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This Is Sarah
Ally Malinenko
Synopsis: When Colin Leventhal leaned out his bedroom window on the night of May 12th and said goodbye to his girlfriend, he never expected it would be forever. But when Sarah Evans goes missing that night, Colin’s world unravels as he transforms from the boyfriend next door to the main police suspect. Then one year later, at her memorial service, Colin makes a phone call that could change everything. Is it possible that Sarah is still alive? And if so, how far will he go to bring her back?
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Ship of Dolls
Kelly Murphy, Shirley Parenteau
Synopsis:

Can a ship carrying Friendship Dolls to Japan be Lexie’s ticket to see her fun-loving mother again? A heartwarming historical novel inspired by a little-known true event.

It’s 1926, and the one thing eleven-year-old Lexie Lewis wants more than anything is to leave Portland, Oregon, where she has been staying with her strict grandparents, and rejoin her mother, a carefree singer in San Francisco’s speakeasies. But Mama’s new husband doesn’t think a little girl should live with parents who work all night and sleep all day. Meanwhile, Lexie’s class has been raising money to ship a doll to the children of Japan in a friendship exchange, and when Lexie learns that the girl who writes the best letter to accompany the doll will be sent to the farewell ceremony in San Francisco, she knows she just has to be the winner. But what if a jealous classmate and Lexie’s own small lies to her grandmother manage to derail her plans? Inspired by a project organized by teacher-missionary Sidney Gulick, in which U.S. children sent more than 12,000 Friendship Dolls to Japan in hopes of avoiding a future war, Shirley Parenteau’s engaging story has sure appeal for young readers who enjoy historical fiction, and for doll lovers of all ages.

Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Deception
Lee Nichols
Synopsis: When Emma Vaile's parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she's left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother's very cute best friend, Bennett Stern-Emma's knight in J. Crew armor-arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family's museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she's been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can't explain-it's as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian's Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two.

Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Mark of Zorro
Johnston, D. McCulley
Synopsis: This exciting adventure story has achieved immortal fame thanks to the blockbuster film of the same name, starring Douglas Fairbanks-a cinematic triumph that inspired author Johnston McCulley to dedicate it to Fairbanks. It has since seen numerous film and other adaptations, including a full-cast audio drama featuring the voice talents of Val Kilmer, Ruth Livier, Elizabeth Peña, Armin Shimmerman, and Meshach Taylor. Set in Mexican California during the 1820s, the tale follows the career of Don Diego Vega, by all appearances just a timid and aristocratic dandy. But apearances can be deceiving, and this is nothing more than a mask to conceal his hidden side as a California Robin Hood known as Zorro, whose swift blade strikes down those who exploit the poor and oppressed. The Mark of Zorro remains a paradigm of swashbuckling adventure and a popular novel to this day.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
The Gemstone Chronicles Book One: The Carnelian
Synopsis: Elves, magic, stolen gemstones, a quest to restore the balance between good and evil, and who is the mysterious Keeper?


When Aidan and Maggie find a fairy cross while rock hunting with their grandfather, it’s just an oddity. When they discover an elf imprisoned in the stone and free him, Dark Elves attack the siblings and their grandparents, forcing them to flee to Celahir, magical home of the Elves.


The family, with the help of their Elven friends, embarks on a dangerous adventure to find the first of the four stolen gems, the Carnelian. Without restoration of the stones, the balance between good and evil is slipping toward evil - in both Celahir and the human world…
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Aversion (The Mentalist Series Book 1)
Synopsis: For Gemma Green’s first time, things should have been straightforward. Find your subject, hold their gaze and push a thought into their head to save them from future disaster – Aversion complete. A pretty simple process given that the subject was to have no recollection of the experience. But Russ Tanner doesn’t seem to want to forget. In fact the more she tries to avoid him, the more he pushes to get to know her. Gemma knows she has a problem but is she facing the side effects of a failed Aversion or has the school’s tennis champ really fallen for her?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Sentient (The Mentalist Series Book 2)
Synopsis: Mastering her Progressive Empath abilities isn’t going as well as Gemma hoped. In fact, months after finding out what she really is, she still has no clue what this truly means. All she can do is wait to see if any new abilities will eventually manifest. Things aren’t going great with Russ either. Unsure of how to handle her Sentient Link with him, she tries to integrate herself in his busy social life but struggles to adjust to her new circumstances.

