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Remedy
Cara's been sick all her life . . . but in this case the cause might be more shocking than the cure.
It's a mystery - why is Cara so sick? It feels like she's been sick all her life . . . but she and her mom have never stayed in one place long enough for doctors to really understand what's happening to her. Now, at fourteen, Cara is tired of being tired, and sick of being sick. She's trying to get better . . . but it's only getting worse.
Unable to afford the care she needs, Cara's mom starts a Caring for Cara campaign online. The money starts pouring in. But something's not right to Cara. And the harder she looks, the less she understands.
It's a mystery - why is Cara so sick? It feels like she's been sick all her life . . . but she and her mom have never stayed in one place long enough for doctors to really understand what's happening to her. Now, at fourteen, Cara is tired of being tired, and sick of being sick. She's trying to get better . . . but it's only getting worse.
Unable to afford the care she needs, Cara's mom starts a Caring for Cara campaign online. The money starts pouring in. But something's not right to Cara. And the harder she looks, the less she understands.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 6, 2021
27 people are currently reading
2184 people want to read
About the author
Eireann Corrigan
10 books131 followersEireann Corrigan was born in 1977. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and New York University. She currently lives in New Jersey with her kitten Sumo. When she grows up, she hopes to marry Bob Dylan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 12, 2021
I finished Remedy in just over three hours. Then my nine-year-old daughter picked it up and inhaled it just as quickly. (The family that reads together!) It's a rare YA book that I can enjoy for its own sake and not with the qualifier "...for a YA novel," but this one hit all the right notes. Authors who rely on twisty plots to carry all their story's weight are seldom re-read. Corrigan has crafted a story with enough suspense to keep younger readers guessing, and characters fleshed-out enough to keep even seasoned folk who see where it's going fully invested in the journey.
July 3, 2021
I mostly finished this book to see if Cara gets out.
She does.
Cara has to be one of the worse main characters I have ever read, she is poorly written.
I didn't hate the book, but the relationships between characters seemed very odd, and blurred. I didn't feel like I made a connection. Is Xavier a good friend? Does Cara misunderstand everything he says? Yes and yes.
Even though this book was quite predictable, given that it is almost exactly like the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, minus the murder, I only finished to see how Cara got out, and even then, I was waiting for a climax. It felt like a flat line the whole time, and whenever I thought we were actually reaching for something... it would fall to the ground. Flat.
I couldn't tell if things were good or bad. Besides the mother and Dr. Eric being obvious antagonists. I still don't know if Cara is happy with her life before or after.
There was a lot of weird middle ground.
The ending of the mother getting arrested and Cara walking out without a word was a good way to end. There was no need for an "Epilogue."
Crazy enough, right after I finished, I developed a headache.
She does.
Cara has to be one of the worse main characters I have ever read, she is poorly written.
I didn't hate the book, but the relationships between characters seemed very odd, and blurred. I didn't feel like I made a connection. Is Xavier a good friend? Does Cara misunderstand everything he says? Yes and yes.
Even though this book was quite predictable, given that it is almost exactly like the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, minus the murder, I only finished to see how Cara got out, and even then, I was waiting for a climax. It felt like a flat line the whole time, and whenever I thought we were actually reaching for something... it would fall to the ground. Flat.
I couldn't tell if things were good or bad. Besides the mother and Dr. Eric being obvious antagonists. I still don't know if Cara is happy with her life before or after.
There was a lot of weird middle ground.
The ending of the mother getting arrested and Cara walking out without a word was a good way to end. There was no need for an "Epilogue."
Crazy enough, right after I finished, I developed a headache.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
I came into this book with high hopes. And what a letdown!! I mean no offense to the author or fans but really, there was just so much wrong with it. Cara's mom was annoying, and I don't know if the vibe the author was going was creepy and possessive, but she just failed on so many levels. (I'm sorry, Eireann Corrigan). Cara herself felt useless, and it was hard to relate to her. Dr. Eric screamed sketchy, and just fell flat. The only character I felt was good was Xavier. He was a nerd (like me) and was so sweet and genuine. Now, for the book. The concept itself was great, to have the mother have munchausen syndrome, but it just fell flat. The book was dragged on WAY too long, and when Cara (finally) discovered that her mother was lying to her about her health, the ending was very quick, and there was no real climatic part. I HATED Cara's mom, and everytime see said something about 'bureaucrats harassing Cara', I wanted to punch the wall. (I nearly did). So, to wrap this up, just no...
