Sometimes you read a book and must really process it before you can write the review. This book was one of those for me. From the minute I met Sydney I knew she was so much more than what we saw on the outside. I hated the girls who tormented her. I hated the life that she was forced to live. At the same time I admired her ability to not only survive her life, but make sure her brothers survived. She was a hero in my book. This is a book I will put on my shelves. It is an important book if it helps just one child. If this is the quality of this author's work then I owe it to myself and others to read everything she has written. Not too many people can write about this topic that takes you on an emotional ride and yet leaves you feeling good at the end. I will not write about the plot to this book. That is for you the reader to do. I will recommend it along with a box of tissues. It is probably in the top five favorite books I've read this year. I will say this is a must read.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own. ( )

* I received this book from the author for my honest review. *

If you are looking for a book that tugs at your heart strings pick this one up. I wasn't certain what I was getting into when I won a copy of this book on Library Thing, I just knew it was for young adults and the cover was cool.
At first, I was horrified by the things this girl went through. The torcher from her mother, her peers and self mutilation. The author made sure to pull you into Sidney's world, to make you feel the hate she had for herself. It was awful. To believe a person truly hated themselves with this much passion... I felt it with each word I read. What would drive someone to feel this way? I was speechless as I read the chapters. I wanted to help her, to break down her door and show that someone loved her and she didn't need to carry around all this pain she felt. Sidney was abused in every way imaginable. Her father changed her into this monster she felt she was. She didn't think she deserved a friend or a single person who cared. When they did, they just turned on her because they didn't understand the life she lived.
The book shows the life of so many teens out there. This unfortunately could happen. It makes you sad and angry all at once.
Sidney stood up for her family. She decided to help herself, her brothers and to be happy for once. She may have done something that most people don't approve of but it saved her. It saved her brothers from being like him. It saved her mom from being a deadbeat mom, even if what she did was for herself. Sidney was a hero, even if she didn't see it. Her friend Arriana saw it. Sidney gave her the strength to be who she wanted to be, to not beat herself down because her mother saw something differently.
In the end, Sidney works hard to not do some of the things she had done, cutting, but she has a future. A life she can look forward to having with friends, family and a boyfriend. It is something she didn't think she would ever have. ( )

I bought this book after being so very impressed with the authors book 'Who We Are Instead' I am not disappointed, it is exceptionally well written and deals properly with some very tough issues.
I wish there were more stars to give. ( )

What a great read! And an emotional one. It deals with such deep issues of abuse and self-harm and how these issue affect individuals differently. I could not help but root for the main character, Sydney, as she finds her voice and begins to stand up for herself. Whether it’s struggling to keep her brothers together, growing her relationship with a boy or trusting her new friend, Arianna, the journey is emotional and well worth the read.

I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review. ( )

Review: Beneath The Skin by Kyla Stone.

Warning :The story is based on teenage girls with hardcore issues and may trigger some inner feelings for the reader.

I thought the book was well written and the characters were fully developed. I felt the story was predicatively accurate with details and emotional content. The author wrote about disturbing issues and self-harm that two teenage girls whose character traits are completely different from each other to explain the experience some teenagers go through. The story was heartwarming but also may be educational for some readers.

The main character, Sidney Shaw is eighteen years old going to high school and holds a job working after school at Bill’s Bar and Grille. Sidney had anger issues so Bill (who always showed he really cared about her), had to stop her from being a waitress because she was rude to the customers and had her cleaning off tables instead. He knew her family was dysfunctional and that she needed to work to keep her family together. Her father, Frank would take off for weeks at a time and when he decided to return he waved around a lot of money but Sidney never knew how he got it. He would give his two sons, Frankie Jr. and Aaron a hundred dollar bill and think nothing of it. Sidney would never take anything from Frank, she despised him. When Frank was home her mother was full of energy, cooking meals and her hygiene and personal looks were of high standard. However, once Frank took off she was back to staying in bed, drinking and taking to much prescribed drugs. So, Sidney was back taking care of her brothers, paying what bills she could, buying food with her money, cooking meals, cleaning the home and trying to keep her mother alive.

Her brother Frankie who was twelve years old was always arguing with her, smoking and using bad language. When it came to Aaron, who was eight years old, she was trying to protect him from being bullied and laugh at school because he was softer than Frankie. In fact, Aaron still slept with a stuff animal named Ratty Bunny which Frankie teased him about. Even their father picked on Aaron and told him he better toughen up and stop being a baby.

Sidney was getting in trouble at school and spent some time in the principle’s office and later was made to go to a meeting once a week with the guidance councilor Dr. Yang. Sidney was a trouble girl and was cutting herself to feel the pain and let loose some of her inner anger. Dr. Yang decided to add another troubled girl, Arianna Torres’ to Sidney’s hour of counseling. Sidney was furious, especially when she met her. She felt Arianna had no flaws. Arianna was smart, skinny, lived in a nice home and her father was a Pastor at Westside Baptist and her mother was a general practitioner.

I wrote the basic about the characters and as the reader I’ll hold back the events, issues, trauma and sacrifices Sidney had made and the issues Arianna herself brought to the story for the next reader. It sad, heartwarming, with a special message that two opposites can make a difference… ( )