Sold by Patricia McCormick

I finally got around to reading this quick young adult novel. Finally! I knew it would be a good one. McCormick's Cut is a stunning book about a girl who cuts herself. In Sold, McCormick tackles the world tragedy of child sex slaves. Now, don't get all freaked out about it being about sex. It's not. But it deals with the subject appropriately and accurately. In fact, the author traveled to India and Nepal to find out more about the situation. It's despicable. Children are sold by adults, sometimes even their parents, into horrible situations. In this novel, Lakshmi's step-father is an idiot--a gambler and a drunk, and her mother is thankful to have him. He sells Lakshmi to an "Auntie" and Lakshmi believes that she is going into the city to work as a maid. But she doesn't. Instead, she is forced to lose her virginity. At age 13. Of course, this goes against everything she has been taught. She is honorable and engaged to a young boy from her village. She wants to send money home from the city so that her family can have a tin roof. A tin roof! Thankfully, Americans intervene and she is rescued from her scary life and career at the ripe old age of 14. We know she still has hope, but we're not sure what life she will have. Her reputation is ruined and she has left her homeland. But she's out of Mumtaz's house. And that's a start.