lindseythelibrarian's Reviews (559)

BEST BOOK SO FAR!
Literally, the audiobook is so accessible, conversational, and had os many lightbulb moments I did not think I would get from a YA novel. Fantastic. 

Ahhhhhh! Devoured this audiobook. So, I listened to it on my drive home and definitely was emotional. There was definitely one point where I practically sobbed while driving. 

For different reasons, I like this one better than the first! 

This book was beautiful crafted with string thematic elements throughout. 

Ok, so I will be reading the second book in the series, but only because I've heard GREAT things about Lestat.

I think I need  to reread this book again. As someone who grew up fat (and still is) I was used to feeling different and definitely had some negative experiences. However, I still felt like this book was unrealistic as to the way the kids were treating here at school. I'll admit this is probably on me--just because I didn't experience it, doesn't mean that it can't happen. Kids are vicious. The really are. Potentially the size of schools I attended helped shelter me from some of the more traumatic experiences of bullying. There were definitely microaggressions. Like I said, I need to reread this book with a different perspective. 

Things I loved:
I will say, I found the emotional abuse aspect of this book form the family to be compelling, as I've known families like that. Luckily, my mom was very supportive growing up, but I could completely empathize with Elle. It was never about health for her, only looks. 

The other aspect of this book that I...well...I guess you could say enjoyed, was the therapy. Elle and I both engage in a lot of negative self talk and we both have these negative thought patterns. In a way, this book was like mini therapy for me!

Honestly, I think I could have really benefited from reading something like this growing up. I internalized so much of the way I negatively felt about myself that I made up lies because I felt so ashamed and felt like everyone was talking negatively about me behind my back. With this book, I hope kids will grow up feeling like they are able to take what they learned and feel like they are worthy and able to exist! 

I really liked what I felt like this book was trying to do, though I think some of it just fell a bit flat in a few places. 

I only listened to the audiobook, so I really want to read it visually.