Book picks similar to
The Mystery of the Ghostly Riders by Lynn Manuel


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High School Hero (Forest Ridge High #1)


Sherri Renee - 2018
    Now, with prom only weeks away, her boyfriend starts becoming someone she doesn't even recognize. Sure he's got a lot on his mind with college decision and football playoffs coming up, but that doesn't excuse him for acting like a major jerk. Matt Brady, the annoying but gorgeous bad boy who moves in next door, lets Kristen in on a little secret, her boyfriend's using steroids to help win the state championship. When George takes his new temper out on Kristen, Matt's there to help pick up the pieces, and Kristen soon realizes bad-boy Matt isn't so bad at all. Kristen's over George's mean new attitude. Prom or no prom she's breaking up. Only he won't let her. Steroids aren't the only illegal activity George is involved in, and now he's got to pay the price, only he's dragging her along with him. Can Matt help her escape the dangerous game George is involved in? With a target on her back, prom is suddenly the least of her worries. Read Michelle's story in High School Heartbreak!

Crow Lake


Mary Lawson - 2002
    For the farming Pye family, life is a Greek tragedy where the sins of the fathers are visited on the sons, and terrible events occur—offstage. Centerstage are the Morrisons, whose tragedy looks more immediate if less brutal, but is, in reality, insidious and divisive. Orphaned young, Kate Morrison was her older brother Matt’s protegee, her fascination for pond life fed by his passionate interest in the natural world. Now a zoologist, she can identify organisms under a microscope but seems blind to the state of her own emotional life. And she thinks she’s outgrown her siblings—Luke, Matt, and Bo—who were once her entire world. In this universal drama of family love and misunderstandings, of resentments harbored and driven underground, Lawson ratchets up the tension with heartbreaking humor and consummate control, continually overturning one’s expectations right to the very end. Tragic, funny, unforgettable, this deceptively simple masterpiece about the perils of hero worship leapt to the top of the bestseller lists only days after being released in Canada and earned glowing reviews in The New York Times and The Globe and Mail, to name a few.

Lightless


C.A. Higgins - 2015
    But when a pair of fugitive terrorists gain access to the Ananke, Althea must draw upon her heart and soul for the strength to defend her beloved ship.   While one of the saboteurs remains at large somewhere on board, his captured partner—the enigmatic Ivan—may prove to be more dangerous. The perversely fascinating criminal whose silver tongue is his most effective weapon has long evaded the authorities’ most relentless surveillance—and kept the truth about his methods and motives well hidden.   As the ship’s systems begin to malfunction and the claustrophobic atmosphere is increasingly poisoned by distrust and suspicion, it falls to Althea to penetrate the prisoner’s layers of intrigue and deception before all is lost. But when the true nature of Ivan’s mission is exposed, it will change Althea forever—if it doesn’t kill her first.

Gentlemen and Players


Joanne Harris - 2005
    To dare, to strive, to conquer. For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric Classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. But this year the wind of unwelcome change is blowing. Suits, paperwork, and information technology are beginning to overshadow St. Oswald's tradition, and Straitley is finally, and reluctantly, contemplating retirement. He is joined this term by five new faculty members, including one who -- unbeknownst to Straitley and everyone else -- holds intimate and dangerous knowledge of St. Oswald's ways and secrets. Harboring dark ties to the school's past, this young teacher has arrived with one terrible goal: to destroy St. Oswald's.As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike. Beginning as small annoyances -- a lost pen, a misplaced coffee mug -- they are initially overlooked. But as the incidents escalate in both number and consequence, it soon becomes apparent that a darker undercurrent is stirring within the school. With St. Oswald's unraveling, only Straitley stands in the way of its ruin. The veteran teacher faces a formidable opponent, however -- a master player with a bitter grudge and a strategy that has been meticulously planned to the final move, a secret game with very real, very deadly consequences.A harrowing tale of cat and mouse, this riveting, hypnotically atmospheric novel showcases New York Times bestselling author Joanne Harris's astonishing storytelling talent as never before.

The Enchantment Emporium


Tanya Huff - 2009
    The men grow horns, and obey females until they "choose". She inherits her gran’s Calgary junk shop with fey mailboxes and the Monkey's Paw. Leprechaun Joe can help sell yo-yos. Tabloid reporter Graham bats very blue eyes and beds her. But when dragons fly overhead can even the Aunties save the day?

