Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Someone to Love, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 5/16}

"I'm not seeing anyone besides you," Zach says. "And I don't plan to." Does that mean he wants to be exclusive? That he wants to be an official couple?

Couple is such a weird word. Two people who are closely associated, who are of the same sort. I start thinking. Are we of the same sort?

I hope so. I've needed someone to love for so long.

I'm a big fan of Melissa de la Cruz's books, and this was her first "normal" YA book I've read—I say "normal" meaning it wasn't about vampires or other paranormal people. Alex & Eliza was about humans, as well, but it was about Alexander Hamilton and thus set in the past. Someone to Love is set in the present and focuses on a congressman's daughter, and her struggles with bulimia and with acceptance.

Official synopsis:

Constantly in the spotlight thanks to her politician father's rising star, Olivia Blakely feels the pressure to be perfect. As the youngest girl in her class, she tries hard to keep up and to seem mature to the older boy she's crushing on, even as she catches his eye. But the need to look good on camera and at school soon grows into an all-consuming struggle with bulimia.

As Liv works toward her goal of gaining early admission to art school, including taking part in an upcoming student show, her life spirals out of control. Swept up in demands to do more than she's ready for, to always look perfect and to succeed, Liv doesn't know who she is anymore. It will take nearly losing her best friend and even her life for Liv to learn that loving herself is far more important than earning the world's approval.
Olivia is an interesting character. Even though she's already skinny, she binges and purges—her goal weight is 100 pounds, and she weighs about 112 pounds in the beginning of the book—because of her bulimia. She has a crush on a guy at school, Zach, and eventually they start dating, but he's not who he seems. She also is very interested in art, and wants to make a name for herself outside of her congressman father's legacy.

This was not my favorite of de la Cruz's books, but is still a good read, especially if you like reading books about high school students or those who struggle with issues. Olivia is immature but matures throughout the novel, and by the end of it, she's more aware that she has an issue (bulimia) and that it's not healthy for her to continue like she has been doing. She also "finds herself" throughout the book and has a more set career path by the end of it. 

3.5 stars out of 5.

{click here to purchase}

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Someone to Love!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, May 16th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified the next day via email and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Someone to Love, by Melissa de la Cruz