Sometimes the Girl: Chapters 1–8

by Jennifer Mason-Black
Teenager Holiday Burton, who is struggling with big, traumatic issues in her life, takes a job with the elderly author Elsie McAllister. The secrets she uncovers in Elsie's attic will change her life.

Here are links to our lists for the book:

Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–16, Chapters 17–24, Chapters 25–33, Chapters 34–Epilogue.
15 words 11 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. congenital
    present at birth but not necessarily hereditary
    Not every congenital heart condition is significant enough to cause lifelong issues.
  2. canon
    a set group of works thought to be representative of a field
    Maybe, being a Product of Her Time, she honestly does believe women writers are a bad idea. Aside from her and her single brilliant book and her guaranteed place in the American literary canon, of course.
  3. pheromone
    a chemical that influences physiology or behavior in animals
    If pheromones are the basis of attraction, hers draw me in like one Luna moth entices another.
  4. patriarchy
    a form of social organization in which men hold power
    “So, maybe you’ll win her over and her last words will be ‘Down with the patriarchy!’
  5. tangible
    perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch
    My problem isn’t the gay thing, or the appearance thing—it’s much less tangible and rides in on a thousand inbred social cues that separate the wheat from the chaff.
  6. labyrinth
    complex system of paths in which it is easy to get lost
    At Hampshire, Martín teaches poetry and postcolonial writing, while at home he writes at a desk tucked within a labyrinth of bookshelves.
  7. microcosm
    a miniature model of something
    “What is kept. What is hidden. What is valued. A microcosm of a civilization to be unearthed.”
  8. superficial
    of little substance or significance
    I lean away from his hugs, keep conversations superficial.
  9. aspiring
    desiring or striving for recognition or advancement
    “For an aspiring writer, you do not choose your words, or your diction, with care.”
  10. angst
    an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety
    That’s enough morning angst.
  11. desiccated
    thoroughly dried out
    “It’s so dry up there that any spill would dry up instantly. Just like my desiccated corpse if I have nothing to drink.”
  12. rudimentary
    being in the earliest stages of development
    I find your writing, while possessing some rudimentary grace and verve, to be utterly without redeeming quality when it comes to subject matter.
  13. verve
    an energetic style
    I find your writing, while possessing some rudimentary grace and verve, to be utterly without redeeming quality when it comes to subject matter.
  14. namedrop
    mention rich or famous people to try to impress others
    “Not for long,” I say quickly, in case he tries to namedrop.
  15. subversive
    in opposition to an established system or government
    Her mother, Juliet, writes scholarly tomes and teaches subversive feminist texts to her students while also maintaining a thriving career as a romance author; her father is a librarian who quit to become a homeschool dad.
Created on Tue Mar 31 05:07:24 EDT 2026 (updated Mon May 04 19:14:26 EDT 2026)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.