Anna Roux, 26, weighs 88 pounds and her body is shutting down; her last hope is 17 Swann Street, a residential treatment center for women with eating disorders. What follows is the sometimes heartbreaking, yet hopeful story of Anna's road to recovery. Her journey is paved with the support of the Emm, Valerie and Julia, who, like Anna, struggle every day against their diseases. Can Anna get her life, her love and the Anna she remembers herself to be back again?

The Girls at 17 Swann Street, is an intimate look at anorexia, of finding the will to live, being brave enough to fight the voices and learning to accept yourself. I devoured this book full of insightful dialogue and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced review copy; all opinions are my own.

Anna was once a dancer, living in Paris and deeply in love with her husband. After her husband moves to America for a job opportunity, Anna follows and finds herself deeper and deeper into her internal struggles.

The Girls at 17 Swann Street is the story of Anna's time in an eating disorder clinic. This is not just a story of Anna, but of also Emm, and Victoria. Of other women struggling with Anorexia, of women who are aware of the disease, of women who have lived in denial for far too long.

This isn't a light, fun read. This deals with mental pain and struggle. Of secrets. Of internal pressure of be perfect, to be in control.

Yara Zgheib has written a powerful book about a traumatic situation. She's able to cut to the pain and struggle of these women.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

A story set in Marietta, Montana brings together two people with great differences in their past, but both making changes in their lives. I love small town romance stories and throw in a cowboy with a bit of checkered past and I am hooked. Now I have to buy more books by Ann B. Harrison!

I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my open, honest review.

I was given an ARC to review this one through NetGalley. This is another one of those - so glad they did situations!

Anna, originally from France, moves into Bedroom 5 at 17 Swann Street and that's where this tale takes off. She's a dancer but had an injury that has kept her from going back to what she loves. Her husband, Matthias, receives a job offer to work in the US and she's all for it. It is here that she goes through a period of trying to find herself and pick up pieces of things she may have lost in herself over time. She struggles with if she'll ever dance again and if things will get better in her marriage.

She finds her way to 17 Swann Place which is a treatment center for women. The door then opens up for exploring hidden attributes about her personality that have been hidden for some time; her eating disorder. The reason that she may struggle with current issues. As a clinical mental health psychology student, I loved the real exploratory level of mental health that was explored. From intake, to finding hidden issues, treatment and resiliency this tale was fantastic. I really hope that a lot more people read this novel and pick up on some real-world, sometimes hidden, disorders that take place and how to help. This is an amazing novel!

This was an intriguing and thought provoking read. A good insight into what living with an eating disorder must be like. I would have like to see the characters fleshed out a bit more, because I felt as the reader I really didn't get to know them as well as I could have.

Told from the perspective of Anna, the girl with anorexia, this book was completely different from other books I had read. This was not only heartbreaking but also informative. I loved the role that Anna's husband, Matthias, in the book. He was as supportive as he knew how to be and Anna's evolution throughout the book was powerful. I respected the characters and the struggles! It is important the the author portrayed the other girls at 17 Swann as although there with struggles, they were different to each girl Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Anna Roux is a Parisian ballerina who has recently moved to St. Louis from France with her husband for his job. Anna is a girl who likes sparkling wine in the late afternoon, ripe and juicy strawberries in June, quiet mornings, and grey and foggy cities. Anna is also a girl with debilitating anorexia of the restricting type.

After limiting her food intake to only apples and popcorn, twenty six year old Anna is admitted at only 88 pounds to 17 Swann Street, a residential facility that helps women overcome their eating disorders. At 17 Swann Street, meals are carefully prepared primarily for high-caloric value. Those meals are then monitored to be sure that every bite is eaten. The girls are weighed in and have their vitals taken at 5:30 AM daily. Exercise is regulated to prevent the girls from losing weight, but those with good behavior can go on the morning walk. Even restroom use is not a matter of privacy at 17 Swann Street for those with bulimia, or self-harming and suicidal tendencies, as the girls must ask permission and be monitored while utilizing it.

Anna, who once had a beautiful life and a husband who adored her, no longer recognizes the woman she has become. While at times she wants to get better, more often, her anorexia consumes her life. Yara Zgheib’s eye-opening debut novel, The Girls at 17 Swann Street, follows Anna on her difficult and harrowing journey in the treatment facility. The book follows Anna day in and day out as she agonizes over every morsel that she puts in her body, and celebrates the days that she makes it through okay. Zgheib’s novel opens readers’ eyes and minds to what it is like to be a young woman trying desperately to control her life by controlling her body. If intriguing character studies are your cup of tea, then you will likely thoroughly enjoy this novel. With a compelling, heartfelt story and memorable characters, I immensely look forward to more of Zgheib’s work in the years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Anna arrives at 17 Swann Street with Matthias her husband not knowing what to expect. The women there are there because of eating disorders and support each other as much as they can. Emm has been there for 4 years off and on. She tries to be strong for the other women there and help them. Julia and Valerie are both struggling. Matthias comes to visit his wife every evening trying to support her and let her know he is on her side and loves her . This book shows the struggle and how hard it is for these women to try and capture their life again. The tricks their minds play to keep them from eating and breaking bad habits. The hurt the families feel and helplessness. Everyone wants to see their loved ones get better. This book showed me how difficult it is for the women and families.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Netgalley.com and the publisher St. Martin's Press. Thanks to both for the opportunity to read and review.

