A Work of Art

by Melody Maysonet

Shy, artistic Tera can't wait to attend a prestigious art school in France to prove to her famous artist father that she can make something of herself.

But Tera's hopes for the future explode when the police arrest her dad for an unspeakable crime. Her father's arrest must be a mistake, so Tera goes into action, sacrificing her future at art school to pay for his defense. Meanwhile, she falls head over heels for Joey, a rebel musician who makes her feel wanted and asks no questions about her past.

Joey helps Tera forget her troubles, but he brings a whole new set of problems to Tera's already complicated life. Then, to make matters worse, as her relationship with Joey deepens and as her dad's hotshot lawyer builds a defense, fractures begin to appear in Tera's childhood memories--fractures that make her wonder: could her father be guilty? And whether he's guilty or innocent, can she find a way to step out of the shadows of her father's reputation and walk free? Can she stop him, guilty or innocent, from tainting the only future she ever wanted?

A Work of Art is a deeply felt story about self-image, self-deception, and the terrible moment that comes when we have to face the whole truth about the myths of our childhoods.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 2015

About the author

Melody Maysonet has been an English teacher, editor, columnist, and ghostwriter. A self-proclaimed geek, she loves reading fantasy but prefers writing edgy, real-world fiction—as evidenced by her first novel, A WORK OF ART, which won the 2016 Hoffer Award for best fiction and was named a Best Book of 2015 by YA Books Central. Melody lives in Coconut Creek, Florida, with her husband, son, and two cats. Visit Melody's website at www.melodymaysonet.com, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Reviews

[JennRenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Work of Art by Melody Maysonet

The synopsis of this book grabbed me right away and when I was offered the book for a review I jumped at it. I received the book, opened it up for a sneak peek because I always do when I get a new book and this was not the next read on my list.... well that peak turned into a one sitting read. Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. It was amazing, heartbreaking, disturbing, suspenseful, and beautiful. I loved it from the first page to the last.


Tera is an artist like her dad. She has always worked hard for his approval and now she is sure she has it. She has been accepted with scholarship to a prestigious art school in France and article will run featuring father and daughter artists, She finally sees the pride in his eyes. Her world is coming together until its ripped out from beneath her. Her father is arrested for an unspeakable crime and Tera puts her entire future on hold to prove his innocence. In the process she starts to doubt he is innocent. To get her mind off things she starts to see bad boy Joey from the pizza joint she works at. Nothing but trouble, Joey uncovers many of memories that hold secrets from Tera's past. Nothing is right anymore and Tera must find her way through the mess of her life.


This book really was incredible. One of the most heart wrenching stories I have read in a very long time. There was so much going on in this book and every decision that Tera made put her in a bad place and I felt for her. Tera struggled with her father's approval and when she couldn't strive for her father's approval anymore she moved on over to a boy at work, Joey. She did everything she could to feel beautiful in his eyes and do what made him happy. Losing herself in the process, or discovering she never knew who she was in the first place.

This story is about family secrets and finding the strength to move on. Tera had to do that but she also had to find beauty and approval in herself.. She had to face her demons straight on and that is never an easy feat.

Tera lacked in self image and self respect. She had some pretty deep issues but I felt for her, I connected to her, I could see the issues and know that she struggled inside but she didn't appear that way on the outside, On the outside she seemed very put together and confident

This book spotlighted all the relationships in Tera's life, how they worked and how they fell apart. She had a good relationship with her dad, so she thought. I saw him as mean and negative. Nothing Tera did was quite good enough. Of course this was seen mainly through the memories

Tera and her mother had a horrible relationship. Tera, from the words of her father, believed her mother to be crazy and everything was her fault. She wanted nothing more than to escape her mother and not become her.

The other relationships were with the horrible boyfriend, her ex best friend, and her art teacher. All these relationships, Tera was only looking for approval and never seemed to quite find it. She seemed to lose everyone one way or the other.

I think Tera's story was heartbreaking but yet beautiful because through it all she was a survivor. There were some pretty terrifying events that happen in this book and because of this I don't recommend this for young teens at all. Its a very disturbing book. As an adult I barely made it through but I knew in the end it would have to lead somewhere and I was hoping it would lead to strength, inner beauty, and healing and that is where this book led.

