I started reading this on the train. Then I read it while I ate a slice of pizza from a food stall. Then I went to a gig and read it in between bands and finally finished it just before the headliners came on and even though it was one of my favourite bands I probably would have resented them coming onstage if I hadn’t finished reading this book. It’s so addictive (pun not intended) and well written and funny and sad. Usually I hate books about spoiled rich kids but Lexi, Russian hotel heiress, is so self aware and funny that I can’t help but love her. Peppered with pop culture references and subtle RuPaul’s Drag Race quotes, Clean is an amazing book not just about addiction, but about how we all deal with our flaws and learn to accept ourselves for who we are.

(Thanks to the publishers who provided me with an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review)

What I liked:
I loved how the chapters were numbered in the form of the steps in a 12 step programme. It also goes back to one somewhere in the second third of the book, which is a very realistic portrayal of trying to overcome addiction – it's never totally linear.

I also felt like Saif and his story was, although incredibly tragic, realistic too. How many of us really fall off the wagon and never get back on?

I loved Nikolai. He's exactly the kind of older brother I would want, whether or not I find myself in the same position as Lexi. He's the perfect, caring older brother.

Despite her demons, or maybe in spite of them, Lexi is actually quite a likeable character at times. She's not always perfect but I did enjoy reading her journey.

This book is also incredible for trans representation. Kendall isn't made a show of, or put in a spotlight. She's just there. Trying to move past her demons, too.

What I didn't like:
I hated Kurt. His and Lexi's relationship felt wrong, forced, and unreal. Is it merely a coincidence that his name rhymes with "hurt"?

Out of five:
Five. I think this may be on course to be one of my best books this year, and it's probably Juno's best yet. Make sure you've got a copy.

Lexi isn’t your typical teenager (being from a rich Russian family) but her problems are. This is a story about addictions, mainly drugs in Lexi’s case but there are those she meets at the exclusive therapy retreat who have other addictions too.

I gradually warmed to Lexi though and begun to relate to her as her story (and her life) unravels. I felt distinctly at the start that I had been droppped into some bizarre alien world which I knew nothing about where her lifestyle and cultural references were so different to mine and yet this is a strength because she is so different you have space to explore more fully her world, both past and present. The questions crowd in; why is she in such a mess? What happened to make her so drug dependent? What or who is she escaping from? Addictions have no respect - rich or poor makes, it no difference as we all have addictions of one sort or another and Lexi’s story is intriguing if perhaps a bit too predictable towards the end.

Clean. Seven reluctant patients meet in an exclusive island rehab clinic, not all survive the programme, can the others keep clean on release? Very powerful writing and a great main character Lexi. She joins the other rich young people with addictions who are her fellow patients, each with their own demons and their own way of dealing with them, but it takes time for them to realise that they do have a problem, or realising what the problem is. A gripping story told with a sharp freshness and in a unique setting. A most enjoyable read and one that will stay in my memory for a long time.

Juno Dawson is on her a-game with Clean. Lexi Volkov is a spoilt little rich girl, lived her whole life in her fathers luxury hotels and spends her time pampering, shopping and partying. Oh, and turning into a class a drug addict. When her brother stages an intervention and kidnaps her to put her in rehab on an island of the coast of Britain with no way of escape, Lexi has to either face her demons or die fighting them. This is a fascinating insight into the wealthy lifestyle I could only dream of but having read the book I'm not sure its something I would like to be part of. However, this is not just a tale of rich girls partying, Clean shows how easily any of us can cross the line into addiction. A fantastic book and certainly one I will be buying for my YA shelves

The book was described as a cross between Gossip Girl and Girl, Interrupted and I think this is very accurate! I really loved the protagonist though found some of her actions incredibly frustrating. Lexi is a spoiled socialite who parties a little too hard at 17 until her brother takes her to an offshore rehab facility. The characters are very well written and the book is very engaging as I finished it in less than a day.

I received an ARC of this from NetGalley, but that has not affected my review.

Clean. To be clean involves removing dirt. And, in this, there’s A LOT of dirt.

