The Crackling of the Thorns

Thorns are symbolic of problems and Grace Epperson has her share. Grace is in her senior year of high school in Austin, Texas. Her mother is trying to heal from recent cancer treatments, her younger brother is mentally ill, and her family is split up. Because there are no mental health facilities in the tiny Arizona community where she was raised, her mother has moved her two children to Austin. Her father has remained in Arizona, working his job at a power plant, continuing to support his family. Her family is desperately trying to survive. Grace just wants to have a normal teenager life, despite her family's difficulties. She meets Joseph Kanali, a recent transfer student from Hawaii, and her life seems to take a turn for the better. Joseph's family is powerful and wealthy, and Grace sees a completely different lifestyle from her own. Joseph's father is CEO of a software developing company that has questionable business associations. Grace and her family unwittingly become involved in a transaction that could threaten the security of the United States. She soon learns the danger of being on the outskirts of terrorism. She must use her head and courage to remove her family from harm. When thorns go through fire, they make a crackling sound. The problems in Grace's life are overwhelming and she questions the wisdom of her relationship with Joseph, her first real boyfriend. As she goes through the fires in her life, she must use her best judgement, using her head without ignoring her heart.