Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
Expected Publication: April 24th 2018 by Wednesday Books
Number of Pages: 352 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

   Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

   Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

   She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with 

an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion *

   That cover, along with the description and the fact that it's a viking inspired YA Fantasy story? I was immediately hooked, and very happy when I saw that I got approved for an ARC. I've never read a book like this before, one that stepped away from your typical fantasy setting of kings and castles and witches, and instead followed two different clans and their beliefs and mentalities.

   Unfortunately I didn't love this nearly as much as I hoped I would, which isn't to say that I disliked it, which I didn't, but certain parts just fell really flat for me. I enjoyed finding out more about the Aska and the Riki, about what made them different, why they fought each other, about Eelyn and the pain she felt over losing her brother, Iri, the bond between her and her clan and her god, Sigr. It was fascinating, and felt different from the stories I've read before this one.

   The world building was intriguing and lush, filled with little details that made the world feel full and lived in. The different rituals and traditions were interesting to read about, as well as the Scandinavian inspired setting.

   A problem I did have was that basically the first half of the story felt like the plot was just kind of happening around Eelyn and she was just kind of dragged along, angry and crying, wanting to do something but not really doing anything to achieve that. It simply felt very reactive. In the last 40% of the book that did change, at least to a certain extend, but something just didn't click for me about Eelyn and her character for a while. She was interesting, don't get me wrong, but there was just so much crying and anger that didn't really do anything much. Of course you can be a fierce warrior and cry, that's totally fine and normal, everyone has a wide range of emotions, but just the sheer amount of it kind of contradicted what she was trying to be portrayed as.

   Fiske was an interesting character, very stoic and hard, harsh and quiet. I liked the scenes between him and Eelyn, as well as Iri. Finding out about how Iri even ended up with the Riki to begin with, how he survived and what happened across the years, it was nice.

   I also liked some of the secondary characters, but most I really didn't care about or didn't trust because of certain signs, that ultimately didn't lead anywhere which was a bit unfortunate. The romance was subtle enough and felt fine, not really the type of romance I'd scream about and swoon but that's okay. The story wasn't about the romance, it was about the clans and fighting and action.

   Speaking of which, Sky in the Deep was very action packed with a lot of fight scenes and blood and chaos. I will admit that at some point I felt tempted to skim some of them because some of those fight scenes just stretched a little too much for my liking and to hold my attention, but I didn't do it. I still read them.

   The writing style was very nice and I enjoyed it a lot. I liked some of the language that was used in the story, the Scandinavian sounding names and places. It made everything come together nicely.

   All in all I enjoyed Sky in the Deep and I would recommend it, even though it wasn't quite what I hoped it would be. I read most of it in one sitting since it's not that long and a relatively quick read. So if you're interested in some YA fantasy with a viking setting, this might be for you.

I give Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Triple Review #2

Under Rose-Tainted Skies Louise Gornall

Published: January 3rd 2017 by Clarion Books

Number of Pages: 320 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.

   Norah can’t leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn’t so screwed up. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Clarion Books for providing me with an eARC 

in exchange for my honest review *

   Under Rose-Tainted Skies is the first book centered around a character with agoraphobia, paired with OCD, that I have ever read and it was quite the experience. There is quite the difference between knowing what agoraphobia means definition and psychology wise, and experiencing it through the eyes of a character who lives with this mental illness.

   I really enjoyed reading about Norah, her life and the struggles she faced on a daily basis because of her mental illnesses. Her voice and narration came across very honest and real, fitting for someone her age, and definitely brought across how hard it is to be a teenager and not being able to do all the things other teenagers are able to do. But even when stepping out of her own front door seemed like the most daunting thing in the world, Norah wasn't giving up, she still wanted to live a life, even if said life was limited to what she could do inside the house and what her mental illness allowed her to do.

   Luke was also an interesting character and I enjoyed his interactions with Norah, the way he tried to make her feel like she is just a girl defined by her personality and not her illness. But, at the same time, I did struggle a bit to see the romance between the two. It was well written, but sometimes I found myself wishing that instead of going in a romantic direction, they would've just formed a deeper friendship and shown the importance of that instead of love.

