BoTW: North of Beautiful

In Justina Headley's North of Beautiful, the book's main character Terra is a pretty, artistic, and intellectual young woman with a socially crippling birthmark covering one side of her face. Terra describes herself at the very start of the novel, saying "Not to brag or anything, but if you saw me from behind, you'd probably think I was perfect. I'm tall, but not too tall, with a ballerina's long legs and longish neck. My hair is naturally platinum blond, the kind that curls when I want it to and cascades behind my back in one sleek line when I don't."

On the other hand, Terra goes on to say, "Please don't get me wrong; I've got all the requisite parts -- and in all the right numbers, too: one nose, two eyes, and twenty-four teeth that add up to not a bad smile. But who notices pearly whites when a red-stained birthmark stretches across the broad plain of my right cheek?"

To make matters worse, Terra's father is a controlling, verbally abusive figure in her life. At the start of the book, Terra's sense of self-worth is at it's lowest ebb.

When Terra and her mother get into a car accident, Terra meets Jacob, an Asian teenager born with a cleft palette. They quickly become good friends and through Jacob, Terra better deals with her birthmark and learn her own worth beyond physical appearance.

North of Beautiful is a 2010 Lonestar book.