Esperanza Bennett, a resourceful fifteen-year-old with an attitude problem, has no choice when her parents decide to move from San Francisco to Mercuria, a wealthy California suburb with the best schools in the state. Her parents can’t afford it and she knows she won't fit in, but the family needs a fresh start. Soon, Esperanza learns fitting in is the least of her worries. The first friend she meets, Cassandra, seems to be able to read minds and Arden, the troubled heir to the town’s mining fortune and a boy Esperanza can't stop thinking about, is either a bully she should run from or a savior with a secret. Once Esperanza uncovers the dark history of Mercuria, she races to save the lives of her family and new friends even if her heroic plans might have terrible consequences for her own future.
Born in San Francisco, Rayme Waters grew up in Northern California and the city of Linköping, Sweden. Nominated for a Pushcart Prize and a Dzanc Best of the Web Award, Rayme lives with her family in Palo Alto, California.