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Sara and the Chimera: A Prison of Light
Todd Morasch, Greg Dent, Todd Morasch, Greg Dent
Synopsis: What if you knew everything there was to know? What if the true answer to any question was ready in your mind the moment you asked for it? What if the answers always came every time, and were never wrong? What questions would you ask? What would you do with the answers? And who would you trust?

Sara Starbright has exactly that problem. Being eleven is hard enough, but not having anyone to confide in is even harder. What's the point in getting to know someone if you already know everything about them? Sure, Sara's single mom tries her best to understand her daughter, but making ends meet is about all she seems to have time for these days. And Sara has bigger problems on the way too, problems that even she can't see coming, for having all the answers is nice, but asking the right questions is the real talent.

Sara Starbright has the most important gift the universe has ever given, and all manner of creatures from all realms of the imagination want to take it for themselves. What can one small girl do to protect herself from the deadliest and most impressive force creation has ever amassed? Yet in her darkest hour, Sara may have just met the one person in the entire universe capable of being her friend. Stifled and stunted in the deepest inner chambers of the Fish Man's worldship prison colony, a boy named Jonathan Wheeler lies in a state of suspended animation. Through an unlikely twist of fate, he has found himself in the body of an ever-growing and ever-changing monster, the Chimera. With boundless energy and strength at his command, all he needs is the right bit of knowledge to get himself out of his cell and to freedom.

As they escape from one world to the next, Sara and Jonathan find that together they make a pretty good team. But when you can't trust anyone, and when the universe turns out to be quite a bit bigger than you could have ever imagined, who can you count on to guide you towards somewhere you actually want to be?

Meow.
Publication Date: 07/27/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Sliding Beneath the Surface:St. Augustine Trilogy, Book I
Synopsis:      In America's oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, teenager Jeff Golden is in trouble. Horrible dreams won't let him sleep, and he is up to his eyeballs in terrifying, paranormal experiences.     Finally, Jeff turns to his girlfriend Carla, and Lobo, the mysterious Native American shaman, for help. But what he discovers is a lot more than he bargained for.     A ghostly presence linked to a local historic cemetery is not only threatening Jeff's sanity but his life as well. And before he knows what's happening, Jeff finds both himself and Carla pulled into one of the nastiest and most bloody events in Florida history. It is a place from which they may never escape.        AUTHOR BIO

Doug Dillon has been writing for adults and young people since 1984, especially in the paranormal realm. An award winning educator, he spent many years as a classroom teacher, school administrator, and coordinator of programs for high-risk students. Prentice Hall, Harcourt, Mitchell Lane Publishers, Boys' Life magazine, Learning Magazine and The Orlando Sentinel have all published his work.

OTHER BOOKS BY DOUG DILLON:

     Nonfiction books for elementary through high school age students: A Brief Political and Geographic History of Asia; We Visit Venezuela; and Class Trip to St. Augustine. All of these books are offered by Mitchell Lane Publishers.

     A nonfiction book on the paranormal for adults: Co-authored with Doug's wife Barbara, An Explosion of Being: An American Family's Journey into the Psychic is published through Old St. Augustine Publications.
Publication Date: 07/18/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Study Train: Reunion of the Untouchables
Synopsis: About five hundred years ago, Master Magician Mikhail Pilkington III created a magical flying train, the StudyTrain. His vision: to take average teenagers onboard, show them the world, and turn them into leaders. Ethan is invited on to this train, escaping his miserable life in Switzerland. He soon discovers that the train is all but ordinary. It is filled with magic, secrets, people with interesting histories, and much more. Ethan's intrigue and hunger for knowledge and power catches the attention of a hidden, ancient alliance called the Untouchables. Soon, Ethan learns all their mysteries, powers and sorcery. He stands out from the rest of the students and is recognized as the long-awaited leader for the Untouchables. But his dark side - The Dark Fire Inside - grows and becomes much stronger than anyone thought it would. Ethan gets sucked into a web of conflicts and feuds while battling his own inner feelings. Will he go for power, or turn toward good? Kurt Frenier, 41, born in Belgium, author of children's and young adult books, is a senior director at Pepsi Cola. He lives in Dubai with his wife Sanne and two daughters, Julia and Emilie. Kurt has been writing since he was 16 and has published before in The Netherlands. The StudyTrain is his first English-language young adult book. Publisher's Website: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/TheStudyTrain.html
Publication Date: 07/12/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Wireless
Charles Stross
Synopsis: “Stross’s work offers a potent reminder of why short stories used to be the preferred delivery method for science fiction.” – The A.V. Club               

