Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

The Lambert family is one screwed up family. Deanna was 13 when she started having sex with a 17 year old boy---mostly because she wanted him to like her. Her father caught them "in the act," and things haven't been the same since. Deanna became the laughing stock of the school, and her father views her as a slut. The plot begins when Deanna is 16 and flashes back to the earlier episodes. Now, Deanna's older brother and his girlfriend have a baby girl, and they all live together in one small house. Deanna's mother and father are dysfunctional, to say the least. This is the story of how Deanna tries to redeem herself, both in the eyes of her family and friends as well as to herself. Part of her emotional health is caught up in her ability (or lack of) to be a true friend. She has dreams, but she is still afraid she will turn out to be the girl everyone laughs at. It's a good story, but you will hate some of the mean teenagers in it. Good luck to all the girls like Deanna; they have an uphill climb.