Publisher's Synopsis
A Wanderer girl is torn between tradition and desire in this contemporary magical realism story of star-crossed love and fate. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Nova Ren Suma.
"I believe in possibility. Of magic, of omens, of compasses, of love. Some of it's a little bit true."
Sixteen-year-old Tal is a Wanderer--a grifter whose life is built around the sound of wheels on the road, the customs of her camp, and the artful scams that keep her fed. With her brother Wen by her side, it's the only life she's ever known. It's the only one she's ever needed.
Then in a sleepy Southern town, the queen of cons picks the wrong mark when she meets Spencer Sway--the clean-cut socially secure boy who ends up hustling her instead of the other way around. For the first time, she sees a reason to stay. As her obligations to the camp begin to feel like a prison sentence, the pull to leave tradition behind has never been so strong.
But the Wanderers live by signs, and all the signs all say that Tal and Spencer will end only in heartache and disaster. Is a chance at freedom worth almost certain destruction?
Praise forWandering Wild:
"A moving portrayal of young love, family, and hope, a combination that steals your heart on every page." --John Corey Whaley, Printz and Morris Award Winner forWhere Things Come Backand National Book Award Finalist forNoggin
"Wandering Wild is a beautiful, tempestuous read, filled with struggle and discovery. Descriptions of the open road, and of the thrill of striking off to someplace new will make you want to wander, even as you come to see that even the freest person can still be trapped. By the end, you'll embrace your own wild impulses." --Kendare Blake, author ofAnna Dressed in BloodandAntigoddess
"Jessica Taylor's prose is exquisite, her characters authentic, and her plot imaginative. Tal is brave, flawed, and clever--a YA heroine who won't soon be forgotten!" --Julie Murphy, author ofSide Effects May Vary
"Full of thieves and vagabonds, authentic romance, and a hint of magical realism,Wandering Wildis as compelling as the call of the open road."--Katherine Longshore, author ofGilt
