The Anorexia Diaries: A Mother and Daughter's Triumph Over Teenage Eating Disorders

by Linda Rio, Tara Rio, Craig L. Johnson (Commentary)

"Last night I asked my mom some questions about bulimia and anorexia. I thought for sure she would know what I was doing to myself. How could a mother not know the terrible things her daughter was doing?"

"Tara seems fine these last few days. The questions she asked me the other night scared me. But now I think she's just curious. Maybe one of her friends is having a problem with something."

Mother and daughter, living in the same house, yet at times it seems as though they are on different planets. Tara, growing obsessive about the way she looks, feels her mom no longer understands her. Linda, while concerned about the changes her teenage daughter is going through, is focused on making a career for herself as a family therapist. Neither knows how to reverse the terrible path that Tara is heading down.

Tara's and Linda's side-by-side diaries of this difficult time, only shared with each other years later, show both sides of their maddening ordeal and inspiring victory to keep their family together.

In addition to sharing their actual diaries, Tara and Linda look back on the drama of those years to offer the wisdom and perspective that can only come with hindsight. Craig Johnson, Ph.D., an international leader in the research and treatment of eating disorders, offers useful advice and fascinating commentary on the Rios' story to inform today's families who may be going through similar situations.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Illness, Memoir, Mental Health

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kelsey Keating · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is about a daughter who struggles with depression and anorexia. It all shares the mothers story on how she helped her child. I really enjoyed not only learning about the physical changes anorexia has on the body, but also about what a person dealing with this disease is thinking. As human we often only focus on what the eye can see. Reading this book, I found it hard because when reading the perspective changes very quickly from the mother to daughter. It does this to give the reader to different view points on the issue. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy two different sides to a story. Also to those who are interested in the topic.

[Leanne Schneider · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring boring boring. This book had no soul. No depth. These two women come across as 2 dimensional, shallow and superficial, spoiled ....and often whiny...."my car is old and Lou's is 5 years old"---WOW! Really?! That puts my 10 year old car to shame. Sheesh. But me, I've always been GRATEFUL for my car...
Both the mother and the daughter are obsessed with appearances. Not just physical, but the cars, the house, the jobs, the Colleges, the prom dresses etc. No wonder an eating disorder developed.
The second section does have some good advice and information about eating disorders (written by someone else--Craig Johnson Ph.D)

[Kristina Coop-a-Loop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be. Both the mother and daughter come off as jerks and I didn't feel much sympathy for either of them.

[Kayleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was pretty disappointing, not detailed at all. Their diary entres were annoying and unrealistic.

[Izza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed by it. The entries arent really focused on the problem and i was bored a lot with them :/. It really makes me ~sad though, i wanted to like it

[Dylan Alger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel introduces us to Tara. On the surface, a typical teen girl in high school, dealing with drama, crushes, and… an eating disorder. The Anorexia Diaries gives us an inside look of the daily life of an anorexic.
In The Anorexia Diaries, Tara publishes her teenage diary. It is a tell all book about the secrets and scandals she kept from everyone around her. We follow the journey of her eating disorder. Ever since Tara was little, she never felt pretty and did not love her body. We watch Tara’s mental health and social life plummet. She began cutting, fighting with parents, skipping school. Until, her mother transmitted her to a mental health recovery. All during this time, she was making herself throw up, or think about it. She felt a sense of control if she did this. After the mental treatment, she had her ups and downs, but finally things were looking up with Tara. She started eating, going to school, and less fights with her parents would erupt. She began looking for colleges, and was soon accepted into one.
Anyone who has dealt or known someone with an eating disorder, will enjoy The Anorexia Diaries. This book is extremely relatable given that it’s written from a teens perspective. In this book, you feel as if Tara is speaking and venting to you as a friend. You have a compelling force to watch out and protect Tara, that’s what makes this book so hard to put down. Most of us would read this and not think that much about it, but for many with eating disorders, this could be a wake up call or a way to see bulimia from a different perspective. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a real, personal story. Not only is this book entertaining as a reader, it’s also helpful. Overall, this book pulls you in and uses relatable but heart wrenching writing to captivate your mind.

[Amaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Anorexia Diaries", written by Linda Rio is a truly eye-opening story about what goes on in both the minds of the daughter and the mother as they experience teenage eating disorders in their own way. "The Anorexia Diaries" is a set of diary entries that, throughout the story, switch viewpoints from mother to daughter. This novel brings awareness to important health issues that are often kept quiet.
The novel starts by introducing us to a teenage girl, Tara, and her, seemingly normal, life. Throughout the story we notice Tara feeling uncomfortable in her body which leads her to develop an eating disorder in which she barely eats and what she does eat, she throws it all up later. While this is happening, we also read diary excerpts from her mother's diary. We see her mother, at first, ignore the idea that her daughter is having an eating disorder because she doesn't believe her daughter is someone who would do that. But as the story progresses and Tara gets treatment, they both start to accept what is happening and start working toward a solution.
Anyone who has or is suffering from an eating disorder would love this book because it doesn't just show one side of the story, it gives insight into both the victim and the caretaker and what their lives are like. I do believe that this book can get very slow and dry at some points and it feels like things just aren't going anywhere, but I also think that this may be how the author wants the readers to feel because that's what living with the disorder feels like, slow and neverending. Overall I give this book 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in this topic.

[Asia rothenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book The Anorexia Diaries by Linda M. Rio and Tara M. Rio with advice and commentary from Craig Johnson, Ph.D. This book is beautifully written and really helps me understand what it is like to live in the mindset and world of a teenage girl going through anorexia. I’ve always been so interested in eating disorders because of the mental health that plays into it. It was very eye-opening to read this book and understand Tara’s point of view.

The book starts out with Tara before she had the eating disorder. Tara and her mother both have diaries and in the same few days, they both mention that Tara hasn’t been eating. Tara doesn’t want her mom to find out. Her eating habits started in her earlier teenage years. She doesn’t eat normally but when she does, she would throw it back up. When her father finds out, he doesn’t take it very seriously, her mother does, however. She eventually goes to a hospital and tries to get better. She realizes that changing her lifestyle was harder than she thought. As she gets older, she tries to better understand what she is doing to her body and her mental health. Her friends and family help her get better. She finally can leave her illness behind her.
I would recommend this book to someone who wants to better understand how eating disorders work and really get into their mindsets. I think it’s important to instill in young teens, the effect this has on you and your body. I think it would also be beneficial to read this book if you are going through this yourself. You could relate to this book really well.

[Fayth W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Tara and her mother. Tara has a disorder called Anorexia. She starves herself and makes herself throw-up so she can loose weight. This book is filled with diary entries of Tara and her mother while they were both going through hard times. During this book, Tara and her mom aren't very close, her mother has no idea Tara is doing these terrible things to herself. By the end of the book, Tara and her family have gotten over the depression and eating disorder, but it takes a lot of work. I liked this book because it was interesting to hear about both sides of the story. Also it was about a teenage girl with problems a lot of girls have our age. It was easier to understand and comprehend. I recommend this book to teenage girls, its more a girl book.

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely very interesting--I think even if someone doesn't have a history of eating disorders it does kind of make you look at your habits, and look at how you (I guess more specifically women) look at everything related to that. And it felt raw. As someone who's kept a journal since the eighth grade--man, a journal is a place where you can just be as selfish as you want, and sound as terrible as you please, 'cause it's just your soul vomited up on that page. So it was interesting. Goes well with Hole's "Live Through This."

[Fatima Almansouri · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!!!

[Meg Sprague · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting insight into the life of a mother and daughter as the daughter struggles with an eating disorder and the mother struggles with how she fits into her daughters life

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Informative

[Kiara Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The Anorexia Diaries A real life story of a mother and daughter’s triumph over teenaged eating disorders is amazing. Mother Linda Rio and daughter Tara Rio share their diary entries throughout their life and put it into a book. This mother and daughter make the reader feel their emotion. The reader will start to cringe at some of the great details that are explained through Tara’s eating disorder. Just the fact that Linda and Tara had enough bravery to share their struggles with the world gives the reader encouragement. Going through an eating disorder or not, you still learn so much.