   Another thing that I saw a few other people mention with which I agree to some extent was that this book felt strangely reminiscent of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, which also centered around a girl unable to leave the house and who feel in love with her cute new neighbor, even if these two books deal with vastly different subject matters when it comes to mental illness and illness.

   Either way I really enjoyed reading Under Rose-Tainted Skies and almost read it in a single day once I could really sit down and dive into it properly.

I give Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall 4 out of 5 stars!

* * *

A List of Cages Robin Roe

Published: January 10th 2017 by Disney-Hyperion

Number of Pages: 320 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he's got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn't easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can't complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian--the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years.

   Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He's still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what's really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Disney-Hyperion for providing me with an eARC 

in exchange for my honest review *

   A List of Cages was truly a remarkable yet very emotional read depicting a beautiful and meaningful friendship as well as dealing with very important and critical topics such as: ADHD, the effects of abuse on a child, how hard it is to recognize and escape said abuse, the meaning of family and foster care.

   Originally I was drawn to this book due to its stunning cover and beautiful title, but ultimately the plot surprised me by gripping me from page one and not letting me go until a long time after I was done reading. This definitely isn't an easy book you can just read and be done with, but rather one that will make you think and possibly even change your view on a lot of things.

   I loved both narrators, Adam and Julian. I loved how different their voices and narrations were, how vastly different their lives were and how wonderfully they slotted together as friends. Seeing Adam care so much about Julian and wanting to help him was amazing, as well as experiencing what it means to have ADHD through his narration was great. Julian on the other hand was a tragic character trapped in a life I wouldn't wish upon any child. He goes through horrible, horrible things and it's truly heartbreaking to read about.

   A List of Cages is a truly important book I think anyone should read, even if it might not necessarily seem like your cup of tea. It has beautiful writing, a realistic, raw and honest plot, and features great characters that will stay with you even after you're done reading. I cannot recommend this book enough, honestly!

I give A List of Cages by Robin Roe 5 out of 5 stars!

* * *

Throwing My Life Away by Liz Czukas

Published: December 20th 2016 by Liz Czukas

Number of Pages: 316 Pages (Paperback)

Series: No

   7 photographs, 2 weeks, an entire life to get back. No problem, right?

   After her stepfather accidentally throws away her high school mementos, sentimental Mariska is pretty sure the world is over. That is, until she comes up with a plan. She's going to recreate her past, with a little help from her friends.

   It's not easy to rally everyone into helping, especially Caine, who couldn't be less sentimental about anything if he were a park bench. But from a guerilla kite festival to convincing her ex-boyfriend to recreate her lost prom picture, Mariska is willing to do what it takes.

   With a little nudging from Caine, Mariska starts to realize she can't actually get her past back. And maybe that's okay. Because while she's so focused on the past, she's missing out on the present, where her friends are busy having the summer of their lives. And where funny, quiet Caine might just be the future she never knew she wanted. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Liz Czukas for providing me with an eARC 

in exchange for my honest review *

   If I had to review this book using a single word I would choose "fun". This was the first book by Liz Czukas I've ever read, through I've had her previous books on my TBR for what seems like ages, so I was excited when Liz emailed me to ask if I'd be interested in reviewing this one.

   I really enjoyed Mariska's narration and her sentimentality and how important memories and her lost photographs were to her. As someone who rarely takes pictures with friends, I couldn't relate 100%, but it was interesting to read about Mariska and her friends trying to recreate the previously mentioned lost photographs nonetheless.

   Speaking about friends, I really liked them a lot and their friendships really came across very realistic and teen-like which I greatly appreciate. 

   Reading this book after a bunch of heavy-topic ones was definitely a very welcome change since it was relatively light and fluffy. It definitely made me want to check out Liz other books more, now that I know that I like her writing style and such. Hopefully I will get around to that soon!

