Everything seems to be falling into place for Emily Blackwell, who joins her classmates for a highly anticipated Biology summer program in Tennessee. She finds herself in close quarters with her long-term crush, working with animals in exchange for a stuffy classroom credit, all while spending time with her closest friends. But before she even arrives, things start to quickly unravel. When she finds a friend where she least expected, will it change everything? This fast-paced read covers the story of a young girl trying to find herself in an environment designed to break her down physically, mentally, and emotionally-all for the sake of science.

Jenna thought Glasgow was a second chance. Turns out, it's a 40 year experiment, and she's the variable they never saw coming. Jenna Hollins craves a quiet life. She's deaf. She's burnt out. And thanks to her brother, she's been dragged to a cozy Virginia town where the people are warm but wary-like they're throwing seasonal festivals to distract from something darker. Cyrus is steady. Charming. Protective. The boy who helps her navigate the life she never asked for. But when she starts slipping at home, and at school, the person who shows up isn't Cyrus. It's Nicholas. Cyrus's older cousin and best friend's emotionally unavailable brother. The one they all warned her about. Nick tells her the town isn't what it seems. That if she wants the truth, she'll have to stop trusting the system, and start trusting him instead. As the pressure builds, Jenna is forced to choose between two versions of safety: The boy who pulls her closer as she breaks, but won't speak the truth aloud... Or the boy who betrayed the people he loves-but trusts her with a secret that could destroy everything. **** ✨ Tropes / Themes: • Slow burn triangle • Disability rep (deaf MC + cochlear implants) • Found family & sibling bonds • Cozy and quirky small town vibes. Think Gilmore Girls if Stars Hollow had deep-rooted secrets • Academic pressure, mental unraveling • Quiet dystopia in a contemporary world