All Out of Pretty - Hardcover

Palmer, Dr Ingrid

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1939547482 ISBN 13: 9781939547484

Publisher: Creston Books, 2018

Synopsis

Andrea knows what it's like to be pretty. Thanks to her gorgeous, drug-addicted mother, she also knows where pretty can lead... At 16, Andrea is yanked from the safety of her Gram's home and dropped into the backwoods of Ohio, where she's coerced into working for her mother's drug-dealing boyfriend, Judd.

Unwilling to give up on her college dreams, Andrea spends her days trying to stay on the honor roll, and her nights packaging and delivering drugs. Judd is violent and manipulative, and Andrea often goes to bed with an empty stomach and a hardening heart.

The one bright spot in Andrea's life is a budding friendship with a charismatic girl named Chloe and her handsome cousin, Brick. These stolen moments of teenage normalcy make Andrea yearn for a way out, but fear and a sense of responsibility to her mother pull her back in. When things with Judd take a darker turn than she can bear, Andrea devises a plan to save herself. But freedom may cost her everything--and everyone--she cares about...

Gritty, heartfelt, and suspenseful, All Out of Pretty explores the complexities of self-preservation and addiction as well as the pain, and beauty, of letting go. It will appeal to fans of Sara Zarr and Sarah Dessen.

About this title

Review:

Gr 10 Up--Andrea is plucked by her drug-addicted mother, Ayla, from her loving grandmother's house after the older woman dies. Andrea becomes homeless and lives in a car, while Ayla tries to get money and food from guys she sleeps with. When Ayla gets a new boyfriend, Judd, they move in with him, and Andrea is forced to help him package and distribute drugs for her keep. Judd is abusive and Andrea doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to abandon her mother, but when things turn even worse, the teen starts a plan to save herself. The complicated relationships that involve Andrea are realistically drawn, down to the psychological trauma that each one entails. The flawed main characters have their own issues that Palmer presents in an authentic way. Readers will sympathize with all of the characters, even the antagonists. The debut author does not leave any traumatic thought unturned. This is textbook-contemporary YA, but it feels fresh under Palmer's expert writing. There are no wasted words, and the mounting events will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they cheer on the protagonist and cringe from the horrendous situations she experiences. VERDICT An excellent selection for YA shelves.--Rachel Reinwald, Lake Villa District Library, IL School Library Journal--Rachel Reinwald "School Library Journal "

How do you know who to trust? Can you even trust yourself, your own instincts, and choices? Andrea, or "Bones" as her mom calls her, thinks of herself as smart, but intelligence only gets you so far and she finds herself nowhere near as smart or as tough as she thought. "All Out of Pretty" is a gripping, thoughtful look at one girl's journey to figuring out what really matters to her and how to take care of herself in a world where there are no responsible adults for her to rely on. Do you use your looks or your brains? Your stubbornness or flexibility? How do you survive a drug-addict mother and her dealer boyfriend? Andrea's voice will pull you along from the first sentence of this emotional roller-coaster of a book.--Sam Kozbial "We Live and Breathe Books "

After the death of her grandmother, Andrea fights to survive a violent life with her addict mother. Sixteen-year-old Andrea lives quietly with her grandmother, putting all her energy into academic achievement. If she can get a full scholarship to college, she can escape the shadow of her estranged, drug-addicted mother, Ayla. But when Gram suddenly passes away, Ayla resurfaces to claim custody. Andrea, a pretty, white girl whose light blue eyes are the envy of her peers, gets used to Ayla partying all night, spending all their money, and taking financial advantage of men. When they're evicted, a white man named Judd lets them move in on the condition that Andrea earns her keep helping with household chores and his drug-running business. The slightest misstep leads to physical punishment. Andrea tries to keep her head down and focus on school, but she stumbles into new friendships that put her and those she cares about at risk. She can't let anyone get close now; all she can do is try to survive--and she will do anything to survive. Andrea's constant abuse is heartbreaking, and her complicated relationship with Ayla is well-wrought. Though her struggles are hard to read about, Andrea is both flawed and fierce enough to pull readers through them with her. An achingly realistic portrait of abuse and addiction. (Fiction. 14-adult)--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author:

Ingrid Palmer writes young adult fiction in the small Colorado mountain town where she lives. She has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute. All Out of Pretty is her debut novel.

About this edition

• Publisher: Creston Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1939547482
• ISBN 13: 9781939547484
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 344