Like a River Glorious

The sequel to the New York Times–bestselling and National Book Award longlisted Walk on Earth a Stranger. 

After her harrowing journey west to California, Lee Westfall has finally found a new home—one rich in gold, thanks to her magical power, a power that seems to be changing every day. But this home is rich in other ways, too: with friends who are searching for a place to be themselves, just as she is, and with love. Jefferson—her longtime best friend—hasn’t stopped trying to win her heart. And Lee is more and more tempted to say yes.

But her uncle Hiram hasn’t given up his quest to get Lee and her power under his control. When she’s kidnapped and taken to him, Lee sees firsthand the depths of her uncle’s villainy. Yet Lee’s magic is growing. Gold no longer simply sings to her, it listens. It obeys her call. Is it enough to destroy her uncle once and for all?

Rae Carson, acclaimed author of the Girl of Fire and Thorns series, takes us deep into the gold fields as she continues this sweeping saga of magic and history, and an unforgettable heroine who must come into her own. Like a River Glorious is the second book in the Gold Seer trilogy.

• Friends to Lovers Romance: He’s her best friend and protector on the trail. She’s tempted to give him her heart. But as danger closes in, their long-simmering connection will be tested like never before.
• Found Family: In a land of strangers, Lee has finally found a home with fellow misfits and dreamers. When her uncle threatens their new life, they’ll risk everything to protect her.
• YA Western Adventure: Set against the gritty, dangerous backdrop of the 1849 gold fields, this sequel is packed with high stakes, harrowing escapes, and a journey into the heart of the American West.
• A Strong Heroine's Coming of Age: Lee Westfall must not only survive her uncle’s villainy but also master a magical gift that is growing beyond her control. Her power could be her salvation—or her doom.

He will never stop hunting me down. I have to end him. And soon.

Lee Westfall survived the dangerous journey to California. She found a new family in
the other outcasts of their wagon train, and Jefferson, her best friend, is beginning to woo her shamelessly. Now they have a real home—one rich in gold, thanks to Lee’s magical ability to sense the precious metal in the world around her.

But Lee’s Uncle Hiram has survived his own journey west. He’s already murdered her parents, and he will do anything to have Lee and her talents under his control. No one is safe. When he kidnaps her, she sees firsthand the depths of his depravity.

Lee’s magic is changing, though. It is growing. The gold no longer simply sings to her—it listens. It obeys her call. Will that alone be enough to destroy her uncle?

The second book of Rae Carson’s acclaimed Gold Seer trilogy takes us deep into the heart of the gold fields and continues the epic story of an unforgettable heroine.

The gold runs deep. I feel it pulsing way down in the earth. It glitters in my mind. And when the gold speaks to me, I speak back.

“Carson’s alternate Gold Rush-era setting is fierce and brutal...The socio-politics, too, are complicated.” - Horn Book Magazine

“A celebration of great courage, the ability of people to come together as family, and the healing power of love. The exciting, sweet, and satisfying ending is probably only temporary, however, as the final book in the trilogy is forthcoming.” - Booklist