This is a story of Jess who must go to live with her Dad after her Mom dies in an accident which leaves Jess herself severely injured. She thinks she's going to a small town in Alaska. However, when her Dad's friend, Griff, picks her up she ends up in remote Canada where her Dad is living off the grid far away from anyone else. She has only seen her dad a couple times in her 16 years of life. How is she supposed to live like this? No electricity, no grocery store or phones. She's even shocked to see that he uses an outhouse as well. Her dad starts teaching her how to survive and cryptically reminds her that if she sees any planes other than Griff's she must come get him and then hide herself. Then her dad dies and their cabin burns. Griff is not expected back until the next spring. Now she and her Dad's dog, Bo, must survive somehow. Winter is coming and she's still hurt and not strong. So while saying her dad's mantra "Smart, not strong" over and over again the struggle to survive begins.

This book is a great one that shows how trauma and necessity can change a person. Sometimes giving people strength to persevere while often still leaving mental ghosts behind as well.