Wintergirls

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

from bn.com

Beth says 5 Stars...

This novel honestly puts me at a loss for words. It was simply astounding. As soon as I picked it up I was pulled into the world of Lia. This world was created with a brutal honesty that made Lia seem like a real person. She could be anyone; that friend you don't talk to anymore, the girl who sits behind you in class, or someone you see walking down the street. The realism made this book extremely difficult to read because I became emotionally involved in the story. The content of the book makes this for mature readers only, but it isn't just the subject matter. It's that combined with the emotional writing of the book. I really don't know how to describe it. It was amazing, brutal, and heartwrenching. I felt connected to Lia, and couldn't stand it when she continued her destructive behavior. I also felt for all of the other characters as well; they all added powerful elements to the story. The book moved forward with a natural feel; nothing about this novel was forced. All I can say is that this is one of the most powerful books I've read in years, and offers insight into the world of eating disorders. This is an absolute work of genius and a must-read for any readers who can handle it.