When she is plagued by recurring nightmares, Gemma realises things are changing and knows she has to do something, fast. The arrival of two sets of strangers in town, both offering the much needed assistance she needs to unearth her powers, escalates the situation even further. Gemma attempts to decipher whose intentions are genuine, but does she have enough time to figure out who has her best interest at heart?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Wildflower
Janine Carbone
Synopsis: Faith desperately tries to hold on and fit into the mold of the "typical" college student, but her life quickly spirals out of control when visions of a dark past consume her. When these repressed memories begin to resurface, she relives the devastation of dealing with abandonment, death and betrayal. Faith soon realizes she never did escape the dangers of the past, her battles are real and present. With a sadistic stalker lurking around campus while she painfully struggles to hold onto her newfound romance, Faith finds herself fighting to survive all over again.
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Baymo
Seth C. Kadish
Synopsis: “Baymo” is the story of a young dog who longs for the freedom and excitement of human life without comprehending the responsibility and worries that go along with such a life. Through a bit of magic from Father Moon, Baymo’s wish comes true – he becomes a man – but his subsequent misadventures teach him that being a man has its price.
Excerpt: But he was a man, a man, a man! Baymo was in a state of bliss, filled with joy and radiant. He stood, he fell, he pushed himself back up again. Tottered, veered, spun, teetering, toppling, a spinning top, out of control, overcome with pleasure.

He was so involved in this new game that he did not notice Spike enter the yard. The little pug stared at him with pop eyes, amazed at the sight of a tall, wobbly, naked, golden-haired man, wearing a grin, weird noises bursting out of his mouth. Spike was so startled by the bizarre apparition that he forgot to be scared.

That is, until the naked man took a step towards Spike and smiled. Spike gave a nervous bark. What to do? And where was Baymo to tell him what to do? Where was his best friend, the golden dog?

Baymo teetered and tottered toward Spike, croaking with pleasure at his newfound manhood. To his amazement, the little dog raced back to the safety and sanity of his house, an escapee from the clutches of the horrible stranger.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Fifty Years of Peace (Abrupt Dissent Series Book 1)
Synopsis: Fifty years after the war that changed everything and deemed technology illegal, Jenny Williams enjoys her simple life as a teenager on her grandpa's ranch. She goes to school, helps out on the ranch, and even sells her grandpa's cheese at the local market.

But when Jenny goes to town for the Fifty Years of Peace Festival, a strange boy and a catastrophic event makes her question whether her idyllic life is really as perfect as she thought.

Now, in order to save herself, her grandpa, and her town from an impending war, Jenny must decide if she should trust Jacob, her handsome friend of many years, or the strange, but intriguing boy who seems to know more than he's letting on.

This dystopian adventure is part 1 of the 3-part Abrupt Dissent Series. Burning Bridges: Part 2 of the Abrupt Dissent Series is Now Available!
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Blue Sky
Brian Kindall
Synopsis: Blue Sky can climb like an ibex. She was raised in the highest peaks of the Alps by the herd and named for the color of her eyes. They say her father was a fallen alpinist and her mother his beautiful dying dream… and so, as you may guess, she’s somewhat magical – strong and sure-footed on the peaks, and natural as an ibex in this harsh environment of wind, rock, and ice. Until one day when she rescues a young alpinist from a stormy peak. The boy looks like her, and he tells her of the world of mysteries beyond the crags. Sky longs to follow him. Can a girl raised by ibex in the mountains ever join the world of humans? Blue Sky must first fulfill her promise to the ibex and find the courage to leave everything she’s ever known.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
The Author or The Characters' Short Living Story
Synopsis: 1st place
Pacific Book Awards 
"Best Philosophy"

Follow the Timeless Mystical adventure of six Charactersas they Alchemically face the Darkest perils of the Human psycheand Search for the Truth . . ....TheCharactersShortLivingStory.com
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
STORM FALL
Tracy Banghart
Synopsis: In the action-packed sequel to Rebel Wing, Aris battles for life and love . . . and not everyone will survive.

