Kate Malone is the main character in this story. She is a straight A student, whose has always dreamed of going to MIT. Her father is a minister, who forgets that he needs to be a Dad to Kate and her brother. Kate's mother died years ago, and now Kate takes care of her brother. Kate's dad worries too much about the church, and not enough about his own kids. Kate is in the middle of her senior year and awaiting her letter from MIT. As other students begin to get their acceptance letters, it begins to look like Kate is not going to get in. Everyone tells her she can always go to one of her back-up schools, except Kate didn't apply to any other school. In the middle of this, Kate's next door neighbor's house burns down. Her next door neighbor is Teri Litch. Teri is a rough, mean girl. Kate's father offers to let Teri and her little "brother" stay with them while their house is rebuilt. Kate ends up having to share her room with Teri and her little brother, who are less than appreciative. The church begins to rebuilt their house, and Teri chips in to help. Everything seems to be going well, until Teri's little brother wanders upstairs when no one is looking. He gets electrocuted and dies. Everyone then finds out that the little boy was Teri's son, and not her brother. Teri goes crazy, and begins tearing the house apart. Kate can only watch her and wait. Eventually Kate gets through to Teri, and they form a bond. Kate agrees to stay and help Teri rebuilt the house again. She won't be going to college right away.
I thought this book was sad. Kate's dad never learned to pay attention to her, and she lost her boyfriend. Teri's mother didn't seem to care about her or her son. Teri's son dies, and then she rips down the house that everyone just rebuilt. The only happy thing that happened was when Kate and Teri became friends. I wish there had been a comic relief somewhere in the story.
Kelly Morrison
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