A beautiful city with a dark secret.

Tranquility in 2120 is a city of safety, beauty, and cheer - no crime, no disasters, and no disunity. The people are positive, kind, and loyal. The only requirement is agreeing to wear the Alt, an electronic wrist device, to measure emotional highs and lows. Based on Alt points, those who maintain cheerfulness will rise up in society to achieve one level after another. Extraordinary pleasures and privileges await for those who achieve, while banishment to the Outside is a threat for those who resist emotional management.

Ember Vintana, a shy but warm and compassionate 16-year-old, is unlike anyone else in the utopian city of Tranquility. She is an empath, a person who can “feel” the emotions of other people, even at a distance. Emotions of her own tangle with those of others, and the untimely, mysterious death of her mother complicates her happiness and the maintaining of her status on level eight of Tranquility’s society. Her goal is to conquer her darkest feelings, keep her empathic ability a secret, and stay true to the expectations of the perfect society in which she lives.

When Ember meets the handsome Will Verus, an 18-year-old celebrated hero, she has someone strong to count on. Together, they begin a dangerous quest that uncovers the shadowy secrets of the city’s leader. A high-stakes meeting with Xander Noble, a known resistor, leads to a struggle between duty and freedom and a test of personal courage for all.