Review: 4.5 Stars for Sanctuary of Mine!!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 18, 2013
This book had some pretty tough issues to read about.  Sanctuary of Mine focuses on a disease known as Bulimia as well as other eating disorders like anorexia.  It’s the first book I have ever read that goes into such graphic detail about the person with the eating disorder and what their day to day life entails.  This book was definitely an eye opener on how easily this disease can affect the one’s we love and never even show the outward signs until it’s too late.  Make no mistake, eating disorders can do more than make you lose an obscene amount of weight, they can kill you.  Heart attacks are the most common cause of death for those battling an eating disorder.  S. Pratt doesn’t sugar coat the problem, she faces it head on in a very respectful yet informative way.Mackenzie is a junior in high school with an eating disorder.  In order to understand her need to control her food this way we have to go back to when the problems first started.  Three years ago her whole world crumbled before her eyes when her parents were divorced.  Mackenzie heard their heated argument the day they decided it was time to divorce.  For a young impressionable girl who had no idea things were this bad in her family, she was completely devastated.  But that wasn’t the only thing that set the course for her future that night.  She was listening to her parents argue through the bedroom door and heard some things said that were more than likely said out of anger, but truly hurt her. She has lingering issues with anger towards her mother, and she misses her father more than anything.As a junior in a new high school, Mackenzie does her best to stay in the shadows going unnoticed and avoid making any friends.  She uses her ability to control her food intake as a measure of discipline.  It’s the only thing in her life she feel like she can control, so she does so in drastic measures.  She is picked on and whispered about but she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her.  But for some reason when she witnesses some senior jocks picking on a boy named Levi in the hall, she steps in to defend him.  When it appears all she has actually accomplished is diverting their attention from Levi to herself, Tyler steps in to save the day.  After that Mackenzie and Levi were thick as thieves.I LOVE Levi!!! He is exactly like Mackenzie yet her complete opposite in some ways. He is supportive and friendly.  He doesn't push her on the issue of her eating disorder because he sort of has a problem with food himself.  He is outgoing where she is a recluse.  He really brings her to life with his friendship.Tyler is insanely attractive, star of the football team, and an all around good guy.  Tyler has a special background that blends with Mackenzie’s disease.  His older sister died of a heart attack 3 years ago as a direct result of her eating disorder.  He and his sister were four years apart and extremely close before she started suffering from anorexia.  He watched her fade away in terms of health as well as the loving sister he once knew.  She became moody, secretive and angry.  When she died he lost a large part of himself, but he did something to help others in her memory.  He started a charity to help others like his sister beat the disease.He has had his eye on Mackenzie for a while now.  Part of him sees a part of his sister in Mackenzie and can tell she is struggling with her disorder as well as some other deep rooted issue that is causing her to turn away from food.  He slowly starts to win her over by taking her out for impromptu meals and trying to spend time with her whenever she will allow it.  He starts to change her for the better.  He doesn’t address her issue, knowing it would send her running.  He lets her start to change on her own.  While helping her regain control of her life and disorder he does one thing wrong.  He doesn’t tell her about his sister.  When she finds out he runs thinking he is only with her out of pity.Mackenzie is devastated once again and refuses to listen to his explanations.  While she is hiding, Tyler's father has accepted a job that will move his family to another part of he country.  Mackenzie is about to lose the best thing that ever happened to her.  She has a decision to make...let him go or take control and go after what she wants for once.I'm gonna stop here because I don't want to give anything away.  Just know that the most heartbreaking part of this story has yet to occur.  And when you read it, it's going to have you close to tears screaming NO!  This book is about a young woman regaining control of her life and finding love and forgiveness along the way.  There is no cliff hanger and Mackenzie does get her HEA. I'd rate this book at 4 Stars!