Heart of Grit by Shelli Sivert
The year is 1860, and in Victory Hills, a silver mining town in the Utah Territory of the Western United States, news of a groundbreaking enterprise is about to be revealed. The dawn of the Pony Express is here, and two young teenagers’ worlds will open up in ways they never before expected. Shelli Sivert’s Heart of Grit is a fast-paced historical YA novel set on the American Frontier, following old friends as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime and uncover a widespread conspiracy that threatens those they care for.
Fast-Paced Frontier Novel
It would be improper for a young woman to participate in a meeting of minds held in the town saloon. But when a mysterious stranger comes to Victory Hills with news of a practice that will change the nature of communication, Beatrice “Bea” Brannon doesn’t hesitate to break the rules. She climbs atop a barrel in the alley beside the saloon and peers through the curtain as her sheriff father, the mayor, a mysterious stranger and the town’s most influential men discuss the brand-new Pony Express.
With the Pony Express, mail that would typically take a month to travel east to west on a stagecoach will now take only 10 days to cover a distance of nearly two thousand miles. As talk of civil war looms on the horizon, this communication method could be the difference between victory and defeat. All they need is two promising, fast recruits to prove their worth as riders.
The Pony Express pays well, and Bea’s family needs all they can get to settle the debts her father owes from poor investments in a silver mine that never returned any wealth. An unexpected tragedy spurs Beatrice to enter the riding contest on her own horse, racing alongside the best rider — Charlie Rye, a friend she hasn’t spoken to in two years.
Beloved Characters and Gripping Suspense
If anybody needs to get out of this town, it’s Charlie, the son of an abusive, alcoholic, white father, and born to a Cherokee mother. His father’s bad reputation and his mixed heritage has led him to endure insults and discrimination throughout Victory Hills. The Pony Express might be his only chance of escape — and though he’s the best rider in town, he chooses to give his place to Bea.
Disguised and passing herself off as Charlie Rye, Bea sets out on the road — a plot element that any Shakespeare fanatic will be thoroughly delighted by. Struggling to fit in and pass as a boy amongst the men at each station, Bea makes a plan to meet up with Charlie once again, and the real adventure begins.
From risky gambling, to fighting for survival, to long days of riding, to bullies, schemes, gunfights, and a mysterious organization called Vipers for Peace, Bea and Charlie have a long road ahead of them. Told from dual POVs that alternate between Charlie and Bea’s perspectives, author Shelli Sivert captures two loveable heroes. Readers will be rooting for them from the very first page, even as their desperation turns them scrappy and clever on the road, and danger threatens to tear them apart.
Informed by Classic Literature
Easily comparable to classics like Anne of Green Gables and Little Women, the relationship between Beatrice and Charlie parallels those beloved, intimate childhood friendships. Equally strong and independent, Bea and Charlie are compelling and unforgettable lead characters whose best traits surpass the limitations imposed on their genders. Charlie is tender, caring and sensitive, and Bea is bold, tough and determined — their balance of one another and shared goal of doing what’s right, no matter the risk, makes Heart of Grit compulsively readable.
Though technically a young adult novel, Heart of Grit can easily be enjoyed by readers of any age. Shelli Sivert brings Western drama and flair infused with Shakespeare, Dante and literary classics. This story is part coming-of-age literary romance, well-researched historical fiction, and suspenseful mystery. Interpersonal conflict and an innocent love story mix with serious discussions of abolition, justice for Native Americans, women’s suffrage and the impending war.
As the author summarized in a speech given at the book’s launch party, “Heart of Grit is about proving to yourself what you’re made of, learning how far you’ll go to protect your family, and drawing on your last ounce of grit to do the right thing.”
About Shelli Sivert:
Shelli Sivert grew up minimally supervised in a small town called Pleasant Grove, to which she credits her wild imagination and storytelling spirit. As soon as she learned to write, she began putting stories on paper. She hails from the Bookmobile era and relishes the days when it rolled into town bearing literary treasures. Studying English in college deepened her love for literature. She has a special affinity for a well-crafted essay and has helped hundreds of college-bound students learn the self-reflective process of writing and revising personal essays. She lives in the Arizona desert with her husband, two sons, and dog Luna. Heart of Grit is her debut novel.
