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The only sort of risk 18-year-old Laila Piedra enjoys is the peril she writes for the characters in her stories: epic sci-fi worlds full of quests, forbidden love, and robots. Her creative writing teacher has always told her she has a special talent. But three months before her graduation, he's suddenly replaced--by Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who is sadistically critical and perpetually unimpressed. At first, Nazarenko's eccentric assignments seem absurd. But before long, Laila grows obsessed with gaining the woman's approval. Soon Laila is hiking through the Catskills during a thunderstorm in March and discovering the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, temporary flings, and instability. Dr. Nazarenko has led Laila to believe that she must choose between perfection and sanity--but rejecting her all-powerful mentor may be the only way for Laila to thrive.



About the Author

Riley Redgate

Riley Redgate is the author of SEVEN WAYS WE LIE, FINAL DRAFT, and NOTEWORTHY, which was named a best teen book of 2017 by Kirkus, the NYPL, and Riley's mother.



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