{Review} Faking Normal by @Quartland {Published} @harperteen ~ Crossroad Reviews

This title will be released on February 25, 2014. An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

› Visit Amazon's Courtney C. Stevens Page

Biography

Courtney C. Stevens grew up in Kentucky and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is an adjunct professor and a former youth minister. Her other skills include playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, and being an Olympic torch bearer.

Although this one is a stand alone. It has a twist I just didn't see coming towards the end. This book deals with some major issues. From the death of a parent to a teen being raped. So make sure your ok with those two things before you start this amazing thought provoking book.

This starts with Alexi being at the funeral for Bodee's mother whom you find out in the beginning was murdered by his father. You don't really get much of a back story of Bodee except that his father was an abusive *** if you get my drift. The story takes off and you are surrounded with knowing that Alexi is keeping a secret that you find out also right at the beginning was that she was raped. But you don't know who did it.

This book will make you think you know who did it but then when you find out. It will knock your socks off as I didn't see it coming at all. I loved this book and will of course be buying it. This review will so not do this book the justice it needs. It is the edge of your seat book about personal conflict and about teens who have been damaged and what they do to get through life by faking normal.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

From the Back Cover

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

At school, nobody sees the scratches or her pain. The only person she connects with is the mysterious Captain Lyric, who writes song lyrics on her fourth-period desk for her to complete. With pencil marks and music, Alexi carves out a comfortable space for herself as she and the Captain finish each other's songs—words on a desk feel safer than words spoken aloud.

But when Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend who understands her better than anyone. He has secrets of his own and knows all about suffering in silence. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally speak up.

With her powerful, moving debut novel, author Courtney C. Stevens emerges as an extraordinary new talent to watch.