Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week I am waiting on
Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Publication Date: May 24th 2016

Goodreads Summary
San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, an historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the Army to bring help. Fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, yet Mercy still has the ‘bossy’ cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenaged girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

Historic and tragic. Mercy Wong sounds like a character that will not let anything stand in her way. I don’t know much about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but I can imagine the carnage and horror that spread throughout the city. I’m very interested in seeing how our protagonist fairs under these tragic circumstances.