Jo knowles wrote the book Lessons From a Dead Girl which was first published in 2007. The book centers around two friends who have troubles dealing with drugs, alcohol, and the struggle of influence from people around them.

The main characters are Leah and Laine. Leah is the popular girl that everyone wants to be friends with and can persuade boys to do whatever she wants. Eventually, that power along with her childhood of keeping secrets affects her interactions with others. Laine is the quiet girl who does not want to be noticed, but Leah declares her as a friend and suddenly Laine is a popular girl. Laine is still not noticed by guys and likes it that way. I personally relate to Leah the most. She grew up being told she was beautiful and guys like her. We both were afraid to tell our secrets and in the end we both did not turn out to be pragmatic.“Eventually all secrets come out”; when secrets come out it may change your life for better or for worse;however, if you have true friends that stand by you, then you should be thankful. This book has taught its audience not to be afraid and get help from the people around you. Have aplomb and do not be afraid to show people your true colors.

As Leah and Laine grow older; they grow apart. Leah begins drinking, partying, and tries to hurt herself. She gets involved with the wrong crowd, and at the end of the story, she pays the ultimate price for her actions. Laine feels empathetic; realizes what was going on with Leah and tries to convince her to stop. Laine finds true friends but is afraid to tell any of her secrets.Leah made Laine think all negative things about herself. You can not let somebody put you down. Normally, people will put you down because they do not like themselves. Speak up and be heard.

Jo Knowles makes that point very apparent in his book. The book was very interesting; I caught myself re-reading pages because I could not believe she wrote it. I would recommend this book to a friend because I think it teaches helpful lessons about the choices you may make and the consequences that follow.