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Article Title

The Way I Used to Be

Authors

Abigail Packard

Keywords

Cannot Recommend, Young Adult, Amber Smith, Rape, Victim, Truth, High School, Secrets, Trauma

Document Type

Book Review

Abstract

Eden, a fourteen year old just beginning her freshman year, is a good girl. But her entire world collapses one night when her older brother’s best friend, Kevin, rapes her. She knows she supposed to tell someone—her mom, her dad, her brother, her best friend—but she can’t bring herself to say anything. And so her world begins adapting to the trauma she’s experienced. Eden finds love in a senior basketball star named Josh, but can’t bring herself to tell him her true feelings. Rumors begin to circulate around the school about Eden’s loose morals. And after a series of parties, these rumors begin to be true as Eden tries to drown her memories and escape through sex. By senior year, Eden has pushed everyone close to her away. And just when it looks like Eden will be stuck on the path that began that fateful night, Kevin’s girlfriend and sister come forward and tell their own secrets: they are also victims of Kevin’s sexual assault. Eden finally finds courage to tell someone about her own experiences.

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