Sofia Quintero weaves a story of a teen battling every day temptations all the while keeping it real. Although some of the wording is in Spanish or slang, it is easy to understand and really adds to the realism of the story. Efrain is a senior honors student, hell-bent on getting out of the South Bronx and attending college. But not just any college, an Ivy League school like Harvard. Each chapter starts with a vocabulary word that our young hero needs to know in order to get a better score on his SAT's; even though, his 1650 beats the current record at his high school. But Efrain has a secret, more than one. Tired of doing things the right way and getting screwed, he soon finds himself caught up in a world that he never thought possible. But can it all be forgiven if it's for the right reasons? Does that make it all ok? Wht is "Efrain's Secret?"