Tara hates her body. She starts off young and doesn’t do anything about it, but as she gets older and hears different comments from her friend she want to do something about it. She wants to swim but keeps her self from doing so because of her image. As Tara writes to her diary she explains her first attempts at taking away her pain. Thoughts of cutting, vein popping, and suicide flood her mind. As these things are happening in Tara’s mind her mom Linda is clueless to Tara’s thoughts. Linda (Tara’s mom) also writes in her diary about how she knows that Tara might be going through but doesn’t know how to act upon it. Tara’s mom and dad are so busy working that they’re never home. Tara realizes that she has all the time to do anything she wants. As her emotions of hating her body go on she finds herself a solution, or what she thinks is a solution. Tara start off small by eating and vomiting soon it gets worse and worse she goes from vomiting two times a day to six times a day then to 11. When her parents find out about the disease they go to a psychiatrist. The doctors tell her how this is harming her body but she still keeps doing it. The disease begins to destroy her and she now becomes one with. It is almost like a voice. The disease eats away her teeth enamel and destroys her passageways. Yet she continues on. She can’t stop. On the other hand Linda explains how she use to battle with self-image as a teen. She also explains the troubles between her and her husband such as his anger issues. These family dysfunctions are the root cause of Tara’s actions. But later on during psychology sessions Tara brings up issues that her parents never cared for her. The family later has a stronger bond and learns to talk through problems with each other.

Definitely anyone who has struggled with an eating this disorder will love this. Even if you are not you can find encouragement in different ways. As Tara and Linda share their deep, dark, and painful struggles you feel their emotion. There is no way you can put the book down it makes you want to read more. The whole issue with eating disorders is in itself a touchy subject. Through this book you learn so much. You learn to understand those who have eating disorders and not just instantly judge. I personally just loved how Linda and Tara overcame. Honestly there was nothing that I disliked. This is a five-star book!

[Alishia Herbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a true story wrote from two different point of views through diary entries, called The Anorexia Diaries. The authors of this book are Rio L. and her daughter Rio T. The book was published in Pennsylvania sometime during July 2003.
It was about a young girl named Tara and her mom named Linda.Tara was once a normal happy go lucky girl, who ends up dealing with and her struggles with family past/present issues, along with taking in High School, being expected to get all As, as well as trying to keep her relationship with her older boyfriend, named Mitch, going. She has a brother named Gregg and her dad named Louie who also go through her life struggles with her, along with many of her close and not so close friends.
After a while of Tara living with these struggles, she can no longer handle it. She takes out all her negativity on herself and believes that’s what’s making things go wrong. Tara begins to swim twice a day and goes into a bad life style of eating habits. She figured like every other “bad” thing she’s tried and never stuck with would happen again after trying this. It didn’t.
Tara begins to go into depression. She thinks her parents don’t take the time to connect with her and her brother Gregg moves out. Her boyfriend always cancels plans and she couldn’t keep all her grades up. Her depression leads to throwing up everything she eats, and later, cutting her wrists. That’s when people notice and Tara goes to a hospital for help and recovery after being diagnosed with the worst case Anorexia and depression. A whole journey of things happens after that.
Honestly I didn't mind this book. I thought it was very well wrote considering it was from actual diaries and from two different point of views. Plus having it include some biology acpects made it kind of iffy for me, but still enjoyable. I believe people who enjoy quicker reads, would enjoy this book. Most of the diary entries aren't full pages and some of it is slang because it's wrote from a teenage girl. Other people who might enjoy this book would be people who like learning about diseases or problems people can have. This book could be inspiring for people who might be going through these issues of Anorexia or depression. Over all, it was a nice read and something different for me.