December 23, 2020
Corrigan grabbed in the first few pages, and I raced through this book and finished it in just a few days, even in the busy time just before Christmas. I kept falling asleep sitting up in bed because I didn't want to stop reading. I loved the characters and was fascinated to figure out the motivations of the mother character and Dr. Eric. I loved the side characters like Xavier (the Science Kid), the pottery shop owner, and Mr. Pat Neary, the sweet gentleman. I loved Cara Jean, the strong female protagonist, most of all. Corrigan has an amazing ability to take a minor character like an Uber driver and flesh them out into a real person even though they only show up for a couple pages. There were heartwarming moments and suspenseful moments and peaceful moments. Corrigan writes young adults so realistically--the dialogue, the surprising choices, the vacillation between maturity and uncertainty. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
October 8, 2022
a pretty good mystery novel with a lot of suspense 😌
December 31, 2024
It got so boring...
September 21, 2023
I got this book at a Scholastic book fair at my school while teaching, because it looked and sounded interesting. Unfortunately I was a bit let down.
This book read very young YA, or even middle grade. Which is fine, but not really my preferred read. It probably didn't help that I guessed the whole mystery/plot just from the description. It sounded exactly like Munchausen's by proxy. I still wanted to read it to see if there would be anything else going on... but no there wasn't: it was all pretty surface level. This was an easy read, but not exactly quick for me. It still took me three days to read. I felt like it lacked a B plot; it needed something else going on besides just the main character's sickness and studying for exams. There were hints at a potential friendship developing with another girl at school, but that never went anywhere. I feel like this had potential but it just never really got there.
This book read very young YA, or even middle grade. Which is fine, but not really my preferred read. It probably didn't help that I guessed the whole mystery/plot just from the description. It sounded exactly like Munchausen's by proxy. I still wanted to read it to see if there would be anything else going on... but no there wasn't: it was all pretty surface level. This was an easy read, but not exactly quick for me. It still took me three days to read. I felt like it lacked a B plot; it needed something else going on besides just the main character's sickness and studying for exams. There were hints at a potential friendship developing with another girl at school, but that never went anywhere. I feel like this had potential but it just never really got there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2021
i started this book yesterday, and i just could. not. put. it. down. it's been a while since i've read a book that hooked me like that, and the writing was light and easy to digest, making it perfect for a two-day binge read.
i have to say, i was absolutely stunned by the dialogue between cara and her mom. there were legitimately moments where i was screaming in my head: *"this is just like me! these are the same exact things my mom used to say to me!"* the at first subtle and then later not-so-subtle ways in which her mother manipulates and lies to cara were so realistic and well-depicted. i was seething with anger the whole middle section of the book just wishing i could reach into the pages and slap her mom across the face. although my mother never had the methods of manipulation and way of turning everything around to be about how burdened she was as a mother is very familiar to me: it was an incredible experience seeing that depicted so accurately on the page for the first time.
my one biggest criticism would be that i wish cara had a more active role. given how much i could relate to her relationship with her mother, and the fact that she has been dealing with chronic illness her whole life, i kept wondering where her anger was. throughout the whole book, she deals with her pain with utter grace and acceptance. i know that after so many years dealing with her illness, she would have figured out ways to cope, but given her age, illness, and her mother's manipulation of her life, wouldn't some general anger and resentment at the world come bubbling up to the surface every once in a while?
yes, sure, sure, she does get angry and blow up at xavier towards the end, and there are several scenes where her annoyance is expressed quite clearly, but while i was reading i felt like a deeper, burning anger was missing: all those years of pain and little injustices have to go somewhere. i felt like what cara really needed was a sobbing, ugly-cry breakdown in a bathroom stall or parking lot somewhere by herself. and maybe a couple instances where she doesn't back down when her mom guilts her and just lets it devolve into a full-blown fight.
in the scene where
cara also felt rather passive in the
still, i very much enjoyed this read, especially the relationship between xavier and cara. i like that the author that's an approach to teenage relationships i don't really see in YA, but see all the time in the real world, and so was very nice to read.
i have to say, i was absolutely stunned by the dialogue between cara and her mom. there were legitimately moments where i was screaming in my head: *"this is just like me! these are the same exact things my mom used to say to me!"* the at first subtle and then later not-so-subtle ways in which her mother manipulates and lies to cara were so realistic and well-depicted. i was seething with anger the whole middle section of the book just wishing i could reach into the pages and slap her mom across the face. although my mother never had the methods of manipulation and way of turning everything around to be about how burdened she was as a mother is very familiar to me: it was an incredible experience seeing that depicted so accurately on the page for the first time.
my one biggest criticism would be that i wish cara had a more active role. given how much i could relate to her relationship with her mother, and the fact that she has been dealing with chronic illness her whole life, i kept wondering where her anger was. throughout the whole book, she deals with her pain with utter grace and acceptance. i know that after so many years dealing with her illness, she would have figured out ways to cope, but given her age, illness, and her mother's manipulation of her life, wouldn't some general anger and resentment at the world come bubbling up to the surface every once in a while?
