Reasons to be Happy by Katrina KittleCompletion Date: August 21, 2011
Reason for Reading: Blog Tour for Sourcebooks.
Hannah's parents are glamorous Hollywood royalty, and sometimes she feels like the ugly duckling in a family of swans. After her mother's tragic death, Hannah's grief is compounded by her desperate need to live up to her mother's image. She tries to control her weight through Bulimia, and her devastated father is too distracted to notice. The secret of her eating disorder weighs heavily on Hannah, but the new eighth grade Beverly Hills clique she's befriended only reinforces her desire to be beautiful. The only one who seems to notice, or care, that something is wrong is Jasper, the quirky mistfit.I originally read Katrina Kittle in 2006 when a friend lent me her adult novel The Kindness of Strangers. It was not my normal type of read, but I did like it. The author dropped off my radar for the ensuing years, but when I saw a book offered by her for a tour I decided it was about time I gave her another try. My opinion? If you have a teenage daughter buy them this book. I wish books like this were on my radar when I was younger, actually. I am not a teenage girl any more, but I can still relate to the struggles that Hannah is going through in this book. I actually think this is a good book for parents of teenage girls, to be honest. If not it is very plausible that they will react as Hannah's parents did when their daughters go through similar struggles. It is sometimes hard to remember just how hard high school can be on image and self-worth. I also must say just how much the descriptions of her bulimia freaked me out. I cannot even begin to imagine that much pain.
The thing that I have been thinking about is my own list of 'Reasons to be Happy'. At the end of the book the entire list that Hannah comes up with is included and then the author includes a few of her own. If I were writing a list some of mine would be:
1.) Sunsets
2.) Reading a great book.
3.) My moment of coffee first thing in the morning.
4.) A cold beer after a long day.
5.) Beaches.
6.) Our wonderful history.
7.) Travelling.
8.) Road trips.
9.) Barbecuing.
10.)Great friends.
Those are the first ten that popped into my head. What would some of your 'Reasons to be Happy' be?
My family, music, anime, my pets, learning, good food, intelligent conversation, good friends, my home, Oh, and I do enjoy my coffee in the morning as well ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post :D
Some of my reasons to be happy:
ReplyDelete-The fact that I found my passions (reading and learning) at a young age
-Having friends who understand me and don't judge
-My family
-I have shelter over my head
-Coffee!!!!
-Blogging
I haven't read anything else by her since Kindness of Strangers too! Glad to hear this one is good and I enjoyed your list :)
ReplyDeleteMy list would include family and friends, having a studio where I can create, yoga and chocolate of course!
I need to read this one! I loved her Kindness of Strangers so much..didn't realize that she had released a new book!!
ReplyDelete**animewookie: How fun to share your list. Mine could be much longer, but I just went with what popped into my mind.
ReplyDelete**Vasilly: Great list!
**Iliana: I had sort of forgot about her. I am glad I got the chance to read this book. :)
**Staci: Well, it is very different, but still good.