A profound, beautifully written and deeply moving YA novel about trans identity, queer history and found family with a high concept hook – from the critically acclaimed author of IF TOMORROW DOESN’T COME, for fans of WE ARE OKAY and THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END.
Calla Quick has no future.
At least, that’s how it feels. Her parents disowned her via text message, and now she can’t afford to go to an all-women’s college with her girlfriend Ramona like they planned.
But Calla wonders if maybe that’s for the best—because even though Calla told Ramona her parents disowned her because they found out she’s gay, the truth is, Calla has been questioning whether she’s a girl at all. Calla wishes she had more time to figure everything out, and one night, her wish is seemingly granted.
When Calla and Ramona stumble upon a mysterious farmhouse the woods, they meet five teens who claim they’ve lived there for decades. The land, which they call Amaranth, acts as a safe haven for queer kids throughout history—a place free of hate, free of violence, free of time itself. Here, Calla can be Cal and use they/them pronouns, and they feel instantly accepted.
They don’t have to worry about the future because at Amaranth, it will never come—until one night when the clock strikes twelve.
Now under a literal ticking clock, the housemates must find a way to stop time again or face going back to their harsh realities, but as Cal learns everyone’s story, they begin to wonder what queer people lose when their history is lost to time.
