The Misdirection of Fault Lines
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Description
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants goes to the French Open in an emotionally honest and openhearted novel for fans of Yamile Saied Méndez and Mary HK Choi.
Three teen girls compete at an elite tennis tournament for a shot at their dreams—if only they knew what their dreams were.
Alice is on her own for the first time. She has no coach. No friends. Not even clothes that meet the Bastille Invitational’s strict dress code. There’s only the steady drumbeat of guilt inside—pressure to make the tournament’s costly expense “worth it” in the wake of Ba’s unexpected passing. But will a win on court justify the price she paid to get here?
Violetta is Bastille’s darling: social media influencer, coach’s pet, and daughter of a former tennis star who fell from grace. Bastille is her chance to reclaim the future her mother gave up to raise her. But is that what she wants for herself?
Leylah hasn’t competed in two years, thanks to a back-stabbing ex-friend. Bastille is her last chance to prove she’s ready for a life of professional tennis. But will her fixation on past wrongs keep her from reclaiming her rightful place at the top?
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One week at the elite Bastille Invitational tennis tournament will decide their futures. If only the competition between them stayed on the court.
The Misdirection of Fault Lines is an incisive coming-of-age story, infused with wit and wisdom, about three Asian American teen girls trying to find their ways forward, backward, and in some cases, back to each other again. Anna Gracia, acclaimed author of Boys I Know, delivers with a refreshingly true-to-life teen voice that perfectly captures the messiness of adolescence and the pressures of expectation.
Praise for The Misdirection of Fault Lines
★ "Gracia engages readers from the start with well-developed characters whose motivations and secrets are carefully revealed over the course of the tournament. Chapters alternate between Alice’s, Violetta’s, and Leylah’s perspectives and examine trauma, addiction, class, and representation through the passion—and desperation—of elite athletes. Compelling and memorable."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Readers who enjoyed the heartfelt handling of emotions in Leah Johnson’s Rise to the Sun (2021) and Crystal Maldonado’s No Filter and Other Lies (2022) will find an ace here."—Booklist
"Via the trio’s alternating first-person POVs, Gracia—a former D1 collegiate player—imbues the narrative with insider knowledge and traces the competition as the girls move through their draws and navigate romance, racism, and friendship."—Publisher’s Weekly
"Give this to sports-hungry readers, but also to fans of the 2000 film Center Stage, who like their heroines vulnerable, strong-willed, and ambitious."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"The Misdirection of Fault Lines is an insightful and laugh-out-loud funny portrayal of the highs and lows of competitive tennis. By the end, you’ll be rooting for Violetta, Leylah and Alice as if they were your own friends." —Jas Hammonds, award-winning author of We Deserve Monuments
"Anna Gracia breathes true life into her characters. These girls are so real and so unique, you'll want to cheer for all three of them—even when they're against each other."—A.L. Graziadei, Printz Honor author of Icebreaker
"I fell in love with Alice, Violetta, and Leyla, three exquisitely flawed and deeply wounded characters who manage to find hope and connection, both in each other and in themselves. They will stay with you long after the last page of this complex, layered, and compulsively readable story." —Misa Sugiura, author of This Time Will Be Different and Love & Other Natural Disasters
"Superbly wise and compelling, The Misdirection of Fault Lines deftly volleys through identity, friendships, trauma, and love with a tender, expert touch. Anna Gracia’s voicey characters and relatable storytelling will leave readers breathless." —Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You
"Authentic and sharp, The Misdirection of Fault Lines perfectly balances three unique teen voices in their universally relatable insecurities and hopes. The story is nuanced, startlingly poignant, and a completely brilliant read. I fell in love with all three girls and never wanted the tournament to end. This is YA contemporary at its best." —XiXi Tian, author of This Place is Still Beautiful
"The Misdirection of Fault Lines is a messy, honest story of sisterhood and elite sports, with three main characters who are funny, relatable, and beautifully developed. Anna Gracia is one of the most important and authentic voices writing for teens today." —Erik J. Brown, USA Today bestselling author of Lose You to Find Me
"There’s something remarkable about enemies who find common ground and become friends—all during a week-long tennis tournament. I don't know how Gracia juggled three POVs so deftly, but Alice, Violetta, and Leylah will make you feel all the feels as you watch them forge the unlikeliest and tearjerkeriest of bonds." —Naz Kutub, author of The Loophole and No Time Like Now
What BookTok/ Bookstagram is saying about The Misdirection of Fault Lines!
"The Misdirection of Fault Lines is a fast-paced YA novel about three Asian American competitors from different backgrounds working through various struggles during an elite tennis competition. It'll simultaneously make you want to jump on the court while also calling to check on your best friend." —@bookshelf.e
"A beautiful, sassy coming-of-age drama where three Asian tennis players must learn how to be true to themselves despite a variety of pressures on and off the court. The Misdirection of Fault Lines is bingeable story that makes your heart ache to hug the main characters." —@literaryhypewoman
