A teenage girl deals with insecurities, a stressful family life, tension with friends, and being on the cross-country team, in And Other Mistakes—a debut Young Adult coming-of-age novel by Erika Turner about accepting one’s self

Aaliyah's home life has never been great, but she thought she'd survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom in tact. But then, junior year struck: she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone — including Aaliyah.

Now, senior year is about to start and she is determined to come back faster and wiser. No more letting other people define her. No more losing herself to their expectations.

Except... well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don't trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what's with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She'll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone—and most of all, herself—that she's more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can't outrun everything.

POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS

Discrimination: Sexuality , Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Alcohol Abuse , Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Underage Use , Language: Strong Language , Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes , Violence: Child Abuse , Violence: Domestic/Physical Abuse , Violence: Suicide Reference/Discussion