"Hi, I'm Rae. I'm new here."
I've said those words more times than I can count. My mom and I move a lot, and this is my usual introduction at school and in the neighborhood. After I've said it, I know someone will take pity and show me around, usually one of those girls who like to take charge of situations. I adapt well, so I fit in anywhere, but I don't dig in too deep because we never stay longer than a year or so. If I've learned anything, it's to not get too attached.
Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox's mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. But when they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae's tentative happiness is jeopardized. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives' homes. When a sleepover at Rae's house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison - and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about - unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
I've said those words more times than I can count. My mom and I move a lot, and this is my usual introduction at school and in the neighborhood. After I've said it, I know someone will take pity and show me around, usually one of those girls who like to take charge of situations. I adapt well, so I fit in anywhere, but I don't dig in too deep because we never stay longer than a year or so. If I've learned anything, it's to not get too attached.
Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox's mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. But when they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae's tentative happiness is jeopardized. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives' homes. When a sleepover at Rae's house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison - and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about - unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Used availability for Karen McQuestion's Life on Hold