Latest Read: My Life in Black and White

Here are the basics ...
Book: My Life in Black & White
Author: Natasha Friend
Site: http://www.natashafriend.com/
Category: Young Adult - Contemporary

Summary: Lexi has always been stunning. Her perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield. Now she's not sure what's worse: the scars she'll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she's much more than just a pretty face. (Adapted goodreads.com) 

My thoughts…

The good: The fact that I could feel sympathy and understanding for a bunch of entitled 15 year olds so different myself (now and then) shows the strength of the author's writing. Lexi is beautiful. It's something she's heard her entire life, from family, friends and strangers. It's a fact and if she's honest with herself, it's also her defining quality. So when a car accident leaves half her face scarred - where does that leave her? This story is a girl's struggle to grow up and define herself on her own terms. Lexi is very much a teenager. She's dependent on her looks, bratty, self-absorbed (pre and post accident) and frustrating to the point where you want to shake some sense into her (ditto for her best friend - seriously, teens these days!). And yet.. I saw something in her, underneath all her drama. She's a good person struggling to accept herself and find her place among the people in her life. Plus if I was thrown out a car and scarred half my face - I would think it was the end of the world too. And if I was a teenager when that happened, I would feel the same way times a billion. I thought the book did amazing job of capturing that. It's not supposed to be an easy journey. It's meant to be frustrating. Along the way, Lexi learns some necessary truths about friendship (I'm still on the fence about her BFF but jealousy can make people do stupid things), her sister (who I think is awesome), guys (she finds a little romance), and herself.

(Minor) reservations: I hoped the book would explore Levi's relationship with her mom more. This woman had been monitoring her food and looks intensely her whole life but it was never fully explained. I mean with the way she treated her, she's lucky Lexi wasn't anorexic or bulimic. Her mom obviously plays a huge role in her life but she felt so one dimensional. She didn't seem to understand anything Lexi told her. There were also some other threads I wanted better resolved but maybe things were meant to be open-ended.

Do I recommend?: Yes! It was a quick read that was emotional and realistic.  I really enjoyed it!

Happy reading!