The Life I'm In

The Skin I'm In #2

by Sharon G. Flake

The powerful and long-anticipated companion to The Skin I'm In, Sharon Flake's bestselling modern classic, presents the unflinching story of Char, a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking.

My feet are heavy as stones when I walk up the block wondering why I can't find my old self.

In The Skin I'm In, readers saw into the life of Maleeka Madison, a teen who suffered from the ridicule she received because of her dark skin color. For decades fans have wanted to know the fate of the bully who made Maleeka's life miserable, Char.

Now in Sharon Flake's latest and unflinching novel, The Life I'm In, we follow Charlese Jones, who, with her raw, blistering voice speaks the truths many girls face, offering insight to some of the causes and conditions that make a bully. Turned out of the only home she has known, Char boards a bus to nowhere where she is lured into the dangerous web of human trafficking. Much is revealed behind the complex system of men who take advantage of vulnerable teens in the underbelly of society. While Char might be frightened, she remains strong and determined to bring herself and her fellow victims out of the dark and back into the light, reminding us why compassion is a powerful cure to the ills of the world.

Sharon Flake's bestselling, Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel The Skin I'mIn was a game changer when it was first published more than twenty years ago. It redefined young adult literature by presenting characters, voices, and real-world experiences that had not been fully seen. Now Flake offers readers another timely and radical story of a girl on the brink and how her choices will lead her to either fall, or fly.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Teen, Social Issues, Friendship

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2021

About the author

Sharon G. Flake is the author of five books, The Skin I'm In (1998), Money Hungry (2002), Begging for Change (2003), Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Boys and the Girls in Their Lives (2004), Bang! (Sept. 2005), and her latest novel The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street (2007).

Her work is used in public and private schools around the nation, from elementary to high school, and is often required reading in colleges for students in education, child development, children's literature and English writing programs. Beyond that, her work is also a favorite among adults and adult book club readers.

Flake and her work have won numerous awards and recognitions including: Best Books for Young Adult Readers; Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers; the New York Public Library Top Ten Books for the Teen Age; 2005 featured author in the Ninth Book of Junior Authors & Illustrators; 2005 Capitol Choices; Noteworthy Books for Children; 2004 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Book; 2004 Texas Lone Star Award for Top Ten Books; 2002, 2004 Coretta Scott King Honor Award; Pennsylvania Council of the Arts Grant; 2004 Bank Street Best of the Year; 2004 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book; 2004 CCBC Choices; Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Book; 2004 Booklist Top Ten Romance Novels for Youth; 2004 Booklist Editor's Choice Award; 2003 Detroit Free LIbrary Author of the Year; 1999 YWCA Racial Justice Award; 1999 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award and more.

Flake's work appears on the Anti-Defamation League's website which stresses the use of children's literature to help educators address the problem of bullying in schools.

Flake was born in Philadelphia, PA, but has resided in Pittsburgh, PA with her daughter for many years. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English. For several years she was a youth counselor for a foster care agency, after which she spent 18 years working at the University of Pittsburgh in public relations. She has written numerous articles for national publications. Prior to having her first book published, she wrote for approximately 15 years.

Reviews

[Brittany J. (BNJreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotionally taxing read. I can’t speak highly enough about this book and the gems it drops for our young readers. Powerful powerful powerful. What a fantastic protagonist Char was.

Also: audiobook *chefs kiss* I will forever be a Bahni Turpin fan.

More thoughts to come.

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid, heart-wrenching, and hopeful, Sharon Flake is a superstar author who shares Char's story with such painful honesty, we must not look away or be silent. Human trafficking is not something that most of us think about everyday or hear about in the news everyday, yet it's destroying lives. Every. Single. Day. These kids must be protected. One way to do that is to share this book with as many young adults as possible so that they'll share it with others. They need to know how to protect themselves. Buy this book and donate it to schools, women's or family shelters. Anywhere vulnerable teens might be found.

Flake is a brilliant writer and a three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner. This could very easily be #4! Pick it up. Read it. Share it.

Highly recommend.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few weeks ago I read The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake and loved it so when I saw the sequel on Edelweiss I requested it immediately. The Life I’m In was an incredibly difficult book to read, but so very necessary. It addresses human trafficking, an issue we are hearing more and more about everyday on the news, as well as through training in the school system.
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This YA novel focuses on Char, the bully from book 1 who tormented Maleeka. She was an unforgivable character, one I had no plans on feeling empathy for. However Flake soon had me changing my mind. Everything that Char goes through—no one should ever have to...and yet this is a problem on the rise that books haven’t really addressed yet. I’m very thankful that Flake chose to tell Char’s journey in this way. I always believe that books can change lives. This one could save them. Be sure to purchase this story January 5, 2021.

