Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel

Girl on the Other Side 

by Deborah Kerbel

Synopsis (thanks, Amazon): 
Tabby Freeman and Lora Froggett go to the same school, but they live in totally opposite worlds. Tabby is rich, pretty, and the most popular girl in her class. But behind closed doors, her 'perfect' life is rapidly coming apart at the seams.

On the other side, Lora is smart, timid, and the constant target of bullies. While struggling to survive the piranha-infested halls of her school, she becomes increasingly nervous that somebody might discover the unbearable truth about what's been happening to her family.
Despite their differences, Tabby and Lora have something in common - they're both harbouring dark secrets and a lot of pain. Although they've never been friends, a series of strange events causes their lives to crash together in ways neither could have ever imagined. And when the dust finally settles and all their secrets are forced out into the light, will the girls be saved . or destroyed?

My Review:

In the stacks of books I attempted to plow through during winter break, this book really stood out. The plot is really original, and Kerbel plays it out really well. What I really appreciated was the depths of the main characters Tabby and Lora. Even when Tabby showed her mean streak, part of me was still on her side because I understood how much more to her there was. There's not a lot of dialogue in this book, especially between Lora and Tabby, but as you read their thoughts and feel their emotion, you sense their connection. While it's obvious that they come from two different worlds, when you read what they're thinking, you get the sense that these girls are like sisters. Not in the friendship sense, of course, but in the sense that they could tell each other just about anything, and the other would understand.

With original characters, a fantastic storyline, and excellent writing, this book deserves:

Five Stars!