Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the advanced copy!

In the Misdirection of Fault Lines we follow three teen girls as they enter into tennis tournament while discovering more about themselves outside of the game.

In the book we get three POVs from the three girls.
Alice, Violetta and Leylah

In the beginning we see Alice as a shy and more reserved character. It is her first time at the tournament and she is also dealing with the grief of losing her father. As the story progresses she starts to break out of her shell and really discover what she wants.

Violetta is a social media influencer who has been training and preparing for tennis competitions. She has to deal with her mom who wants to live vicariously thought her as she never got the chance to continue her career like this.

Leylah has a real passion for tennis and wants to go pro but her parents do not believe in this and still want her to go to school and get a degree. She struggles with this love for tennis but also dealing with the problems at home and wanting to prove them wrong.

This book deals with a lot of heavier themes and topics but they were all handled very well. It was a really moving book about these girls discovering the power of friendship and more about what they want in life. The tennis camp setting was really fun and added a lot to the story. I flew through this because I was so interested to see where the girls would end up.
This was a great YA book about friendship and I highly recommend!

Thank you again to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the arc!

Gracia is not afraid to write messy, Asian-American teenage characters who defy stereotypes. The three main characters in this book about a high school tennis tournament/live-in experience had the potential of being really interesting. Unfortunately the switching of narrators combined with flat writing that at times was didactic made it so that I never fully engaged with the characters or story lines. Interesting premise that fell flat for me.

I absolutely loved the first book by this author. That’s why I was so excited for this arc but I struggled with this book. Although I liked the multiple POVs it was difficult to get immersed in the story. I loved Leylah and how she carried herself but found the pace too slow. I liked how the characters spoke honestly about pressure from their families but wished there was more enthusiasm about the sport. It didn’t feel like any of the players wanted to be there. It sort of felt like everyone was showing up to a 9 to 5. Maybe I expected more to happen but I was only really into Leylah so read the other characters felt like a slog to read. Just not really into this one but I would still suggest others check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The world of tennis meets sisterhood of the travelling pants, i mean what’s not to find enjoyable about that

Absolutely enjoyed the three main girls of this story. Each one was unique enough to stand out but it wasn’t completely unbelievable that they would each bond over differences and similarities in both their play styles and life.

That being said, the actual tennis setting felt underwhelming with little impact on the story. When games were played, it wasn’t some great challenge despite being a tournament but rather something that the story felt obligated to tell.

Another aspect, and i’ll try and avoid spoilers for this, was one of the girls had issues regarding behaviour akin to an eating disorder and the way the story resolves this is was almost harmful with no implication that the character was planning to seek help from a professional or at least speak about it to an adult??? instead the ending is played off almost jokingly about how she’s able to eat cinnamon rolls and cookies now.

Also, the creepy grooming behaviour of a twenty-five year old trainer that was brought up by multiple characters was dismissed perhaps too easily. Though I am in the opinion that it should’ve been omitted entirely, there should’ve been some discussion with an adult mentioned or at least implied to reinforce that this was not okay.

I did at least enjoy reading the other girls stories and I believe each of them were important discussions about the issues and pressures faced in competitive sports.

Overall, this was a fairly easy read that was enjoyable plot. I just wish it was handled in a way that encouraged teens to seek support from professionals about mental health and inappropriate behaviour from adults.

Thankyou to the publishers for providing an E-Arc through netgalley for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Three teenage girls from different backgrounds, facing different struggles, trying to win a prestigious tennis tournament. We have Alice: 16, recently lost her dad, struggling with grief. Violetta: 16, tennis "influencer" in the shadow of her mom - a former tennis pro, with some unwise teen choices. Leylah: 17, back after 2 years away, type 1 diabetes, struggling with school but crushing tennis. Put them all in a villa to stay together while this tournament is happening.

This book touched on so many things and honestly handled them super well. We had mentions of eating disorders, drug use/abuse, different manifestations of racism (more in actions/behaviors as opposed to slurs), grief, an older guy "not crossing the line" with teen girls, and lots of emotion with friendships and familial relationships. Anna Gracia writes incredible books, and more people should read them.

The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia was for me, as a tennis player, filled with nostalgia, rage, laughter, sadness, and a wish for more as I joined Alice, Violetta, and Leylah as they competed at the Bastille in a weeklong tournament that could change their lives.

