Author: Courtney C. Stevens
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 8th, 2014
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
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.
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.
My Review:
This book is a monster, and while the cover appears all nice and cuddly there is a part of book that will devour your soul. I love this book, and every ounce that makes me afraid of it. There are stories of psychopaths or murders; demons, werewolves or vampires; the angry ex, vendetta filled rival or the monster escaped from the penitentiary. This book isn't any of those, it's worse, it holds the past. While that's far worse than anything before, it's the past that's the biggest demons. I have to agree with Emily May, this book is just something to be feared, but not for any of the reasons you think.
Alexi isn't your typical troubled teen, she's far more and the depth of her character makes the tragedy that much harder to deal with. I love how she is portrayed as your normal high school teen, but at the same time there is something that haunts her, to the point where she actually hurts herself. I'm not talking about cutting, pills, or any of that. She digs her nails in to neck, and then tries to hide it with clothing. It's sad to see someone so haunted by her past and something done to her that this is her outlet.
I didn't intend to read a book about Rape, but I have always wanted to know what women go through and how they deal. If this is any insight, it blew my mind and frankly took my breath away. How Alexi is suppressing her past just so she can cope and not screw up the rest of her family. She loves her sister, and I think that's where some of the animosity comes in. I believe she doesn't mean all the negativity she throws at her sister, it's just a form of reaching out asking for help in her own way.
The second part of the book that threw me for a loop is Bodee, and he's far different than what I thought he'd be. Any girl wouldn't think of Bodee at all, he's far different and what anyone would imagine themselves winding up with. Maybe he's this other metaphor for what we end up with and everything we dream of. The point being that maybe who we wind up being with, isn't who we would have drawn them twenty years prior. I love how Stevens captures that moment time and time again, makes us realize just what we have in front of us.
The biggest part is a coming of age part in this novel, it doesn't take part until the end. I am going to cut that, and talk about how the story evolves from not only falling into a relationship with Bodee and confiding in someone she hasn't or trusting someone in general. The story continues and goes further into her not only discussing but opening up and eventually confronting the person. I love how the story evolves and Alexi just matures throughout the book.
Insight into rape victims is hard to come by, and this book should be an inspiration to anyone whose been abused or raped. It's great to see a book as original and deep, and demands to be read. Courtney Stevens, great work on this novel and capturing the raw essence of Alexi and Bodee. This book needs to be read and I believe afterwards it'll show up on more favorite shelves, It's that kind of book.
Alexi isn't your typical troubled teen, she's far more and the depth of her character makes the tragedy that much harder to deal with. I love how she is portrayed as your normal high school teen, but at the same time there is something that haunts her, to the point where she actually hurts herself. I'm not talking about cutting, pills, or any of that. She digs her nails in to neck, and then tries to hide it with clothing. It's sad to see someone so haunted by her past and something done to her that this is her outlet.
I didn't intend to read a book about Rape, but I have always wanted to know what women go through and how they deal. If this is any insight, it blew my mind and frankly took my breath away. How Alexi is suppressing her past just so she can cope and not screw up the rest of her family. She loves her sister, and I think that's where some of the animosity comes in. I believe she doesn't mean all the negativity she throws at her sister, it's just a form of reaching out asking for help in her own way.
The second part of the book that threw me for a loop is Bodee, and he's far different than what I thought he'd be. Any girl wouldn't think of Bodee at all, he's far different and what anyone would imagine themselves winding up with. Maybe he's this other metaphor for what we end up with and everything we dream of. The point being that maybe who we wind up being with, isn't who we would have drawn them twenty years prior. I love how Stevens captures that moment time and time again, makes us realize just what we have in front of us.
The biggest part is a coming of age part in this novel, it doesn't take part until the end. I am going to cut that, and talk about how the story evolves from not only falling into a relationship with Bodee and confiding in someone she hasn't or trusting someone in general. The story continues and goes further into her not only discussing but opening up and eventually confronting the person. I love how the story evolves and Alexi just matures throughout the book.
Insight into rape victims is hard to come by, and this book should be an inspiration to anyone whose been abused or raped. It's great to see a book as original and deep, and demands to be read. Courtney Stevens, great work on this novel and capturing the raw essence of Alexi and Bodee. This book needs to be read and I believe afterwards it'll show up on more favorite shelves, It's that kind of book.