There are rare books that come along that grab your attention and demand to be read. From the cover photography to the opening sentences, Ms. Zgheib has created one of those books.

A non-flinching look into a women's descent in anorexia and her stay in a residential treatment facility. Ms. Zgheib has written a deeply moving and human story full of characters that you'll find yourself caring about. She does not sugar coat her characters' anxieties and fears. Descriptive and emotional without melodrama.

I read it in one day. It is unputdownable. 5 out of 5. Add this book to your TBR list now.

This tale of one woman's struggle with a eating disorder leads to being involved with others when she is placed in a treatment facility. The story is written from the very real perspective of one person's struggle with the addiction of an eating disorder.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was so well done. The central focus is of girls at an inpatient clinic that are suffering from eating disorders. Anna, the main character, is suffering from anorexia. This book takes the reader through her journey of trying to fight this disease. Eating disorders are extremely complicated and can seem impossible to get through to someone that is suffering from one. 

I appreciated how this book explored Anna's history and how past experiences triggered behaviors that led to her suffering from anorexia. This book is not an easy read, but it is an important one. I think that it can help show readers how anorexia is not just not wanting to eat. I like how the book emphasizes the mental health side to this disorder because it truly is a disease. The characters in this book aren't magically fixed. The author walks the reader through the ups, downs, and everything in between when it comes to eating disorders. She wrote about the challenges and hardships. If Anna wants to get better, she has to change her entire way of thinking, which is not an easy feat.

This debut novel by Yara Zgheib gives us a glimpse into the lives of the women living and being treated at 17 Swann Street. Each woman has her own back story and reasons for being there but our main character is Anna, an ex-ballerina struggling with anorexia and depression. It was disturbing and shocking to read what goes on in the mind of someone with anorexia, how excruciating each meal can be for them. It was important to have this book told in first person to truly get an understanding of that she was going through. Although I enjoyed this novel and think the topic is extremely important I was a little disappointed overall. There wasn’t enough character development for the other girls at the treatment center. We only got little snippets of their lives and maybe that is an accurate reflection of how it is but I wanted to know more! It was hard to get truly invested without getting to know them on a deeper level. The writing was also confusing because it was constantly moving back and forth in time. Quotation marks were not used so it also was hard to follow conversation. Overall I would recommend this book because it shed light on an important topic but there were a few detractors highlighted above that kept me from giving it a higher rating. That you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley!

Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, alone with her biggest fears – imperfection, failure, loneliness – she spirals down anorexia and depression till she weighs a mere eighty-eight pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, a peach pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Women like Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; Julia, always hungry. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day.

First, let me say that I did not expect to love this book. I was interested and curious about the story and wanted to see where it would go, but, let me repeat, I did NOT expect to love this book.

This book was so well written. I am a licensed medical professional (professional reader in my spare time) and I know how difficult it is to write medical notes. The author did a FANTASTIC job of writing medical notes throughout this book. Also, being a medical professional, I did not realize how little I actually knew about anorexia nervosa. The physiologic component and the mental component were so well explained that I felt the emotions of Anna, the main character. I was truly rooting for her the entire time and when she would "fail" i felt like I was failing because I connected so well to her.

I read this book very quickly and at no point did I feel like i just needed to get through it or that I had committed to reading it so finish it I must. The first few pages drew me in and set a tone for the book and those were all it took to hook me in.

I am SO GRATEFUL to NetGalley and St. Martins press for giving me advance readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was wonderful and powerful. It felt very realistic and not contrived. I cared about the main character and wanted her to succeed, but I also was able to have a sense of the minor characters and their emotions. The entire story was beautifully woven.

Powerful and poignant. This story of a 26 year old woman facing her eating disorder is one you'll remember. Zgheib has created a special character in Anna, a ballerina married to Matthias. Their move from France to Missouri, of all places, reignites her issues but luckily, she checks into 17 Swann Street. Anna's story, as well as the stories of the other young women, will touch your heart. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Sensitively written and thoughtfully plotted.

