Synopsis: “So Much Pretty is a fearless first novel,” announced The New York Times Book Review, “for all the passion in this intense narrative, Hoffman writes with a restraint that makes poetry of pain.”

Set in a rural community steeped in silence and denial, So Much Pretty explores all parents’ greatest fear, that their child will be hurt. But it also examines a second, equally troubling question: What if my child hurts someone else? The disappearance and murder of nineteen-year-old Wendy White is detailed through the eyes of journalist Stacy Flynn and a host of other richly drawn characters, each with their own secrets and convictions. After Wendy’s body is found, Flynn’s intense crusade to expose a killer draws the attention of a precocious local girl, Alice Piper, whose story intertwines with Wendy’s in a spellbinding and unexpected climax.

Synopsis: Freya and James Archer live the high life in a luxury home in Sydney's poshest suburb, with money, matching Jags, two beautiful teenage kids ... and they couldn't be more despondent. James wakes weeping each morning, dreading the pressures of a long and grueling work day ahead, and Freya is struggling with her foundering real estate career. Global recession is biting in Australia, and the Archers are afraid. In a desperate bid for happiness and security they shed the fragile trappings of success and cruise over into the slow lane to take an unmapped turn-off on a country road and live off the land in a remote old farmhouse on the peaceful southern island of Tasmania. But is this an end to their old misery or the beginning of an even greater one?

Synopsis: Andrew, a skinny ninth grader, is determined to kick his own butt into shape. At home he is dominated by an ambitious, no nonsense single mother. She is focused on her daughter Ally, a scholar athlete in soccer, who is competing to get into an Ivy League college. Andrew longs to break away from his mother's constant micromanagement of his life. During a workout in the gym, Andrew seizes an opportunity to toughen up when he accepts an offer from Cruz, a muscular drug dealing biker. Cruz offers to help Andrew get in shape if he will tutor Maya, Cruz's thirteen year old sister. When Andrew and Maya meet in the park to work on a Romeo and Juliet assignment, they are drawn to each other. He is attracted to the spontaneous, sexy, dark eyed beauty while she is infatuated by Andrew's intelligence and his cute, unassuming goodness. To find themselves and hold on to each other, Andrew and Maya must struggle to survive in a violent world with contrasting cultures. "This is a tremendously powerful book, filled with action, memorable characters, heartbreaking conflict and feeling". Cindy Trumbore, author of The Mangrove Tree and The Genie in the Book

Synopsis: Caitlyn, 15, a Paranormal, is on the run with her mom, trying to stay one step ahead of the ParaTroopers who would enslave her just like anyone who has powerful psychic abilities. Attempting to have somewhat of a normal life, Caitlyn and her mom hide in plain sight, living in a seedy hotel in a big city, where Caitlyn hopes to blend in by enrolling at the local high school. She secretly fights back against government oppression by blogging about equal rights for all Paras, protecting herself by signing them Teen Para. When she discovers her long ago kidnapped brother Daniel at school she s elated, but is saddened to find he s controlled by the government ParaTroopers as a Para-slave. As Para Cleansing Day nears, increasing numbers of Paras are turned in to the authorities and things grow tenser and more dangerous, especially at school. When a group robs a bank and threatens Normals, the shadow of guilt is cast on Teen Para. A killer, the Para Reaper, secretly goes hunting for Paras to drain the life out of them. Despite everything, Caitlyn befriends a Normal girl, Rachel, who is a Para sympathizer, and falls for a cute classmate, Alex, also a Normal, who always makes her feel so good whenever he s around. But it s not safe for Paras to date Normals, and it would put Caitlyn in grave danger of being discovered. When ParaTroopers crack down at school after several Paras are discovered, Caitlyn finds herself under increasing scrutiny. Fearing for Caitlyn, her mom is anxious to pack up and bolt, but Caitlyn s growing attachments make her reluctant to leave. Will she evade capture, or will she be caught and turned into a Para Slave? And just who is trying to frame her? A tautly written, suspenseful thrill ride, Hunted will keep readers on the edge of their seats. 

VOYA 4Q 4P review:
"Cheryl Rainfield writes a masterful dystopian fantasy novel with a gripping plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.  The story is well written and steadily paced.  Caitlyn is a daring, headstrong protagonist with enough grit to be an army of one.  Supporting characters are multi-dimensional, garnering emotional attachment from the reader.  Daniel and other secondary characters symbolize the ignorance of hatred and the persecution of people because they are different.  Rainfield's dynamic story expands on the themes of sexuality, racism, human rights and oppression.  The first in a planned series, this is a thought-provoking tale that amplifies the reader's awareness of controversial issues.  This is a marvelous read for those teens who loved The Hunger Games."--Laura Panter.

CM Magazine review:
"Cheryl Rainfield has provided young adults with an outstanding science fiction novel. There are familiar teenage themes such as romance and relationships as well as fitting in when you're the new kid in a high school. But Hunted goes far beyond this. It is a novel full of tension and suspense as the action begins on the first page and keeps pressing right until the end. ... Caitlyn is a strong female protagonist who never loses sight of what she must do to not only save her fellow Paras from destruction but also to save all of the Normals who are sympathizers for her cause. ...  Hunted is not the science fiction of spaceships and aliens but something much more subtle and so close to realistic that it is frightening. Perhaps there are no Paras in society as we know it, but we still struggle with people who are seen to be somehow different from societal norms. ... Rainfield asks many tough questions, but deciding what you truly believe in and then being willing to stand up and fight for it is the real centrepiece of this novel. Highly Recommended."