BOOK REVIEW: THE SKY BETWEEN YOU AND ME BY CATHERINE ALENE

The Sky Between You and Me

by Catherine Alene

Published: Feb. 7th 2016

Hardcover, 352 pages

MY GOODREADS RATING 3/5 STARS

(Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Netgally, I received an advanced copy of this book to review)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Lighter. Leaner. Faster.

Raesha will do whatever it takes to win Nationals. For her, competing isn't just about the speed of her horse or the thrill of the win. It's about honoring her mother's memory and holding on to a dream they once shared.

Lighter. Leaner. Faster.

For an athlete. Every second counts. Raesha knows minus five on the scale will let her sit deeper in the saddle, make her horse lighter on her feet. And lighter, leaner, faster gives her the edge she needs over the new girl on the team, a girl who keeps flirting with Raesha's boyfriend and making plans with her best friend.

So Raesha focuses on minus five. But if she isn't careful, she will lose more than just the people she loves. She will lose herself to Lighter. Leaner. Faster. 



MY THOUGHTS:

     I found it really hard to get into the rhythm of the book at first. I immediately felt like I was missing some key part to the story, which was unusual. I'm generally a big fan of verse. Some books I consider my all time favorites are written in verse, but I felt like thoughts were left incomplete throughout the beginning of the book. I also had a hard time figuring out how the author set up the section breaks. About 10% through I started getting into the rhythm of the story, and understanding the way the authors writing style flowed.
     I feel like I could easily have read this book in one sitting if I had set aside enough time. Once I got to the point where I felt more comfortable with the authors writing style I flew through the book, and found it very interesting. It touched on the subjects of eating disorders and loss with a great amount of respect, and a great amount of understanding. I would definitely consider it one of the best books I've read on the subject of eating disorders.  I liked how the story switched focus between eating disorder information and information on horses. It left me wanting to know more on each topic.I do not have a great knowledge of horses , and I found myself getting really interested when learning about them. I had a hard time understanding why her friends who blatantly saw there was an issue not broaching the subject head on. Little comments were made but nothing huge.
     Overall I found the story a bit choppy but extremely informative. I enjoyed reading the book as a whole, but I found the verse a bit lacking. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the topics of eating disorders and horses.