The narrator, Iva, shares her life story, starting with her childhood as a lonely but spoiled only child of wealthy parents in Canada. Her father's business trips became more frequent, and she found comfort in books. When Iva discovered a diamond necklace and a card from her father, she realized he was having an affair. This led to her parents' divorce, and her father left. Iva was heartbroken and struggled to fit in at school due to her exceptional height (6'2"). She was constantly bullied and felt like an outcast.
However, everything changed when she met Melissa, a popular cheerleader, in high school. Melissa befriended Iva and introduced her to her friends, including the basketball team captain, Darren. Iva started dating Darren, but their relationship ended when Iva discovered that Melissa had stolen her story and submitted it to a writing competition, winning first prize. In a confrontation, Melissa revealed that Iva's father had abandoned her and her mother, and she sought revenge by stealing Iva's story.
Iva eventually forgave Melissa and moved on. She attended college, became an editor, and met her future husband, Omar, who accepted her for who she was, including her height. They got married, and Iva published two best-selling novels. She now has three children and hopes they will develop a love for reading like she did.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator's name is Iva, and she lives in Canada.
2. Iva's parents were rich and had been trying to have a child for 10 years before she was born.
3. Iva's name means "a gift from God" in Arabic.
4. Iva was an only child, and her parents were her best friends.
5. Iva's parents spoiled her, and she had no aunts, uncles, or cousins.
6. When Iva was 4, her father bought her a Barbie doll after she wanted it, even though it was not available in stores.
7. Iva's parents threw her a big birthday party when she was 5, but it was a disaster.
8. Iva was homeschooled because she begged her parents not to send her to school after a traumatic experience.
9. Iva learned to read stories in English, French, and Arabic.
10. When Iva was 10, she discovered a secret about her father that changed everything.
11. Iva's father left her and her mother, and she never saw him again.
12. Iva started attending school when she was 11 and was bullied because of her height.
13. Iva was 5 feet 8 inches tall when she was 11, which was unusual for her age.
14. Iva had a growth spurt and was 6 feet 2 inches tall by the time she was in 8th grade.
15. Iva was bullied and excluded because of her height.
16. Iva met a girl named Melissa who became her friend and introduced her to her friends.
17. Iva started dating a boy named Darren, who was the captain of the basketball team.
18. Iva submitted a story to a nationwide writing competition, but Melissa stole it and presented it as her own.
19. Iva confronted Melissa and Darren, and they got into a fight.
20. Iva discovered that Melissa was her half-sister and that their father had another family.
21. Iva's mother tried to set her up with men to find a husband, but Iva refused.
22. Iva met a man named Omar, and they got married after a few months of dating.
23. Omar proposed to Iva, and she accepted.
24. Iva and Omar got married, and he refused to stand on a stool for their wedding photos.
25. Iva published two best-selling novels and has three children with Omar.