Conflicted
About The Book
In Conflicted, author Demitra Bell introduces readers to Katie Thatcher, a junior in high school who openly calls herself a “hot mess.” Under this thoughtful cover, Katie lives a chaotic life with an estranged father and a mother with secrets to keep. Katie guides her typical days with school, friends, and her favorite TV shows. However, an upcoming change will reveal more prominent leads in her otherwise boring existence.
The story becomes dramatic when Katie wakes up to find her mother’s room on fire. This is not an accident but a symbolic act of burning as family pictures are destroyed by fire, fueled by the mother’s pain and a strong desire to eliminate painful memories. This dramatic scene uncovers the inner conflict defining Katie’s life and pushes her into action to face long-repressed family secrets. Katie’s response to her mother’s desperate request to forget highlights her adamant resolve to discover the truth, emphasizing the battle between want and denial.
For comfort and insight, Katie reaches out to Grayson, her friend and closet crush. Their in-depth, meaningful conversations offer Katie the emotional comfort and fresh outlook she needs to understand her painful home life. This opens the door for a possible romantic association that makes her journey more layered. Grayson’s character reminds us of the powerful bonds we form when we need them most, and she encourages Katie to stand up to the darkness of her past and discover who she truly is.
Eventually, the book combines self-discovery, family secrets, and supernatural disclosures in a rich exchange that reads well with book lovers. The novel excellently blends the sophistication of adolescence with hints of mystery and the paranormal and creates an active narrative that can hold and please a varied spectrum of readers. Katie Thatcher presents herself as an accessible and sturdy heroine, and her uncompromising search for truth holds in store an emotional and stimulating ride to follow.
