Diving in Deep

by Nora Ballew

When Kelly Eberly’s parents move the whole family to rural Waterville, just after she turns thirteen, adjusting to life in the country proves to be anything but easy. With her parents arguing more than ever, her older sister Ellie preoccupied with her new boyfriend, and older brother Mitch trying to navigate his own crooked path, Kelly and little brother Willy are often left to fend for themselves. Her art and frequent visits with her Aunt Myra provide an anchor for Kelly’s soul, but when she has to go up a size for her summer wardrobe and is hit by other unexpected waves, she feels tossed and turned in an ocean of doubt. Wanting desperately to lose a few extra pounds, she dives into starting a diet and rigorous swimming routine. She only grows more focused on it as her family’s problems seem to mount. She doesn’t mind going unnoticed for a while as her waistline shrinks, but even within the chaos that is her family, she can’t hide her drastic weight loss for long. Soon, people are noticing. Aunt Myra is praying, Mitch is lecturing, and even her new friends are studying her under a microscope. How thin is thin enough? If she gets too thin, will she be able to stop; or is she in too deep? With so much going on in her family, will anyone be able to help her resurface?

Follow Kelly’s story as she tries to figure out her not-so-normal family, realizes the power of prayer, and learns to trust that God knows what he’s doing.

Genres: Young Adult

ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Nora Ballew writes from the heart and has been penning her inspirations in the form of poetry and short stories since childhood. Now diving into being a novelist, the title of her first book, "Diving In Deep", proves to be poignant.

Find her on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/noraballewauthor

Find her website:
http://www.noraballew.com

Find her on twitter:
NoraBallew

Reviews

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, but not one that I can say I really enjoyed either.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely written, and very relate-able. I understood the anxieties Kelly was going through, and can relate to many of her fears. The book also includes quite a bit of interesting side stories including family members, some that kept me on edge. There's a surprise ending that leaves you begging for a sequel.



I read this is one sitting, I couldn't put it down!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great wee book. Superbly easy to read, and being a novel it is a more vivid presentation of the issues it addresses than some more medical/textbook-like books.

[Philippa Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

It handles anorexia well, demonstrating the progression from just dieting to an eating disorder. However, the part about her recovery is very rushed and there's a cliffhanger at the end which wasn't really needed. It's very God heavy, which made the characters a bit two dimensional as they decide that God is the reason for absolutely everything.

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the most part this is predictable and message-heavy (as in beat-you-over-the-head-with-a-Jesus-shaped-hammer) religious YA issue fiction. Kelly's thirteen but often with the naïveté of a nine-year-old; the writing is riddled with errors; Kelly's anorexia is rapid-fire cured in the course of a few pages; and there's a Giant Reveal at the very very end that serves as a clumsy dun dun DUN for the next book.

However: Kelly's doctor does give one of the better explanations of anorexia that I've heard in a while. “You don’t have to be all bones to be anorexic,” he says. “Anorexia Nervosa isn’t a disease you get from losing too much weight; it’s the disease that drives you to lose too much weight” (151). It's a nice way of putting it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother of a twelve year old, this book caught my eye as a good purchase. The main character, Kelly, deals with a negative self-image. I downloaded it with the thought that my daughter and I could read this and then have a discussion. What I found instead was a paragraph one grabbing story that took a hold of both my attention and heart. This book is great on so many levels.

#1 - It has great characters that immediately engage the reader. They are believable, and the reader can easily relate to one or more of the multidimensional characters in the book. From the troubled older brother Mitch, to the mom who warns her kids to "act normal" before they enter church, all the characters have something for everyone. The aunt is my personal favorite, as she flutters around like the butterflies that she loves, and lands briefly to lovingly hand out Biblical wisdom.

#2 - Another "great" for this book are the issues it deals with, making this book a must-read not only for girls 12+, but for parents and grandparents as well. The author does a great job of capturing the gamut of emotions Kelly goes through, especially when it comes to self-image.

#3 - The book has a great message. As I mentioned before, the book not only deals with teenage issues, but handles them in a Biblical way. I found my self highlighting several passages so I could go back to them later. For example, I love how the aunt describes love to Ellie, "Love isn't just feelings, dear. It's rooted in actions, daily choices to be patient, kind and to persevere. Put simple, love does."

#4 - Finally, the book is flawlessly written. The style is smooth, and flows naturally through the story. I didn't feel like I was reading a YA novel, I was fully captivated by the words, the message and characters.

[Cynthia Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, and I'm so glad! I really loved it! I have a 13-year-old daughter who I plan to have read it next. It deals with issues I think just about every young girl thinks about. The author did a wonderful job of getting into the thoughts of a girl that age. Kelly is at a very impressionable age and has a habit of comparing her body to her sister's. Mix the comparisons with a comment from her mother and the distorted identity begins. This book is an easy and quick read. I found it hard to stop reading when I had to take breaks. I thought all the characters were believable. It has a strong Christian message too. If you have a daughter who is age 10 or older, get this for her. It just might help her in one way or another.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible writing (as in basic punctuation is wrong), way too much God, and an idyllic fairy tale ending that's reductionist and oversimplifies eating disorder recovery make this book a waste of time. One-dimensional characters and sappy "trust in God" rhetoric make it even worse. Another piece of kindling to add to the bonfire of atrocious fiction about anorexia.

[Traceylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why

Why

I knew it was about an eating disorder but didn't realize it was a Christian book as well. the story didn't get into deep information monster people with eating disorders have. but I guess it's because they caught it earlier.