“But our lives have been scorched in some ways, right? Touched by fire? We all need new growth” — Fitz in Waiting for Fitz

Waiting for Fitz is a powerful book about love and hope in the face of mental illness. Debut author Spencer Hyde pulls from personal experience to offer readers a realistic view of life in an adolescent psych ward. Main character Addie’s personality shines as she narrates this touching story, despite her debilitating battle with OCD. Addie and love interest Fitz engage in highly entertaining yet clever banter throughout the novel. This character-driven work is also deep and poignant, with plenty of quotable lines and beautiful figurative language. Waiting for Fitz is set in Seattle, and the setting is often used to enhance the mood of the story. Hyde also uses humor to help lighten the heavy topics. Waiting for Fitz is strong, well-written contemporary young adult fiction. 

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Shadow Mountain

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Secondhand report of violence involving accidental death; an extended scene of destruction of property and mild violence as a character destroys his home and belongings as well as a gravesite. 

Sex/Nudity:  Characters hold hands; characters kiss during a scene; a few sexual references are made. 

Mature Subject Matter:

Mental illness, death of family members, accidental death, schizophrenia, OCD, psychiatric ward, abandonment, behavioral therapy.  

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Characters take prescription medications throughout the novel.