A poignant and
incandescent debut that explores the bonds of community and what it
really means to change
Chinelo—or Nelo, as her best friend, Kate, calls her—is all
about her neighbourhood, Ginger East. She loves its chill vibe, its ride-or-die
sense of community and the memories she has of growing up there. Ginger East
isn't what it used to be, though. After a deadly incident at the local arcade,
most of Nelo's friends, except for Kate, have moved away. But as long as the
two girls have each other, Nelo's good.
Then Kate's parents' corner store is vandalized, leaving
Nelo shaken to her core. The police and the media are quick to point fingers,
and soon more of the outside world descends upon Ginger East with promises to "fix
the neighbourhood." Suddenly, Nelo finds herself in the middle of a drama that
is unfolding on a national scale.
Worse yet, Kate has begun acting strange. She's pushing Nelo
away at the exact time they need each other most. Nelo's entire world is
morphing into something she hates, and she must figure out how to get things
back on track or risk losing everything—and everyone—she loves.