ARC Review: Donna Cooner - Skinny

Donna Cooner - Skinny

• Pub Date: October 1, 2012
• Publisher: Point
• Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
• Age Range: Young Adult
• Source: ALA

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

I enjoyed this one. Even with its sad material, I liked to see the change in Ever. She grows throughout this book immensely. Ever is a smart girl, but she's confused and bullied because of her weight. She decides on gastric bypass surgery to help her lose weight because she's very heavy for her age and height. This is her journey. It's pretty inspirational with her bravery and courage. Plus, she does have some really positive people in her life. Although she's confused with everything going on in her life, there is always hope.

There's little to no swearing if I remember correctly, and there's no sexual content, so this is pretty decent for even the younger set. I'd recommend this one because it's a fairly short, quick read with some hope and inspiration. It's a book that can be used to remind us that we have to be who we are no matter what. Do what it takes to be happy. Enjoy!

Bottom line: It's a good book, even for younger YA readers.

Rating:

3.5 / 5 book sharks