Plot

Let's get my one gripe out of the way...I wish the timeline of the book had been longer than a week. I would have loved to watch the external and internal drama unfold in the lives of our players and on the court for longer, with some more intricate scenes of gameplay. That being said author, Anna Gracia, did a fantastic job navigating the intersectionality of friendships, race, grief, societal expectations, and more in this book. I enjoyed every second of it and did not want to put it down!

Setting

The book may be set at the "Bastille," but not the one you are thinking and I only say that because I was also thinking of Paris, France. Surprise! This book takes place in Florida at a tennis complex called "Bastille," and is inspired all around by French design and history. The descriptions set the scene and brought to life the feel of the tournament. I pictured the campus as something akin to Wimbledon on a smaller scale but with French architecture. As a teen tennis player, I would have loved to have taken part in this kind of tournament experience based on the setting and imagery found in The Misdirection of Fault Lines.

Characters

The characters of Alice, Violetta, and Leylah were well-developed and brought 3 distinct vibes and personalities to the book and while each character had their trials to overcome the one that I connected the most with was Alice. Watching her process the grief and in turn looking at how the death of someone important, like a parent, can truly affect our relationships with family, friends, hobbies, and ourselves was heart-opening and sometimes overwhelming. These types of characters hold such importance to me and add the connection that I seek when reading.

Overall

This book was one that I wish I had had growing up when I played tennis more frequently and was involved in tournaments and school sports. I loved the intersectionality of the story but also the humor, camaraderie, and ultimately the hope for the future the characters gained at the end. It's a solid 5-star read from me and one that I will most likely pick up for a reread in the future.

The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia will hit shelves this Tuesday, April 2, 2024! The perfect YA contemporary to add to your Spring and Summer reading lists!

*I do want to note that I cannot speak directly on the Asian American perspective of this book and strongly suggest seeking the reviews of others on this tour as well as the reviews of others when the book is released for a more well-rounded look at this book*

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and Colored Pages Book Tours for the ARC and for letting me be a part of the online book tour!

Thank you To Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

I enjoyed this story despite not knowing anything about tennis. The story doesn't really explain the mechanics of tennis to the reader but I don't thinks that's really necessary. Yes the girls play tennis and it's like the main plot of the story, but during the tennis matches, it's mainly focused on how the girls feel and how they're hitting and not the tennis itself.

Leylah was my favorite character. I loved how stubborn and mean she was. I also enjoyed her brutal honesty and loyalty to people she cares about, even Alice (who she didn't really know), and Violetta (who at times did not deserve Leylah's loyalty). Her scenes with Noah were some of my favorite. He was super nice and understanding even though he barely knew Leylah and he always gave her the benefit of the doubt and it was really nice to see that someone was trying to break past her tough exterior.

Alice I expected to not remain in the tournament at all and I was right but... she had a mini redemption moment which I guess did help the plot in the long run. I still feel like she could have had her big realizations about herself without being put back in as the "loser card" (or something like that. I don't remember what it was called). Her getting back in on a technicality felt a bit forced almost but, like I said, it works out overall for the story.

Violetta was someone I really had trouble liking. I don't think I ever was really on her side. she seemed really vapid and full of herself at times. At the same time she was facing some serious mental health problems and an eating disorder. So most of the time I felt sympathy for her but also abject hatred for the way she would treat Leylah (by not being able to see how she had privilege in ways that Leylah did not) and for hurting Alice (using the secrets Alice told Violetta against her). I do think in the end that I liked her but it took a very long time to get there.

YA contemporary with multiple POVs and centered around competition, friendship, and self-growth. I loved this book! It was a witty, quick paced, and refreshing read. I don’t usually love multiple POVs, but the three main characters narratives blended so nicely together! Even with their opposites attract and new girl dynamics.

Then, this YA book was refreshing to me because it focused on initiating and rekindling female friendships, instead of fixating on a romance plot. I also really enjoyed the writing style and I want to read more books by Anna Gracia!

I don’t read as much YA as I used to but once in a while I still enjoy picking up a book that tells a good coming-of-age story - maybe for nostalgic reasons, or to feel less old haha! I really liked the premise of The Misdirection of Fault Lines - three young girls who compete at an elite tennis tournament - and was happy to receive the ARC.

