I really enjoyed this novel and the main character of Louise (Lou). She is a gifted teenager who is an exchange student living with an American family in a wealthy Chicago suburb. Pleased to be leaving her own dysfunctional family behind in Australia she thinks life will be easy but before long she mixes with the wrong people and spirals out of control with drugs and alcohol. When her host family discover this she is sent to a facility for wayward students. I think the author has captured the thought processes of the character especially well of that of a troubled teen. The only negative criticism for me would be the ending but a minor flaw in an otherwise compelling story.

Roshanarose has expressed interest in this book but I have delayed sending as my daughter was using this as a text for her HSC English paper. As my daughter has sat her exam this week I am free to pass on in controlled release to roshanarose in Queensland. This is a great book and I enjoyed it very much as you can see from my previous journal entry. Pleased to be releasing into the wider reading community. I plan to mail via Australia Post in the next few days.

Thanks so much jeniwren for the book and the lovely card. I am a Monet fan.