Circle the Soul Softly

March 1, 2006
Gr 7-10 -Instead of the fresh start she had planned for her new life in L.A. -new stepfather, new home, new high school -10th-grader Kaitlyn O -Connor runs into hostile classmates and has difficulty adapting to a privileged lifestyle and challenging academics. The only time she feels confident is when she -s onstage, and the cute boy who acts opposite her is a big bonus. Katie tries to balance the demands on her time -schoolwork, extracurricular activities, preparations for her mother -s upcoming wedding, and socializing -but she finds herself becoming more and more stressed, and she has nightmares. Her relationship with David blossoms into romance, but she freezes when they agree to become intimate. Slowly Katie starts working through her dreams and eventually realizes that her deceased father had abused her as a child. What -s almost as bad is the fact that initially her mother refuses to believe her. Gradually, however, Katie and her family start working together to make sense of the past. Especially in this era of increasing numbers of -blended - families, teen girls will strongly relate to the protagonist -s feelings. Hurwin has created believable characters with depth and a plot that is well-paced. Strong writing sets this title above the rest." -Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY"

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