Sophomore Deanna Lambert made just one mistake to turn herself into the “school slut.” Back in eighth grade, Deanna’s father caught her having sex with a high-school boy. Nothing has been the same since that painful night, and Deanna’s extremely dysfunctional family is not much help. There are just two people who are willing to take the razzing of being the friends of “slutty Deanna,” and she misses her loving dad who has turned into a man who can neither look her in the eye nor give her any affection. She continues to make mistakes when vain hopes of leaving her folks’ house with her brother, his girlfriend and baby are squashed. Ultimately, she resolves her anger toward the boy who seduced her, realizing she is repeating patterns and wants to change. Zarr’s story ends on a hopeful but realistic note with everyone taking baby steps toward something approaching normalcy. This involving, touching first novel will resonate with those who have made mistakes and those who have not. (Fiction. YA)
