The Truth About Lilly Barnes – Kimberly Russel

"Today is the day it is going to happen. I’m not melancholy or nervous. I just want to get it over with more than anything. Today is the day that I, Lilly Barnes, die.” Lilly Barnes doesn't want to live anymore. She is prepared to leave her life, family, and more importantly, her best friend Buddy behind for good. But, why? What could be so horrible that it makes a young girl want to end her life?

*I received a free copy of The Truth About Lilly Barnes in exchange for an honest review, and also to participate in a blog tour as well as a giveaway *

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The Truth About Lilly Barnes was very hard to read! It is about a 17-year-old girl, Lilly, and it starts with what she has planned to be her last day. It certainly has a lot of triggers, both about suicide, sexual assault, anorexia and OCD. I think it is only fair to warn you, so that if any of those things might be a trigger for you, stop reading even this review right now!

Lilly has planned her own death for six months, and the beginning of the story is the day she will make it happen. The way the author deals with thoughts of suicide, and the reasonings Lilly have for it is extremely well done. Most of the book is written in first person present tense, and it switches between Lilly’s and her best friend Buddy’s points of view. The fact that it is written in first person present makes the reader feel like being inside of Lilly’s head, and even when Lilly does not really want to think about her reasons for wanting to end her own life, the reader can presume why anyway. I thought of different things, and one of them ended up being correct. Lilly is the kind of character I just wanted to fold into my arms and hug and help feel safe and loved! Her mom surely didn’t do that for her since she was little, and Lilly spends most of her free time at Buddy’s house, where she feels more like a part of the family than she does in her own home!

As I said, this deals with some very serious issues, and Lilly, of course survives her suicide attempt. She has to stay for a few days in a mental hospital where she gets help from an amazing doctor, one who truly listens to her and takes her completely seriously. Even in that desolate place, Lilly is able to make some friends, which was very refreshing to read about.

The one thing that made me take one star off from the full five stars that’s my maximum star review is the ending – I thought it was a little too easy the way things were resolved, but I completely understand that Lilly deserved to be happy. I just think that dealing with the aftermath of her suicide attempt would have been a little more complicated than it turned out to be.

This is still a very important story to be told! Far too many young people go through hell, and are too good at hiding what is happening to them. And sometimes, unfortunately, the people who should be there to protect them fail miserably, both before and after the fact. Needless to say, I hope there is a very special, and extremely warm place in hell for people like Lilly’s mother. If you can deal with the heavy subject, I think this book is absolutely worth your time. It is not very long, treats a serious subject, and made me cry in several places. And what I am left with right now is a feeling of how strong Lilly really is.

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About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.

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