We first meet our main character, Lexi, as she is passed out in her brother’s car on her way to a rehabilitation centre for heroin addiction. I’d read the opening some time ago, but it was just as disorientating and confusing this time around. Watching Lexi go through the first steps in her seventy day treatment is hard to read.
Dawson pulls no punches here and we get a warts-and-all account of not just Lexi’s addiction but those with her in the centre. We relive some of the experiences that bring Lexi to this point and, though there were some alarming situations, there was no scare-mongering ‘just say no’ preaching.
What this novel conveyed so well was the deception that someone who is addicted might practise. Particularly on their sense of self. If you surround yourself with enablers, it’s easy to deny you have a problem.
Initially I did not think Lexi would be a character I felt much for. But, thankfully, she is not simply a shallow spoilt little rich girl. She, like a lot of the other characters we meet, is lost and needs help finding her place. As we learn more about Lexi it becomes easier to see under the persona she presents to the world.
There was a sense of knowingness to ‘Clean’. Sometimes the first attempt at rehabilitation is unsuccessful, but it doesn’t mean you should stop trying. There were moments of humour within this - which I wasn’t really expecting - and I found myself wanting to know more about some of the other characters Lexi meets. I also found myself really irritated by Lexi’s so-called friends and the ‘rich absent’ parents who seemed to be being held more than accountable for their childrens’ issues.

Even though this was just a sampler, I am so intrigued by the writing and simply must read the rest! The words feel raw and do not hide away from the reality of overdose, making this a very realistic and crucial read with an important message. The plot of the extract thus far is unique and engaging, I have a feeling this will be a totally addictive (no pun intended here) read.

A fascinating perspective of addiction, overdose and rehab combined with teenage love! Lexi is the typical poor little rich girl. She has far too much money at her disposal but not enough love and attention from her dysfunctional family, She thinks she finds what she wants from a toxic love and drugs.

We meet her at the low point in her life - overdosing and being admitted into an exclusive teenage rehab centre - . and journey with her back and forwards in time to understand why her life has fallen apart and how she picks up the pieces . The descriptions felt real and Lexi comes across incredibly wise, mature and jaded. Despite her flaws, she is endearing and the reader wants to back her..

We meet an ensemble of addicts who all feel real and plausible. The only thing that doesn't feel authentic was the love story. It appears out of nowhere with little foundation. It makes no sense and while it provides the happy ending, It feels like another addiction starting all over again...

Dubbed as “Gossip Girl meets Girl Interrupted”, Clean is a biting and hard-hitting YA novel centring around Lexi, a spoiled hotel heiress with a series drug problem, who is checked into a luxury island rehab facility by her brother after she overdoses on heroin.
The novel addresses, albeit some more than others, addiction, toxic relationships, mental health, eating disorders and transgender issues. The portrayal of addiction was gritty, real and didn’t shy away from some of the more harsh details involved in detoxing. I love how well the young adult genre is tackling issues recently, arguably even better than some adult fiction.

Lexi is an excellent protagonist, Juno has done something truly magical with her writing to make you want to care and root for the spoilt rich girl you meet at the start of the novel. On the surface Lexi seemed like she was going to be the most stereotypical character you could meet, however as the story develops so does her personality and back story, eventually you start to understand how she has ended up in this situation in the first place.

Although I enjoyed the side characters in the novel and thought Juno had included a greatly diverse cast of characters, I did find that they got left behind a bit in comparison to Lexi. There were a few moments that felt like were setting up a bigger arc for certain characters yet they just fizzled out. Kendall and Sasha were my two favourites, and the two that I was most disappointed that we didn’t get much resolution from. The novel had great representation throughout including own voices rep through Kendall, a trans woman.

With out spoiling or giving too much away I personally thought the ending was a little too neat and slightly unrealistic, especially compared with rawness of the rest of the novel, and I let down how great the rest of the story was. It seemed totally out of place and although I do understand where the reasoning could have came from to end it that way, it just didn’t work for me.
That being said I did highly enjoy this book and would defiantly recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced novel that really packs a punch.

The cover initially attracted me to this book, making me curious as to who was having the needle, what was in it and why etc. Also being totally honest and up front I had read a few mixed reviews about this book, suggesting it should carry trigger warnings and that it covers sensitive subjects etc and I wanted to know what the fuss and controversy was all about!

The cover is quite stark, with the background possibly a clinical tabletop or perhaps a dressing table top with a syringe and some liquid from it forming the L in the title Clean. I think the cover certainly has an impact and instantly makes you wonder what is going on with the needle. There's also the sort byline on the cover which when you include the book title says "It's a dirty business getting clean" The cover really fits the book in its title being Clean and the cover design being clean too.

