This was a heartbreaking and painful novel to read, but it handled the topics that it set out to discuss well, without trying to tack on a suddenly happy ending that would ring false.

There's a lot going on in this book, but unlike many novels, it can actually bear the weight of all the issues it tries to discuss. Everything is given it's space, especially Lex's healing process from trafficking and parental abuse/neglect. This book is largely about Lex slowly learning that she deserves good things, and what happened to her is not her fault. There's no magic hand-waving, and suddenly she's a happy teenager, and that's what I appreciated a lot about this book. It dives deep into the process of healing from such a massive trauma, and doesn't make it appear as a speedy process with a guaranteed happy ending. We meet plenty of side characters that suffered from similar things who have much different outcomes from Lex, and this book examines why that is, and what support systems help with healing. And somehow, it does all of this without any victim blaming (the girls that are drawn back into the life they were saved from aren't blamed for it, the book instead tries to rationalize with the reader why they might have made those decisions, and that ultimately it's the fault of their abusers) and girl hate (Lex doesn't hate the girls that haven't gone through her same pain, and a friend character is good at reminding Lex that everyone has their hardships that affect them, even if they aren't technically as bad as hers).

I also liked how this book tackled romance alongside this healing process, both by viewing the negative relationship Lex found herself in after being saved and by looking at a healthy relationship she finds after, and how her experiences shaped her actions and thoughts during both of these relationships. It also focuses a lot on disassociation as a way of not feeling, and how this impacts Lex's approach to relationships, from platonic to familial to romantic. It's all handled really well, and it serves to show Lex's growth in small steps instead of large bounds, a more realistic path of healing than some other books show.

Overall, I can't necessarily say I enjoyed this book, but I thought it handled the tough subjects very well, and I liked seeing how Lex grew as a character, and seeing the path of healing she started in this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit dark and gritty and kept me captivated then entire time.

An amazing, well written book that dealt with very difficult topics in a way so many authors fail to do. It felt real, not everything was perfect, tough details weren't glossed over and all was done amidst a story I was interested in reading not because of the "taboo" (for some at least not me) topics, but because there was so much more to the story. The characters were so well written, lovable or not, they were real. The relationships, the transformation of the main character from beginning to end, and the way the story was able to transition from uncomfortable experiences remembered into a life of some normality with ease. My only regret is that I didn't read this sooner! My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will be renting this from my library and will share an in-depth review on my blog upon completion.


Thank you for emailing me this copy! I greatly look forward to reading it

This was heartbreaking yet there was a sense of closure when I finished it. It definitely one of those books that feels like being on a rollercoaster. SO MANY EMOTIONS!

I have to give it to the author for not holding anything back in this book. It tackles important yet uncomfortable issues that many won't talk about. Will recommend this book and will read more books from Kate McLaughlin x

This was such a gritty, dark, and completely heartbreaking story.

Please go into <u>What Unbreakable Looks Like</u> knowing it’s about human trafficking and a girl’s trying to acclimate to “normal” life. It does include topics of rape, self-hate and harm, abuse, etc. It is not casual or vague about these topics. It’s very raw and open.

With that said. I put myself in a headspace and allowed myself to read this book, and I felt for Lex in so many ways. The struggles to get away from her old life, to have normal and healthy relationships with boys. It made me want to reach into the book and give the girl a hug.

Lex had Elsa and Zack. They had her back through and through. Lex had the support of her friends, but she also had her aunt. Her aunt was so supportive and understanding, and just let Lex do her thing when she was ready . . . the aunt was there without being smothering.

With heavy topics, it’s a well written story. It’s definitely not for everyone.

This book deals with an important and rather unexplored topic in Ya demographic - sex trafficking. The story is raw and at times difficult to read, and honestly many teens are facing or living through the nightmares of sexual assault. I wanted to love this book as I am always on a lookout for such unique topic to read.

