Title: Scarred
Author: Elizabeth Montgomery
Genre: YA Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2015
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly
For those of us who come into the world different, we see it for what it really is.
Harsh.
Avery Chamberlin is special, unique. Beautiful words to gloss over the fact that
she is different. She has never felt like she fit in. Why should she?
She was reminded on a daily basis that she was not like her peers.
Flawed. Damaged. A freak.
Avery will have to come out of her shell to prove that even the bullies
have their own insecurities.
LIFE ISN’T ABOUT LABELS
The halls were crowded with kids trying to get to class, but one person stood out in the crowd as she always did. Harper Sloan. The bane of my existence. I learned early on in middle school that she came from the upper crust, but her love was bought by her alcoholic mother and absent father. She was beautiful, popular, and I’m pretty sure she could wipe her butt with hundred dollar bills if there was no toilet paper.
Walking into class, I saw the one person I wished would just move out of the state, Harper. She was draped over my desk. Our English teacher thought it was a good idea to assign seats in tenth grade. It had not been conducive to my fading-into-the-crowd plan since my desk was toward the front of the room.
“Can you remove your butt from my desk please?” I asked as sweetly as I could.
“Aww, what’s wrong, Scarface? Didn’t bring your guns?” she asked with a bogus frown and then doubled over laughing. She had called me Scarface ever since I could remember. One of the downfalls to growing up in a small town: everyone knows everyone. Forever.
“What are you talking about, Harper?” I asked, dropping my backpack to the ground beside the desk.
“Don’t you get it? Scarface…guns…Al Pacino.” Her head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. “Whatever,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I heard you’re coming to Blake’s party?” she asked, crossing her legs across the desk.
“Who told you that?” I was starting to get annoyed, but I didn’t want to push her; she was ruthless and would tear me to shreds in a public humiliation scene.
“Well, Blake himself, silly. I think he likes you.” She had a southern twang in her voice and a pageant smile plastered across her face.
“That’s nice. Can I have my desk back please? Class is about to start and you wouldn’t want a smudge on that perfect image you have, would you?” I winked at her as she wrinkled up her face at me before grabbing my backpack and dumping its contents on the floor. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she walked away like nothing happened.
Walking into class, I saw the one person I wished would just move out of the state, Harper. She was draped over my desk. Our English teacher thought it was a good idea to assign seats in tenth grade. It had not been conducive to my fading-into-the-crowd plan since my desk was toward the front of the room.
“Can you remove your butt from my desk please?” I asked as sweetly as I could.
“Aww, what’s wrong, Scarface? Didn’t bring your guns?” she asked with a bogus frown and then doubled over laughing. She had called me Scarface ever since I could remember. One of the downfalls to growing up in a small town: everyone knows everyone. Forever.
“What are you talking about, Harper?” I asked, dropping my backpack to the ground beside the desk.
“Don’t you get it? Scarface…guns…Al Pacino.” Her head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. “Whatever,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I heard you’re coming to Blake’s party?” she asked, crossing her legs across the desk.
“Who told you that?” I was starting to get annoyed, but I didn’t want to push her; she was ruthless and would tear me to shreds in a public humiliation scene.
“Well, Blake himself, silly. I think he likes you.” She had a southern twang in her voice and a pageant smile plastered across her face.
“That’s nice. Can I have my desk back please? Class is about to start and you wouldn’t want a smudge on that perfect image you have, would you?” I winked at her as she wrinkled up her face at me before grabbing my backpack and dumping its contents on the floor. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she walked away like nothing happened.
She is currently raising four children and a husband while elbow-deep in the depths of the writing cave. You can often find her searching on Google for an appropriate, or sometimes inappropriate, photo to insert in any random conversation. If not on Google, or Facebook chat, she can be found drinking coffee (like any normal writer), eating Gummy Bears, baking fanciful cakes, reading (of course), or writing (duh).
“I always wondered what authors meant when they said that their characters tell them what to write – I get it now!”
HOSTED BY:
4 stars
Avery was born with a cleft lip and has been the target of bullies since day one. After numerous corrective surgeries, and even plastic surgery to cover up the remaining scar, Avery still has a facial scar.
During her younger school years, she has been the butt of many jokes and pranks. Especially from a particular girl, Harper. In high school, Avery and her best friend Dylan, who is gay, are faced with vicious attacks on themselves. Beng verbally abused and the butt of jokes and pranks from young. Has given both Avery and Dylan both thick skins.
Avery has such a strong support system. Her mother, and Marine father. He may not be around much, but she knows he loves her unconditionally. Her best friend Dylan, who she cries with, but mostly laughs with, over these atrocities. And added to the mix is hot boy, Blake.
Blake and Avery were friends when they were younger, and she even had a crush on him. But when he started dating Harper when they got older. That was when everything changed for Blake and Avery.
Blake is finally fed up of Harper's bullying of everyone that is different He chooses to stand up for Avery. As their romance starts. Blake reveals some secrets that he has kept hidden in order to protect Avery over the years.
It was lovely seeing Blake and Avery romantize over each other. I loved that it wasn't instantaneous wih Avery. She was still very much guarded because of her past experiences. Not knowing if Blake had ulterior motives for being nice to her. Dylan was such a sweetheart. Strong and fierce with his whimsical mannerisms.
Avery was such a joy to read about. I treasured her thoughts and predicaments because of her strength. Yes, she cried, got angry, fed up, depressed. But her skin was thick and that girl seriously has some balls of steel.
Learning that her own personal bully had her own insecurities was eye opening. People lash out when they need help the most. Harper's own life was in tatters and choose to seek her vengeance out on someone that didn't fit into the stencil of perfection. What Harper didn't understand, is that we are all perfectly, imperfect.
I need to state that I am firmly against bullying. Seeing and knowing first hand, the damage that is done through bullying is irreparable. No matter how much time passes and how strong a person is. Somethings are seared into a person. As a reminder of how harsh people can be. It changes them. Whether for the better or for worse. It affects us all differently. Even more so when there isn't a support system.
*ARC provided by Enticing Journey Book Promotions on behalf of the author for an honest review* Thanks!!
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