Book picks similar to
There Are Giants in This Valley by Jack Hillman


young-adult
action-adventure
contemporary
non-erotic

The Mother Keeper


Paula Scott - 2017
     Shawn Klein has it all. The beautiful girlfriend. The scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt after he graduates high school. At eighteen, he leads worship at his father’s prosperous megachurch. His life is perfect. So why isn’t he happy? Everything changes when Shawn’s parents bring Ellie into their home to care for her until she gives birth. It’s the life with a real family that Ellie has always dreamed about, and the kind of future Shawn never knew he wanted, until Ellie’s past threatens to destroy everything. Jenny McBride has lost her faith and her reason to live in a terrible accident in Colorado Springs, but meeting the pregnant teenager, Ellie just might turn things around. When Jenny arrives in Tennessee to adopt Ellie's baby, only one thing is certain. A baby will be born, along with a crime of passion, and a desperate struggle to bury the truth.

The Dragon Offering: Book One of the Arlon Prophecies


Randy McWilson - 2016
     He was one of only a handful of people in the Five Civilized Kingdoms born with the birthmark. He was a Child of the Mark. A Chosen Child. A Dunamai. The ancient prophecies were clear...seven Dragons would rise to power. Six had come and gone over the past 6300 years, the majestic Seventh Dragon was about to be born. Terras Telos...the final prophesied Dread Guardian to rule over the world. Only a Dunamai could approach a Dragon. Only a Chosen Child could make an offering to the newborn Dragon. The stakes were unimaginably high...and Arlon knew that only one of them would be accepted. His entire teenage life had been a preparation for one single day...the day of the Dragon Offering. No one could have ever imagined the incredible and tragic series of events that would be unleashed by a young man's simple desire to be free.

Banished


D.L. Harrison - 2017
    She has mental abilities such as telekinesis, telepathy, and others. Her parents are supervillains, and she isn’t all that sure she’s cut out for that line of work. Her empathy with others through her power makes it hard to be uncaring, much less mean or evil to people. Problem is, the last thing she wants to do is disappoint mom and dad.Katrina gets caught up in her mother’s supervillain plot to rid the world of the indestructible hero Omega. That’s when it all goes really wrong, and she finds herself on another world. Banished.Will she be able to find her way back home, or even understand this new world of gods and magic, or will she die trying?

The Wild


Clayton Phillipp - 2013
    The city was once their home, now it belongs to the wild.Seventeen-year-old Neela Ray, who lives with her best friend alone in the woods, regards it as a sign of things to come when a young boy is taken from their camp by the wild. When nobody else offers to go look for him, Neela must risk everything to track him down.Neela has been back to the city before, and for her, survival is second nature. Yet when an unexpected companion joins her side, she finds that surviving can be hard when distracted by love.Without meaning to, they discover the source of the wild and come to realize the danger they face is even worse than they ever imagined. But if Neela is to get them home safely she must make choices no one wants to make, and question everyone she once trusted.

The Eyes of the Huntress (Shil the Huntress, #1)


Niall Teasdale - 2018
    The great and the good celebrate her victories. Criminals dread the day they hear she is hunting them. But it was not always thus…

Riverdale Season 3 (FCBD) #0 (Riverdale: Season Three)


Micol Ostow - 2019
    See where it all begins in this all-new story based on the smash-hit CW series Riverdale! Micol Ostow (Riverdale: The Day Before) and Thomas Pitilli (ARCHIE) bring fans into the world with a never-before-seen tale that presents all-new drama and intrigue set between episodes of the show! Plus, get a sneak peek at Scholastic’s original Riverdale novels.

