Review: Faking Normal

I received this book for free from FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

Faking Normal is an fantastic blend of a real teenage voice echoing with life.  It’s amazing and I can’t wait to read more stories by this author.

Plot: Getting into this story is the easy part. It’s starts off hitting the reader fast with loads of emotion and loss. It then carries the reader into a place of peace (or at least you think) before more clues emerges. Let me tell you that this book certainly kept me on the edge of my sit. It’s raw yet so innovative that you can’t help but read it. The plot has a nice build, never-wavering but simply giving the reader enough to savor page after page. The last few chapters were an explosion of so much amazing writing.

Love/Friendship: I really adored watching this friendship grow. They not only become friends but they help one another. They help each other fight off their dark past yet they bloom with their growing friendship. The buildup of their friendship is also a nice, slow build so it gives the reader time to invest in the characters. You feel their emotions and thoughts, and yet you yearn to know the truth.

The Truth: OMG. I don’t think I have ever felt such a hard truth slap me in my face. I mean, I didn’t even see it coming!! It was like once minute I knew and the next…I’m slap in the face with something completely different. The realness of what happen and how it effected her left my heart aching. But like most cases, things aren’t always what they seem. Simply wonderful and breathtaking.

A sensational read that goes above and beyond what I normally read, Faking Normal is a success. The blending of loss and a friendship, it grabs the reader for a fight that can be won with the help of a trusting friend. Slowly assembling piece by piece to make for a inventively constructed read, Faking Normal is a book I highly recommend.

I give it 5 BITES!

Happy Reading!