Traumaland

This is the best book of this year’s carnegies. I was hooked quickly and found it impossible to put down. I loved the fast pace, traumatic scenes and dark themes that kept me enamoured by the story and desperate to know the full picture. I loved being able to make links and how even the seemingly insignificant details became relevant to the rest of the plot. Incredible world building and characters.

Elly

Rad readers

Devi.

HGS Book Club

This book is one which contains dark themes however I really enjoyed how the writer portrayed the characters. I felt as though it showed a real insight into mental health and how in which memory loss can affect a character. To add to this the moral dilemmas and unusual ethics were very interesting as they and you wondering what is truly right. I also found that I was able to connect to the story even from chapter 1 which I tend to find hard in a book and as it progressed it got even better. In addition I liked the characters obsession with wanting to feel something because it shows the depths of the human mind and the lengths they will go to to achieve what they want. Eli slowly begins to realise that all is not as he seems when he goes to traumaland in a desperate attempt to feel which I though was a clever concept. This is due to the fact it allowed for future events to be foreshadowed and again keep the reader engaged and questioning. Therefore this allowed me to be emotionally connected and even be reacting with each new chapter. Even when I reached the end I was still affected and wished there would be another book because the ending was open and Eli had made an inevitable mistake.

Jess

Walkden Readers 26

I really loved this book, and though it does have some traumatic chapters it was interesting to read. I would say this is my favourite out of the ones I've read as it had the most eventful plot which kept you intrigued and really wanting to keep reading. The ending made me want the book to have a whole new section because of how it ends but overall it was a really good book to read.

Nika

HGS Book Club

Trauma land is one of my favourite books for a number of reasons. I love that there are so many confusing moments where you can't tell who's lying or where the plot’s going. I also find it quite funny that they sell the memories back to people who have had them stolen by them in the first place. The story is great and doesn't focus too much on one area but it's not moving so quickly it misses things out. Trauma Land also has lots of funny moments such as Eli on the roof acting weird, or dressing as the joker for no apparent reason. The characters in Trauma Land are complicated, have very detailed histories and are deeply amusing.

Neil

Knox Readers

Saul

Knox Readers

This is such an interesting and fun read! Such a page-turner. The book tackles trauma ,grief, abuse and more, the characters are so interesting and life-filled. The secrecy and layers of Traumaland with most of the book being the main characters trying to find out the secrets of Traumaland. Very interesting story idea and it was made perfectly. 10/10 ABSOLUTE PEAK!!! (i love violet/nisha so much.)

Saul

Knox Readers

Rida

HGS Book Club

This book suprised me in how plot twist rich it was there was so many unexpexted twists when you least expected them, after the slow (but nessesary for the building of the plot for the unexpected plot twists), the depth of the plot and storyline was nearly unmatched to any I've read. The injustice shown during helped build the narrative.

Ed

Ms Dodd’s Carnegie Team

Woah. I had high expectations going into this book as people who had already read it praised it endlessly, but this book somehow far surpassed them. I am left in genuine awe after finishing it. Everything was so well thought out; every turn, track, and twist - there were quite literally 'no coincidences.' I read the entire book in almost one sitting. Following Eli on his journey to reclaim his memories was extraordinary, and the ending left me floored. This is most definitely tied for the best book I have ever read. Thank you. (6/5 stars. It broke my scale.)

Rida

HGS Book Club

The book is a amazing book especially for people who want long books that keep you reading it. The book never stops with the lore and it makes you want to keep reading because of all the plot twists. This is one of my favourite books that I have read.

david

Reading Wizards

Traumaland is an extremely gripping book that explores themes of trauma and mental health, focusing on how individuals cope with their past. Overall it was thought-provoking and had great emotional depth, making it a worthwhile read.

Freya

Epsomians

This book tells the story of Eli, who believes he cannot feel any emotions. However, he discovers a club called TraumaLand where emotionally numb people like him go to seek a thrill. There, he discovers something that would change his life, when parts of a past he cannot remember appear before him. This book keeps secrets from you until the ending, where the whole story finally "clicks", which really shocked me. I would rate this book a 4.5/5

Aidan

Epsomians

This dark psychological thriller is an all time favourite of mine. This book explores the journey of an ‘emotionally numb’ seventeen year old boy named Eli presenting his hardship and also secretly guiding those feeling lost like myself. I like this book because of the sudden twists in the plot and the depth in the reality of trauma that others are facing not only entertaining us but also giving us an insight of what others are facing.

Devi

HGS Book Club

“Traumaland” was an exceptionally good psychological thriller with mentions of queer teen romance, neurodiversity and mental health. I loved the dynamic of the main couple although it’s not a romance. I found the idea interesting and unique and couldn’t put the book down after I started. I have seen it being compared to Black Mirror and I think that's very accurate, personally at least. I especially loved the dystopian elements found later in the book and the unanticipated plot twist at the end, leaving the reader wanting more.

Shanvi

HGS Book Club

TraumaLand is a dark and gripping novel that follows Eli after a near fatal accident—or so he has been led to believe. Left emotionally numb and stripped of his memories, Eli is drawn to TraumaLand, an illegal club that promises to make him feel again. The story takes a sinister turn when Eli becomes entangled in the life of his old friend Jack, and fragments of the past begin to surface. Secrets unravel, loyalties fracture, and truth becomes impossible to find as Eli realises he cannot trust anyone—not even his family. Josh Silver crafts Eli as a complex and vulnerable protagonist, whose fractured mind and emotional detachment keep readers questioning what is real until the very last page. The gripping plot, strong characterisation, and unsettling atmosphere led me to give TraumaLand a 4.5 star rating, making it a standout choice for fans of psychological thrillers and mind bending fiction.

Georgina

Epsomians

The book has been beautifully written by Josh Silver and the context has been extensively researched. Without ruining the story, the book covers a young man who has suffered a horrible accident, and has been led to believe that he has become mentally unstable. However, he finds a mysterious nightclub that offers a vivid VR headset service that has some expected results in confronting past events....

Niket

The SGS Book Bandits

i think trauma land was really interesting. i loved the description of it. i liked the book since it was an amazing thriller and i think it was a psycho logical thriller but if it isn't then it really felt like one which i really enjoyed to read.

haajrah

HGCSC Library

The book covered some heavy topics, like trauma and mental health, in an honest and interesting way. I felt bad for the main character.

Laura

HGCSC Library

This book was incredible! The twists and turns were thoroughly thought out, and it was incredibly detailed. The author created tension in unexpected places, and the story flowed impeccably. The character's emotion was portrayed expertly, and I was not able to put the book down! In this book, the author makes the reader feel as if the characters were real, and made the story feel like it was beyond the pages of the book. Overall, this book was amazing, and I would love to read it again. I will remember the cliff hanger at the end! I would recommend it to those who like sci-fi books.

Freya

Brentwood Carnegies