I really didn't know what to expect when I started that first page, but like I mentioned at the beginning, I couldn't put the book down. I was strongly compelled to keep turning those pages. I was a very fast read and every chapter ended with me wanting more.

I do recommend this book to most everyone. It is not for the light of heart, it is deep and vicious but it's worth the read. I think this book could bring many girls to their inner strength. It does shine light on some very horrible evils in this world, but I don't think these evils should be hid.

A very hard read but worth every moment.

[Tori Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading A WORK OF ART by Melody Maysonet, and had to write a review because it was so well done. My Ph.D. is in Marriage and Family Therapy and I felt the family dynamics that Maysonet set up were a perfect depiction of how insidious relationships develop and fester until the family unit is broken down into horrific parts. The father is manipulative and cunning, pitting his daughter against her mother. He convinces not only Tera, the main character, that her mother is crazy, but also the mother herself. Tera is willing to do anything, even when it feels wrong, to win her father’s approval. This early grooming displayed by the father goes a long way in ensuring that Tera will make terrible decisions, both financially and in love. She has a broken picker: She picks the worst ‘bad boy’ to give herself to, ignoring her internal wisdom, because it is only a whisper compared to the loud, demanding voice her father has programmed into her head. As a reader, I felt such empathy for Tera, as her poor choices are the result of horrific parenting. I highly recommend this book, though it is not a cozy read, it is vital that we educate ourselves on the insidiousness of child exploitation so that we may arm ourselves against it, and be aware of the hidden signs. This is the only way to aid family, friends, and community members. Secrecy is the boat on which child exploitation floats. A WORK OF ART is a life raft. I hope everyone will get on board.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly good book but also an incredibly hard one. I liked Tera immediately, and because of that I felt protective---and because of THAT, a lot of things in this book made me angry. Like a lot of teenage girls (okay, like a lot of people in general), she doesn't always make the best decisions.

Anyway, Tera's entire life, she's wanted to become an artist. (As in professionally, not as a hobby.) Her dream's very close to coming true...until her dad is accused of a crime that she's sure he didn't commit. She's convinced that it's a mistake (one that's actually her fault, and so something she's duty-bound to correct). Except...what if it's not?

While her life is awful and seems to ricochet from bad to worse and back again, she clings to the things she knows for sure, and to her art. Horrible things are happening around her, but Tera refuses to completely give in. She's a heroine you can't help but like and root for.

Highly recommended.

[Dawn Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tera has a bright future if she can get through her senior year of high school. She is anxious to escape her emotionally absent mother and attend an elite art school in Paris. Her father has always been supportive and encouraged her talents, so when he is arrested for an unspeakable crime, Tera is willing to give up her future to defend him. The characters in this novel are well-developed and realistically flawed which creates a stark- and often dark world. A Work of Art is a mesmerizing portrayal of a young woman grasping for some control of her dysfunctional circumstances.

[Beth (YA Books Central) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Painting my dad was all about mood. Saturated blue for the sharp odor of paint. Muddy green for the faint whiff of mildew. Murky gray for the stink of ashes. A sparse room, textured like white noise, with crooked lines and lots of obtuse angles. Then in the center, the stretched shadow of a man. That was my dad."

A Work of Art by Melody Maysonet is a deep and riveting psychological thriller that delves into the dark secrets of Tera Waters life and her family......Tera is an up and coming artist who is about to graduate high school and has won a scholarship to attend a prestige art school in France. Her entire life her father has trained her to be an artist and she has become very talented and gifted as an artist.

Tera's father has been her sole parent for as long as she can remember. Her mother has depression and has been on medication for years. She lives in the same home as Tera and her father but is basically absent from Tera's life. Tera's father has raised and provided for her since she was born and in return Tera adores her father and struggles daily to obtain his approval and attention.

One afternoon while they are home the police arrive at their house and arrest Tera's father. They have accused him of an unspeakable crime and Tera is in shock. Tera refuses to believe her father's guilt and decides to cash in her money that she has saved to go to college and bail her father out. Tera is determined to hire a lawyer and prove her father's innocence.

