In the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico, being born a girl is a dangerous thing. With a drug war raging, it is a common practice to disguise girls as boys to avoid being stolen, and when this fails, to disfigure and make them ugly so that they avoid the grasp of the cartels. Ladydi Garcia Martinez, a young girl, lives with her mother here. When the black SUVs roll into their town, Ladydi and her friends hide and burrow into holes in the ground to be safe for another day. Eventually, Ladydi is offered a break from her dangerous surroundings in the form of a rich family requesting a housekeeper in Acapulco. There, she finds short-lived love and solace. But soon, a murder committed by a friend takes her future for a dark turn. This book has themes of determination, friendship and family.