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Nora Shalaway Carpenter
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Fault Lines Kindle Edition

by Nora Shalaway Carpenter (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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Riveting, powerful, and a little bit magical, Fault Lines offers readers a slow-burn romance alongside an unflinching examination of socio-economics, gender expectations, and environmental ethics.

Gold Winner of the 2024 Nautilus Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction

Ever since her aunt died four months ago, seventeen-year-old Vivian (Viv) Spry is aching to figure out where she belongs. Her father has become emotionally distant and even her best friend has found a new sense of identity in her theater group. Unfortunately, nobody in her rural West Virginia town has time for an assertive, angry girl, especially a girl dubbed “Ice Queen” for refusing to sleep with her popular boyfriend. On top of everything, she discovers a strange ability to sense energy that really freaks her out. The only place Viv feels like it’s safe to be her true self is the tree stand where her aunt taught her to hunt. It's the one place she still feels connected to the person who knew her best. So when fracking destroys the stand and almost kills her, Viv vows to find a way to take the gas company down.

When Dex Mathews comes to town—a new kid whose mom lands a job laying pipeline—his and Viv's worlds collide and a friendship (and maybe more?) slowly blossoms. But Viv’s plan to sabotage the pipeline company could result in Dex’s mom losing her job, putting them on the streets. Now Viv and Dex have to decide what’s worth fighting for—their families, their principles, or each other.
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  1. Print length
    385 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Running Press Kids
  5. Publication date
    September 12, 2023
  6. Grade level
    8 and up
  7. File size
    1747 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"I read Fault Lines in one sitting; it’s just that good. Riveting and real, including the magic. I only wish I’d written it myself."―Han Nolan, National Book Award winning author of Dancing on the Edge

"A powerful and timely story that deftly navigates the complex interplay between poverty and environmentalism. I fell in love with the land as much as I did the characters."―Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of the Loveboat, Taipei series

“A love letter to the natural world, this story shows how dismantling beliefs calls for fight and fury, but also empathy and heart. Tough yet intuitive Viv shines as a complicated protagonist, and her connection with earnest Dex brims with hope—until they discover the devastating ways they are at odds. Honest in its exploration of the deep-rooted challenges of one rural community, Fault Lines is a masterpiece as breathtaking as our West Virginian forests. Empowering and sublime.”―Anuradha D. Rajurkar, author of American Betiya, a 2022 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection

"Fault Lines is a lyrically rendered and stirring story of coming of age with the natural world and falling in love. Carpenter writes the people and region of Appalachia with unfailing grace and dignity. Her love for both makes every sentence gleam." 

―Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of IN THE WILD LIGHT and THE SERPENT KING

"Nora Shalaway Carpenter writes about Appalachia with clear eyes and a compassionate heart. . . . This timely story is certain to grab readers who will–like me–eagerly flip the pages to learn how these engaging and determined characters will bridge the metaphorical sinkhole that divides them."―Laura Sibson, author of EDDIE IN BETWEEN and THE ART OF BREAKING THINGS

"With an authentic lens and compelling prose, Fault Lines takes readers deep into rural America, where Carpenter navigates divisive topics with grace. Readers will appreciate the precise pacing, relatable characters, and abundance of empathy that Fault Lines has to offer. I absolutely loved this heartfelt novel."―Kyrie McCauley, award-winning author of If These Wings Could Fly and We Can Be Heroes

“Viv's moral compass cracks her heart wide open. This immersive story of love, land, and identity will shake the ground and make you experience the world in a whole new way. In a time of social and political polarity, Fault Lines urges us to look deeply at what we're willing to put on the line for one another. Absolutely riveting. A social- and environmentally minded book for our present and future.”―Gloria Muñoz, award-winning author of Danzirly

"With clean prose and clear purpose, Fault Lines explores the interlocking economic, social, and environmental issues confronting, not just teens, but all of us trying to navigate the modern world. Carpenter respects both the issues and her readers too much to offer pat answers. Instead, through the compelling match up of Viv and Dex we’re drawn into a complexity that can only be resolved with deep empathy and the magic of discovering the threads that bind us to both the Earth and to each other. Bold, brave, and surprisingly emotional, you’ll root for not only Viv and Dex, but for the trees and the forest itself."―Maia Toll, bestselling author of the Wild Wisdom series