"Fact One: The judge was not letting my Dad out on bail.
Fact Two: Mom was useless--more than useless, since she was basically fighting for the other side.
Fact Three: Chase Hardy had no interest in getting to the truth. He wasn't going to fight for my Dad.
and Fact Four: If I paid for a lawyer, I wouldn't have enough money for an apartment in France. Maybe not even enough for a plane ticket."

I opened A Work of Art and had intentions of reading a few pages before I went to bed....I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. I was mesmerized by the style of writing and how full of emotion this book was. A Work of Art is a debut novel that is edgy and REAL. This story deals with real life issues and how a person's choices can affect everyone around them and how a person can overcome these choices and change their life for the better. Tera Waters is a teenager making all the wrong choices for all the wrong reasons. The reader gets to see how and why Tera makes the choices she does. She chooses to date an horrible guy and the only reason she does it is to try and take her mind off her issues revolving around her Dad.

A Work of Art is full of tough, hard subject matter that some people may have a hard time reading about...There are some truly disturbing events that occur in this book and at times I just found myself stunned....and yet I had to read on. I had to find out what happened and how the characters involved coped with the results. This is truly a phenomenal, intense book and I am really looking forward to reading more from Melody Maysonet in the future.....

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
2.5 stars

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I'm struggling a little with my thoughts on this book. I finished it and instead of writing down what I thought right away I gave myself time to think about it. The time was needed for me to figure out how I felt about it. I think the reason that I struggled so much was because there are many excellent early reviews on the book and I was just not that excited by it.

A Work of Art was a very easy book to get through with a unique and attention grabbing plot. A few uninterrupted hours is all that is needed to get through this book. I had it finished in one sitting. Tera deals with many different issues throughout the book from her father to the boy she has a crush on.

So here is what I struggled with...

Tera was seventeen and eighteen in this book but she came across a lot younger. She was so immature and naive as well as not very smart (for lack of a better word) for someone of that age. I had to keep reminding myself of her age because I visualised her at about thirteen or fourteen.

Not only was Tera dealing with the allegations against her father and remembering events from her childhood but she was also dealing with the pressures of being a teenager at the same time. Things like having a boyfriend, sex, drugs and lies were all piled on top of the fact that her dad was in jail for an unthinkable crime. I guess I was hoping that the book would dig a little deeper into her emotional state and frame of mind but it didn't. She got through each trial and tribulation without too much of an impact on her mental health. I guess I was hoping for a little more depth in this area.

The last thing I struggled with was Tera's relationship with her mother. I get why it was the way that it was but as things came to light I expected a shift. There was a slight bit of mending to the fractured relationship but again I was hoping for a little more.

So in the end I think that the book was OK but in order to properly deal with all of the issues that were presented it needed to be longer. Major things happened and any one of the things that Tera dealt with would have a major impact on any teenager. I think a little more time on Tera's emotional state would have benefited the story tremendously. The length of the book and how she went from one situation to the next made it seem a little too easy.

[Joann Alder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

Tear pulls at your heart. You want to protect her, warn her, and comfort her. Each character stirs an emotion. Some you despise, some you relate to, some you want to protect. This novel leaves you hoping and praying for the future of Tera and, at least for me, her mother. That they both heal, and grow, and fully forgive themselves. They both were manipulated and used, becoming victims of a manipulative man, but I see them both overcoming. Wonderful book that takes a horrific topic and addresses it in a direct, honest, and compassionate manner.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maysonet's YA debut is fresh and edgy. I appreciate how the hot guy doesn't turn out to be her hero. Sometimes young women choose the wrong guys, and it's fine to acknowledge this. I look forward to more from this author.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Coming Into this, I thought it would be somewhat lighthearted but it wasn’t. There was something very dark behind this, which through me of. The characters build was good, and I loved Tera. She spent her whole life wanting to please others but at the end of the book it really pulled that together. I was very confused about the whole situation with her Dad though at the end. Was he convinced or was he not? It never said.

[Michelle Arredondo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can we get right into the character that is Tera?! She is easy to like and how quickly it happens. As the reader I was drawn to her...and right away I felt the sense of wanting good for her. The cover is a bit deceiving....I thought this was going to be one of those cheesy feel good books that keeps a smile on your face from beginning to end....not that there's anything wrong with that at all. I just really thought that. How wrong I was and glad that I was. This book took me to a dark place reading some very serious situations. It's complicated and intricate and I really feel that the course this story took me on is the reason that I enjoyed reading this book so much. It's not typical YA. It's mature YA. I feel like this is a book that a young adult audience should read...and that a mature older audience can appreciate.


