A Must Read // ARC Review: Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios

Title: Bad Romance
Author: Heather Demetrios
Publication Date: June 13th 2016
Publisher: Henry Holy & Co. (BYR)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan International
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone.
Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dangerous. When Grace and Gavin fall in love, Grace is sure it's too good to be true. She has no idea their relationship will become a prison she's unable to escape. 
Deeply affecting and unflinchingly honest, this is a story about spiraling into darkness—and emerging into the light again.

The very first thing that attracted me to Bad Romance was that EXQUISITE cover. It’s not meant to be beautiful, but something ugly and rotting like the relationship that Grace and Gavin have and it manages to capture it perfectly. I LOVE THE COVER!

Short and Sweet: Bad Romance is a heart-wrenching book, showing you the light after an abusive relationship and the courage it takes to remove yourself from one.

Let’s break it down: (Which has also become a standard line for me in my reviews)

IDEA:

Only two chapters in, I got this intense feeling that Bad Romance was a very personal book to the author. And so, I flipped back to the acknowledgements and realised that Heather Demetrios was talking about and also slightly fictionalizing her own experience in an abusive relationship and it made it THAT MUCH MORE AUTHENTIC.

I love the idea for this book. Honestly, the last book on abuse I read was Shannon Parker’s The Girl Who Fell and that was a YEAR ago. We should be talking about these kinds of relationships more.

PLOT & WRITING

I’m going to do these two together because it makes more sense. The writing was jumpy. It moved quickly from one instance to another, weeks and months passed by between paragraphs and the feeling of something unfinished stayed with me.

It also took me a while to get used to the fact that this was sort of a book dedicated to Gavin, who was always referred to in the Second Person. It ended up bringing out the pain and heartbreak that I LOVED and WANTED but it did take a quarter of the book to get used to.

While the writing was jumpy, the plot evened it out. It showcased all the important things, and MANAGED TO CAPTURE THE HOPE, LOVE AND HAPPINESS that eventually turned into despair, insecurity and sadness.

CHARACTERS:

I got Grace; I understood Grace. I understood what if felt like to be head over heels for someone you think is better than you. I understood the elation when that boy finally looks at YOU. I felt her being suffocated and tied down and confused and in love. I understood Grace and my heart fell for her and broke as hers did.

Obviously, we weren’t meant to like Gavin, so I won’t be talking about him. I wish I could have liked him, in the beginning, but it would have been impossible with Grace’s narration that ended with things like “One year from now I wouldn’t want to see you, but run away from you/ hate you.” I wasn’t allowed to like him and then go through the journey with Grace and it made me feel slightly disconnected from the book. That IS the point, right, to fall in love and then realise that you’re more than a sum of his wishes?

--

Bad Romance is the kind of book we should be reading. I know I’m saying that for a lot of books, but it is the truth. Whether it’s body image, eating disorders, mental health and abuse, WE SHOULD BE TALKING AND READING ABOUT IT. Maybe we don’t get into fully abusive relationships like Grace did in Bad Romance, but a lot of the time we tie our self-worth to what society sees us as; where on the social pole we lie which is what leads to that ability to bend for something we don’t want to do in the first place.

Books like Bad Romance are IMPORTANT. It’s important to know that you shouldn’t lose yourself to anyone, least of all a guy you feel freer without. I HIGHLY recommend it. 4 stars. 

When Heather Demetrios isn’t traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, she lives with her husband in New York City. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the East Coast home. Heather has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut novel, Something Real. Her other critically acclaimed novels include Exquisite Captive, I’ll Meet You There, and Bad Romance. She's also a creativity coach, snail mail aficionado, and hopeless romantic. Find out more about Heather and her books at www.heatherdemetrios.com or on Twitter (@HDemetrios).

Have you read some good books on abusive relationships and how to get out of them? 

Please do hit me up with some recommendations because I WOULD LOVE TO DIVE INTO THEM!

Looking forward to hearing from you <3!

July 2017 Anticipated Young Adult Releases

IT'S ALMOST JULY! (Where has this year GONE?)

July means it's only TWO MONTHS to my birthday and the agonizing process of deciding which of the 1,000,000 books on my Amazon Wishlist I want my friends to buy for me. (Book gifts are the best) and I thought it was high time for me to do a Most Anticipated July Young Adult List.

