5Q 3P J S "After her father remarries Kathleen, a white woman, June's world is turned upside down. She is dark in a world of white where white is good and dark is bad. Kathleen, her stepsister, and the students at school all physically and emotionally abuse her, so much so that she is terrified to speak. She cannot tell anyone, not even her best friend and eventual love, Blister. When she tries to tell her teachers, other adults, and her father, no one believes her; she is made to feel like everything is her fault. The madness of it is too much for June. Heathfield has written a beautifully heartbreaking story that will frighten readers, tear them apart, give them hope, leave them hopeless, and, finally, give them some relief. June battles with so much torment--not only the physical and emotional abuse of those attacking her, but from within as well.

Through all the hate, shame, and horribleness she endures, she still maintains the belief that evil cannot and will not win. Although terror plays a large role in this novel, there are themes of love, family, justice, and hope. The book contains many detailed scenes of abuse that could be upsetting to sensitive readers, but it is appropriate for junior and senior high readers prepared for that kind of horror."--VOYA.