Shine

 Shine by Lauren Myracle
Don't be fooled by the beautiful book jacket. This is a very tough book to read. Cat and her best friend Patrick are close but lately Cat is pulling away and spending more time on her own. Patrick is openly gay and has paid for it many times in this small North Carolina town. But after he is found brutally beaten and left for dead Cat must come out of her self imposed exile and try and find the person or persons who did this to Patrick. As the story unfolds we find that Cat also has a dark secret.

This is a tough read and deals with some even tougher subjects; bullying, gay bashing, rape and bigotry. I think this is a must read. It will leave you feeling angry and drained but Myracle's writing is so beautiful it is well worth it.