REVIEW for Truth & Beauty

A big thank you to author Megan Frazer for sending me a copy of her book!








TITLE: Truth & Beauty

AUTHOR: Megan Frazer

GENRE: YA

RATING: 4 Stars




I initially wanted to read this book because of the Dara character and her issues with weight, as this is/has always been a subject that is close to my heart. However, I got lots more than I asked for when I started reading this absolutely delightful story about YA who are finding their own voices, their own way - despite themselves!

Dara is having some problems with her parents (how well I remember those! they feel impossible at that age). Life is certainly not perfect for her -for one thing, the people around her seem to make such a big deal about her body - and Dara, who is okay with her own body, feels badly about this - why can't they just let her "be"? Needing some downtime from certain people, she ends up on a farm where she comes in contact with her sister Rachel as well as a cool guy named Owen and lots and lots of goats!

Although this may sound a little odd, it all works well together. Dara, who feels she is not understood ends up meeting people who, like her, are struggling with particular issues in their own lives (each is different) but when they compare notes, they realize that although their problems are different - THEY are not - and this gives them a nice unifying feeling.

This book is about understanding yourself, standing true to your beliefs, but also understanding that you have to accept yourself AND the people around you. Very nicely written - although the social issues are an important aspect of this novel - they are NOT the main focus - but rather serve as a catalyst for growth. I truly enjoyed it.