Aris Haan gave up everything to join the Atalantan Military: her family, her boyfriend, even her identity. In the end, though, it didn’t matter that she was a war hero. When the all-male Military discovered that she was actually a woman, she was sent home and erased from history.

Now she has a chance to go back to the battlefield—as herself. But as hard as it was to be a soldier in disguise, it’s even more difficult now. The men in her unit undermine her at every turn. The Safaran army has spies everywhere, perhaps even on Aris’s stationpoint. And she’s falling for her mysterious superior officer, Milek. But their relationship is forbidden, just stolen moments between training sessions and missions. There’s no room for love in war.

Then Aris discovers that Safara’s leaders have set their sights on her, Atalanta’s hero. And she must find them before they find her . . .
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Children of the Knight (The Lance Chronicles - 1)
Synopsis: An orphan boy. A mysterious stranger. A city in crisis.

When 14-year-old Lance is saved from death, his life is forever changed. For starters, his savior claims to be King Arthur, the once and future ruler of ancient Britain. Lance has met lots of weirdos on the streets of L.A., and they claim to be many things. But this “king” not only reeks of sincerity, he wears armor, rides a gorgeous white horse, and lives in the storm drains underneath the city! Arthur has a throne, old-school clothes, and weapons up the wazoo. Swords, daggers, bows and arrows—the kind Lance has only seen in movies.

Turns out this Arthur guy wants to start some kind of revolution. He plans to collect other cast-off kids like Lance—even teen gang members—and create a New Camelot of Knights to gain more rights for youth and shake up the out-of-touch politicians who run Los Angeles.

Lance is all for helping kids like him. He’s spent his entire life in and out of the system, and it sucks. And he wants to believe in Arthur, but doubts even a king can accomplish such lofty goals. Despite these uncertainties, Lance readily accepts the position of First Knight—youth leader of Arthur’s new army—thereby setting in motion a crusade of tsunami proportions. When the children rise, will the city fall?

The Lance Chronicles begin…

Winner of the 2013 Gold Medal from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

The Lance Chronicles:
Children of the Knight (The Lance Chronicles Book 1)
Running Through A Dark Place (The Lance Chronicles Book 2)
There Is No Fear (The Lance Chronicles Book 3)
And The Children Shall Lead (The Lance Chronicles Book 4)
Once Upon A Time In America (The Lance Chronicles Book 5)
Warrior Kids (standalone set within The Lance Chronicles universe)
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Chasing Light
Angela Jooste
Synopsis: Luce is too used to people leaving her life.

When nineteen year-old Luce receives an unexpected invitation from her late father’s partner, to visit the sea house at Arlington Bay, she has no idea what awaits her, or how her life is about to be turned upside down.

Jake is great at escaping.

After a year-long road trip, Jake decides to join his sister at the sea house, unprepared for facing head on all the reasons he’s been running away since his father’s death.

Gabe just wants to find his way home.

For Gabe Summers, the remote beach at Arlington Bay is his favourite surf break, the place his family calls their second home, and where he met the only girl he’s ever loved. After living in London, Gabe’s world spins off its axis when he discovers that the girl who still haunts him has returned to Arlington Bay.

As past and present converge, old hurts, fears and memories rake up, and the ties of blood, love and loss that connect Luce, Jake and Gabe, will either keep them apart, or open the way to make changes in their lives, by realising what truly matters.
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Foresight
Claire Merchant
Synopsis: Bree Ingall solves cases for a living. She excels at her job, and together with her team, is one of the best detectives that Iris Cove Police Department has to offer. That is, until she wakes up one morning with no recollection of her own life.
As if that’s not bad enough, time no longer follows a straight line for her, and while Bree experiences blackouts that see her waking on different days, she returns to work and attends a missing person’s case with her partner, Dom. Using the foresight to her advantage, Bree discovers that the case becomes a homicide investigation, and is determined to find the girl before it’s too late.
Will she piece it together in time, or will her digging cost her more than just her mind?
Publication Date:
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction

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