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Rebels and Traitors
Lindsey Davis
An epic novel of the turbulent English Civil War seen through the lives of those that fought for peace and struggled for love Set against the terrible struggle of the English Civil War, Rebels and Traitors is the story of how this turbulent era effected everyone, from rich to poor, and the hopes and dreams that carried them through years of deprivation, bloodshed and terror. When Gideon Jukes and Juliana Lovell, who are on opposites sides of the struggle, meet during one of the era’s most crucial events, their mutual attraction brings the comfort and companionship for which they both have yearned. But the flowering of radical thought collapses; its failure leads to endless plots and strange alliances. And shadows from the past threaten them individually and together in their hard-won peace. Like Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and John Jakes’ North and South, Lindsey Davis brings to life a turbulent time through the stories of those who struggled, fought, lived and loved on all sides of a defining and devastating time.
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The Junto Racing to the Bell
Ron Costello
This is a story about an African American boy growing up poor on the streets of South Philadelphia, the same stomping grounds as Rocky. His name is Jamil Jamil and he was born with a special gift, a secret passed down through generations since time began. That secret is Jamil's ability to communicate with animals by exchanging mind messages with them. Communicating on a wave his Grandma Rody calls the "sixth dimension." When Jamil stumbles upon a terrorist plot to blow up Philadelphia at the Liberty Bell, and when no one believes him, he takes the advice of his Grandma Rody: "Boy, you've got to use those zoo animals and save the city." Then, it’s a race to the bell, a bell that once rang for freedom. Breaking out zoo animals is no easy feat; neither is hiding them in the city. It's an edge of the seat finish with twists and turns along the way. The Junto Racing to the Bell is an inspiring account of determination overcoming poverty. Jamil’s love of animals is equal to the love from his Grandma Rody, who is a guiding light in a storm of bullies and a bad home life. Kids 12 to 20 will love The Junto. It is fun to read and action packed. The Junto is also about teachers who care, tricks played on the principal, and sad tales from the ‘hood. It’s about having friends and loving animals. It’s about why kids learn in some schools and don’t in others. And, it’s about defending America. Review “I could not put this book down. In fact, I read it in two days. The main character, Jamil Jamil reveals the heart of so many of our African American students in urban settings. The author has captured the essence of Jamil Jamil– courageous, lonely, creative, isolated--has a grandmother who supplements a crack head mother—and he has a smart, engaging personality. The setting is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the time is now. Jamil’s charter school provides an option for a safe effective education. Jamil has inherited a gift that allows him to transcend human communication; a secret gift that enables him to deal with a possible 9-11 terrorist attack on his beloved city. The book is rich with behind the scene information regarding governmental and international intrigue. Readers from elementary through high school as well as adults will find this an exciting and enjoyable experience. Whether the book is read to or read by youth and their family members, a good feeling will result.” Fredricka Reisman, Ph.D. Professor and Founder of the Drexel University School of Education Director of the Drexel/Torrance Center for Creativity and Innovation Drexel University Philadelphia, PA
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Flightsend
Linda Newbery
Flightsend is Charlie's new home, whether she likes it or not. Her mother sees it as an end to all that’s gone so tragically wrong. They had been a proper family. Mum; her boyfriend, Sean; and Charlie, with a new baby sister on the way. But the baby died before she was born and everything changed. Gradually, Charlie’s mother pushed Sean away, before resigning from her job and selling the house.Charlie is certain that the move to a ramshackle cottage, miles from anywhere, can only make things worse. She couldn’t be more wrong. For Charlie’s mum there’s a new business and the fresh start that she knew she needed. And for Charlie there’s a new job, new friends, a newly discovered talent for art, and new feelings for two very different men. It’s a summer of beginnings, not ends; a summer that Charlie will never forget.
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City of Night
Michelle West
Enter a "vivid and detailed universe"* and "a richly woven world."* -*Quill & Quire Demonic activity has escalated in both the Undercity and the mortal surface level city as the worshipers and servants of the Lord of the Hells strive to complete the rituals that will return their god to the mortal realm. As Rath joins with mages and the Twin Kings' agents to wage a secret battle against this nearly unstoppable foe, he gives Jewel Markess and her den of orphans the opportunity to escape the chaos by providing them with a note of introduction to the head of House Terafin, where Jewel will discover her destiny.