yes, sure, sure, she does get angry and blow up at xavier towards the end, and there are several scenes where her annoyance is expressed quite clearly, but while i was reading i felt like a deeper, burning anger was missing: all those years of pain and little injustices have to go somewhere. i felt like what cara really needed was a sobbing, ugly-cry breakdown in a bathroom stall or parking lot somewhere by herself. and maybe a couple instances where she doesn't back down when her mom guilts her and just lets it devolve into a full-blown fight.
in the scene where
cara also felt rather passive in the
still, i very much enjoyed this read, especially the relationship between xavier and cara. i like that the author that's an approach to teenage relationships i don't really see in YA, but see all the time in the real world, and so was very nice to read.
May 18, 2021
Despite my rating, which appears low, I didn't hate this book. I just didn't love it either. This book was already a bit of a gamble because it's not really the type of book that I would reach for or choose to pick up, so I actually ended up liking this book more than I had anticipated I would. It got off to a bit of a slow start for me, but I ended up reading it rather quickly. When it came to the characters, I cared a little about them, but I never got fully invested in their story. I like didn't try to curse them or anything, and I was happy for them when good things happened, but I wasn't weeping or on edge when it came to anything they were doing. I did like watching Cara become more independent, and seeing her grow into herself. The plot was decent, and I didn't hate any of the choices that the author made. However, basically from the very beginning, I knew the direction that this book was going to go in. This may be because I have heard of other cases like this one before, but it wasn't all that hard to see what was happening. This was slightly disappointing, but I still liked getting to see how everything played out. There wasn't any cursing in this book, and there wasn't really any violence. There also wasn't any sexual content. Therefore, this book isn't really inappropriate for a reader that is on the older end of the middle-grade age range. It is honestly pretty dark and there is a huge psychological aspect that may be a little hard for a younger reader to understand. I do think that this book is more geared towards YA readers, but I don't think it's out of the question for a slightly younger reader to pick up this book. I can't say that I recommend this book, or if I did try to recommend it to someone I would want to know their reading tastes first. I also think that while I didn't love this book there are definitely many people who I think would really enjoy it. This was my first experience with this author and after reading this book I am open to picking up more from this author in the future.
April 6, 2021
Cara Jean has been sick and isolated most of her life. Her mom leads a podcast called Wellness Warriors, but it's only when they meet the specialist Dr. Eric at a support group that type they set up a GoFundMe that takes off. Dr. Eric's open to alternative medicine, very expensive and exclusively makes house calls.
Maybe it's because I'm familiar with the court case, or maybe because I read Darling Rose Gold last year, but I knew where this book was headed right away. But that didn't ruin my enjoyment of it. Instead, I was interested to see when Cara would figure out and how she'd break free.
Thank you to Scholastic for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe it's because I'm familiar with the court case, or maybe because I read Darling Rose Gold last year, but I knew where this book was headed right away. But that didn't ruin my enjoyment of it. Instead, I was interested to see when Cara would figure out and how she'd break free.
Thank you to Scholastic for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2023
Cara is always sick - strangely sick - but still tries to soldier through school.
This was an excellent thriller YA! I've read stories like this before so I knew going in what was happening (no spoilers) and I really enjoyed Cara's slow realizations of what was up, helped along with a first friend who is a science geek. This is a great popcorn medical drama read.
2023 reread: even better the second time through because you know the author is going to stick the landing
This was an excellent thriller YA! I've read stories like this before so I knew going in what was happening (no spoilers) and I really enjoyed Cara's slow realizations of what was up, helped along with a first friend who is a science geek. This is a great popcorn medical drama read.
2023 reread: even better the second time through because you know the author is going to stick the landing
December 23, 2022
A gripping read, but a less cathartic ending than I would have liked.
Spoilers below........
Anyone who's learned anything about Munchausen-by-Proxy, say from a crime show, is going to know just from the blurb that's what's going on here. If you skip the jacket, you'll still get there well before the characters if you notice the inconsistencies in the stories the main character and her mother give to the people they talk to. It takes the protagonist a long time, and some outside help, before she realizes what's happening. I found that a bit frustrating, but she is being drugged, made sick, and has been subjected to this abuse her entire life, so I give her a pass on it as realistic (and she's a freshman in high school). No, the thrust of this book is exploring what that experience might be like and hoping for her or someone else to realize and *do something*. It does a good job of centering her experience and revealing the power struggle between her and her abusive mother, without offering an explanation for this really twisted condition. Some people just should not be allowed custody of their children. It's a good read, especially if you want to meditate on the evil of this kind of child abuse and on whether to see the parent as also ill or just controlling and evil. I took off a star or two for a couple reasons.
