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bsinclaire's review against another edition
Just did not intrigue me enough to keep going I’m so sorry
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
If we're human, we likely have a 'hole in our middle' - a source of pain or anxiety or limitation. Morgan Stone, age 17, has a hole both metaphorical and literal. She was born with a hole in her abdomen. No one except her mother, estranged father, and best friend know about her unique body - until Morgan 'comes out' in a big way. An unusual but satisfying coming of age story for the older teen.
michalice's review against another edition
4.0
When I first saw Hole in the Middle on NetGalley I will have to admit I was very intrigued about it, and about Morgan, about the hole in her middle and what it is. Freaky books really do have the wow factor for me and I have to read them, just to see what it's about and how freaky the problem is.
As soon as I opened Hole in the Middle I was hooked, and honestly didn't take any notes until I was past the halfway point. The story and the weirdness aspect of it just sucked me in and I could not put it down.
Living your life with a literal hole in your stomach can't be easy, and I did feel sorry for how Morgan has to hide this from others, avoiding outings that mean she has to bare her middle. Contact with others is also big no. Her life choices revolving around this hole in her middle, that has baffled doctors all of her life. Even her friend Caro doesn't have much involvement with it, and tries her hardest to invite Morgan to places and events. But just as Morgan is learning to live with her hole and allowing others to see, that's when her life turns upside down and around. Howie is another character who also has the same genetic problem as Morgan, but for Howie his is more of a lump, than a hole, and as soon as Howie was added to the story I had doubts and worries over how this would all end.
I loved how Hole in the Middle has a lot of acceptance throughout the pages...
Hole in the Middle was an unexpected read, but one that I really enjoyed. I liked how the characters felt real, they experienced every day struggles, first dates, falling in love, and peer pressure. There are bumps in the road of friendship which are patched up, even family life isn't always perfect, and THIS is what I liked to see, normal everyday things continuing even with the unusual.
One thing I would have liked was to have had a more definite ending, and not the possibility to come. I like knowing exactly how it all ends....but that is probably my issues ;)
Final Verdict
Hole in the Middle was a time sucking book that I could not put down. I really enjoyed reading this one and would definitely read more books featuring these characters or similar topics by the author.
As soon as I opened Hole in the Middle I was hooked, and honestly didn't take any notes until I was past the halfway point. The story and the weirdness aspect of it just sucked me in and I could not put it down.
Living your life with a literal hole in your stomach can't be easy, and I did feel sorry for how Morgan has to hide this from others, avoiding outings that mean she has to bare her middle. Contact with others is also big no. Her life choices revolving around this hole in her middle, that has baffled doctors all of her life. Even her friend Caro doesn't have much involvement with it, and tries her hardest to invite Morgan to places and events. But just as Morgan is learning to live with her hole and allowing others to see, that's when her life turns upside down and around. Howie is another character who also has the same genetic problem as Morgan, but for Howie his is more of a lump, than a hole, and as soon as Howie was added to the story I had doubts and worries over how this would all end.
I loved how Hole in the Middle has a lot of acceptance throughout the pages...
- Morgan finds it difficult to accept the hole but finds herself freer and happier once she does.
- This also forces others to be more accepting of her and the hole.
- Her absent Father struggled to accept Morgan
- Morgan was also unwilling to accept help from strangers who wanted to poke and prod her.
- It's also about accepting others and yourself for who you are, both the good and the ugly sides.
Hole in the Middle was an unexpected read, but one that I really enjoyed. I liked how the characters felt real, they experienced every day struggles, first dates, falling in love, and peer pressure. There are bumps in the road of friendship which are patched up, even family life isn't always perfect, and THIS is what I liked to see, normal everyday things continuing even with the unusual.
One thing I would have liked was to have had a more definite ending, and not the possibility to come. I like knowing exactly how it all ends....but that is probably my issues ;)
Final Verdict
Hole in the Middle was a time sucking book that I could not put down. I really enjoyed reading this one and would definitely read more books featuring these characters or similar topics by the author.
hswhite's review against another edition
4.0
An odd, at times uncomfortable and somewhat self-aware book. But there were enough moments of depth to make this a worthwhile read. I didn’t fully buy in to the paparazzi story line, and some of the characterization felt inconsistent and/or flat.
It’s hard to say exactly what I enjoyed about this book. Perhaps the sheer strangeness of it? Like a modern art exhibit. And the fact that it does not shy away from hard subjects while also avoiding overtly subverting norms.
I think it’s the main character, Morgan, who sold the story for me. I believed her as a character, even if I didn’t always believe the story.
3.5/5
It’s hard to say exactly what I enjoyed about this book. Perhaps the sheer strangeness of it? Like a modern art exhibit. And the fact that it does not shy away from hard subjects while also avoiding overtly subverting norms.
I think it’s the main character, Morgan, who sold the story for me. I believed her as a character, even if I didn’t always believe the story.
3.5/5
missmary98's review against another edition
4.0
That was very bizarre. The whole (ha!) concept of a girl with a hole and a boy with a lump is just so strange. But somehow it worked and was really good.
rachelwrites007's review against another edition
4.0
This book was really, really good. It may be a good readalike to Dumplin' for body positivity & acceptance.
I won it during a giveaway (thanks Kendra!) and I'm so happy I did. I think teen me would've liked this story, but not taken away what was needed; 29-year-old me gets it and takes away. We are perfect in our imperfections, and the right person will love all of us. The only reason this book isn't 5 stars perfect for me is that around page 100 to 200 I found myself not as engaged with Morgan and her story for some reason. However, once I got past that, I could not stop reading and had to know what happened next, and I loveloveloved the sweet romance between Howie and Morgan.
Can't wait to see what is next for Kendra Fortmeyer.
I won it during a giveaway (thanks Kendra!) and I'm so happy I did. I think teen me would've liked this story, but not taken away what was needed; 29-year-old me gets it and takes away. We are perfect in our imperfections, and the right person will love all of us. The only reason this book isn't 5 stars perfect for me is that around page 100 to 200 I found myself not as engaged with Morgan and her story for some reason. However, once I got past that, I could not stop reading and had to know what happened next, and I loveloveloved the sweet romance between Howie and Morgan.
Can't wait to see what is next for Kendra Fortmeyer.
chchchazley's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this book. It does everything it sets out to do -- growing real characters out of a surreal situation without becoming overly metaphoric or sappy. Morgan Stone's fluctuating insecurity about her body is painfully realistic, which makes the moments when she accepts (and even celebrates) herself even more poignant. The humor is always spot-on and often unexpected (I laughed all the way through Morgan's discovery of the fan fiction about her and Howie). I highly recommend this book, especially to readers who appreciate the slightly weird.
misterintensity's review against another edition
2.0
Morgan was born with a hole in her abdomen. One night while out dancing she decided to display her hole, never realizing how much her life would change by showing it. Hole in the Middle reads like a several different books that never quite gel into one cohesive whole. One moment it's a satire of social media, the next it's an earnest romance, the next it's a social issues book. The sudden changes from chapter to chapter oftentimes causes mood whiplash. Fortmeyer captures the voices of her young characters quite well, especially Morgan's and her best friend Caroline. However, the adult characters come off as caricatures and it seems like she goes out of her way to avoid writing about them. This is especially apparent when you consider Fortmeyer has Morgan and Caroline, who are both 17, living in their own apartment that they are able to afford because Morgan's mom is an absurdly young fitness guru. Things like that are just jarring and could take readers right out of the story, This book could have used another draft or two because while it has a strong premise, it doesn't quite succeed in the presentation. It tries to be too many things at once when it should be a story about how a grounded story of how a teenage lives with a hole in her stomach.