[Kristen Dietz · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Anorexia Diaries: A Mother and Daughter's Triumph Over Teenage Eating Disorders" is a book composed of a collection of journal entries written by a mother and daughter, Linda and Tara Rio. These diary entries expose a raw experience of what it's like to live with anorexia and bulimia from two different sides. You get a view of what its like to have it, and what it's like to have someone close have it. These journal entries span over several years as the mother tells what the family life was like before her daughter had an eating disorder, and then the mother and daughter also reveal what went on in their lives during the eating disorder and it's learned that the issues in the family had a long-lasting effect on Tara (the daughter) and that's what triggered her eating disorder.
The fact that readers can almost experience what it's like to live with an eating disorder just by reading this book and the journal entries is what makes it a good read. I also liked knowing the inner thoughts of someone who is battling anorexia and bulimia because I learned that their mindset is different to someone who doesn't have it. After some journal entires, Linda or Tara would add input of their current reactions to their old journal entries, and readers could see how much they each had changed and grew as a person and what they regret and what decisions they were glad they made.
The only thing that wasn't so great about this book is that when there wasn't a journal entry, and it was one of their reflections, it was pretty boring to read because the writing was mediocre. Neither of them are writers by any means, so I wasn't expecting it to be outstanding writing, but it still bored me a little. Also because it wasn't the first-hand account of the eating disorder, it was just a reflection about what they had already lived through.
Overall this book was a good read and I don't usually go for this kind of genre. Except going for this genre and reading about this first-hand account of eating disorders was a great way for me to learn about battling and overcoming anorexia and bulimia.

[Abby M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, The Anorexia Diaries is an inspiring book about an average girl that faces challenges about being a teenager that most teens face written in two perspectives using diary entries. The book starts off with a slow introduction to Linda and Tara Rio's lives in the 80's. Linda, a strong caring woman who regrets not going to college and supporting her family like her husband Louie, begins journaling about her life with her two kids, Gregg and Tara, and the younger years of their life.
As Tara begins to grow up Linda notices strange things about her. When Tara begins to ask Linda strange questions, the concern sets in and that's when the book begins to pick up pace. Tara's life on the other hand is filled with secrets, one being body image. After Tara takes up swimming as a hobby she notices her body more than she ever had. Her body wasn't what she wanted and after being so concerned about her body image she becomes anorexic. Eating half a meal and throwing it up later. With all this going on, she's also dealing with family and friend problems. Her parents finding out about her issue, having fights with her mom, and dealing with her some what abusive dad. Tara has no one to confide in about her problem, which eventually makes the problem worse , but keeps the book packed full of emotion.
This book has taught me a new understanding of the word Anorexia. What was most interesting to me about this book was being about to look into someone's life and relate to similar problems. Although I'm not anorexic, I grew with Tara throughout the book having a text to self connection. I recommend this book to someone who wants to learn more about what it's like being anorexic. This book digs deep into your thoughts, and not only deals with anorexia but deals with everyday problems. Overall this book can really touch your sensitive side and is great for anyone who wants to learn about the topic.

[Alexis Stegeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review on The Anorexia Diaries
By Alexis Stegeman
My Goodreads Review is on the book called The Anorexia Diaries by Linda M. Rio and Tara M. Rio. The two main characters in this book are a mother named Linda and a daughter named Tara. Tara Rio is an ordinary teenager, she has good grades and works hard in school. There is one thing about her that nobody else knows, except her. She has bad eating habits, Tara does not eat a lot of food. She has an eating disorder. She tried to ask her mom some questions about a eating disorder called bulimia and anorexia. Her mom was freaked out by these questions and did not know how to react. Read this book to find out how Tara and her mom deal with this…

Anyone who would want to learn more about eating disorders and how a family dealt with them, then this book would be a good read for you. Tara’s and her mother’s side by side diaries of their difficulties and problem, was later shared and showed both sides of the story. This book was on two different sides of one story and how each person dealt with their problems. On Tara’s side of the story, it showed how she dealt with the eating disorder as she grew up. On Linda’s side of the story, it showed how she tried to help Tara and how this happened over the years. Overall The Anorexia Diaries by Linda and Tara Rio will hold the reader’s interest and keep you wondering what happened next.


I would recommend this book to anyone who would want to learn and read about eating disorders and how a family dealt with the problems of an eating disorder. Anyone that would like this book would probably be someone that is looking for a short but interesting read about eating disorders. One thing that I liked about this book was that it gave you two sides of the story, not just one side. I did not dislike anything about this book. I enjoyed this book and recommend this book to various age groups.

