All Books

Synopsis: The year is 3011 and the people of The Towers are living the dream—wild parties, no responsibilities, and all the food you can eat. There’s just one catch. On your 18th birthday you are sacrificed before a cheering, screaming audience in eternal debt to the gods. But young seventeen-year-old Spade begins to question her life in The Towers, asking a simple question nobody has ever thought to ask: Why? Soon, she discovers the horrifying truth and struggles to expose The Towers for what they really are—A massive slaughterhouse of human beings.
Publication Date: 08/20/14
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis: The internationally bestselling book that inspired the Pay It Forward movement is now available in a middle grade edition.
Pay It Forward is a moving, uplifting novel about Trevor McKinney, a twelve-year-old boy in a small California town who accepts his teacher’s challenge to earn extra credit by coming up with a plan to change the world. Trevor’s idea is simple: do a good deed for three people, and instead of asking them to return the favor, ask them to “pay it forward” to three others who need help. He envisions a vast movement of kindness and goodwill spreading across the world, and in this “quiet, steady masterpiece with an incandescent ending” (Kirkus Reviews), Trevor’s actions change his community forever.
This middle grade edition of Pay It Forward is extensively revised, making it an appropriate and invaluable complement to lesson plans and an ideal pick for book clubs, classroom use, and summer reading. Includes an author'snote and curriculum guide.
Pay It Forward is a moving, uplifting novel about Trevor McKinney, a twelve-year-old boy in a small California town who accepts his teacher’s challenge to earn extra credit by coming up with a plan to change the world. Trevor’s idea is simple: do a good deed for three people, and instead of asking them to return the favor, ask them to “pay it forward” to three others who need help. He envisions a vast movement of kindness and goodwill spreading across the world, and in this “quiet, steady masterpiece with an incandescent ending” (Kirkus Reviews), Trevor’s actions change his community forever.
This middle grade edition of Pay It Forward is extensively revised, making it an appropriate and invaluable complement to lesson plans and an ideal pick for book clubs, classroom use, and summer reading. Includes an author'snote and curriculum guide.
Publication Date: 08/19/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Yossi Abulafia, an Israeli policeman is on reserve army duty, and is photographing antelopes instead of watching the border. His post collapses suddenly, injuring him seriously. After recovering, he discovers that during the collapse he has unwittingly taken a picture of what appears to be a murder - on the other side of the border. As part of his duties he meets with the Palestinian delegation and discovers a connection to the shooter in Amsterdam, and to the murder in Jordan. A series of incidents, shootings and diplomatic activity eventually lead to the unexpected solving of the crimes.
Publication Date: 08/15/14
Age Level: Adult
Genre: Mystery

Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Kirin Rise doesn't look like a hero. Short and scrawny, she's not the type to strike fear into anyone, much less the brutes that make up the United Federation of Mixed Fighting. Despite her size, she spent her youth secretly training with her Sifu in the art of Wing Chun Gung Fu. What's more, Kirin has something that many people in 2032 seem to have lost-a conscience. Enraged by government corruption and corporate greed, Kirin sets out to do something about it in the most unlikely place: the weekly bloodbath known as Chum Night. With the guidance of her Sifu and the help of those who love her, she just might survive. Kirin Rise: The Cast of Shadows is the story of a young woman struggling against the apathy of a nation in her drive to make the world a better place.
