Eleven years old and about to enter her twelfth foster home, Gracie Anderson knows a thing or two about survival. Life is pain, no one really cares, and the best she can hope for is to keep her head down and bide her time until the magical day when she and her mom can be a family again. But keeping her head down doesn't get rid of the anger. It also doesn't come as naturally as pushing back, running, and destroying things. No one wants Gracie, and Gracie doesn't want anyone. Or does she?

Along come the Barkmans. This foster family is different, somehow. Surely it's all an act. After all, real love is just something for TV shows and fairy tales, right? And the God they talk about, the one who sent his son Jesus? Well, surely he doesn't want anything to do with a mess like Gracie. Or does he?

Does Gracie dare let her walls down and let anyone else in? And what about her biological mom? Processing these questions and feelings is sometimes easier to do with claws and teeth, zoning out on her phone (who pays for the phone?), and making origami. The paper wolf stares at her from the shelf, but Gracie doesn't want to think about him too much.

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Author Chrissy M. Dennis tells it like it is, not glossing over the hard things in this poignant story. I couldn't put the book down. Gracie is real, relatable, and I just had to find out what was going to happen to her. The book's message of hope and sacrificial love is particularly demonstrated in a compelling ending that had me at the edge of my seat. Highly recommended.

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A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.