More Happy Than Not

Written by Adam Silvera

Narrated by Ramón de Ocampo

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving debut—called “mandatory reading” by the New York Times—Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx.

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again—but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard?

“Silvera managed to leave me smiling after totally breaking my  heart. Unforgettable.”—Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

A Booklist Editor's Choice of 2015 • Finalist: ABA Best Young Adult Novel • Los Angeles Public Library Best Teen Books of 2015 • Paste Magazine's #1 YA Novel of 2015

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490683935

Adam Silvera

Adam Silvera is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of They Both Die at the End, The First to Die at the End, The Survivor Wants to Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, History Is All You Left Me, and the Infinity Cycle (Infinity Son, Infinity Reaper, and Infinity Kings) and coauthor of What If It’s Us and Here’s to Us. He is tall for no reason. Visit him online at adamsilvera.com.

Reviews for More Happy Than Not

[Kylie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Still one of my favorite books and I enjoyed it so much on audio! I highly recommend it!

[Meowy-pants McGee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Do you want to be so depressed, you’re not even sure if life is worth living anymore? Than read this book. This is not a romance or a slice of life, it’s a punch in the gut. This books is so good and so tragic that it just relentlessly punches you in the gut and then it ends.

[Jessica Millican · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Four stars. Good book overall. Silvera is great at bringing you into the characters world.

[Yordanose Solomone · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Honestly it really could have been better. What the hell man?! This is a terrible representation of queer people in my opinion, but I guess Rivera might be trying to represent something that he thinks is critical. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it really could have been better.

[Emy Nkashama · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Utterly amazing book. I've never been such a wreck. I never saw it coming until it hit me. Fantastic work from Adam Silvera

[Savannah Joan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My full length review of this is on my GoodReads account @ Gangsey. This starts off catchy, turns Rocky in the middle considering Aaron is a little unreliable and turns keep happening, but you fall for this mess of a character anyway, because you TRULY want him to do and feel better. Despite it all you want him to be happy, even if he's pushing others away, thinking of himself, etc. But he learns. He grows. He evolves. This book is a crazy testament to his development. You think you're losing grip on the book but then it hits you! You're holding on tight praying, crying. You just want it all to end because it hurts so bad. But then it holds you. This story cradles you and urges you to let go. And you do. It leaves you happy. Happier than not.

Give this book a try, push through hard topics, hard turns where you want to walk away. This story is worth every gripe, every angry change every shake of your first when you say "that's it, I'm done". Don't give up. This book will not leave you disappointed. Read it. And love it, and don't forget to love yourself.

I spent an hour afterwards, crying, and planning on having fifteen of the damn quotes inked on my skin because it left me feeling like I had jumped off a very high building. Thrilled, scared with my adrenaline pumping. In Love.

Read. It.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

*SPOILER* So emotionally intense I can't bring myself to read it again to clear up the confusion I encountered after Aaron's memories unwind. Had he already had the Leteo procedure to forget Collin and being gay by the time he met Thomas? In any case, it's a deep exploration of forming one's identity and presents a debate on the value of life's joys and pains.

[Bill Branney · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It felt like a rough draft of something that might be better. I have listened to a few of his titles but this one disappointed me a bit.

[booksonshelves · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why do I continue to let Adam Silvera break my heart? I should know by now, I should have learnt, but I was not prepared for where this book took me.

[isana-943166 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Honestly, the first part of this book is boring by itself. Like actually boring for like 150 pages. But don't give up because everything gets so much better and the boring makes sense and you end up feeling feels that you never thought you would feel.

I will say that the point when Aaron walks away feels too easy and not emotionally grueling enough. There is also a lot of presenting things and giving the context later if that makes sense. Which is a twist in a big way but it also kind of annoying at times.

All in all, a really good YA story that leaves you with some darkness but also a bit of light.

[jreynolds1959 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Aaron has decided to have a procedure to wipe out his memory. His memories are too hard to handle, especially after discovering that he is gay and his life-long friends have discovered it and have beaten him so bad.
This was different. Felt a little lost near the end, not really understanding the procedure and the choice for a second one.

[kat.nova · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So many things happened by the end of the book. So many things that made my heart clench. This was heartbreaking to read.

