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Bloody Bookaholic's Commandment:

Thou Shall Read Till Thy Eyes Bleed

Saturday 7 July 2012

Review + Giveaway! Skinny by Donna Cooner


Title: Skinny
Author: Donna Cooner
Series: Stand Alone
Book #: 1
Pages: 272
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: Photobucket
Goodreads Rating: 4.04
T.B.Published: October 1st, 2102

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

Taschima's POV:

It's s simple solution, really. Girl loves boy. Boy loves girl. Girl gets fat. Boy leaves. Girl cuts her stomach up into a little bitty pouch to get boy back.
-Ever, Skinny

The first time I wanted to read this book was in a Scholastic event where the author (along with some other helpers) played out the dialogue in the story out loud for the audience. From what heard from those few paragraphs I was intrigued. I got the book. Back at home, on a whim, I took it out off it's place in line in my TBR pile and read the back. The I read the first page, and the second page, and the third page... soon enough I was hooked.

The story undeniably has it's cheesy parts. From the predictable, Cinderella loosely based, overall plot, to the traditional high school experiences (being accepted into the "cool" crowd, going to the BIG dance, etc.), the cheese is deeply rooted. But then you get these glimpses into the characters souls and then you realize that they aren't as cookie cutted, they are more complicated than you might first think. My favorite character in the whole story wasn't Ever, the main character, it was her evil step sister Briella. That character alone was so complicated and it felt more alive to me than any other in that story. It seemed to me Briella wanted her story to be told as well, and even though she didn't have the spotlight she still manages to shine through. Ever is also a very complicated character that deals with a lot of issues, and although sometimes I found her unlikable as a person I could also appreciate the realness of the character. Being inside Ever's head was an experience I would not pass on though. Ever, Briella and Rat are the characters to watch out for here.

Also this isn't the kind of book that is trying to advise against having the gastric bypass surgery, I just wanted to clarify that because some books would take this as an opportunity to preach but Skinny does no such thing. I think the way it handled the whole thing was just right. It gives you all the needed information, but it doesn't feed it down your throat, nor does it try to sway you to think one decision is definitely better than the next.

The love story is as well cheesy and predictable, but it's so cute at the same time! And real, ya know? The whole time I was like, oh I know how this is going to happen, I know how you guys are going to go about it, but I can't help it, let it run it's course! This book is like a regular chick flick. You know how it's going to go down but you still buy the movie ticket and invite all your girlfriends along for the ride.

Because this book has a heart. It really does pull at your heart strings, and it's freaking entertaining. Reading about Ever's journey is worth it, worth your money, and definitely worth your time. I am so not a YA contemporary girl, but I wouldn't pass on Skinny for the world. It's really a book any girl, or boy, could relate to, because we all have had that voice in our heads that brings us down. And it is oh so satisfying to see how Ever kicks the hell out of that voice down to the grown.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Follow Bloody Bookaholic.
2. Leave a comment on this post. No spam!


US only, sorry international guys! My next BIG giveaway will be international though so stay tuned!

54 comments:

  1. Seems like a really interesting book .. (:

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  2. I think this book sound real. I'm excited to read it and see if it's as good (or better) than I hope!!

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  3. HOPE TI WIN :D

    gaby891 AT YAHOO DOT COM

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  4. So excited to read this one :) At the YA Editor's Buzz, Aimee Friedman made this book sound incredible so I had to pick it up!

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  5. This sounds like a very emotional read. I feel like it's been so long since I have read one. I'm definitely a contemporary girl so this sounds great!

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  6. I think this touches on a topic that is very timely. We are in a time where many of our young people are overweight.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

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  7. This sounds like a very interesting book! Thanks for the giveaway!

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  8. Awesome review! I've been wanting to read this book forever, I've heard great things about it.

    ~Paige @ Comfort Books

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  9. This one grabbed my attention. thanks for the chance to win.

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  10. this book looks great. thanks so much for the chance to win!

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  11. I am a follower and email subscriber. I would love to read this book. It sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  12. I would love to read this one, it sounds awesome!

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  13. I've been battling with self-image issues for a while, so this sounds like a perfect read.

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

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  14. I've been hearing a lot about this book around the blogosphere lately and I really am intrigued by it. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  15. Thanks for posting this giveaway! I've been reading a lot of these type books lately so I hope I win this one.

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  16. SKINNY does look very interesting. Thank you for your review.

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  17. I can't wait to read this. I underwent weight loss surgery four years ago, and this topic is extremely personal.

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  18. This sounds pretty good - it's on my TBR list now!

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  19. This looks like a great book!
    follow via gfc
    drakebdog@gmail.com

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  20. It sounds like it is addressing a real issue and I think that's great. I want to see how it turns out.

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  21. I would love to win this, because I myself have dealt with similar issues.

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  22. This sounds like a really good book

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  23. I was contemplating of requesting this on NetGalley but after your review I TOTALLY want it. Cheesy parts usually works for me so I think this book and I will get along well! hehe. Great review! :D

    Fara @ Tumbling In Books

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  24. A book like this could easily cross the line into preachy or uncomfortable territory, but it sounds like the author did a good job of telling a story without telling people what to do.

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  25. This book is a very personal issue and, being a Young Adult librarian, I see it is a personal issue for some of our female young adults as well. Thank you for writing this!

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  26. This looks great! Thanks for such an awesome giveaway.

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  27. Sounds interesting and have to add it to my TBR pile!!
    paynekristi at gmail dot com

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  28. Sounds like a very good book about a topic many teens can relate to in some way shape or form. Sounds like it handled it well too!

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  29. This sounds like a good read, not too deep but fun. I also love chick lit, so bonus! Hope I can snag myself a copy :) Thanks for the opportunity!

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  30. This sounds like a good read and I think a lot of us can relate to that voice in our head's (especially when we were teenagers) that said horrible things about ourselves.

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  31. I think this is going to be a very intense book talking about a very intense subject. The cover portrays this perfectly, making the "voices" very real.

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  32. I would love to read this book.

    choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. i would love a copy of this! thanks for this contest

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  34. This book sounds like something I would definitely read and ACTUALLY like, for sure! It makes me really excited. :D

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  35. Sounds interesting! Hopefully it won't be too cliche.. there are quite a handful of books regarding girls with eating problems that are just so stereotyped, I couldn't get past half of them. Looking forward to this one! :)

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  36. Looks awesome!

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  37. Despite the cheesy bits of the story, this one sounds fabulous :D Hope I love it when I do get the chance to read it. Thanks for the amazing giveaway!!

    Rabiah

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  38. I'd read it. I'm curious as to what she does with the voice in her head.

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  39. Seems like something I'd like to read!

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  40. Thanks for the giveaway. Seems like an interesting book whether I win it or not I'm still gonna get this book I really wanna read it.

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  41. Really good giveaways. I just finished Skinny, it was fabulous!

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  42. Interesting book. have to check it out.

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  43. I really want to read this book!!

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  44. I think this seems really interesting. It is very different :)
    Thanks for the wonderful giveaway

    Renee
    fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com

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  45. I think it sounds like a great read and it may be a great one for teenage girls to read
    melissalucky43@yahoo.com

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  46. sounds like a good read
    susansmoaks at gmail dot com

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  47. I had low self esteem as a child due to my weight - I'm trying to raise my girls to be strong and brave (and healthy)

    sarahyurga@yahoo.com

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  48. I think this would be a great read for both me and my daughter!

    tridingermckee at gmail dot com

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  49. It sounds like a book id enjoy.

    Peachesncream887(at)hotmail(dot)com

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Read your opinion, I want. Leave a comment, you shall.

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