The book is told from the POVs of our three protagonists, Alice, Violetta and Leylah; they are all American-Asian teenagers with different backgrounds, and they each have their own struggles to overcome. The tennis is a nice-to-have as a setting but it’s not so heavily featured that someone who doesn’t play themselves won’t be able to follow the storyline.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and the author has written a story that is heavily infused with topics such as racism, classism, family expectations, drug abuse and grief - to name only a few. But despite these rather heavy elements, this book still perfectly captures a teenage life, with all its messy and mesmerizing moments: the importance of friendship, the butterflies that come with falling in love, the journey of finding your place in the world.

This was a cute read; I loved the Asian representation and again found myself thinking: I wish that I could have read these kind of books growing up (I was a tennis-playing Asian-European teenager at some point!). I may not be the target readership anymore, but I just hope that we’ll continue to see more and more diverse books, in every genre, but especially in YA literature. Representation always matters but perhaps it matters more and most when you’re still young and growing up and trying to find your way.

Thanks to @netgalley, @peachtreeteen and @grahseeya for the ARC. The Misdirection of Fault Lines will be published on April 2.

4 stars rounded up from 3.5

dnf @ 25%

I liked this author's debut (when a lot of other people didn't, which was valid, it just worked for me) but hated her second book (but chalked that up to her trying to write a trashy 2000s book because it was for an MTV imprint). Honestly I know if I finish this one, there will probably be at least some character development. but it must be said that she writes these same self-hating asian-american protagonists, and that can only go so far for me. Add in the fact that there are THREE main characters who are self-hating in different ways in this book, and I just can't bring myself to go on.

I was going to say that the three povs do read fairly distinctly but then I thought about it and honestly it was just Alice's pov that read differently because she's grieving. However, this was made more apparent by the fact that her chapters are filled to the brim with metaphors. Once I noticed that, I couldn't stop noticing it.

Shout-out to having a Vietnamese-American main character I guess but she also annoyed me the most. Maybe because I'm Vietnamese so I didn't exactly need the explanations, but I feel like all the explanations about her character and Vietnamese culture were so over-explained. I actually made the decision to dnf the book after the chapter where she's telling her love interest why her name is Leylah Lê. Let me just tell you why: her actual first name is Ha, Vietnamese names are surname-given name so her name is actually Lê Ha, and so she goes by Leylah because it's the closest thing to her "actual" name as she can get.

First off, she didn't seem to be following Vietnamese culture super intensely and I'm pretty sure (I guess this is an assumption on my part) that she was born in the US so it just does not make sense to me why she would be following the Vietnamese way of ordering names, like is that just me?? Even if you personally ordered your name that way, when you go to school and stuff they will still order your name the American way??? Maybe if her parents had chosen it but I'm pretty sure she picked the name. It just doesn't make sense!!

Three Asian American teen girls compete at an elite tennis tournament for a shot at their dreams—if only they knew what their dreams were.

There were a few things that I liked about the book:

1. Each character had their own POV. It really allowed a deep dive into the personality and struggles of each character. For example, in Leylah's POV, we learn that despite her stellar tennis skills Leylah struggles in school. I like the realistic portrayal of an student athletes life as they juggle their academic coursework and long hours of practice.

2. I like how the book was structured. The book was split into sections and has a timeline. The first section of the book starts on July 5th ( day before the start of the competition) and each day is its own section and represents an aspect of the competition. I reminds me a cross between a reality TV show and a documentary.

This coming of age novel explores themes such as friendships, family dynamics, racism, mental health, grief, loss and identity. This book is a reminder that sometimes the journey is more important than the victory.

The characters were fleshed out very well. I would love to see a sequel with these characters.

TW: eating disorder, cursing/profanity, weed addiction, inappropriate relationships

Thank you peachtreeteen for the amazing book

What a captivating and poignant coming-of-age novel! “The Misdirection of Fault Lines” by Anna Gracia deftly explores the lives of three Asian American teen girls as they navigate the high-stakes world of competitive tennis. With wit, wisdom, and an emotionally honest narrative, Gracia weaves a tale of friendship, grief, and self-discovery that resonates long after the final page.