First, the ending or opening for books like this usually includes an author's note about their research and ways to get help or warning signs to look for with regard to the problem being focused on (rape, suicide, etc.) Remedy didn't include that.
Second, I found the ending anticlimactic. The main character, maybe realistically, didn't have a big moment of realization, more a while of holding onto the idea with mental potholders while exploring it because it was too hot to handle. But she never had the emotional reaction to "this is real, my mother actually did all this to me" that I expected to see at the end of her denial. She did have some anger that felt realistic towards the people she felt were complicit. And the author conveniently dealt with the "where does she live now/what happens after?" by skipping ahead and not really explaining the legalities of where she ended up living. (Really, with the pottery lady she's met all of three or four times? Sure, she's nice, but how'd she get there?) Good news, she's in therapy. Also, the con "doctor" was never found, and I never understood where he fit into it anyway. Was he just leeching off the money and seducing the mom? Who knows? Where was he getting the drugs?
Last critique--and maybe this is just me--I felt like at the end, when the main character had kind of reasoned out what her mom was doing, she didn't do more to resist. **I'm not trying to victim-blame real-life people for not resisting their abusers. This may be a very realistic dynamic.** But for the fictional story, I was ready for some kind of climactic scene. The main character could have gone back to a friend's house or a hospital or just left her house on foot (she walked 7 miles the day before) when her mom announced she was coming back. I expected her to try *something*. And she didn't, really. It felt inconsistent with her determination and planning in other parts of the novel.
Spoilers below........
Anyone who's learned anything about Munchausen-by-Proxy, say from a crime show, is going to know just from the blurb that's what's going on here. If you skip the jacket, you'll still get there well before the characters if you notice the inconsistencies in the stories the main character and her mother give to the people they talk to. It takes the protagonist a long time, and some outside help, before she realizes what's happening. I found that a bit frustrating, but she is being drugged, made sick, and has been subjected to this abuse her entire life, so I give her a pass on it as realistic (and she's a freshman in high school). No, the thrust of this book is exploring what that experience might be like and hoping for her or someone else to realize and *do something*. It does a good job of centering her experience and revealing the power struggle between her and her abusive mother, without offering an explanation for this really twisted condition. Some people just should not be allowed custody of their children. It's a good read, especially if you want to meditate on the evil of this kind of child abuse and on whether to see the parent as also ill or just controlling and evil. I took off a star or two for a couple reasons.
First, the ending or opening for books like this usually includes an author's note about their research and ways to get help or warning signs to look for with regard to the problem being focused on (rape, suicide, etc.) Remedy didn't include that.
Second, I found the ending anticlimactic. The main character, maybe realistically, didn't have a big moment of realization, more a while of holding onto the idea with mental potholders while exploring it because it was too hot to handle. But she never had the emotional reaction to "this is real, my mother actually did all this to me" that I expected to see at the end of her denial. She did have some anger that felt realistic towards the people she felt were complicit. And the author conveniently dealt with the "where does she live now/what happens after?" by skipping ahead and not really explaining the legalities of where she ended up living. (Really, with the pottery lady she's met all of three or four times? Sure, she's nice, but how'd she get there?) Good news, she's in therapy. Also, the con "doctor" was never found, and I never understood where he fit into it anyway. Was he just leeching off the money and seducing the mom? Who knows? Where was he getting the drugs?
Last critique--and maybe this is just me--I felt like at the end, when the main character had kind of reasoned out what her mom was doing, she didn't do more to resist. **I'm not trying to victim-blame real-life people for not resisting their abusers. This may be a very realistic dynamic.** But for the fictional story, I was ready for some kind of climactic scene. The main character could have gone back to a friend's house or a hospital or just left her house on foot (she walked 7 miles the day before) when her mom announced she was coming back. I expected her to try *something*. And she didn't, really. It felt inconsistent with her determination and planning in other parts of the novel.
