Beneath the Skin

Written by Kyla Stone

Narrated by Caitlin Kelly

To save her life, she must risk her heart . . .

For eighteen-year-old Sidney Shaw, life pretty much sucks. Her mom's a drunk. Her dad's worse. At school, she's bullied by her ex-best friend. And cutting no longer brings the relief she craves.

When Sidney is forced into group counseling, she meets perfect, popular Arianna, the type of girl who grieves over a broken nail. But Arianna has secrets of her own. She might prove herself a friend-if Sidney can let her guard down. Then there's Lucas, the sweet and funny new guy who sees straight through her tough, snarky facade.

But Sidney's wounds go deeper than anyone knows. When her secrets threaten to unravel her, Sidney must choose. How far is she willing to go to protect her family? And who can she turn to when the unthinkable happens?

Contains mature themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Apr 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781977376435

Reviews for Beneath the Skin

[Marianne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Real life problems and how one girl made it through. Encouraging for teens or young adults who have lost hope.

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes you read a book and must really process it before you can write the review. This book was one of those for me. From the minute I met Sydney I knew she was so much more than what we saw on the outside. I hated the girls who tormented her. I hated the life that she was forced to live. At the same time I admired her ability to not only survive her life, but make sure her brothers survived. She was a hero in my book. This is a book I will put on my shelves. It is an important book if it helps just one child. If this is the quality of this author's work then I owe it to myself and others to read everything she has written. Not too many people can write about this topic that takes you on an emotional ride and yet leaves you feeling good at the end. I will not write about the plot to this book. That is for you the reader to do. I will recommend it along with a box of tissues. It is probably in the top five favorite books I've read this year. I will say this is a must read.I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[tcoffey0126 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

* I received this book from the author for my honest review. *If you are looking for a book that tugs at your heart strings pick this one up. I wasn't certain what I was getting into when I won a copy of this book on Library Thing, I just knew it was for young adults and the cover was cool.At first, I was horrified by the things this girl went through. The torcher from her mother, her peers and self mutilation. The author made sure to pull you into Sidney's world, to make you feel the hate she had for herself. It was awful. To believe a person truly hated themselves with this much passion... I felt it with each word I read. What would drive someone to feel this way? I was speechless as I read the chapters. I wanted to help her, to break down her door and show that someone loved her and she didn't need to carry around all this pain she felt. Sidney was abused in every way imaginable. Her father changed her into this monster she felt she was. She didn't think she deserved a friend or a single person who cared. When they did, they just turned on her because they didn't understand the life she lived.The book shows the life of so many teens out there. This unfortunately could happen. It makes you sad and angry all at once.Sidney stood up for her family. She decided to help herself, her brothers and to be happy for once. She may have done something that most people don't approve of but it saved her. It saved her brothers from being like him. It saved her mom from being a deadbeat mom, even if what she did was for herself. Sidney was a hero, even if she didn't see it. Her friend Arriana saw it. Sidney gave her the strength to be who she wanted to be, to not beat herself down because her mother saw something differently.In the end, Sidney works hard to not do some of the things she had done, cutting, but she has a future. A life she can look forward to having with friends, family and a boyfriend. It is something she didn't think she would ever have.

[songbirdrichards · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book after being so very impressed with the authors book 'Who We Are Instead' I am not disappointed, it is exceptionally well written and deals properly with some very tough issues. I wish there were more stars to give.

[angbenton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great read! And an emotional one. It deals with such deep issues of abuse and self-harm and how these issue affect individuals differently. I could not help but root for the main character, Sydney, as she finds her voice and begins to stand up for herself. Whether it’s struggling to keep her brothers together, growing her relationship with a boy or trusting her new friend, Arianna, the journey is emotional and well worth the read. I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.

[jenny_acc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book from a librarything giveaway,and i have to say i loved it.Very well written, and a sensitive topic.Sydney comes off really bad in the beginning, but as you see how much sh's been through and still going through, it makes sense.I loved the friendship aspect too.I definitely recommend this.