[Misse Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I ain’t done healing. I know I still need counseling. But I color myself happy anyway, ‘cause I am.

In the companion novel to the bestselling, The Skin I’m In, The Life I’m in by Sharon G. Flake is a phenomenally written follow-up that highlights what happens to girls when they begin to stand up for themselves and one another.

Char’s story is emotionally driven and impactful. And sadly, one that has become familiar. It picks up where we last left off in The Skin I’m In. After her attitude and rough edges prove to be too much for her sister Juju, she is sent packing on a bus to live with grandparents who are hoping to encourage Char to get her life in order. Only when Char boards the bus en route to Alabama she is swallowed up in a human trafficking ring complete with deceit, manipulation, lies, and abuse of every kind.

As rough as she is around the edges, Char is a child who is impressionable and looking for love and acceptance. She misses the love of her deceased parents and wants to make something of herself if she can only find a way out of her harrowing situation. So when she meets Anthony, she is easily convinced that he is a lifesaver. It won’t be long however before his true character is revealed.

We meet a cast of supporting characters and are reintroduced to some we already know including Maleeka, Miss Sanders, and Juju, who have continued to have an impact on Char’s life.

Char’s story pulled at my heartstrings and even brought tears to my eyes. Because as honest and dark as this story can get, there is this beacon of hope that lingers in the community that builds in support of Char, a sisterhood that will not be defeated and wraps itself around her to protect her.

If you have not yet read The Skin I’m In and The Life I’m In I definitely encourage it!

Trigger Warnings ⚠️: human trafficking, rape, kidnapping, violence, verbal abuse, underage drinking, drug abuse, exploitation, murder, depression, prostitution.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Skin I'm In (published way back in 1998) touched me deeply with its character development and study of how bullies operate. My heart ached for its protagonist, Maleeka Madison, and all the things she endured. It was easy to dislike, maybe even hate, her tormentor, Charlese Jones. In this companion novel to the previous one, readers follow Char as her life falls apart. Char's sister JuJu simply can't handle her anymore, and she puts her on a bus bound for Alabama where their grandparents live. Char is just as brash, rude, and unaccommodating as she was in the previous book, but the author also reveals her tender side and the fears that prompt her to behave the way she does. As often happens on long bus trips, she strikes up conversations with various passengers, including April who is on her way to a job aboard a cruise ship. Somehow, Cricket ends up becoming Char's responsibility, and Char decides to change her plans, leave the bus, and move into a cheap motel with the baby. She scrapes together a living, but times are hard. Eventually, she falls into the hands of Anthony, who she had met earlier on her travels. Seemingly kind and charming at first, he reels her into his business, and she ends up servicing countless men and being trapped in a dismal existence ruled by the man who insists that she call him Daddy. Eventually, Char manages to escape, but the physical and emotional ramifications of her time as a prostitute take their toll, and she goes for weeks without bathing while living back home with JuJu. Covering the span of almost a year, the novel includes sections in which Char reaches out to Maleeka who seems to be thriving, and even reintroduces Ms. Saunders, the teacher that Char hated so much in the previous book, and shows her human side as well. This is a powerful, moving account of one teen girl's journey to hell and back and the helping and hurting hands she encounters along the way. Her journey back isn't easy, but it just may provide hope for others like Char--or as a warning about the dangers that lurk within those who seem kind but have their own best interests in mind. It's interesting that some of her characteristics that marked her as a troublemaker enable her to survive the life she's in once she falls into the clutches of Anthony. A note from the author provides sobering statistics about the prevalence of human trafficking. This novel has everything, and it should be read by every middle grade and high school teacher.

[Sara Troupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to this series is opening me up to listening to nonfiction on audio. This book is heavy, emotional, and beautiful. You learn to love the main character, who was the bully in book #1, and see how powerful friendship can be for healing our darkest wounds.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm really torn about this book. On one hand, the writing was amazing and I feel like the author did a good job tackling such a horrible, heavy issue such as human trafficking. However, Charlese made so many poor, unfounded decisions that it made the book hard to read, and some of the heavy parts did feel like you were being emotionally set on fire.
For example, when Charlese is first sent to live with her grandparents, she refuses to continue the bus ride and actually go live with them, despite not having any back up plan or really any idea at all of what to do with herself. Her reasons for not wanting to go stay with her grandparents boil down to being mad at her sister. I also found it incredibly hard to sympathize with her the first half of the book, after knowing what she did as the antagonist in "The Skin I'm In".

