After falling for a telephone scam, she loses everything and is forced to abandon her trailer. With only two-thirds of a tank in her old van, she heads toward the Pacific Ocean with her cat—on a mission to reclaim what’s rightfully hers, even if it means making others pay for what she lost.When fifteen-year-old Allie’s parents are jailed for tax fraud, she’s sent to a group home. But when her life is threatened by another resident, she knows she has to get out. She escapes only to find she has nowhere to go—until fate throws Allie in Bea’s path.Reluctant to trust each other, much less become friends, the two warily make their way up the Pacific Coast. Yet as their hearts open to friendship and love from the strangers they meet on their journey, they find the courage to forge their own unique family—and begin to see an imperfect world with new eyes.

    . . perhaps on the entire planet. He hated everyone, except for BB Easton—the perky, quirky punk chick he couldn’t avoid.BB, on the other hand, liked everybody . . . except for Knight. She was scared to death of him, actually. All she wanted was to marry Little Mermaid’s Prince Eric-lookalike and king of the local punk scene Lance Hightower.But Knight was patient. Persistent. Unexpected. And once he got under BB’s skin, her life would never be the same.A  forbidden love story overflowing with '90s nostalgia, dark humor, and heart-wrenching angst, and based on a true story.

    They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control. This enchanting collection includes hardcover editions of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before; P.S. I Still Love You; and Always and Forever, Lara Jean.

    SURVIVING THE FATHERLAND tells the true and heart-wrenching stories of Lilly and Günter struggling with the terror-filled reality of life in the Third Reich, each embarking on their own dangerous path toward survival, freedom, and ultimately each other. Based on the author’s own family and anchored in historical facts, this story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of war children.

    His normal life consists of being beaten up by his drunkard father or bullied by the village lads. But at the annual suitability tests for apprenticeships, the young boy finds himself selected by Falk, the guardian of the forest, to be his apprentice and his world is turned upside down. From his new master he learns the skills of archery and how to fight the Dark Ones. And then, on the day of the Spring Ceremony there is another unexpected turn of events. He touches the Stone of the Gods and it illuminates for the first time ever. It isn’t long before a cantankerous wizard turns up and urges Falk and Ahren into action. There is no time to waste, for something evil is awakening. The unlikely trio begin their dangerous journey to Evergreen, the elfish kingdom to get the elves’ help. But time is running out. HE, WHO FORCES has his eyes trained on Ahren and nothing will stop him from destroying the young man. Let yourself be swept into the fantastic world of Jorath by diving into AHREN, THE THIRTEENTH PALADIN (volume 1). For all fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS and David Edding’s BELGARIAD.

    We drive at high speed along back roads, through woods, vineyards, and oat fields. The bike smells like gasoline and makes a lot of noise, and sometimes I’m frightened when the wheels slip on the gravel on the dirt road, but the only thing that matters is that I’m holding on to him, that I’m holding on to him outside.Just outside a hotel in Bordeaux, Philippe chances upon a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. What follows is a look back at the relationship he’s never forgotten, a hidden affair with a gorgeous boy named Thomas during their last year of high school. Without ever acknowledging they know each other in the halls, they steal time to meet in secret, carrying on a passionate, world-altering affair.Dazzlingly rendered in English by Ringwald in her first-ever translation, Besson’s powerfully moving coming-of-age story captures the eroticism and tenderness of first love—and the heartbreaking passage of time.

    He does not have friends—the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to that—but his devoted mother and grandmother aren’t fazed by his condition. Their little home above his mother’s used bookstore is decorated with colorful post-it notes that remind him when to smile, when to say "thank you," and when to laugh. Yunjae grows up content, even happy, with his small family in this quiet, peaceful space.Then on Christmas Eve—Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday—everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss, Yunjae retreats into silent isolation, until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school and begins to bully Yunjae. Against all odds, tormentor and victim learn they have more in common than they realized. Gon is stumped by Yunjae’s impassive calm, while Yunjae thinks if he gets to know the hotheaded Gon, he might learn how to experience true feelings. Drawn by curiosity, the two strike up a surprising friendship. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people—including a girl at school—something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life in danger, it is Yunjae who will step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become a most unlikely hero. The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever.

    That's when they come for Wren Clemens. She's hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who've gone so far off the rails, their parents don't know what to do with them any more. This is wilderness therapy camp. The Wren who arrives in the Utah desert is angry and bitter, and blaming everyone but herself. But angry can't put up a tent. And bitter won't start a fire. Wren's going to have to admit she needs help if she's going to survive. In her most incisive and insightful book yet, beloved author Wendelin Van Draanen's offers a remarkable portrait of a girl who took a wrong turn and got lost--but who may be able to find her way back again in the vast, harsh desert.

    In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband's death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred...until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin’s parents are left dead and Beauty’s daughter goes missing.After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection.Told through Beauty and Robin's alternating perspectives, the interwoven narratives create a rich and complex tapestry of the emotions and tensions at the heart of Apartheid-era South Africa. Hum If You Don’t Know the Words is a beautifully rendered look at loss, racism, and the creation of family.

    Justine finds sanctuary in Pop's chooks and The Choke, where the banks of the Murray River are so narrow they can almost touch—a place of staggering natural beauty that is both a source of peace and danger. Although Justine doesn't know it, her father is a menacing criminal and the world she is exposed to is one of great peril to her. She has to make sense of it on her own—and when she eventually does, she knows what she has to do. A brilliant, haunting novel about a child navigating an often dark and uncaring world of male power, guns and violence, in which grown-ups can't be trusted and comfort can only be found in nature, The Choke is a compassionate and claustrophobic vision of a child in danger and a society in deep trouble. It once again showcases the Miles Franklin Award-winning author as a writer of rare empathy, originality and blazing talent.

    Scared and alone, Jess is like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Unable to live with her own mother, a prostitute, and removed from the home of her childhood sweetheart, Darren, Jess is overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a newborn whilst still little more than a child herself. Maggie knows that Jess is desperate to reunite with Darren and to be a good mum to their son. Can Maggie help Jess keep her baby, and will the family ever be able to live together again?

    Routinely beaten by her father and bullied by schoolmate Victor Harrison, the waifish yet fiery redhead vows to run away and never return. Just a few short years later, run she does—fleeing the unspeakable repercussions of her father’s gambling. In Winnipeg, Bridget lands a job at a garment factory, the first step on her journey to shed her past and begin anew.When her father dies, Bridget—now a striking and accomplished woman—returns home to claim her inheritance. But she has no identification to prove her stake, and no one in town recognizes her—except Victor, who has become a pastor and a candidate for town mayor. Though war has wounded him, his secret affection for Bridget remains, and now he’s the only one who can help her prove her integrity. But can he also prove he’s a changed man worthy of her forgiveness?As Victor preaches of freedom in faith, will his words spark Bridget’s once-hopeless heart and lead her to the life she’s been seeking?

    He has his clean room, his carefully organized bird books and art supplies, his favorite foods, and comfortable routines.But life has been unraveling since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan. And when Dad gets sent across country for medical treatment, Charlie must reluctantly travel to meet him. With his boy-crazy sister, unruly twin brothers, and a mysterious new family friend at the wheel, the journey looks anything but smooth.So Charlie decides to try and spot all the birds that he and his dad had been hoping to see together in the wild. If he can complete the Someday Birds list for Dad, then maybe, just maybe, things will turn out okay...Equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an unusual boy, and portrait of a family overcoming a crisis.

    Or one will be picked for you . . .All Pedro Gutiérrez cares about is fishing, playing pool and his girlfriend Camila’s promise to sleep with him on his sixteenth birthday. But his life is ripped apart when Guerrilla soldiers callously execute his father in front of him, and he and his mother are banished from their farm.Swearing vengeance against the five men responsible, Pedro, with his best friend Palillo, joins an illegal Paramilitary group, where he is trained to fight, kill and crush any sign of weakness.But as he descends into a world of unspeakable violence, Pedro must decide how far he is willing to go. Can he stop himself before he becomes just as ruthless as those he is hunting? Or will his dark obsession cost him all he loves?Colombiano is an epic tale of rural villages held to ransom, of jungle drug labs, cocaine supermarkets, witch doctors and buried millions, of innocent teenage love, barbaric torture and meticulously planned revenge.Superbly told and by turns gripping, poignant and darkly comic, Colombiano is the remarkable story of a boy whose moral descent becomes a metaphor for the corruption of an entire nation. Both blockbuster thriller and electrifying coming-of-age story, Rusty Young’s powerful novel is also a meditation on the redeeming power of love.

