Sticks and stones will break my bones but… Anna Goldsmith knows the rest. And she knows it's a lie.

It started with Hayley Parkin, who befriended Anna when Anna moved to Melanie's school. Everyone loved Hayley but they were also afraid of her. Hayley was the sort who would be your friend one minute and make fun of your clothes the next. Of course no one told Anna that. So when her best friend suddenly starts ignoring her, spreading rumors about her and turning their classmates against her, Anna can't figure out where she went wrong. She tries to appease Hayley, but nothing seems to work. The only one who's skeptical of Hayley's actions is Melanie, who's been burned before by Hayley's slick form of cruelty. Melanie is caught in a bad place: she wants to be liked, which means staying on Hayley's good side, but she also knows exactly what Hayley does to people. No one has all the answers, until Anna attempts something drastic. In a series of letters and memories, we see Anna's true self: strong and resilient on the outside but a total wreck inside.

Think you know your friends? Think again. You know Anna, Melanie and Hayley, and you hate what they do. The author never lets you forget how real the characters are. Despite this, much of the book is melodramatic, emotionally flat and unfulfilling. The reader sees too much pain, too many malicious actions and soon becomes desensitized to it. It's tearjerker television converted to book format. A better picture of strength through cruelty is Laurie Halse Anderson's brilliant SPEAK.

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