The Princesses of Iowa

This is supposed to be Paige's year at Willow Grove High, when the perfect clothes, perfect friends, and perfect boyfriend pay off in a coveted spot on the homecoming court. But that was before last spring's drunken crash, the one that got Paige exiledto Paris for thesummer and sent fissures through the bedrock of her friendships. Now Paige is back in Iowa, but nothing seems the same, not even her two BFFs. Nikki, the one behind the wheel that night, is scary thin, being eaten away at by guilt. Lacey now walks with a limp ? and a major chip on her shoulder. Even Paige's boyfriend, Jake, seems distant, more concerned with being there for poor, crippled Lacey than for Paige herself. The only bright spot is Paige's creative writing class, taught by an inspiring new teacher who encourages them to be true to themselves.But whoisPaige, exactly, away from her growing-apart friends, her small-town beau, and her goal to be homecoming royalty? In an arresting debut, M. Molly Backes takes a hard look at high school's rituals and revelations, probing surprising depths as she hits all the beats.

Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much-worse crash, everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can?t fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.