I've spent this whole summer chasing after my never ending TBR pile, and now that my Sophomore year of college has started, I'm going to have less time to read all the books but hopefully I'll still be able to cause a few dents to it.


1. This Is How It Happened by Paula Stokes
Releases July 11th from Harper Teen

Description: Somehow I’ve become a liar. A coward. Here’s how it happened. 
When Genevieve Grace wakes up from a coma, she can’t remember the car crash that injured her and killed her boyfriend Dallas, a YouTube star who had just released his first album. Genevieve knows she was there, and that there was another driver, a man named Brad Freeman, who everyone assumes is guilty. But as she slowly pieces together the night of the accident, Genevieve is hit with a sickening sense of dread—that maybe she had something to do with what happened.
As the internet rages against Brad Freeman, condemning him in a brutal trial by social media, Genevieve escapes to her father’s house, where she can hide from reporters and spend the summer volunteering in beautiful Zion National Park. But she quickly realizes that she can’t run away from the accident, or the terrible aftermath of it all.
Incredibly thought-provoking and beautifully told, Paula Stokes’s story will compel readers to examine the consequences of making mistakes in a world where the internet is always watching…and judging.

2. Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
Releases July 25th 2017 from Harlequin Teen

Description: A darkly irresistible new fantasy set in the infamous Gomorrah Festival, a traveling carnival of debauchery that caters to the strangest of dreams and desires.
Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show.
But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered.
Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca, and their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all of her loved ones disappear.

3. The Color Project by Sierra Abrams
Releases July 18th 2017

Description: Bernice Aurora Wescott has one thing she doesn't want anyone to know: her name. That is, until Bee meets Levi, the local golden boy who runs a charity organization called The Color Project.
Levi is not at all shy about attempting to guess Bee’s real name; his persistence is one of the many reasons why Bee falls for him. But while Levi is everything she never knew she needed, giving up her name would feel like a stamp on forever. And that terrifies her.
When unexpected news of an illness in the family drains Bee's summer of everything bright, she is pushed to the breaking point. Losing herself in The Color Project—a world of weddings, funerals, cancer patients, and hopeful families that the charity funds—is no longer enough. Bee must hold up the weight of her family, but to do that, she needs Levi. She’ll have to give up her name and let him in completely or lose the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
For fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson, THE COLOR PROJECT is a story about the three great loves of life—family, friendship, and romance—and the bonds that withstand tragedy.

4. Lucky In Love by Kasie West
Releases July 25th from Scholastic

Description: In this new contemporary from YA star Kasie West, a girl who wins the lottery learns that money can cause more problems than it solves, especially when love comes into the picture. 
Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment --
She wins!
In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.
Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?
With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.

5. Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana
Releases July 18th 2017 from Razorbill

Description: A romantic coming-of-age fantasy tale steeped in Indian folklore, perfect for fans of The Star-Touched Queen and The Wrath and the Dawn
No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything—family, her childhood love, and her freedom—to save her people. But her offer isn't enough.
The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them.
Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life—and another love—await?

6. What To Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Releases July 11th 2017 from Harper Teen

Description: From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes a charming and poignant story about two struggling teenagers who find an unexpected connection just when they need it most. For fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Niven, and Rainbow Rowell.
Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.
KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.
DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her. 
When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

7. I See London, I See France by Sarah Mylonski 
Releases July 11th 2017 froom Harper Teen

Description: I see London, I see FranceI see Sydney’s underpants. 
Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and half weeks traveling through Europe with her childhood best friend, Leela. Their plans include Eiffel-Tower selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers. Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug-of-war. 
In this hilarious and unforgettable adventure, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski tells the story of a girl learning to navigate secret romances, thorny relationships, and the London Tube. As Sydney zigzags through Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and France, she must learn when to hold on, when to keep moving, and when to jump into the Riviera… wearing only her polka dot underpants.

What are some of your most anticipated July 2017 Releases? 

Have you already read some of mine? 

I absolutely love hearing from all of you (even if I don't find the time to reply often, all comments make my day) so do share your thoughts!

