Girl on the Verge

Gr 9 Up—Kan (short for Kanchana) has tried her whole life to be a good Thai girl for her Khun Yai (grandmother) and her mother while also maintaining her identity as an aspiring fashion designer in rural, white Kansas, where she often feels different. When her mother brings home a young, troubled girl named Shelly to live with them for the remainder of the school year, Kan befriends her and does all she can to make her feel welcome. Soon, however, Shelly proves to be too friendly and interested in taking over Kan's life, including her new love interest, Ethan. When Kan eventually looks into Shelly's past, she is surprised by an unexpected connection. Readers will need to suspend disbelief a bit in the beginning. For example, Kan gives up nearly all her friends after only a week with Shelly, and the two undergo a blood sisters ritual that seems unlikely. Still, most teens will find themselves racing to the end to uncover the mystery of Shelly's past. With just a bit of romance, this book also addresses sexting, identity theft, kidnapping, and murder.