[Lorna Satchwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst sequel ever! No longer a fan of the author. Barely finished this book. The Audacity of everyone that played a part in creating this content.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book ready to continue to dislike the main character, but after a few pages, I couldn't. Reading about what Char went through, I understood what was going on in her life to make her the way she was. I cried for her several times; when she showed her tender side when caring for the baby that wasn't hers when she ended up mentally broken when dealing with the pimp, and when she opened up and realized how many people she had hurt in the past. Char showed that she has a heart even though it had been hardened. I wanted so badly to reach out and give her a hug and make her pain go away when she couldn't and wouldn't accept the fact that she had been trafficked and abused. This is a story that can be triggering if you've experienced any of the things Char has gone through, but it is a wonderful story of the strength and persistence of the human spirit and how one can overcome and be better than their past.

[Tytiauna Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Skin I’m In last year for the first time as a book club book with my students. It had a lighthearted, playful, innocent feel although it tackled a very serious topic (bullying). I was expecting something similar with this book. I was expecting some sort of innocence, but no. Sharon G. Flake gave it to us as raw as she could for a YA novel. Every page in this book hurt right up until the end. It hurt so much because it was so real. I hated this book and I loved it all the same. This book is reality, and that hurts.

I wouldn’t put this book on a middle school shelf with The Skin I’m In, but I’d encourage teenage girls to read it. It’s a reality they should know exists.

[Lizzie Winns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the continuation of the book THE SKIN I'M IN. It dives into the life of Charlese. A character from book 1. Her story is one you shouldn't pass up. The book shows us the life and times of a sex trafficked individual. Her family and her up bringing. Then the story swoops around and shows us that despite the magnitude of your past mistakes, you can choose to look at them with constant regret or try to see them as valuable lessons.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not mentally prepared for this book! A long-time fan of Sharon Flake and The Skin I'm In, I was happy to see her new book and added the audio book to my play list - I didn't really look to see what it was about other than the story of Charlese, the bully from The Skin I'm In. Even as I started reading, I knew she was going to make bad choices, but I had no clue where those choices would lead her. Nor did I realize the journey I would take into the world of a victim of child trafficking. This was so eye opening and so well done. They layers of grooming that the ring leader piles onto a vulnerable young girl helps readers understand how someone could get in over their head before they realize what is happening. Sharon Flake does not shy away from the horrible conditions and experiences that are typical in that world. It's frightening and reading about girls trapped in human trafficking it in a story (rather than facts) makes it so personal.

Especially with the R. Kelly conviction today, this topic has never been more timely. This is not a book that you adore, but it is one that stays with you. The old saying goes that books can be windows. And doors. And sliding glass doors. Even though this is about child trafficking, it is also about understanding your value, understanding what is not okay to allow others to do to you, and knowing that speaking out is so important.

[Mia McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

oops i didn’t realize this was the second book in a series, but somehow i wasn’t lost.

sad start but really good ending

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this book off an on for quite some time now but not because it wasn't a great book, I've just been really busy but anyways this is one of the best books I've ever read. It has some STRONG topics but they need to be read by everyone especially young people (13 and older).

[junia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book. I'm glad Sharon G Flake continued the story of Charlese Jones. Again, I appreciate how she represents adults. And lastly, the way she handles human trafficking so that adults can learn and youth can understand and gain strength is really masterful...

[Karah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am relieved that this story ended on an optimistic note. Charlese proved deplorable in the previous book. It's astounding how predators spot the vulnerable and pin them into a web of misery. Charlese didn't recognize how much power her pimp wielded over her until the end of the book.

Multitudes need to read this book. So many of our girls get targeted by these leeches and feel they have no redemption. Thankfully, Charlese was able to return to a loving, safe home. I want this book widely read so it won't be typical for girls to suffer exploitation.

[Jessica Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sequel to “The Skin I’m In”. Let’s hope the author is planning the next book in the series!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sure I will have many students who will want to read this companion to The Skin I’m In. The best part of the book Was the author’s note at the end in response to why she wrote this book. The topic is a heavy one, and, although there is no graphic detail, it is not for younger readers.

