Book Review: Faking Normal

Faking Normal

By: Courtney C. Stevens

Published by: HarperCollins Children's

Release date: Feb. 25, 2014

Genre: YA contemporary

 336 pages

Buy it at Amazon, IndieBound, Book Depository, or Barnes & Noble

Source: ARC kindly provided by publisher

It's hard to know where to start when reviewing a book that speaks to your soul like Faking Normal spoke to mine. What I really want to say is, "I loved it. get it." But why did you love it? Asks the masses. Let me count the ways.

I loved that Alexi's hometown is so typically mid-America. I love in fly-over country, and though I enjoy reading stories set in coastal towns, it's nice to read something that portrays us as regular people. We don't all rodeo- just sayin'.


I loved that Alexi and her sister fight, then work it out. This is real: siblings don't always get along, and they don't always fight. They jockey for position and compete for attention. They are not always nice to each other, but they expect everyone else to be. Their relationships with their parents are equally realistic. I appreciate the honesty of the whole family dynamic. I also love that Alexi's family takes Bodee in, not because they feel sorry for him, but because it's the right thing to do.

I loved that Bodee was never much of a leader- until Alexi needed him to be. He is used to taking care of a his mom, and in her absence, takes up caring for Alexi. It's his patient and careful attention that carries her through when she doesn't think she's strong enough to take care of herself. Bodee quietly clears the path for her, leading her to a healthy conclusion. He is strong and sweet and selfless, all while battling back from his own wounds. Expect a Book Boyfriend featuring Bodee soon.

I love that kids who are working through the tough stuff are going to be able to read this book and know that they are not alone. They will be able to identify with either Alexi the pretty popular girl, or Bodee the Kool-Aid kid. They will know that refusing to face the ugliness won't make it go away, and that "channeling their brave" through the hard part is the best way to get better. They will know that it's important to find someone they trust and tell their story. Everyone deserves to tell their own story.

It's been a while since I've cruised through 336 pages this fast, guys. What an intensely beautiful, strikingly realistic story! I am excited to see what Stevens writes next.

Summary:

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.