May 27, 2023
*spoiler alert* (aka dont read this review unless u've already read the book {for those who dont know})
ok so this book for most of u who have heard abt it, is abt a girl who gets sick right. so her mom does end up starting a yt channel called "tHe wEllNeSs wArRiOrS" and i HATE HER MOM SO MUCH (u'll see why in a second) and the book is mainly about how .... i forgot her name ;-; gimme a sec, it'll come. .......... anyday now............. CARA. THATS HER NAME! CARA (thank u very much google u were very helpful) aNywAy bAcK tO tHe sToRy! the book was mainly abt how cara felt abt being sick all the time and how she was missing so much of high school that she might not be able to graduate 😱
so she pushs thro and was like "i can do this" and i honestly felt so bad for her. she was struggling the whole time yet still went to school because her STUPID PRINCIPAL DOESNT UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT SHE'S REALLY ILL AND CANT ATTEND SCHOOL MOST OF THE TIME. he was like "i'M sOrRy cArA. bUt yOu miGhT nOt bE aBlE tO gRaDuAte hiGh sChOoL bCuZ fiNaLs aRe cOmiNg uP aNd yOu'Ve miSsEd liTErAlLy aLl oF hiGh sChOoL" LEAVE HER ALONE WHAT WOULD U DO IF U WERE TOO SICK TO STUDY AND WAS STUCK IN BED ALL DAY. so anyway, she meets this dude. dammit i forgot his name too ;-; annnnnnnnnnd his name is Xavier (thank u goodreads google wasnt much help) he decides to tutor her and help her pass her finals so she can actually graduate high school! everything's going great until her mom finds a new doctor for cara and she hates him. and so do i. his name is dR. eRiC (again, thank u goodreads) and he is just so annoying. he has like, ✨annoying vibes✨. so then the rest of the book was pretty much a breeze - cara's mom decides to go somewhere for vacation and leaves cara alone at home. yAy. one day cara forgot to take her medicine 😱 but then she realized she felt so much better when she didnt take her pills. sooooooooooo u guessed it! she completly stopped taking the pills and she realized something was a lil sus. and then BOOM it hits her. her MOM WAS MAKING HER SICK ALL ALONG SO THAT SHE COULD GET RICH. long story short - since cara's sick, her mom created a fundraiser so she could fiNd mOrE dOcToRs fOr cArA sO sHe cOuLd fEeL bEtTeR sOoN. THEN BOOM AGAIN. DR ERIC WAS IN ON THIS AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET HALF OF THE MONEY PPL RAISED FOR CARA AND WHEN CARA REALIZED THIS, she called the police. and i forget what happens after that ;-; but overall, this was a good book, although i do enjoy the selection and the twilight series more :D
ok so this book for most of u who have heard abt it, is abt a girl who gets sick right. so her mom does end up starting a yt channel called "tHe wEllNeSs wArRiOrS" and i HATE HER MOM SO MUCH (u'll see why in a second) and the book is mainly about how .... i forgot her name ;-; gimme a sec, it'll come. .......... anyday now............. CARA. THATS HER NAME! CARA (thank u very much google u were very helpful) aNywAy bAcK tO tHe sToRy! the book was mainly abt how cara felt abt being sick all the time and how she was missing so much of high school that she might not be able to graduate 😱
so she pushs thro and was like "i can do this" and i honestly felt so bad for her. she was struggling the whole time yet still went to school because her STUPID PRINCIPAL DOESNT UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT SHE'S REALLY ILL AND CANT ATTEND SCHOOL MOST OF THE TIME. he was like "i'M sOrRy cArA. bUt yOu miGhT nOt bE aBlE tO gRaDuAte hiGh sChOoL bCuZ fiNaLs aRe cOmiNg uP aNd yOu'Ve miSsEd liTErAlLy aLl oF hiGh sChOoL" LEAVE HER ALONE WHAT WOULD U DO IF U WERE TOO SICK TO STUDY AND WAS STUCK IN BED ALL DAY. so anyway, she meets this dude. dammit i forgot his name too ;-; annnnnnnnnnd his name is Xavier (thank u goodreads google wasnt much help) he decides to tutor her and help her pass her finals so she can actually graduate high school! everything's going great until her mom finds a new doctor for cara and she hates him. and so do i. his name is dR. eRiC (again, thank u goodreads) and he is just so annoying. he has like, ✨annoying vibes✨. so then the rest of the book was pretty much a breeze - cara's mom decides to go somewhere for vacation and leaves cara alone at home. yAy. one day cara forgot to take her medicine 😱 but then she realized she felt so much better when she didnt take her pills. sooooooooooo u guessed it! she completly stopped taking the pills and she realized something was a lil sus. and then BOOM it hits her. her MOM WAS MAKING HER SICK ALL ALONG SO THAT SHE COULD GET RICH. long story short - since cara's sick, her mom created a fundraiser so she could fiNd mOrE dOcToRs fOr cArA sO sHe cOuLd fEeL bEtTeR sOoN. THEN BOOM AGAIN. DR ERIC WAS IN ON THIS AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET HALF OF THE MONEY PPL RAISED FOR CARA AND WHEN CARA REALIZED THIS, she called the police. and i forget what happens after that ;-; but overall, this was a good book, although i do enjoy the selection and the twilight series more :D
August 22, 2021
Quand j'ai lu le résumé de ce roman j'ai pas mal hésité à le prendre ou non mais finalement je me suis dis que vu que je lisais très peu de thriller cela me ferrais pas de mal et je regrette pas du tout mon choix !
