Wandering Wild
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- £4.99
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
"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 Secured 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 disaster and grief. Is a chance at freedom worth almost certain destruction?
Wandering Wild is an achingly romantic journey of tradition and self-discovery—a magical debut.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tal and her younger brother, Wen, are Roma-esque "Wanderers," moving between towns with a caravan of families and subsisting on the scams run on "markies." With 16-year-old Tal as the "compass" directing their movements, they have stayed out of trouble, even as their leader's son, Lando, is tightening the group's reins. Though Tal couldn't imagine leaving the Wanderer life, she knows that Wen is tired of roaming, and she cannot ignore the distance between herself and best friend Sonia or the impending arranged marriage between herself and a boy from another caravan. When Tal meets Spencer, a college-bound markie who recognizes her game, she must decide if he is worth staying in one place for, and what it will take to free herself from Lando's control. Taylor's debut novel is spiritedly paced, with tension increasing as Tal is pulled between her Wanderer identity and her romance with Spencer. Lively characters showcase the lore and traditions within the group, including the Spirit of the Falconer they believe protects them, as Tal is forced to make a decision that will affect all in her path. Ages 14 up.
