Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr 

When she is caught in the backseat of a car at age 13 with Tommy, her older brother's best friend, Deanna Lambert's teenage life is changed forever.  Even though she has only been with one guy, the kids in her small town label her the “school sl#t.” Deanna’s family, especially her father, treats her like they expect her to sleep with anyone she sees.  Everyone assumes the worst from her, so it’s hard for Deanna to believe that she can do anything right.

Life gets more complicated when she starts working with Tommy and must confront her anger and hurt after their past hook-up.  Deanna has to put the past behind her and try to become who she wants to be and not be defined by what everyone thinks she is.  Story of a Girl has a lot of realistic characters, like Deanna’s brother struggling to raise his daughter, and Deanna’s friends who are dating and trying not to exclude her.  The relationships between all of them are complicated and sometimes difficult, just like real life.  Story of a Girl is Sara Zarr's first novel, and I can't wait to read what she does next. This is a sad and uplifting book that tells the story of the girl behind a bad reputation.