I Cry Out to You (PreOrder)

“This year, the hardest battles will be fought inside her heart.”

Starting high school was supposed to be a fresh start. For thirteen-year-old Lillyana Hart, it feels like walking straight into a storm.

Her long sleeves cover more than skin, and the thoughts she battles stay tucked behind small smiles and quiet nods. Lilly walks into ninth grade carrying secrets she has never spoken aloud and memories that echo louder than they should. Something inside her is fraying, a thread pulled too tight, but she keeps pretending everything is fine because she is terrified of what will happen if anyone asks what is really going on beneath the surface.

Change arrives quietly. First in the dim glow of the theater, where costumes and whispered cues turn into strange comfort. Then in the friendships that grow when she isn’t looking. And finally in Youth Group, where two leaders with warm eyes and steady voices talk about a kind of faith that feels nothing like the one she remembers. Something in their words tugs at the ache she’s been hiding.

As the school year unfolds, Lilly discovers theatre, scripture, journaling, and the courage she never knew she had. Through setbacks, slip-ups, spiritual battles, and small victories, she slowly learns a new language… truth replacing lies, hope silencing fear.

But when her bully crosses a line and her darkest night threatens to pull her under, Lilly must choose: believe the lies that once defined her… or step into the truth that just might save her life.

A raw, heartfelt, and hopeful coming-of-age novel, (TITLE) follows one girl’s journey through fear, faith, friendship, and the slow, brave work of healing. Perfect for readers who love emotional YA fiction, found family, and stories where light wins, even if it flickers at first.