Other editions of book The First Stone

Reef is an embittered young offender, hardly able to contain his anger at the world over the death of his grandmother, the only person who had shown him any love. Seventeen-year-old Leeza is mourning the death of her older sister. A stone hurled in rage shatters both their lives and throws them together in the most unexpected way—and offers them a chance at healing.

REEF IS AN EMBITTERED YOUNG OFFENDER, hardly able to contain his anger at the world over the death of his grandmother, the only person who had shown him any love. Seventeen-year-old Leeza is mourning the death of her older sister. A stone hurled in rage shatters both their lives and throws them together in the most unexpected way―and offers them a chance at healing.

Reef is a troubled sixteen-year-old, who likes to smoke pot and drink with his friends in a derelict abandoned building. He also likes to throw stones from bridges over roads. There’s a reason he throws stones - stemming from an abusive childhood - but one of his stones ends up smashing the windshield of seventeen-year-old Leeza Hemming’s car, causing a horrific accident and landing Leeza in a hospital for three months, learning to walk again. Meanwhile, Reef faces charges in court and ends up being sentenced to a group home, where he will have to attend classes and volunteer at a rehabilitation center. Because of some fluke in the assignment, he ends up volunteering with Leeza - they both don’t know who each other is - and they start to help each other face life. Ironically, Reef is the key to Leeza’s recovery, and vice versa. Then Leeza’s mother walks in her daughter’s hospital room and recognizes Reef from the courtroom…