"Confronting head-on the environmental ravages of fracking with a love story takes hutzpah of a kind I can only admire. I also believe it’s a story can make a difference to the complex issue of environment versus jobs to which this novel gives such nuanced attention. Make no mistake this is no ordinary love story but one told with rare and remarkable restraint and subtlety. I was happily reminded throughout of the masterful storytelling found in an earlier generation of Appalachian authors like George Ella Lyon and Cynthia Rylant. Add that the story is a page-turner with carefully drawn, compellingly believable characters makes me more than eager to see what this gifted young novelist will bring us next. Highly recommended."―Marc Harshman, Poet Laureate of West Virginia

"An engaging novel that will keep readers thinking."―Kirkus Reviews

“Drawing from personal experience living in West Virginia, Carpenter cleverly braids the emotional, intellectual, and practical issues around pipelines and fracking… At the same time, the novel traces Dex and Viv’s tender romance as the pair find comfort in each other despite their very different personalities and circumstances. Hand to fans of activism fiction."―Booklist

"Some stories are like foxfire—unexpected magic, rooted in place, that lights the way. Fault Lines is one of those stories."―Cinda Williams Chima, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Heir Chronicles

About the Author

Nora Shalaway Carpenter's young adult novels and anthologies have been named "Best of the Year" by NPR, Kirkus Reviews, Bank Street Books, and A Mighty Girl, and have won accolades including the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, the Whippoorwill Award for authentic rural fiction, and the Nautilus Award championing "better books for a better world." She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and serves as faculty for the Highlights Foundation's Whole Novel Workshop and Intro to Short Fiction class.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BRJ5Z4B6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Kids (September 12, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1747 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Nora Shalaway Carpenter

Nora Shalaway Carpenter

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Nora Shalaway Carpenter is the contributing editor of the critically acclaimed YA short story anthology Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions About Small-Town America, which was named an NPR Best Book of the Year, A YALSA Best Fiction YA selection, a TAYSHAS list selection, and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, among numerous other honors. Her debut YA novel The Edge of Anything was named a Bank Street Best Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best book, and A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year. Her next anthology, Ab(solutely) Normal, is forthcoming from Candlewick and her next novel, Fault Lines, is forthcoming from Running Press Teen. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Connect with her at noracarpenterwrites.com or on Instagram @noracarpenterwrites.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
24 global ratings
Crafted With Love
5 out of 5 stars
Crafted With Love
I finished Fault Lines last night, and oh my god! It was a beautiful tribute to the author’s hometown, and at the the same time heartbreaking when I think about what’s being done. The characters had me hooked, and I loved the tension between the two main characters, Dex and Viv, and how it was carried through their journey. Fault Lines was crafted with love, intention, and purpose bigger than itself. I will be reading again.
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Top reviews from the United States

Marianne Texeira
5.0 out of 5 stars Crafted With Love
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
I finished Fault Lines last night, and oh my god! It was a beautiful tribute to the author’s hometown, and at the the same time heartbreaking when I think about what’s being done. The characters had me hooked, and I loved the tension between the two main characters, Dex and Viv, and how it was carried through their journey. Fault Lines was crafted with love, intention, and purpose bigger than itself. I will be reading again.
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Marianne Texeira
5.0 out of 5 stars Crafted With Love
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2023
I finished Fault Lines last night, and oh my god! It was a beautiful tribute to the author’s hometown, and at the the same time heartbreaking when I think about what’s being done. The characters had me hooked, and I loved the tension between the two main characters, Dex and Viv, and how it was carried through their journey. Fault Lines was crafted with love, intention, and purpose bigger than itself. I will be reading again.
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EmeraldMagick
4.0 out of 5 stars Love this author 😍
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
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From authors note:

"I will say this: life is messy and beautiful, sometimes triumphant and at other moments so full of pain and inequity that it can feel difficult to breathe. But there is magic here, too, slipped in among the ordinary, and often not in any of the ways we might expect.

We are allowed to care about many things simultaneously, and to fight fiercely for them, even if they, at first glance, seem utterly at odds with one another and maybe even the people we love. "

Another wonderful story from the author :)

She's another one I always recommend because her writing just has a wonderful quality to it (up there with Susanna Kearsley, Kate Morton, Jenni l Walsh, and Patti Callahan Henry) and she writes people so well too.

