Review: Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Angie Chapman is only 13 when she gets lost in the woods in the middle of the night.

The next thing she knows she’s returned home, scars around her wrists and ankles, physically exhausted. Her parents collapse into tears when they see her, but Angie doesn’t understand – until they tell her she has been missing, presumed dead, for three years.

Angie doesn’t remember anything from her missing years. But there are people who do – people who could tell Angie every terrifying detail, if only they weren’t locked inside her mind.

With help, Angie begins to unravel the darkest secrets of her own past.

But does she really want to know the truth?

I honestly can't find the words to describe how striking and thought provoking and unbelievably amazing Pretty Girl-13 was. I absolutely adored it. I've seen some pretty negative reviews of this book but I can only praise this book, it was heartbreaking and uplifting, shocking and sad all at once. 

I was a little worried that this book would be a typical creepy paranormal book and so was shocked when it turned out to actually be a psychological mystery, realistic fiction. It worked well though, I was gripped from the very start of the book until the very last page. Angie was an honest and believable character, her reactions are so honest, she comes back as this sixteen year old girl though she still feels thirteen, the guy she liked when she was younger is now a shallow, sex obsessed guy, her best friend starts to hate her. The things that happen to Angie are things that happent o normal girl, but she has the mental health problems to deal with as well.

The DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) that Angie has was fascinating to read about. I got to know each of her different personas as their own people which made Angie's coming to terms with her situation really nice to watch. The pacing was always amazing and I just couldn't put this book down.

Liz Coley, you have completely blown me away with Pretty Girl-13. This psychological thriller was so original and gripping and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Book released 19th March 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (Edelweiss)