[Francie Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book The Anorexia Diaries by Tara Rio and Linda Rio. This book is an autobiography written from a mother and a daughter's diary entries. Through the moment in their life where they wrote these entries, the daughter (Tara) was going through a very hard time in her life where she dealt with Anorexia and Bulimia.
The title may deceive you since it is called The Anorexia Diaries but it really is as much about Bulimia as it is Anorexia. The diary entries switch off in the book showing both the mother's and daughter's thoughts and opinions. I think that is what makes this book especially powerful. Since it was written during the time where Tara was dealing with Anorexia and Bulimia you could feel the emotions more because they were so genuine.
This book goes through the experiences that Linda had dealing with an Anorexic and Bulimic daughter and the experiences that Tara had living through Anorexia and Bulimia. It takes us through her visits to counselors, relationships with peers/teachers, family, her boyfriend, and her friends. It also takes us through a huge turning point in her life where she stays at a mental hospital because her disorders get so severe.
This book evokes a lot of emotions. I mean, at one point in the book and her life she was making herself throw-up twelve times a day. It also mentions her getting to the point where she wanted to die and she was cutting herself. This book was a real eye-opener to me. It gave me a new perspective. I would say that this book is definitely inspirational.
I would recommend this book to a friend that has/had/is dealing with a similar situation. I think that it is a book that is best understood if the reader has dealt with something similar. Plus,since it shows her life through her healing process it could give people hope.

[Addison Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Anorexia Diaries was a book that made me really think. When I first picked up the book I was a little hesitant on it because I knew this topic was touchy for teenage girls and I knew nothing behind it. I learned a lot about eating disorders and how they can affect you. This book gives you the perspective on how it can go unnoticed and how it can affect your family by a mother and a daughter telling their own story through the diaries that they kept during this incredibly difficult time.

The two main characters in this book was Linda and Tara Rio. They explained Tara’s eating disorders and the things they had to face as a family during this time. Linda was an average family therapist, wife, and mother of two. She had no clue what was going on with her daughter because she was too busy either arguing with her husband, making sure her oldest son had everything he needed for college, and was always at the office and never home with Tara. All Tara wanted during this period of her life was to be a normal teenage girl but had to face difficulties because she thought she was overweight. She also had the lack of attention, her brother moving out, her parents always either fighting or absent, and the pressure she felt on having to do good in school. She ended up looking to making herself throwing up, which lead to creating this story on this time of her life.

I feel like this book would open peoples minds on eating disorders and how serious they can be. I think people that want to know more about eating disorders or even have them and want to know how to stop or get help from them should really read this book. I wasn’t able to really connect with this book because I’m not going through anything like this, but it helped me understand what exactly eating disorders are.

[Julia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Anorexia Diaries by Linda Rio is about a girl named Tara and her personal diaries about being anorexic. When Tara was young she was cared for by her mother and she felt that she was receiving all the love and attention a girl could get. As she got older, the attention from her mother began to fade. Because of this, Tara began to not eat. When she tried to eat, everything would come right back up. Tara enjoyed making herself puke and would often daydream about the next time she was going to puke. In High School, Tara was diagnosed with Bulimarexia. Not eating lead to suicide attempt, which lead to living in a mental hospital.
I really enjoyed this book the entire time that I was reading it. If I had to describe this book in one word, I would say that this book is inspiring. I say this because Tara was telling her story and had to overcome the many struggles that went on in her life. About two years ago, I went through the same thing as Tara did. While reading the book I was able to relate to some of the ways she was feeling. I thought it was interesting because I didn’t expect to be able to relate to someone as much as I did with Tara.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. If you’re under fifteen, I would probably ask an adult before you decide read it. I say this because there are some parts in this book that can get pretty intense and they’re topics that not many people can handle. This book would be a fabulous read for anyone that is able to relate to it like I could. Since the main character in this book is a girl, girls might enjoy reading it more than a guy would. The book Anorexia Diaries by Linda Rio is a very inspiring book and I highly recommend reading it.

