The State of Grace

Book giveaway: The State of Grace

Whip-smart, hilarious and unapologetically honest, The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas is a heart-warming story of one girl trying to work out where she fits in, and whether she even wants to. And we have 10 copies to give away!

Sometimes I feel like everyone else was handed a copy of the rules for life and mine got lost.

I realise I’m tired of this. I’m sick of being awkward and feeling like I don’t fit and everything’s uncomfortable. All I need to do is find something that means everyone will think of me as someone who is interesting and funny and nice, and not the weirdo that stands out all the time.

Grace has Asperger's and her own way of looking at the world. She's got a horse and a best friend who understand her, and that's pretty much all she needs. But when things at home start to change – and Grace doesn’t like change – the world doesn’t make much sense any more. Mum’s friend Eve starts interfering. Grace kisses Gabe. Then there’s an accident on the beach. Suddenly everything threatens to fall apart, and Grace realises she’s got to fix it on her own.

"I think it is so important for our often invisible girls to see themselves on the page. To find a friend in fiction – to know they aren’t alone, they aren’t aliens or changelings, or adrift in time. I urge you to read it whether you’re autistic or not because Rachael has written an incredibly honest, warm-hearted and funny book that deserves the widest possible audience" - Jax Blunt

"Funny and tender with an irresistible heroine" - Lisa Williamson

Rachael Lucas is an author, coach and freelance writer. Her debut novel Sealed with a Kiss was downloaded over 150,000 times on Kindle. She lives and works in a Victorian house by the seaside in Southport in the North-West of England with her partner (also a writer) and their children. The State of Grace is her first novel for a YA audience.

Rachael's daughter, Verity, was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at secondary school and it was then that Rachael too was identified as autistic. Their shared experiences prompted Rachael to write. Until relatively recently, autism was seen as a condition that affected boys not girls, with girls able hide behind obsessions with a hobby.

The State of Grace is published by Macmillan Children's Books and is available online and from all good booksellers.