The Possibility of Now — Kim Culbertson / Kim A. Culbertson

Mara James has always been a perfectionist with a plan:
1. SECURE THE VALEDICTORIAN SPOT
2. ACE THE SATS
3. GET INTO A TIER-ONE COLLEGE

But despite years of successful overachieving at her elite school and constant planning, it all falls apart. Because Mara didn't plan on having a total meltdown during her calculus exam. Like a rip-up-the-test-and-get-escorted-out kind of meltdown. And she definitely didn't plan on never wanting to show her face in school again.

Mara knows what she should do:
1. GO BACK TO SCHOOL WITH HER HEAD HELD HIGH
2. ACE THE SATS
3. WRITE AN AMAZING COLLEGE ESSAY ABOUT SAID MELTDOWN
4. GET INTO A TIER-ONE COLLEGE

Only she can't bring herself to do it. Because suddenly she doesn't know why she's been overachieving all these years. So Mara tells her mom she wants to go live in Tahoe with her estranged dad, Trick McHale, a ski bum avoiding real life. Maybe there Mara can figure things out.

Except Tahoe is nothing like she thought it would be. There are awesome new friends and a chance to finally get to know Trick, but there are also still massive amounts of schoolwork. Can Mara find a balance between the future and the now, or will she miss out on both?