Author: Elizabeth Woods
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
About the Book: Ever since moving after the fifth grade, Cara has had a hard time making friends. She had left behind Zoe, the only friend she had ever really had. She and Zoe had done everything together - and had gotten into some trouble, too.
Cara was now 16 and didn't feel like she belonged with any of the groups in her high school. She sort of hung out with a group of track girls, but only because she was on the track team - she really didn't feel like she was friends with them. Her current crush, Ethan, was also on the track team, but he was Alexis' boyfriend - blonde, beautiful (and bitchy) Alexis. The one who was never nice to Cara. This situation became worse when Cara choked on a carrot at lunch and Ethan saved her with the Heimlich. Alexis started calling her Choker in a pretty derogatory manner, as did Alexis' friends. Cara was missing her friend Zoe more than ever.
Cara spent much of her time at home alone as well. Her parents were both busy lawyers and worked 70 hour weeks, so when Zoe shows up one day and hides in Cara's bedroom, they are not even aware that she is around. Zoe tells Cara that her stepfather is still abusing her and that she has run away and needs some place to hide. Cara is ecstatic as she hasn't seen Zoe in years. She just knows that now things are going to be better. It isn't long before she finds that she has more confidence around others and she is even speaking to Ethan. However, it seems that bad things follow Zoe also.
Sydney, Alexis' best friend and Cara's next door neighbor, drowns in her backyard pool and the day of the funeral, Alexis goes missing. Cara is so caught up with her new friendship with Ethan and some of the girls on the track team that she starts to despise Zoe and the fact that she has to keep her hidden in her bedroom.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed reading this one and had it finished within a day. I felt sorry for Cara as it seemed like her parents were more invested in their work than in her, so when Zoe showed up I was glad for her - even if Zoe did appear a little quirky. This was a very quick moving psychological thriller and even though the end was predictable, it was still a fun read!
~I picked this one up at the library to review~
Publisher/Publication Date: Simon and Schuster, Jan 2011
ISBN: 978-1442412330
240 pages
