Words are weapons. Facts can be manipulated. And nothing is absolute—especially right and wrong.

Tanner McKay is at Bannerman Prep for one reason: to win. The elite school recruited him after he argued his public school's debate team to victory last year, and now Bannerman wants that championship trophy. Debate is Tanner's life—his ticket out of scrimping and saving and family drama, straight to a scholarship to Stanford and a new, better future.

When he's paired with the prep school playboy everyone calls the Duke, Tanner's straightforward plans seem as if they're going off the rails. The Duke is Bannerman royalty, beloved for his laissez-faire attitude, crazy parties, and the strings he so easily pulls. And a total no-show when it comes to putting in the work to win.

As Tanner gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, the thrill of the high life and the adrenaline of the edge becomes addictive. A small favor here and there seems like nothing in exchange for getting everything he ever dreamed of.

But the Duke’s castle is built on shady, shaky secrets, and the walls are about to topple.

A contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, Katie A. Nelson’s taut debut is perfect for anyone who's struggled to survive the cutthroat world of competitive high school.