An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

In “I Have Never Felt Alive,” the author masterfully captures the essence of small-town life in New England, a place I know all too well from my own upbringing in a former factory city in southern New England. The novel created a vivid atmosphere for me right from the opening pages, pulling me into a world so familiar that you can almost taste the stale air of the local dive bar, feel the grime of the bathroom floor (because contrary to popular belief both men and women’s bathrooms are quite disgusting at those kind of establishments), and feel the bass from the DJ’s speakers in the background.

The novel follows Ryan, a character who returns to his hometown, and through his eyes, we are introduced to a place haunted by not only the failing of its industrial past, but drugs, poverty, and violence. Throughout the story Ryan struggles with an almost existential question of whether he will ever truly feel alive—whether he’s ever been happy or if he’s just been simply existing. Yet, despite it all the pull of staying and of leaving seems to weigh heavily on Ryan.

What makes the novel truly compelling are its characters. They are flawed, complex, and often unlikable, yet undeniably relatable. Each character carries the weight of their past, their choices, and their unfulfilled dreams, making them feel like real people you might recognize from your own life or past.

The book isn't long, but its brevity doesn’t diminish its power. There’s a quiet tension running through the story, a feeling that something lurks just beneath the surface—whether it's the simmering frustration of those stuck in a place that only seems to get worse, the uncertainty surrounding Ryan’s future, or the pull of peer pressure and the longing to cling to familiar relationships. It’s a strikingly realistic depiction of small-town New England, a place where the past lingers in every corner and where people are often stuck in the inertia of their lives. “I Have Never Felt Alive” is not only a strikingly realistic depiction of small-town New England, it is a reminder of how easy it is to feel both disconnected and deeply tied to the places and people that shape us.

Thank you Atmosphere Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.