Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keep on going this way--thin, thinner, thinnest--maybe she'll disappear altogether.

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Going into Wintergirls, I was expecting another predictable story about anorexics, probably not as good as Skinny by Ibi Klasik, but not terrible. My friend bought Wintergirls for me, and I started in right away. The end result was a not-totally unpredictable, considerably eye-opening novel on the horrors and depths of anorexia and bulimia. I wasn't left as raw as Skinny left me, but it was emotional, especially nearing the end. Lia isn't someone I connected with, but I still felt her pain as she struggled to keep from dying. The characters weren't particularly in-depth, but I don't think they were intended to be. The struggle made up most of the book, and it did a good job of showing the hills and valleys of self-inflicted damage.

3.9 stars from me. Recommended to readers interested in anorexia/bulimia and up for a good cry if you're the sensitive type.