Dans ce livre nous suivons Cara une ado malade qui passe presque tout son temps chez elle à cause de son corps affaibli . Sauf que Cara en a marre de ne pas pouvoir profiter de sa jeunesse et d'être une ado normale qui suit ses cours en classe , qui sort avec des amis et bref toutes ces choses que font les adolescents normalement . Sauf que petit à petit elle va commencer à faire attention a des détails dont elle n'avait pas pris le temps de voir au paravant et qui vont venir la perturber et en plus de ça l'arrivée du docteur Eric ne va faire que augmenter ses doutes .
C'est un grand OUI pour moi ! Ce roman est siiii prenant ! Je l'ai lu en à peine de deux jours alors que de base j'étais dans une panne de lecture , ce livre m'a vraiment sortie de cette panne . C'est ce que j'aime avec les thriller , on a tellement envie de savoir le coupable que on tourne les pages sans s'en rendre compte . En parlant de coupable , je dois avouer que pour ce roman dès le début j'avais eu ma petite idée et plus l'histoire avançait plus cette idée s'est avérée être juste même si je dois avouer que l'auteure a réussi à des fois venir semer le doute avec certains éléments .
Les personnages sont vraiment tous diffèrent l'un de l'autre et j'ai beaucoup aimé Cara et Xavier , Cara est un personnage auquel on s'attache quand on voit tout ce que elle vit et puis Xavier je l'ai surtout aimé pour déjà sa détermination et puis sans lui on n'aurait pas pu découvrir le coupable .
L'histoire est bien construite et ce qui est bien c'est que dans ce livre la maladie de Cara n'est pas le seule problème même si celui-ci reste le principale . Mais bon je dois avouer que à certains moments j'avais l'impression que les choses se répétaient et que cela manquait d'action ou de révélations . Je pense d'ailleurs que c'est pour ça que ce livre ne fut pas un coup de coeur , dommage ...
Cela reste tout de même une très bonne lecture , un peu jeunesse d'ailleurs car au début je m'attendais à quelque chose d'un peu moins jeunesse mais ce n'est pas pour autant que c'était dérangeant .
Dans ce livre nous suivons Cara une ado malade qui passe presque tout son temps chez elle à cause de son corps affaibli . Sauf que Cara en a marre de ne pas pouvoir profiter de sa jeunesse et d'être une ado normale qui suit ses cours en classe , qui sort avec des amis et bref toutes ces choses que font les adolescents normalement . Sauf que petit à petit elle va commencer à faire attention a des détails dont elle n'avait pas pris le temps de voir au paravant et qui vont venir la perturber et en plus de ça l'arrivée du docteur Eric ne va faire que augmenter ses doutes .
C'est un grand OUI pour moi ! Ce roman est siiii prenant ! Je l'ai lu en à peine de deux jours alors que de base j'étais dans une panne de lecture , ce livre m'a vraiment sortie de cette panne . C'est ce que j'aime avec les thriller , on a tellement envie de savoir le coupable que on tourne les pages sans s'en rendre compte . En parlant de coupable , je dois avouer que pour ce roman dès le début j'avais eu ma petite idée et plus l'histoire avançait plus cette idée s'est avérée être juste même si je dois avouer que l'auteure a réussi à des fois venir semer le doute avec certains éléments .
Les personnages sont vraiment tous diffèrent l'un de l'autre et j'ai beaucoup aimé Cara et Xavier , Cara est un personnage auquel on s'attache quand on voit tout ce que elle vit et puis Xavier je l'ai surtout aimé pour déjà sa détermination et puis sans lui on n'aurait pas pu découvrir le coupable .
L'histoire est bien construite et ce qui est bien c'est que dans ce livre la maladie de Cara n'est pas le seule problème même si celui-ci reste le principale . Mais bon je dois avouer que à certains moments j'avais l'impression que les choses se répétaient et que cela manquait d'action ou de révélations . Je pense d'ailleurs que c'est pour ça que ce livre ne fut pas un coup de coeur , dommage ...
Cela reste tout de même une très bonne lecture , un peu jeunesse d'ailleurs car au début je m'attendais à quelque chose d'un peu moins jeunesse mais ce n'est pas pour autant que c'était dérangeant .