Publication Date: 08/15/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: It all started one day when a NYC pigeon hopped onto a subway car, took the train one stop and then walked off Pi Phillecroix, daughter and only offspring of Piette and Paul Phillecroix V attempts to survive a world that preys on the weak and vulnerable when she leaves the protection of her Paris home and journeys to the shores of England to find a cure for her dying father. Flightless, she bears the expectations of seventeen centuries of France’s most heroic and decorated flying families. Can one little bird bear the expectations of seventeen centuries? The Phillecroix’ have long been respected the world over for their daring and flying excellence. Each and every member of their lineage has devoted their lives to flock and country. The tragedy is that Pi, the last and only progeny of these decorated heroes, cannot fly. Intelligent, loving, virtuous, enormously devoted and reverential to mother and father, Pi bears the weight of her parents’ disappointment when they learn that the family’s tradition of flying excellence has ended. At a time when most young birds frolic and play in and around the fountains of the Tuileries, Pi relegates herself to a small corner of the family nest atop the l'Arc de Triomphe in order to hide her handicap and escape endless torment from the arrondissement’s teenage birds. When her war-decorated and beloved father becomes seriously ill, Pi steals away in the middle of the night to walk from Paris to England in an attempt to find Dr. Allbewell, the only one who may have the powers to save his life. Flightless, Pi makes her way on two scrawny pink feet, north to Normandy. During her journey she uncovers a host of characters that sometimes halt and other times hasten her journey with a blend of cruelness and helpfulness. Gervaise, an angelic force of wisdom rescues Pi from the throes of two sadistic Starlings; Etienne, a Giant Sea Fish helps Pi navigate the river Seine; Quick Jac Carlson a short-tempered, red-bellied woodpecker strangles her in an attempt to prevent her from seeking a night’s refuge; and Big Fella, a humble stallion who befriends and carries Pi to Cherbourg are just a few of the multifarious characters that drive this colorful and eclectic narrative. Readers from ages twelve and older will identify with Pi’s journey and feelings of inadequacy, the ridicule she has to endure for being ‘different,’ and ultimately the courage she exhibits in facing her fears one step at a time. Readers from ages twelve and older will identify with Pi’s journey and feelings of inadequacy, the ridicule she has to endure for being ‘different,’ and ultimately the courage she exhibits in facing her fears one step at a time.
Publication Date: 08/13/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Gabriel Adam is used to relocating a lot. When a mysterious assassin burns his home to the ground, Gabriel’s father reveals the truth of why they are always on the move: Gabriel is one of four archangels, born human and sent to stop Armageddon. Now Gabe must set aside dreams of attending NYU to try to fulfill his newly discovered role.
Racing against time, Gabe and his father travel to the English university town of Durham, hoping the last surviving member of an ancient religious sect can guide them. With the assassin in pursuit, Gabe must shoulder the weight of his new life and an impossible destiny as protector of the entire human race.
Racing against time, Gabe and his father travel to the English university town of Durham, hoping the last surviving member of an ancient religious sect can guide them. With the assassin in pursuit, Gabe must shoulder the weight of his new life and an impossible destiny as protector of the entire human race.
Publication Date: 08/12/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis: After she’s murdered by a sexual predator, eighteen-year-old Jada Gayle must stay among the living until she finds and stops the Internet stalker who killed her. When the Afterlife Admissions Office assigns the now “transdead” Jada to a foster home back among the living, she assumes the identity of a homeless teen and is expected to simply fit in as she hunts down her killer. Complicating things even more, Jada discovers that an addendum to her termination agreement was inadvertently left out of her paperwork and means she now must learn to deal with normal human emotions. How can a dead girl be expected to feel anything when life had left her so empty? Then she meets Lew Stanton—captain of the chess team and computer whiz who makes her dead heart beat phantom rhythms in her chest. As if it’s not bad enough to have the hots for a nerd, Jada’s new friend Annalee likes him too. While Jada deals with all this unwanted teenaged angst, the man who murdered her is closing in on more foolish girls. Jada thinks she has plenty of time to handle her predicament until the night she gets a terrifying message: I HAVE YOUR FRIEND.
Publication Date: 08/12/14
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Series

Synopsis: What does it mean to do wrong, when no one punishes you? A smart and unflinching look at friendship, the nature of entitlement, and growing up in the heartland.
Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash, everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.
Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash, everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.
Publication Date: 08/05/14
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Second novel in EC Blake's dystopian fantasy Masks of Aygrima series
In Masks, Mara Holdfast's life changed forever. As the daughter of the Autarch’s Master Maskmaker, she had a clearly defined future: a quiet, ordered life in the capital, making Masks with her father and doing work important to the ruling Autarch.
