Skin by Donna Jo Napoli
My lips are white. Sixteen-year-old Sep stares into the bathroom mirror. It's not some weird lipstick (she never wears lipstick). Her lips are just ? white. In a panic, she digs up an old lipstick and smears it on her colorless lips. But soon, more and more white spots begin to bloom, spreading their chalky tendrils across her olive brown skin. Does she have a disease? Is she turning into some kind of freak? Sep is usually the one who knows all the answers. With a quicksilver mind and a supple body, she's happiest when she's delving into the mysteries of animal biology or giving herself over to sweet, hot moves in Jazz Dance Club. Unlike her best friend, Devin, she's never been in a rush to get a boyfriend. But as the white blotches spread, her dating days ? like the endangered species she studies ? seem numbered. So when Joshua, a boy she's always liked, makes a flirty advance, she wonders: why not grab pleasure while she can? Frank, funny, and full of passion, this is the empowering story of a strong gifted teen who, as her life spins out of control, desperately tries to prove to the world ? and herself ? that she is deeper than skin.
Publishes in US: August 6th 2013 by Amazon Childrens Publishing
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Netgalley
Series? No
Buy it: Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound Book Depository
Find Donna online: ~site
Sep is a character that is easy to relate to and it was a journey being in her head. She is realistic and although dealing with some hard issues and emotional, still brought humor and sarcasm to the table.
I can't imagine waking up and my lips being white, wondering what was wrong with me, and if it would spread, trying to hide it and deal with the worry would be so hard, but I get a glimpse of what that would be like through Sep.
I like the realistic friendship she has with her family and her best friend. It doesn't feel forced, but there is tension between her and her parents and her brother, but there are also those bonding moments that you know they are really there for her and I loved reading those moments. She tries to hide that there is anything wrong with her from everyone except her family at first, and that causes problems with her and her best friend. There is also the added bonus of the boy she used to be best friends with in elementary school now coming back into the picture.
It adds a lot of romantic tension as well as suspense because she isn't being upfront with him about the white spots. But still, I loved their stolen kisses and other touching as well as the awkwardness when she is straight up about things like asking if he is flirting with her and he gets all embarrassed and tongue tied.
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My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you ever had to hide something physical like she uses lipstick to hide her white lips?
