All Books
The Star of The Serpent
Benjamin K. Stone
Synopsis: If you were there… You would have heard a surprising story about the mystical star that today inspires the annual crowning of cultivated saplings and the proud decoration of many homes. A star believed by many sent to glorify a newborn king. But there is a sinister side to the tale many have never been told. It is the untold story of a manipulated star that led unsuspecting astrologers to a jealous king bent on eliminating a rightful ruler. An artful star that indirectly influenced a hidden infanticide that neither clerics nor profiteers want to talk about or remembered. A pretending star of light guided by one known as "the serpent".
Publication Date: 11/17/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Living
Matt de la Peña
Synopsis: Newbery Award-winning author Matt de la Peña's The Living is "a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.” [Entertainment Weekly, A-]

Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.
   But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy's only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.
   The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it's a fight to survive for those left living.
   Look for the thrilling sequel, The Hunted, in bookstores now!

Praise for The Living:

“De la Peña has created a rare thing: a plot-driven YA with characters worthy of a John Green novel.”-Entertainment Weekly, A-
 
“Action is first and foremost. . . . De la Peña can uncork delicate but vivid scenes.” —The New York Times

“[The Living] is special because of its extraordinary protagonist, Shy, who I haven’t been able to shake from my mind in the weeks since I read the book.”-John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars

"There's no way to classify The Living. It's everything I love mixed into one fantastic, relentless, action-packed story. As always with Matt, the characters are the best part. So real. I loved this book."-James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

[STAR] "An addictive page-turner and character-driven literary novel with broad appeal for fans of both."-Kirkus Reviews, Starred

[STAR] "An excellent, enthralling ride...a great read for those looking for adventure and survival stories."-VOYA, Starred

A Pura Belpré Author Honor Award Winner

An ALSC Notable Children's Book Pick
Publication Date: 11/12/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Every Day After
Laura Golden
Synopsis: Jennifer Holm's fans will root for Lizzie Hawkins. RUTA SEPETYS, New York Times bestselling author of BETWEEN SHADES OF GREY, says: "A beautiful story of acceptance and determination. Lizzie Hawkins reminds us that in the mids of losing something precious we may find something equally important: ourselves."

It's been two months since Lizzie's daddy disappeared due to the awful Depression. Lizzie's praying he'll return to Bittersweet, Alabama, for her birthday. It won't feel special without him, what with Lizzie's Mama being so sad she won't even talk and the bank nipping at their heels for a mortgage payment.

Daddy expected her to be the best at any cost. But Lizzie claims "that cost me my top grades and my best friend. It's dumped 'em both square into Erin's hands. She's gone batty if she thinks she's gonna get me carted off to the orphanage."

While Lizzie waits, she gets comfort writing in her journal. As time passes, she can only picture her daddy's face by opening her locket. If others can get by, why did her daddy leave? If he doesn't return, how can she overcome the same obstacles that drove him away?
Publication Date: 06/11/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
I don't Hate Jimmy Carter
Benjamin K. Stone
Synopsis: I don't Hate Jimmy Carter is a commentary about what can happen when we lose focus about the lessons of failure and the overemphasis of success at any cost. It is about one person’s coming to terms with a major event that can be life-defining, without being life debilitating. If you've ever made that one mistake that you wish you could time-machine away, then you will appreciate this story.
Publication Date: 01/13/18
Age Level: Any Age
Genre: Short Story
This Is Not The End
Jesse Jordan
Synopsis: James Salley is turning sixteen, and it’s not going well. His family’s too busy to care, the local bully creates new tortures daily, someone appears to be following him, and he’s just learned that he’s the Antichrist.

All James ever wanted out of life was for Dorian Delaney — the operatically trained and suicidal girl of his dreams — to fall as in love with him as he is with her. But once he’s told of his bloody destiny, he finds himself fighting between who he thought he was and who he’s supposed to be.

With the school librarian pushing him to begin the Apocalypse, an irritable homunculus watching his back, and a murderous cabal of Catholics following him everywhere, James must discover how to navigate a world in which everything he’s ever believed is wrong — and if it’s possible to be the hero of a story when you’ve already been cast as the villain.
Publication Date: 06/14/16
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?
Synopsis: From New York Times best-selling author Liz Kessler comes the magical tale of a (sometimes invisible) teen—and her truly super friends.

Jessica Jenkins has always been a perfectly ordinary girl—until one day part of her arm vanishes in the middle of geography class! Jessica’s friends Izzy and Tom are determined to help her develop her newfound invisibility, though Jessica is more concerned with discovering where the ability came from. When it becomes apparent that there may be other kids developing strange powers of their own, Jessica marshals them into a slapdash band of “slightly superheroes.” But when an unscrupulous adult discovers the origin of their powers and kidnaps one of the team, the rest must put their heads—and all of their skills—together to avert disaster.
Publication Date: 02/24/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
After Isaac
Avra Wing
Synopsis: His brother is dead. His parents are making new plans. His only plan is to run away.Aaron Saturn, 14, is an emotional zombie--stuck in grief for his little brother, Isaac, who died. Aaron longs for an escape, and thinks he's found one when he meets Kim, a girl living on the streets of New York City's East Village. But the real upheaval in his life hits when his parents reveal a startling plan to change their family. Aaron needs to learn that running away won't heal him. For that to happen, he must be willing to let love back into his life. Love that will lead him farther away than he ever imagined--all the way to China. In the tradition of The Last Time We Say Goodbye, After Isaac is a deeply affecting novel about death--and life.
After Isaac touches on issues of grief in young adults, sibling loss, homeless youth, adoption and China's one-child policy.
Publication Date: 05/14/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Spirit's Chosen
Esther Friesner
Synopsis: From princess to slave in the blink of an eye. . . .