But when her Mask, specially made by her own father, cracked and fell to pieces during her Masking ceremony, Mara was exiled from everything she once knew.
Now she has become part of an underground rebellion, rejecting the unjust rules of a Masked society. She must try to understand her unprecedented ability to use all types of magic—and to tear magic from the living bodies of those around her. But Mara has yet to discover just how horrifying her power can be….
In Masks, Mara Holdfast's life changed forever. As the daughter of the Autarch’s Master Maskmaker, she had a clearly defined future: a quiet, ordered life in the capital, making Masks with her father and doing work important to the ruling Autarch.
But when her Mask, specially made by her own father, cracked and fell to pieces during her Masking ceremony, Mara was exiled from everything she once knew.
Now she has become part of an underground rebellion, rejecting the unjust rules of a Masked society. She must try to understand her unprecedented ability to use all types of magic—and to tear magic from the living bodies of those around her. But Mara has yet to discover just how horrifying her power can be….
Publication Date: 08/05/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure

Synopsis: Fantasy fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice series will embrace this first novel in an adventure-filled, Viking-inspired series by a debut author.
Meet Karn. He is destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones.
Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.
When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to keep their sense of humor and their wits about them. But survival can be challenging when you’re being chased by a 1,500-year-old dragon, Helltoppr the undead warrior and his undead minions, an evil uncle, wyverns, and an assortment of trolls and giants.
Readers will embark on a sweeping epic fantasy as they join Karn and Thianna on a voyage of discovery. Antics and hair-raising escapades abound in this fantasy adventure as the two forge a friendship and journey to unknown territory. Their plan: to save their families from harm.
Debut novelist Lou Anders has created a rich world of over twenty-five countries inhabited by Karn, Thianna, and an array of fantastical creatures, as well as the Thrones and Bones board game.
Praise for Frostborn:
"Future fans of Tolkien and George R.R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series." -Kirkus Reviews
"A fun, fast-paced, and highly enjoyable tale." -Garth Nix, bestselling author of the Abhorsen trilogy
*"...a powerful, fast-paced tale... The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount." -Publishers Weekly, starred
"...an excellent choice for readers new to the genre. The themes of staying true to oneself, teamwork, and individuality will resonate with readers." -School Library Journal
"...this accessible fantasy brings together two very different children bound by common goals." -Booklist
"The most delightful fantasy I have read in ages. . . . Put me on the waiting list for book 2!" -Amy Plum, international bestselling author of the Die For Me series
Meet Karn. He is destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones.
Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.
When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to keep their sense of humor and their wits about them. But survival can be challenging when you’re being chased by a 1,500-year-old dragon, Helltoppr the undead warrior and his undead minions, an evil uncle, wyverns, and an assortment of trolls and giants.
Readers will embark on a sweeping epic fantasy as they join Karn and Thianna on a voyage of discovery. Antics and hair-raising escapades abound in this fantasy adventure as the two forge a friendship and journey to unknown territory. Their plan: to save their families from harm.
Debut novelist Lou Anders has created a rich world of over twenty-five countries inhabited by Karn, Thianna, and an array of fantastical creatures, as well as the Thrones and Bones board game.
Praise for Frostborn:
"Future fans of Tolkien and George R.R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series." -Kirkus Reviews
"A fun, fast-paced, and highly enjoyable tale." -Garth Nix, bestselling author of the Abhorsen trilogy
*"...a powerful, fast-paced tale... The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount." -Publishers Weekly, starred
"...an excellent choice for readers new to the genre. The themes of staying true to oneself, teamwork, and individuality will resonate with readers." -School Library Journal
"...this accessible fantasy brings together two very different children bound by common goals." -Booklist
"The most delightful fantasy I have read in ages. . . . Put me on the waiting list for book 2!" -Amy Plum, international bestselling author of the Die For Me series
Publication Date: 08/05/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure

Synopsis: Fans of Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries will love this illustrated series by the New York Times bestselling author of All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat. Meet Kate Geller, a sassy flute-playing artist, who comes up with an original way to redefine friendship.