In Your Dreams


Amy Martin - 2012
    But when Kieran Lanier moves to town and passes out on her desk on his first day at school, Zip’s life gets complicated in a way she never dreamed. Kieran has narcolepsy, and although he sometimes struggles to stay awake, he has no trouble capturing Zip’s heart and trusting her with his most guarded secret—he sees bits and pieces of the future in his dreams. And while he didn’t know who she was at the time, Kieran had seen Zip in his dreams over five months before he moved to Titusville from North Carolina. But just when Zip thinks that maybe she can handle having a boyfriend who sees things before they happen, her budding relationship with Kieran gets a jolt. She and Kieran learn that his sleeping disorder and the future flashes were likely caused by a drug invented by his birth father, Morgan Levert, a convicted felon who plays a starring role in Kieran’s nightmares. And when Zip begins to have unsettling dreams after chance encounters with Morgan's former partner-in-crime, she must decide if she can live with the possibility of seeing the future when she doesn’t always like what she sees.

Team Human


Justine Larbalestier - 2012
    They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity! On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching. Acclaimed authors Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan team up to create a witty and poignant story of cool vampires, warm friendships, and the changes that test the bonds of love. Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 7/3/2012 Pages: 352 Reading Level: Age 13 and Up

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars


Katherine Marsh - 2012
    He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in a luxurious prison: Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish Infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them; but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer. After Jepp and Lia attempt a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe in a kidnapper’s carriage, Jepp fears where his unfortunate stars may lead him. But he can't even begin to imagine the brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—who awaits him. Or the girl who will help him mend his heart and unearth the long-buried secrets of his past.Masterfully written, grippingly paced, and inspired by real histori­cal characters, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars is the tale of an extraordinary hero and his inspiring quest to become the master of his own destiny.New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2012The Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Books of 2012

A Katie Parker Production Boxed Set: Books 1-4


Jenny B. Jones - 2015
    In Between (Carol Award Recipient for Best YA, Christy Award Finalist)Can we overcome our past? Katie Parker is about to get a new life—whether she wants one or not. With her mom in prison, and her father AWOL, Katie is sent to live with a squeaky-clean family who could have their own sitcom. She launches a full-scale plan to get sent back to the girls’ home when she finds herself in over her head...and heart. When Katie and her new "wrong crowd" get into significant trouble at school, she finds her punishment is restoring a historic theater with a crazy grandma who goes by the name of Mad Maxine. In the midst of her punishment, Katie uncovers family secrets that run deep, and realizes she's not the only one with a pain-filled past. Katie must decide if she'll continue her own family’s messed up legacy or embrace a new beginning in this place called In Between.On the Loose What's a girl to do when the glass slipper doesn't fit?Six months into her stay with her foster parents, Katie Parker is finally adjusting to her new family. But when a tornado rips through the town of In Between, nothing is ever the same. When her foster mom, Millie, is diagnosed with cancer, Katie begins to doubt if God really does care. What will happen to Katie? Could she possibly have to leave In Between and the family she's come to depend on? Things spiral even further out of control when Katie juggles a malfunctioning best friend, Spring Break plans, and holding the attention of her own Prince Charming. It's going to take more than a magic wand and some fairy dust to fix Katie's problems. But will help come in time?The Big Picture (Carol Award Winning, Best YA)How do you walk away from love?Katie's bio-mom is fresh out of prison and wants to start a new life with her daughter--in a new town. Katie is forced to walk away from In Between, leaving the family she loves, an endangered town drive-in, and a boyfriend who can't take his eyes off his ex. As life with her mom takes a serious nosedive, Katie must rely on her faith to keep it together. Yet God seems to be nowhere around. Katie struggles to keep it together, taking care of her mother and spending time with a handsome new friend who makes her question everything. Will her big picture ever include a happily ever after?Can't Let You GoAn old love whose kisses make her weak, but whose secrets threaten to destroy all she holds dear...Fresh out of college, Katie Parker had it all—a charming romance, a role in a famous stage production, and an idyllic life in London. Until she found her boyfriend cheating and got herself fired from the play. Leaving everything behind, Katie hops a plane home, only to run into her first love, Charlie Benson. As the couple returns to In Between, Katie questions everything she ever thought she wanted—including a renewed romance with her high school flame.While she attempts to rebuild her life, Katie's plan to manage the family’s theater meets a devastating obstacle, dragging her into a legal battle that will rock her small town. And the boy who once broke her heart seems to have the power to do it again. As Charlie’s secrets unravel, Katie must make a choice. Can she overcome her past and trust Charlie with her heart again?A heart-warming sweet romance.