This selection of speculative fiction runs the gamut—from “Palimpsest,” a decidedly nontraditional time-travel novella, to “Dawn on the Farm,” an adventure of hapless secret agent Bob Howard (star of the Laundry novels: The Atrocity Archives, The Jennifer Morgue, and The Fuller Memorandum). Also included are “MAXOS,” a stunning example of the new flash-fiction form; his Locus Award-winning novella, “Missile Gap”; and “Unwirer,” a collaboration with Cory Doctorow. Rounding out the contents are “A Colder War,” “Rogue Farm,” “Trunk and Disorderly,” and “Snowball’s Chance,” four unique, genre-bending tales that could only come from the limitless imagination of one of the twenty-first century’s most daring visionaries, Charles Stross.
Publication Date: 06/29/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Dream Maker in the Desert
Synopsis: The Society Volumes, Book I: The Dream Maker in the Desert is a book certain to catch the focus of all who crack its pages. Though its fantastical adventures are targeted at the young adult population, it is sure to become a crossover hit for a wide age range. The author, Marie Krushing, does an amazing job at capturing the teenage angst of a reluctant budding hero. Move over Harry Potter; take a seat, Percy Jackson! Even the captivating Twilight series is no match for Emmet Watts, the loveable protagonist who is bound to capture the hearts of those who lose themselves in the chronicles of his amazing journeys. The Society consists of an elite group of men and women who fight the powers of darkness in order to restore balance between good and evil. Emmet Watts, an awkward 15 year old, does not know it yet, but he is destined to join the next generation of the Society's elite. One fateful night, he is attacked by the Dark Ones - enemies of the Society who use their malevolent powers to tip the scales of Light and Dark. The Society rescues Emmet and he soon joins their crusade. He is all too eager to pursue his new career as a budding superhero. The feat, however, turns out to be harder than he ever imagined when he finds himself pitted against Braeden, a powerful Dark One who has the ability to lock a person within their worst nightmares. And the insane man will stop at nothing to destroy the Society and end Emmet's life. The entrancing tale of Emmet Watts and his battle with Darkness is the stress relief every mind searches for during the hardships of real life. Take a break from everyday problems and let The Dream Maker in the Desert whisk you off into a world of superheroes and villains. You will surely be on the edge of your seat until the outcome of a teenager's war with evil comes to a close. Marie Krushing's debut novel proves her worthy among the plethora of young adult literature now abundant on bookstore shelves everywhere. With a unique understanding of a younger generation, and the ability to make a plotline relatable even to those who are past such a difficult age, The Dream Maker in the Desert is a piece of fantasy fiction you just cannot let pass you by.
Publication Date: 06/26/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Spy Who Haunted Me
Simon R. Green
Synopsis: When it comes to supernatural intrigue, nobody does it better than New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green.

Eddie Drood, at your service. For generations my family has been keeping humanity safe from the wicked, the nasty, and the generally not-nice inhuman predators who feed on people’s fear and misery. No one kicks evil arse better than us Droods—especially yours truly.
          
 In fact, my arse-kicking skills have come to the attention of the legendary Alexander King, Independent Agent extraordinaire, who spent a lifetime doing anything and everything—for the right price. Now he’s on his deathbed, looking to bestow all of his priceless secrets to a worthy successor.
           
To decide, King challenges six competitors—myself included—to solve five mysteries all around the world, figuring that along the way we’ll backstab one another until only one remains. But I’ve got to win at all costs, because King holds the most important secret of all to the Droods: the identity of the traitor in our midst.
Publication Date: 06/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Blood of a Werewolf: Blood Series - Book 1
Chelly Hoyle-Peeler, T. Lynne Tolles
Synopsis: Darby O’Rielly may look like a shy, quiet bookstore owner who waits up at night to make sure her fun loving little sister Rowan makes it home. But that would be a bad assumption if you intend to threaten her family and loved ones. If the deadly magic this witch possesses is unleashed, the whole neighborhood better watch out.When two handsome brothers move next door, love blooms. Devon and Blake aren’t just hot, they’re vampires hunted by a man with unlimited wealth and vengeance.With these two atypical couples together, mayhem ensues. Darby is forced to use her new-found magic when hunters snatch Rowan to lure the brothers to their demise. A wreckless decision by the enemy transforms Rowan into a werewolf, throwing her new love Blake into a downward spiral. Werewolf terrors from childhood paralyze his judgment and send him packing, leading Rowan into the arms of a wolf named Dean who helps ease her into the new life she’s forced to embrace.
Publication Date: 05/30/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Blood Moon
T. Lynne Tolles
Synopsis: The gang finds themselves up to their eyeballs in family history when  clues are revealed that suggest an evil curse is hidden within the O'Rielly Book of Shadows. An old family diary divulges the O'Rielly family was an integral part in stymying a power hungry witch that took the lives of thirteen young girls and clues to spells whereabouts seem to suggest they're in the O'Rielly Book of Shadows. One by one young women are reported missing from neighboring towns when two mysterious women show up in town. Is it coincidence? Or has someone come back to complete the unfinished spell from the past? No one knows but when Allison's life is in the balance, the gang pulls together to find a way to stop the past from repeating itself.
Publication Date: 05/30/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Kiss of the Master Vampire
Synopsis: "I've just been shanghaied by Vampires." Melody is just another "normal" girl. Actually she was a very wealthy girl, but she had no friends or family. But one night Melody runs into someone that will change her life forever. Damian is an unusual Master Vampire...he's allergic to the sun! Confined to the night, Damian begins stalking Melody to make her his prey. But all of that changes when the sun unexpectedly raises throwing Damian into a world of pain, that Melody rescues him from! Torn from having to kill her to protect the Vampire race or allowing her to live as payment for saving him, Damian makes a bargain with Melody. But Melody doesn't realize that when she made the bargain with him she had become the property of a Master Vampire! Join Melody, Damian and his older Master Vampire brother Daren as they live together and they all learn to love life again. Fight alongside the Master Vampires as they fight with a group of Vampires to get Melody back. Fall in love with Melody and Damian who begin to love each other as much as Amadio and Aura. Learn more secrets of the abilities of the Vampire race! But most importantly... Will Melody become the next Master Vampiress?! Bringing back your cast of favorite Vampires and Master Vampires from "The Masters"...Amadio, Aura, Anthony, Kiya, Seti, Victoria, Akhenaten, Selena and Bethany! This is a sequel that you can't afford to miss!
Publication Date: 05/19/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Rangers' Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw
Synopsis: The international bestselling series with over 5 million copies sold in the U.S. alone!
The kingdom is in danger. Renegade knight Sir Keren has succeeded in overtaking Castle Macindaw and is now conspiring with the Scotti. The fate of Araluen rests in the hands of two young adventurers: the Ranger Will and his warrior friend, Horace. Yet for Will, the stakes are even higher. For inside the castle, someone he loves is being held hostage. And now the time has come for this onetime apprentice to grow up.

Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T.H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Publication Date: 05/18/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Still Sucks To Be Me
Kimberly Pauley
Synopsis: With vampire boyfriend George and best friend Serena by her side, Mina thought she had her whole life—or rather afterlife—ahead of her. But then Mina’s parents drop a bomb. They’re moving. To Louisiana. And not somewhere cool like New Orleans, but some teeny, tiny town where cheerleaders and jocks rule the school. Mina has to fake her death, change her name, and leave everything behind, including George and Serena. Not even the Vampire Council’s shape-shifting classes can cheer her up. Then Serena shows up on Mina’s doorstep with some news that sends Mina reeling. Mina may look a lot better with fangs, but her afterlife isn’t any less complicated!
 
In this eagerly awaited sequel to the popular Sucks to Be Me, Kimberly Pauley addresses many of her fans’ most pressing questions (Will Serena become a vampire? What happened to Raven? What’s next for Mina and George?) with signature humor and breezy bloodsucking style.
Publication Date: 05/11/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Darkborn
Alison Sinclair
Synopsis: For the Darkborn, sunlight kills. For the Lightborn, darkness is fatal. Living under a centuries-old curse, the Darkborn and the Lightborn share the city of Minhorne, coexisting in an uneasy equilibrium but never interacting-until a Darkborn physician finds a pregnant fugitive on his doorstep...
Publication Date: 05/04/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Gorgeous
Rachel Vail
Synopsis:

Allison Avery's cell phone is possessed—literally. Maybe. Growing up between two sisters of blond beauty, fiery and sarcastic Allison is fed up with being invisible. When the devil appears in a dream and offers to trade Allison good looks for her cell phone, she makes the deal. How much damage can a little phone do anyway?

Allison begins to get tons of attention: new friends, a boyfriend, a chance to win a modeling contest. Is it all the devil's work, or is something more mysterious happening?

Publication Date: 04/27/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Circle of Friends: Book V
Synopsis: When confidence turns to frustration… A new beginning awaits Heather Jennings. The position at Clemson means she will finally realize her dream of coaching basketball. Heather is ready to focus on her duties, using sheer force if necessary to prove her independence. Sadly, her triumph is hampered as her father and greatest advocate lies dying of cancer. Battling her grief, she must also deal with a sister who appears incapable of responsibility or achievement. And once basketball season begins, a talented but cocky player who resembles her in every manner challenges all that remains of Heather’s patience. Heather’s life changes when she encounters a man capable of handling her bold and feisty attitude. Straightforward and smug, he entices her to date him, and despite his gruff nature shows a great capacity for compassion. However, the last thing Heather needs is a serious relationship with a man equally fixated on work and opposed to marriage…
Publication Date: 03/16/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Calendar Mysteries: April Adventure
John Steven Gurney, Ron Roy
Synopsis:

From the author of A to Z Mysteries comes a springtime egg hunt mystery featuring the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries kids!

It's a mystery every month from popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy! With the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries kids!

April is for Adventure...

In the fourth book of the Calendar Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series—it's springtime in Green Lawn, and Bradley, Brian, Lucy, and Nate are on an Easter egg hunt. They search high and law and find lots of eggs. But soon it's clear that some of the eggs aren't just well hidden. They're gone! Who would steal Easter eggs? It's up to the four kids to crack this eggs-cellent case.

Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who loves mysteries!

Publication Date: 02/09/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Incarceron
Catherine Fisher
Synopsis: A thrilling, high-concept fantasy for fans of Garth Nix and Nancy Farmer.

Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible.

And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside- she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison, and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know.
Publication Date: 01/26/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series

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