A Whole Different World // REVIEW: Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan

Title: Rich People Problems (Crazy Rich Asians #3)

Author: Kevin Kwan
Publication Date: May 23rd 2017
Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 3 of the Crazy Rich Asians Series
I Got A Copy Through: Penguin Random House International
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Snapdeal || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend, is back with an uproarious new novel of a family riven by fortune, an ex-wife driven psychotic with jealousy, a battle royal fought through couture gown sabotage, and the heir to one of Asia's greatest fortunes locked out of his inheritance. 
When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside--but he's not alone. It seems the entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe, ostensibly to care for their matriarch but truly to stake claim on the massive fortune that Su Yi controls. With each family member secretly fantasizing about getting the keys to Tyersall Park--a trophy estate on 64 prime acres in the heart of Singapore--the place becomes a hotbed of intrigue and Nicholas finds himself blocked from entering the premises. As relatives claw over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu, but tormented by his ex-wife--a woman hell bent on destroying Astrid's reputation and relationship. Meanwhile Kitty Pong, married to billionaire Jack Bing, finds a formidable opponent in his fashionista daughter, Colette. A sweeping novel that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a schoolyard kidnapping to a gold-leaf dancefloor spattered with blood, Kevin Kwan's gloriously wicked new novel reveals the long-buried secrets and rich people problems of Asia's most privileged families. 

I bought into all the hype this book was getting over Twitter where EVERYBODY was talking about it. When I requested it from Penguin Random House International, I had no idea it was the third book in the series, which led to my three day binge of this INSANE series and a still ongoing slight book hangover.

Before I begin,

1.       I visited Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong about a month before diving into this BRILLIANT series, which made the places a lot more real to me, and I loved that experience.

2.       I’m Asian (Indian to be more specific) and I love how Indian culture is also thrown into this book, ESPECIALLY in Rich People Problems.

So, let my Rich People Problems rant/ review begin:

Graphic from National Book Store

IDEA:

I should probably talk about the idea for the series as a whole, which quite simply is PURE genius! Being Asian, I’ve seen my fair share of those ULTRA RICH people (maybe not as rich as the people in this series) but I’ve seen them around/ know them. This book embodies extravagance, love, gossip, beauty, couture, status and most importantly, money.

It’s so different from the normal world we live in and the ENTIRE Crazy Rich Asians series has this power to make you forget your normal life and live in theirs.

WRITING:

There are so many characters in this book, and the writing is just gorgeous. Sometimes a chapter is told from one person’s point of view, and sometimes you’re given a location and the viewpoints keep switching between the people present there. It was truly a different experience to read from SO MANY people’s points of view to understand everybody’s motivations better.

I also SPECIFICALLY loved that we heard from Nick’s grandmother, Sun Yi in Rich People Problems, because even though everyone was talking about her, she was the one character I felt like I didn’t know.

PLOT:

The plot of Rich People Problems was by far the MOST interesting one of the series. The whole series has revolved around one underlying questions of WHO would inherit the gigantic fortune of the Young/ Shang clan and well, THIS WAS THE BOOK WHERE WE FOUND OUT! I spent most of the time wanting to JUST FLIP and reach the part where everything was announced, and it took such an effort for me to not!

Other Books in this Series

CHARACTERS:

I feel like I KNOW these characters. In the span of three books and three days I got to know Nick, Rachel, Astrid, Charlie, Eleanor, Eddie, Oliver, Kitty, Colin and every other secondary character we saw this glamourous world from.

While Nick and Rachel were this solid, dependable couple, Astrid and Charlie have been my OTP for the entire series. I loved the two of them together, and specifically flipped pages to see when I’d hear from them next.

There’s honestly too much I want to talk about and very little I can talk about without spoiling it. If there is a sequel, I will jump across continents for it!

A different kind of world, a diverse cast of characters thrown in a whirlwind of money, family, fame, status, love and all things Asian!  

.Kevin Kwan is the author of "Crazy Rich Asians," the international bestseller now being adapted as a major motion picture. The sequel, "China Rich Girlfriend," will be released on June 16, 2015. Born and raised in Singapore, Kwan has called Manhattan home for the past two decades but still craves pineapple tarts and a decent plate of Hokkien mee. 

Please visit Kevin at: Website || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter || Pinterest

Have you had the chance to read this series yet? What did you think of it? 

Have you visited Singapore/ Hong Kong/ Macau/ Bangkok? What did you think of it? 