Himiko's world is falling apart. An attack by a rival clan, the Ookami, has left many from her tribe dead or enslaved. Amid the chaos and fear, Himiko hatches a plan to save her people. But just when it seems that she will outwit Ryu, the cruel Ookami leader, she is captured. Held against her will, Himiko starts to realize that not all of the Ookami are her enemies. Though she may not see her path as clearly as the spirits seem to, there's more adventure (and even unexpected love) for this princess turned shaman-warrior.

Readers who love strong girl-centric adventures are eating up Esther Friesner's Princesses of Myth books, finding the mash-up of historical fiction and fantasy adventure irresistible!

"Himiko is brave and bold. I love her!" --Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author

"This historical fiction/mythology/fantasy blend is perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Rick Riordan, and P. C. Cast." --School Library Journal
Publication Date: 04/23/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Mary GrandPré, J. K. Rowling
Synopsis: The magnificent final book in J. K. Rowling's seven-part saga comes to readers July 21, 2007.

You'll find out July 21!
Publication Date: 08/01/07
Age Level: Any Age
Genre: Fiction
The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast
Synopsis: The Graveyard Book meets Hatchet in this eerie novel about a boy who is stranded on a mysterious beach, from debut author Samantha M. Clark.

A boy washes up on a mysterious, seemingly uninhabited beach. Who is he? How did he get there? The boy can’t remember. When he sees a light shining over the foreboding wall of trees that surrounds the shore, he decides to follow it, in the hopes that it will lead him to answers. The boy’s journey is a struggle for survival and a search for the truth—a terrifying truth that once uncovered, will force him to face his greatest fear of all if he is to go home.

This gripping adventure will have readers hooked until its jaw-dropping and moving conclusion. Samantha M. Clark’s first novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice.
Publication Date: 06/26/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
Letters to Follow: A Dancer's Adventure Ballet Trilogy Bk 3
Synopsis: Lynne struggles to find her place in the world of professional ballet while her own world is turning upside down.

Lynne Meadows has a chip on her shoulder. Her two best friends are gone. Bartley had died, and Marta left the Intermountain Ballet Company after breaking her ankle. Now Lynne s alone and a perpetual thorn in the directors lives. An accident and a string of sabotages disrupt the career she s always wanted, and she wonders how long she ll be welcome at the company.

Damien Black, the artistic director, suggests she represent her fellow dancers on an injury committee. If that goes well and her attitude improves, he and Madame Cosper, the company director, promise to recommend her to a summer dance troupe performing across France. He even asks her to introduce his new ballet, An American in Paris, in France. However, they do not promise even a limited contract once she returns. Because the cost of the trip is beyond her means, her mother asks Lynne s Uncle Leo for help.

He offers to pay for her ship s passage and give her the car he plans to buy while there if she will drive him around Europe for a month after she finishes performing. The free trip and new car excite her; she agrees to the arrangement despite his legendary lack of dependability.

After the Intermountain Ballet season ends, she works feverishly with Damien Black to learn the choreography for the trip as well as his new ballet. Her aunt sells the property where Lynne s lived for two years, so she must pack up and store her possessions, then find a new home once she returns. Two weeks before departing, she meets Noel Elijah, a rancher, who captivates her interest. Very different from the guys she s dated in the past, he s a perfect gentleman. But she s leaving. The coveted tour in France stands in the way of their budding romance.

Her summer begins on the ship to France, where Lynne meets Lucia, a dancer who is also part of the troupe; together they are invited to perform on the ship. Once they reach Paris, Lynne is assigned to share housing with Arty, another troupe dancer; and the girls form a friendship with fellow dancers Wallace and Karl. Cheryl, the dance director, approaches their practices with enthusiasm, passion, and a positive attitude that encourage Lynne to renew her love of dancing.

One day during their rare free time, the girls visit a fortuneteller, who predicts their futures. Lynne scoffs at the whole idea, but is taken aback when hers start to come true. The prediction about two men coming and going in her life unnerves her: she hopes the one leaving is not her father with new heart problems and that Noel is the one stepping into her life.

The dancers complete the tour, as well as extra performances, and are well received at an invitational waltz festival. Then they go their separate ways. Lynne must gather up the energy to stay another month with her Uncle Leo while she longs to return home to Noel and rejoin the Intermountain Ballet Company if they will take her back.