[Charity Alyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I know I ain’t done healing...but I color myself happy anyway. ‘Cause I am.”
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The Life I’m in by Sharon G. Flake tells the story of a sixteen year old girl named Char who gets kicked out of her home and put on bus to live with her grandparents because of bad behavior; except she doesn’t go where she’s supposed to. Instead she chooses to live her own life, her on way. She becomes a teen runaway and soon lacks the economic resources to sustain even a low income lifestyle. Down on her luck, she meets a man who is willing to take care of her. A man who is willing to give her food, clothing, and money for rent. Her growling stomach jumps at the chance and soon she’s on a whirlwind; thrown smack dab into the realm of human trafficking.
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Flake writes Char’s story unapologetically and truthfully. My heart broke for her so many times. The abuse Char encountered is not fictional, it goes on everyday in our neighborhoods, our cities, right under our noses. I can remember a time last year where a woman boldly came into my job, dressed in a fur with bright red lipstick, and asked if I could take her home. I said no, but she refused to leave. She begged for a ride from myself and another young female coworker. She stayed around the store until closing (11pm) waiting for me to leave.
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I was terrified. Luckily, my manager kicked her out and y’all, this women left in a limousine. (So much for needing a ride) This sort of thing can happen to anyone. In this book, Flake makes it plain. There are men (and women) everywhere, seeking to exploit vulnerable young people for money.
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This was a read that was hard to get through at times, but hard to put down. It was both thought provoking and honest. It showed that even in the darkest of places, choosing to wake up everyday and take one step forward, is one step closer toward healing. It’s informative and really helpful for someone who is looking to help in the fight against human trafficking. If you or you know anyone who is or was a victim of human trafficking, please call this number 1-888-373-7888.
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[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Scholastic for the ARC of The Life I'm In by Sharon Flake.

It is not very often I have to set a book down because I can't emotionally handle the content of the story, but I found myself doing that multiple times with this novel. Flake took the time with this story to develop realistic characters and situations, that however unfortunate, shine a light on a very scary and dangerous part of our society.

Char is not a likable character after reading The Skin I'm In (not that you have read that novel for this one to make sense), and it doesn't get much better in the first few chapters of The Life I'm In, but the farther into the story you go, the more I found myself rooting for her and wanting her to find a way out and succeed.

Flake has created another novel that will resonate with readers and again teach them lessons they never thought they needed to learn.

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to start by saying that the prose/writing of the book is not what I has issue with- both were well done and Flake proves to be capable of writing a great story about the most awful conditions.

In general this book is tough to love. Our main character Char does not have a lot to love about her. She's mean, angry, and stubborn; refusing any good help that comes her way and being insistent that she (a 16 year old girl) can take care of herself. The result of these traits leads Char to experiencing horrific things no one should ever face.

She has a paradoxical nurturing nature as well that when added to the above mentioned traits leads her to make decisions that are clearly out of her depth for her age. She has little control of herself let alone the situation that she winds up in. It is all around not fund to have to read her story with how awful it is.

The only point of this book where I question some of the author's decisions is in regards to the character Anthony. We see the author try to make him sympathetic with an quickly thrown in mention of his backstory and how he got involved in his business. This decision left a sour impression with me. There is no sympathizing this awful man who sells young girl's bodies for profit. Period. I can understand if it was meant to show that perhaps he wasn't asking to be put in this line of work- but at the end of the day it does not mean much. This man still made the decision to back out of something he knew was wrong. All around this effort to make Anthony sympathetic just felt unnecessary and trite.


Overall because I can't decide a 2 bordering a 2.5.

[Laura Nungester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book because I wanted to know Char’s story. Maybe it’s the teacher in me. Maybe because I’m human. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t get Char out of my head. I loved Maleeka. Her transformation and all that she fought to become and maybe I wanted the same for Char.

What I didn’t expect was this story that opened up the fear of the world in which we live. Sharon G. Flake created a world focused on Maleeka in the first book The Skin I’m In so I knew her craft was one that brought the reader into the story. What I didn’t expect was how that same craft took a character that made me angry, wanted to see her punished, hated what she stood for and made me want to save her.

