A quirky and heartfelt coming-of-age story about a teen girl with bipolar II who signs her failed magician father up to perform his legendary but failed illusion on live TV in order to make enough money to pay for the medications they need—from the author of Symptoms of Being Human. Perfect for fans of Adi Alsaid, David Arnold, and Arvin Ahmadi.
Sixteen-year-old Ellie Dante is desperate for something in her life to finally go right. Her father was a famous stage magician until he attempted an epic illusion on live TV—and failed. Now Ellie lives with her dad in a beat-up RV, attending high school online and performing with him at birthday parties and bars across the Midwest to make ends meet.
But when the gigs dry up, their insurance lapses, leaving Dad’s heart condition unchecked and forcing Ellie to battle her bipolar II disorder without medication.
Then Ellie receives a call from a famous magic duo, who offer fifteen thousand dollars and a shot at redemption: they want her father to perform the illusion that wrecked his career—on their live TV special, which shoots in Los Angeles in ten days.
Ellie knows her dad will refuse—but she takes the deal anyway, then lies to persuade him to head west. With the help of her online-only best friend and an unusual guy she teams up with along the way, Ellie makes a plan to stage his comeback. But when her lie is exposed, she’ll have to confront her illness and her choices head-on to save her father—and herself.
With ten days to get to LA and her plan unraveling, can one girl’s desperate gamble give them the second chance they both so desperately need?
- Mental Health Representation: A powerful and authentic story of a teen girl, Ellie Dante, battling her bipolar II disorder while fighting for her family’s survival.
- Coming-of-Age on the Road: Forced to live in a beat-up RV, Ellie must navigate poverty, high school, and her own complicated choices in a journey that will change her forever.
- A Sweet YA Romance: An unexpected team-up with a charming but complicated guy from her past adds new sparks—and new risks—to Ellie’s desperate cross-country plan.
- High-Stakes Magic: Can Ellie convince her father to perform the one illusion that ruined his career on live TV without her own lie being exposed?
