This is a great book. It shows many problems: child abuse, friendship, bullying, and siblings. Child abuse may be the main problem, but underneath that there are many short-term and even long-term problems that Carly has to deal with, making this seem incredibly like real life. Carly lived in Las Vegas, with her mom.
Her mom married, the man she married being very abusive to the both of them. One day, Carly taunts her mom's husband, expecting that if he hits her, her mom would come to the rescue. She encounters a surprise: her mom holds her down to allow him to hit her. This betrayal leaves Carly confused. After going to the hospital for her wounds, she is put into Foster care- with the Murphys.
Most of them are welcoming, but Daniel is not. One of the first things he says to her is "Just because your mom doesn't want you doesn't mean that you can take mine". Carly begins to fall in love with the Murphys, and even becomes friends with Daniel. But, then something comes that disturbs what had become Carly's perfect life-- her mom gets better.
This causes Carly to fall into a cascade of horrible choices to make. The Murphys or her mom is one of her major choices. In the end, she does choose her mom. That part, the ending, might be the one thing that I kind of don't like about this book-- I think that the author could have listed the reasons why she chose her mom, as I never really got that.
There are many plots twists and fluxations, as Carly tries to navigate a world completely different from her own.
I would suggest this to kids and teens, no matter what their background is. A reasonable read for an adult, too, as it can give a doorway into a kids mind, as well as just be entertaining.
It's worthy of it 4.5, but I can only give it a 4!