It's not enough Ami Landry got stuck in an honors English class. Sure, she knows grammar fairly well, but only because her mom pushes it on her since she’s scared people might think her family’s stupid. Ami is starting high school and wants out of that class, especially once they get their first test back and mega-smart and popular Erin Peterson and her buddies start acting mean to her. Ami doesn’t need more worries. She needs to convince her mom to sign a request for a schedule change before the approaching deadline. Added to that, Ami’s best friend won’t talk to her, just because she catches Ami researching a certain word. Ami can’t turn to her dad. When he comes in from offshore, he often gets drunk, a happy drunk—but still. A man shows up who’s a hottie. It seems her mom met him in a chatroom. Ami’s terrified of what her mom might do and must get her dad straightened up to compete without telling him what’s going on. She’ll have to make him a hottie, too. His drinking will prove harder. How can she solve so many problems? She turns to her new best friend, who then seems to like the boy that Ami kisses for the first time in the school’s empty gym. Ami gets embarrassed at a sleepover when this new friend points out features of Ami’s nude body. But things get worse. What’s a girl to do when her world—her family and friendships—all fall apart? Ami is tempted to go deep into her closet and guzzle the vodka she keeps for a real emergency.