Kate’s older sister is way too perfect. Her younger sister is way too cute. And her mom wants her to be pals with her frenemy, Nora. Her art teacher, Mrs. Petty, is way too uncreative, and how can Kate pay attention at Junior Guides when her pod leader has a sweat stain the size of the town beach? Now she has to get through her Christopher Columbus role during Discovery Day and her “Colonial Buddies” report, but little does she know how much “help” she’ll be getting from Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein.
This humorous debut novel features more than 350 illustrations.
Praise for Kate the Great:
"She's funny. Quirky. Original. Kate's the greatest." -Lincoln Peirce, author of Big Nate
"May Kate continue to be this great." –The Horn Book
“Becker’s first illustrated novel falls neatly in line with many others of its ilk, series such as Big Nate and Diary of a Wimpy Kid…” –Booklist
“Becker does an excellent job of channeling the behind-adults’-backs humor and friendship frustrations of the middle-school crowd…” –Publishers Weekly
“Debut novelist Becker employs doodles, cartoons, and comic strips reminiscent of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Lincoln Peirce’s Big Nate.” –School Library Journal
Kate’s older sister is way too perfect. Her younger sister is way too cute. And her mom wants her to be pals with her frenemy, Nora. Her art teacher, Mrs. Petty, is way too uncreative, and how can Kate pay attention at Junior Guides when her pod leader has a sweat stain the size of the town beach? Now she has to get through her Christopher Columbus role during Discovery Day and her “Colonial Buddies” report, but little does she know how much “help” she’ll be getting from Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein.
This humorous debut novel features more than 350 illustrations.
Praise for Kate the Great:
"She's funny. Quirky. Original. Kate's the greatest." -Lincoln Peirce, author of Big Nate
"May Kate continue to be this great." –The Horn Book
“Becker’s first illustrated novel falls neatly in line with many others of its ilk, series such as Big Nate and Diary of a Wimpy Kid…” –Booklist
“Becker does an excellent job of channeling the behind-adults’-backs humor and friendship frustrations of the middle-school crowd…” –Publishers Weekly
“Debut novelist Becker employs doodles, cartoons, and comic strips reminiscent of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Lincoln Peirce’s Big Nate.” –School Library Journal
Publication Date: 08/05/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Winner at The Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the London Book Festival -- and Bronze Medalist in the Readers' Favorite Book Reviews & Awards Contest!
History isn't names and dates -- it's an adventure story.
And so is The Jericho River. It's a young adult fantasy about history: a wild ride for all and a treasure trove of knowledge for teachers and students.
The Jericho River flows through a magical world shaped by myth and history. Young Jason Gallo sails the river on a dangerous quest to rescue his estranged father. He battles minotaurs and pirates, flees barbarians, stumbles into mummies' tombs, and outwits fairies, philosophers, and scientists.
But Jason's tale is more than an adventure story. The river flows like a timeline, carrying the young man through historic lands -- Sumer, the pharaoh's Egypt, ancient Greece, Medieval Europe, and many others -- all in chronological order, tracing the history of Western Civilization, from its Middle Eastern origins to modern times. Professor Gallo, Jason's father, is a historian, and his notes outline the journey, revealing the truth about Cleopatra, King Arthur, and the fall of the Roman Empire. He explains how Snow White began as a goddess and how a French lawyer's son became king of Sweden, as well as the origins of coffee, the cat, chivalry, the Internet, Atlantis, and much more.
You've never read a story like this ...
History isn't names and dates -- it's an adventure story.
And so is The Jericho River. It's a young adult fantasy about history: a wild ride for all and a treasure trove of knowledge for teachers and students.
The Jericho River flows through a magical world shaped by myth and history. Young Jason Gallo sails the river on a dangerous quest to rescue his estranged father. He battles minotaurs and pirates, flees barbarians, stumbles into mummies' tombs, and outwits fairies, philosophers, and scientists.