I do hope you guys dive into this series because it is SO WORTH IT!

BLOG TOUR: The Color Project by Sierra Abrams - Guest Post + Giveaway

WOOOOOT! I can't believe it's already time for my stop on the The Color Project blog tour and also that there are MERE DAYS until one of my best bookish friend's DEBUT BOOK releases for the world to read. Sierra Abrams is one of the kindest humans I've had the pleasure of getting to know and I'm so so happy for the chance to have her on my blog. 

Thanks so much Helena and Becky from Book Nerd Addict for putting together this BRILLIANT TOUR!

Title: The Color Project

Author: Sierra Abrams

Release Date: July 18th, 2017 

Publisher: Gatekeeper Press

Buy Links: Amazon    Barnes & Noble   Book Depository  

Add To: GoodReads

Blurb Description: Bernice Aurora Wescott has one thing she doesn't want anyone to know: her name. That is, until Bee meets Levi, the local golden boy who runs a charity organization called The Color Project. Levi is not at all shy about attempting to guess Bee’s real name; his persistence is one of the many reasons why Bee falls for him. But while Levi is everything she never knew she needed, giving up her name would feel like a stamp on forever. And that terrifies her. When unexpected news of an illness in the family drains Bee's summer of everything bright, she is pushed to the breaking point. Losing herself in The Color Project—a world of weddings, funerals, cancer patients, and hopeful families that the charity funds—is no longer enough. Bee must hold up the weight of her family, but to do that, she needs Levi. She’ll have to give up her name and let him in completely or lose thebest thing that’s ever happened to her. For fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson, THE COLOR PROJECT is a story about the three great loves of life—family, friendship, and romance—and the bonds that withstand tragedy.

 

Aditi: The official The Color Project Playlist is AMAZING (And I can't wait to read the book and listen to the playlist while doing so) How does music shape your writing process? What are some of your favorite songs?

Sierra: When I read the topic of this guest post, I almost screamed.  If you follow me on any social media, you know I LOVE MUSIC.  It means as much to me as reading and writing do.  I grew up with my parents buying CDs all the time (they owned 500+ CDs, which was a lot before we had digital music) and listening to music everywhere: at work, in the car, at home.  There was always something playing in the background.

        Now as an adult, I listen to music every day.  I have listened to 700+ artists on Spotify and my tastes range from movie scores to indie electronica (my favorite genre) to heavy metal/screamo.  (The only genre that I don’t like, off the top of my head, is country.)

        Naturally, this means music plays a HUGE role in my writing.  Every day, a song—new or old—will inspire an idea, concept, sentence, or character.  I’ve had entire story ideas sprout from single lines in songs I’ve heard hundreds of times.  Sometimes, it just has to click at the right moment.

        I try to write with music in the background, and most of the time it works, but sometimes I do need silence.  And weirdly enough, I often find myself changing my playlists around.  I’ll be writing a contemporary romance and yet I’m most motivated or inspired to write by one of my fantasy playlists.  Or I’ll be working on one of my magical realism concepts and suddenly the perfect mix is a heavy metal album from my childhood.  Everything about this is weird, and I can’t explain it, but it’s true.

        I tried to list off some of my favorite groups/albums by genre, but that gave me too much freedom and there were WAY too many.  So instead, I made a playlist of my favorite songs from my favorite groups from all the genres, and if you like one a lot and want more, find me on social media or let me know in the comments and I’ll give you more recommendations.

It was extremely difficult to narrow that down.  Oh my word.

If you give any of these songs a listen, I’d love to hear what you think of them!  If you’re a writer, did they gave you any character and writing feels/inspiration?  What kind of music do you listen to when you write?  Tell me all about it!

And a big thank you to Aditi for having me on her amazing blog!  You rock!  And thank you to everyone who stopped by today…it means so much to me!

XOXO, Sierra

At 7 years old, Sierra Abrams decided that one day she would publish a book. For over a decade, in between exploring other career options, she kept coming back to that very first dream. Now her life consists of writing books of all kinds... Kissing books, angsty books, killing books, whimsical books, and sometimes books that are all of the above. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, traveling, consuming sushi, or daydreaming about Henry Cavill.

