From the Publisher
A beautiful reminder that amidst our broken pieces we can truly find ourselves.” — Ruta Sepetys, New York Times Bestselling Author of Between Shades of Gray
“Somewhere between Sarah Dessen and Laurie Halse Anderson lies Stevens’s rich debut about two adolescents grappling with extraordinary trauma....the mood is intense and the story moves briskly, complete with an ending so surprising that some readers may flip back to the beginning to start fresh.” — Publishers Weekly
“Reminiscent of Melinda in Speak, Alexi tries to find her voice. A story that resonates.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Debut novelist Stevens has written a powerful and fast-paced first-person story of a young woman who finds an inner strength she never knew she possessed.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Debut novelist Stevens has written a powerful and fast-paced first-person story of a young woman who finds an inner strength she never knew she possessed.
Ruta Sepetys
A beautiful reminder that amidst our broken pieces we can truly find ourselves.
Kirkus Reviews
2013-12-07
Reminiscent of Melinda in Speak, Alexi tries to find her voice after being raped. Only the self-inflicted scratches on the 16-year-old's neck reveal any sign that someone close to her coerced her into having sex at a football party. Now Alexi is "faking normal" to protect the perpetrator and try to keep the event in the past. But socially awkward Bodee, aka "Kool-Aid Kid" for his penchant for temporary hair coloring, knows she has a secret—because he has one too. After his abusive father kills his mother, he's invited to finish the school year at Alexi's home. As a tentative friendship blossoms, Alexi and Bodee become allies—and more—as they help each other deal with their life-changing traumas and face recovery together. Stevens' debut effort keeps it real and never preachy as Alexi and her BFFs question their sexuality and relationship expectations. Even more realistic are Alexi's reactions to the rape as she wonders why she couldn't utter the word no, whether a rape actually occurred and how her family will react. The perpetrator's identity, confounded by plenty of red herrings, remains a mystery until the very end. Also adding mystery and romantic intrigue is the clandestine "Captain Lyric," who corresponds and seems to acknowledge Alexi's pain through covert song lyrics left on a school desk. A story that resonates. (author's note) (Fiction. 14 & up)
