Book Review: "Ann, Not Annie" by Sage Steadman

Not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves.

Henry David Thoreau

The first thought I had when I finished the book was HELL, YEAH!

This book was awesomely written. The irony, the vocabulary, and the descriptions provided by the characters and the narrator fit perfectly for all situations. Plus, the idea of having a narrator as a very close person to the main character gives you a more personal approach, which makes you feel familiar and sympathetic.

The thing that surprised me the most was the story behind what I read in the synopsis. When I read it, it seemed quite simple, I honestly thought this would be a very basic book about teenage love and I'm very pleased to say I was very wrong.

Ann, Not Annie tells us accurately how it is for a teenager to have an alcoholic parent and the role that sometimes children have to take so they can have some order in their lives; a thing that isn't right, a thing that hurts, and wow, that was incredibly well-described. I can give it credit because I've been in the same situation.

More pros about this book are definitely its characters, they all had something that made them be unique in their own way, the drawings were an interesting addition, and I think adding the use of intertextuality with Walden was quite smart. I've always liked to have more texts to read later, that also gives you an idea of how an author gets their inspiration, which is more than cool!

The thing that gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 was the pace at the end. I felt it was faster compared to the first chapters. There are a few typos as well, but I think I shouldn't criticize that because English isn't my mother tongue and I know I don't write it perfectly.

I could read this book thanks to the author and Booktasters ;)

SAGE STEADMAN was awarded a master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah. While pursuing her passion for writing, she worked as a licensed mental health therapist. She published her debut novel, Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a Cutter, in 2010 under her pen name, The Hippie, and since, re-released the second edition under her real name. The novel has been deemed an “idyllic” read, filled with love, humor, romance, and heart. She is also the co-author of the gritty and inspiring historical fiction novel, Upon Destiny’s Song, alongside classical guitarist, Mike Ericksen. She is also the author of the YA novels, The Waking Dream, and Ann, Not Annie. Sage is heralded as a talented writer who tackles her novels with a witty, raw and honest approach. She currently lives near Salt Lake City, Utah with her family.