The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.Įveryone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago-except Pippa Fitz-Amobi. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. Lip service is paid to “inner beauty,” but Cinderella, that quintessential consumer fairy tale and the plot’s template, tells another story: It’s what’s outside that counts. (Fiction. Surgery’s magic wand has opened doors for her that only the beautiful and gifted may enter. A stylish classmate takes Ever under her wing, and enhanced by a designer wardrobe and hair, Ever’s loveliness turns heads. (Author Cooner, who’s had the surgery, doesn’t sugarcoat its risks and considerable downsides.) As Ever loses weight, the story loses its grip on reality, avoiding tough issues, like the power assigned to appearance. Her agonizing self-awareness, imprisoned in a body under severe stress, is compelling. Desperation drives Ever to gastric-bypass surgery.

Skinny prevents Ever from taking up drama or accepting friendly overtures from stepsister Briella and takes Rat, science geek and loyal friend, for granted. She’s taunted by classmates, but her own self-loathing eclipses their slurs-she’s even given it a name, Skinny, and mostly ceded her identity to it.

Former buddy and long-term crush Jackson ignores Ever. Now saddled with a beautiful stepmom and two gorgeous stepsisters, Ever, a sophomore, is pretty, smart, musically gifted and 302 pounds. Her beloved, ever-dieting mom died five years ago.

For the ultimate makeover, nothing beats gastric-bypass surgery.

Skinny by Donna Cooner