BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS
BOOK INFO
REUTS Publications | On Sale: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-942111-65-8, 978-1-942111-64-1
Hardcover
Young Adult Fiction / Dystopian / Fantasy
Ages 14 and up, Grades 9 and up
394 pages
Content warning: Please be aware that BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS contains depictions of sexual assault (off page), violence, substance abuse, depictions of blood, character death, and violence toward women.
BLURB
Arden Thatcher wasn’t meant to be chosen.
But when her name is announced, she’s presented with something she never thought she’d have: a future away from her abuser. Shuttled off to attend the prestigious National Women’s Institute, Arden will receive Nordania’s highest honor, studying with other elite candidates to become leaders, diplomats, and ambassadors on the world stage.
Only, the institute’s not quite what she expected. Paraded around in gown after gown, the tests seem less about educating and more about a different competition, with a very specific prize at stake—the Nordanian Prime Minister’s son. Despite the dean’s protestations that angling for an engagement leads to expulsion, Arden sees the truth. There’s a secret bubbling beneath the institute’s refined surface, and those who refuse to play along may well wind up dead.
With the danger escalating, and the return of her abuser on the horizon, Arden’s shiny future becomes a gilded cage. And this time, she’s going to need powerful allies to escape.
Political intrigue, swoon-worthy romance, and a dash of dystopian flare, But for the Mountains begs the question, how do you change the world when you’re not allowed to try?
Arden Thatcher wasn’t meant to be chosen.
But when her name is announced, she’s presented with something she never thought she’d have: a future away from her abuser. Shuttled off to attend the prestigious National Women’s Institute, Arden will receive Nordania’s highest honor, studying with other elite candidates to become leaders, diplomats, and ambassadors on the world stage.
Only, the institute’s not quite what she expected. Paraded around in gown after gown, the tests seem less about educating and more about a different competition, with a very specific prize at stake—the Nordanian Prime Minister’s son. Despite the dean’s protestations that angling for an engagement leads to expulsion, Arden sees the truth. There’s a secret bubbling beneath the institute’s refined surface, and those who refuse to play along may well wind up dead.
With the danger escalating, and the return of her abuser on the horizon, Arden’s shiny future becomes a gilded cage. And this time, she’s going to need powerful allies to escape.
Political intrigue, swoon-worthy romance, and a dash of dystopian flare, But for the Mountains begs the question, how do you change the world when you’re not allowed to try?
Cover art by Ashley Ruggirello
Erin Riha writes young adult fantasy novels about ambitious girls who don’t know they’re not supposed to exceed expectations. She has a law degree and a deep reverence for the power of using exactly the right word in exactly the right moment. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two very loud boys.
Her debut novel, BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS, was published by REUTS Publications June 2, 2020.
Her debut novel, BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS, was published by REUTS Publications June 2, 2020.
BUT FOR THE MOUNTAINS is a finalist for the 2021 Leslie Bradford Award for Young Adult Literature, presented by Literary Arts!
QUOTES/REVIEWS:
"In Arden Thatcher, we have a heroine for our times -- smart, strong, complex, and determined to defy the odds. Her story is the story of every young woman who refuses to let societal strictures and patriarchal conventions define them. It's The Hunger Games meets The Handmaid's Tale, with a little poetry and a lot of heart thrown in. But for the Mountains will have you believing in the power of story and female friendship and have you searching for your own true north." - Deborah E. Kennedy, Author of Tornado Weather
"A truly exquisite coming of age novel – But for the Mountains is achingly gripping, a perfect balance of anxiety, hope, and complex relationships. Riha’s remarkable gift for description immerses us immediately in an intricately woven world of relentless twists and shocking truths faced by beautifully flawed characters. As Arden’s story dramatically unfolds, we ache with her pain and desperation as she struggles to become the women she aspires to be. When once again faced with the corruption of power that leads to prejudice and promises of exploitation, Arden must find a way to protect not only herself but others like her as well, to find the strength and courage to be the survivor she knows deep in her heart she can be, even if it means sacrificing everything." - Heather Ransom, Author of The Going Green Trilogy
"In Arden Thatcher, we have a heroine for our times -- smart, strong, complex, and determined to defy the odds. Her story is the story of every young woman who refuses to let societal strictures and patriarchal conventions define them. It's The Hunger Games meets The Handmaid's Tale, with a little poetry and a lot of heart thrown in. But for the Mountains will have you believing in the power of story and female friendship and have you searching for your own true north." - Deborah E. Kennedy, Author of Tornado Weather
"A truly exquisite coming of age novel – But for the Mountains is achingly gripping, a perfect balance of anxiety, hope, and complex relationships. Riha’s remarkable gift for description immerses us immediately in an intricately woven world of relentless twists and shocking truths faced by beautifully flawed characters. As Arden’s story dramatically unfolds, we ache with her pain and desperation as she struggles to become the women she aspires to be. When once again faced with the corruption of power that leads to prejudice and promises of exploitation, Arden must find a way to protect not only herself but others like her as well, to find the strength and courage to be the survivor she knows deep in her heart she can be, even if it means sacrificing everything." - Heather Ransom, Author of The Going Green Trilogy