Review: Girl Against The Universe

Girl Against The Universe | Paula Stokes

Published by: HarperTeen, May 17th 2016

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mental Illness

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook

Source: Publisher, via Edelweiss

From the author of The Art of Lainey and Liars, Inc. comes a fresh, contemporary story about a girl coping with PTSD and the boy who wants to help her move on from the past.

Sixteen-year-old Maguire knows the universe is against her. No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when she's around. Like that time the roller coaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or the time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash--and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch. 

Despite what her therapist tells her, Maguire thinks it's best to hide out in her room, far away from anyone she might accidentally hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star who wants to help her break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for him is to stay away, but it turns out staying away might be harder than she thought.

I knew I was going to love this but I didn't guess HOW MUCH I'd love it. This book was pretty much made for me - tennis, romance, and anxiety? Yes to all this in one book. I waited way too long read it though and I wish I'd read it last year because I love it so much. Honestly this whole book is perfect, from the tennis to the characters and family life (I loved her step-dad) and the friendships in this. My favourite bits were of Jordy, the love interest who is so real and messed up and lovely that I fell for him so hard. And I really loved the main character and her recovery, how messy and raw it was for her to face her fears and move past them. This is just written so well, especially the therapy. I'm so glad I read it. I wish it was longer though - I wasn't ready to say goodbye to this book.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

ARC Review: How It Feels To Fly

How It Feels To Fly | Kathryn Holmes

Published by: HarperTeen, June 14th 2016

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mental Illness, Anxiety

Pages: 368

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperTeen, via Edelweiss

The movement is all that matters. 

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope. 

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

There were so many moments when I connected with this book, and it was totally unexpected. So, so happy I picked it up. Here are my thoughts:

- I can't imagine what it feels like for your own body to make your career impossible, or ruin any chance of your dreams coming true.

- I love Samantha, and felt everything she was going through. Her own bravery made me feel really motivated in myself.

- I ADORE the friends Sam made, and their strange relationships and interactions. They'd never be friends ordinarily, but I love how they came together.

- But I did feel icky about the 'romance'. It was really obvious where it was going and it made me so uncomfortable to read it.

- BUT I loved everything else!

- An uplifting, funny, inspiring, emotional book. I want to read it all over again.

Characters ★★★★☆
Setting/World ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