2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing [spoiler] at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the [] with <>.

I really liked this book, it did take a bit to get into with the "diary" type entries, but overall fantastic story. (view spoiler)[ I was in high school in the mid nineties and the story took me back to high school. Charlie's HS experience was different than mine, but I remember what it was like being a teen and trying to fit in. The mental health part of the book really got me. I've known people who've killed themselves and it's very upsetting. Getting the help needed to thrive in life is important and I'm happy Charlie was able to find that help. (hide spoiler)]

I did really enjoy the format of the book, especially because it was written very well. I remember really enjoying this book as a teenager, and I think this is a book for a younger audience. It has strong emotions and feelings, and it's overall a really good read.

I adored this book. I think this is one that sticks with readers and I will most likely find myself thinking about it from time to time way into the future.

I found The Perks of Being a Wallflower to be an interesting read that I could easily finish in an afternoon. The book was short and fast-paced, which kept me turning the pages without much effort. I really connected with the characters—they felt unique and real to me, and some of the plot twists, especially toward the climax, genuinely surprised me. The epilogue left me shocked and thinking about the story long after I closed the book.
However, I also felt that the way the book portrayed high school life was quite far from what I imagine or have experienced. Although it’s fiction, some of the situations—like the casual references to serious issues such as drugs, rape, and violence against women—felt unsettling. It seemed almost like those harsh realities were treated as normal parts of life that everyone just has to figure out on their own. That was hard for me to accept or fully relate to.
Overall, I thought it was a decent read. It held my attention and made me reflect, but at the same time, I struggled a bit with how far-fetched some aspects felt. Still, I’m glad I read it, and I think it raises important topics worth talking about.

I’m a nana-age person but found the book totally relatable. I remember a lot from high school, and some of the themes including coming of age, mental health, adolescent confusion, substance use and abuse, and family function/dysfunction resonated with me. The diary style of writing was very effective as it conveyed Charlie’s state of mind in a believable way. The supporting characters are a bit one dimensional at first but that’s how Charlie experiences each of them, and they do develop as his view expands. Life’s complicated it but I think it’s often a constant battle that doesn’t end after adolescence.
Blākie