Bladestay

Be Careful Who You Root For

When a violent, decades-long feud between two powerful men comes to a head in the small settlement of Bladestay, Colorado, cunning resident Theo Creed must use her wits to stay alive. Disguising herself as a young boy, seventeen-year-old Theo bluffs her way into the inner circle of August Gaines, the magnetic leader of the ruthless gang that has descended on her town. But the deeper Theo gets into the con, the more she starts to question her loyalties. Complicating her subterfuge is a mysterious outlaw whose small moments of kindness contradict the blood he has on his hands, making Theo wonder who, exactly, is conning who. To save her town, Theo must parse façade from reality and choose between the barefaced malevolence she's infiltrated and an evil she didn't know lurked at home.

Author: Jackie Johnson
Publisher: Camcat Books
Published: 11/28/2023
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.60w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780744306941
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 10/01/2023
School Library Journal 11/01/2023 pg. 66

About the Author

Jackie Johnson is a San Diego born poet and novelist. With a background as a journalist, a BA in history, and an education in armed defense, Jackie has a uniquely authentic voice within the

historical genre. She's been riding horses for over twenty years and has her own real-life cowboy love story when she fell in love with and married a horse trainer. Together, they established a ranch in Southern California where she spends her days writing, riding, and chasing after their dreams, their two children, four horses, six cats, and two dogs.