I give Throwing My Life Away by Liz Czukas 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Going Geek by Charlotte Huang

Going Geek by Charlotte Huang

Published: September 13th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   A girl forced out of her comfort zone finds that being true to herself is the best way to live her life, in this second novel from the author of For the Record.

   It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Skylar Hoffman’s senior year at her preppy East Coast boarding school should have been perfect:

   amazing boyfriend

   the coolest friends

   the most desirable dorm

   But it’s far from it. To her dismay, Skylar’s not going to rule senior year because she’s stuck in Abbot House, a tiny dorm known for, well, nothing. Living with a group of strangers everyone thinks is lame is bad enough. Worse is that Skylar wasn’t exactly truthful about how she spent summer break in Los Angeles—and her little white lie is causing her once rock-solid romance to crumble fast. And when it turns out that Skylar’s best friend is the one responsible for having her booted from Lincoln? It’s an all-out war.

   Stepping out of her comfort zone never felt so scary—or necessary. But everything is different now. Including, maybe, Skylar herself . . . (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Random House and Delacorte for sending me an ARC 

in exchange for my honest opinion *

   I absolutely loved For the Record last year, so when I heard about Charlotte's next book, I knew I had to read it. Thankfully, I was one of the very lucky people who got ARCs of it, even though shipping took 2 months for unknown reasons.

   Going Geek is set at a boarding school and is all about Skylar who, upon arriving, finds out that she won't be sharing a dorm building with her popular friends but that she's been transferred into the least popular dorm of all. On top of that Skylar's family is struggling financially and she gets booted out of everything she used to be part of. On top of that she looses her friendship with her popular best friend and the relationship with her boyfriend, solely because everyone finds out that she lied about what she did over the summer, alas that in reality she spent it working.

   Across the novel we follow her as she tries to figure out her new life and also the fact that maybe the traditional and typical high school way of thinking of the "cool" and "popular" people isn't the only one.

   It took me a while to warm up to Skylar since she isn't necessarily your typical likable narrator, but once I did, I got really pulled into the story and started to root for her. Her arc is really interesting and different, especially since, for once, we don't read about the typical wallflower grey mouse type girl, but someone who used to belong to the popular crowd, who has strong opinions and doesn't fear to speak her mind, even though it doesn't always work in her favor.

   Another thing I really liked about Going Geek was the diverse cast of characters and the fact that even the secondary ones seemed fleshed out and fun, not just like shadows that were needed to push the plot along. I really liked the girls Skylar shared her dorm with!

   Just like in For the Record, Charlotte's writing was amazing. The descriptions interesting and fun, her characters full of layers and dimensions, quirks and weirdness that made them unique and realistic. But, even though I really enjoyed Going Geek, I still have to admit I preferred For the Record, maybe even only because it was about music and it was the first book I ever read from Charlotte. Still, Going Geek was a fun read I can definitely recommend!

I give Going Geek by Charlotte Huang 4 stars.

Review: The Art of Holding On and Letting Gn by Kristin Bartley Lenz

The Art of Holding On and Letting Go by Kristin Bartley Lenz

Expected Publication: September 12th 2016 by Elephant Rock Productions, Inc.

Pages: 307 Pages (Paperback)

Series: No

   A Junior Library Guild Fall 2016 Selection

   “When every piece falls into place, it’s like a dance, a delicate but powerful balancing act. The art of holding on and letting go at the same time.”

   Competitive climber Cara Jenkins feels most at home high off the ground, clinging to a rock wall by her fingertips. She’s enjoyed a roaming life with her mountaineering parents, making the natural world her jungle gym, the writings of Annie Dillard and Henry David Thoreau her textbooks. But when tragedy strikes on an Ecuadoran mountaintop, Cara’s nomadic lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt.

