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Deirdre Riordan Hall
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Sugar Kindle Edition

by Deirdre Riordan Hall (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 9,107 ratings

I’m the fat Puerto Rican–Polish girl who doesn’t feel like she belongs in her skin, or anywhere else for that matter. I’ve always been too much and yet not enough.

Sugar Legowski-Gracia wasn’t always fat, but fat is what she is now at age seventeen. Not as fat as her mama, who is so big she hasn’t gotten out of bed in months. Not as heavy as her brother, Skunk, who has more meanness in him than fat, which is saying something. But she’s large enough to be the object of ridicule wherever she is: at the grocery store, walking down the street, at school. Sugar’s life is dictated by taking care of Mama in their run-down home—cooking, shopping, and, well, eating. A lot of eating, which Sugar hates as much as she loves.

When Sugar meets Even (not Evan—his nearly illiterate father misspelled his name on the birth certificate), she has the new experience of someone seeing her and not her body. As their unlikely friendship builds, Sugar allows herself to think about the future for the first time, a future not weighed down by her body or her mother.

Soon Sugar will have to decide whether to become the girl that Even helps her see within herself or to sink into the darkness of the skin-deep role her family and her life have created for her.

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  1. Print length
    278 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Skyscape
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    1 Jun. 2015
  6. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  7. Grade level
    9 - 12
  8. File size
    3.0 MB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

Review

“Sugar is about a teenage girl who seeks solace in the sugary, greasy foods she both craves and despises...Yet Sugar summons the strength to find her own inner beauty, and it’s not a Size 0. Her triumph is heartbreaking and triumphant.” —Denver Post Pages

“Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall is one of those books that sneaks up and hits you in the gut with its powerful truth. Sugar is not easy to read. Between the nearly pornographic description of food and the cruel slanders of those who are supposed to love her, this novel will take you down the dark path Sugar is walking. But as she sees a light at the end of the tunnel, you will be reminded of hope and the importance of loving yourself first and foremost.” —Hypable

“Sugar’s character has depth, and her unhappiness and determination to conquer it are realistically portrayed. Readers will sympathize with Sugar and understand her struggle to reach her full potential.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Let’s get something out of the way: as a protagonist, Sugar Legowski-Gracia is not immediately very likable. When I first read the book’s opening pages, I was so appalled that I nearly put down the manuscript. But something happened—like a switch being flipped—and the sparkling electricity of Sugar’s voice took over. From that moment on, there was nothing I could do but continue reading, holding on to each word of Sugar’s story as it unfurled before me.

The most potent aspect of that electricity is the intense clarity and candor of author Deirdre Riordan Hall’s writing. On the page, Sugar’s story is rife with sadness as the seventeen-year-old young woman attempts to survive abuse and bullying coming at her from all sides. The ray of light in this mire is Sugar’s singular perspective, showing how she can love the mother who oppresses her, expressing her naive hopes that a stranger might see past her obesity, and surviving the dull, constant pain of her peers’ cruel ridicule. The naked honesty of Sugar’s words makes clear why she hates herself—and her eating disorder—even as those same words reveal the delicate thread of hope thrumming in her soul.

Hope, however, is a powerful thing, and even that small, tentative fragment catches hold. As it does and Sugar’s dreams of something better grow into a more tangible reality, she’s faced with a terrifying choice: continue to be the person she’s been, or step onto a different path where nothing is certain.

By the end of the book, that electricity from the opening chapters had grown, and I could almost feel the knife’s edge upon which Sugar walked: I wanted her to escape, I wanted her to love, I wanted her to become that strong woman I saw hiding within. Some stories seem to be written in the stars—a book waiting to be born from all the possibilities inspired by humanity. Sugar is one of those rarities, and it would be criminal to miss it.



- Courtney Miller, Editor

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00PG8UCH2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyscape
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Jun. 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 278 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1477879382
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 9,107 ratings

About the author

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Deirdre Riordan Hall

Deirdre Riordan Hall

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Deirdre Riordan Hall is the author of the contemporary young adult bestsellers Sugar and Pearl as well as the High School Mystery and Suspense series. She’s in an ongoing pursuit of words, waves, and wonder. Her love language involves a basket of chips, salsa, and guacamole, preferably when shared with her family.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
9,107 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book beautifully written and emotionally engaging, describing it as a rollercoaster of emotions that will make you cry. They appreciate the character development, with one review highlighting the sensitive portrayal of the heroine, and consider it an inspiring read that's wonderfully written. The book receives mixed feedback about its realism, with some finding it just real while others disagree. Customers have mixed opinions about its ease of use, with several noting it's not challenging to read.

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85 customers mention ‘Story quality’85 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a wonderful and readable story, with one customer describing it as hard hitting.

"I loved this book. The main character was very believable and it was a very inspiring read...." Read more

"...You really want to root for her, as she is a lovely, caring character to follow - a good egg...." Read more

"...place in his spare time and he opens up her mind to the fact she is beautiful and he makes her see that her eating habits are to do with the pain..." Read more

"...In which case you're probably not going to be reading this beautiful book - shame on you...!). Equally, I wish I'd had an "Even" in my life!..." Read more

34 customers mention ‘Emotional content’28 positive6 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, describing it as a rollercoaster of sadness, happiness, and heartbreak, with one customer noting its thought-provoking insights into the pain of abuse.

"...A wonderful story, had me in tears at several points (and I'm hard as nails usually!)...." Read more

"...Emotional and sympathetic as well as revealing the verbal and physical abuse some people have to suffer this novel was hard hitting as well as..." Read more

"...But overall the author writes really well and managed to draw me in and really root for Sugar." Read more

"I found reading this book an emotional roller coaster...." Read more

29 customers mention ‘Uplifting’29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book uplifting, describing it as an inspiring and insightful read. One customer specifically mentions it as a superb moving book about food addiction.

"...Alas, despite the motivational tone of the book, the magic release of Sugar from the bullying and obesity..." Read more

"Warm, witty, courageous, determined, optimistic, downtrodden, teased, rejected, courageous. What a character Sugar is!..." Read more

"...some people have to suffer this novel was hard hitting as well as thoughtful and tender." Read more

"...Sugar is an interesting book and engaging in parts, but I found it as hollow as a doughnut. It just needed a little something extra to elevate it." Read more

24 customers mention ‘Writing style’21 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it wonderfully crafted, with one customer noting it is written in first person and another describing it as descriptive.

"...What a character Sugar is! The writing style is both intelligent and easy and the characters whose lives touch Sugar's world are, mostly, cruel and..." Read more

"...But overall the author writes really well and managed to draw me in and really root for Sugar." Read more

"...Foisting there own unhappiness onto their offspring. A wonderfully written, inspiring , insightful story. I highly recommend this book." Read more

"...But after the first few pages the true book came out. Brilliant!! well written and I think very colse to the truth for some young girls...." Read more

13 customers mention ‘Character development’11 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting the sensitive portrayal of the unlikely heroine.

"...All of the characters were very well written and I really felt for Sugar and her experiences. I think this would make a great film." Read more

"...You really want to root for her, as she is a lovely, caring character to follow - a good egg...." Read more

"...Or rather the central characters feel entirely real. The plot just makes if a faster, more sophisticated story...." Read more

"...I loved the character of Even, hated her mum and brother, though not Henry, in the end, and adored that she became a biker...." Read more

9 customers mention ‘Warmth’9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book warm and sweet, with one customer describing it as a breath of fresh air.

"Warm, witty, courageous, determined, optimistic, downtrodden, teased, rejected, courageous. What a character Sugar is!..." Read more

"...have to suffer this novel was hard hitting as well as thoughtful and tender." Read more

"...outside and in and the story is inspiring without being gooey and sweet...." Read more

"Strange book but very emotive, descriptive & touching." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Realism’6 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the realism of the book, with some finding it authentic while others disagree.

"...To me, this realism is a huge compliment to the author. The theme has been explained by other reviewers, but for me, I think it is universal...." Read more

"...It was too unreal and sugar-coated..." Read more

"...but her descriptions of the voice in her head were haunting and realistic...." Read more

"...start to finish, but what I really loved about this story was that it was REAL. No fairy tales, no unnecessary dramatisation, just real...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Ease of use’5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about how easy the book is to read, with some finding it not challenging, while one customer notes it provides a first-person account of daily struggles.

"...What a character Sugar is! The writing style is both intelligent and easy and the characters whose lives touch Sugar's world are, mostly, cruel and..." Read more

"...is targeted at a younger audience, but boy, when did primitive, not challenging and predictable tear-jerker become a recipe for a best-seller? &#..." Read more

"A young adults novel - easy to ready...." Read more

"...you really get an insight into Sugar's life and a first person account of the daily struggles...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • M. Wall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very moving and inspiring read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 February 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book. The main character was very believable and it was a very inspiring read. All of the characters were very well written and I really felt for Sugar and her experiences. I think this would make a great film.
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  • Aoife
    4.0 out of 5 stars A story about a girl discovering her worth
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Sugar is a 16-year-old girl who, her whole life, has suffered from disordered eating - resulting in her being extremely overweight. Sugar's problems are exacerbated by the extreme bullying she receives in school but also in the home at the hands of her brother and her mother. She also acts as carer for her mother - who is so overweight, she can no longer move out of the bed, and who also has breathing and other health difficulties. When Sugar meets Even, he finally gives her the chance at a happier life and a respite from her terrible home environment. With his help, Sugar begins to believe she is worth more than she ever thought.

