Book Review: My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  What if you lost the thing that made you who you are?

Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield. Now she's not sure what's worse: the scars she'll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her trombone-playing, defiantly uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she's much more than just a pretty face.

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book!  Once in awhile it's nice to get away from the YA paranormal genre, even if it is my favorite.  I really enjoyed seeing Alexa actually grow and I didn't want to put the book down.  I really became involved in Alexa's world.

Alexa, or Lexi as her friends call her, has always been told she is beautiful.  From the time she was just a little girl, she grew up with strangers coming up to her and telling her mother what a gorgeous child she was.  There are pictures in every corner of the house of her.  In fact, she became friends with her best friend, Taylor, because of how pretty she was.  Now, Lexi and Taylor are about to begin high school.  They are the "it" girls and super popular.  Lexi has a great (and super cute) boyfriend, Ryan too. 

One fateful night, Lexi and Taylor decide to go to a party.  That night changes Lexi's life forever.  After seeing something that completely breaks her heart and shocks her, Lexi takes off from the party.  She ends up in a car accident that scars her face.  She is no longer known as the "beautiful" girl but the girl with the "scarred face".

Now Lexi must get through life without her looks.  She comes to realize that her looks aren't what define her.  She must deal with what she saw at the party and she is able to bond with her older sister, Ruth. 

Lexi did whine a lot in this book but you have to realize, she is young and immature and has always counted on her looks.  While she threw herself pity parties on a regular basis, you really couldn't fault her all that much.  At age 33, if I had my face scarred up, I would probably whine for awhile too!  Lexi has always been told how beautiful she is and now all of the sudden, she isn't "beautiful" anymore.  I love how she finds other ways to become beautiful instead of just her face. 

I really liked Ruth.  She didn't put up with Lexi's pity parties at all.  She didn't walk on eggshells around Lexi, just told her how it was.  Yes, it is horrible that Lexi's face is messed up but guess what?  Lexi was ALIVE!  Ruth was the least shallow person in Lexi's life. 

This book had some moments that made me very happy I am passed that stage of my life but it was a very good read.  Lexi was a very forgiving person (way more than I would have been!) and she had to deal with some serious issues.  She overcame them though and became a better person in the process.  This is a book that you won't want to put down though!