While I feel this is a really important book covering an important topic, particularly for young adults, I couldn’t get in to the story. The writing style just wasn't for me so I found it hard to connect to the characters and the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Before we were Blue is the debut book from EJ Schwartz and I am excited to see what books will come next. Before we were Blue is an amazing book about friendship, relationships and the struggles we all face. This book has a focus on eating disorders as a warning for those who may not be able to handle the content. The characters are beautifully written and sound true to their ages and experiences.

These stories are so important to I wrote and even more important to read safely. This one hurt. I recommend reading with care. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I don't know if this book is multi POV or not - I think it is. But I listened to an audiobook of this and found myself confused by tone changes. That aside, I just didn't click with this one. I haven't really figured out where I stand with books of this subject. I'm not someone triggered by them (or I wouldn't have requested) but sometimes they just rub me the wrong way and this one did. That doesn't mean it was badly handled or poor representation - I just didn't like it.

I liked the idea behind the book and the plot was good. The characters were well formed as well. I liked the story but also felt like it moved a little slow.

Young adult books including mental health issues are so important in today’s literary world. Books like these are relevant as to what young people are going through and I hope more people get access to books such as these whether its through your local library, implementing it in your school curriculum, purchasing online or in-store.

Before We Were Blue follows the story of best friends Soshana and Rowan in an institute for girls with anorexia. Their ups and downs, conflicts, mending and building of relationships develops as they begin to realize what might help in their recovery. The term ‘blue’ is used as a color in their program to signify their process and becomes a goal for both girls.

Both girls strive for the blue color as it is a sign of progress and more benefits can be redeemed at the institution but getting there is what becomes these girls downfall and their friendship test. After an incident where Soshana becomes blue, Rowan has to navigate without her partner in crime. This creates friction between them as Soshana only advances in the program while Rowan acts out. Eventually Soshana returns home, but life doesn’t become easier on the outside.

Plot wise the flow of this story was superb. There are clear aspects to go back through and realize when these girls lives change, what changes it and how it has affected them. The author created an atmosphere that was toxic and pressurizing for all the girls in the program which reflected accurately to real life. I became so drawn and immersed in the main character’s lives that I really felt empathetic and understood their battle with anorexia. The book is told from both Soshana and Rowan’s perspective as to grasp not only their different takes on their condition but how it’s affecting them personally and the people around them.

At first I thought Rowan was the damaged and unpredictable out of the duo but by the end of the book, Soshana is the one! Not in a particular way, but the author wrote both characters fighting the same condition in totally different ways. Their story is beautifully tragic. Here and there you will strive for Rowan’s point of view then get anxious over Soshana as the story continues. They are complex teenage girls going through something massive in their lives which affects their identity, on top of that the author managed to highlight the realities of relationships, not only with each other but adult figures and outside influence.

There are many themes to reflect upon in this book, but what connects them all is the central theme of relationships. Not only the progressiveness of the main characters but the people around them. Their level of understanding toward Soshana's and Rowan’s condition influences how they perceive them throughout the novel. The ups and downs these characters face whether they are in the facility or an outsider assisting the main character or a simple obstacle in their recovery, either strengths or depletes the overall development of Soshana or Rowan.

Apart from telling how this story went, it was an emotional rollercoaster—not only for the two girls but myself as a reader! One of my favorite tropes are best friends and the ups and downs they go through. Sadly, these two girls go through so much in one book! I loved how realistic it was and din’t gloss over the hard times. I might have shed a tear or two at the end but it’s a bitter sweet ending.

If I could go back in time and experience this wonderful book again and all its emotions, I would. That’s why I have no problem in rating it five stars!

This boom deals with a super sensitive subject and it does well and it isn'tromanticised which was a relief, that could be very triggering. Everyones journey is different and that's something that we can see with the two main characters or at least that's something I thought about. I likes how the story developed although it was slow at parts I didn't mind. It's a very powerful story and I was rooting for the characters.

Before we were blue is a great book, with difficult topics, so check trigger warnings. throughout the book, we see our main characters Shoshana and Rowan journey through healing and the ups and downs with it. Schwartz did a fantastic job portraying eating disorders and the struggles that come with them and the process to get better

There were lots of reviews for Before We Were Blue that stated it was hugely triggering. Yes it is a triggering book as it focuses on two young adults struggle with eating disorders and the relationship they have with each other. But it's handled well and is authentic. There is also a big trigger warning from the author in the authors note before the story even begins. So if the reader doesn't read or take note of that before reading.....

This as a story is something we need more of. Eating disorders may make many people uncomfortable but we need to talk about them as the more we don't and just brush them off as triggering topic so they don't get discussed, the stigma around ED's will not go away.

Before We Were Blue is a powerful YA novel that follows two teenage girls struggling with eating disorders. As someone who has suffered from an eating disorder since I was in high school, I am always happy to see representation in books. It has always been one of my primary goals as a teacher to raise awareness about mental illnesses and other disorders that are heavily stigmatized into today's society.

