#AmReading YA

Scars Like Wings
Erin Stewart
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Relatable, heartbreaking, and real, this is a story of resilience--the perfect novel for readers of powerful contemporary fiction like Girl in Pieces and Every Last Word.

Before, I was a million things. Now I'm only one. The Burned Girl.

Ava Lee has lost everything there is to lose: Her parents. Her best friend. Her home. Even her face. She doesn't need a mirror to know what she looks like--she can see her reflection in the eyes of everyone around her.

A year after the fire that destroyed her world, her aunt and uncle have decided she should go back to high school. Be "normal" again. Whatever that is. Ava knows better. There is no normal for someone like her. And forget making friends--no one wants to be seen with the Burned Girl, now or ever.

But when Ava meets a fellow survivor named Piper, she begins to feel like maybe she doesn't have to face the nightmare alone. Sarcastic and blunt, Piper isn't afraid to push Ava out of her comfort zone. Piper introduces Ava to Asad, a boy who loves theater just as much as she does, and slowly, Ava tries to create a life again. Yet Piper is fighting her own battle, and soon Ava must decide if she's going to fade back into her scars . . . or let the people by her side help her fly.

"A heartfelt and unflinching look at the reality of being a burn survivor and at the scars we all carry. This book is for everyone, burned or not, who has ever searched for a light in the darkness." --Stephanie Nielson, New York Times bestselling author of Heaven Is Here and a burn survivor

It had been a year since the fire. She lost so much - her parents, her cousin, herself. Now, her aunt and doctors, believed it is time for Ava's "reintegration", but how could they expect her to find her place in a new school, when she could not even recognize herself.

I. Loved. This. Book. I started it, and blazed through it, because I was so absorbed and invested in Ava's story.

One thing I especially loved about this book was that it was not a story about a victim. This was the story of a survivor, of a young woman fighting to reclaim her life, and I always appreciate a survivor story, as it helps me keep things in perspective.

Ava had, and was still, suffering physically and mentally. Stewart included visits to the doctor and therapist, as well as journal entries, which helped me understand the full extent of what Ava had experienced. I learned quite a bit about the physical aspects of severe burns, though the focus was largely on the mental challenges Ava was experiencing. Her inner struggles were quite heartbreaking, but her progress and the steps she took to take back bits of her life, were fantastic.

The good news was, that Ava didn't have to do it alone. She was lucky to have her aunt, her uncle, and a few friends in her corner. All of these characters encouraged Ava and pushed her, just enough, when she needed it. They refused to let her sink into isolation even when things got dark, and because of that, Ava was able to make so much progress.

I was so happy Stewart put Piper in Ava's life, because she was this angsty breath of fresh air, and exactly the push Ava needed to once again, join the world at large. It was also interesting to see the different ways Piper and Ava were coping with their "new normal", but it was the support they gave each other that captured my heart.

Can we talk about her Aunt Cora? I think I shed the most tears for her. Ava wasn't the only one, who lost a lot in the fire. Her aunt and uncle lost their only child, and I felt Cora's pain in depths of my heart. It's just struck as so beautiful, that these people were able to set aside their own grief in order to care for their niece, who required nineteen surgeries and special care as she healed. In fact, I might be crying right now just thinking about it.

I will admit, that I was not that keen on the mean girl storyline, but I guess it served a purpose. Best of all, it didn't detract from all the amazing parts of this book, at least, not for me.

Overall: This was a story that went from heartbreaking to heartwarming, from sad tears to happy tears, and I am so happy I had the opportunity to read Ava's story.

Sick Kids in Love
Hannah Moskowitz
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It's easier--
It's safer--
It's better--
--for the other person.
She's got issues. She's got secrets. She's got rheumatoid arthritis.
But then she meets another sick kid.
He's got a chronic illness Isabel's never heard of, something she can't even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father who's a doctor.
He's gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her.
Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It's complicated--
It's dangerous--
It's never felt better--
--to consider breaking that rule for him.

Disclaimer: Both main characters in this book were sick, but they were not *that* kind of sick. They were chronically, but not terminally ill. So, to make a long story short, NOBODY DIES.

"Should Sick Girl date Sick Boy?" My answer was a resounding YES, and I was so happy Isabel took a chance on Sasha, because I adored watching them fall in love.

This book enchanted me. It cast a spell on me, and didn't let go, until the very end. So, how did I love thee? Let me list the ways:

1. Sasha and Isabel were the type of characters I never fail to adore. They had an ample supply of wit, which fueled some fantastic exchanges and had me in full-on grin mode. I loved their quirks and their humor, and I adored them together. 
2. I was excited that Moskowitz addressed what it's like to be chronically, but invisibly ill. The book was filled with scenarios, as well as with Sasha's and Isabel's thoughts and commentary on being invisibly ill, and I felt this idea was skillfully and thoughtfully explored. 
3. Family was omnipresent in this story, and I am always a fan of that. Sasha's family were so full of life and love, and it was beautiful the way they embraced Isabel. Her dad was not a bad guy, but he worked a lot, and her mother was estranged. Therefore, I was happy she easily slipped into Sasha's world. 
4. The romance between this two was so smile-inducing. Seriously, I am smiling so much right now, that my face hurts. Sasha's big monologue was enough to make my heart explode, but there were many other moments just like that throughout the book. Moskowitz did such a beautiful job capturing first love here. There were all these tooth-achingly sweet moments, and though Sasha and Isabel hit a few rough patches, this was a relationship built on friendship, love, trust, and honesty. 
5. Isabel's question columns were so amazing. I really enjoyed those bits between the chapters, and also liked the way Moskowitz integrated them into the story. 

Overall: This was such a beautiful book about love, empathy, and self acceptance, which caused my Grinchy heart to expand, and left me with a bad case of the warm-fuzzies. 

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Do you enjoy board games?
Let us know in the comments!