July 13, 2021
Miss Lori gives this book a 4.5....and only because I knew what was going on (or very strongly suspected) early in the book! I had to put the book down several times during the intense conversations between mother and daughter in the book (actually they dialogues, as the MC didn't really respond). The daughter is only 14 and totally dependent upon her mother for her care and socialization. No friends and severe health issues keep Cara (MC) stuck at home unable to do schoolwork and her mother favors alternative health care after having health issues herself as a child. She refuses to allow Cara to go to hospital/medical facility for care, opting instead for a "Dr." she met at a support group. Cara makes a "friend" in her tutor and the two begin to question why she is so sick and not able to feel ANY better with the treatment she has been receiving from the doctor.
While our health care in this country does need fixing and there ARE doctors that aren't always out for the best care of their patients, we are very lucky to have caring, dedicated healthcare professionals who work miracles everyday!!
I would recommend this book to junior high aged kids through adults!
While our health care in this country does need fixing and there ARE doctors that aren't always out for the best care of their patients, we are very lucky to have caring, dedicated healthcare professionals who work miracles everyday!!
I would recommend this book to junior high aged kids through adults!
September 14, 2021
Cara has been sick her whole life. She can't remember her dad, she lives with her mom and doesn't see any other family. They move around a lot and she sees a lot of doctors. She doesn't really have a diagnosis. When she starts her freshman year and is only present for 18 out of 45 days, the assistant principal gets involved with her attendance. Her mother comes unglued, how dare he! Cara wants to go to school, but just doesn't feel well. As she tries her best to go to school, and prepare for semester exams, she ends up fainting and in the hospital. Her mother quickly takes her out and finds a new doctor, Dr. Eric. As Cara makes a friend in her peer tutor, she comes to realize something is not right with her mom, medicines, and that she also finds her grandparents.
Kind of obvious to me what was going on early on in the book. It was an okay book, but I would say it would be geared more for high school and up just based on the topic.
Kind of obvious to me what was going on early on in the book. It was an okay book, but I would say it would be geared more for high school and up just based on the topic.
April 14, 2021
Cara Jean is always sick and her mother is always trying to make her feel better. At least that’s how it starts out. But Cara doesn’t get better and her mother isn’t necessarily curing her.
While I figured out what was happening by the time I’d finished half the book, Eireann Corrigan weaves a chilling, somewhat scary tale and provides clever solutions. You’ll spend time yelling at the main character and rooting for her survival. Thank goodness her tutor and new BFF has his act together and can see beyond the “facts.”
Read this one with your teenager. It’s definitely a cautionary tale.
Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
While I figured out what was happening by the time I’d finished half the book, Eireann Corrigan weaves a chilling, somewhat scary tale and provides clever solutions. You’ll spend time yelling at the main character and rooting for her survival. Thank goodness her tutor and new BFF has his act together and can see beyond the “facts.”
Read this one with your teenager. It’s definitely a cautionary tale.
Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
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November 18, 2022I think its a good book. There just isnt really a very clear plot. Also (spoiler) if you could even call it that, they act like the mom having munchausens is like a big twist but i kind of already expected that from the beginning, Because why the hell would you go to the library , and feel fine afterward when you have a supposed "chronic illness" . Like i kinda already knew Cara was A- OKAY .Anyway her little nerdy friend reminds me of charles wallace from a wrinkle in time and yeah its an okay book. Its entertaining to read. I had a good time reading it, its just not that crazy of a book, like you kind of are left feeling nothing after you read it . but its good , read it if you want, you decide.
August 13, 2023
I read this some time last week but I didn't log it so the date is off.
But from the description of the book I figured Munchausen's by Proxy, and I was sure I was right about 2 pages in. It took the characters some 200 pages to start really putting it together.
I am mostly just like: how did her school miss so much of this and not report anything? Why didn't the doctors report anything?
And then I remembered it's highly unlikely any medical professional cares if you live or die in the US. So that made no sense.
But the school staff clearly knew something was up and weren't putting it together. So either way, it was a compelling read but it was frustrating if you understood what was going on.
But from the description of the book I figured Munchausen's by Proxy, and I was sure I was right about 2 pages in. It took the characters some 200 pages to start really putting it together.
I am mostly just like: how did her school miss so much of this and not report anything? Why didn't the doctors report anything?
And then I remembered it's highly unlikely any medical professional cares if you live or die in the US. So that made no sense.
But the school staff clearly knew something was up and weren't putting it together. So either way, it was a compelling read but it was frustrating if you understood what was going on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2021
This was a book you'll read in a few gulps - you want to make sure our main character figures her way out of danger. There is tension all the way to the end. First, it's a creepy sense of somethings-not-right and then Cara starts to see all that's wrong for herself and needs to act. Books on this topic are always interesting to me (no spoilers!) and I really appreciated how the author didn't resort to the more tired tropes - making it more realistic and believable. Cara is a girl you want to be friends with, who you root for. It's no surprise she finds good people along the way to help her out, and I really liked all the side characters.