But Jason's tale is more than an adventure story. The river flows like a timeline, carrying the young man through historic lands -- Sumer, the pharaoh's Egypt, ancient Greece, Medieval Europe, and many others -- all in chronological order, tracing the history of Western Civilization, from its Middle Eastern origins to modern times. Professor Gallo, Jason's father, is a historian, and his notes outline the journey, revealing the truth about Cleopatra, King Arthur, and the fall of the Roman Empire. He explains how Snow White began as a goddess and how a French lawyer's son became king of Sweden, as well as the origins of coffee, the cat, chivalry, the Internet, Atlantis, and much more.
You've never read a story like this ...
Publication Date: 08/04/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Like any other girl her age, Kathleen was ready for the excitement of a first love. What she wasn't ready for was Atticus. He had been her best friend for as long as she could remember, and the subtle change in their relationship as they started high school caught her off guard.
Turns out, the switch from best friend to boyfriend was so natural, and being with Atticuswas so wonderful, Kathleen didn't even think about the challenges dating someone like Atticus presented.
When Bobby O'Hare, the most popular boy in school, sets his sights on Kathleen, she is torn between her love and loyalty to Atticus and the excitement, popularity, and ease of being Bobby's girlfriend. She needs to make a decision. The question is...will it be the right one?
About the Author: Stephanie Hoina
As a young girl, Stephanie would write about anything and everything simply because it made her happy. She parlayed her love of the written word into a successful marketing and communications career, while a host of never submitted or unfinished picture book and romance novels clogged up her computer's hard drive. Stephanie resides in her hometown of the Bronx, NY, with her son, husband and crazy boxer pup named Bella. She continues to write simply because it makes her happy. Kissing Atticus Primble-which made a daring escape from her computer's hard drive-is her first published novel.
Turns out, the switch from best friend to boyfriend was so natural, and being with Atticuswas so wonderful, Kathleen didn't even think about the challenges dating someone like Atticus presented.
When Bobby O'Hare, the most popular boy in school, sets his sights on Kathleen, she is torn between her love and loyalty to Atticus and the excitement, popularity, and ease of being Bobby's girlfriend. She needs to make a decision. The question is...will it be the right one?
About the Author: Stephanie Hoina
As a young girl, Stephanie would write about anything and everything simply because it made her happy. She parlayed her love of the written word into a successful marketing and communications career, while a host of never submitted or unfinished picture book and romance novels clogged up her computer's hard drive. Stephanie resides in her hometown of the Bronx, NY, with her son, husband and crazy boxer pup named Bella. She continues to write simply because it makes her happy. Kissing Atticus Primble-which made a daring escape from her computer's hard drive-is her first published novel.
Publication Date: 08/02/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance

Synopsis: Rashawn is smart, owns his own car, and has some cred with the "it" crowd. But when it comes to girls, his moves and his pickup lines are a disaster. If only he knew how to read girls. When a man shows up in a dream and offers Rashawn a gift, Rashawn knows exactly what he wants: attraction detection. But is it possible to know too much?
Publication Date: 08/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:
Publication Date: 08/01/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis: After a wild plan by his parents left Jack stranded in the Caribbean, the Berenson family decided to lay out some rules. Jack's mom and dad agreed they wouldn't take so many risks. Jack agreed he'd try to live life without worrying quite so much. Then Jack's parents thought up another get-rich-quick scheme.
Now the family's driving around Kenya. An animal attack is about to send Jack up a tree—alone, with limited supplies. As Jack attempts to outsmart a ferocious honey badger and keep away from an angry elephant, he'll have plenty of time to wonder if the Berenson Family Decision-Making Rules did enough to keep him out of trouble.
Now the family's driving around Kenya. An animal attack is about to send Jack up a tree—alone, with limited supplies. As Jack attempts to outsmart a ferocious honey badger and keep away from an angry elephant, he'll have plenty of time to wonder if the Berenson Family Decision-Making Rules did enough to keep him out of trouble.
Publication Date: 08/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure