Review: Never Enough by Denise Jaden

From the author of Losing Faith, a novel about two sisters and the eating disorder that threatens to destroy their family.

Loann’s always wanted to be popular and pretty like her sister, Claire. So when Claire’s ex-boyfriend starts flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it takes to feel special… even if that means betraying her sister.

But as Loann slips inside Claire’s world, she discovers that everything is not as it seems. Claire’s quest for perfection is all-consuming, and comes at a dangerous price. As Claire increasingly withdraws from friends and family, Loann struggles to understand her and make amends. Can she heal their relationship —and her sister—before it’s too late?

My Review:

I loved Losing Faith so I was excited to read Denise Jaden's second book, Never Enough.  I ended up loving it just as much as, if not more than, Losing Faith.  The family relationships, friendships, and plot in this book were amazing.  I have seen some reviews say they thought the pacing was off, but that isn't how I felt about.  I read through this book in a couple days, loving every minute of it.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

My favorite part of this book was probably reading about the relationship between the two sisters, Loann and Claire.  The book is told through Loann's POV, and the reader can see how she feels jealous of her older sister, and she feels like Claire is perfect, and she is not.  As the book progresses, readers can see how Claire is keeping many secrets, and how Loann cares about her and just wants her to get better.  Loann tries to make small comments, and do little things to get her parents to notice what is wrong with Claire.  It is clear to both Loann and the reader, yet the parents don't notice right away.

Another great part of this book is the way the friendship develops between Marcus and Loann.  Marcus' locker is next to Loann's, and that is how they meet.  They begin going out for coffee, and during the summer they start to work at the coffee shop.  They get to know each other more when they volunteer to work on a set together for school.  It becomes clear to Loann that Marcus is hiding some issues of his own, but she doesn't push him to tell her.  Though the friendship stays a friendship for the majority of the book, there are hints of it becoming something more.

If you like YA contemporary, read this book.

Katie