The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

I really did want to like this book but found myself putting it down and wandering away. The topic is a delicate one, bullying, sexual confusion and suicide but it's handled in a very odd way.

Lizzie killed herself because everyone turned on her but no-body knew the full story, well one person did but that's getting ahead of myself. Angie is her best-friend and when she returns to the room they've rented for prom and finds Lizzie in a compromising situation with her boyfriend Drake, she is devastated. "How could Lizzie do that to her?".

When they return to school on the following Monday and someone has written slut on Lizzie's locker, that seems to be the beginning of a campaign against her, her car is vandalised, her dress for the school production is destroyed and people keep knocking into her accidentally on purpose. When her father finds out that she is supposed to be in a production of A Midsummers Night Dream, he forbids her from appearing in it. Thinking that the whole world is against her, she takes her own life.

But after it has happened the vandalism continues but with a slight change, suicide slut is now being written everywhere. Then there's the issue of pages of her diary being left in certain peoples lockers. Angie goes on a campaign to find out who is doing this, along the way she gets her eyes opened to what is really going on at the school.

She finds out about the other kids that are being bullied and also finds herself drawn to Jesse, a Mexican boy who everyone thinks is gay because he wears girls clothing on occasion. She learns about Lizzies' father, a vicar, who abused another friend when she was little. She finds out who drew a picture of Lizzie naked and e-mailed it to everyone, she finds out who Lizzie really loved and finally she finds out exactly what happened at prom.

Everyone wants to know if it's a ghost that is writing on lockers and leaving diary pages but it's not.

Without giving away the ending, Angie knows more than anyone else and sets about getting revenge on everyone who she thinks slighted Lizzie.

Although it is a difficult subject, the writing style is quite disjointed and rambling. But it does get the point across very well.

I look forward to reading more by Chelsea Pitcher.