   Starting over at her grandparents’ home in suburban Detroit, Cara embarks on a year of discovery, uncovering unknown strengths, friendships, and first love. Cara’s journey illustrates the transformative power of nature, love and loss, and discovering that home can be far from where you started. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Elephant Rock Books for providing me with an 

eARC in exchange for my honest review *

   When the publisher contacted me regarding this book and I checked out the synopsis I was definitely intrigued. I've never read a book about a competitive climber before, or even seen climbing being mentioned in any other YA book I've read so far, so I was eager to dive into it. Thanks to a massive reading slump it took me way longer then it usually would, which is a shame, but I made my way through it and I can tell you that I was not disappointed by it.

   In this story we follow Cara's story that starts off in Ecuador during a climbing competition (which is described really, really well and with just the perfect amount of details) during which tragedy strikes Cara's family. Following Cara as she holds on to hope that maybe everything will be okay, and then having to accept that it won't and that her entire life is about to change, was heartbreaking and brilliantly written. Seeing her navigate a her new surroundings, making new friends and falling in love was amazing, especially because it was such a contrast to the way the book started off.

   What stuck out for me about this book was the way Kristin described the climbing aspect and Cara's emotional landscape, how it was changing and evolving along the way. You could really feel what she was feeling and understand why she felt that way and why she made certain choices. Cara is a fascinating character that I very much enjoyed reading about.

   I really enjoyed Kristin's writing style, the way she created likable and relatable characters that seemed realistic and three dimensional. The story definitely lived up to my hopes and to that really pretty cover.

   All in all, The Art of Holding On and Letting Go is a intriguing story that brings something new to the table, something we've not seen before, and it does it incredibly well. I can definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for a contemporary with lots of emotions and a looking into the life of a competitive climber.

I give The Art of Holding On and Letting Go by Kristin Bartley Lenz 5 out of 5 stars.

   Purchase links:
   Amazon
   IndieBound
   Books-A-Million
   Barnes & Noble
   Goodreads
   Kobo

   Also, if you want, you can totally check out the blog tour for The Art of Holding On and Letting Go (which I'm totally part of):

·      Mon., Aug. 22 – Kristin makes a guest post on Making Connections

·      Fri., Aug. 26 – Kristin interviewed on Fiction Over Reality

·      Tues., Aug. 30 – Kristin interviewed on A Leisure Moment

·      Thurs., Sept. 1 – Kristin interviewed on Crazy Book Obsessions!

·      Sunday, Sept. 4 – Kristin makes an appearance on blackplume

·      Tues., Sept. 6 – Kristin makes a guest post on Books Are Love

·      Thurs., Sept. 8 – Kristin interviewed on Alice Reeds

·      Mon., Sept. 12 – Release day post on Making Connections

·      Mon., Sept. 12 – Kristin makes a guest post on Books & Tea

·      Mon., Sept. 12 – Kristin is interviewed by her agent, Carrie Pestritto, on Literary Carrie

·      Thurs., Sept. 15 – Kristin interviewed on Books Are Love

·      Tues., Sept. 20 – Kristin makes a guest post on The Reading Date

·      Friday, Sept. 23 – Kristin makes a guest post on Twenty Three Pages

·      Mon., Sept. 26 – Kristin interviewed on Literary Rambles

·      Wed., Sept. 28 – Kristin interviewed on Wandering Educators

·      Wed., Oct. 5 – Kristin interviewed on Operation Awesome 

2016 Debut Author Bash - Guest Post: Karen Fortunati (The Weight of Zero) + Giveaway

   Welcome!

   I am incredibly excited to be part of this years Debut Author Bash hosted by YA Reads. Today I am bringing you my final post promoting an amazing debut author and her incredible book!

   For the grand finale I am bringing you a marvelous guest post written by the brilliant Karen Fortunati, author of The Weight of Zero. Check out what she wrote, along with her book and the giveaway below!

The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

Expected Publication: October 11th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Number of Pages: 400 Pages

Series: No

   Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt.

   Being bipolar is forever. It never goes away. The med du jour might work right now, but Zero will be back for her. It’s only a matter of time.

   And so, in an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list.

   The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.