    Young Poppy Wainwright feels much like a deck of cards, shuffled around from a boozing mother to a beloved grandmother. Finally bussed to Savannah, Georgia, to live with her grandmother’s cantankerous sister, Sookie. Through the enlightened eyes of a thirteen-year-old girl, the hilarity and insanity ensues.From the best-selling author of A Faithful Son, this rollicking romp of a ride does not disappoint.Aunt Sookie & Me: The Sordid Tale of a Scandalous Southern Belle is irreverent, hilarious, and heartbreaking. All political correctness is buried alongside the dead corpse in the family vegetable garden in this riotous book. But don’t let the folksy and fresh recipe fool you, Garvin serves up a big helping of reality, cutting through small-town bigotry and bias.

    Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?

    The gift comes with a twist. They must live together for one year at the hotel and prepare the hotel to receive guests within a year. Sheena, eager to escape her role of unappreciated wife and mother, can’t wait for the opportunity to find herself. Dreams of sitting on the beach sipping margaritas are shattered when they see the property in need of renovation. But they begin their work of meeting the challenge. If they succeed, the bulk of Gavin’s estate will be theirs. Facing the unexpected, working together, the three sisters learn a lot about each other and the gift of family love.

    Days meant swimming and sun, nights meant ghost stories and campfires. Best of all, Whispering Pines meant time with Celia, her favorite aunt. Through the years, Celia would remain Renee's most steadfast confidant, but trips to Whispering Pines would fade to memories. Raising kids alone and a demanding career consumed Renee's life.Now Celia is gone and Renee’s career is in shambles. Promising herself she’ll look for a new job in January, Renee is determined to make the most of her unexpected time off. But when mysterious events begin to swirl around her kids, her worries compound.A spontaneous trip, meant to lessen the growing pressures and soothe Renee's battered pride, could turn out to be so much more when she finds herself alone on a moonlit beach, half-a-world away, with a handsome stranger.How can Renee keep her family safe as she works to rebuild their lives? Does she dare take another chance at love?Celia's final gift may provide answers, but there are risks. Renee wishes she could seek comfort and advice from her dear aunt, but Celia's recent death has left a void. Why can't things be simple, the way they were when she spent summers at Whispering Pines?Whispering Pines, the first book in Kimberly Diede’s uplifting Celia’s Gifts series, will introduce you to a special place and a remarkable family.Discover how Celia’s legacy can live on if her family is willing to seize the opportunities she leaves to each of them.

    Read Introductions with a whole new perspective—the boys'.Silas Korba's days are filled with working for the Academy and dealing with the realities of bringing his family from Greece to America. Only today is a little different; he meets a girl—a mysterious girl—who needs his help and maybe the help of the Academy.He doesn't know her, but he wants to. There’s something different and special about her and he has a feeling she’s going to change his life forever.

    Flurries of snow fall on the cobbled streets of Whitechapel and an abandoned baby, swaddled in a blanket, is found on a doorstep in Angel Lane . . .Named after the street on which she was found, Angel Winter was blessed to be taken from the harsh streets into a loving home. But fate deals a cruel blow and she’s torn from the only family she has ever known, and thrown onto the cobbles of Covent Garden to fend for herself.With winter closing in, Angel scratches a living selling mistletoe to the City gentlemen who pass through the market, hoping they will take pity on her as she shivers in the snow. The only way she can survive is to make her own luck. She will never sell the one treasure that could feed her for a month, the gold and ruby ring that was hidden in her swaddling – it could hold the key to the secrets of her past . . .

    She brings with her a suitcase, memories both happy and sad, and a box containing something very important.As Rydr meets her fellow passengers and learns their stories, her own past begins to emerge. And as much as Rydr may want to forget about her life in California, on the train she finds that maybe her past can help her deal with her present. And maybe hope and forgiveness are all around her and, most important, within her, if she’s willing to look for it.

    Humanity lost.Time for a rematch.The world fell, the invaders won, and Demons now ruled what had once been man's domain. The great works of a once powerful civilization lie in ruins, its people having forgotten the wonders of their forefathers as they now live in the yoke. Not everyone is willing to go quietly into the endless night, however, and for every inch of ground they'd won, they had paid in blood and bone. At the end of it all, however, the demons stood victorious and all that was left to accomplish was the final cleanup of the human pests that infested occasional parts of the conquered world.In one nearly uninhabitable part of that world, a very young such pest has come of age and, without understanding what it means, she walks in the shadow of destiny.The demons have a lesson to learn, one last to be taught to them by humans, before they can call this world truly their own.A cleansing fire can start from the smallest of sparks... and it is always This is a new release of an edition originally published by Evan Currie.

    Her mother says she has to take every opportunity. She has. She accepted a scholarship to a mostly-white private school and even Saturday morning test prep opportunities. But some opportunities feel more demeaning than helpful. Like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for “at-risk” girls. Except really, it’s for black girls. From “bad” neighborhoods.But Jade doesn’t need support. And just because her mentor is black doesn’t mean she understands Jade. And maybe there are some things Jade could show these successful women about the real world and finding ways to make a real difference.Friendships, race, privilege, identity—this compelling and thoughtful story explores the issues young women face.

    I’m not sure who I’m supposed to save, but I know who saved me. We were kids. His name was Christopher. And up until the day he pulled me from death’s grip, he was nothing more than a boy I felt sorry for. In a blink of an eye, he became the only person who made me feel safe.And then he disappeared. Now I’m seventeen. I’m not a kid anymore. I haven’t been for years. While death didn’t take me that day, the things that happened left me with scars—the kind that robbed me of everything I once loved and drove me into darkness. But more than anything else, that day—and every day since—has taken away my desire to dream. I wasn’t going to have hope. I wouldn’t let myself wish. Those things—they weren’t for girls like me. That’s what I believed…until the new boy. He’s nothing like the old boy. He’s taller and older. His hair is longer, and his body is lean—strong and ready for anything. I don’t feel sorry for him. And sometimes, I hate him. He challenges me. From the moment I first saw him standing there on the baseball field, he pushed me—his eyes constantly questioning, doubting…daring. Still, something about him—it feels…familiar. He says his name is Wes. But I can’t help but feel like he’s someone else. Someone from my past. Someone who’s come back to save me.This time, though, he’s too late. Josselyn Winters, the girl he once knew, is gone. I am the threat; I am my worst enemy. And he can’t save me from myself.

    She’s fourteen, autistic, and has a heart-breaking secret…Ginny Moon is trying to make sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up….After years in foster care, Ginny is in her fourth forever family, finally with parents who will love her.Everyone tells her that she should feel happy, but she has never stopped crafting her Big Secret Plan of Escape.Because something happened, a long time ago – something that only Ginny knows – and nothing will stop her going back to put it right…A fiercely poignant and inspirational story a lost girl searching for a place to call home. Ginny Moon will change everyone who spends time with her.

    Shaken to her core, she's left questioning the world around her, and soon finds herself entering a friendship with a hot, new student named Alexander. Little does she know, Alex is a Guardian Angel, sent from Midway to protect her from those dangerous creatures—known as Darkling—lurking in the forest outside Brindle Hall. It isn’t long before Alex learns this is no ordinary assignment. Eden’s existence holds a secret; something hidden from even herself. Eden is thrust into a world where Fallen angels and creatures of the Underworld will stop at nothing to catch her. With Alex at her side and a little help from some of his old friends, they form a formidable front against the enemy. Hopefully, it’s not too little, too late. Guarding Eden is a Hidden Wings Spin-off Series and a Midway Novel. Intended for Ages 15 and over

    For as long as she can remember, her heart has belonged to the dreamy, football hero next door. But despite their lifelong friendship, the three years separating them is an insurmountable hurdle for a high-school romance.Until one summer night, when everything changes and Jake finally sees her for the woman she’s become.Can Cam’s sheer determination keep them together when college, illness, and fate come calling? Or will she be left to pick up the pieces without him? “You were my only wish. My only dream come true. But what if I couldn’t keep you?” Inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Our Song,” My Life as a Country Album is the first heartfelt standalone novel in the My Life as an Album series. If you like unforgettable connections, emotional journeys, and beautiful prose, then you just might adore LJ Evans’ bittersweet, diary-style tale.Warning: tears may fall…Catch the complete, interconnected series today.Also available in the My Life as an Album series box set.Audiobook of the original story and the novella available in the box set.

    Perez, The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one's watching. There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school--you can't fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors. On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (Maria Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle School's queen bee, violates the school's dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process. Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself. The real Malú loves rock music, skateboarding, zines, and Soyrizo (hold the cilantro, please). And when she assembles a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home. She'll do anything to preserve this, which includes standing up to an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself! Black and white illustrations and collage art throughout make The First Rule of Punk a perfect pick for fans of books like Roller Girl and online magazines like Rookie.