    This was an emotional, heavy-hitting book that I found so hard to read at times due to a number of factors - the bullying Sugar goes through, both in school and at home, is just so horrible that it's hard to believe people can be so cruel. Particularly with her brother Skunk, his behaviour with Sugar is just so extreme, it's almost hard to believe though I'm aware many people do have to live in toxic and dangerous home situations all the time. For someone fairly young, Skunk's behaviour and tendency to violence was frightening. It's also very hard to read how Sugar treats her own body, and just how much she will consume in a moment/day and the reasons why she is doing that.

    I did like how throughout the book, you really feel like Sugar starts to dissect her eating issues, and get to the bottom of her feeling of unworthiness and unhappiness. And identifying the triggers that cause binge eating behaviour. You really want to root for her, as she is a lovely, caring character to follow - a good egg.

    I was surprised at the turn the book took, and I was also surprised at just how upset and emotional I was about it.

    The romance in this book is very sweet, and borderline cheesy at times, I will admit. But Sugar did deserve to have an Even in her life, even if to force her to see the good person she is and the type of behaviour from others she should never have to put up with.

    It's also important to point out the weight loss that Sugar achieves in this book is nothing to do with fad or dangerous diets or over exercise - just simple lifestyle changes like walking to school and cutting out soda and it making a big difference to her. I love the Sugar we get near the end of the book - someone who still has curves and is proud to be a bigger girl but also someone who loves herself and won't cry anymore because of others as they're not worth it. She becomes a bit of a badass with a Harley.
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  • cheryl lee
    5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sugar is a young girl from a dysfunctional family. Her mother is so obese she is unable to get out of bed. she mentally abuses Sugar by constantly telling her she is worthless and good for nothing, even though it is Sugar that cares for her and runs the home.Sugar herself is overweight. she comfort eats to ease the pain of her home life. she is bullied at school and also by one of brothers.Her life is turned around when she becomes friends with Even, who also comes from a troubled home. Over time, as their friendship develops, Sugar begins to realise how food has controlled her life. Slowly things begin to change for the better and she finds the confidence to do things she would never have dreamed of,like learning to ride a harley and eventually passing her motorbike test.she begins to realise that her future could be different from the one she thought she was destined to have.as the story progressed i was rooting for her all the way.i won't say much about the ending as it would spoil the book, but i thought it was as lovely, as it was sad
    One person found this helpful
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  • Lola
    3.0 out of 5 stars Beware the target audience - too simple, not very realistic and unnecessary depressing.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I am surprised (if not a little shocked) that "Sugar" is accumulating such positive 5-star reviews. I am, perhaps, overlooking the fact that this book is targeted at a younger audience, but boy, when did primitive, not challenging and predictable tear-jerker become a recipe for a best-seller? "Sugar" is a story about a 17-year old obese girl with a good heart. After a few chapters of Deirdre Riordan Hall ensuring we understand how big and heavy Sugar is, the young lady mysteriously finds a beautiful popular boy who falls in love with her. Until way into their "relationship" I was not able to believe that this young love is actually happening. It was too unreal and sugar-coated ("He tucks a loose strand of hair, plastered on my sweaty face, behind my ear, saying, "Brown is beautiful, earthy -") with romantic weekends away and strolls on the beach. It all felt a bit too Mills & Boon (sans adult content), a bit too sweet - 18 year olds do not behave like that, unless they are Holden Caulfield.

    Okay, the book deals with teenage obesity, its background and subject of comfort eating; school and home bullying. Alas, despite the motivational tone of the book, the magic release of Sugar from the bullying and obesity (SPOILER ALERT: she looses vast amounts of weight within half a year simply by walking to school and occasionally avoiding sugar drinks), the book feels like a fairy-tale, with no realistic confrontation of obesity and bullying.

    And don't let me start on the language... "We stroll through the museum, and the day escapes us. It's mid-afternoon. I know we'll have to leave soon. A desperate urge to tell Even to just stay here and never go back pulls at my heart. No one will miss us. We can get jobs and find a place to stay. We have our lives ahead of us. Then I think of Mama. How would she get along without me?" Generally, I like to read a bit more sophisticated prose.

