Genre: Horror, YA
Source: Amazon
Purchase: Amazon
Summary on Goodreads: What if you could become thin overnight?
Katherine Blythe is an overweight teenager who, on her sixteenth birthday, wishes to be thin, only to find her wish coming true with alarming side effects. As she loses over half her weight in the span of a week, she finds the world is a different place when you look the way you’re told you should.
But is her wish responsible for all this? Or is there something else going on—something distinctly supernatural?
Review: Katherine starts as an unhappy overweight teen weighing almost 300 pounds. Her friend Sarah is excited to go out to the beach along with other teens from their year but Katherine dreads it. After a tearful breakdown Sarah takes her home from the mall and gives her a cupcake to wish her happy birthday. Katherine blows out the candle and wishes to be thin. This is when the real drama starts.
The world is different when you're thinner and Katherine learns both the good and the bad sides of her new look. Including doctor's appointments and a mood swinging mom. Katherine eventually realizes though that something is going on beyond just medical miracles and wishes. Something she just might not like.
I loved this novellette, a short read it doesn't shy away from the issues facing overweight teens or skimp on great writing. When I purchased it on Amazon I was confident I would get my money's worth on this ebook and I was not disappointed. Kevin had also written a previous horror series and he continues to draw in readers with captivating stories and great writing. My one gripe though is a disconnect with the storyline. Katherine wishes to be thin yet when supernatural elements come into play, they clearly have nothing to do with the wish. Especially when paternity becomes an issue. So why then did the wish start all of her changes? That was never answered and left a big hole in the story for me. I do highly recommend this book though and my storyline issue is the only reason this book doesn't get five stars. Kevin Richey is still a horror short story writing genius everyone should check out. I'm glad I read this book.
Rating: 4 Stars
Grimm
Did anyone see the insanity on Grimm last week on NBC? Won't give any spoilers but the writers were right to end with (only slightly paraphrasing) OH %&* I can't wait for the new episode! Damn it being February 28 but other than that....swell.
Express Yourself Meme
Is there anything you'd like to change, or work on, about yourself this year?
I have a short list.
1. Lose the weight I gained last year after getting sick.
2. Write more, procrastinate less.
3. Learn to network.
4. Pray more.
Remember that tomorrow is my interview with Sarah Brooks, author of The Beginning of Us. So glad my book review caught the publisher's attention.
I haven't watched much of Grimm - watched one or two of the first eps and wasn't that pulled in. but I do intend to revisit it :)
ReplyDeleteSheena,
ReplyDeleteI with you on praying more and procrastinating less.
I guess there are some lessons in that book to do with self-acceptance.
Sorry, I didn't see Grimm.
ReplyDeleteNumber four is something we all need to work on. It would solve all the other issues, that's for sure.
Sheena-kay, that could pretty much be my list, too. Except I don't know that I'll even be good at #3!
ReplyDeleteI need to check out Grimm. And Unpretty sounds good, though I hate when a question goes unanswered. Drives me batty!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel, I could so copy and paste you list. Though I disagree that Rachel is bad at networking. She's just being modest.
I love how you say that you want to pray more. That is so rare to find on the internet. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an issue many of us can relate to, not just teens. I like: Write more, procrastinate less. Sort of what I posted about today!
ReplyDelete