Teh characters were well developed and romantic inclinations while recovering from the past torturous experiences is handeled well as well.
However, the execution was bad and fell flat. The pacing is bumpy and seems like the author tried to infuse many things altogether and in the end, didn't deliever to the expectations. But what really irked me was the use of AAVE and the N-word in the writing. And don't think those words were required at all and could have been easily avoided. Those are disgraceful and inappropriate.

And that's the reason that I can't rate this book higher even though I enjoyed the plot as whole.

This title is one that originally I hesitated to pick up because of the subject matter. However, the author has done a brilliant job of reinforcing the importance of strength amidst difficulty. While this book is definitely difficult to read in spots, it is also extremely powerful and it is a must read!

What an amazing read.
This is a story about a girl who was trafficked and how she copes after being rescued.
Very heart wrenching and sad yet you will not want to put this one down.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I think this is a story we NEEDED during this pandemic.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this gifted ARC in exchanged for an honest review.

Oh! This one is good. I'll be honest, I went into it thinking that the majority of the story would be about Lex/Poppy being trafficked and the horrors we'd see from that -- and, don't mistrue this for you, we do see MANY instances of the HORRORS that Lex/Poppy encounters -- but this book is so much more about her journey post-trafficked and how difficult it is to heal from a harrowing experience like that.

After Lex is saved by her aunt and uncle -- love her Aunt, by the way, who is super fierce about not giving up on Lex -- she faces something even tougher as she embarks on the road to recovery.

We NEED MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE! Because, generally speaking, we have so many books that focus on characters experiencing traumas and being rescued or saved but do we have many that focus on how to heal? And how that healing process is difficult and, sometimes, seems even worse than the trauma itself? After all, there is a reason why people, who have faced traumatic experiences, will sometimes say they wished they had died.

I thoroughly applaud this book and think it's a must-read for everyone. I do, however, recommend it for a MATURE teen audience or higher. McLaughlin wants you to know the gruesome details of sex trafficking, not just the glossed over version --I applaud this decision, too -- but it's too mature for a junior high classroom.

I often find it hard to review books that tackle such intense topics because it's hard to separate the topic and the need for exposure from the writing itself. I think overall it's an important book that will expose many teens to something they had no knowledge of before. The book tries to do a little too much in one sitting, especially with two traumas, but unfortunately I think it's realistic.

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, St..Martin's Press and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. McLaughlin's debut novel is really nothing short of amazing. Human trafficking is one of the pressing issues of the day, and while it is a work of fiction; it could very well have been taken from the headlines. All the characters are all too real. The events that occur are chilling in their nature. The path to recovery and healing is long and arduous. A heartbreaking novel that thankfully ends well, it is saddening that there are young women and men who are living in the hell that Poppy lived. This book is a must read, but there is disturbing content that requires reader discretion: prostitution, drug use, sexual assault, mental and physical abuse.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended reading.

Another difficult review to write. But for different reasons. How do you rate a book that deals with such a tough topic?
Lex is one of the strongest characters I've come across. Lex has been trafficked and you walk next to her as she learns to heal. You see her thoughts, her actions, her raw emotions. This book does not sugar-coated ANYTHING. It's realistic in it's portrayal of what it's like to be a girl who has been abused for so long and how difficult it is to learn to trust and just be. Lex has an amazing support group though. Her Aunt Krys is an angel, she helps Lex learn that it's okay to be angry and want to lash out but that good people still exist. People who care about you and want to help you heal. While it takes a long time for Lex to learn to trust again, her Aunt Krys and Uncle Jamal are there every step of the way. She also finds 2 friends that help her connect with her life once more. Zack is a boy who shows her that not all men are abusive jerks. He's sweet but isn't just a filler character. He too experienced a horrible trauma and I feel that while Zack was strong he and Lex healed each other in more ways than one. Her friend, Elsa also helped with the healing process. But through all the trials Lex goes through, she learns to become more than a victim, more than a survivor. She becomes an activist. As she's healing, she begins to feel stronger and wants to find a way to help other girls like her. It's an empowering story. And it was incredibly well written.

