Skinny

Title: Skinny
Author: Donna Cooner
Pub: 2012; Point
Pages: 272
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic, Eating Disorders

EVERYONE who has read this seems to have loved it, claiming it was oh so powerful.  And yeah, sure, I thought it was original and dealt with self-esteem issues and biggest thing that most books about weight loss deal with and that's the reasons behind the weight gain.  Or more importantly just because you're skinny doesn't mean all of sudden your confident.  But, I was pretty meh about the whole process.

First, I was a bit uncomfortable with how quickly the author brushes over Ever's decision to have a gastric bypass ESPECIALLY since she's a teenager.  There was barely any conversation with the father (who only shows up occasionally) and worst yet, the decision is made by Ever because of a cute boy and getting his attention.  And okay, sure, I can believe that being a motivating cause for a teen to want surgery...but is that enough for her to get the surgery? Of course she didn't tell pops the initial reason and yeah, they mention (gloss over) how her health is at jeopardy because of her weight.

What I DID like though was the process after Ever had the surgery.  The author made sure that losing the weight - even with gastric bypass - was easy.  She still had to watch what she ate and the amount. Also, the exercise. This was a biggie because I think that many thing gastric bypass is an easy way out and I'm glad Cooner proves that idea wrong.

So, Skinny is a process.  It's Ever's journey through weight loss and finding herself.  There were faults, but the intentions had merit. 

Butter

Title: Butter
Author: Erin Jade Lange
Pub: 2012; Bloomsbury
Pages: 272
Genre: Young Adult, Bullying, Suicide
Etc: Huge thanks to NG & Bloomsbury


If you hear the premise of this book, I guarantee you that it will interest you enough to pick it up.  And even after I tell you all the reasons why I disliked the book, go ahead and STILL pick it up, because it's a quick read.

Butter is JP's nickname.  He is this amazingly obese high school boy who has no friends and finds comfort in food.  He knows he's disgusting, I mean, why else did his father stop talking to him, but it can't help it.  [There's this anguish-filled scene where he is at the dining room table stuffing himself but as soon as his parents - his audience - leaves, he quits because there's no one to observe him eat.]

Butter is also in love with a classmate Anna and via Instant Messaging begins an online relationship with her.  Of course, IRL she doesn't acknowledge him.  UNTIL, in a desperate move Butter creates a web page - "Butter's Last Meal".  He marks New Year's Eve to be the day that he eats himself to death.  AND does it via a live feed on line for anyone to watch.

This depressive move sparks an interest from all of his classmates.  All of a sudden he is known.  The cool kids invite him to eat with them and even then invite him to hang out.  Butter is confused with all of this attention.  He likes it but can't believe that they really want to watch his death.  I mean, they don't.  Not really, right?

This book is an amazing commentary on our "watch the car crash, bottle knecking" life style.  For that I can't appreciate it.  As a society we are drawn to reality television and it would not surprise me in the least that there would be some sick punks out there who would watch something as disgusting and tragic as a lonely kid eating himself to death.  I mean, seriously...others out there must remember those horrifying underground cult films Faces of Death right?  There's an audience for this sort of creeptastic stunt.  THAT part is what drew me in.

Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to my expectations.  I wasn't too fond of Butter as a person and it had nothing to do with his insecurities, depression, or poor choices.  I just couldn't picture him as a real character (although the desperation he felt is assuredly real).  Also, I couldn't buy in to the fact that NO ONE in the WHOLE FREAKIN' SCHOOL didn't rat him out.  Sure, there was discussion on making this Event secretive, with a password protective website and all, but really?!  And the whole attitude from people who shared their opinion was, oh he won't REALLY do it, and if he tries it's not like he'll REALLY die but seriously, no one told on him?

Finally, the thing that bugged me the most was the wrap up speech on bullying.  In a nutshell, it quickly turned into a PSA for anti-bullying and what it might look like to be bullied.

Scars

Title: Scars
Author: Cheryl Rainfield
Pub:  2010; Westside Books
Pages: 248
Genre: YA, Realistic, Abuse
Etc: A huge thanks to pub and NetGalley

Okay.  Most importantly I must make this confession.  I walked into this book *really* wanting to like it.  The cover is insanely eye-catching, especially for a teen in trouble.  Cutting is somewhat of a personal project of mine.  I'm always looking for emotionally therapeutic books to shove in the hands of needy kids. 



But there were just so many Fails hidden within a great story that I spent most of the time shaking my head.

Kendra is fifteen and she's recovered memories of sexual abuse as a child.  The problem is, she can't identify the abuser, so she's in this awful place of questioning every close man in her life.  As if that wasn't horrific enough, her predator begins leaving threatening notes in her school bag reminder her what will happen if she tells.

Kendra sees a therapist, who she wishes was her mother, because her mom is self-absorbed and pretty much a big wimp.  Kendra is an artist like her mom and using her artwork to unleash these inside fears.  And in this process she meets Meghan.  Meghan has her own issues so they lean on each other.

Let me stop here.  Because that's pretty much the summary of an intriguing book.  And I want to shake and shout to someone that it truly COULD have been if there weren't so many moments where I wanted to throw it across the room. (I did not because I was reading from my IPad.  Had it been the three-dimensional book, I probably would have). 

The Frustrations

1. Kendra is seeing a therapist.  Her LIFE is being threatened.  No one calls the police?  Um, yeah.  Not gonna happen.  And if it did, then you've got a pretty messed up therapist because she's got her own issues.  There are rules in place.  Very specific rules.  Especially with minors. This isn't a session where a kid is getting nasty notes from their ex-bestie.  A predator has already raped a minor.  Where's the logic folks?

2.  Kendra meets Meghan.  Two minutes later Kendra is in love with Meghan.  Seriously?  I work with kids.  I know how quickly they fall in and out of love, but the writing of this?  So unbelievable.

3.  Which leads me to the writing.  I hate to put this out there because I know every author's work is a part of them but there were so many things going on and little time spent investigating any of it.  I felt as though I was suppose to just accept that Meghan was a messed up kid who slept around but after ONE DATE with Kendra she is 100% committed.  Sorry.  There was no development there.

4.  Which leads me to the confession that Meghan makes:  I sleep with lots of boys because I don't care about them and it allows me to not deal with the fact that I like girls.  Okay.  This is HUGE.  How I wish this was fleshed out more rather than just glossed over.

5.  Can I go back to the therapist?  This is really bugging me guys.  I made some difficult decisions about confidentiality when I saw clients and that was all under supervision.  That's what training is for.  Red flag.

Bottom line is there were so many things about this book that could have been brilliant.  Seriously.  Like, the way the author shows Kendra freaked out by her teacher (among others), asking herself is that the voice? is that the hand? Oh and how Kendra uses her artwork to express herself?  Hell to the yah.  It just lacked follow through.