    The hospital social worker warns her the transition back may be tricky, but Norah isn’t worried. Compared with battling cancer, how tricky can seventh grade be?Very. Everyone is either treating Norah like she will break at any second, or acting weird about all the attention she’s getting. Her best friend, Harper, does her best to be there for Norah, but she doesn’t get it, really—and is hanging out with a new group of girls, leaving Norah feeling a little unsteady. Norah’s other good friend, Silas, is avoiding her. What’s that about, anyway?When Norah is placed with the eighth graders for math and science she meets Griffin, a cute boy who encourages her love of drawing and Greek mythology. And Norah decides not to tell him her secret—that she was “that girl” who had cancer. But when something happens to make secret-keeping impossible, Norah must figure out a way to share her cancer story. But how do you explain something to others that you can’t explain to yourself? And then, once you find the words, how do you move forward with a whole new ‘normal’?

    But when his father is arrested on false charges and sent to prison by a corrupt system that targets the uneducated, the poor, and the indigenous majority, Francisco's mother abandons hope and her family. Francisco and his sister are left with no choice: They must move into the prison with their father. There, they find a world unlike anything they've ever known, where everything—a door, a mattress, protection from other inmates—has its price.Prison life is dirty, dire, and dehumanizing. With their lives upended, Francisco faces an impossible decision: Break up the family and take his sister to their grandparents in the Andean highlands, fleeing the city and the future that was just within his grasp, or remain together in the increasingly dangerous prison. Pulled between two equally undesirable options, Francisco must confront everything he once believed about the world around him and his place within it.In this heart-wrenching novel inspired by real events, Melanie Crowder sheds light on a little-known era of modern South American history—where injustice still darkens the minds and hearts of people alike—and proves that hope can be found, even in the most desperate places.Perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys, Matt de la Pena, and Jacqueline Woodson.

    Leave them alone long enough, and it gets real hard to tell them apart.”Elena Alvarez is living a cursed life. From the deadly fire she accidentally set as a child, to her mother’s abandonment, and now to an unwanted pregnancy, she knows better than most that small actions can have terrible consequences. Driven to the high mountains surrounding Leadville, Colorado by her latest bad decision, she’s intent on putting off the future. Perhaps there she can just hide in her grandmother’s isolated cabin and wait for something—anything—to make her next choice for her.Instead, she is confronted by reflections of her own troubles wherever she turns—the recent widower and his two children adrift in a changed world, Elena’s own mysterious family history, and the interwoven lives within the town itself. Bit by bit, Elena begins to question her understanding of cause and effect, reexamining the tragedies she’s held on to and the wounds she’s refused to let heal.But when the children go missing, Elena’s fragile new peace is shattered. It’s only at the prospect of fresh loss and blame that she will discover the truth of the terrible burdens we take upon ourselves, the way tragedy and redemption are inevitably intertwined—and how curses can sometimes lead to blessings, however disguised.

    But it is. It’s the after that’s hard to deal with. Nate was eight the first time he stabbed someone; he was eleven when he earned his red laces—a prize for spilling blood for “the cause.” And he was fourteen when he murdered his father (and the leader of The Fort, a notorious white supremacist compound) in self-defense, landing in a treatment center while the state searched for his next of kin. Now, in the custody of an uncle he never knew existed, who wants nothing to do with him, Nate just wants to disappear.Enrolled in a new school under a false name, so no one from The Fort can find him, he struggles to forge a new life, trying to learn how to navigate a world where people of different races interact without enmity. But he can’t stop awful thoughts from popping into his head, or help the way he shivers with a desire to commit violence. He wants to be different—he just doesn’t know where to start.Then he meets Brandon, a person The Fort conditioned Nate to despise on sight. But Brandon’s also the first person to treat him like a human instead of a monster. Brandon could never understand Nate’s dark past, so Nate keeps quiet. And it works for a while. But all too soon, Nate’s worlds crash together, and he must decide between his own survival and standing for what’s right, even if it isn’t easy. Even if society will never be able to forgive him for his sins.Like a teen American History X, S.F. Henson’s Devils Within is gut-wrenching, thought-provoking, no-holds-barred look at the plague of white supremacy in contemporary American culture that may have you examining your own soul.

    Born in the backseat of a moving car, Carmel Fishkill was unceremoniously pushed into a world that refuses to offer her security, stability, love. At age thirteen, she begins to fight back. Carmel Fishkill becomes Fishkill Carmel, who deflects her tormenters with a strong left hook and conceals her secrets from teachers and social workers. But Fishkill’s fierce defenses falter when she meets eccentric optimist Duck-Duck Farina, and soon they, along with Duck-Duck’s mother, Molly, form a tentative family, even as Fishkill struggles to understand her place in it. This fragile new beginning is threatened by the reappearance of Fishkill’s unstable mother — and by unfathomable tragedy. Poet Ruth Lehrer’s young adult debut is a stunning, revelatory look at what defines and sustains “family.” And, just as it does for Fishkill, meeting Duck-Duck Farina and her mother will leave readers forever changed.

    And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed. But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

    But in 1976, on his first day of eighth grade, he meets Nathan Tilly, who changes everything. Nathan is confident, fearless, impetuous--and fascinated by kites and flying. Robert and Nathan's budding friendship is forged in the crucible of two family tragedies, and as the boys struggle to come to terms with loss, they take summer jobs at the local rundown amusement park. It's there that Nathan's boundless capacity for optimism threatens to overwhelm them both, and where they learn some harsh truths about family, desire, and revenge. Unforgettable and heart-breaking, Setting Free the Kites is a poignant and moving exploration of the pain, joy, and glories of young friendship.

    Noni's a good girl who wants more from Nike than he's willing to offer, so after graduation she runs to Atlanta to start college and get a fresh start from Nike after he's broken her heart not once, but twice. Nike loves her but he just can't seem to get things right so he pushes her out of mind and out of sight. But after 4 years of being gone Noni returns, not only running from an abusive ex but also because she has a secret and she needs Nike help. How will he deal with the bomb Noni drops on him? Will he man up? Or keep her buried in the past?

    Her mother, Polly, is a cantankerous, take-no-prisoners Southern woman who lives to shoot varmints, drink margaritas, and antagonize the neighbors and she sticks out like a sore thumb among the young modern mothers of their small conventional Texas town. She was in her late fifties when Willow was born, so Willow knows she's here by accident, a late-life afterthought. Willow's father died before she was born, her much older brother and sister are long grown and gone and failing elsewhere. It's just her and bigger-than-life Polly.Willow is desperately hungry for clues to the family life that preceded her, and especially Polly's life pre-Willow. Why did she leave her hometown of Bethel, Louisiana, fifty years ago and vow never to return? Who is Garland Jones, her long-ago suitor who possibly killed a man? And will Polly be able to outrun the Bear, the illness that finally puts her on a collision course with her past?

     The biggest solar storm in recorded history will hit Earth, and the resulting EMP pulse will fry electricity grids and disable fragile electronics. Transmission wires will melt, transformers will explode, modern vehicles and aircraft will cease to work. In less than a minute, the world will be taken back two centuries. Lauren Nolan is in New York on a business trip when the blackout hits and the transportation system grinds to a halt. Trapped in the panic that envelops the metropolis, she has find a way to get back to her two children, five hundred miles away in North Carolina. Unable to get word to them, and with society collapsing around her, she faces a long and harrowing journey on foot. Her husband is serving overseas and it looks like she might never see him again. Sergeant Rick Nolan is in Syria on a covert ops mission against ISIS. When the solar storm wipes out his communications and his air cover, he and his small team find themselves on the same level as the enemy that surrounds them. Caught in a desperate fight for survival and forced to run, one thought is uppermost in his mind: How is he going to get home? Solar Storm is Book 1 of an EMP, post-apocalyptic series about family survival and the challenges entailed. Contains moderate language and graphic action scenes.

    With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is often caught between worlds. But when tragedy strikes, Wing discovers a talent for running she never knew she had. Wing's speed could bring her family everything it needs. It could also stop Wing getting the one thing she wants.

    This new literary portrayal features a cast of real and imagined characters set against the backdrop of the infamous Buttershaw estate during the Thatcher era.A bittersweet tale of the north/south divide, it reveals how a shy teenage girl defied the circumstances into which she was born and went on to become one of her generation's greatest dramatists. Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile is a poignant piece of kitchen sink noir that tells Dunbar's compelling story in print for the very first time.Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile is Adelle Stripe's keenly anticipated debut novel.

