Courtney C. Stevens, "Faking Normal"
Courtney C. Stevens, "Faking Normal"
Publisher: HarperTeen | 2014 | ISBN: 0062245384 | English | EPUB | 336 pages | 0.8 Mb
Publisher: HarperTeen | 2014 | ISBN: 0062245384 | English | EPUB | 336 pages | 0.8 Mb
An edgy, realistic debut novel praised by the New York Times bestselling author of Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys, as "a beautiful reminder that amid our broken pieces we can truly find ourselves."
Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer by her backyard pool. Instead, she hides in her closet, counts the slats in the air vent, and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.
When Bodee Lennox—"the Kool-Aid Kid"—moves in with the Littrells after a family tragedy, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in this quiet, awkward boy who has secrets of his own. As their friendship grows, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her summon the courage to find her voice and speak up.
Amazon.com Review
Faking Normal Playlist . . . (The Desk Chronicles) By Courtney C. Stevens
Music is a main character in Faking Normal. It doesn’t show up with long dark hair, brown eyes, Chuck Taylors, and the best vintage U2 shirt from the neighborhood Goodwill. No, music waltzes into Alexi’s world through an unassuming, understanding admirer, Captain Lyric. This anonymous guy leaves lyrics on her fourth period desk, starting a conversation and speaking a language that reaches Alexi in a way nothing else can. Here are some conversations that occurred between Captain Lyric and Alexi before page one of Faking Normal. These characters chose these particular lyrics because they wanted to share pain, compassion, and hope with each other; and because they wanted to express their pain without owning it.
“Is There Anyone Out There” by Delta Rae
Captain Lyric: "Is there anyone out there? You know me I am the son."
Alexi: "Of a lost country, of a new world. And we’re born to run and we never look back."
“Dust to Dust” by The Civil Wars
Captain Lyric: "Let me in the wall you’ve built around."
Alexi: "We can light a match And burn it down."
“Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men
Alexi: "There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back."
Captain Lyric: "Well tell her that I miss our little talks."
Alexi: "Soon it will be over and buried with our past."
Captain Lyric: "We used to play outside when we were young."
Alexi: "And full of life and full of love."
“Starlight” by The Wailin’ Jennys
Alexi: "I have come back to you broken. Take me home."
Captain Lyric:" And my body bears this trouble. Take me home."
“Awake My Soul” by Mumford & Sons
Captain Lyric: "And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know."
Alexi: "My weakness I feel I must finally show."
Review
“A beautiful reminder that amidst our broken pieces we can truly find ourselves.” (Ruta Sepetys, New York Times Bestselling Author of Between Shades of Gray)
“Somewhere between Sarah Dessen and Laurie Halse Anderson lies Stevens’s rich debut about two adolescents grappling with extraordinary trauma….the mood is intense and the story moves briskly, complete with an ending so surprising that some readers may flip back to the beginning to start fresh.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Reminiscent of Melinda in Speak, Alexi tries to find her voice. A story that resonates.” (Kirkus)
Faking Normal Playlist . . . (The Desk Chronicles) By Courtney C. Stevens
Music is a main character in Faking Normal. It doesn’t show up with long dark hair, brown eyes, Chuck Taylors, and the best vintage U2 shirt from the neighborhood Goodwill. No, music waltzes into Alexi’s world through an unassuming, understanding admirer, Captain Lyric. This anonymous guy leaves lyrics on her fourth period desk, starting a conversation and speaking a language that reaches Alexi in a way nothing else can. Here are some conversations that occurred between Captain Lyric and Alexi before page one of Faking Normal. These characters chose these particular lyrics because they wanted to share pain, compassion, and hope with each other; and because they wanted to express their pain without owning it.
“Is There Anyone Out There” by Delta Rae
Captain Lyric: "Is there anyone out there? You know me I am the son."
Alexi: "Of a lost country, of a new world. And we’re born to run and we never look back."
“Dust to Dust” by The Civil Wars
Captain Lyric: "Let me in the wall you’ve built around."
Alexi: "We can light a match And burn it down."
“Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men
Alexi: "There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back."
Captain Lyric: "Well tell her that I miss our little talks."
Alexi: "Soon it will be over and buried with our past."
Captain Lyric: "We used to play outside when we were young."
Alexi: "And full of life and full of love."
“Starlight” by The Wailin’ Jennys
Alexi: "I have come back to you broken. Take me home."
Captain Lyric:" And my body bears this trouble. Take me home."
“Awake My Soul” by Mumford & Sons
Captain Lyric: "And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know."
Alexi: "My weakness I feel I must finally show."
Review
“A beautiful reminder that amidst our broken pieces we can truly find ourselves.” (Ruta Sepetys, New York Times Bestselling Author of Between Shades of Gray)
“Somewhere between Sarah Dessen and Laurie Halse Anderson lies Stevens’s rich debut about two adolescents grappling with extraordinary trauma….the mood is intense and the story moves briskly, complete with an ending so surprising that some readers may flip back to the beginning to start fresh.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Reminiscent of Melinda in Speak, Alexi tries to find her voice. A story that resonates.” (Kirkus)
Courtney C. Stevens grew up in Kentucky and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is an adjunct professor and a former youth minister. Her other skills include playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, and being an Olympic torch bearer. Faking Normal is her first novel.
Courtney C. Stevens, "Faking Normal"