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Mia the Magnificent
Eileen Boggess
A contemporary Washington mystery with a high tech, China twist… A brilliantly-conceived spy novel introducing seven engaging characters whose lives are transformed by crisis.It begins as a drinking club in an academic backwater on the Stanford University campus of the late 1970s. A post-Nixon/post-Mao generation of China scholars plots to make a better world. Suddenly, the U.S. recognizes the People’s Republic of China. Intense demand arises for the unique skills The Mandarin Club members possess.Now, yesterday’s dreamers are today’s policy-makers and pundits, patriots and spies. Their intimately intertwined past thrusts them together into an international crisis straight from tomorrow’s headlines, as America, China, and Taiwan stumble toward war.Told sequentially from the perspective of each of the Stanford originals, the fast-paced tale takes us behind the scenes of rogue intelligence operations and high tech smuggling, from Washington and Beijing to the wild coastal towns of California.
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Shadow of the Dragon
Kate O'Hearn
On the run for their repeated violations of the unjust First Law, Kira and Elspeth resolve to fight alongside the male defenders of their kingdom, a vow that is complicated by the oppressive Lord Dorcon and a feared prophecy about a girl and a twin-tailed dragon.
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Colt O'Brien Sees the Light
George Matthew Cole
Colt O'brien doesn't think that he has to prove anything. He is the most savvy computer technician at Highline High in Burien, Washington. When a PC needs fixing, Colt is called in to save the day. The short, energetic senior, with his bright, colorful attire and cocky attitude, knows that he is the best. He expects the respect that is showered upon him by peers and teachers. School will soon be over and freedom beckons. No more girl friend to tell him what to do. No more schoolwork to bore him to death. Colt is cruising through senior year, but his life is about to be turned upside down. Two freshman nerds start a computer class that will put Highline High on the map and challenge Colt's credibility. Three women will show him the meaning of love. One will show him the meaning of hate. And, his hidden psychic powers will emerge when he least expects them to. Hang on Colt. After raising a family, George Matthew Cole lives with his wife and dog in Burien, Washington. His career, that spans over thirty years, has been exclusively in the field of computing. He has worked with mainframe computers as well as PCs and servers. "Flashmath for Windows 95" is a flash card program written by Mr. Cole many years ago. It is still in use today. The idea for "Colt O'brien Sees the Light" came from personal experience working with high school students over a two year period. This is George's first novel.
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Lunch Lady
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
From the author of National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo.Dee, Terrence, and Hector are very excited about Author Visit Day. Lewis Scribson is the author of the famous Flippy Bunny books, and Hector is a huge fan! And it gets Dee and Terrence out of math class. But something is a little off about this special guest. And Coach Birkby, the gym teacher, mysteriously disappears the day of his visit. What evil designs does this world-famous writer have on his agenda? Lunch Lady’s going to get to the bottom of it, even if she has to kick some bunny butt!
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Northward to the Moon
Polly Horvath
In this beautiful follow-up to the highly acclaimed My One Hundred Adventures, Jane and her family have moved to Canada . . . but not for long. When her stepfather, Ned, is fired from his job as a high school French teacher (seems he doesn’t speak French), the family packs up and Jane embarks on a series of new adventures. At first, she imagines her family as a gang of outlaws, riding on horseback in masks, robbing trains, and traveling all the way to Mexico. But the reality is different: Setting off by car, they visit the tribe of Native Americans with whom Ned once lived, head to Las Vegas in search of Ned’s magician brother, and wind up spending the summer with his eccentric mother on her ranch out west. As Jane lives through it all—developing a crush on a ranch hand, reevaluating her relationship with Ned, watching her sister Maya’s painful growing up—she sees her world, which used to be so safe and secure, shift in strange and inconvenient ways.
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The Less-Dead
April Lurie
Noah Nordstrom has been dissing the religious beliefs of his father, who hosts a popular Christian radio show and whom Noah accuses of spreading hate. When two local gay teens are murdered, Noah’s anti-evangelism intensifies—he’s convinced that the killer is a caller on his dad’s program.Then Noah meets Will Reed, a cool guy. But when he learns that Will is gay, Noah gets a little weirded out. Especially since Will seems really into him. Noah gives Will the brush-off. Meanwhile, the killer is still at large . . . and soon Noah finds the next victim. It’s Will.Racked with guilt, Noah decides to investigate. He knows the serial killer is targeting gay teens, but only those who live in foster homes, whose deaths are not that important to society; they are the less-dead. Noah, however, is determined to prove that someone cares. With the help of Will’s journal, which he pocketed at the scene of the crime and in which the killer has written clues, Noah closes in on an opponent more dangerous than he can guess.