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Kim DeRose grew up in Santa Barbara, California, where she spent childhood summers holed up in her bedroom, reading and writing stories (which she was convinced her local bookstore would publish). She now lives in New York City, where she still holes up in her bedroom reading and writing stories. DeRose earned her MFA in film directing from UCLA, and she currently works in digital media. When she isn't reading or writing, she can be found geeking out over her favorite obsessions (Twin Peaks, Harry Potter, and anything Halloween-related, to name a few), drinking way too much coffee, listening to way too many podcasts, and spending time with her family. For Girls Who Walk through Fire is her debut novel.
""DeRose unflinchingly examines the impact of sexual assault on teens and the various paths there are toward healing. Each having experienced different types of assault, the girls relive their personal histories via shifting perspectives, providing nuance and complexity. Their healing journeys are both hopeful and realistic, as DeRose presents a cleareyed assessment of the subject, including society's dismissal of victims' stories and the difficult path to judicial justice. Their growing friendships are compelling and well depicted . . . . A searing examination of sexual assault centering teen witches who fight back."" --Kirkus Reviews ""The rich depiction of all four girls and how each works to find the power of their interconnected magic, along with an attentive handling of sexual assault, make the novel an important one to add to any collection.""--School Library Journal STARRED Review ""DeRose uses witchcraft to underscore both the lasting effects of trauma and the importance of community in healing. A bold and compassionate debut."" --Booklist ""DeRose has written a powerful story about teen witches who fight back against the people who've wronged them, with sometimes unintended, but always entertaining consequences.""--Santa Barbara Independent ""Kim DeRose has written a book at once about revenge and identity and friendship and trauma and empowerment and WITCHCRAFT and all the richness of navigating your way through the muck of it all. It's easy to fall in love with Elliott and her 90's song references and throwback style as she leads the charge of teenage witches with rage and heart. DeRose's writing has teeth and all the gooey inner stuff. I sunk into this world and kept turning the pages in solidarity with their mission and with hope they would eventually find what they needed to start the healing journey. A testimony to the power of the storytelling by Kim DeRose."" --Bonnie Pipkin, author of Aftercare Instructions