I thought all issues/plot points were balanced perfectly and nothing was shoved down the readers throat. You can see both how Viv feels about tracking and why and also how Dex doesn't like it but he's glad it gave his mom and others who need it jobs.

Loved the angle of Viv's abilities. I thought many she was one thing than maybe another. It's not specific that way.. you can draw your own conclusions.
It felt natural and not hokey.

That feeling of being outside near the water and trees...it's just a peaceful and freeing feeling. You feel connected to it all, and maybe get a feeling how some of your ancestors may have felt too.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful novel too :)
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Rachel M
5.0 out of 5 stars Magic, Romance, and Mountains: Oh my!
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2023
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Fault Lines by Nora Shalaway Carpenter is an absolutely stunning book about the complicated environmental issues facing both the mountains of West Virginia and the people who live there. The chapters alternate between Dex, a newcomer to a small mountain town, and Viv, a lifetime resident absolutely devoted to preserving her homestead and the trees of her forests. I absolutely loved watching their relationship bloom, and I really connected to both characters: I felt as if I knew them both personally by the end of the book, and I hated saying goodbye to them. The book is beautifully written, capturing the beauty, power, and mystery of the Appalachian Mountains. Highly recommend for middle grades and YA readers.
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Elizabeth Ancharski
5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters, great story, great message
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2023
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I loved this book! I fell in love with Viv & Dex and West Virginia. It’s a great book for young adults because it’s full of nuance and encourages understanding different points of view. Great read!
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Dorothy Pensky
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect pitch for the joys and sorrows of rural life
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2023
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I’m from a small town in Western Pennsylvania and felt Nora’s descriptions are true and her story about fracking is timely
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Mary Beth Adams
4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Ecological Message
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
This is a powerful book about the passion of one teenager for the environment and how fracking and oil pipelines have changed the landscape of rural Appalachia.

Viv lives with her father in rural West Virginia. Her mother passed away 10 years ago. Her aunt Elle, who moved in with them after her death, just died as well, and Viv is gutted. To feel close to her, she sits in the tree stand her parents built years ago, where she and Elle would hunt.

Suddenly, her dog starts whining, and she runs away from the tree, just before the tree collapses into a sinkhole. Viv is convinced that the nearby fracking caused the sinkhole, but her dad doesn't want to hear it. He is planning to sell property to one of the trucking companies that works with the mining company for an access road. He wants to use the money to pay for Viv's college.

Dex just moved to town with his mom, who got a good job with the pipeline. Before this job, they were practically homeless. His dad is addicted to opioids and isn't a big part of his life anymore, other than his words, telling Dex to be strong, be a man, don't show weakness.

Viv and Dex meet, and despite their differences, they realize that they like each other. If it weren't for the fact that Viv initially befriended him to learn more about the fracking company. And Dex was honest about his poverty. And Viv told him the truth about how she could feel energy from the trees...

This is both a book about young adult activism and young love, about the environment and about family dynamics, about friendship and sexuality. It occasionally is too preachy, but the message is a good one - no issue is completely black and white, and we need to learn to listen to one another about the complexities of hot button issues.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.
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E. P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Dealing with opposing viewpoints
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023
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Beautifully written. I loved that this book dealt with opposing viewpoints and attempting to resolve conflict. In today’s world this skill is essential as arguments become more and more polarised. A great read for teenagers.
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Carpe
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read YA Novel!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2023
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Beautifully written YA novel with slow burn romance dealing with fracking in WV.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sarah C
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story, eye-opening and touching. 💚
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2023
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I loved the way this book made me consider both sides of a difficult situation many families find themselves in. The author describes West Virgina at its most beautiful. The spark development between the main characters is sweet and fun to read. I'd recommend this for both YA and Adult fiction lovers. 10/10
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Sarah C
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story, eye-opening and touching. 💚
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2023
I loved the way this book made me consider both sides of a difficult situation many families find themselves in. The author describes West Virgina at its most beautiful. The spark development between the main characters is sweet and fun to read. I'd recommend this for both YA and Adult fiction lovers. 10/10
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