Highly recommend. It's serious...it's painful....and compelling. Well written and a story that stays with you for awhile.


Thanks to goodreads and to author Melody Maysonet for my free copy of this book won via giveaway. I received. I read. I reviewed this book honestly and voluntarily.

[Carah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book free from the library. I didn't know anything about it. I knew if I didn't start reading it right away it would sit on my shelf unread.. so I started right away, and I couldn't put it down. I read this book in 2 days. It kept me on my toes... it was fast paced and very twisted. It's a darker YA novel about very heavy subject matter, so just a warning. It's a sad story and one that you aren't expecting. The author really thought about the character dynamics which I was impressed with. She did a great job at making the family dynamics seem very realistic in a twisted situation like this one. It was a great book, but it's hard for me to say that because it was also a very heavy story.

[Audrey Wilkerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I grumbled to myself when I reached the third or fourth chapter of this book. As my MO is to not read the inside cover right before I am reading a book to review, I didn't remember what it was about (not that you get a complete idea from the description, mind you). I kept thinking about how this book would not have appealed to me when I was in high school. In the morning, I read the PR sheets that came with the book, and they made me look at the book a little differently - mainly because of the author information.

While I was thinking "This is so depressing!" the author was saying that, due to some things that happened to her when she was growing up, this was the kind of story and the types of characters that she was drawn to. Fair enough. So I was able to continue reading with more of an open mind.

Tera is an artist who has grown up with her father pushing her to be better. He is her toughest critic, since he is an artist himself. All she wants to do is be the best for him and make him proud. Together, they are a team against her mother, a depressed and unhappy woman who doesn't understand art and hates the closeness that Tera and her dad have.

About to graduate from high school, Tera is on her way to live her dream of attending the most prestigious art school in Paris. Her father gave her the money she needs to live on while a scholarship pays for the rest. Then her future is blown to smithereens when her father is arrested for possession of child pornography. Tera knows that there's been a huge mistake and that she is to blame. She decides to use her college fund to help pay for her father's defense.

This has to be a set-up by Tera's mother. Dad always did say that she was crazy and he was trying to keep Tera from turning out just like her. Her mom is jealous that Tera has a dream that's coming true. Once Tera has a chance to talk to her Dad, this will all get cleared up. Won't it?

A Work of Art by Melody Maysonet was published March 18, 2015 by Merit Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Publisher and the Author.

Rating: 3

Genre: New Adult/Young Adult Realistic Contemporary Fiction
Ages: 13 and up

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was well written, mistakes are made just as real life and views are changed as happens when you grow older. Growing up is hard to see how the world is right in front of you. May not be for those of younger audience, but very good story. I received this book from GoodReads to give an honest review.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Work of Art - Review
Tera looks up to her famous artist father. With a scholarship to a top-notch art school, she hopes to impress the man who's been her role model all her life. Then, out of nowhere, Tera's father is accused of a hideous crime. Tera knows there's not even a shred of truth to the allegations. Or is there? And if the worst happens, can Tera ever trust anyone again?
 
-from the book jacket

 
 
Ok, I finished reading this book a while ago. It didn't take me long at all. But, I am finding it hard to write a review. I think because the subject matter is difficult. Or maybe I've just been busy... or lazy. ;)
 
I liked this book. It grabbed me and didn't let go. Tera is a very believable character. She practically worships her father and doesn't want to believe he is guilty. She takes the money meant to pay for to go to a prestigious art school in France and uses it to hire a lawyer for her dad. She has no interest in what her mother has to say and blames her mother for her father's arrest. It is much easier for us, as readers to see the truth and it is hard to watch as Tera gradually realizes it too.
 
As for Tera's relationship with Joey, it is a realistic portrayal of how a teenage girl with low self-esteem and little self-confidence might feel when a cute boy pays attention to her. She is so happy that he is interested in her and does things that don't exactly feel right to keep his interest.
 
