Before she had an eating disorder, twelve-year-old Riley was many things: an aspiring artist, a runner, a sister, and a friend. But now, from inside the inpatient treatment center where she's receiving treatment for anorexia, it's easy to forget all of that. Especially since under the influence of her eating disorder, Riley alienated her friends, abandoned her art, turned running into something harmful, and destroyed her family's trust. If Riley wants her life back, she has to recover. Part of her wants to get better. As she goes to therapy, makes friends in the hospital, and starts to draw again, things begin to look up. But when her roommate starts to break the rules, triggering Riley's old behaviors and blackmailing her into silence, Riley realizes that recovery will be even harder than she thought. She starts to think that, even if she does recover, there's no way she'll stay recovered once she leaves the hospital and is faced with her dieting mom, the school bully, and her gymnastics-star sister.
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“Narrator Jesse Vilinsky presents a relatable heroine with palpable emotion in this intimate and authentic portrayal of a young teen’s recovery from anorexia. Vilinsky reads at a fast clip, embodying twelve-year-old Riley’s nervous tension as she begins a two-month stay in a treatment program that includes group therapy. Each of the girls in the group has a distinct voice, making it easy to distinguish between Riley’s cruel roommate, Aly, and her new friend, Brenna. Vilinsky makes listeners feel Riley’s heartbreaking pain as she cries in frustration and yells in anger while grappling with the voice in her head that tells her not to eat and struggling to believe that she is good enough.”
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