The Fall of Grace

All that 16-year-old Grace Pierce can think about is the photo of her mother, Janelle, that she plans to submit to a national photography contest. But Grace’s golden life is shattered when her mother is accused of stealing millions from the Family Fund, a hedge fund that she managed. When Janelle is confronted with the charges, she has a stroke and falls into a coma. Grace insists that her mother is innocent, but members of the community, many of whom invested in the Family Fund, think otherwise, and Grace is a convenient target for their ire. Hoping for solace, Grace leaves Phoenix for the mountains of Colorado, but to her chagrin, her brooding classmate, Sam Rivers, whose family lost everything to the scheme, comes along for the ride. On a mountain trail, Grace and Sam must rely on each other to survive, and Grace is forced to confront the question of whether she ever really knew her mother at all. Dominy (Die for You) writes with raw emotion, exploring the impact of revealed family secrets through the lens of a daughter’s fierce love. Although there are no easy answers, Grace’s growing self-acceptance allows the story to end on a hopeful note. Ages 12–up. Agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)