Description:

Flattered by the attentions of Nick, the cutest guy in school, seventeen-year-old Grace Warren, captain of the math team, lets down her guard and gets pregnant the night she loses her virginity. Hopeful that Nick will drop to one knee and propose when she breaks the baby news to him, Grace is heartbroken - Nick wants nothing to do with her. Her best friend, Jennifer, thinks she should get an abortion, but Grace is certain that her morally upright parents will insist that she keep the baby. After she comes clean to her super-religious, strait-laced parents, they surprise her by insisting that she terminate the pregnancy to avoid humiliating the family. But when she sees the fetus on the ultrasound, she decides she can't get rid of it. Deciding to save the tiny life growing inside of her, Grace must face the consequences of being that girl - the good girl who got knocked up. ** ### From Booklist Grace has always been a good girl—the pride of her socially prominent parents. Then she is seduced by Nick, a teen Casanova who is challenged by Grace’s innocence just long enough to take it away. Now Grace is pregnant, and unsurprisingly, Nick is no help. Her upstanding parents are furious, and after a failed attempt to have Grace get an abortion, they tell her that she must leave their home. Fortunately, an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Teitelbaum, takes Grace in. As in a fairy tale, Grace is thus rescued by a wealthy and kind benefactress who just happens to have a handsome great-nephew, Charlie. The story is focused on Grace, but Plissner shifts the viewpoint from character to character, sometimes several times throughout the course of a conversation, and while the effect can create an unfocused whole, it does add to a multidimensional portrait of teen pregnancy. In the end, Grace lives up to her name and discovers that there are many good people who want to help her. Grades 9-12. --Diane Colson ### Review “Grace has always been a good girl - the pride of her socially prominent parents. Then she is seduced by Nick, a teen Casanova who is challenged by Grace’s innocence just long enough to take it away . . . Plissner shifts the viewpoint from character to character . . . [which] does add to a multidimensional portrait of teen pregnancy.” --Booklist "Sadly, I think this story is more realistic than we'd ever like to admit to ourselves. The 'good girl' ends up in a 'bad situation,' and she is made to choose between her family and her own morals. I think there are a lot of different takeaways in this book, from the consequences of hasty decisions, to what family is really all about. I definitely enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to my high school students." --For the Love of Reading blog "*Screwed* was a charming read . . . I loved the characters and the plot. The bond between Grace and Charlie was adorable, and I thought Helen was great." --The Book Zombie "I . . . applaud Ms. Plissner for her ability to write this book as a raw look into teenage pregnancy . . . What an incredible up and down story about finding yourself and making your own way." --Community Bookstop "*Screwed* was the exact opposite of any teen pregnancy story I've ever read. I empathized with everyone - including Grace's pious parent. *Screwed* was more than just a motivational read and even had me crying in the very last pages." --The Young Folks "This was such a good story. From beginning to end I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved how real this felt. Definitely a page turner, you see how much Grace grows as well as the relationships around her." --Just Us Girls blog