Kept Animals by Kate Milliken

A teen ranch hand with an affinity for horses mixes with the well off kids whose horses she takes care of and the daughter of the estate down the hill. This is a coming of age story of Rory's awakening sexuality but it is also a story of racism and a world where money is the greatest power. A horrible accident draws Rory's stepdad further away from his family and the horses and ranch he cares for. He feels guilty about his part in the accident and powerless to stop his marriage from crashing, his dreams for the horses and ranch falling apart and stopping Rory from the destructive path she is on. Rory is caught in relationships that will empower her and then destroy her in a world that she doesn't understand. Set in the canyons beyond Los Angeles and told in two time periods, this is a sparkling example of love, loss and defining who you are. Readers of THE GIRLS, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE and A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD will devour this book.