Website || Twitter || Instagram || Goodreads

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An Important Read // ARC REVIEW: Countless by Karen Gregory

Title: Countless

Author: Karen Gregory
Publication Date: May 4th 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Bloomsbury India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Snapdeal || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Is there anything that's concerning you?’ Felicity says. ‘College, home, boyfriends?' Though she's more or less smiling at this last one.
I don't smile. Instead, I feel my face go hot. Silence stretches as wide as an ocean. When I look up, Felicity has this expression on her face like she's just seen Elvis. Slowly, she leans forward and in a gentle voice I've never heard her use before she says, 'Have you done a pregnancy test?' 
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn’t believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don’t add up. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She’s even given her eating disorder a name – Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision: she and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born. 17 weeks, 119 days, 357 meals. She can do it, if she takes it one day at a time … 
Heartbreaking and hopeful by turns, Karen Gregory’s debut novel is a story of love, heartache and human resilience. And how the things that matter most can’t be counted. Perfect for fans of Lisa Williamson, Non Pratt and Sarah Crossan. 

Actual Rating 3.5 Stars

I’ve only read one book centred on Anorexia Nervosa before, and that was Wintergirls by Laurie Anderson. As soon as I saw that the Lovely Bloomsbury India was going to be releasing Countless here, I knew I HAD to read it.

Short & Sweet: Countless manages to explain and overcome anorexia in a different and somewhat more attainable light, with a baby and a broken family thrown in the mix.

Let me explain my thoughts in greater detail:

WRITING:

Karen Gregory had this haunted, broken and painful writing style which is exactly what I’d imagine a sixteen year old pregnant anorexic who was living by herself having. Her writing made the story come alive; made it all believable.

It was also written in two parts – before and after the baby with the weeks counting up and down. It was s fun style to read seeing Hedda carry the baby to term and how she became a mother after.

IDEA:

I loved the idea surrounding this book. I don’t think Anorexia, other eating disorders or even body image issues are talked about enough in book, especially with what expectations are doing to girls these days.

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to have it. It was an AMAZING idea.

PLOT:

While the writing was good and the idea of the story even better, the plot is where I started having problems.

For 1) Which self-respecting parents would GIVE UP ON THEIR SICK 16 YEAR OLD AND ALLOW HER TO LIVE BY HERSELF? She was SICK. It’s a DISEASE. The book opens with Hedda living in a mouldy apartment with no money or support and OBVIOUSLY SHE’S STILL SICK. THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HER SUPPORT SYSTEM ABANDONED HER. Maybe she’s let them down in the past, but we’re a) not given much information about the past but b) so WHAT? You don’t get to abandon one child for another.

I liked how the various resources available in the U.K. were highlighted. It’s important that people know what’s available to them and reach out when they feel like they need help.

Another thing I liked was how this book ended. I couldn’t help but feel that it was thoroughly irresponsible for Hedda to be allowed to have a baby with NO SUPPORT SYSTEM (Money, Family, Friends and an Eating Disorder?), but I’m glad she grew up in the end. It was a good, responsible ending and I can’t help but commend it.

CHARACTERS:

Hedda came across as selfish. Maybe we can blame it on her wanting something that was more than her eating disorder, but it didn’t change the fact that she had no care for anyone else. She walked away from her mother after a trip at the mall and got herself into debt because she was too prideful to ask her parents for money.

I didn’t like her parents either. I did like Robin, Hedda’s Sister and all the other secondary characters.

CONCLUSION:

I was sitting in a room filled with 50 girls and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US raised our hands when a counsellor asked up if we have Body Image Issues. EVERY. SINGLE. GIRL.

We should be reading and writing more books like Countless because of the message it sends out there – you are more than what you look liked. 3.5 stars. 

Karen is a graduate of Somerville College, Oxford, and a project manager by day who’s become adept at writing around the edges (strong coffee and a healthy disregard for housework help). A confirmed bookhead since early childhood, Karen wrote her first story about Bantra the mouse at the age of twelve, then put away the word processor until her first child was born when she was overtaken by the urge to write. Karen lives in Wiltshire with her family and is represented by Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge & White.

Have you read some good books on eating disorders and body image issues? 

Please do hit me up with some recommendations because I WOULD LOVE TO DIVE INTO THEM!

Looking forward to hearing from you <3!