The genres I have seen listed are Teens & YA and Contemporary which I personally think fit the book well. I think the book would also fit the NA category too. It also has a "coming of age" "angst of being a teenager" vibe too as the different characters all have different types of addiction.

As I mentioned above the book deals with all different types of addiction and shows different ways that the individual characters and the families of those addicted cope and try to come clean in the controlled and safe environment of the Clarity Centre.

The central character in the book is Lexi Volkov who is the privileged daughter of the Russian Volkov's that own so many luxurious Hotels. In fact Lexi and her older brother Nikolai live in suites within the different hotels their parents own. Lexi and Nikolai's parents have divorced, mum is off doing her thing in the Cayman Islands and her father has his new younger model girlfriend, so maybe that's why they haven't seen their daughter is seriously out of control. Lexi is the ultimate party girl who attends all the parties places "one should be seen at."

So their are so many great characters that I really liked and want to mention in my review. I'll start with Dr Isaac Goldstein - really came across as a sympathetic, understanding man from the very beginning. Then later in the book he reveals something about his own past which answers the question as to how and why he is so empathetic about addiction. I'll briefly mention the fact that the Clarity Centre has been set by a couple, one of whom we meet in the book because their son struggled with addiction and they saw the lack of places to help teens troubled by addiction.
I thought the relationship between Nikolai Volkov and his sister was amazing. It shows how much Nikolai really felt for his sister that he dragged her off to "rehab".
I could go on and on about the fantastic characters of Kendra, Brady, Sasha and the others but that would spoil the way you learn of their individual addictions.

I thought the interaction towards the end of Lexi's stay at the Clarity Centre with a rather tough, brash character called Sasha, who ends up trying to get off the island via a boat was amazing. They were both scared, unsure, in need of help and both had addictions and emotions to deal with yet they only had each other. Do they both crack their tough "I don't need anyone" attitudes and survive their escapade? That is just one reason you have to read this book!

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this book were that is was a totally different genre to my usual reads but that I had really enjoyed reading this one. It's very different to other books out there at the moment.

So as I explained earlier in my comments, I had read a few mixed reviews about this book, suggesting it should carry trigger warnings and that it covers sensitive subjects etc. The thing is I want to give my opinion but without going in to detail and giving away spoilers, so please excuse me if I seem a little vague at all. There are many sensitive issues within this book centering around addiction, grief, sexuality, and toxic relationships but these are issues that our teens of today are facing. In fact it isn't just teens, its pre-teens too in our "full of pressure" world. To be totally truthfully, in my own opinion I think that this book, read in the right setting, could help many more people than it could hurt or offend. I'd go so far as to say that I believe it may make an excellent conversation starter. It could be read by teens at schools, then the "issues" within the book openly discussed. Hey I know not everyone that reads this book may think that but in today's instant communication age and our teens being more candid and forthright with their opinions I think I'd almost say it really is a "must read" book. Our society needs to learn to be more tolerant of others. We have never all "been the same." As a society we may have once put on a "front" and presented an image of conformity and had strict ideas of what "normal" is. Today's more forthright generation see no reason to conform, or hide away any "problems, issues or addictions" they may have.

Clean is one hell of a ride. This book is brutal, unflinchingly honest and so hypnotic. It is such a timely and important book. I haven't read many books featuring drug addiction in teens but this was such a unique take. It takes place in a rehabilitation facility and features a variety of characters suffering with a variey of disorders, from drugs to OCD, self-harm to anorexia. This is a book that will absolutely blow you away but it's one that I hope is read as widely as possible. It's eye-opening, emotional and I really didn't want to leave Lexi in those final pages. I desperately wanted to continue reading her story.

Clean is my first read of Juno Dawson's fiction titles, and the power with which she wields her words blew my mind and I am more than sure to be picking up more. Please be warned that this book will contain many triggers, so please be careful when going in.

A great YA read covering some difficult topics exceptionally well. Compelling, funny, brutal, real (despite the wealth of the protagonists) and moving.

Another stellar book by Juno Dawson with an interesting look at current, bright young things in London. The book focuses on Lexi, a wild child socialite, as she's forced into rehab to get clean.. I loved tracking all the characters and it was so interesting learning about them. Dawson really got into the mind of all the inhabitants of the rehab facility. Lexi grew on me over the book and I wished at the end it was possible to see if she managed to stay clean for the long term. The romantic edge was fine as it wasn't the main focus but it would've been perfection if there wasn't any, even if it did end on a happy note for them.