The book is hard to put down and can easily be read in one sitting. The author does a great job dealing with a difficult subject. If you like realistic books about teenagers dealing with issues, you will like this book.
 
Recommended to:
Older young adults and adults who like realistic fiction about teens dealing with complex issues.

[Margo Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh. Boy. This book made me so sad! It was very well written, but the content was heart wrenching as the main character was forced to acknowledge the truth of her childhood. I physically cringed as I read this book.

So ... if you're an escapist reader who enjoys rainbows and unicorns, this book is not for you. But if you want a raw emotional story that deals with sexual abuse and the low self-esteem that often results from it, check out this book. But be aware - if you are a victim of abuse there are significant triggers in this book.

There are a lot of explicit scenes and the f-word is used quite a bit in this story.

My hat goes off to Melody Maysonet for tackling such a tough topic.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from Goodreads! Thank you!

This is a book that I would have passed by - but it definitely made me not want to put it down.

Tera, was a talented artist that learned the hard way from her father. He tried to mould her to his way and against her mother. Tera wanted her dad's honest love, but never got it. I found the book fascinating but I also was very uncomfortable reading it. Melody made Tera into someone I knew, loved & I wanted the best for her.

I wish the story had of gone on longer - maybe a sequel is on the horizon?

[TreeSpright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A work of art is such a complicated book with a range of emotions. I read this book in a day because I wanted to see if Tera would believe her father forever, but instead she decided to forge her own path in life. She decided to take back the power that she had been missing all this time. While it was a hard read, I still found it compelling to keep going. As Tera would say, "Life isn't perfect." and I think this book showcases that.

[Kerry Cerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this book was a quick read, it led me down a labyrinth of emotional twists and turns that left my stomach literally sick. But, I also cheered wildly when Tera finally found her voice. A gripping story of truth, loyalty, and chasing one's dreams, A Work of Art is brilliantly written and a story I will not forget.

[Cheyenne Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible book but also a very hard one to read. I loved the main character from the beginning and I found it hard to see her going through that and struggling like she did it was a very well written book.

[Diane Ippolito · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Work Of Art is a beautifully written book. The author, Melody Maysonet, captured my attention from the very first page. I look forward to reading more novels from her in the near future!

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was brilliantly written, from the first paragraph to the last. Very tough subject matters, especially for a YA novel but the author did an incredible job dealing with them.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a total page turner! You HAVE to see where it goes. LOVED it.

[Jacqualine Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a giveaway and let it sit on my shelves for seven years until I picked it up to read. I didn't even read the jacket cover - I just started reading it. I immediately appreciated the pace at which the story progressed. You could probably read it in a day. I found the character of Tera likeable and more importantly believable. Throughout her turmoils, Tera was much stronger than she thought. She just needed to believe in herself. Something that would be relatable to this category of readers (teen to YA). I found the topic, related to her father, to be one of a sensitive nature and was surprised there was no reference included with the book description, once I did read it. I would suggest reading the endorsement quotes on the book jacket. The sensitivity causes me to pause on whether to recommend. Would I have read the book if I read the jacket cover first - I'm not sure. At the time I read it, that wasn't the type of story I wanted to be reading. However, it was a story with harsh realities that drew me into the story and I wanted to read more to know that Tera would be okay. Some might say that's a good read.

[Brittany Colletti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book for the subject matter. Read it in about two hours. I haven't seen this specific issue touched on in books about abuse and this handled it quite well. There is a part toward the latter part of the middle where Tera realizes that her father published and made money selling graphic novels featuring herself in compromising positions that was meant for her to go to art school. It was a disturbing reminder that abuse and production of child exploitation material can be right under our noses. Tera's father gaslighting her throughout the novel felt all too real.

I didn't particularly care for Joey and the crew she worked with at the pizza place. The sex scenes felt out of place and while they were uncomfortable for a reason, I roll my eyes at those kinds of things.

The flaws are easy enough to ignore in exchange for the main storyline.

[Carol Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually read contemporary books (I won this book rather than buying it), and the grittiness of this novel is partly why. However, I must say it is well written, with gut-wrenching emotions, seedy lifestyles, and betrayal portrayed in a raw and genuine way. It uses the F-word frequently, contains fairly explicit scenes of drugs and teen sex, and involves the main character’s father being involved with child pornography. Some readers may be able to identify with Tera and learn to stand up for themselves like she finally did, although Tera's poor self-esteem led her to do some very foolish things before she learned to stop letting people push her around. If you are triggered by sexual abuse type topics, be forewarned and go read something lighter instead.

