When Kaia Claffey arrives at Arden Academy, she expects rules and homesickness. What she doesn't expect is a boarding school ruled by fear, where a warden armed with a wooden ruler keeps students obedient through humiliation and punishment.

Most girls have learned that survival means keeping their heads down.

Kaia has never been particularly good at that.

Fiery, sharp-tongued, and always ready with a scheme when someone crosses her, Kaia quickly finds herself at the centre of trouble. What begins as small acts of defiance grows into secret rebellions, fierce friendships, and a first love far more complicated than she ever imagined.

As the years pass and Kaia grows from a stubborn child into a precocious teenager, she begins to realise that some injustices can't be ignored. But the more she challenges those in power, the more dangerous it becomes. When the cruelty she witnesses crosses a line, staying silent is no longer an option.

Now Kaia must decide how much she is willing to risk to expose the truth.

Set in the hill town, Shillong at the turn of the millennium, Making Kaia is a heartfelt coming-of-age story about identity, belonging, resilience, and finding the courage to stand up when everyone else is looking away.

Perfect for readers who love boarding-school drama, bold heroines, first love, friendship, and stories about finding your voice in a world determined to silence it.