   This is a story of loss and grief and hope, and how some of the many shapes of love—maternal, romantic, and platonic—affect a young woman’s struggle with mental illness and the stigma of treatment. (goodreads.com)

Inspirations behind The Weight of Zero 

and its characters

   When The Weight of Zero begins, seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski has formulated a suicide plan. That’s how she first appeared in my head – lonely, ashamed and dreading the return of her bipolar depression that she’s named “Zero.” I knew immediately that Catherine would get help from people she never expected and that help, along with her inner strength, would aid in her struggle. I also knew in that first month of writing that Catherine would be inspired by a historical figure.

   This idea of historical inspiration had made a huge impression on me well before I wrote Weight. What happened was this: after years of query rejection, I figured that this writing thing probably wasn’t going to pan out. So I went back to school for a graduate degree in American Studies. One of the first papers I wrote was on a work of art by Judy Chicago called The Dinner Party. I was pretty appalled by it. At first, the idea sounded intriguing: a triangular table set for thirty-nine significant women from Western history. It’s set on a white tile floor inscribed with the names of 999 women. What’s more, the place settings are made with materials and techniques used during the era when each woman lived. So it all sounded great until I read about the dishes, specifically the imagery and shape of the plates. You see, artist Judy Chicago crafted the plates using vaginal/butterfly imagery. I’m not kidding. I scoffed at this masterpiece of feminist art.

   Until I went to see it at the Brooklyn Museum. (It’s on permanent display and if you have a chance to see it, go!) It is basically majestic. And it became even more so after I had done my research. Because I learned that Chicago suffered mindboggling discrimination as a young woman artist in the 1960s and ‘70s. Prejudice was rampant in museums and galleries and in the art schools and colleges, women were instructed to avoid sexual imagery, pale and pastel colors and delicate lines as well as girlie techniques like sewing, embroidery, ceramics and china painting.

Taken from here.

   Chicago struggled. And specifically turned to women in history for consolation and inspiration. Yet her reading also infuriated her because she couldn’t comprehend how the many contributions of women had been omitted from mainstream culture. So The Dinner Party became Chicago’s personal history project as well as a defiant, in-your-face gesture to the male-dominated art world. She jubilantly employed the techniques, materials and sexual imagery that had been outlawed. And she kicked ass.

   So in 2014 when I charged into writing Weight, I searched for a historical figure to inspire Catherine. My initial research focused on the D-Day Invasion and by complete luck, I found an article about the four women buried in the Normandy

Taken from here.

American Cemetery. Three of these women were from the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first all female, all African-American unit to serve overseas. I studied up on the Six-Triple-Eight and their courage and perseverance astounded me. They suffered horrible prejudice especially in the 1940s because they were women and black and serving in a segregated military. And like so many accounts of women in general and during World War II, they remain basically unknown.

   There was no doubt in my mind that I would create a character belonging to this unit and Private First Class Jane Talmadge is based on the real recollections of members of the Six-Triple-Eight. Through a history project much like Chicago’s, in The Weight of Zero, Catherine gains consolation and inspiration from Jane.

   Like Catherine, I was tremendously inspired by the Six-Triple-Eight. I’m hopeful that the publication of Weight will further publicize their incredible story.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

   I’m a writer of contemporary, realistic YA. The subject of my first book, The Weight of Zero, is mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, and it explores the shame, stigma and anxiety that often complicate the management of this chronic condition. The issue is personal to me having witnessed the impact of depression and bipolar disorder in relatives and friends. My goal was to write a story of hope for teens who struggle with mental illness.

   My path to writing and publication was a long and indirect one. I graduated from the University of Scranton with an accounting degree and then got a law degree from Georgetown. After working as a lawyer for many years, I found myself growing interested and then fascinated with history, specifically the American Revolution. This fascination sparked the idea for a middle grade story so between family, dogs and a return to school (Trinity College for a master’s degree in American Studies), I threw myself into writing.