Saving Sawyer


Millie Morgan
    On the outside, she's a normal seventeen year old girl with amazing friends, a charitable job and a loving family. She's beautiful, funny and easy to get along with and just by looking at her, you'd think that she's the perfect girl, living in the perfect world. On the inside though, just waking up and living her day-to-day life is a struggle for Sawyer. Well, aware of this fact, Sawyer's mother forces to see a psychiatrist after school on a daily basis in order to cope with the tragic events Sawyer encountered a year prior. Now meet Graham Cambridge. Those who don't know him could easily stereotype him as being a blunt, selfish, egotistical golden boy, just because he likes to party and play football. Those who actually know him though know that he's actually quite the opposite of all of those things.When Graham transfers from his elite prep school to Sawyer's high school and quickly takes an interest in her, things go from bad to worse. At least, that's what Sawyer's convinced herself of. What people don't realize though is that maybe they were wrong about Graham Cambridge and that his life is about as far from perfect as they come and that he and Sawyer are alike in more ways than one. Two completely different teenagers that maybe aren't all that different after all are about to embark on a wild ride that neither of them could have ever expected. Can they help each other get past their demented previous tragedies? Or are their bygones too great to ever escape them? And can Sawyer ever truly be saved? Full of romance, heartbreak and just a little bit of fate, the next couple of months will challenge both Sawyer and Graham in ways they never thought possible.And maybe, just maybe, something beautiful will come out of it.

The Reluctant Romantics (The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield, #1.5)


Ninya Tippett - 2016
    She will be his last and 'forever'.Tessa Maxfield has always been the smart one because she couldn't be the pretty one or the cool one. And she's fine with that. The upside of being smart is not making stupid decisions like she did as a kid, falling in love with her older brother's best friend. She outgrew that and could still outsmart it now.Jake Hastings has always been a playboy because he could be so why not? But his best friend's rash wedding and fairytale marriage has left him wondering if he could have more. The downside to his notorious reputation is that when he unexpectedly finds the girl he can't live without, she won't believe him. He burned that bridge a long time ago and she's not letting him build a new one now.Can two people who want so much of what they're afraid of find their way through first loves and second chances to finally find each other?***This is a spin-off from The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield.

Waiting Fate


W.B. Kinnette - 2013
    She’s determined to keep her past a secret to protect those she loves.Archer has been in love with the same girl since seventh grade. When Ivy comes back into his life—bruised, broken, and haunted by secrets—he knows he can’t lose her again.But Ivy made a promise to her daughter. No one would hurt them again. She’s afraid to trust, afraid to be wrong again, and afraid that the one man she’s loved forever will break her heart.Fate might take its time, but it won’t wait forever.

Escape


Emma Eggleston - 2021
    She's just biding her time until graduation when she has an unusual encounter with Matty, the all-American boy next door. When Matty and Laila start to talk, he shares a secret with her. He's a part of a clinical study for a medication called effugium and it can really transport him to other places and times. Will Laila trust Matty enough to try the effugium?

Fallen Prince


Tess Williams - 2012
    Their loyalty is about to be tested.When the peaceful kingdom of Shaundakul is betrayed by its allies, Princess Ellia Solidor and her protector, Cyric Dracla, are taken into slavery to the kingdom of Akadia. Their only goal is to stay safe, and stay together. But in this new land that values power over everything, all Ellia can see is the captivity of her people, while Cyric sees a chance to finally become the great warrior he was never allowed to be. Temptation becomes betrayal, and Ellia must travel to the legendary Isle of Yanartas to gain the ability to defeat the dark power her best friend has become.

Ice Cream, Teasing, and Awkward Situations


Miadaley17
    However, that's kind of hard to do when you have a narcissistic arch-nemesis who's hell-bent on ruining your life.From the moment he laid eyes on her, he seemed to take an immediate dislike. After all, it only took a measly few hours of knowing her for him to kick a soccer ball right at her unsuspecting 11-year-old face.Though they did not know it then, this iconic moment would mark the beginning of what felt like a lifelong feud. Six years later and their mutual hatred for one another is still very much alive and kicking. She despised him, and he despised her and that's the way it always would be. But what happens when sparks fly, and stomachs flutter? Will someone break the eternal feud?One's thing for sure- Mia will definitely not be the one to break.