Thank you Netgalley for the ebook ARC in exchange for a honest review. When I read what this was about I was intrigued. Upon starting the story of Anna and her battle against anorexia I was immediately drawn in. This book was well written and very inciteful and gave me a glimpse into the daily battle theses women faced. I was rooting for Anna the whole time. Once I started reading it was hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Yara Zgheib for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Like:
- Good representation: adults of various ages and stages in life are shown, not just the stereotypical upper middle class teenage girl
- Each couple of days is punctuated by the staff’s treatment plan update: physiological observations, psychological observations, summary, target calories, meal plans
- Not a fluffy feel good book, but the realistic ups and downs of getting help for an eating disorder

Love:
- The details that go into the world building - In reality it’s only an eating disorder treatment house, but the author makes it seem like a whole different world
- The main character: Anna - kind, relatable, vulnerable, courageous
- The concept and daily life is oddly fascinating — weird?, I know
- The relationship between Anna and her husband, Matthias
- Beautifully written

Dislike:
- That so many of the characters are missing out on life.
- Emm: one of the long term patients. It doesn’t seem realistic that she could be at the treatment center for years. Also she didn’t seem to add much to the story, except as one of the many cautionary tales.

Wish that:
- There was more about the psychological aspects of eating disorder treatment such as group therapy, individual therapy, etc.

Overall, a beautifully written book about the brave struggles of a woman working to survive and eating disorder. It’s hard to explain, but there’s something absolutely captivating about this story.

I was intrigued by the storyline of this book. I thought it would deal more with the pressures of being a ballerina. What I got was a real, heartbreaking, honest look inside a disease that’s difficult for most people to understand. This is a great book to open up discussions for what people are going through. How isolated they must feel.
How easily Anna could pluck food groups away until she was left with popcorn and apples. She was trying to be in control of her body while in reality Anorexia had already taken control of her...filling her head with all the wrong things.
I’ll think about this book for a while. I’ll hope for those struggling with eating disorders. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

4.5 Stars: The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib (Out February 5, 2019)

Suffering from anorexia, Anna's husband brings her to Swann Street for treatment. There Anna goes through therapy and a difficult eating routine. Every move she makes is monitored, including when she can use the bathroom. As readers, we are there with these girls hearing about what has brought them to this house on Swann Street.

When I first read about this book, I did not request it due to fear of it being too graphic for me. When the publisher reached out and asked about a blog tour, I changed my mind. I am so happy I did. I read the book in two sittings and was fully vested in not just Anna, but Matthias (her husband) and every other girl there.

What I Loved: Well written, without stereotyping this illness or giving so much detail just to shock the reader, Zgheib takes us on Anna's journey of recovery. Never suffering from this disease myself, it was heartbreaking to read about what women who struggle with eating disorders go through. EVERY single character. Not one character felt forced or unnecessary.

What I did not Love: I loved Anna's backstory, but the Phillipe part did not seem as necessary. The ballet competitiveness was placed well, but that relationship not so much. Also, the ending seemed a little abrupt. I think the book could have had 50 more pages to give me a more detailed forward in time-- not to make everything neat and clean but to tell more about the recovery process 6 months later.

"I do not suffer from anorexia, I have anorexia. The two states are not the same. I know my anorexia, I understand it better than the world around me."


I was immediately captivated by the lyrical writing and the tone of this novel the second I started reading it. It is a hard book to set down, not because of the plot, but because of the writing itself. The support that the girls give one another lightens my heard when reading about such a heavy subject. I devoured this book in a day. The writing is incredible and while it was sad, it was also full of hope. Most of all, it was real.


"It is too late. I no longer know how to live without anorexia. I do not know who I am without it."


While Anna is a fictitious character she truly comes to life in this book. Her struggle with anorexia is one that many people struggle with and it is a horrifying reality. This book really opened my eyes to what it really is like to be an adult woman who is terrified of food. I have read other novels about eating disorders before and none have felt as genuine as The Girls at 17 Swann Street. I think part of that is because it is written from personal experience, but also because the writing is so incredible.


"There were signs. There are always signs for those who know to look for them. They just never flash in red neon, warning: Danger: Risk of Death."


Yara Zgheib shines light on an incredibly heavy topic, but also filled this book with enough hope and happy moments to keep it from being depressing. This book is so important, especially for those who relate to it's content of eating disorders. WHile reading it I cried, I smiled, I hoped and most of all, I rooted for the girls in the story to get better. Terribly sad, but absolutely riveting, The Girls at 17 Swann Street was a book that I had a hard time setting down once I had started it.


"I know you tried, Anna. I know you really did, but if you could have fixed this you would have. If this were 'just a problem' you and I would not be sitting here."


This is a story based on personal experience that needed to be told. After reading it I felt like I understood more about eating disorders than I thought possible. When a book is written that represent mental or physical illness, I think it is important to be shown truthfully, but also tactfully and Yara Zgheib manages this balance perfectly. I am left stunned that this is her debut novel. All I can say is to give this book a chance. It is important, and it is real.


"Anorexia is the same girl with the same story, told over and over again. It does not matter what she is called; her name designates nothing. My name is Anna but anorexia got rid of it, my feelings, body, husband, life."