SPOILER FREE REVIEW

**This book may potentially trigger those suffering or recovering from an eating disorder or disordered thoughts about eating. It does not talk about numbers but contains many behaviours and may affect you if you are not in the right mind to read this.

Title: Countless
Author: Karen Gregory
Publication date: 1st June 2017
RRP: $16.99

Synopsis:
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn't believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don't add ip. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She's even given her eating disorder a name - Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision: she and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born.
17 weeks. 119 days. 357 meals.
Surely she can do it, if she takes one day at a time?

In many countries across the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate within the mental illness spectrum. You probably weren't expecting that.

Books that cover eating disorders can be very hard to write. Sometimes they come from real experiences and sometimes, completely fictional. They can also be very triggering for a reader; though as long as they come with a trigger warning it is up to the reader to decide whether to continue or not. I think this book really got it right.

I found Countless incredibly interesting in the sense that it was a good story but also perhaps a very real one. What readers need to keep in mind is that those suffering from an eating disorder go through it very differently to others. What you might read in one story will be very different to another however, both may be what sufferers actually go through - it is never a one specific way. Karen Gregory managed to write this novel in a way that could help those who don't know a lot about these mental illnesses have a better  understanding of how a sufferer thinks in a perhaps, more broad sense.


Our main character, Hedda, falls pregnant while in the grip of an eating disorder - something I've definitely never read about before. It follows her life through different types of relationships, but the one most important to her is her eating disorder. Hedda's character was written really well and I was constantly feeling empathetic with her as the story drew me in with each page. One of my favourite aspects of the book is that it sends a message of what is truly required for recovery - I don't want to mention my specific thoughts since it could be somewhat of a spoiler.
The writing flowed very nicely and I always in tune with what was happening, in fact, eagerly awaiting more.

The other different characters we meet were very important to the story and I felt that every single one of them was necessary and relevant. I enjoyed every single chapter no matter who the other characters around Hedda were. It was always intriguing to know what was happening and I was never bored.

I really enjoyed Countless and highly recommend it to those interested in picking it up. It's an emotional story and one that more people should know about. I feel like this will definitely be one of my favourite contemporaries of the year and I'd love to know your thoughts if you read this one as it comes out tomorrow.

4.5/5

That's all for now, I'll see you soon for another book review very soon!

xx


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.



WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Hello everyone,

The beginning of the year always seems to be my better reading months. I feel motivated and focused and really into whatever I'm reading - it helps when you read great books! This month I read 8 books, woohoo!!! Majority of them were incredibly good, with my first read and the last read being my favourites of the month. If you want to watch the video version of my January Wrap Up, click here!
Otherwise keep reading...




BOOKS

1. Illuminae - Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman
I bought Illuminae almost a year ago and have just let it sit on my shelf with every means to read it but never picking it up. After talking with a couple of Bookstagram friends about it, I was easily convinced to pick it up soon. It can seem an intimidating book because it's so big but it's written in different formats where on some pages there's hardly any writing and there's lots of instant messaging and emails that you read. After the first 100 pages I was seriously addicted, it is so FREAKING GOOD and intense and written in a way I've never come across before. You 100% need to read this epic sci-fi ok? Ok.
 5/5

2. Kiss of Fire - Rebecca Ethington
I got this ebook free on Amazon (it might still be free!) and because it was on my kindle, I started reading it when I was in America. I had left it for a while and picked it back up again this month and was easily back into the story. This took a while to get into the actual interesting part of the story but I still found it easy to read and it's not a very big book. It's a fantasy YA about magical beings and there's good and evil and all that. When the main character knew what she was, I felt it wasn't explained enough and her learning the magic she has was really rushed. But overall it was still an enjoyable read and I've book two is better!
3/5

3. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
If you watched my December Book Haul you would have known I purchased this beautiful illustrated edition. I picked this up because the movie comes out soon and it was also a short book. I finished it really quickly and absolutely loved it. It was quite a unique story and really pulled on the heartstrings (perhaps wrenched them off?) If you want to buy this book, I strongly suggest purchasing the illustrated edition as the amazing pictures really added to the story. They're also illustrated by the same person who does the Harry Potter illustrated versions (Jim Kay).
5/5

4. Our Chemical Hearts - Krystal Sutherland
I wouldn't say I had high hopes for this one, but I'd heard it was really good from the Bookstagram community so I was thoroughly disappointed with this one. Overall, the story was kind of enjoyable though the relationship of it all was toxic and a let down. The two main characters, Henry and Grace were both interesting but it would've been better if it didn't involve one or the other as much, does that make sense? I didn't like them together in the story. I really liked Lola (one of Henry's best friends) but I also didn't like (actually - really hated) that for his other best friend who hails from Australia, the author overdid the commercial Australian thing. In parts it was meant to be some sort of joke but it was so overdone, it made me loathe anything that came out of his mouth. Also the author is Australian?! Anyways, I think this book would be better suited for a younger age group.
3/5 (maybe 2?)

5. Yellow - Megan Jacobson
Now here is an Australian author that got it done right. This is set in like the early 90's maybe?? and it was so on point with Australian culture in the story. This is about Kirra, who is going through a rough time in her life and ends up picking up a ringing phone to an old telephone box and when she answers, the person on the other end was actually murdered 20 years ago and is stuck in a sort of limbo until his murderer is caught. Interesting right? This was a phenomenal story and I highly recommend this book! The only thing that pissed me off was what happened in chapter 3, it was unnecessary.
4.5/5


6. The Diabolic - SJ Kincaid
Another sci-fi novel this month, is about a world where 'Diabolics' are created for the protection of the people who buy them. Nemesis is sent in her 'protectee's' place when she is summoned to the royal court and has to act as the royal heir she is seen to be. This book was fast paced and interesting and I enjoyed myself immensely. It was also very unpredictable and I had no idea what was going to end up happening - I had my theories and they were all wrong but in such a good way. I loved how this book ended up and I am looking forward to book two.
4.5/5

7. Sidekicks - Will Kostakis
Another YA Australian author brings you a story about three boys who all had the same best friend who died. It's told in three parts - one part for each boy, and goes through their grief process and what happens next. This was a really enjoyable read and I'm so, so glad that I finally got round to reading it. My favourite character was Harley, 'the rebel' of the story. He was such an interesting character and I enjoyed reading from his point of view. My least favourite was Miles, he wasn't very likeable but I think that was intended. Overall, a really great story and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.
4/5


8. My Sister Rosa - Justine Larbalestier
Oh my lord. This book is insane. In the view of 17 year old Che, he and his family move around a lot and his main focus in life is keeping his sister Rosa under control. Rosa is a 10 year old psychopath and holy heck. I've never read anything like this before and it was absolutely incredible. Rosa is creepy and twisted and like no character I've read about before. It was a nice change to read from a different view to do with mental disorders. I seriously need to scope out more books like this as I may be addicted! The only downside to this story was that there was a bit of 'instalove' which I wasn't keen on, but other than that SO, SO GOOD!
4.5/5


What an incredible reading month! I hope to continue this 'incredibleness' into February before I go back to uni (YOU CAN DO THIS ERENA!).

FEBRUARY TBR

1. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare *I am trying to finish this one that I started over a year ago - oops!

2. Scarlet - Marissa Meyer *Buddy reading this one! Come join me @erenareads on IG

3. Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

4. Gemina - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

5. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling *This is constantly on my tbr but I'm trying to make a really dent in it this month.


And that's it! I hope you enjoyed reading about what I was reading and it inspires you to pick up one (or more) of these books. Make sure you check out my Instagram @erenareads for daily posts and chats and my YouTube channel for bookish videos and lifestyle vlogs.

See you soon!
xx


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!