Upcoming Book: Within and Without
I always love having the opportunity to review books before they come out. I always feel like I have the inside scoop and I really hope that I convince someone to give the book a chance!
I get this opportunity thanks to signing up through Netgalley. Publishers and authors give readers the chance to read these ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) so that they can review the book ahead of time and then spread the word about the book.
So today (literally in one day) I read Within and Without by Deborah Maroulis. This is a really amazing book that I think can be super relevant for a teenage audience right now. Many young girls might be able to relate to the story of Wren.
Wren is dealing with her parents divorce when she must go to live at her grandmother's vineyard. While quiet and reserved, she attracts the attention of her long-time crush, Jay who is a popular boy at school. While others around her see that Jay might not be the right guy for her, she enjoys his attention and does everything she can to become the girl that she thinks Jay wants. Including making herself throw-up after meals so that she can lose weight.
Luckily, she also makes friends with Panayis, a cute Greek farmhand with whom Wren feels like she can be herself. He sees the real her and she doesn't feel like she needs to change to be around him. Wren eventually realizes that she needs to decide between feeling popular and hanging on the arm of her dream boyfriend are worth giving up her true self and putting her health at risk.
Some people may struggle with reading this book. It addresses difficult topics like divorce, eating disorders, sexual assault, abusive relationships, and death. There is also some language. So if you feel like you might struggle with any of these, feel free to skip the book. I appreciated the fact that Maroulis included a brief letter of trigger warnings at the beginning of the book as these experiences can be triggering for those who have been in similar situations.
I really enjoyed reading this book because of Wren. She is a young girl and so, of course, she is worried about all the things that young girls worry about--boys, clothes, her body, her grandmother's nagging. Like I mentioned early, I feel that so many of the things Wren faces are faced by young girls of today and they could benefit from reading about Wren's journey. At first, she hides in her relationship with Jay and feels that as long as she has him, she will be fulfilled. But through the book we can see how she learns what a healthy relationship should look and the effect that this all has on her health and her perspective on her own body.
I don't mean to spoil it. But I want you to know that by the end, we receive a happy ending, a hopeful message that shows us that Wren is on the right track and that she is getting the help she needs. I feel that Maroulis did a fantastic job of writing Wren's growth and change over the course of the book and representing so many of the insecurities that girls and women all over the world feel.
I recommend this to anyone looking for some great realistic fiction that addresses difficult topics in a delicate way. I found this to be a fascinating read--as evidence by my quick devouring of it!
Within and Without by Deborah Maroulis is to be published May 28th and you can pre-order it here.
I get this opportunity thanks to signing up through Netgalley. Publishers and authors give readers the chance to read these ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) so that they can review the book ahead of time and then spread the word about the book.
Wren is dealing with her parents divorce when she must go to live at her grandmother's vineyard. While quiet and reserved, she attracts the attention of her long-time crush, Jay who is a popular boy at school. While others around her see that Jay might not be the right guy for her, she enjoys his attention and does everything she can to become the girl that she thinks Jay wants. Including making herself throw-up after meals so that she can lose weight.
Luckily, she also makes friends with Panayis, a cute Greek farmhand with whom Wren feels like she can be herself. He sees the real her and she doesn't feel like she needs to change to be around him. Wren eventually realizes that she needs to decide between feeling popular and hanging on the arm of her dream boyfriend are worth giving up her true self and putting her health at risk.
Some people may struggle with reading this book. It addresses difficult topics like divorce, eating disorders, sexual assault, abusive relationships, and death. There is also some language. So if you feel like you might struggle with any of these, feel free to skip the book. I appreciated the fact that Maroulis included a brief letter of trigger warnings at the beginning of the book as these experiences can be triggering for those who have been in similar situations.
I really enjoyed reading this book because of Wren. She is a young girl and so, of course, she is worried about all the things that young girls worry about--boys, clothes, her body, her grandmother's nagging. Like I mentioned early, I feel that so many of the things Wren faces are faced by young girls of today and they could benefit from reading about Wren's journey. At first, she hides in her relationship with Jay and feels that as long as she has him, she will be fulfilled. But through the book we can see how she learns what a healthy relationship should look and the effect that this all has on her health and her perspective on her own body.
I don't mean to spoil it. But I want you to know that by the end, we receive a happy ending, a hopeful message that shows us that Wren is on the right track and that she is getting the help she needs. I feel that Maroulis did a fantastic job of writing Wren's growth and change over the course of the book and representing so many of the insecurities that girls and women all over the world feel.
I recommend this to anyone looking for some great realistic fiction that addresses difficult topics in a delicate way. I found this to be a fascinating read--as evidence by my quick devouring of it!
Within and Without by Deborah Maroulis is to be published May 28th and you can pre-order it here.
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