Book Review: Zoe Letting Go

This is the first book review from my summer books 🙂 During vacation, we went to the dollar store, and I bought this book because, hey, why not, if I don’t like it, well, it was only $1. But O.M.G. it was SO intriguing!

Book: Zoe Letting Go
Author: Nora Price
Rating: PG-13 – eating disorders
Score: 8/10

Summary:
Zoe protests when her mom sends her to a mysterious retreat for girls. There are only six girls there, and they kinda creep Zoe out. Through her suspicious, Zoe learns that the retreat is a rehab center for girls with eating disorders. Each girl has a different way of coping with the program. Zoe writes to her best friend, telling her about the odd program and reminiscing about their past. But still, Zoe can’t figure out why she’s there; she doesn’t have an eating disorder, right?

Review:
This is definitely not the type of book I would just pick up and read on a whim. I read this book because I had nothing other to read, but once I started it, I could not put it down for a minute! It is so captivating! The story was extremely interesting because it really shed some light on the rationale behind eating disorders. I understood and sympathized with the girls’ thoughts, and was taken on an emotional roller coaster. I normally hate [teenage] drama, even in books, but I felt that the drama in this book was well written, and only added to the stresses of trying to recover from an eating disorder. Lastly, you will not believe the ending!

I strongly recommend this book to teen girls (boys will probably not relate to most of it). I think it would actually be a really good book to read in school to begin to understand how people with eating disorders think of themselves, because it is really eye-opening.

Have you ever read a book about eating disorders? How did you like it? What are your thoughts on eating disorders?

Book Review: Before I Fall

All riiight, it’s time for a review of a book that’s really popular as of late. I’m not sure how many bestseller books I’ll review, but I can tell you that the next review will be a popular book too. This week’s book isssss *drumroll please* Before I Fall!

book image from Lauren Oliver Books

Book: Before I Fall
Author: Lauren Oliver
Rating: PG-13 — adult content, language, drinking/drugs/smoking
Score: 5/10

Summary:
Sam Kingston has THE life- she’s a popular girl with a boyfriend and great friends. She shouldn’t be the one to die, right? Fortunately, she has seven chances to redo the last day of her life. Sam discovers some interesting things, like how much she loves her family, what her boyfriend really thinks of her, and the secrets her best friend is keeping from her. What can she change in the lives of other people, and how can she change her own perspectives, before she is gone forever?

Review:
The plot of this book is really interesting. However, the beginning was slow and boring. There were lots of things I didn’t enjoy reading because of my personal beliefs and morals, like underage drinking, [talking about] sex, and smoking. Maybe this is normal teen stuff, but I’m not a stereotypical teenager, so I’m not really sure, haha. I really did love the character development, though, and reading about what Sam did each day to change the outcome. But the negative actions were so frequent that it made the book not very enjoyable for me.

If you don’t mind reading about the stuff I mentioned above, then it’s a great book, but if you’re like me and that stuff bothers you, I wouldn’t read it at all.

Have you read Before I Fall? What did you think? Were you bothered by some of the topics and main characters’ actions? Let me know in the comments!

DIY: Valentine’s Candy Sugar Scrub +Free Printable!

Still stuck on what to get your friends for Valentine’s Day? No worries! This sweet sugar scrub is super easy to make, with ingredients you probably have on hand right now!

Materials:
-White Sugar
-Coconut Oil
-Pink “powdery” Candy (like Pixie Stix, Sweethearts, PEZ, etc.)
-Small, cute glass/plastic jars
-Ribbon or colored string
-Label

1. If it’s not already in powdery form, crush the candy until you have fine crumbs about the size of the sugar or smaller. I used a mortar and pestle lined with parchment paper to crush the candy. You could also use the back of a spoon or the end of a rolling-pin. *Note: I would recommend Pixie Stix if you have some because the citric acid has additional skin benefits. If you don’t have some, that’s okay, I used different candy*

2. Mix together two parts sugar, one part candy, and two parts coconut oil. You could definitely use olive oil or another oil like that, but because coconut oil is white, I opted for this. If you use coconut oil, you may have to melt the oil slightly to be able to mix everything well.

3. Clean the edge of the jar, adhere the label to the lid, and finish by tying a pretty ribbon and bow around the neck of the jar.

Your girlfriends will be sure to love this luxurious, festive gift! Best of all, I’ve created the labels for you! In this free printable, I’ve made two label designs, both in pink and purple; click on the picture to download the printable file!

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Book Review: Ella Enchanted

Hooray, it’s the first book review post! Book reviews will always be posted on Tuesdays, probably every other week. Anyway, let’s get started!

Book: Ella Enchanted
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Rating: PG-adventure
Score: 9/10

Summary:
When Eleanor of Frell is born, the fairy Lucinda gives her the “blessing” (aka curse) of obedience. Ella has to obey anything anyone tells her, even if she doesn’t want to. If you told her to wash the dishes for five days straight, she’d have to do it. She desperately wants to find Lucinda so she can undo the curse, and so begins Ella’s adventurous journey.

Review:
I absolutely loved this book! My friend had been begging me to read it for about a year and a half, and I finally got around to it! It’s definitely appropriate for middle school girls, so I (as a high schooler) finished it pretty quickly, which was the only downside, but it entertained me all the  way through! There’s lots of adventure, humor, and romance! I also really loved all of the magical creatures and how each society had a different language (don’t worry, there are translations). The characters are very unique, and you quickly bond with them and develop friendships right along with them!
Ella Enchanted is a fun, light, quick read, perfect for spring break or a lighthearted summer read! …Or, anytime else, of course!

Have you read Ella Enchanted? Tell me your thoughts and opinions in the comments!