Rating: 4 Bookworms
In this raw and relatable romance, Bea learns that some things just can’t be controlled.
When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again.
But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic… and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed.
Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.
My Thoughts:
I found this book through Pulseit.com and since it was free and looked interesting I decided to give it a go. I was interested in learning how the characters would cope with their OCD and how that would affect them not only in their daily lives but also in their love lives.
Overall I thought that this book was a good summer read. Bea was a bit frustrating because even though she is going to therapy for her OCD she is not forthcoming about her symptoms which just makes them worse. I guess in a sense the author might have purposely made the reader frustrated because in reality some people may have problems facing their issues or even admitting that they have any. This could become very frustrating for friends and family who are trying to help.
I really found it interesting that a symptom of Bea’s OCD was stalking since I have never heard of that stemming from OCD before. Even though Bea wasn’t in love the people she was stalking she felt an obligation to protect them and make sure that no harm came to them. At the pinnacle point in the book her stalking became a very apparent problem not just to her but to the people around her which forced her to face her issues.
I enjoyed the fact that Beck was always trying to improve himself which eventually led to Bea trying to improve herself. Once Bea had that strong support system of not only Beck but also her mom and therapist it was easier to come to them with her obsessive tendencies and to try and tackle them. She realized that in order for her to conquer her OCD she couldn’t do it alone. In Beck she found someone that not only understood her but also her OCD. Together they found ways to not only help each other battle OCD but also found someone to love.
This book really encompasses what it means to have a little help from your friends to get you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. This gives us a glimpse into what it is like to suffer from OCD and the feeling that if only we do a ritual a certain amount of times everything will be okay.
I think that this is a job well done for this debut author.
Links
Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Apple iBooks | Kobo
About the Author
Corey Ann Haydu is the author of YA novels, OCD LOVE STORY, LIFE BY COMMITTEE, MAKING PRETTY, the middle grade novel, RULES FOR STEALING STARS and the upcoming YA novel FALLING GIRLS AND MISSING BOYS. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and The New School’s Writing for Children MFA program, Corey has been working in children’s publishing since 2009.
In 2013, Corey was chosen as one of Publisher Weekly’s Flying Starts. Her books have been Junior Library Guild Selections, Indie Next Selections, and BCCB Blue Ribbon Selections.
Corey also teaches YA Novel Writing with Mediabistro and adapted her debut novel, OCD LOVE STORY into a high school play, which had its first run in Fall 2015.
Corey lives in Brooklyn with her dog, her fiance, and a wide selection of cheese.
Tales From A Bookworm 
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