This is a book that opens wide the world that throws away the marginalized, exploits the hurting, and sensationalizes wealth. I’m thankful for stories such as this. It isn’t a fairy tale. It didn’t have that perfect plot structure that was predictable. Instead it was real. It brought real life to the pages and exposed the evil of sex trafficking. We have to do better. Books like this are just a start. But we have to start somewhere.

[Paula Soper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, this was a tough book. I loved The Skin I'm In, so I was excited to read this. Why? Because it's by Sharon G. Flake. Why did I finish the novel? Because it's by Sharon G. Flake. Unfortunately, it hit about every trigger that I have. Girl without a family, man gaslighting the girl until she didn't know who she was or what she was, sex trafficking. The big difference is that the man was caught and convicted. Char ended up with a circle of friends (AND her sister) around her.

Warnings (for the faint of heart):
Drugs - Yes
Sex - Yes
R&R - Gaslighting
Language - Some
Violence - Yes

[Gemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gritty!

As obnoxious as Char was in the first book, I still didn’t want to see her suffer like she did. Her story is absolutely heartbreaking. I wanted to rescue her and the other girls. I appreciated that the author didn’t sugarcoat Char’s experiences. She wrote it with a degree of authenticity that was so intense. I really didn’t expect the story to unfold how it did. The highlight of the book for me was the bond that Maleeka and Char shared. This book hits harder than any episode of Beyond Scared Straight.

[Aymé · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book since I love “The Skin I’m In”. But the timeline became too confusing. Most of The chapters were dated but sometimes didn’t correlate to the timeline described in the text. And it was very slow in the beginning and just too long in general. Also, there were many references to the characters from the first book that seemed somewhat forced... the overall topic of this book is important. I’m grateful that Sharon Flake has addressed it in her book.

[Kira Nerys · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read most of what Sharon G. Flake has published and I still haven't learned that she's going to chew me up and spit me out. Flake's writing is, for me, the epitome of stepping into someone else's shoes. She leaves me deeply upset and uncomfortable the vast majority of the time. She makes me feel like a foreigner in my own skin. (I hope that's not a problematic sentiment to express, as a white reader, but it's the best description I've got for my emotional reaction.) She writes a side of life, a side of America, that I don't know. It's absolutely amazing. And I know there are people out there who need to read this, people for whom this will resonate more than anything else they've ever seen. But, damn. Bang! felt more uncomfortable for me to read, but this was intense.

This book follows Char, a teenager with a history of bullying and bribing to get what she wants. Despite trying to change and hoping to become a more reliable person, she struggles to see a new direction for herself. She's repeated years of school and helped her sister host intense parties, bridging the years of teenage immaturity and a wider understanding of the adult world. Char's an orphan, and she's caused a lot of trouble, so her sister Juju decides Char should take a vacation down with her grandparents. While Char's always done her own thing, the days'-long Greyhound bus to the south provides her the space away from her sister's protective wings to think about what she really values and wants in her life. She experiences the harsh realities of the other riders on her bus, including April, a teenager selling drugs and/or prostituting herself to take care of her baby daughter Cricket. As Char helps April care for Cricket and learns how April hopes to support this small family, Char daydreams of her own future children, and how she expects to care for them. This story chronicles where that knowledge--and lack of knowledge--takes her.

The Life I'm In is a worthy successor--sister story--to The Skin I'm In, which was perhaps the first book I ever read that confronted me with my privilege. Flake clearly took her time figuring out what a logical extension of that story could be. It works. It works so well, for new readers and for those (like me) who haven't re-read The Skin I'm In in a few years. This could be a stand-alone novel; it develops Char's story in a fully different direction. She shows herself to be a strong, opinionated, loud girl--but Char has reasons, for each of those things. Some of Juju's advice feels like advice I should have received at some point: don't be afraid to be loud; you can always change your mind; sometimes you have to be loud to change your mind. It's a wisdom that can't always protect her, but it's the best Juju knows. And Char is loving, and loyal; she looks after those who look after her, or who can't look after themselves. She's grown into an empathetic and caring friend.

I'm not going to bother writing a trigger warning. Read the summary. Go into this book knowing what you're gonna get.

Sold is another YA that covers the similar issues, in a very different light. Most notably, in a way that feels far from home. Laurie Halse Anderson is an author who's generated a similarly intense emotional response from me, most recently in The Impossible Knife of Memory and Wintergirls. This also reminded me of The Piper's Son, another years'-later companion novel to a longtime YA favorite of mine. I enjoyed how Maleeka appeared in this book; that treatment of bringing a previous protagonist back is where the similarities end, aside from both being excellent books from wonderful authors.

