READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Discussion Questions:


1.   It’s established early in Lightning in Her Hands that Teal and Carter were best friends as children; however, for various reasons, they’re no longer friends at the beginning of the book. If Teal and Carter’s love story isn’t the trope of friends to lovers, what trope do you think they embody? If you think it actually still is friends to lovers, why is that?

2.   Teal’s magical gift is that the weather bends to her emotions—but she has no control over either of these. If you could choose a Flores sister gift that you could not control, would it be Sage’s: influence over plants, Teal’s: influence over the weather, or Sky’s: influence over animals?

3.   Would you consider Teal an unlikable or likable character? Do you think her most unlikable traits stem from trauma? How can readers hold compassion for a flawed character like Teal?

4.   Throughout the book, it’s clear that Teal has romantic feelings for Carter but keeps choosing to suppress them over her fear that she is inherently unlovable. Despite her fears, Carter is head-over-heels in love with Teal. When did you know that Carter was in love with Teal? What
were some characteristics or behaviors that convinced you of his attraction to her and the depth of his feelings for her?

5.   Teal faces stigma with regard to her bipolar disorder internally as well as from her former best friend, Leilani. Why do you think bipolar disorder is one of the more stigmatized mental health conditions? In what ways does reading about characters with bipolar disorder help normalize it?

6.   In the first book of the series, Witch of Wild Things, Sage sees Amá Sonya as sharp and judgmental. In Lightning in Her Hands, Teal definitely still sees her as having these characteristics, but we also see a softer, more vulnerable side to Amá Sonya. Why do you think that Teal is the one who is privy to this version of their grandmother? How do you think Amá Sonya became this way to start with?

7.   What were you expecting Teal to find when she followed the line of light to her mother? What did you think Cora would be like? Were you surprised at the turn of events? Why do you think Cora ended up deflecting all the responsibility of her actions to her daughters?

8.   Why do you think it took so long for Teal to accept Carter’s obvious love? What were some examples of Carter’s patience with Teal’s slow realization that not only does he love her but she is completely lovable as she is? What do you think is next for Carter and Teal?