[Adira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, and at times a surprisingly unflinching portrayal of what sexual abuse can look like... but the way everything so neatly wrapped up in the end really frustrated me. Mom is now loving and protective, estranged former best friend is now ally in healing, nice boy referenced earlier in the book is now boyfriend, etc. This is a young woman who is profoundly traumatized, and this is a mother who has been behaving in the same pattern for years! They are going to STRUGGLE. I just wish overall there had been a less quick and simple linear progression from "oh my God my father was arrested for child pornography and it's all my mom's fault" to "I now have accepted the reality of my father's actions and have a loving relationship with my mom to help me heal."

[Karyna Markman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Work Of Art By Melody Maysonet is an everyday problem girls and boys are facing. This book opened up my mind to understand that this problem can really effect someone's life. I felt bad for Tera, she didn't understand what her father made her do, witch made it a big problem in the End.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, suspenseful read. The teen MC is a flawed and dimensional character. I feared for Tera, then cried and cheered for her. The author Maysonet draws a realistic and unflinching picture of sexual and emotional abuse in different forms.

[mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very first book i read in 2024, this such a goodd book but i cant describe it much. Its like reading someones trauma.

[Rayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a painful read, in large part because of the subject matter, but also because of Tera's appallingly poor decision making. You know early on that Tera's father is guilty (this is evident even before you start reading Tera's childhood flashbacks, it's really not a spoiler) so you're left watching Tera tear up her own life to help her father and it's extremely frustrating. However, what the book does very well is reflect real life patterns of childhood sexual abuse:

- abusers are extremely good at manipulating their victims
- abusers are extremely good at hiding the abuse from authorities, other family members, etc.
- abusers do not always use outright force to gain compliance from their victims; threatening to withhold love, affection, and rewards is a common form of emotional abuse
- a victim's response to abuse is rarely rational to outsiders (i.e. defending one's abuser from accusations of abuse); in psychological terms, Tera's father's mistreatment of her and her subsequent yearning for his approval would be called traumatic bonding
- it is not unusual for trauma to leave gaps in a victim's memory
- many victims blame themselves for the abuse
- many victims minimise or excuse the abuse in order to feel that the abuser is less threatening or dangerous toward them

It's interesting to note how Tera's father influenced Tera to view her mother as the crazy one, not just despite her mother's efforts to protect her but because of her efforts to protect her. This abuser tactic is designed to make a victim (or in this case, someone trying to help the victim) doubt her own reality. As the reader, you know her mother's actions are perfectly rational (any reasonable person would be alarmed to discover that an adult man is giving a child pictures of naked people) and it highlights just how insidious her father's manipulative behaviour really is. However, Tera's mother should have done more to keep Tera away from her father: confronting him and arguing with him about it was fruitless, and simply not enough.

I think this is an important book and the author has guts to tackle a subject like child pornography. It's something that people should be more concerned about in this digital age when the porn industry and the porn-saturated culture are bigger and more pervasive than ever before.

Then there is Tera's relationship with Joey, which is the only major relationship other than those with her parents that we see in the book. I know it's meant to show us how naive and vulnerable Tera is, particularly as a survivor of child sexual abuse, but that doesn't detract from how frustrating it is to watch her ignore obvious red flags (Joey immediately expecting her to have sex regardless of her discomfort, Joey pressuring her to take drugs) and do things she really isn't interested in or ready for. Now I'm no expert on the heterosexual teenage dating world, but do people actually start dating someone they met briefly the previous day? Is this a normal thing that happens? And I can't finish this review without commenting on this:

At the last second, I thought the word condom, but interrupting things in that moment would have been so typically me in all my awkward glory.

It would be far more awkward to get pregnant before graduating high school. But this kind of reckless, risk-taking behaviour is the tragedy for many people who've been sexually abused, so even though I can't quite understand this type of victim's frame of mind as easily as I can understand the reverse (avoiding and fearing all forms of sexual activity), I do empathise with Tera.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.