This is a book with a slightly younger cast of characters than I usually read, but it is done in a way that makes it easy to empathize with their situation, even if their age and situation have very little to do with me as a reader.
Both characters come from two different sides of the same conversation around fracking. Both have emotional weights that they carry, but when their paths cross, things improve for them. The conversation that the book has is about loss and adjustment, with Dex being an empathetic boy with money issues and Viv's father having learned that the companies want his land. Viv encounters a sinkhole in her aunt's favourite spot, and from that point, she goes on a digging mission to figure out why such a thing happened. The only tool the author uses to connect the two is magical realism, with Viv having the power to connect to something beyond her. This ability grows and morphs into something more concrete by the time the book comes to a close.
There is romance here, but it is subtle and left as part of the narrative without taking over. There are good friends in the background as well as terrible ones - the difference is quite obvious and is part of moving the plot along.
I may have liked the author's other book more than this one, but the author is one who I would recommend to younger readers looking for serious reads without a focus on some literal battle but metaphorical ones. I will definitely be picking up the next one that comes out.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

An amazing read! Seventeen-year-old Vivian, dubbed “Ice Queen, feels alone and uncertain in her rural town. Her beloved aunt passed four months prior, the one place she finds solace-her treehouse-is destroyed by fracking, and she begins noticing a strange ability to sense energy through nature. Driven by anger at the gas company for destroying her town and land, she begins to fight. Then comes Dex, a new kid whose mom just got a new job at the gas company-a job that could finally raise them a hair out of poverty. A job that can keep them going until Dex can be the caretaker after he goes to the army and college. Dex is focused and driven, but he is also struggling to find his place…and then he meets Viv. A slow-burn romance ensues. One that battles socio-economical issues, gender expectations, and environmental ethical dilemmas. Nora Shalaway Carpenter has weaved a story about finding your power tackling topics and characters rarely seen in the young adult category. You will come out of this story a better person, knowing that no issue is black and white and that listening to others’, their perspectives and their histories, can help us all understand each other and make change together. This book is most powerful for young readers who are feeling hopeless with the devastation around them (climate change, environmental issues, injustice) and can give them a sense of hope that even small actions can make a difference.

I really enjoyed this environmentalist-esque novel. The romance was a nice added layer to the true story of two teens learning from each other how to maneuver through life and love. A great look at families, recovery, loss, military, death/loss, grief, land rights, and fracking.

Book Report for Fault Lines by Nora Shalaway Carpenter

Cover Story: Timber!
BFF Charm: Natalie Imbruglia x 2
Talky Talk: Down to Earth
Bonus Factors: Tami Taylor Award For Awesome Motherhood, Balanced Storytelling, Loyal Pets
Factor: Fracking
Anti-Bonus Factor: Toxic Masculinity
Relationship Status: Gym Trainer

Cover Story: Timber!
I couldn’t tell what was happening at first, but the lopsided angle of the tree shows that it’s falling into a sinkhole, which is the inciting incident of the story. Viv is actually alone when that happens, but since Dex is co-narrator, it makes sense to have him there as well.

The Deal:
Vivian “Viv” Spry has felt angry and lonely ever since the deaths of her mother and aunt. The only thing that helps is the forest, where she can sense a supportive energy that reminds her of her loved ones. When a sinkhole caused by fracking destroys a tree stand, cutting off Viv’s connection to the energy, she decides to take the gas company down. Dexter “Dex” Matthews, the son of one of its employees, is her only source of information. The more she talks to him, though, the more he challenges her preconceptions. Dex cares as deeply about the livelihood of poor families like his as Viv cares about her land. Can they stop fighting each other long enough to realize they’re fighting for the same thing?

BFF Charm: Natalie Imbruglia x 2
Dex and Viv are passionate about their causes, but unwilling to compromise, which makes them hurt themselves and each other until they learn to see the bigger picture. That’s not to say I didn’t like them, because I did. They’re teenagers dealing with painful, complex issues, and their mistakes only make them more human.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6
The first time they meet at a kickboxing gym, Viv thinks Dex is awkward, and he’s slightly scared of the way she’s beating up her punching bag. It doesn’t help that Dex’s new group of friends includes Viv’s nasty ex-boyfriend, or that Viv sees Dex as a source of information about the pipeline. The more time they spend together, though, the more these two smart, tough, big-hearted teenagers find to admire. Viv doesn’t judge Dex for not being as athletic as she is, and he respects her need to take physical intimacy slowly. The time it takes for them to finally trust each other makes the payoff all the sweeter.

Talky Talk: Down To Earth
Dex and Viv’s first-person narration feels so grounded in time and place that, when they talk about the energy they sense in the forest, it’s easy to suspend your disbelief. The hallmark of magical realism is that it makes magic feel real, and this story nails it.

Bonus Factor: Tami Taylor Award For Awesome Motherhood
Dex’s mother served in the military, got herself and her son out of an abusive relationship, and worked three jobs to keep them off the streets. Now that she’s found a better paying job, she’s focused on helping Dex get into law school, even when his father is telling him “real men” don’t accept help from their mothers. Working for a pipeline company may not be the best option, but it’s the only option she’s found, and I agree with Dex that it would be wrong to condemn her.