    Set in 1970, a watershed moment in American History, A Catalog of Birds tells the story of the Flynn family and the devastating impact of the Vietnam War. At the heart of the novel is the relationship between siblings Nell and Billy Flynn. Nell excels academically and is headed to college and a career in science. Billy, a passionate artist, enlists as a pilot to fulfill his lifelong dream of flying. He is the only survivor when his helicopter is shot down. When he returns home his wounds limit his ability to sketch or even hold a pencil. As Billy struggles to regain the life he once had, Nell and their family will have to do all that's possible to save him. Lyrical and affecting, Laura Harrington has written an artful family drama about innocence lost and wounds that may never be healed. This is a tale of forgiveness: of ourselves, of those we love best. Illuminated by grief and desire, the novel is full of spirit, wonder and the possibilities of the future.

    But she's a loner. Her mother tells her she has 'gunfighter eyes', like the father she's never met. In prison, about to be released, Nate runs afoul of the powerful leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. Marked for death on his release, Nate soon realizes that everyone he has ever loved is a target - including his daughter, Polly. Now, forced into hiding by the greenlight placed upon them, Nate finds himself having to teach his estranged daughter how to survive in a kill-or-be-killed world, all the while observed by Polly's teddy bear, who is soon the only outlet for the little girl's emotions. Soon the two of them find themselves on a non-stop struggle for survival, and along the way, discover the bonds that eluded them for so many years...

    With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, David Chariandy takes us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of Trinidadian immigrants, their father has disappeared and their mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home. Coming of age in The Park, a cluster of town houses and leaning concrete towers in the disparaged outskirts of a sprawling city, Michael and Francis battle against the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry -- teachers stream them into general classes; shopkeepers see them only as thieves; and strangers quicken their pace when the brothers are behind them. Always Michael and Francis escape into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighbourhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves. Propelled by the pulsing beats and styles of hip hop, Francis, the older of the two brothers, dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.With devastating emotional force David Chariandy, a unique and exciting voice in Canadian literature, crafts a heartbreaking and timely story about the profound love that exists between brothers and the senseless loss of lives cut short with the shot of a gun.

    At sixteen-years-old, Sebastian Baxter taught me that. He taught me a lot of things.He never had to work for my heart. In some unexplainable way I think it had always belonged to him anyway.We spent years loving each other, hurting each other, trying to forget each other, but no matter how hard I tried, I could never erase the memory of him. His eyes, his smile, his touch—these are all things that are embedded in my brain, tattooed on my skin, and etched into my heart. Some might think our love story is over, but deep down I know it’s only just beginning. Because it’s not about where the night begins, it’s about where it ends…

    While her older sister, Laci—a mute, musically gifted savant—is constantly watched over and protected, Wallis Ann is as practical and sturdy as her name. When the Tuckasegee River bursts its banks, forcing them to flee in the middle of the night, those qualities save her life. But though her family is eventually reunited, the tragedy opens Wallis Ann’s eyes to a world beyond the creek that’s borne their name for generations.Carrying what’s left of their possessions, the Stampers begin another perilous journey from their ruined home to the hill country of South Carolina. Wallis Ann’s blossoming friendship with Clayton, a high diving performer for a traveling show, sparks a new opportunity, and the family joins as a singing group. But Clayton’s attention to Laci drives a wedge between the two sisters. As jealousy and betrayal threaten to accomplish what hardship never could—divide the family for good—Wallis Ann makes a decision that will transform them all in unforeseeable ways…

    Will she still cling to the simple, small-town life she has always cherished, or will she chart a new path by overcoming this unforeseen trial?Calder Hurtz hopes to escape his dumpy Texas town for a promising career and life away from the dusty dirt roads...and even farther away from his family’s tragic loss. In his escape, he intends to leave behind his simple childhood ideals of family and love, but perhaps he will learn that redefining one’s identity isn’t that simple after all.Can two hospitalizations, two confessions of love, and one betrayal bring two simple souls together?Compulsively readable, The Simple Soul of Susan is an engaging, soul-endearing romance and a mesmerizing debut.“I don’t remember ever smiling so much while reading a book.”-Melanie, Paperback Darling“...a literary gem that must be experienced.” -Nicole, Christian Fiction Girl

     When Argyle invites his best friend, Simon Kerrigan, home for the Christmas holidays, he wants to save Simon from staying at Guilder Boarding School on his own. Simon comes along and doesn’t expect to find much more excitement in the tiny Scottish town where Argyle’s family lives. Until he meets Beth, Argyle’s older sister. She’s beautiful, brash and clearly interested in him. When her father warns him to stay away from her, Simon tries, but sometimes destiny has a hope of it’s own. Question the Darkness – Book #2 Learn how it all began … before Rae Kerrigan. The sins of the father are the sins of the son. What did Rae’s father do that put fear in people’s eyes at the name Kerrigan? Simon Kerrigan is a bright kid. He likes to ask questions and push adults in their way of thinking. He’s falling for a girl he’s been warned to stay away from. Tempted by forbidden love, he also must face the biggest challenge of his life: receive a tattoo on his sixteenth birthday. This ink is going to give him a supernatural ability unlike anyone before him. When secrets of the past begin to reveal themselves, he questions everything he’s ever known. Pressure from Guilder Boarding School and the Privy Council only confuse Simon more as he struggles to find himself. How hard will he have to shake the family tree to find the truth about the past? The Chronicles of Kerrigan Prequel is the beginning of the story before Rae Kerrigan. Christmas Before the Magic is just the beginning (but not the end...) Into the Darkness – Book #3 What did Rae’s father do that put fear in people’s eyes at the name Kerrigan? After a mysterious attempt is made on his life, Simon Kerrigan has more questions than ever, and this time, he's not the only one. The beginnings of a secret society are formed at Guilder. A society of other like-minded students all unsatisfied with the status quo. All searching for the truth. But things aren't always as they seem. When Simon gets an unexpected visitor, his entire world is turned upside-down. Suddenly, the rules that were made to keep him safe, are the only things standing in his way. Who can he trust? Can he learn to master his tatù? Most importantly, can he do it in time to protect those things that are most precious to him?

    immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?

    She copes with her parents death by drinking, spending, and kicking ass when it’s necessary. After an unexpected letter reveals that her loved ones’ tragedy was murder, Gia changes her focus to revenge. Vowing to find the one responsible, the grieving daughter must stay one step ahead of a ruthless plot to end her family line. To avoid yet another family death, Gia has a bloody choice to make: kill or be killed. Gia in the City of the Dead is the first book in the Gia Santella Crime Thriller series. If you like take-charge heroines, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and gritty dramas, then you’ll love Kristi Belcamino’s tale of revenge.

    Or is it just a mirage? The Langley Park Series ♥The Road Home♥The Sound of Home♥The Beginning of Home♥The Measure of Home♥The Story of HomeAlso available: 5-book ebook box set + bonus scene

    Bullies will find your weakness and jump on it. Teachers will say you did something wrong when really you didn't mean to do anything wrong. The kids who joke the loudest can drown out the quieter, nicer kids.Maverick wants to change all that. One of the last things his father left him was a toy sheriff's badge, back when Maverick was little. Now he likes to carry it around to remind him of his dad -- and also to remind him to make school a better place for everyone . . . even if that's a hard thing to do, especially when his own home life is falling apart.The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade is a story about standing up for yourself -- and being a hero at home and in the halls of your school.

    But now Lucas isn't there to do it with him.Toby's determined to hike the trail alone and fulfill their pact, which means dealing with the little things - the Blisters, the Heat, the Hunger - and the big things - the Bears, the LonelinessMemories.When a storm comes, Toby finds himself tangled up in someone else's mess: Two boys desperately need his help. But does Toby have any help to give?The Trail is a remarkable story of physical survival and true friendship, about a boy who's determined to forge his path - and to survive.

    A bleak tale of addiction, delusion, and flowers.

    He had been stuck to the roof of her mouth, since they were both three years old, when fate seemed to send his family next door to hers. All the way from the coast of Ireland to River Canyon, Connecticut. Over twenty-nine years, fate has been both kind and cruel and many choices have been made. Can things go back to when they were more innocent and magical? Patrick has a plan and just one night to try and take back the reins of his destiny and put the wrong things right with a trip down memory lane. Fall in love again with this novella of firsts and second chances, in a little town where everything meant everything.

    Then Hiroku Hayashi swerves into the high school parking lot on his tricked-out motorcycle like some sexy comic book villain, and Berlin knows he doesn’t stand a chance. Hiroku is fleeing his sophisticated urban scene to recover from drug addiction and an abusive relationship when he arrives in Berlin’s small Texas ranch town. Initially sarcastic and aloof, Hiroku finds in Berlin a steady, supportive friend who soon becomes more. As Hiroku and Berlin’s romance blossoms, they take greater risks to be together. But when a horrific act of violence tears them apart, they both must look bigotry in the face. While Berlin has always turned to his faith for strength, Hiroku dives into increasingly dangerous ways of coping, pushing them in opposite directions just when they need each other most. Two very different young men search for the bravery to be true to themselves, the courage to heal, and the strength to go on when things seem darkest. But is it enough to bring them back together?

