Tease

1. What is your first impression of Sara? How does that opinion change in chapter two, the first flashback chapter?

3. When Sara argues with her father, she retorts, “Maybe I am a child, Dad” (p. 274). Why is it important to remember that she is still just a teenager?

5. How does Sara’s relationship with her mother and brothers compare to Brielle’s relationship with her own family? What about Sara’s relationship with her father, or lack thereof?

7. After their dinner date, Sara opens up to Carmichael about the entire case. Why is this scene important? What does Sara realize?

8. In court, Sara notes that she and Brielle are “both here to admit that we’ve lost. We give up” (p. 304). Why does she view the plea bargain as giving up? Do you agree? Does her opinion change by the end of the novel?

9. Amanda Maciel notes that while the characters and events in Tease are fictional, they were heavily influenced by true stories. What instances of bullying have you encountered? Why is it important to talk about this issue?

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

In this powerful debut novel inspired by real-life events, Amanda Maciel weaves a narrative of high school life as complex and heartbreaking as it is familiar: a story of everyday jealousies and resentments, misunderstandings and desires. Tease is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt readers long after the last page.