Bonus Factor: Balanced Storytelling
Having Dex and Viv as dual narrators, looking at topics like class and environment from different points of view, helps to balance out the story and prevent either side from being vilified.

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pets
Viv has a little terrier named Snickers, Snick for short, who lets her cuddle him when she’s upset. He’s also a good judge of character, shown by him running up to Dex every time they meet.

Factor: Fracking
The damage to the land, the risk of poisonous oil leaks, and the unscrupulous tactics of corporate executives are all included, as is the job creation and the good intentions of individual workers. The author grew up in rural West Virginia, like Viv, and notes in her afterword that she knows from personal experience how a pipeline can affect a small town.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Toxic Masculinity
Dex’s father, a veteran, turned to alcohol rather than get treatment for PTSD. He tells Dex every chance he gets to be more “manly”, which drives Dex to consider joining the army even though he’s never been a fighter. Viv’s ex-boyfriend Tolly is a younger edition of the same thing, shaming Viv for not sleeping with him and making a mutual friend afraid to come out as bi. Dex and Viv help each other resist these influences, which is one of the reasons they respect each other.

Relationship Status: Gym Trainer
Book, you know a lot more than I do about fighting for one’s convictions. I could learn a lot from you … if I weren’t such a couch potato. *sigh*

Fault Lines is a really unique YA novel, with lots of intertwining themes, great characters, and a really impactful storyline. It's fresh, the romance is sweet and well-paced, and the story overall has that little bit of magic...

Vivian Spry, grappling with a series of losses and a town that doesn't understand her, discovers a unique energy-sensing ability. Her sanctuary is a tree stand where she feels closest to her late aunt. When fracking threatens her place, Viv is determined to take down the gas company.

Dex Mathews, is a newcomer whose mom works for the gas company. As their worlds collide, a friendship, and maybe more, blossoms. But Viv's plan could jeopardize Dex's family. Now they must choose: family, principles, or each other?

Fault Lines is an elegantly written contemporary novel with some elements of supernatural, magical realism and suspense, with an engaging plot line. It focuses on the struggles of experiencing loss and grief, the challanges of family conflicts, young adult life, friendships and romantic relationships. The story meticulously explores the impact of climate change and economic development on a rural community.
The main characters Viv and Dex are flawed yet authentic and relatable, and their perspectives resonate deeply. Viv and Dex go through several stages of reflection, healing, and self growth together, before finally coming to mutual understanding and acceptance, their story is a page-turner you couldn't put down.
The character development is strong, the characters are real and refreshing, and their personalities are well sketched by the author. The utilization of the setting is also impressive.
This novel is highly engaging, thought-provoking, and exquisitely penned. It is suitable for both teen and adult readers.

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Some stories are like foxfire—unexpected magic, rooted in place, that lights the way. Fault Lines is one of those stories.

Seventeen-year-old Viv Spry has been gutted by a series of losses—her mother, her aunt, and her reputation at school where a former boyfriend is spreading rumors about her. Liv and her aunt shared the ability to access the spirit and energy of the trees on their property, and the tree stand in their forest is Viv’s only refuge. Then she learns that her father is planning to sign a lease with a fracking company to run a pipe through their property. She’s determined to find a way to stop it.

Then she meets Dex Mathews, a new boy in school whose mother has taken a good-paying job with the pipeline company. For the first time in a long time, they won’t be living hand to mouth. Viv is drawn to Dex, but they find themselves on opposite sides of the fracking issue.

West Virginia-born Carpenter has deep roots in the southern mountains, and it shows. Her love for the people and places of her childhood shines from every page. For this author, Appalachia is not a place you escape from. It is home.

Thanks to Nora Shalaway Carpenter and the NetGallery team for providing me an advance copy of FAULT LINES through the Educator ARC Tour!

As a classroom teacher who is always looking for unique texts to put in the hands of students, this book checks a lot of boxes. Within these pages, there's something to entice any reader--fantasy, romance, nature, and identity, to name a few!

This is an excellent book to introduce students to environmental fiction. Carpenter so intelligently utilizes the dual-narrative structure to allow the reader to experience the passion of advocacy alongside the harsh realities of its impact, especially on those we love most.

Viv's character is guarded, yet compassionate, and Dex is ambitious, yet gentle. Their relationship that progresses throughout FAULT LINES is a testament to being open-minded, while staying true to yourself and your core values.

FAULT LINES is engaging, reflective, and a great addition to any classroom library.

After receiving an advance copy of Fault Lines from NetGallery and Nora Shalawy Carpenter, I read the book immediately, drawn into the story and into the characters. Carpenter notes on her website, "My novels weave in social justice themes because as people living in the world, these themes impact all of us," and in Fault Lines, she crafts a story that challenges a reader to consider such critical topics, especially the connection between caring about the environment while simultaneously caring about those impacted by environmental policies. I appreciate the perspectives from our teens. As a retired high school English teacher, I also always consider how I would have used a novel in my classroom, and this one would give the students opportunities for open-ended writing prompts about choices and perspectives, especially empathy. I imagine meaningful discussions as well. Finally, if you are looking to add to your classroom library, I would definitely add this gem for this line alone: "Her dishelved hair trembled in the wind, imitating the leaves above, and made her seem a human version of the trees."