    He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him – past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him? Darker Their scorching, sensual affair ended in heartbreak and recrimination, but Christian Grey cannot get Anastasia Steele out of his mind, or his blood. Determined to win her back, he tries to suppress his darkest desires and his need for complete control, and to love Ana on her own terms.But the horrors of his childhood still haunt him, and Ana’s scheming boss, Jack Hyde, clearly wants her for himself. Can Christian’s confidant and therapist, Dr. Flynn, help him face down his demons? Or will the possessiveness of Elena, his seducer, and the deranged devotion of Leila, his former submissive, drag Christian down into the past?And if Christian does win Ana back, can a man so dark and damaged ever hope to keep her?

    Because Gizelle wasn’t just a dog; she was a roommate, sister, confidante, dining companion, and everything in between. Together, Gizelle and Lauren went through boyfriends, first jobs, a mother’s struggle with addiction, and the ups and downs of becoming an adult in the big city. But when Gizelle got sick and Lauren realized her best friend might not be such a constant after all, she designed an epic bucket list to make the absolute most of the time they had left. Bursting with charm, this unique, coming-of-age story of a girl making her way through life is a testament to the special way pets inspire us to live better, love better, and appreciate the simple pleasures. Gizelle’s Bucket List is the humorous, poignant lesson our pets teach us: to embrace adventure, love unconditionally, and grow into the people we want to be.

    Archer's popular MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES series. Titles in the set include: #1 The Last Necromancer #2 Her Majesty's Necromancer #3 Beyond The Grave DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST NECROMANCER For five years, Charlotte (Charlie) Holloway has lived as a boy in the slums. But when one theft too many gets her arrested, her only means of escape lies with a dead man. Charlie hasn't raised a spirit since she first discovered she could do so five years ago. That time, her father banished her. This time, she brings even more trouble upon herself. People are now hunting Charlie all over London, but only one man succeeds in capturing her. Lincoln Fitzroy is the mysterious head of a secret organization on the trail of a madman who needs a necromancer to control his newly "made" creatures. There was only one known necromancer in the world - Charlotte - but now there appears to be two. Lincoln captures the willful Charlie in the hopes the boy will lead him to Charlotte. But what happens when he discovers the boy is in fact the young woman he's been searching for all along? And will she agree to work for the man who held her against her will, and for an organization she doesn't trust? Because Lincoln and his ministry might be just as dangerous as the madman they're hunting.

    Heather Ross journeys with the reader through the many kinds of boys she will meet in the wild—smart boys, dangerous boys, beautiful boys, and more—and the wonders and mysteries they all hold. With its field guide approach, women learn how to identify these types of boys in their natural habitats and what tools are needed to navigate each kind of relationship. (For example, quiet boys are especially hard to identify because they hide in the tall grass or silent corners of the library!)   Written in a wise voice and illustrated full of whimsical imagery, Boys: An Illustrated Field Guide gives readers the confidence they need to reenter the dating scene. It’s ultimately a tender, relatable guide about emerging from heartache with hope, and most importantly, a stronger knowledge of the self.

    She has no idea she’s an heiress with a target on her back and boys are the least of her worries.Arie thinks his college internship will be easy: pose as a high school senior and protect Emma. He never expected to fall for her.Sparks ignite, but danger is near. If Arie can’t keep Emma hidden, her fate will be infinitely worse than falling for the guy she shouldn’t want. “Protect My Heart is a fabulous book, with sigh-worthy kisses and a hero you can't help but fall in love with. You don't want to miss this sweet romance.” - Victorine E. Lieske, NYT's bestselling author.

    When her parents found out, they decided to uproot them to another city. After losing contact with Dreon, she experienced her first heartbreak and decided to shift her focus back on her education. Now twenty-three, Niya is in her final year of law school, but over the years she continued to experience the short end of any relationship she was in, including the relationship with her parents. She finally accepts that her heart has never fully healed, but that all changes once she sees Dreon again. She doesn’t know how he will feel about the secret she’s been keeping from him. Dreon Carter was known for the havoc he wreaked growing up. But after being abandoned by his mother on his grandmother’s steps, he was angry and released that anger on other kids. Sometimes, even letting Niya tag along. Barely graduating high school, due to poor attendance, he went into the streets full time and was now known by the street name Menace. He ended up serving some time in prison, but now at twenty-five, he is the king of the dope game in Cleveland, running the streets with his right-hand man, Renzo. He has a two-year-old daughter by a crazy baby mama who’s set on being a pain in his ass and causing friction between him and Niya. Along with running the streets, he’s trying to run his home, but with the streets and his home life trying to cross, he runs into problems. The bond of Menace and Niya is undeniably unbreakable, but is Niya strong enough to be the woman of a thug, going against everything she’s about, and dealing with the drama that comes along? Can Menace avoid the pressures of the street life and be the man Niya wants him to be, while also not giving up his streets, or will it all be too much?

     Whether I’m trying to figure out where my popcorn disappeared to on movie night with my daughter or where the suspect in the case I’m working on is hiding the evidence, I can always tell who’s telling the truth and who’s not. So why can’t I be honest with myself when it comes to her? I swear I’m not interested in my best friend’s little sister. Not the shy girl with the pigtails from years gone by. But the way she’s looking at me tells me she’s not so shy anymore, and it’s making this officer want to frisk her with a pat down. And those pigtails I used to pull on to tease her? Now I want to pull those long locks of hers for a different reason. But as much as my visual inspection makes me want to break out my nightstick and yell “spread em,” it’s the way her and my daughter are becoming partners in crime more and more every day that makes me know I’ve got the only girl who could be my partner for life. They’re teasing me, surprising me, and reminding me what it’s like to live and love again. My actions leave no alibi. When it comes to locking her up and throwing away the key I’m guilty as charged. But before I give her the key to my heart, I suspect I’ll have to resist her brother’s case for a domestic disturbance when he bursts through the door like a battering ram at the most inopportune time. *Police Officer's Princess is a 50,000+ word complete stand-alone novel with no cheating, no cliffhanger, and a guaranteed HEA.

    But her struggles do not end when she leaves her family at the age of thirteen to become a model. Honest and daring, Nearly Normal reveals the many ways that Cea’s unconventional childhood continues to reverberate through the years.At the age of thirty-seven, Cea has built a life that looks like the normal one she craved as a child—husband, young son, beautiful house, enviable career. But her carefully art-directed world is about to crumble around her. As she confronts the death of her still-young mother, the disintegration of her second marriage and the demise of her business, all within a few months, she finally faces the need to look at her past to make sense of her present.The Globe and Mail says “Person’s best gifts as a writer are her memory, her knack for knowing when to dig down into the finer details of a scene, and when to pull back.” Nearly Normal chronicles the many stories Cea left untold but that needed telling. Settled into a new and much happier life after the release of her first book, she is nonetheless compelled to continue searching for answers about her enigmatic family. She discovers the value in the lessons they taught her, and the power of taking responsibility for her own choices.

    He dreams of getting his flying license and becoming one of Santa's reindeer, just like his hero, Vixen. In the first adventure in the Ronaldo series, the second year flying cadets face their toughest ever flying test – The Endurance Challenge. Will Ronaldo be victorious and lift the silver cup? Or will mean brothers Dasher, Comet and Prancer ruin his chance for success? "This should be a new Christmas classic!" "I look forward to reading this book to my kids every year at Christmas. The story is incredibly entertaining and laugh out loud funny, even for parents!" "This book has become a part of my family's holiday traditions!"

    Twelve-year-old Elvis Babbitt has a head for the facts: she knows science proves yellow is the happiest color, she knows a healthy male giraffe weighs about 3,000 pounds, and she knows that the naked mole rat is the longest living rodent. She knows she should plan to grieve her mother, who has recently drowned while sleepwalking, for exactly eighteen months. But there are things Elvis doesn’t yet know—like how to keep her sister Lizzie from poisoning herself while sleep-eating or why her father has started wearing her mother's silk bathrobe around the house. Elvis investigates the strange circumstances of her mother's death and finds comfort, if not answers, in the people (and animals) of Freedom, Alabama.