The story unfolds against the backdrop of the prestigious Bastille Invitational Tennis Tournament, where dreams are forged and destinies hang in the balance. Here are the lovely protagonists:

Meet Alice: A young player who doesn't quite fit the mold of a tennis prodigy. She secured her spot at Bastille through sheer determination and a sponsorship, but her wins on the junior circuit are modest. Tennis was her shared dream with her late father, Ba, and now she grapples with whether it still belongs in her life without him.

Meet Violetta: Bastille's darling, she is a social media influencer, coach's pet, and daughter of a fallen tennis star. Violetta seeks to reclaim the future her mother sacrificed for her upbringing. But does she truly desire the path laid out for her?

Meet Leylah: After a forced two-year hiatus, Bastille represents Leylah's last chance to prove that professional tennis isn't just a career, but her essence. She's laser-focused, shutting out distractions, including her ex-best friend.

Gracia masterfully captures the intensity of the tournament from the adrenaline, to the sweat-soaked courts, and the pressure-cooker atmosphere. It's beyond the baseline that the novel truly shines. Here are (what I consider to be) the highlights:

Gracia portrays the complexities of female friendships with authenticity. The bond between Alice, Violetta, and Leylah is both fragile and resilient. As they compete fiercely on the court, their off-court interactions reveal vulnerability, secrets, and shared histories.

Each girl grapples with identity, ambition, and purpose. As they chase victory, they also chase understanding. Understanding of themselves and each other. The court becomes a metaphorical fault line, revealing hidden truths. Alice's grief over her father's death is palpable. Tennis becomes her lifeline, a way to honour his memory. The raw emotions she experiences resonate deeply, reminding us that loss shapes our paths. I really connected with Alice over this. Gracia’s characters breathe true life into the room by laughing, crying, and questioning. The pacing keeps you turning pages, eager to witness their transformations.

I really love how the novel does not shy away from addressing racism in the tennis world. Violetta faces scrutiny due to her heritage, and Leylah's "attitude" threatens her chances. Gracia deftly explores the microaggressions and stereotypes these girls encounter. Gracia's prose is lyrical, capturing the rhythm of a tennis rally and the quiet moments of introspection. “The Misdirection of Fault Lines” is more than a sports novel. It's a meditation on resilience, love, and the courage to redefine success. Gracia's portrayal of Asian American teens is refreshing, breaking stereotypes and allowing their voices to resonate.

In a world where dreams collide, where love and loss intersect, Gracia invites us to consider what truly matters. Whether you're a tennis enthusiast or simply a lover of authentic storytelling, this book serves.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink, and Peachtree Teen for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My thanks to Holiday House/Peach Tree Teen/Pixel+Ink and Anna Gracia for sending me an ARC via Netgalley! It doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. The Misdirection of Fault Lines will be out on April 2nd! It is a character-driven story about three, Asian-American teenage girls attending an elite sports tournament and possibly secure their future in tennis and defiantly talks about the challenges of adolescence and is an insightful take on the muddling world of adolescence.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I genuinely tried to engage myself in the story ever since I saw that this book is reminiscent of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, a movie I remember loving as a child. But like any other reader here, we sadly felt like this book really wasn’t about tennis. It rarely incorporated the sport in the story when it should’ve been the driving force between the characters. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of sports books, but I really looked forward to reading this.

2024 reads:66/124
okay 1: i love this cover
2-i enjoyed this more than boys I know
I liked how this was less about romance and more about identity, finding yourself, family, etc etc
there are some tws I would check before reading
alice was my fav- such a cinnamon roll?idk the right word but I loved her and her story
there wasn't anything super crazy that happened it was just a nice chill read :)

Story of three teenage girls, The Misdirection of Fault Lines is a novel for every YA lover. Brought together by rooming arrangement at an elite tennis tournament, Alice, Violetta, and Leylah have their goal set, win the tournament and move one step closer to their dream.

I loved how Anna Gracia has brought together so many themes that are often overlooked because most of the time they are said to be “random teen problems.” They are three completely different girls with a common goal. As the story moves forward, we see them struggling with grief, the isolation that results in hurting people who care, weed addiction, eating disorders, and inappropriate relationships to name a few.

Alice is haunted by the thought that his father died because he was too focused on Alice’s dream. For her, the competition is not about winning but falling in love with the game again. Leylah is the one who has the most riding on the game. And Violetta is the one who is struggling the most.

I think the book gives a very realistic look into the lives of student-athletes and how difficult it can be to manage a life like that. Violetta’s chapter were the most raw and difficult to go through, scary too because from the outside it looked like a dream life. It was the stuff that happened within the villa (the rooms the students were staying at) that gave a real picture.

I loved the bond the girls formed slowly, especially Violetta and Alice. There is just a tinge of budding romance for one of the characters and it was sweet. The ending felt a little bittersweet and more like the beginning of new stories for all three protagonists which makes it a perfect ending for a YA book. I would love to read more about the characters if the author ever decides to write a sequel.

This didn't really work for me. I feel like a lot of deep subjects tried to be broached but it never went all the way. It always fell flat. I also don't think the three points of view were necessary. I just don't understand what the plot or the point was. It kinda got lost for me. I honestly felt like nothing happened. The pacing was wrong, I think. I found myself caring about the tennis competition above all and even that fell a bit flat to me.
I was hoping for more I guess. I liked the premise and I love the idea of sports camp but I don't know, it all fell flat for me. I also had trouble with the whole French inspired camp thing, that was very cringey to me, with all the Joan of Arc statues and the Bastille everywhere... I could not.
I did like the characters, they had a lot of potential, but I also felt that it wasn't fully fulfilled.
So, yes, a definite miss for me but it might be a me thing honestly.

I’m not a huge sports-centered book fan (or a sports fan in general), but I still found this book to be quite interesting. I loved the development of Leylah, Violetta, and Alice, as all three felt like well-rounded, authentic characters. This book did fall a bit flat for me in one place or another, but I found myself throughly enjoying it overall. I would definitely recommend this book as a quick read, especially as summer approaches.

Thank you Peachtree Teen and Netgalley for this advanced copy of The Misdirection of Fault Lines in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this YA tennis sports story featuring three Asian American teenagers competing in a prestigious tennis tournament. Told from the POV of each of the girls, this story covers a range of topics as one battles an eating disorder, one is struggling with grief over the death of her father and coach and the other is trying to make a comeback. Full of great female friendship, humor and a touch of romance, tennis fans will not want to miss this one. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for a complimentary digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Disability rep: diabetes, disordered eating

This book felt so real to the experience of being a high-achieving teenage girl. Alice, Leylah, and Violetta each face unique challenges but share common bonds of trying to navigate tennis, education, boys, social media, and racism. I appreciated that while they all came from different backgrounds, including different heritages, economic status, and family makeup, the book didn’t shy away from showing that they all faced both external racism and internal pressures of personal and familial expectations. The raw emotion was sometimes hard to read, especially from the characters who were making decisions that were harmful to themselves, but always well written and genuine.
As someone who played tennis in high school and still enjoys catching a match on TV now and then, there were some fun tennis facts, but I think this book would be easy to follow even if you had no background in tennis. I also loved the side characters who brought more depth to the narrative as well as providing some much needed moments of levity.

I was first drawn to The Misdirection of Fault Lines by its bright cover and the character designs. When I read the summary, describing the very different lives of Alice, Violetta and Leylah all brought together to compete for elite tennis victory I was hooked.

From the first chapter I felt immersed in their world of Joan of Arc fountains and red clay tennis courts. I enjoyed that it was told from an alternating perspective, with Alice, Violetta and Leylah each getting their own chapters. Reading from each POV the characters felt realistic and it was nice to get a glimpse into how they observed each other and then the personal narrative of what each of them was going though.

And they were all going through a lot. What I really liked was that although there was a history of ruined friendship between Violetta and Leylah and Alice was a newcomer, the girls didn't really start off as enemies or friends (although Violetta and Leylah fought a lot). They were orbiting each others space, navigating how to interact and although they were in an intense competitive scenario they never did anything to sabotage each other, which made this a refreshing read. Their personal conflicts stayed off the court and in the end they were able to work through some of their emotional challenges as they realized their dreams may be different than they originally expected.

Leylah's reluctance to like Noah was also great, I loved their banter and the way she got caught smiling more than she thought she would.

This was an enjoyable coming-of-age story, thank you NetGalley for providing the e-ARC.