Don't Call Me Kit Kat by K.J. Farnham
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Junior high is where things really start to happen. Cliques form and break apart. Couples are made and destroyed. And a reputation is solidified that you won’t ever be able to escape. Everything you do and say, and everyone you spend your time with, matters. Katie Mills knows that. She gets it. That’s why she tried so hard to get in with the cool girls at school. And why she was so devastated when those efforts found her detained for shoplifting and laughed out of cheer squad tryouts. But Katie has more to worry about than just fitting in. Her parents are divorced and always fighting. Her sister never has time for her. And her friends all seem to be drifting apart. Even worse? The boy she has a crush on is dating the mean girl at school. Everything is a mess, and Katie doesn’t feel like she has control over any of it. Certainly not over her weight, which has always topped out at slightly pudgier than normal—at least, according to her mother. So when she happens to catch one of the popular girls throwing up in the bathroom one day, it sparks an idea. A match that quickly engulfs her life in flames. Is there any going back once she gets started down this path? And would she even want to if she could?
3 out of 5 (good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I had a really hard time reading this book. Kids are cruel and no one likes to hear, or read, kids being cruel to other kids, or adults being cruel to other adults. This book, sadly, is full of kids being mean. As a warning, this book deals with bullying, eating disorders, and depression.
The author did a good job writing this book and in my own opinion makes this book seem pretty realistic. That’s probably the reason why I had such a hard time reading it. This story is focused on a girl who is having a hard time accepting herself and her identity starting her seventh grade year of school. Those were rough times, I’m sure we all can admit. She goes through some pretty severe times trying to find herself. She is trying to figure out who her real friends are and who aren’t her real friends and are there just to use her as a stepping stone. This is an extremely realistic description of the majority of our middle and high school years.
To be quite frank, although I didn’t have the demons of dealing with an eating disorder, I definitely had my fair share of taunting and teasing for my weight. This book took me back to some painful memories and days I didn’t necessarily wish to relive. There is a tiny, miniscule romance element to this story but it is very, very minimal.
While the author did a great job writing the story and putting the story together, I have a hard time suggesting or recommending it to you. It’s dark, sad, and kind of depressing. The end is a great ending and definitely uplifting, but it is such a small part compared to the rest of the story.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
K. J. Farnham is a former educator turned author and freelance writer. She was born and raised in a suburb of Milwaukee and now lives in western Wisconsin with her husband, three children and three cats. In addition to reading and writing, Farnham loves road trips, beach outings, Body Pump, running, hiking and acoustic music. She hopes to convince her husband to drive across the United States in an RV someday. During her tween, teen and young adult years, she devoured books by V.C. Andrews, Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Nowadays, Farnham will read just about anything but still leans toward fiction. Her preferred genres include contemporary romance, humor, thriller/suspense, horror and YA.