[Taylor Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anorexia Diaries by Linda Rio and Tara Rio is a non fiction book about the struggles their family went through. The story is told through diary entries of Linda (mom) and Tara (daughter) which details the challenges each had with themselves and the world around them. Tara was diagnosed with an eating disorder that the family has to overcome.
Tara hates her body. She constantly thinks about how fat she is. She battles herself with this mental image of what her body looks like. This puts her in a major depression with self harm (cutting herself). Linda struggles with her happiness as well. Her husband has a temper and sometimes takes it out on her. Also Linda doesn't feel like she is providing enough for her family. When Tara finally starts to get help for her disorder the therapists has a family session where Tara brings up issues that her parents didn't think bothered her. The family now has a stronger bond and can talk through their problems with each other in a positive way.
Anyone who has had an eating disorder, a hard time with body image, or just wants to understand eating disorders should read The Anorexia Diaries. Linda and Tara share the dark period of their lives with us and how they now see the light at the end of the tunnel. This book tells you that you are worth it. It may be hard right now but it will be OK in the end. It takes a lot of strength to overcome anorexia and resolve family conflict.

[Kendra March · Rating 3 out of 5]

Linda Rio and Tara Rio have successfully created a novel that will inspire people for years to come. All members of the Rio family are impacted in such a way they are forced to look at life with a whole new perspective. The Anorexia Diaries is a story of love, loss, strength, and courage.
The Anorexia Diaries is a novel about a mother's support in helping her daughter through recovery for anorexia, bulimia, and depression. Before Tara's anorexia came about she heavily struggled with her self image, especially during the swim season. One of the most dangerous things about Tara's eating disorder was having to keep it a secret, she wanted to tell her friends and mom but was afraid of their reactions. When Tara's mother found out about her eating disorder she immediately took her to a nutritionist, not knowing what to do and how to handle it. She believed she had control of her eating disorder and could stop whenever she wanted. When she no longer had the energy to go to school her mother knew she had to be hospitalized.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy books with happy endings. People who need a little boost of their self confidence or an inspiring story would enjoy reading The Anorexia Diaries. The parts of the book when Tara is going through recovery would really appeal to people who need a bit of hope. Overall I think this book would appeal to people who like reading all genres.

[Carley Bench · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linda and Tara Rio have shared their personal journals with the reading community. The two brave women let the world read their diaries in hopes that the reader will learn from their mistakes. Tara and her mother, Linda, have created a very emotional and touching novel.
Tara, as a child, felt that she lived a normal life most of the time. She was loved and cared for like most other children. As Tara began to age and mature she felt that her mother, Linda, was not paying enough attention to her. Tara fell into a depression that she blamed on her dad’s temper and her mom’s lack of attention. Tara became anorexic and bulimic. During her teenage years Tara’s family fell apart. Her father too busy with work and her mother busy at school and work. The Anorexia Diaries is about the Rio’s ups and downs during these years. Tara and Linda’s diaries tell of how they, together, faced their issues and overcame everything they faced.
Anyone who enjoys learning about diseases, or has this disease, will enjoy this book. Most of this novel is about Tara’s disease and how she deals with it. I also think that anyone who likes to read sad and emotional stories would enjoy The Anorexia Diaries. This book is full of ups and downs. As the reader, you will become attached and never want to set the book down. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. If I were you, I would definitely read The Anorexia Dairies, an informing yet emotional story.

[Chloe Babinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book "The Anorexia Diaries." It put a spin on non-fiction for me. I never enjoyed non-fiction books before I read this. This is mostly because of the story and how well the author makes you feel connected in the book. The first 50 pages are quite slow. But I recommend that you stick through it because the heart touching story is worth it. Anorexia and Bulimia are serious things and in this book they come to life. They are explained in great detail at the end of the book and throughout the book in the main character.
"The Anorexia Diaries" is about a girl named Tara in her teenage years struggling with Anorexia and Bulimia. She keeps a journal all throughout her Highschool and college years. Her mother Linda also keeps a journal showing her struggles and concerns for Tara's disease. She acts how any other mom would. She has a husband, a son, and Tara. Progressively throughout the book her family deals with all the madness and Tara finds a way to recover from her horrible disease. In the book Tara also dates a guy named Mitch and he ends up being a pretty important character throughout the book.
I loved this book. I would recommend this book for ages 14 and up because it has some serious content and mature language. Girls might find more interest in this boys will. Girls are able to connect with Tara on a personal level and feel what she is going through. I really enjoyed this book a lot and believe it deserves a five star rating.

