Zen and Xander are sisterstruly, madly, deeply sisters, and this is their last summer together. Zen is the "e;good"e; girl with a black belt in karate and a newfound penchant for kicking heads. Xander is a wild scientific genius with a self-destructive streak a light-year long. They have three things in common: theyre brown-eyed blondes, theyve noticed the boy next door has turned into a hottie, and they miss their mom, who died almost a year ago. These sisters are surviving just fineexcept Zen keeps getting into fights that are harder and harder to finish,whileXander spirals into a vortex of late-night parties, scary men, and drugs. Whats worse, Xander has scholarships to the most coveted universities in the country, but shes about to ruin everything. Should Zen keep trying to protect Xander, or finally let her go?

Amy Kathleen Ryan earned an M.A. in English literature and graduated from the New School Creative Writing for Children Program. She now lives with her family in Colorado.