The Fault in Our Stars: by John Green -- Expert Book Review & Analysis


Expert Book Reviews - 2013
    Green explores the relationship between 16-year-old Hazel, who trails an oxygen cart, and Augustus, a charismatic boy who lost a leg to bone cancer. The review helps readers place the couple's story in context and explore the nature of transcendent experiences. A great choice for book club discussions, John Green's novel explores classic themes regarding the value of youth and friendship and getting the most out of life. The Fault in Our Stars tells a bittersweet tale of love, and its renowned status and plans for movie adaptation foretell that the book is destined to become a classic for young adults. The comprehensive review & analysis gives buyers and potential buyers a complete synopsis (with spoiler alerts!), analysis of literary themes, information about the author, and an easy-to-read discussion of the questions and issues that the novel raises. AN INSTANT BOOK CLUB PARTY! As the book states, you can find the infinite within a finite period. John Green tells a story of relationships and the things that matter most. Read the review to decide whether to buy the book for yourself, your kids or as a gift. Don't worry about spoiling the surprise. Each Review & Analysis has a spoiler-alert section that you can skip if you prefer. If you liked John Green's Looking for Alaska or Paper Towns, you'll love The Fault in Our Stars. This Book Review & Story Analysis conveniently lays out the hidden gems: plot points you might miss, symbols that only become obvious on a second or third read-through, and themes that affect your understanding of the story. Table of Contents • Book Review • Section about author John Green • Character Reference List • Chapter-by-Chapter Plot Summary & Story Analysis • Major Themes & Symbols • Analysis of Key Characters • Book Club Discussion Questions & Responses It's like discussing the novel with your friends or going to a book club meeting. But you don't need to drive anywhere! Packaged together in a fun and entertaining format, the entire discussion is delivered instantly to your device. If you haven't read The Fault in Our Stars yet, we'll let you know what to expect with savvy analysis and an honest review. If you're already reading the novel, then we'll be your tour guide through every chapter, heightening your enjoyment at every moment of intrigue, suspense, and humor. Regardless, this is your map when you're deep in the intricate sub-plots and fascinating imagery of John Green's novel. You'll see the book in a whole new way.

There Must Be a Pony


James Kirkwood Jr. - 1960
    His mother, Rita, is a sexy, gorgeous star - but a little nuts. His house is a palace - but lonely as hell. Ben, his mother's latest lover, fulfills Josh's longing for a father, gives him a chance he desperately needs to become his own person and to escape the tawdry temptations of Tinsel Town...until suddenly Ben is dead, Rita is under suspicion of murder, and Josh, if he is to become his own man, must discover the truth.

TAT


Razz Popo - 2017
    Who hasn't? Well, I was right there when the spaceships crashed. I saw the lasers, felt the heat of the explosions and the clumps of dirt spank my face. And I saw the aliens. Then came the orb and the tats, and with them, the powers. For a few days afterward, I was on cloud 99. And then it all went downhill. First, I was fighting for the lives of strangers. Then I was fighting for my own. Now, I'm fighting for all of the above, and the lives of everyone I love. TAT is a novel for lovers of aliens, super-powers, and more action than is safe for a non-augmented human. Think you know pretty much what's inside? You don't. Think you can predict what's going to happen? You can't. Think you will be bored? You won't.

The Fault in Our Stars: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack


Hal Leonard Corporation - 2014
    All 16 songs from the soundtrack for this 2014 breakout blockbuster movie based on a novel by John Green, in arrangements for piano, voice and guitar. Includes Ed Sheeran's "All of the Stars," "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX, plus: All I Want * Let Me In * Not About Angels * Oblivion * Strange Things Will Happen * Tee Shirt * Without Words * and more. Includes four pages of color art from the film.

Girl 43


Maree Giles - 2014
    The graffiti on the holding room wall says it all: 'Gunyah is hell on earth'. And Ellen's about to find out why. Ellen was never the daughter her mother wanted. Patent leather shoes and frilly dresses just weren't her thing and, at age fourteen, she's ready to leave school and find her own way. No one is going to stop her from going where she wants, doing what she wants, and hanging out with Robbie. Or so she thinks. But when the police turn up, Ellen is deemed to be in 'moral danger' and is sentenced to the Gunyah Training School for Girls. Suddenly, she's no longer Ellen, she's Girl 43, and she has to follow the rules, work hard and - most importantly - stay quiet. When it's discovered that she's pregnant, there's no respite from the staff. Told she isn't capable of bringing up a child, they twist the truth to make her cooperate. But however hard they try, they can't destroy the connection between a mother and her child . . . or can they? Drawn from experiences in Parramatta Girls' Home in the seventies, "Girl 43" is a story that could have come straight from today's headlines about the shocking treatment of innocent children and teens by people in the very institutions that were supposed to protect them.

Free Fall / Voodoo River / Sunset Express


Robert Crais - 2002
    And the most frightening sidekick since Spenser's Hawk, the taciturn and lethal Joe Pike. Award-winning and critically-acclaimed Robert Crais built a rock-solid following with this series of sparkling crime novels.