Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke Review!

Hot girls get the fairy tales. No one cares about the stepsisters' story. Those girls don't get a sweet little ending; they get a lifetime of longing

Imogen Keegen has never had a happily ever after–in fact, she doesn’t think they are possible. Ever since her mother’s death seven years ago, Imogen has pulled herself in and out of therapy, struggled with an “emotionally disturbed” special ed. label, and loathed her perma-plus-sized status.

When Imogen’s new stepsister, the evil and gorgeous Ella Cinder, moves in down the hall, Imogen begins losing grip on the pieces she’s been trying to hold together. The only things that gave her solace–the theatre, cheese fries, and her best friend, Grant–aren’t enough to save her from her pain this time.

While Imogen is enjoying her moment in the spotlight after the high school musical, the journal pages containing her darkest thoughts get put on display. Now, Imogen must resign herself to be crushed under the ever-increasing weight of her pain, or finally accept the starring role in her own life story.

And maybe even find herself a happily ever after.

Damsel Distressed isn’t what I expected it to be. I was expecting a typical YA novel, but I got so much more than that. This book isn't a fluffy or fun read, but it is a book that will teach you lessons and stay with you until long after you have finished it. This is a book that will make you feel something. It takes your darkest feelings and pulls them from the darkest corners of your mind to uncover them. It did that with me, and I've never had a book affect me like this book did. I broke down crying three times before I even reached the middle of the book. That shows you how heart wrenching this book can be to those it touches. Damsel Distressed is going to teach you things you never even knew you could learn. It's going to hurt, but it's going to make you think. You need to read this book because it is unlike any YA book I've ever read. It's about struggling with depression, anxiety, and other things that teens these days sadly have to deal with, and I have to tell you that this book will stay with me for a long time to come. Books that leave such a huge impact on you are worth the read no matter what. I've never had a character that I related to so well until Imogen Keegan came along. Every hurt and every cruel word she endured made my heart hurt and I could feel the pain she felt. This book places you in her shoes and it is a road to behold. It's a road full of grief, sadness, cruelty, but more importantly love, and it's beautiful. I fell into Imogen’s shoes and I fell in love with Grant too. I adore books where best friends begin to have feelings for each other, and this book was perfect for me. If there was ever a fictional boyfriend that I wished were real it would be Grant. He stood by Imogen in her times of need, he held her hand and her heart with such care that you just want to reach through the book and hug him. Aside from the emotional message behind Damsel Distressed there are a lot of relatable characters in the book which makes it easy to place yourself into the story. I didn’t find one single thing wrong with this book except that it made me cry, but I’ve forgiven Kelsey for that. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This book is one that shouldn’t be left with a page unturned, and it has become one of my top ten favorite books. There are so many aspects of Damsel Distressed that transcend any other YA book out there, and it’s something to witness. I am waiting to see this book get award after award, honestly. I would give this book all the stars in the galaxy, but five are all that are allowed.