Paradigm

For fans of Cruella and The Ninth House "...If there’s one thing I hate more than losing, it’s being underestimated." In the hallowed corridors of Thatcher Academy, ten of the nation's most intellectually elite students navigate their way through the challenges of SCESS, the nation's most idolized and exclusive student program. Crafted by the illustrious billion-dollar tech empire, the Society of Creatives, Engineers, Socialites, and Scholars, SCESS transcends mere recognition—it’s a gateway to celebrity, influence, and authority. Each year, SCESS students must compete in the SCESS Innovation Showcase, a high-stakes competition where they push the boundaries of existing technology to create the next groundbreaking innovation. But for SCESS’s 20th anniversary, there’s a twist: Teams of two. Fifteen-year-old fashion design prodigy, Phoebe DuBois, has spent years proving that she’s earned her spot in SCESS, standing out in a world dominated by engineers and tech geniuses. But when she’s partnered with Wyatt Cho—her insufferably brilliant, endlessly competitive academic rival—everything changes. Their stolen project? An effort that humanity had once declared impossible: the world's first and only functioning time machine. As they are forced into the intricacies of time, they unearth hidden truths and betrayals never meant to see the light of day. The vanishment of a SCESS student, like Wyatt’s sister, seems impossible given their status and celebrity. A truth that rewrites everything they thought they knew about SCESS—and the people behind it. As the showcase looms, Phoebe and Wyatt must decide just how far they’re willing to go for victory… and for the truth. Because some discoveries don’t earn you a prize—they make you disappear. View Less