FROM AMAZON: Angie is the only one in her family - maybe the only one in the world - who believes her captured war-hero sister is still alive. Angie needs to believe it. It’s better than thinking about last year, when she tried to kill herself in front of a packed gym. Better than trying to steer clear of Stacy Ann Sloan and her posse of ultra-mean girls. Better than dealing with her corporate-lawyer mother, who wants to know only one thing: When is Angie going to lose exactly 29 pounds?

Then a new girl, KC, arrives in Dryfalls, Ohio. She’s beautiful, hip, and smart, and everyone wants to know her. From the minute they meet, KC sees the real Angie, not the fat girl hiding from her pain under a mountain of junk food. She sees Angie for who she really is: someone who just might shake things up - on the basketball court and in KC’s life. Outrageous and touching, this darkly comic, anti-romantic romance brings us unforgettable characters on the edge.

I didn't much care for the writing of this YA novel (too YA in style for me) but the plot was interesting. The mother Connie made my blood boil as in my opinion she was emotionally abusing her daughter rather than just being neglectful. ( )

A YA book that covers the gamut: fat-shaming, bullying, gay-bashing, attempted suicide (not on-screen), cutting, binging & purging. It also had the requisite YA-missing/horrible-parent.

I know that first paragraph sounds like I didn't like this book, but I did (obviously, as I gave it four stars). It's not necessarily an easy book; it's hard to read about a girl being bullied all the time. And there were times when I really just wanted to take Angie away from her horrible mother and take care of her myself. But, as happens in a good YA novel, truths are learned, and people find out a little bit about themselves. And what more can we really ask for? ( )

Angie is honestly just trying to get by. That's all she wants – to make it through the day as smoothly and quietly as possible. It isn't the easiest thing in the world, especially as most of her school remembers the day she tried to kill herself in the fully crowded gym. Her mum doesn't seem to care that much about anything other than Angie's weight whilst her brother seems to only give a shit when he's able to mock her and her life. It didn't always use to be that way, but things have seriously gotten out of hand family-wise ever since Angie's older sister joined the army. Nowdays, Angie is the only one who believes she's still out there somewhere.

At least until KC suddenly pops up. She's the new girl in Dryfalls, Ohio and might honestly be the coolest, most beautiful person Angie has ever laid her eyes on. As if that isn't enough, she keeps insisting on bonding with Angie, like she's got the best friendship offers. And whilst she does prefer to be her own company, it's hard to resist. Especially as KC is the first person to treat her like she's just another person; she hasn't felt that way since her sister left home. It's a nice feeling.

Oh, boy. There are very, very few things I didn't like about this book. It is pure beauty... just as much as it is is brutal tragedy. But that's the nice part of it, it allows itself to be both. Just like, you know, life usually is. I feel like there isn't just one plot in this book, it's a complex mix of different themes that sort of paint a picture together; and that picture is the book itself. Angie is the narrator and it's mostly about her and her struggles but it's just as much about KC and her past or Angie's brother Wang and his struggles with their sister going missing as well as his adoption as a child. I know most books are different themes coming together; especially when they are realistic fiction such as this one, but I could feel it in a whole different way in this book than I usually do in others.

But yes, the truth is that it's mostly about Angie – her struggles, her sorrows, her joys, her. It was hard not to fall in love with her, platonically, sure, but love nonetheless, because she felt so raw and real and full of flaws but also of, well, perfections. I do have one problem with her, though, that I have a hard time letting go. At one point, during a fight, she calls Wang rice muncher and quite honestly, I don't care how mean your brother is; there is no excuse to be racist. It was a big disappointment to read that line. Especially as there is no follow up on it. And I just want to, like, ask the author what the fucking point with that was? Honestly? What the fuck. ( )