    No one talks about the fact that the brilliant, talented kids in this town have a terrible history of throwing themselves in front of commuter trains, and that there's rampant opioid abuse that often leads to heroin usage.Meet Simone, the bohemian transfer student from London, who is thrust into the strange new reality of the American high school; Mallory, the hyper-competitive queen bee; and Stephen, the first generation genius who struggles with crippling self-doubt. Each one is shocked when lovable football player Braden takes his own life and the tragedy becomes a suicide cluster. With so many students facing their own demons, can they find a way to save each other—as well as themselves?Inspired by the true events that happened in the author’s home town.

     Tane, a hydroponics farmer with some mad cereal crop gene-splicing skills, decides to get chipped. The operation gives him full control over his autonomic nervous and endocrine systems, plus the ability to install custom memories. All seems well until a couple of days later aliens come knocking at his door. And they aren't the friendly type. Soon Tane finds himself on a frenzied flight across the galaxy with a woman who can warp the very fabric of spacetime, her bodyguard--who’d just as soon kill Tane than protect him--and a starship that calls him snarky pet names. He's on the run not simply from the aliens but the whole damn human space navy. He only wished he knew why. Unfortunately for Tane, the answer might just destroy him. Not to mention the entire known universe.

    In 1931 in Calcutta, Anglo-Indian girls like Estelle are considered half-breeds, shunned by both English and Indian society. Her only escape is through the silver screen, where she can forget the world around her.When Estelle catches the eye of a dashing American heir with connections to a major motion-picture studio, he also captures her heart. Soon, Estelle has a one-way ticket to London and a recommendation for a screen test.To get to the top, she must keep her Indian heritage concealed—and so begins her new identity as movie goddess Merle Oberon. But just as her dreams are poised to come true, she discovers that her own family is keeping a much more shocking secret from her—one that changes everything she’s believed about her past.

    Everything from his vocation to the girl he will marry has been planned. So when he receives the Calling and embarks on his trek to find his life-long animal bond, he is far from prepared for the adventure ahead, or for the Cosmic "gift" he is about to receive.​ On the other side of the realm, the headstrong Princess Veressa of Griffinrock demands secret training from her prudish yet powerful Ranger protector. Veressa, too, receives the Calling and drags her mentor along on one last high adventure. ​ As the paths of these two sixteen-year-olds begin to intertwine, neither can foresee the desperate struggles before them nor the heroic journeys they will be called upon to undertake. Ages: 13 and up Genres: Young adult, coming of age, fantasy, dragons, magic, epic, adventure, mystery Explicit language: None Explicit sex: None Violence: Mild to moderate This is the first of the four-book adventure The Dragonbonded Return series. Be sure to pick up Book 2 in the series! For further details about upcoming books by the author, visit thedragonbonded.com. To receive advance notice of JD Hart's upcoming releases, go to thedragonbonded.com/subscribe and subscribe to the author's mailing list.

    It was comforting. It was also a reminder that Mor had made a promise to his father before he passed: keep your sisters safe. Keep the family together. But almost as soon as they are orphaned, that promise seems impossible to keep. With an aunt from the big city ready to separate him and his sisters as soon as she arrives, and a gang of boys from a nearby village wanting everything he has—including his spirit—Mor is tested in ways he never imagined. With only the hot summer months to prove himself, Mor must face a choice. Does he listen to his father and keep his heart true, but risk breaking his promise through failure? Or is it easier to just join the Danka Boys, whom in all their maliciousness are at least loyal to their own?

    Soon her new life in Hatti's glittering capital becomes all she knows. Bound in blood before the gods to Hatti's unwilling crown prince, Istara, now Hatti's queen-in-waiting, learns she will never be loved.But the drums of war beat again, and when the scheming plans of Hatti's king threaten the existence of all civilization, the gods give Istara a choice: to leave behind everything she knows to save mankind, or remain where she is, powerless, a token on the game board of kings. On the brink of one of the most brutal battles in history, she chooses to risk her life to deliver a message to the only man able to prevent the prophecy from becoming a reality—her mortal enemy, the Pharaoh Ramesses II.Wounded, cold and hungry, she wanders in the battle's horrific aftermath, and aids a powerful commander, who she learns protected her once, and has been bound to her ever since by a prophetic dream of his future. Despite his resistance, and Istara once more becoming a pawn of kings, they must confront an eternal love so powerful, not even kings, the gods, or death can keep them apart.

    Another one could end it.Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one—not even Sebastian himself—can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father’s gun.Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend—Aneesa—to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. It took a gun to get him into this.Now he needs a gun to get out.

    In fact, he’d give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming—like many—that Blade will become just like his father.In reality, the only thing Blade has in common with Rutherford is the music that lives inside them. But not even the songs that flow through Blade’s soul are enough when he’s faced with two unimaginable realities: the threat of losing Chapel forever, and the revelation of a long-held family secret, one that leaves him questioning everything he thought was true. All that remains is a letter and a ticket to Ghana—both of which could bring Blade the freedom and love he’s been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift.

    Germain moved to Brooklyn’s Crown Heights, into an overcrowded apartment with his family. He quickly adapted to street life and began stealing, dealing drugs, and growing increasingly indifferent to despair and violence. By the time he was arrested for dealing crack cocaine, he had been handcuffed more than a dozen times. At the age of fifteen the walls of the system were closing around him.But instead of prison, St. Germain was placed in "Boys Town," a nonsecure detention facility designed for rehabilitation. Surrounded by mentors and positive male authority who enforced a system based on structure and privileges rather than intimidation and punishment, St. Germain slowly found his way, eventually getting his GED and graduating from college. Then he made the bravest decision of his life: to live, as an adult, in the projects where he had lost himself, and to work to reform the way the criminal justice system treats at-risk youth.A Stone of Hope is more than an incredible coming-of-age story; told with a degree of candor that requires the deepest courage, it is also a rallying cry. No one is who they are going to be—or capable of being—at sixteen. St. Germain is living proof of this. He contends that we must work to build a world in which we do not give up on a swath of the next generation.Passionate, eloquent, and timely, illustrated with photographs throughout, A Stone of Hope is an inspiring challenge for every American, and is certain to spark debate nationwide.

    St Hilda's antidote to the cyber-bullying? The Year 10 Wellness program. Nice try - but sometimes all it takes is three girls.

    His father, a brilliant mathematician, hasn’t played a large part in his life since divorcing Antonio’s mother but when Antonio is diagnosed with epilepsy, they travel to Marseille to visit a doctor who may hold the hope for an effective treatment. It is there, in a foreign city, under strained circumstances, that they will get to know each other and connect for the first time.A beautiful, gritty, and charming port city where French old-world charm meets modern bohemia, father and son stroll the streets sharing strained small talk. But as the hours pass and day gives way to night, the two find themselves caught in a series of caffeine-imbued adventures involving unexpected people (and unforeseen trysts) that connect father and son for the first time. As the two discuss poetry, family, sex, math, death, and dreams, their experience becomes a mesmerizing 48-hour microcosm of a lifetime relationship. Both learn much about illusions and regret, about talent and redemption, and, most of all, about love. Elegant, warm, and tender, set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Marseille and its beautiful calanques—a series of cliffs and bays on the city’s outskirts—Three O’Clock in the Morning is a bewitching coming-of-age story imbued with nostalgia and a revelatory exploration of time and fate, youth and adulthood.

    Then she makes an impulsive choice: to stay in France. It proves to be a dangerous decision. World War II erupts. The Nazis conquer Alsace and deport the Jews and others. A frightening German officer commandeers a room in Meme's farmhouse. And when Gen's friend Remi commits an act of sabotage, Gen is forced to hide him in the attic--right above the Nazi officer's head. Genevieve's War is a gripping story that brings the war in occupied France vividly to life. It is a companion work to Lily's Crossing, a Newbery Honor Book.

    The Black Dogs know this all too well. For three hundred years, the warrior priests have sacrificed their lives to keep the island nation of Abios safe from the flesh-eating Nostros, while the rest of the world fell under the demons’ savagery. However, an armada now stands poised to invade mankind’s last bastion. Child thief Jack Frey is saved from the gallows and joins the mysterious order. Trained with the bullet and the blade, Jack finds himself on the front-line of a centuries-old war. Across the Angel Sea, Lin is fighting for her life. As a slave of the Nostros, she knows death can strike at any time, either at the hands of her masters or her fellow humans. Little do they know mankind's fate lies in both their hands. Fans of Peter V. Brett and Brent Weeks will love CRY HAVOC. Dive in to a dark and refreshing fantasy epic you won't be able to put down.

