All at once

Sixteen-year-old Cinder has always run from her problems-literally. As one of the best cross-country runners at Meadowridge High, she's used to pushing past pain, pressure, and the pounding in her chest. But this year, everything is different. Between keeping up her grades, chasing a scholarship, and trying not to lose herself in her whirlwind relationship with her sweet but distracting boyfriend Jayden, Cinder's life feels like a never-ending race with no finish line in sight. Just as she's navigating her feelings for Jayden, she meets Ethan, a charming and infuriating classmate who challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. When her coach demands total focus for the regional championships-the same week as her final exams-and her boyfriend begins pulling away, Cinder is forced to ask herself: Can she really balance love, ambition, and expectations without breaking down? With every mile she runs, she gets closer to discovering who she is beyond the medals and the mess. Because sometimes, the hardest race isn't on the track-it's in your heart.

By Muideen-Adesola Muneezah and Adeniyi Oluwadarasimi