Carolrhoda Lab Blanca: Life is not a multiple-choice test. Verdad: Hell is now, saying it happens later is a power play. Honest. Tragic. Realist. Truthful. This is a bold novel that deals with hard topics like death, betrayal, homelessness and sexual orientation. It’s well-written, with a great cast of characters. It’s also very realistic, and like today’s youth, Verdad and Danny face hard choices as they learn who they truly are, who they want to be, and whom they want to love. SUMMARY: A powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen. Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn't think she has time for love. She's still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But ...