    This is the landmark watering hole where Abraham Lincoln campaigned and Boss Tweed kicked back with the Tammany Hall machine. Where a pair of Houdini's handcuffs found their final resting place. And where soldiers left behind wishbones before departing for the First World War, never to return and collect them. Many of the bar's traditions remain intact, from the newspaper-covered walls to the plates of cheese and raw onions, the sawdust-strewn floors to the tall-tales told by its bartenders.But in addition to the bar's rich history, McSorley's is home to a deeply personal story about two men: Rafe Bartholomew, the writer who grew up in the landmark pub, and his father, Geoffrey "Bart" Bartholomew, a career bartender who has been working the taps for forty-five years.On weekends, Rafe Bartholomew would tag along for the early hours of his dad's shift, polishing brass doorknobs, watching over the bar cats, and handling other odd jobs until he grew old enough to join Bart behind the bar. McSorley's was a place of bizarre rituals, bawdy humor, and tasks as unique as the bar itself: protecting the decades-old dust that had gathered on treasured artifacts; shot-putting thirty-pound grease traps into high-walled Dumpsters; and trying to keep McSorley's open through the worst of Hurricane Sandy. But for Rafe, the bar means home. It's the place where he and his father have worked side by side, serving light and dark ale, always in pairs, the way it's always been done. Where they've celebrated victories, like the publication of his father's first book of poetry, and coped with misfortune, like the death of Rafe's mother. Where Rafe learned to be part of something bigger than himself and also how to be his own man.By turns touching, crude, and wildly funny, Rafe's story reveals universal truths about family, loss, and the bursting history of one of New York's most beloved institutions.

     So, what did Sadie Valentine do next? After an emotional voyage through the minefield of anxiety and depression, Sadie decides to use her experience with mental health to help others. Becoming a counsellor for the support group that once helped her takes Sadie’s life in a completely new direction and she soon finds herself absorbed in her new role. Knowing that she’s aiding other sufferers through their darkest days gives her the ultimate job satisfaction, but when a mysterious and troubled man attends Anxiety Anonymous, Sadie wonders if she is out of her depth. Dealing with Aidan Wilder proves trickier than Sadie expected and it’s not long before those closest to her start to express their concerns. What led a dishevelled Aidan to the support group? As Sadie delves further into his life, her own demons make themselves known. Will unearthing Aidan’s story cause Sadie to fall back into the dark world she fought so hard to escape? Join Sadie as she guides other sufferers back to mental wellness and battles her own torment along the way… PRAISE FOR ANXIETY GIRL A fantastic insight into the fear, dread and debilitating illness that is anxiety and depression. Brilliantly written and very well observed. An eye-opening, thoroughly enjoyable and very relatable read. I honestly couldn't put this book down! Entertaining, sometimes desperately sad, very often uplifting and hugely life-affirming. Another magnificent achievement for Lacey's remarkable pen. I'll never forget it.

    If it weren’t for the colorful, outspoken artistic anomaly Brighton Bello-Adler, he might have been willing to remain there. Unnaturally drawn to Brighton, Jay knows he needs something from him, but is he ready to find out what that something is? Temporarily ditching his old life, Jay climbs into Brighton’s Bronco and finds himself on a whirlwind road trip through parts of his small town he didn’t know existed. When the excursion takes an unexpected turn, Jay is cracked wide open, and the person who’s revealed does strange things to Brighton’s heart.But just when it appears they could be headed toward their own shared piece of paradise, the road takes a sharp right turn into Jay’s life—where the real trip is about to begin. In an unconventional love story that defies labels, two young men embark on a journey toward growing up, coming out, and finding their place in the world. It’s a trip that ranges from heartbreaking to uplifting, funny to sweet, but always unique and personal.

    But his dirty, sexy words ignite my body, just as his promises of forever ignite my heart.Is Gael playing me or playing for keeps?**********Hard Rock Promise is available to newsletter subscribers for free and is the beginning of the Cherry Lips series (book 0.5). Get Hard Rock Promise here.

    But the bloody war with the alien Tahni has hit close to home and Tyler wants to join the military, something his powerful mother won’t allow. Desperate to escape her control, Tyler changes his identity to Randall Munroe, a product of the poverty-stricken Underground, and enlists in the Marines. There he flourishes, becoming a member of an elite Force Recon unit and striking deep behind enemy lines. But when his platoon is assigned to take back the colony on Demeter from the Tahni, the mission falls apart, most of his comrades are killed and Munroe is wounded, separated from his unit and left for dead on an enemy occupied world. With no other choice, he organizes the civilian colonists into a resistance movement and begins fighting against the occupation with limited supplies and no support. As the situation becomes more and more desperate, what began as a high-tech, interstellar conflict will become a war to the knife…

    If you loved the style of Beetlejuice, Northern Exposure, Goosebumps, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Mean Girls, you will fall in love with Horn-Horn!When teenage loner Cassie Gellar moves with her family to the seaside town of Horn-Horn, she finds herself at odds with the battling cliques at her new school.There’s Eleanore Parker, Principal’s daughter and social butterfly. Then there’s Hayley and the ‘backseater’ misfits.But there’s also Zag, a shackled little boy she finds hiding in the woods. Where is he from, and why does he have a woman on a moose chasing after him?Cassie finds herself catapulted into a world of magic and danger, one where nothing is ever as it seems and nobody is to be trusted.Full of intelligent comedy, fantasy and horror, the constantly evolving town of Horn-Horn proves that friendship and family can transcend even space and time itself.

    In her small Kenyan village, she's a track star with big dreams. A track scholarship could allow her to attend high school and maybe even become a doctor someday. But a strange new sickness called AIDS is ravaging the village, and when her father becomes ill, Auma's family needs her help at home.Soon more people are getting sick -- even dying -- and no one seems to know why. Now Auma faces a choice. She can either quit school and go to work to support her struggling family...or leave her loved ones behind to pursue her own future. Auma knows her family is depending on her. But leaving might be the only way to find the answers to her questions about this new disease.

    "Trust is a lot to ask of someone you’ve just met." "Okay, then take a chance on me." Imogen Shaw is done with this life, or at least she’s done pretending that everything is the same as it used to be. What was once so perfect and uncomplicated is ruined. Her dad, a person she thought could never disappoint her, turned out to be a liar and a fraud. All she cares about now is getting out of town and starting her new life in Boston. Love, she decides as she packs up her room and vows to put all of the hurt behind her, is just a delusion for suckers. If anybody knows about things falling apart, it’s Seth Cavanaugh. With an alcoholic mother and a sister stuck in prison, Seth’s gotten used to taking care of himself. He figures he can handle anything life hurls at him because whenever people have let him down, music has always been there to carry him through. But these days even music feels like a stranger, and now Seth is in search of something more. The setup is simple: A starry night, a scavenger hunt, one unlikely partnership, and two desperate hearts headed for each other on a collision course. In Chasing Polaris, Erica Cope and Autumn Doughton bring you another radiant story about misfits, catastrophic mistakes, and unforgettable discoveries. Simultaneously heart-wrenching and hilarious, Seth and Imogen’s journey is one that can’t be missed. A girl. A boy. A fragile trust. Everyone knows that true love is a joke and hearts are made to be broken. But what if Imogen and Seth took the chance anyway?

    Desperately trying to sell them at a farmer’s market so she won’t have mountains to can, she’s surprised when a mime drops to his knee in front of her and proposes marriage. Yost Miller is helping the volunteer firefighter raise funds at the city park when he notices his long-time crush Becca selling vegetables. Drawn across the grass, he spontaneously proposes marriage. But afterward, Yost isn’t sure how to proceed to show her that his feelings are real. Just as he begins to find solid footing, confidence is yanked away, leaving him floundering. Will he lose Becca to another man? Or will this Thanksgiving be a season of blessings and wishes come true? Thanksgiving Strangers Faithe Beiler believes God wants her to feed the poor at her family’s restaurant, but when she mistakes Crist Petersheim for a homeless man and gives him a free breakfast, he’s offended. Yet he can’t help being intrigued by this pretty waitress with a giving heart. Crist blames God for the tragedies in his life, so the last thing he wants is to get involved with an Amish girl, who trusts God in all circumstances. He fears for Faithe’s safety, though, when she invites every homeless person in the neighborhood, including drug dealers and criminals, to a free Thanksgiving dinner. Street savvy, Crist risks his life to protect her from danger. As Crist’s heart softens toward God, Faithe finds herself falling him. Then she discovers his deception, and her world is shattered. Can she ever trust him again? The Thanksgiving Frolic Monroe has the prettiest girl and the fastest horse— but pride goes before a fall. Monroe’s girlfriend, Rosemary, and her family organize the Thanksgiving Frolic, a service project to help Amish folks who have fallen on hard times. Monroe wants to go along but his dad won’t let him. Furthermore, Monroe’s dad thinks Rosemary’s family should clean up their own messy farm before they try to help others. Will the contrast between Monroe’s and Rosemary’s families end their relationship for good? Rosemary’s grandpa tries to offer words of wisdom, but people don’t take him seriously. The Thanksgiving Frolic heats up to a fever pitch, before a moment of silence changes everything.