[Kailey Cleveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anorexia Diaries is an amazing book about the relationship between a mother and a daughter, eating disorders, and the journey of overcoming all the problems in between.
Tara and her mom did not always get along. They hardly ever got along actually. Linda was a busy young mom trying to finish college and start a new business while raising a family all at the same time. Tara, Linda’s daughter, was busy with a life of her own and problems of her own as well. She was nervous about being on the swim team and worried that people would make fun of her body.
Tara did not like her body, her way of fixing what she looked like was anorexia and bulimia. She began throwing up all of her meals and writing about it in her diary. Tara thought she could control when she threw up and how often but soon it took over her life and became very dangerous. Tara told her mom about what was happening and started getting help from her family and therapists.Tara was sent off to a hospital for a month that taught her healthy eating habits and helped her better understand what she was going through.
I really enjoyed this book because it relates to real world problems that are actually happening to people. I recommend this book to people who like happy endings and true stories that can relate to their own lives.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another anorexia book, edited diaries of a mother and daughter when the daughter was growing up and having all sorts of issues, anorexia included. But it dealt with a lot more. It was also quiet dated, having taken place in the 80's, so just as a book, that was kind of a different angle. The family had tons of issues which did not help the situation and it was interested to see how issues from the previous generation can hurt generations to come. I don't really know what else to say. It's your typical Lifetime movie situation. Mother gets married really young and has kids before going back to school and not really being "mother of the year". Money is always an issue and the parents fight a lot, so where does that leave the kids? Everyone deals with it different and anorexia was just one of the things the daughter dealt with but it seemed like boys were a huge issue as well. I liked the back and forth aspect so when one of the women was getting on your nerves and annoying, it would switch to the other. An okay book, but typical.

[Trailhoundz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is comprised of the actual diary entries of Linda (mom) and Tara (daughter)during the late 1980's/early 1990's, when Linda was struggling with depression and marital strife, and Tara was trying to deal with the crisis -and navigating growing pains- by dieting. As someone who also struggled with eating during my school years, I really wanted to be more sympathetic than I was. But as I read, I never really felt THAT many "alarm bells" going off in my head. Although Tara watched her weight for a few years, it seems the bulimia/anorexia only took place for a couple months in the fall of 1989. It wasn't the years of self-abuse that the book flap implied it was (which is GOOD, I mean let's be honest, eating disorders are dangerous). To me, the book was more about the usual angst of being a tween/teen, wanting to be thin, wanting to fit in with the crowd, and growing up thinking your parents "just don't understand." If the book was called "The Growing Up Diaries" or something, I'd give it 4 stars. But I think calling it The Anorexia Diaries was a bit misleading.

[Delaney Ellicott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Anorexia Diaries was an inspiring and thoughtful story of a teenage girl and her struggles throughout her life with an eating disorder. The book includes diary entries from both the daughter, Tara and the mother, Linda throughout both of their hard times, and the authors reflect their feelings now, many years later as well. As Tara struggles with her eating disorder, school, boyfriend and family, her mother struggles with money, communication, and relationship problems. I had uneven thoughts about this book because at some parts I couldn't put it down, and others I couldn't bear to keep reading because it was boring. I did enjoy hearing both sides of the story, from her and her mother's point of view. It sits you on the edge of your seat wondering if they will ever talk about their problems together. As I read I copied down meaningful quotes that related to the theme of the story, or ones that I had connections with. Overall, I enjoyed this book and it sends a powerful message to its readers.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems like it's about a daughter with anorexia-bulimia, a mother who's oblivious to it and how they overcome her eating disorder. I thought the diary entries revealed more of how parents really don't know how/what adolescents feel/do. It never fails to amaze me that there is such a huge disconnect between the majority of teenagers and their parents (me and my own parents are no exception).

I'm glad Tara Rio was able to get help for her eating disorders. It always makes me sad when young women and men have such low self-esteem that they violently hate their bodies enough to (sometimes permanently) damage themselves. I hope other adolescents and young adults can get the help they need, too.