Kendra is frightened. She knows the man that sexually abused her is now stalking her. She finds a note from him in her backpack, and then an MP3 player with a warning recorded on it turns up. As Kendra tries to keep herself together, the only thing in which she seems to find solace is cutting herself. Even her counselor does not know about how badly she harms herself, but when she begins to trust and fall in love with Meghan, another student at her school, she begins to share her secrets with her. Suddenly Kendra realizes the identity of her abuser, but will she be able to save herself from him? Rainfield writes with great empathy and compassion as she tells Kendra's story. Kendra's pain is palpable, and the descriptions of her cutting are graphic. Rainfield delves into the area of ritual abuse, when abusers train victims to self-harm rather than talk about what is actually happening to them and unmask the abuser. Kendra's relationship with Meghan also is very well done. As Kendra begins to trust Meghan and fall in love with her, she begins to open up and share more with people who can help her. It is clear that Rainfield has firsthand knowledge of these topics, and she handles them deftly. There are many resources in the back of the book as well. Reviewer: Lynn Evarts
Issues of mental health are tricky enough to understand in life; to capture them well in literature can be nearly impossible. It’s far too easy to get caught up in stereotypes, misinformation, and stigmatization. But when a book does get it right, it can be a literal lifesaver. Literature with teen protagonists suffering from mental […]