I was not OK after reading about Nina, in the best way possible. This book stayed with me long after reading it. So let’s do our first throwback Thursday review of Nina is Not OK.

• This ARC was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
• Nina is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi
• Genre: Young Adult
• Pub Date: July 28, 2016
• Rating: 5 out of 5 book stacks!

Goodreads Summary: Nina does not have a drinking problem. She likes a drink, sure. But what 17-year-old doesn’t? Nina’s mum isn’t so sure. But she’s busy with her new husband and five year old Katie. And Nina’s almost an adult after all. And if Nina sometimes wakes up with little memory of what happened the night before, then her friends are all too happy to fill in the blanks. Nina’s drunken exploits are the stuff of college legend. But then one dark Sunday morning, even her friends can’t help piece together Saturday night. All Nina feels is a deep sense of shame, that something very bad has happened to her…A dark, funny – sometimes shocking – coming of age novel from one of the UK’s leading comedians. NINA IS NOT O.K. will appeal to fans of Caitlin Moran and Lena Dunham. 

TBT Review: Nina is defnitely not OK! I finished this book an hour ago, and I am sitting here still trying to process the roller coaster of emotions this book brought out of me. I felt so much while reading this – contentment, embarrassment, anger, laughter, and the ending brought tears out of my eyes, both happy and sad at the same time. There has only been one other book that made me sob the way this one did (here’s looking at you Marley & Me!) I always say that any book that can produce these types of emotions while reading is a great book. The author, Shappi Khorsandi, introduced me to the world of Nina being not OK, grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Anytime I had to step away from the book I would wonder what was coming next. When it seemed like the story was over, another speed bump would occur.

Nina’s story starts right off the bat with an event that propels Nina into a downward spiral. She was already heading there, but this guarantees her free fall. We are invited into her world where we all can see her alcoholism, and we await for the rock bottom to hit for her to realize it as well. We see how her family (mom, stepdad and stepsister) react to each event that occurs, and how her friends and schoolmates act as well. Whenever you think Nina’s story can’t get worse, somehow it does and it is heartbreaking to read.

I highly recommend this book for all my adult friends – I love that in the Acknowledgements the author says that 2 people are not allowed to read this book until they are 53 (kids??) But be warned – this book is raw. It is gritty. It will make you feel every emotion under the sun. And it is amazing.

I remember this book, years after reading it. When I started it, I remember thinking that young adult never really dove into uncomfortable realms. A lot of the YA I read was more of the “I like a boy but he likes the mean girl” type, or The Hunger Games. To read a YA book like this really opened my eyes to a genre I only would dabble in. Now, I am a fan.

Trigger warnings of sexual assault.

Keep on reading!