I was gonna give this four stars, but that ending really deserves the five. Can't wait to read more of Silvera's books!

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong. I should have expected it, considering the novel is clearly heavily influenced by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but this novel still took me for a spin, and in the end, it hurt my heart so badly that I don't even know what to think.

I finished about an hour ago, and I still feel like crying. I'm so sad. But the thing about this sadness, is that it's a needed sadness. It isn't a book that is sad to be sad, or that gives you a sugar-sweet happy ending just to satisfy that desire in all of us for happiness. It's a book about finding happiness within yourself, and how sometimes, we have to hurt to find out what happiness is.

And boy oh boy, do I hurt.

I wouldn't change a thing about this book, no matter how badly I wish things turned out differently for the characters in the book. It's a perfect ending, and it shows the difficulties of the pursuit of happiness, and the effects our choices have. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[charlotte_kinzie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book made me cry in a shopping center food court.

If that doesn't scare you off, then get it.

Adam Silvera is one of my favorite authors at the moment. He doesn't sugar coat the world. He writes about real life, real loss, and real people. I find his books captivating from the start. I fall in love with his characters and ... if... they don't make it to the end, I grieve.

[mjspear_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this slightly-altnerative world, the drug Leteo promises to erase bad memories. Aaron is trying to be happy but is dogged with sad feelings and bad memories. His father has just committed suicide, one of his friends has been gunned down, and he has other secrets he's trying to repress. Surrounded by a posse of childhood friends, a steadfast girlfriend, and a wide city (Brooklyn? the Bronx?) to explore, Aaron does manage to have some fun. In his wanderings, he meets Thomas whose philosophical questions and intense listening make for a new kind of friend. But trouble appears when Aaron tries to change their relationship. All of this makes Aaron a perfect candidate for the Leteo procedure... but is he? Great, authentic voice with lots of natural humor, this book alternates in tone and was, at times, hard to swallow. Also, imho, way too long. Still, this will speak to LGBTQ youth and anyone who is tortured with "bad" thoughts.

[marjorie.mallon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

This debut novel surprised me. I started off not being too sure about it and then loved it! Sometimes I'm like that I need a little convincing and then kapow - it hits me full force. Great idea, fantastic characters, particularly the main protagonist Aaron Soto, thought provoking questions about his emerging sexuality, and interesting setting - the Bronx. Have added to my favourites list.

[criticalnes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

the twist blew me away, i wasn't expecting it.
i couldn't srop crying at the ending either.
when you're comfronted with the possibility of erasing or changing your painful past in memories, would you take it?
tbh, yes i would.
and maybe I'd be as bad off in a totally different way.
i actually didn't know this book dealt with depression or suicide, otherwise I wouldn't have read it without preparation, but they were broached and tackle with reality, so definitely pleased.
a sequel wouldn't work, but I'm still pretty devastated. and i will remember him, happy or not.
now I'll just go continue to cry on my corner /sobs

[Emkei · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh, please, why do I torture myself this way?
I love Adam Silvera's books, but every time I finish reading, I feel terrible.
Well, his books are beautiful, but you suffer in a horrible way. Although this one wasn't the one that destroyed me the most, there were parts where I had to stop reading for a bit, not only because I felt bad for the characters, but because many of the things mentioned in this book are very real and unfortunately happen in everyday life.
What I love about Adam's books is that they always carry a message that fills your soul and makes you think about a lot of things.
I don't think it's his best book, but it's definitely great. (Translated from Spanish)

[heike6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I gave up about 80 pages in because it seemed pretty boring, but I picked it back up and it turned a corner.

[jess_reads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This may be a book to reread within weeks of the initial experience. It's unsettling, at times slow and awkward, and confusing. That may very well be due to the expression of Aaron Soto's experience throughout the story. To say he's going through a rough patch is an understatement.

Minority representation - and dual instances of race and sexual orientation - is slowly becoming more common in YA but still might be considered a niche topic for a specific audience. My question would be whether this could be considered an erasure of bisexuality in favor of simply being understood as gay; there are even fewer books that consider bisexual characters, much less protagonists.