   Success for that middle grade story never arrived. (To see my interview about that, click here.) But that was okay. Because another idea was brewing, one that moved me in a way my first story never had. About a girl who had to deal not only with the standard pressures and stress of high school but also a much heavier weight – a mental illness. The story would be about her struggle to come to terms with it. It became The Weight of Zero. (Taken from Karen's website)

Review: The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

Expected Publication: October 11th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt.

   Being bipolar is forever. It never goes away. The med du jour might work right now, but Zero will be back for her. It’s only a matter of time.

   And so, in an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list.

   The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.

   This is a story of loss and grief and hope, and how some of the many shapes of love—maternal, romantic, and platonic—affect a young woman’s struggle with mental illness and the stigma of treatment. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you, Karen, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

   There are books you know you will like, and there are books that manage to exceed all your hopes and expectations. The Weight of Zero was high on my list of anticipated reads of 2016 and it didn't fail to deliver, beat all my expectations by a tenfold and easily stands a giant chance at being my book of the year 2016, even though it's only April.

   The Weight of Zero belongs to my favorite kind of books, those contemporaries that deal with hard topics such as depression and bipolar, as in the case of this one. Knowing that, I was painfully aware, and afraid, of all the tropes that could possibly litter this one, but, thankfully, I found none of them. The Weight of Zero shows a very truthful and realistic, raw and honest portrayal of those two mental illnesses, of life, friendships, and love with them, and it does it brilliantly.

   Our protagonist in The Weight of Zero is Catherine who, as mentioned before, is suffering of bipolar and depression which drives her to the decision that, at some point in the foreseeable future, she wants to commit suicide. That sounds really sad, might be discouraging to some, but her tale isn't sad. It's very honest, intriguing and funny at times, offering insights into both the social and psychological aspect of living with a mental illness, or multiple ones. 

   I absolutely loved Catherine. Her voice felt like that of a young adult with quirks and thoughts that felt like ones something someone of her age would actually have. I loved how passionate she was about their history project, loved her relationship with her new friends and the way she started to change over time. Her character arc was amazing and I loved every second of it. She wasn't one of those perfect Mary Sue type girls who only realized their true worth and everything because of a boy, no, she does it all on her own and it's beautiful to watch. Something else that stood out to me was how she learned to differentiate between her self and her illness, understanding that they are two different things, not a single one.

   Speaking of her friends, I loved Kristal. She was an amazing character, a wonderful friend, and just generally someone I would love to be friends with in real life. I loved every scene in which we saw the two of them interact, even the sadder ones, because it really felt like reading about two young girls and not forty year old philosophers.

   And Michael was just perfect in every way. He wasn't your typical swoon worthy "Mr. Six pack I could have every girl I want and I'm a bad boy" type love interest, but rather an ordinary boy with a wonderfully crazy family. He was amazing, toward Catherine and his friend. He also seemed like someone I would have loved to be friends with during my school times.

   Another thing I loved about The Weight of Zero was the fact that it showed that the right medication and psychiatrist can really have very positive effects on you and your journey with mental illnesses. Usually, we only see medication shown in a either neutral or negative way, but here we see the positive one, which is definitely something I wish we could see more often. The same goes for Catherine's psychiatrist who is great at his job and shows that they are really there to help you and not make you feel worse or force you into talking and doing things you don't want to my manipulating you.

   When it comes to Karen Fortunati's writing style, I can only say that I think it's amazing and her voice for Catherine was intriguing, realistic and great. Her trains of thoughts made sense, the way she described certain scenes and moments was captivating, and it really made you feel whatever it was that was happening to Catherine. I cannot wait to see what Karen will write next because I will definitely read it.

   All in all, I think The Weight of Zero is one of those wonderful examples of a hard topic book done very much very right. It shows a really realistic view at mental illnesses and living with them, it gives you hope and shows that you can still have a normal and happy life despite them, that even during dark moments, there are still good ones. So I can only dearly recommend this book on so many levels, no matter if you're looking for a book with wonderful friendships, a cute romance or a hard topic book in general, this one is a very good choice fitting all three of them.

I give The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati 5 out of 5 Stars.