Uncle Leo returns a day late to pick her up in a tinny mini car instead of the plush one she expected. Next, he changes their plans daily to accommodate his own whims and sleeps while she does all the driving. Then he loses their money, leaving them nearly destitute. Her final and most devastating disappointment comes when he strands her in Portugal with no car, no return ticket, and only thirty dollars to make her own way over a thousand miles back to Paris and then home to Montana. She walks, hitchhikes, works for meals, and sleeps in hostels, sheds, and bus stops along the way. Through the kindness of strangers and Noel, she finally returns to Billings, only to discover Madame Cosper has had a stroke.

Publication Date: 11/22/16
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down
Synopsis: The pressure’s really piling up on Greg Heffley. His mom thinks video games are turning his brain to mush, so she wants her son to put down the controller and explore his “creative side.”
 
As if that’s not scary enough, Halloween’s just around the corner and the frights are coming at Greg from every angle.
 
When Greg discovers a bag of gummy worms, it sparks an idea. Can he get his mom off his back by making a movie . . . and will he become rich and famous in the process? Or will doubling down on this plan just double Greg’s troubles?
Publication Date: 11/01/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
The Lazy Dog and the Quick Fox
Ms. Rebecca Rose Orton
Synopsis: Children will delight in this action maze adventure based on the English pangram, "The quick sly fox jumps over the lazy brown dog." This pangram is used as a basis for extrapolating the story plots in this book. Children can make choices on how they want the story to unfold. Emotional intelligence points are awarded based on their choices. Parents will appreciate the emotional intelligence score scale focusing on friendship at the end of the book. One good example of an action maze adventure was showcased in the movie "Big" with Tom Hanks as the leading star. There was a scene in a boardroom at MacMillan Toy Company where the adult Josh and Susan presented a proposal for a computerized version of an action maze adventure, a story format that has existed in paperback form in real life for ages prior to this movie's debut. It is ironic that the author has done the opposite, first by composing an action maze adventure in an online blog, and then converting it into a book.
Publication Date: 06/22/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Grace and Dignity: The Ark of the Sacred Scrolls (Volume 1)
Team Artboy and Laura Grody, Olga Matlin, Olga Matlin, Laura Grody
Synopsis: Princess Grace and Prince Dignity, a royal couple with mystical powers, are set to be crowned king and queen of the magnificent Kingdom of Love. But on the eve of their coronation, disaster strikes, and Grace is told her prince has been murdered. Grief-stricken, the princess reportedly dies of a broken heart, and the shocked kingdom falls into the eager hands of Dignity's unscrupulous, narcissistic cousin, Prince Denial.  Months later, however, Grace is found alive with a gap in her memory, a loss of her powers, and a mysterious Pig Latin note suggesting Prince Dignity is very much alive. As she searches for her prince throughout the rundown kingdom, Grace stumbles upon an ancient secret known as the Cosmic Source--a powerful force which promises to revive her mystical powers and lead to an exciting new way of living. But with the crown title "throne" for a loop, the future of the Kingdom of Love hangs upon the prince's Dignity.  Find out if True Love conquers all in this mystical, linguistical tale!Royalty Fiction, Clean Romance, YA Fantasy Adventure, Metaphysical Fiction, Fairy tales for adults, Visionary fiction, Romantic comedy Kindle books
Publication Date: 06/02/16
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
The Blackthorn Key
Kevin Sands
Synopsis: Following a series of murders, an apothecary’s apprentice must solve puzzles and decipher codes in pursuit of a secret that could destroy the world in this suspenseful debut novel.

“Tell no one what I’ve given you.”

Until he got that cryptic warning, Christopher Rowe was happy, learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn—with maybe an explosion or two along the way.

But when a mysterious cult begins to prey on London’s apothecaries, the trail of murders grows closer and closer to Blackthorn’s shop. With time running out, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart.

In his stunning debut novel, Kevin Sands brings readers on a heart-stopping adventure rich with suspense, mystery, and unforgettable characters.
Publication Date: 09/01/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
My Wizard Buddy: Target Earth (Book Three)
Scott Spotson, PhD, Brian W Wu MD
Synopsis: In this captivating story, Tyler, now 13 years old, has lost his unique friend. Suddenly, he's captured on Earth by an ancient race of galaxy hunters called the Genzi, and must find his own way to escape without the help of Dirk, his wizard buddy. Detained along with fifteen other Earthlings, he must outwit the Genzi as they place dangerous games of skill and agility in his path. Does Dirk manage to find Tyler and save the day--or will Tyler have to fend for himself and his band of fellow humans?

This is the third book of My Wizard Buddy Series, a magic and exciting trilogy that blends eye-popping fantasy along with valuable coming-of-age lessons.

Some reviews:
"Tyler and fifteen other Earthlings are taken by a group called Genzi. They are forced to endure challenges and games. Book Three takes on a more serious tone than the first two books. Tyler is growing up and so are his challenges. He must use his wit and not lose hope. His hope centers around his wizard friend, Dirk, who he hopes will come to his rescue. That's what friends are for." --Susanne Leist. GoodReads.

"This third installment is a perfect conclusion to the trilogy and looking back it is amazing to think how much is covered in these three short works. I hope Tyler and Dirk return again soon as young adults." --James A. McCormick. GoodReads
Publication Date: 07/16/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Science Fiction

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