"Forgive Me Not", by Jennifer Baker, was one of those rare novels that really made the reader think about the state of our juvenile justice system. In my opinion, this would be a great read for middle school and high school students alike. As a teacher, I feel that this novel would make a great in-class assignment, or a book club read. Even though this story is fictional, it makes the reader think, "What would happen, if the fate of the juvenile offender was in the hands of the victim?" Ms. Baker did an outstanding job of delving into this question. She also did a tremendous job of describing the lives and feelings of the main characters. Their lives were developed in a realistic way that made me believe that this could possibly happen in the real world. Even though the main character, Violetta, her brother Vin, their family and friends all have their challenges, there is something to like and dislike about all of them. Very complex and at times an intense read, but well worth it. I highly recommend this novel to YA and adult readers alike!