ARC Spotlight – The S-WORD by Chelsea Pitcher

 

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

 
Recommended for fans of: Edgy YA Contemporary

THE S-WORD deals with a lot of issues including suicide, homosexuality, sex, bullying, and unequal gender perceptions (like how a girl will be called a slut while a guy will be called a stud). I love how complicated the characters are, just like in real life, these teens were not cookie cutter versions of a teen. They had problems, but each character had their own set of problems, some of which overlapped. I applaud Pitcher’s ability to give each character depth.

Angie, the MC is a mess, but understandably so. Her pain feels real as you experience life after Lizzie with her. She’s not always sympathetic, but she’s not meant to be. She’s a person who has to deal with a lot and somehow comes out in the end better for it.

THE S-WORD is available now for pre-order and will be release May 7^th.