by Rae Carson
First published 2015
Lee Westfall possesses an extraordinary ability that runs through her very being. Gold calls to her from deep veins in the earth, from stream beds, even from dust beneath fingernails. This gift has kept her family fed through brutal winters, but it also makes her a target. Lee has everything she treasures: a devoted family, a home that shelters her, a faithful horse, and a best friend whose feelings may run deeper than friendship. She also carries a secret that could get her killed. When someone discovers what she can do, they might murder to possess such power. Everything Lee loves gets torn away from her in a single devastating blow. She runs west toward California, where gold discovery has sparked a massive rush. Maybe among the prospectors and dreamers, a girl with magical abilities can finally belong. But first she must survive the dangerous journey across an unforgiving continent. Lee's supernatural connection to gold becomes both her salvation and her curse as she navigates a world where her gift could mean fortune or death.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: California
Period: 19th-century
436 pages · Hardcover · Greenwillow Books
Content warnings: violence