Violet has a strange secret ability. She can sense dead bodies, or at least those that were murdered. She can also feel the imprints the dead leave behind, and the imprints that attach to their killers. And now that a serial killer is terrorizing her town, she is swept up into the investigation. But can she help hunt down the killer before she becomes a target?
Esther is one of the Special Ones, four spiritual guides who provide leadership to eager followers on the outside. She lives under his protection in a remote farmhouse. But what the followers don’t know is that if she stops being special, he will renew her and replace her with another Esther. She is sure that renewing means certain death, so she must keep up the performance if she wants to survive long enough to escape. Because Esther also knows she is a fake, she has no ancient wisdom and needs help to leave behind her life in captivity.
Twelve year old Jonas lives in what seems like an ideal world. Everything is chosen for you, where you live, who your spouse is, what your job is, because, according to the community leader, when people have the opportunity to choose, they choose wrong. But Jonas never expected his life assignment to be the Receiver. He is assigned to learn from the Giver, but not what he thinks he is going to learn. With the help of the Giver, he begins to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.
Cameron and his mother have been on the run for years. But every time they begin to feel safe, his father catches up with them, and they have to leave for a new place and start over again. But this time is different. The old farmhouse they have moved to is full of disturbing secrets from the past. And they won’t leave Cameron alone.
This is a great little book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a ghost story that has some creepiness, but is one of those that you feel good about when everything is finally revealed.
When Summer makes a split second decision before boarding a plane, her summer divides into 2 parallel worlds. In one, she travels to France, where she has dreamed of going ever since her father left her to move there. In the other, she stays home in her ordinary suburb, where she expects her ordinary life to continue. In both summers, she is destined to fall in love, and discover new sides to herself. But what might break her though, is a terrible family secret that she can’t hide from. But in the end, it might be the truth she needs the most.
When Hannah Baker, Clay’s classmate and crush, commits suicide, he never expected to hear from her again. But one day a mysterious package shows up on his doorstep full of tapes she recorded before her death explaining the 13 reasons why she did what she did. Clay is one of the reasons, and if he listens, he might find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing town with Hannah as his guide. Now he can finally understand her pain, and as he follows her recorded words across his town, what he discovers might change his life forever.
At 10:00 a.m., the principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech welcoming students back from winter break.
At 10:02 a.m., students get up to leave the auditorium for class.
At 10:03 a.m., the auditorium doors won't open.
At 10:05 a.m., someone starts shooting.
This story is told from 4 different perspectives over the span of 54 terrifying minutes. Fear reigns as a former student's revenge turns into a game of survival.
This book serves as both a moving memoir about the author’s relationship with her pet rat and a brilliant nonfiction book about domesticated rats in general. This book blends history and science with stories of interesting people while at the same time sets the record straight on this amazing animal. Readers will come away with a deep appreciation and a better understanding of rats. You might even be convinced to adopt a rat after reading this wonderful book. Highly recommended for people afraid of rats!
This book updates the ancient story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. This retelling of Greek mythology is hilariously told in verse. It is rough, rowdy, and tells a different story than the one you are used to hearing. It explores new ideas on what actually happened in many different perspectives, from the god Poseidon to the Minotaur himself. This book will have you reevaluate this infamous monster, maybe he is not as horrifying as you think.
I loved that each of the heroes has a unique voice and form of verse. Fun and quick read.
Louis Zamperini was an army air forces bomber during World War II. And before that, he was an Olympic sprinter. But now he is a captive of the Japanese forces. His plane crashed and he survived thousands of miles in the open ocean with little to no water or food. His raft eventually washed up near a Japanese base and he was sent to a POW camp. This book tells the incredible story of his survival against all odds and about the amazing life he led.