Kiwi To My Heart (The Soul Mutts Series Book 6)


Lori R. Taylor - 2021
    But if she can't find a way to bring more money into the struggling shelter, the sacrifices she's made will all be for nothing.Then her brother leaves her with an inheritance, with two stipulations: she must work with her estranged mother to host a successful charity event and find a loving home for Peter's dog, Kiwi.But Leslie's not sure she can forgive the woman who cowered in a corner while Leslie's father hit her.Kiwi was severely abused before Peter adopted her. No matter where Leslie places Kiwi, the nervous cockapoo keeps showing up on her doorstep. She seems determined to stay with Leslie, no matter what.Even though Kiwi is terrified of everything, the sweet little dog makes Leslie feel braver. With Kiwi by her side, can Leslie save the shelter, face down the demons of her past, and take the risk of forgiving the mother who let her down when Leslie needed her most?The Kiwi To My Heart is the sixth and final book in the Soul Mutts series, heartwarming stories of lost dogs finding new homes with the humans they were born to heal.

The Other Side of Quiet: A coming of age mystery for teens and adults


Tara C. Allred - 2015
    Childs's creative writing students are expected to keep personal journals for self-expression. But when clues from a murder investigation cause police authorities to confiscate the students’ journals, writing intended to be private is no longer. Words meant to liberate now condemn. And an innocent writing project, meant to empower students, as well as rescue Mrs. Childs from her own personal tragedy, now open deep conflicts within the class. "A unique and richly interesting story of survival during some of the most complicated years of life; reminding us all about what is truly important." –The Book Stalker "The Other Side of Quiet has enough adventure and mystery to keep you turning pages, but also an underlying message of love and acceptance. This is a book that all teenagers, and parents should read. It will inspire you to believe in our youth, love them through their challenges, and leave you with a desire to be a better parent, teacher and friend." –Katie Millar Wirig, Founder of The Power of Family "I am a firm believer in classroom read alouds, alongside in-depth class discussions. This book is a perfect read aloud for middle grade and high school classrooms. Students in your classroom can learn from the students in Mrs. Childs’s classroom. The Other Side of Quiet brings up questions that students today should be asking and learning how to answer. This novel will help educators to discuss otherwise difficult concepts . . . and help students come out stronger with more understanding toward others." –Brittany Boman, former teacher, Alpine School District Venture Academy High School Creative Writing Students “The Other Side of Quiet is written with amazing craft. It portrays life and family situations that are not only relatable, but also intricately weaved into a story that will keep you reading until the very end.” – Alana, age 15 “Awesome book. Such a good read!” - Josh, age 15 “An intriguing novel that can teach anyone important lessons about life and family. Tara C. Allred builds character that feel real, and that many can relate to in more ways than one, and builds suspense with a thrilling murder mystery. Reading this novel you will laugh, cry, and find a certain peace in its ending.” – Berea, age 16

Crush On Mr.Bad Boy


LiLLyCoOLeSt1 - 2012
    But having a crush on the school's bad boy who's ranked highest on the food chain while you're the nerd in the bottom of the food chain is a hundred times harder.Meet Rosaline Arlene Winnefred who's known as the school's 'nerd'. She's that girl who has no more than two friends, gets picked on by pretty much everyone, and locks herself up in her bedroom on a Saturday night reading cheesy romance novels. Not to mention she believes in fairy tales and has a hopeless crush on the school's bad boy. You get the picture?Axel Storm Spencer is the complete opposite of her. He's got that bad boy image that girls love so much. He's tough, violent, and feared by pretty much everyone.In a turn of events, the two get thrown into different messes together. Everything from wild parties, Halloween dances, to discipline referrals and revenge. Her crush might not be so hopeless after all..."After all, it was just a crush on Mr. Bad Boy."