#faking normal

They’ll say “Tell me about growing up,” and I’ll say, “The year I was seventeen, I had five best friends—a pixie, a president, a pretender, a puker, and a douchebag—and I was in love with all of them for different reasons. They’ll ask where, and I’ll tell them Otters Holt. They’ll know it. That place with the huge yellow doll statue? Yes, and huge Harvest Festival, I’ll say, and then I’ll stick out my chest and say, And I’m going back there.

THE HEXAGON from Dress Codes for Small Towns

commissioned by the wonderful @courtneycstevens​ herself! Book release is at August 22, 2017

So remember when I told you guys I’ll be busy with commissions? Well this is it! During the past month I’ve had the absolute honor and pleasure to work with Court as she commissioned yours truly to draw the main characters from her upcoming novel!

I got to read the book before its release to get to know these kids, and it’s a wonderful wonderful story about growing up, friendship, family, sexuality and self-acceptance. Seriously. I wished I’d read it as a teen. I highly recommend it, so you guys check it out, put it on your to-read lists, or better yet, pre-order!

You can pre-order the book here! Court is also having a promo give-away thingy for people who would RT at her Twitter!

good christian books for teens : Faking Normal | Teen

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Over the weekend, I had the chance to read the novel Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens which is a young adult novel that deals with some heavy content. It may be a trigger for self-harm and rape/sexual assault. This is the story about Alexi Littrell and Bodee Lennox and the friendship that is formed by the two leaning on one another to heal.  It’s a beautiful story that expresses perfectly, in my opinion, the type of isolation some assault victims face after the incident. Throughout the novel you see the coping methods Alexi uses to deal with her trauma. With the help of her new-found friend Bodee, who is coping with the murder of his mother by his physically abusive father, and the guiding comfort of her secret admirer “ Captain Lyric” you see the nature of her coping go from unhealthy, self-harm & isolation from peers, to accepting what happened to her and moving into the beginning stages of healing. This novel showcases a friendship and support that many woman all over the world could use. Faking Normal deals with hard hitting subjects in a realistic and powerful way that creates an effortless bond and empathy towards the characters.

All around this novel was touching and lovely in all the right ways. If any one is looking for an easy, heartwarming read, I would suggest this.

There is a second novel called The Blue-haired Boy that I am looking forward to reading as well.

If you are interested in chcking it out it is available below

Amazon Indigo

Harper Teen

-Aidy

Memorable quotes “Every song deserves lyrics. Deserves a story to tell” (pg. 2)

“I never understood life could be so dramatically sectioned, but it can. and it is. There is only after and before.” (pg. 3)

“I don’t tell him to go back inside or that everything will be fine. I just sit beside him and let the inch between my thigh and his remain.” (pg. 7)

“The closet is both my curse and my sanctuary. For at least an hour every day, I hide there. folded and tucked. Arms wrapped around my knees while I will mind not to live in whacked out ‘before and after’ mode” (pg.18)

“Sometimes the lies I tell Heather aren’t little and white. they’re a dab of honey-beige foundation applied to the blemish of my life” (pg. 32)

“Love in pencil is safer than love in life” (pg.)

People are finding voices and ways forward for those who need to think deeply about living a life not defined by things. Making a new normal. Elizabeth White talked about getting of her throne because money is green.

Just felt like sharing as considered this….

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It’s hard to pick a favorite book that I read in March, but Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens was definitely my favorite book by a new-to-me author. I got to meet her in March, so my copy is actually signed! This is a fantastic book, check on my review of it on Goodreads.