I can't wait to read the full version. The first chapter is gripping.

Clean was an extraordinary novel and another hit from Juno Dawson - definitely an author I would recommend all her books!

It follows a teenager called Lexi who lives in a world most teenagers wouldn't understand. She drinks, she takes drugs, she doesn't have to worry about money and parties with celebrities. However, her addiction is getting out of control and her brother takes her to a rehab place.

Clean is an example of how children and young adult's literature is not always a happy, glorious place. This book can be used to educate young adults about the dangers of all types of addiction whilst also introducing them to a character whose life appears to be perfect whilst in reality isn't. We understand more and more about Lexi's addiction, as she herself learns about it.

Wow. I really enjoyed this book. It was a dark, gritty read that didn't shy away from shining a light on all manner of issues: drug abuse, sexual abuse, mental health, gender identity, toxic relationships

Lexi Volkov is uber-rich and utterly spoilt by her billionaire parents, so when she gets thrown into an exclusive rehab facility for heroin addiction she has literally hit rock bottom and surely from there the only way is up?

I didn't think I'd like Lexi to begin with, but she grew on me quite quickly and you quickly see that the only reason she behaves like such a nightmare is because of her addictions and the toxic relationships she clings onto. By about halfway through the book I really liked her and was totally rooting for her and believe it or not the author actually managed to make me feel sorry for the poor little rich girl.

I've never had to come off heroin myself, and I'm glad because it sounds absolutely horrific. Can't speak for the veracity of what Lexi goes through, but it sounded realistic enough and certainly kept me reading. Also, I don't follow the tabloids or reality TV or whatever, but even I could see that there were plenty of parallels to people in the public eye who suddenly check themselves into a clinic for 'exhaustion'.

the story isn't just about Lexi coming off heroin, but also the bit after, where she has to come to terms with her addiction and make the changes in her life that will let her stay clean. That, for me, was the really interesting bit.

In fact, this was a five star read until the last 5% or so, where I think the author just tried to cram too much resolution into too few pages. It felt muddled and disjointed from the rest of the book and it would have worked better if we were left guessing about what happened to Lexi after her second bout of treatment.

I've not read anything of Juno Dawson's before, so this was a really good intro into this author's writing. Recommended.

Seventeen year old Lexi Volkov is the daughter of an absurdly wealthy hotel-owning Russian family; a socialite, frequently appearing on the gossip pages; and a heroin addict. When she collapses one night her brother Nikolai, much against her will, checks her into an exclusive rehab clinic - the Clarity Centre - on an island off the South Coast of England. The book follows Lexi’s journey towards becoming “clean”.

The Lexi we meet at the beginning is not likeable - her voice is that of an entitled, spoilt princess, name-dropping with abandon and utterly in denial that she has any kind of a problem. She anti-Semitically abuses her doctor (to be fair, she does apologise.) She wants only to get back to her party-hopping life and boyfriend Kurt.

But as the layers are gradually peeled away it becomes clearer who the real Lexi is and just how she ended up where she did at seventeen years old.

Can Lexi really get... and stay... clean?

I’d vaguely heard of Juno Dawson (though for some reason I thought she was American) but never read any of her books. I’m not exactly the target audience, being far from a young adult, and many of the celeb-culture references were lost on me. Juno does a great job though of portraying Lexi’s world - both the privileged bubble of her London life (where all the girls are called things like Florentine and Antonella) and her equally privileged but far more challenging experience at the clinic. All the characters are convincingly drawn, especially Lexi herself and her fellow residents at the clinic, with their various addictions and issues.

This was an excellent, thought-provoking read which doesn’t gloss over some very difficult and challenging issues but is also never less than highly readable and enjoyable.

I marked it down a star only because it's actually really uncomfortable to read in spots. Being that deeply inside an addict's head is confusing and upsetting and scary, and it lingered even after I'd closed the book - not that I did that very often, as I badly wanted to find out what happened next. I felt every bit of Lexi's struggles, both in the 'now' scenes and the flashbacks to her past.
I'll admit, I went into this expecting a 'poor little rich girl' scenario, but Lexi's struggles and pain were real and truthful and I came out with a much better understanding.
I enjoyed meeting her fellow inmates and seeing the differences between them, the little moments of triumph. All around a sharp, incisive book that deserves to sell much more than it's probably going to.