Aaron's Puerto Rican heritage was a really interesting read and gave context to the cultural perspectives of his family and friends. It shaped the world and his environment. You could see how easy it was to be friends when growing up together like that. This makes the violent betrayal that much more devastating.

The desire to forget everything is understandable, and that desire is manifested in the Leteo Institute's technology. This plot point fell short due to how easily it came about. The analogy of quick fixes backfiring is a bit repetitive and a bit of a let down. I think the story may have been more powerful if there was an actual opportunity for Aaron to recover and work through the difficulties. It's important to show the realities of hate crimes in addition to the feel-good stories, but the ending fell flat and was a bit disappointing.

More Happy Than Not can be an important book, and provides a great opportunity for discussion for more than just the YA crowd.

[jdifelice-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5/5 stars. I found this book to be pretty great! i loved the character development and really enjoyed the story. Aaron was a really relatable character and I enjoyed getting to know him and about his life. It was a great read to pick up after reading a creepy book :)

[iambookish-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thank you Netgalley for suggesting this book for my reading list, because I'm doubtful I would have found it on my own!
It is suggested in the synopsis that it's a bit like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and there is a sliver of that story in this one, but that is only a small part of this beautifully written book about a young man's discovery of who he is and why it's impossible to forget.

Learning that this is the author's debut was hard to fathom, since the quality and content are full of depth and brilliance. I look forward to reading much more from this amazing talent.

[leahlo89 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review to come after I fee like I can catch my breath again.

[altheaann · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a "Flowers for Algernon" for today's generation of youth.

Aaron Soto is a kid from the Bronx projects. He's got a group of friends that he's hung out with all his life, and a girlfriend that he's wildly in love with. These two things have been helping him keep it together since his father's suicide.
The pain of that loss makes him think twice when he hears the new ads that are popping up all over the place for the Leteo Procedure - a new medical treatment that promises to erase traumatic memories. Someone he knew even had the procedure - a neighbor whose twin brother was murdered. Of course, he hasn't seen the guy since it happened.
But, with the support of of his girlfriend, Aaron is managing.
Then one day, he meets Thomas. He finds a kindred soul in this new friend, who quickly becomes the one he's spending most of his free time with. The friendship leads him to start re-evaluating some of his life attitudes... and starts driving a wedge into his more long-term relationships. And then, things really start unraveling.

Five stars, not because this is going to be one of my personal favorites of all time (although I did very much enjoy it), but because I don't think that what this particular novel set out to do could have been done any better. A masterful, emotional work that will touch hearts and change lives.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[lilibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Aaron Soto has always known about the Leteo Institute. But until he realizes something, he would rather not know, he had no interest in the procedure for himself. Now, with his history, his friends' ostracizing him and rejection by his best friend and girlfriend, he is changing his mind.

[susan.macura · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Aaron, a teenager who wishes to undergo a memory-relief procedure in an attempt to forget that he is gay. Growing up in the projects in Bronx, he knows what it is like to be poor, how his father killed himself, how tough life is and what it means to be accepted by your peers. That is why Aaron has a girlfriend who adores him but it is also why he wants to fight his feelings for his new friend Thomas. What Aaron has forgotten is that he went through this procedure before trying to forget his sexual preference, so this second time is much riskier. This is an interesting look at what it means to be gay and how you can never change who you truly are.

[samseabornesq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Medical memory blackout goes haywire in this bittersweet tale of unrequited love.

[ellsbethb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is thoughtful and prompts us to consider some very interesting issues. Be sure to pay attention to the sparse visuals as you progress through the book.

[froxgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a YA mashup of Flowers for Algernon and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, with a ripped-from-the-headlines twist: Aaron Soto has decided to have his bad memories erased, by Leteo, a biotech company.

Guess what doesn't work.

Aaron's father committed suicide and he doesn't know why. Or does he? Aaron loves Genevieve. Aaron loves Collin. Aaron loves Thomas. Or does he?

The plot points may be a bit unlikely, but the dialogue, Bronx neighborhood setting, childhood recollections, and characters are all memorable and beautifully drawn and structured. It would be on a required summer reading list if those things were remotely cool. I hope there are more great reads to come from Adam Silvera.

[brainannex · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Memory modification is available to people but not everyone trusts it. Sadly, while a promising premise, not a great story.