This is a review I wrote for myself, so I can remember this book without needing to re-read it for a very long time. So I can remember my emotions without delving into the details; I'm sure someone else wrote about the other characters in this book. I can't express enough how fully I admire Flake as an author, and her willingness to dive into such a brutal subject and craft something full of beautiful moments of humanity in spite of it all.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is ultimately a story about human trafficking, it took a really long time to get there. It almost seemed more like a story about teen parenting since that was more of the plot than trafficking. I like that the book included elements of recovery, but the plot felt kind of disjointed.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone seems to be loving this book, but I found the first, like, half to be really hard to get into. Things happened without enough detail, which left me feeling disconnected from the book and the characters. The latter portions of the book were much better, but it was too late.

[Addie Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book just seemed very forced. Great message for kids though- I will be recommending it but it just wasn’t my favorite book

[Ivanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ‘The Life I'm in’ by Sharon G. Flake, a sequel to ‘The Skin I'm In' published in the 2000s, is the suspenseful, eye opening and realistic story of Charlese Jones. A young black teen who fell victim to the world of human trafficking, depression, and loss. The story begins with Charlese ‘Char’ Jones and her sister, Juju, continually bickering and arguing after the murder of their parents. Char does not truly know how to cope with the loss so she does it through anger. She gets kicked out of her home where she gets on a bus to nowhere, since she wasn't going to stay with her grandparents. On the bus ride she ends up meeting people who she grows a bond with, April and her daughter Cricket especially during the ride. When the bus ride is over Char stays close to April and Cricket, April asks Charlese to hold Cricket while she goes to a job interview and she never returns. While Char is stuck with Cricket she tries to get a job and a place to live for the both of them. During that time Char encounters a man named Anthony, where he gains her trust and lends her money. And in turn he offers her a ‘job’, Char had no idea it would lead to her being trafficked. Charlese escapes and she goes back to her home where she faces a deep depression and almost ends up going back to Anthony. By the end of the story and with guidance from her old teacher and her classmate, she learns to love herself and gain new motivation from her trauma.

This story was heart wrenching and stomach turning while causing me to continuously read. Its realism from the characters she met to the evolution of Charlese from the beginning to the end was well written. I could empathize easily with this character and the situation, frustrations she felt and were in. The dialogue between the characters truly sold the whole experience of this book, each word caused a shift to another scene that made a visible difference regardless of how small it was. The realism not only lied in the dialogue but also the other victims that were with Charlese. How every girl didn't feel like they had anywhere else to go, they felt ‘loved’, how young they were, and how they believe that situation is the way their life is meant to be. While most of the girls chose to leave that life, others decided to stay because they knew nothing else. It was almost too real of a book for it to just be fiction. Though it was only one social issue it touched, the pandemic of human trafficking is not talked about enough. This book truly tells one how it is through the eyes of a victim. I appreciate the fact that Charlese is this bold, outspoken, hard headed and stubborn person instead of a timid, quiet, shy girl, it adds another layer because it shows it can happen to anyone. Along with how human trafficking is not only being ‘kidnapped’ it is manipulation and gaslighting through ‘good’ people also.

‘The Life I'm In’ is a well written story with lots of plot twists and characters with their own personality and stories. As this book is a sequel to another it added more depth. Though I enjoyed this book alot, I believe the storyline with Meleeka Madison, the first book ‘The Skin I'm In' main character, added an odd plot to the story. In the first book Charlese was Meleeka’s bully and made her hate her skin and whatnot. However in the sequel, Char kept in contact with Meleeka and they talked throughout the story. During Char’s dilemmas Meleeka would bring up how she felt when she would be bullied about her skin tone and Char would apologize and regret that. Sometimes during the story it felt as though they were comparing colorism to human trafficking and I don't believe it is a fair or sensible comparison. That's the only true issue I have with this story, otherwise everything else is beautiful.

I would absolutely recommend this story to others. If one likes black young adult fiction that tackles social issues along with mental health after trauma. This book takes a lot of heart to read along with mental strength, one could easily grow attached to each of the characters introduced. Each character has charisma and depth which pieces the story together fully. I recommend this story to those who enjoy a thought process and journey with pain and sadness. This book is absolutely stomach turning yet heartfelt as you can feel even the characters emotions towards each other as you will with this book. I give this book a 9.5/10.