Review Detail

Fourteen-year-old Eden always was the 'good' girl. She was in band, never questioned rules, and was a book nerd. That all changed one night when her older brother's best friend sneaks into her room and brutally rapes her. Her life is shattered and she can't make sense of anything anymore. She should tell someone what happened but she can't. Throughout high school Eden battles the demons and strong emotions from the aftermath of that horrific act. All the while she struggles to pull deep within for a courage to survive.

What worked: Omigod, the raw emotions that Eden goes through after the horrific act is shown throughout this novel. Powerful. There is so much about this novel that resonated with me as a reader. For one, Eden's painful journey starts as she tries to makes sense of what happened. Lots of emotions surface but the strongest one has to be betrayal. Her brother's best friend takes her innocence and shatters it. Her parents should have known what happened but she feels they also betrayed her by not protecting her. Rumors circulate at her school that she's 'that girl'. The slut-shaming starts from someone close to her attacker. A numbness takes hold of her and she ends up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy by sleeping with guys she doesn't know. This helps her escape the horror and for a moment actually feel.

The emotions, struggles, and conflicts are shown throughout her time in high school. She starts off as hiding in a lunch book club and then a relationship she has with the cute senior guy becomes a series of overnight stays and lies.

I liked how readers also see her BFF Mara during this time too. Mara is the friend that has her own troubles and introduces Eden to smoking and drinking. Through best friends, she doesn't really go to that place to ask what happened to Eden. Readers sense that she knows something happened and that she doesn't agree with the idea that Eden sleeps with lots of random guys. Still, I wanted her to reach out more to Eden though I do understand that place is scary. I know first hand how hard it is to branch out and try to get someone to confide. The fear of being rejected is very strong.

The other themes of body shaming, first love, struggle with sexuality, and friendship are issues readers are sure to identity with. In the end though this story isn't about a victim but rather someone who triumphs over the hold an abuser has over her.

Powerful, bittersweet tale of a teen who deals with the aftermath of being raped. Raw, unflinching, and though painful, a honest story that shows a girl learning to dig deep within for the courage to be a survivor.