parents should be aware.

I really like the way Ellen Hopkins writes. Her stories are so realistic and I especially like the fact that she does not end them like fairy tales. Life can be difficult and living through it can be no small task. I thank you, Ms. Hopkins for telling your stories in such a truthful way.

This Book was so fantastic! beyond Fantastic!
just when you think you've figured the characters (Tony,Vanessa,& Connor) out, you're wrong! they go so much deeper and the source of their pain is realistic and relatable
This book was so powerful and Wow just incredible.
In true Ellen Hopkins style the ending was the most jarring!
her endings leave me angry...well not angry but wanting more! I recommend this book and all other books by Ellen Hopkins. Also if you listen to "Cemetery Drive" by My Chemical Romance it really relates to this book.
i love this book.

Three troubled teens cross paths at Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital, after attempting suicide. Connor, Tony, and Vanessa all have demons that try to pull them under and get them to succumb to the temptation to try it again; this time making sure they succeed.

Connor's overbearing family, only concerned about his GPA, or his making the varsity football team, or getting into an Ivy League college, offer no solace during his time of need. Feeling suicide is the only answer after a deeply emotional love affair ends, he takes a gun and points it to his chest before pulling the trigger.

Tony, after many years in a juvenile home for a crime that still haunts him, decides to ease his feelings of despair and loneliness by swallowing a handful of pills, only to vomit them up and be found by the police lying on the sidewalk unconscious.

Vanessa is a cutter. In order to ease her mind in any time of stress she slices her skin with anything sharp enough to do the job. One day, when she was drowning in her blue ocean of sadness, she cuts too deep. She feels herself slipping into the abyss until her younger brother, Bryan, walks in and finds her. When he calls for their ex-nurse Grandma, she is able to hold off death.

After arriving at Aspen Springs, Connor, Tony, and Vanessa are introduced to a life under constant surveillance, strict routines, and hours and hours or counseling. Immediately the three form a bond, feeling drawn to one another as if they might be able to save each other from death. Together they navigate the regulations of the hospital and make progress toward healing as they tell each other their deepest, darkest secrets; things they won't even tell their counselors.

Ellen Hopkins uses her wonderful free verse style to weave together the story of three troubled teens as they attempt to heal the terrible scars left by their lives. The consistency the author uses when alternating the points of view makes the story easy to follow. Hopkins gives away just enough information that the reader feels a part of the story while still saving a big bang for the end. IMPULSE is a great story that reveals the importance of family during the healing process and is a must read for anyone who knows a teen.

Reviewed by: Karin Perry