BOOK REVIEW: Clean by Juno Dawson

'I can feel it swimming through my veins like glitter... it's liquid gold.'
When socialite Lexi Volkov almost overdoses, she thinks she's hit rock bottom.
She's wrong. Rock bottom is when she's forced into an exclusive rehab facility. From there, the only way is up for Lexi and her fellow inmates, including the mysterious Brady.
As she faces her demons, Lexi realises love is the most powerful drug of all...
It's a dirty business getting clean.

Publisher: Quercus

Pages: 399

I had no idea that Clean by Juno Dawson is a YA book. I had seen several people raving about it so ordered a copy to take on holiday and I can report that it is fantastic.
It deals with addiction in its many forms- drugs, alcohol, sex, food, exercise and so on.
Lexi Volkov is our protagonist, she is only 17 and heiress to a Russian hotel dynasty. She has been living in a gilded cage until her older brother picks her up from rock bottom and deposits her in an exclusive rehab facility on a remote island. Lexi initially fights against everything mentally and physically but gradually she has to face up to the stark truth that she is a drug addict and if she doesn't beat it then it will eventually kill her.
We follow Lexi on her rehab path and learn about the others receiving treatment alongside her. Mainly young and privileged, they are proof that money doesn't buy happiness.
Lexi is drawn to Brady, an American patient, is there anything real there or are they both running from their problems?
Clean by Juno Dawson is a fantastic book. As a parent it is utterly terrifying to read but so important. We can't ignore the temptations that will increasingly become part of our children's lives as they get older. I would rather know what's out there than bury my head in the sand.
Lexi is a likeable character, she is incredibly vulnerable  and naive despite the privileged and adult environment she inhabits. I loved watching her go through the many stages of rehabilitation, it's not all plain sailing and I thought that Juno Dawson presented it clearly and honestly.
Clean is a book I can highly recommend, it is well written and informative. It opened up my eyes and gave me such a lot to consider.