Unclutter: A Survivor's Story (Inner Voice Book 1)
“Now, I declare war on my abusers—their time is up.”
Eighteen-year-old Tina Lauren is an outcast with wounds that run deep—she’s always needed to make the outside hurt more than the inside does. She hates being touched, her clothes don’t fit, and neither does she. But when Strollfield’s teen heartthrob, Nicholas Parker, crosses a line and Tina retaliates in public, she is thrust into a harsh spotlight that reveals her long-buried scars. Branded a liar and a freak at every turn, Tina faces revenge and betrayal, slander, and bullying—till the voices in her head threaten to drown her. To move forward, Tina must confront her past once and for all. Will Tina discover her true inner voice? Will she be able to speak up for herself and others like her? Or will a culture of shame and silence let their abusers win?
Navigating social media trials and sleuthing, family secrets and inner demons, friendships broken and built, first love and self-love, Unclutter: A Survivor’s Story is a powerful debut novel packed with shocking turns, as well as illuminating truths about trauma and survival.
Content guidance: This novel tackles sensitive subjects, such as sexual abuse and self-harm.
Plot/Idea: 7 out of 10
Originality: 7 out of 10
Prose: 7 out of 10
Character/Execution: 7 out of 10
Overall: 7.00 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Pagora's hard-hitting novel enters on college freshman Tina, as she learns the value of protecting herself while accepting help for her past trauma.
Prose: The prose is concise and straightforward, though events unfold with minimal buildup; dialogue has stretches that feel too mature and stiff for the book’s characters.
Originality: The novel spotlights the courage and support needed for abuse victims to take a stand, and the author dedicates much space to giving those victims a powerful voice.
Character/Execution: Tina’s obvious trauma from being abused as a child haunts her every move, making her an intriguing character with a great deal of depth. Her friendship with Rory is grounding, and the relationships she develops with new characters over the course of the novel help her conquer the past.
Date Submitted: June 16, 2023