This is a powerful book about the passion of one teenager for the environment and how fracking and oil pipelines have changed the landscape of rural Appalachia.

Viv lives with her father in rural West Virginia. Her mother passed away 10 years ago. Her aunt Elle, who moved in with them after her death, just died as well, and Viv is gutted. To feel close to her, she sits in the tree stand her parents built years ago, where she and Elle would hunt.

Suddenly, her dog starts whining, and she runs away from the tree, just before the tree collapses into a sinkhole. Viv is convinced that the nearby fracking caused the sinkhole, but her dad doesn't want to hear it. He is planning to sell property to one of the trucking companies that works with the mining company for an access road. He wants to use the money to pay for Viv's college.

Dex just moved to town with his mom, who got a good job with the pipeline. Before this job, they were practically homeless. His dad is addicted to opioids and isn't a big part of his life anymore, other than his words, telling Dex to be strong, be a man, don't show weakness.

Viv and Dex meet, and despite their differences, they realize that they like each other. If it weren't for the fact that Viv initially befriended him to learn more about the fracking company. And Dex was honest about his poverty. And Viv told him the truth about how she could feel energy from the trees...

This is both a book about young adult activism and young love, about the environment and about family dynamics, about friendship and sexuality. It occasionally is too preachy, but the message is a good one - no issue is completely black and white, and we need to learn to listen to one another about the complexities of hot button issues.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

The point of this book is that we should listen to each other's stories. Listening is a skill that is overlooked when we are overburdened and bombarded with news and social media and events.

Fault Lines is thoughtful and human writing that can be accessed by younger and older readers. I appreciate the topics that Nora Shalaway Carpenter explores, from the inner to life to making sense of the world in rural places.

I received a free copy of this text from Netgalley and Running Press; all opinions are exclusively my own.

This was a solid YA read, hitting the romance and drama notes in satisfying ways. I'd say the messages on climate change and classism/racism are occasionally a little heavy handed in terms of how they're presented in the dialogue between characters, but on the whole it's a great nuanced take recognizing a lot of different facets to the problem and its solution. The magic element is interesting, but feels a little lost in the shuffle; it makes sense to some degree given how subtle the powers seem to be, but they could definitely make a bigger impact in the story.

All in all, this was a good read (ha) and I'd definitely recommend it to the YA set!

This is a beautifully woven story about two teens who confront the effects of generational poverty in a small Appalachian community where the true costs of fracking are slowly becoming more apparent. Nora Shalaway Carpenter writes with a deft authenticity, that is in equal measure spine tingling and heartbreaking.

I had to DNF it. It felt too repetitive, inauthentic, and forced. The story definitely didn't come from the heart.

I was excited to get to read this one early because I really enjoyed Nora Shalaway Carpenter’s debut - THE EDGE OF ANYTHING, as well as her work on the recent YA anthology, AB(SOLUTELY) NORMAL. FAULT LINES weaves together a lot of compelling story threads - it’s a slow burn romance, a family story about processing loss and grief, and a look at how climate change, culture, and economic realities intersect in a rural community. The main characters, Viv and Dex, were so well-drawn and I really felt for both of their perspectives. I especially loved the speculative/otherworldly elements of this book and the beauty of its prose, especially in relation to landscape and the natural world.

Viv has grown up in the mountains of West Virginia, and the mountains and forest that surround her home have given her soul healing and solace after losing her mom at an early age and her aunt just weeks ago. She also runs to the woods when she is overwhelmed with the terrible rumors her ex-boyfriend has circulated about her get overwhelming. Now her forest is being threatened by fracking and gas pipelines, and Viv will do anything she can to protect this land she loves.
Dex has just moved to West Virginia because his mom has gotten a job with the gas pipeline that may finally secure the two of them a stable home and raise their income above the poverty line, He is determined to join the army after he graduates so that the military will pay for the education he will need to become a lawyer so he can earn enough to support himself and his mother so she never has to work multiple jobs again..
The lives of Viv and Dex collide, and they are on the way to being friends-and maybe even more-when they realize that they are on opposite sides of the pipeline debate, and each of them will fight with all of their heart as they struggle to stay true to themselves and protect their families.
Reading Fault Lines was a pleasure from start to finish, and I loved both of these characters that are genuine and flawed and passionate and wonderful. In addition to authentic characters, Carpenter's is enlightening regarding the debate over fracking and the health of the forests in West Virginia. It is clear that the author knows intimately the arguments for and against the pipelines crisscrossing the forests, and it is also clear that there is no right answer to the debate..
Fault Lines is beautifully written and engaging!

This novel gives readers an accurate and ultimately hopeful portrait of the struggles of rural communities in America. Taking on the environmental issues of fracking and conservation, Carpenter offers characters who, as teens, navigate the complicated landscape of finding their way while also attempting to secure a future for themselves, their families, and the community and land surrounding them. Viv and Dec see the world so very differently, and yet, their differences make their actions more impactful.