I felt as though the author did a wonderful job of portaying the mental side of eating disorders. I have never been in a treatment center so I can not speak to the accuracy there. I felt connected to both Rowan and Shoshana instantly, as I too have used dark humor to cope. Both main characters are complex and while they both did some unlikable things, it adds to their struggles of overcoming their disorders. Story wise, it had some pacing issues, but it was not bad enough to stop me from reading.

I think, more importantly, the author does not glamorize anything. Even with comments from the characters of their fear of being "fat", there is nothing that suggests being either fat or skinny is bad. I have read far too many books about characters with EDs that feel extremely fatphobic or skinny shaming, but this book does neither by focusing on the mental health side of things. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to either find representation for themselves or are interested in learning about the mental aspects of EDs.

Note: The author begins the book with a note to the reader stating the content and trigger warnings. If you are unsure that you can handle the contents, I recommend reading this first.

Could not finish this one - it wound up on the DNF. I wasn't able to get a good grasp on the characters or the story itself.

At Recovery and Relief, a treatment center for girls with eating disorders, the first thing Shoshana Winnick does is attach herself to vibrant but troubled Rowan Parish. Shoshana—a cheerleader on a hit reality TV show—was admitted for starving herself to ensure her growth spurt didn’t ruin her infamous tumbling skills. Rowan, on the other hand, has known anorexia her entire life, thanks to her mother’s “chew and spit” guidance. Through the drudgery and drama of treatment life, Shoshana and Rowan develop a fierce intimacy—and for Rowan, a budding infatuation, that neither girl expects.
Shoshana and Rowan are 17 years old, working through their eating disorders in a recovery facility in Friendsville, Maryland. Shoshana wants to get back to her life, but Rowan sees weight gain and steps back, and the program really isn't helping her. Their friendship is tested when Shoshana progresses, and she has to ask herself if it's worth staying sick to keep her friend.
I really liked this book. I deeply appreciate books about mental health issues. The characters Shoshana and Rowan both have a big place in my heart. Their experiences in life, seeing them try to navigate adolescence...it all just hit me hard.

Absolutely awful and incredibly triggering (speaking as someone who struggles with an eating disorder). Everything about this book made me upset or uncomfortable, especially the way one of the MC's Jewish identity was handled/talked about.

Oh gosh this ended up having me in tears. This book is so good but a proper toughie. Hard to say you enjoy a book when it's a hard topic of conversation and so easy to get wrong.

Before We Were Blue follows two characters, Rowan and Shoshana, alternating between their POVs. Characters are supremely flawed but feel incredibly real.

Tonnes of triggers in this one, well labeled at the start, including eating disorders and sexual assault.

Thanks to NetGalley, E. J. Schwarz and North Star Editions for this eArc copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took a little bit for to enter into the book at the beginning but I ended up loving it. Besides, it talks a bout really important topics. The book is told by the point of view of the two main characters, which let you to get to know both of them. What I liked the most about this book was that it didn't glamorize the ED, which is something that happens A LOT nowadays. I was afraid this was gonna trigger something for me but it didn't happen. I liked the complex relationship between our two characters and how they developed.

TW eating disorders, sexual assault, sexuality, suicide, toxic relationships

This book really hit me where I want to be hit. As a person who has personally suffered from an eating disorder and is now in a much better place, I can relate to the mental health challenges that are displayed in the book very well. I felt seen in the right way and this is everything I needed from this book. No romanticizing, no judging, just telling it truly how it is. There are a lot of things in this book that might frustrate a reader as the main characters often act in a way that is hard to watch and not get frustrated by. Neither character is particularly likeable. The actions mirror that of what I have personally seen people with eating disorders do - and it is not likeable. But that is one of the things that felt so incredibly raw and real to me. I appreciate that this book is not trying too hard to create empathy by inserting likeable characters that are far from reality. These characters are the product of their mental illness and there is just an incredible realness to it. There are some anti-Semitic phrases in this book. The author is Jewish, and I am not, so I don’t feel it’s my place to say anything one way or the other about this. The asexual representation was refreshing but again, I am not asexual myself so I cannot account towards if the representation was done well. The toxic relationship is definitely something that I struggled with in the book and while I do think that reading about this type of relationship surely is not for everyone it felt incredibly fitting into this setting and felt very realistic. Eating disorders often come with a tendency to manipulate the people around you so a lot of the dynamics felt very typical. If the author would have romanticized this toxic relationship it would have been a hard "no" for me, but I felt like the author beautifully portrayed something non-healthy in a relatable, non-judgy, but also awareness-raising and non-romanticizing way. I feel like that is an incredibly thin line to walk and being able to stay on that line is something I highly respect.

Had to DNF this one partway through - I really couldn't warm to the writing style and struggled to keep attention when reading

I decided to stop reading around 60% because the storyline didn't grab my attention enough to continue. I liked the beginning but after a while, it totally lost my interest and all the details just went right past me.

This book is full of trigger warnings - disordered eating, sexual assault, abuse.

This book is heavy, but I really enjoyed the journey. The book centers on Recovery & Relief, a treatment center for girls with eating disorders. The main characters, Shoshana - a cheerleader staring in a reality show, and Rowan - a product of her mother’s disordered eating. These girls quickly form a bond and codependency that carries them throughout the book.