Rennai's Reviews > Blood Moon

Frankie and Harriet have been best friends since they were little. They have always been there for each, until... Harriet sends what Frankie thinks is an inappropriate Photo to their teacher and it 'leaks" out via social media and Frankie has little sympathy for Harriet's plight as she feels it was "sluttish" behaviour. When Frankie has her first sexual experience and gets her period during it and somehow the whole incident "leaks" onto the internet and goes viral, Harriet not only seems unconcerned but complicit. Life is hell for Frankie as she tries to navigate her way through the hot mess without the support of her bestie.
The book deals with many issues including the double standards that exist for our boys compared to girls in terms of sexual behaviour. It also demonstrates the power of the internet/social media to destroy reputations and ruin lives.
Although a lot of the story is bleak it does finish with the girls taking back some power and making the best of a horrible situation. Most of the characters are flawed (which is reality) but the jury is still out for me as to whether Harriet rang completely true.
The book is pretty confronting and will not be for everyone (some of the content means we have age restricted it in our secondary school library) - it made me cringe in places (teenagers' comfort with what I consider expressions of crudity still shocks me at times)... so that probably means teens will really like it!!