    Little Gold, a boyish girl on the brink of adolescence, is struggling with the reality of her broken family and a home descending into chaos. Her only refuge is the tree at the end of her garden.Into her fractured life steps elderly neighbour, Peggy Baxter. The connection between the two is instant, but just when it seems that Little Gold has found solace, outsiders appear who seek to take advantage of her frail family in the worst way possible. In an era when so much is hard to speak aloud, can Little Gold share enough of her life to avert disaster? And can Peggy Baxter, a woman running out of time and with her own secrets to bear, recognise the danger before it’s too late?

    . . Their small Oklahoma town is dying. Lillian remembers how acres and acres of wheat once waved under jewel-blue skies. Now the dirt stretches across the flat land as far as she can see. Emma's husband is missing. She keeps house, keeps her five children fed as best as she can, and keeps smiling as her hope fades. But when the days stretch to weeks, she faces the possibility that he will never come home. Left with the likelihood of losing their farm, and the ever-present pangs of hunger, she is forced to consider opportunities that, under normal circumstances, she would never contemplate. Jessie, Emma's oldest daughter, completes her tasks as if numb. Forced to wear her mother's shoes to avoid the humiliation of bare feet, she watches the dead, dirt road for signs of life. And then he comes. His new car and shiny shoes and generous way with gifts and money catch Jessie's eye, much to the dismay of her mother … and much to the concern of the minister's wife, Lillian. He's too smooth, too willing to help, and much too eager to spend time with a girl less than half his age. But who is to say he is not the miracle they all prayed for? Lillian and her husband stand by, helpless, as they realize that the winds carry more than one kind of evil, and as they are all forced to decide where the evil lies: in hunger, or in hope.

     "I was hooked by the first page, and I didn't want to put the book down. The book was so good that I was sad to reach the end." Readers' Favorite 5★ review 15-year-old Marty Gundy has a dream: He wants to become an internet ultra-billionaire. And when his latest killer app, the ‘Future Fixer’, actually shows him five seconds of his very near future, he knows his dream will come true! But that five seconds is just enough to get him into big trouble, and it soon puts him at the business end of the school bully’s fist! Will Marty’s killer app end up killing him? If you like your Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Zac Power books with a twist of technology, you’ll love The F.L.U.B. Club! From the writer of My Best Friend Is a Secret Agent, this middle grade chapter book takes kids’ Silicon Valley dreams and gives them a magical twist. It’s a suspenseful ride for children, tweens and teens! This high school story is the first in a series, so if you like it, there's more to come! (Don't forget to look for the surprise after Chapter 1!)

    Tongues haven't stopped clacking in Jamesport, MO, since her daed, the bishop, was admitted to a mental hospital after hurting their small Amish community. But her sharpest wounds Bethany hides from prying eyes, quietly biding her time until she can take a chance at a new life away from Jamesport and away from God.Searching for a HomeSilas Beiler was kicked out of his own family's home. Dogged by a rough childhood and a family who blames him for each new disaster, he begins hitchhiking across the country, sleeping in barns where he can, working for food when possible; headed for Pennsylvania, in the hope of some stability. A Memory of LemonadeWhen Bethany spies a man asleep in the hayloft, she first fears the return of an unwelcome suitor. But when it is Silas who turns and speaks, the memories flood back: a happy summer six years ago full of lemonade, long walks, and budding courtship. Now, however, those months of bliss seem naive and idyllic. Will their old love overcome new pain? Or will hurt and rejection continue to haunt their path?

    Sees everything." ...our fingers fan against one another, eventually threading together, where we grip tightly. "She sees everything, too. In him." Lincoln Brewer was no stranger to disappointment and heartache. An addict mom, no money, and an autoimmune disease which required far more time and attention than she had, taught Lincoln early on that people like her could only survive-dreams were for other people, the kind to whom the word future meant more than a high school diploma and moving far, far away from the town they had grown up in. Go to school, work, run, repeat. Look for the day she could leave and begin life without the baggage. This was her life. And it was enough. Until him. Ford Slaughter didn't give a damn about anyone. It was easier that way. Well, had been easier, until it landed him in the middle of a lawsuit/scandal that his parents couldn't deal with, which then landed him in the middle of Podunk U.S.A., aka Albany, Oregon. Regardless of location, his plan was simple: engage with no one, go to school, and count down the days until he was eighteen and graduated so he could finally be free. What Ford didn't count on was the girl who literally fell into his lap that first day. He didn't count on Lincoln Brewer. He didn't count on falling in love.

    She predicted the most recent theft, and the cops have no other leads. There are just two small problems. One, she’s not psychic. Two, she’s not Ruby Simpson.Okay, maybe they’re not small problems. But Charlotte needs a place to lay low with her younger sister, somewhere her parents won’t find her and the locals won’t ask too many questions. Getting involved with the cops, especially Deputy “Cute Butt” Jared, isn’t a smart thing for a reformed con artist to do. But Charlotte has to make a choice: raise her little sister on the right side of the law or put food on the table. What the real Ruby doesn’t see in her crystal ball won’t hurt her, right?

    During a regular classroom inspection, Tian-Yu finds Xu Ze sleeping during morning self-study and reprimands him. Their seemingly ordinary encounter ends up changing the lives of the two greatly as they grow closer despite their apparent differences.Original Webcomic

    I grew up with a daddy who only had half a heart, in a town where everyone knows everyone. I’ve feared love nearly my whole life because I’ve seen first-hand what losing it looks like. It’s ugly, it’s scary and its pain is almost unbearable. When I was nine years old, my daddy told me you’ll only find one true love in this life.“It’s the rarest but truest love there is, Little Miss. You find it and you never let it go.” But I didn't share the chief’s feelings.Until one summer day, when a brown eyed boy with a busted lip and a smirk, showed up in the small town of Green Ridge. Tommy Kingsley started to change everything. The boy from the south side of Chicago taught me that love isn't something to be feared and that it's the only thing that makes everything else worth it. He gave me hope and this story tells you how.

    Trouble at home, trouble at school… pretty much trouble in general. On top of everything else wrong in his life, he’s sent away to the small town of Concord where he knows no one and is set to have a nonexistent social life. Just when he thought his life couldn’t get any worse, he met her. The girl next door is about to teach Parker that sometimes a summer can change your life.

    As he lay in hospital fighting to stay alive, his speech grabbed headlines around the world.Jake’s cancer, and that speech, became the start of a bigger journey that continues today. In this remarkably honest account of his illness, treatment and recovery, Jake shares all that the experience has taught him. His book is an uplifting call to action for people of all ages.

    She’s stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path.Until she meets Braden Patrick.He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realize her ultimate dream?

    He’s everything she wants and more, but her family is not so keen on their relationship. When he invites her to move in, apprehension gives way to excitement, but that’s short-lived when each new day reveals surprising information about the man she loves.As his problems persist, Scarlett’s suspicions are raised, but they’re not the only thing preoccupying her. Paul’s son and his lingering feelings about the mother he’s never known have piqued her interest.With so many new experiences and emotions to contend with, Scarlett’s relationship becomes strained. Every new revelation tears them further apart at the same time her friendship with his son grows closer.Will Paul’s problems prove to be too much for her to bear or will her tender-hearted nature encourage her to stay by his side?

     After a tragic car accident steals the life of her husband and best friend, Lilith learns he harboured a painful secret. To gain control over her spiralling life, Lilith escapes into a shell where she lives cut off from the rest of the world for almost a year. Lilith’s best friend Calla has had enough of Lilith’s behaviour, and she invites Lilith to play at one of Vancouver’s most exclusive BDSM clubs. But can Lilith let go of her past to reach her full potential as a submissive? Or will she find herself trapped inside a life with no emotions or connections? Gaige Harlow is a man searching for something more. Master Gaige has played in the kink for his entire adult life, but he has only ever had one permanent sub. It was a disaster from the beginning to the end, and he vowed not take on any more subs until he got his head on straight. Unfortunately, The Cage’s resident shrink Calla has other plans for him. She insists that Master Gaige take on a new training sub. He reluctantly agrees as a favour to Calla. Once Master Gaige meets Lilith, he recognises the hurt sub underneath all her walls and barriers. The Dom inside him has a primal need to break into her layers and peel each one back one by one to reveal the woman underneath. Each encounter leaves both of them wanting more until Lilith’s past comes back to haunt her. Are they both willing to fight for the Dom/sub bond they have, or are they doomed to repeat past mistakes? Find out in Take My Hand.