Stained
Seventeen-year-old Sarah feels as if she’s from another planet. Born with a port-wine stain on half her face, she is the subject of stares, rude comments, and constant bullying. That’s why she has created her own imaginary superhero, Diamond, whose skin is as strong as, yes, a diamond; nothing hurts her. But where is Diamond when, on the way home from school, Sarah is abducted? Soon, she finds herself blindfolded and helpless, locked in a shack in the middle of nowhere with a kidnapper who rapes her and is clearly mentally unstable. How can she possibly escape his abuse, which includes mind games that tempt her to doubt her own self? Will Nick, the boy who loves her, find her? Will the police? Rainfield (Scars, 2010) has written a novel of psychological suspense that, though sometimes veering into the melodramatic, nevertheless sends a strong message to all those who are in any way different: finding your own Diamond within yourself can help you heal and become a survivor. Grades 8-12. --Michael Cart