    P.S. As an adult who occasionally enjoys YA fiction, I was disappointed with "Sugar". I understand I might be a completely wrong reader for the book, and I feel the low rating that I would give the book (2 stars, at most) is, perhaps, unjustified. Therefore 3 stars.
    19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Aunt Annie
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a great read about bullying.
    Reviewed in Australia on 6 July 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book delves inside the head of a compulsive eater, bullied by everyone from family to schoolmates, and shows how in the end it's down to her to find who she is and love herself. Even a terrible tragedy can't stop her. I loved this.
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  • Wendy Bredin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on 20 March 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great book! Loved all the characters and story - Thanks!
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  • Fiktshun
    5.0 out of 5 stars A moving and empowering and heartbreaking and important story
    Reviewed in the United States on 1 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    SUGAR was such an incredible surprise. It was moving and empowering and heartbreaking. It introduced a heroine who went from someone weak and pitiable and self-loathing to someone who was strong, accepting of herself, and a little bit daring. It tackled a number of hard-hitting issues from obesity, to emotional and physical abuse, to bullying. And it showed how just one person can make a difference.

    Before Even Anderson came into her life Sugar Legowski-Gracia was sure that no one would ever like her or see her as more than just the fat girl. Even her sometimes friend Brittany didn’t really take the time to get to know her. But not so Even.

    From the moment they met he saw her. He saw beyond what everyone else saw. He saw what even she couldn’t see. And he liked the person he saw. Unlike her mother, her brother, her former friend Hillary and all the rest of the kids at school.

    To Even she was the girl with the beautiful smile, the girl with the big heart, the girl he wanted to spend time with, to get to know, to experience life with. To Even she wasn’t worthless or disgusting, like she had believed for so long. And maybe he was right.

    Author Deirdre Riordan Hall takes readers on a tough and emotional and heartrending journey with her character, Sugar. They are made to witness her mother’s and brother’s physical and emotional cruelty, the toll that caring for an ailing and dependent parent takes on her, the solace she finds in binge eating, the struggle she has with her peers at school, and the issues she has with herself.

    With Even’s help, the author makes her character confront some hard truths, overcome several of the obstacles that have been keeping her down, and begin to love herself for who she is, no matter her weight. And she forces her to find the strength to stand up to those who wish to see her fail, stand up for herself, and stand on her own.

    SUGAR is a quick and captivating read, but not always an easy one. What Sugar has to suffer through will make readers both angry and sad. But watching her transform, thanks in large part to Even, is heartwarming and inspiring. There will be tears. There will be smiles. There is much that can be taken away from the story and applied to real life.

    It is a well-told and important story that gives readers something to think about. It promotes a number of positive messages. It offers perhaps a different perspective on dealing with body image issues. But at its core it’s simply a great story with well-developed characters and is a read that promises to be unforgettable.
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  • Debra
    4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful story about bullying and dysfunctional families
    Reviewed in Australia on 22 December 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A disturbing read with uplifting moments. An insightful and relatable story about bullying and dysfunctional families. I enjoyed the book, but the character of her boyfriend bothered me. He was way too mature for someone of his age.
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  • Yara Santos
    4.0 out of 5 stars Once Upon a Twilight.com Reviews
    Reviewed in the United States on 24 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sometimes you take risk with certain books that you haven't heard anything about. When I received Sugar I said no matter what I would finish it even if the synopsis didn't really grab me completely. Because it came highly recommend, so I didn't think I would be let down once I read Sugar. And guess what? I wasn't. I truly enjoyed reading Sugar. I will say it started off a little slow and I was a bit bothered with how the main character wouldn't speak up for herself, but then slowly all that began to change. And then I was hurrying up to finish to know how everything would turn out.

    Sugar is not only the title of the novel but the nickname the main character was given. Sugar has struggled all her life with her weight, her family and school bullying. I don't know how she hasn't given up, she is stronger that she gives herself credit. It's very hard to want to wake up each day knowing the craptastic day that awaits you. If it's not Sugar's own mom making fun of her, it's the students at her school messing with her. And Sugar's biggest issue is, she turns to sweets when she goes through all that. When I say she turns to them, she will eat sweets in an hour like someone might eat in a whole month. So her weight is a factor in all this. Poor Sugar on top of all that, has to take care of her mother even though she doesn't deserve it. Her mother is severely obese and can't even get out of bed anymore. So Sugar has to feed, clean and deal with her B.S. 24/7. Her only break from her mom is when she is at school. Her brother doesn't help, he is too busy hanging out with the guys to even care. You can't help but care deeply for poor Sugar.

    Trust me when I say their were moments in the book, I wanted to jump inside the pages and beat her mom or brother. Its been a long time since I've read a book where I have despise characters that much. So when Sugar meets the new kid in town Even (yup, that's spelled right). Even and Sugar hit it off really well. They begin to hang out and I'll say this, Even affects Sugar in a very positive way, that she doesn't even realize it right away. You'll have to read to see what I mean. Sugar can't understand why a boy that soooooo good looking even likes to hang out with her but eventually one learns why.

    This book is definitely a treat. You'll get your rations of sweet and sad but worth the read. I recommend it to anyone that loves an inspiring story. I really love who Sugar became in the end. - Yara
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