July 12, 2022
Started reading this at random with no clue what it was about. Instantly knew it was YA fiction based on the writing but the story was weirdly compelling. I think the appeal for me what telling this story from the perspective of the young woman living it. The author did a nice job detailing the emotional manipulation the mother imposed. That abuse is as impactful in these situations as the poisons the child is given to ensure they suffer.
With a good editor that could guide the author through turning the caricatures into real characters, this could have been a great book. The writer definitely has potential.
I did NOT get a free copy of this book so my opinions are my own.
With a good editor that could guide the author through turning the caricatures into real characters, this could have been a great book. The writer definitely has potential.
I did NOT get a free copy of this book so my opinions are my own.
August 1, 2021
"En résumé, je suis assez mitigée sur ce roman. À la fois, j'ai passé un bon moment, mais à la fois, comme j'avais deviné la fin dès le début, ça m'a un peu gâché ma lecture. Ce sentiment de déjà-vu est vraiment dommage, parce qu'on se rend compte que certains surfent sur la vague d'un même sujet, voyant qu'il est bien accueilli par la presse. Dommage. Néanmoins, l'histoire de Cara reste touchante et on s'attache à cette jeune fille qui ne désire qu'une vie normale d'adolescente normale."
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December 20, 2024
Truthfully, I didn't expect this result. I expected it to be a lot like the case that had not so long ago reached the forefront of the media, with that one girl who found out she wasn't sick and then planned with her boyfriend to kill her mother because of it. I didn't expect to find out that Cara's mother had something called Munchausen syndrome. I didn't even know that it was a thing. It's an interesting syndrome though. I liked the way the book ended, with Cara escaping the unhealthy relationship with her mother and working towards making her own story and her own life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2025
This was probably the worst book I have ever read. The concept is fine but the execution was just horrible. It was slow had no hook and just overall uninteresting. The only part I was remotely interested in was the last few chapters. This just goes to show how bad this book was. On average I finish a book in a week if I have a lot of free time and this book took me almost 4 months! Every time I would open it the book itself was overall so uninteresting that I would just not be able to focus on reading anything. Would NOT recommend!!!
April 17, 2021
The characters are exceptionally well-drawn and as we experience Cara’s illness through Cara’s point of view, she comes to be in the world more and more and we want her to be well, for her sake as well as her community. The tension of the story built nicely and when Cara finds the remedy for what’s making her sick, the reader is relieved and confident that Cara can take on the next challenges in her life.
July 16, 2021
Like a Lifetime movie in novel form - the kind of story that feels like a glimpse into a dangerous world from a safe distance. I was sure I knew what was happening early on but Corrigan kept me waiting an excruciatingly, deliciously long time for confirmation. I wish there had been a firm resolution about Dr. Eric but other than that, I could not have devoured this book more quickly and happily.
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March 4, 2022Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Dark Video Game
Drinking Buddy: Um, I’ll Pour It Myself, Thanks
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (language, psychological terror)
Talky Talk: At Least You Have Your…Oh
Bonus Factors: Munchausen by Proxy, Mysterious Loner Nerd
Bromance Status: Group Therapy
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Dark Video Game
Drinking Buddy: Um, I’ll Pour It Myself, Thanks
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (language, psychological terror)
Talky Talk: At Least You Have Your…Oh
Bonus Factors: Munchausen by Proxy, Mysterious Loner Nerd
Bromance Status: Group Therapy
Read the full book report here.
March 3, 2025
Before I start I just want to get it out there, this is messed up and it should not be happening in the world but it is 😔
It was an ok book. Cara was so strong going though this that she started have suspicions about her mother. I feel so bad for Cara that she had to go through that. The reason why I like it thought, it shows that this is not ok and it should not be happening in the real world.
Recommend to…
12 and up
Enjoy!!
It was an ok book. Cara was so strong going though this that she started have suspicions about her mother. I feel so bad for Cara that she had to go through that. The reason why I like it thought, it shows that this is not ok and it should not be happening in the real world.
Recommend to…
12 and up
Enjoy!!
March 12, 2021
What is the mystery behind why Cara is so sick? Why is her mother extremely overprotective? Why isn't her father in the picture? Why have they moved several times? These questions and more are answered in this suspenseful horror/realistic fiction novel. Readers will be rooting for Cara to solve the medical mystery.
May 8, 2021
I read this like a good mystery with a strong female young teen at the center. The author presents the limitations each character has - no over-the-top goodness nor evil. I cared about the connections Cara made and rooted for positive outcomes for each one. It’s a good family read-and-discuss book for about 4th grade and up.
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