Rough Patch

By Nicole Markotić

Keira is a quirky but shy teen entering her first year of high school: she and her boy-crazy BFF Sita get used to their new surroundings by finding lunchmates and making lists of the cutest boys in school.  But Keira realizes she's interested in kissing not only boys, but girls too—and gets caught "in between", too scared to come clean with her friends.

Keira finds solace in figure skating, which she loves even though she knows it's geek (and very het-girl).  But when she meets a girl named Jayne who seems perfect for her, she isn't confident she can pull off her charade any longer.  Matters come to a head at the high school Hallowe'en dance, and Keira's own life combusts in one unalterable instant, only to be reconfigured in the most unexpected ways.

Rough Patch is a powerful novel about picking yourself up after a spill, and finding your own way in the world.