Unflinching, honest, heartbreaking, gut wrenching. These are just a few adjectives I'd use to describe this book. I've put off reading this for a long time because I was very concerned about how hard this would be to get through. And yes, it was hard in the beginning to get through. But, then things progressed, and it became more of a story about a victim becoming a survivor moving on in her life and putting her past behind her. It was beautiful and sad at the same time. I definitely cried throughout the entire book but not as much as I originally thought.

The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because I felt like there was too much shoved in to one story. I think it could have focused on one trauma and showed life after, but there were two major traumas and it felt like competing storylines. And it also seemed that every single character had a horrible back story with abuse of some kind.

Overall, I think the message was delivered well, and it did bring out a ton of emotions in me. I would definitely recommend this book. But, be prepared of the traumas listed, as it could be a trigger for some.

I was definitely nervous to start this book given the difficult subject matter. This was so raw and heartbreaking and difficult to read at times but it was definitely worth it. This book won't be the right one for everyone, But if youre up for it I recommend it for sure. It really seemed realistic with Lex having to go through rehab to try and put her past behind her. I really felt the roller coaster of emotions reading this and look forward to more from Kate McLaughlin. I can see grouping her with one of my favorite authors Ellen Hopkins though the style is very different.

Lex has been through absolute hell. Trusting others has only gotten her deeper into the hell she calls her life. Nothing good has come from having faith and hope. It's only brought her more despair and desperation.

When suddenly life does change for her Lex has a hard time trusting that it will stay that way. She can't help but walk on glass and keep the walls up that have been put into place long ago. But when her past is thrust in front of her it's going to take a new kind of strength not to give in and return to the chains of despair that once encompassed her.

A heart wrenching and anger inducing story of human trafficking and the after effects that the survivors have to endure. Those poor girls never stop suffering, no matter how brave they appear on the outside.

Did not finish. This novel was not for me. I had a hard time connecting to the story and the characters.

This was one of the hardest books I have ever read. What Unbreakable Looks Like explored heartbreak, abuse, violence and most importantly, hope.
I was on the edge of my seat whilst reading this and my heart ached for Lex and her struggles. Human trafficking is a very difficult subject to write about and I felt that McLaughlin handled it well. I recommend if you are looking for a dark yet hopeful book that will tug on your heartstrings.

<i>What Unbreakable Looks Like</I> by Kate McLaughlin is the story of Lex, a girl who was trafficked, after she's been rescued and given another chance. Lex is taken in by her aunt and uncle, who's love is unconditional love, and a cast of friends who genuinely care about her regardless of her past. However, her new found stability and emotional wellbeing are put to the test when her so-called boyfriend and his friends sexually assault her. I was provided an ARC by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

McLaughlin gives varying points of view on the recovery process. The girls who run back to their abuser, the girls who don't take recovery seriously, and the girls who do take it seriously as they learn to live again. Lex herself is the latter, scared and uncertain, but it's clear all along she doesn't want to end up where she started. While Lex's friend from the trafficking situation, Ivy, runs back into the life and Lex is left worrying about her.

As we get to see things from Lex's point of view, we get to feel and understand the struggles she's going through. First to adjust to a life where everything isn't controlled by someone else, and then to the expectations of non-abusers. Lex stumbles, she isn't perfect, but she also keeps trying, and it's clear that this is possible with the support system she gains from her family and friends.

We're following the success story, the survival story. However, darker and in the background is the failure story, the pain story, the lost girls of this world story in fellow victim Ivy. Ivy only wants to go back, she wants what she knows and what 'feels' stable to an unstable life. She also doesn't have the stable family life that Lex is given to help her through the process.

McLaughlin handles the topic with sensitivity and care. While it is a rose-colored glasses story, McLaughlin evokes emotion and care throughout. <i>What Unbreakable Looks Like</I> is an incredible debut novel and I look forward to seeing McLaughlin's future additions to the Teen and YA community.