Skinny: She was starving to fit in...

Skinny: She was starving to fit in... (False Reflections Book 1) by Laura L. Smith

I had this book on my "to read" list with a note that it has a "Bizarre Love Triangle" reference. I wish I could remember how I found out the reference. In the book, the song is mentioned at the very end as a a dance number that the lead character is performing: "It's a jazz routine with a killer beat. You know that 80s tune I've been playing, 'Bizarre Love Triangle'?"

That was it for the reference. The book does name drop a number of songs and artists, including popular bands like the Beatles as well as Christian bands like Audio Adrenaline. the author seems to enjoy doing this, but it is not critical to the story.

As for the book itself, it was not bad. Melissa is a freshman in high school. She is smart and on the dance team. However, she feels that she is too fat. She takes even little comments about weight as something directly towards her. She carefully watches what she eats. She even worries about putting "peaches and cream" lotion or brushing her teeth because that might add weight. Generally she just controls what she takes in. However, there is a case where finds herself indulging in what she feels is too much food and then turns around and vomits up her excess food, and then works to cover it up.

In school, a new boy from Louisiana joins her French class. They fall for each other and begin a budding teen relationship. Things seem to go well. However, after basketball season starts, his parents do not want her spending much time together. This breaks her heart and makes her think that the they have broken up (because, you know, teenagers.) 

She is active on her school's dance team and is going to extra early morning "captain tryout" practices.  Captainship is open to all girls, and she is the only freshman trying out. However, her eating habits end up hurting her. She doesn't eat before the practice and ends up fainting. After the second time, the dance coach sends her home and won't let her come back until her family takes her to the doctor. She sees the doctor, gets diagnosed with an eating disorder and gets ordered to gain more weight. After she makes the effort to comply, her life starts to get back in order. She actively participates in the dance team and can now spend time with her boy again.

The characters in the book are church-going Christians. However, it deals primarily with the "secular" in-school activities. The girl will read her bible in the evening and write in her journal about her life and how some teachings relate to her life. The characters will also occasionally talk about church activities. Church is part of their lives, but the problems are general ones that happen to everyone.