Review: Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

Title: Faking Normal

Release Date/Publisher: February 25th 2014 by HarperTeen

Finished: January 24th 2014

Pages: 368-ARC eBook-Review

Synopsis:

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.

What I thought:

This book was really good, especially for a debut. I kind of read it in just one day, and I don’t usually do that since I get distracted by other things a lot.

There were a few times where I experienced all the emotions and just cried while reading this. Not all of it was bad though. Like you’ll just be reading along, enjoying the flow and how Alexi and Bodee interact, then one person says something and it’s like a punch in the face of feels. This book does have a bit of a heavy feel when they talk about their secrets, but honestly I felt light at the end of it. So you might not feel weighed down like with some other contemporaries that deal with issues.

I don’t want to go into too much description for this book, you really do have to read it and see if it’s for you. I won’t even say what their secrets are, but that Alexi’s are pieced together as she talks to or just is near Brodee. He’s a quiet guy on his own and barely talks, except to Alexi as time goes on. I really liked him and how he seemed to be her rock. The whole other mystery man with the desk was really cute too.

While it might not be a re-read for me, this book was written really well and I think it handles the issues of what these two have gone through really well. A great contemporary for the year, but make sure you have a box of tissue nearby in case you cry a bit too.