Thirteen-year-old Nettie LuAnne Gaines feels cursed. Being named after her great-grandmother with a name she despises, she's teased by the kids at school. Her nonexistent chest and slim hips leave her looking a bit boyish, even though she's not athletic. If that weren't enough, the love of her life, Andrew Wyatt, is dating her number one enemy, Drew Summers, the most popular and evil girl in her school.
Nettie wonders why so many bad things happen to her. Three years earlier, her older brother died in a car accident, and then her parents got divorced. For a thirteen-year-old, she's already seen a lot of change. When her mother starts dating her eighth-grade teacher, she thinks life can't get any worse. But life for Nettie does get worse, much worse, as her sworn enemy takes evil to a new level.
But with a little luck and some help from unexpected friends, Nettie rediscovers an interest that she thought had died with her brother. Through standing up for herself and utilizing her own natural talents, Nettie learns that being herself just might not be so bad after all.