Valentine Princess (A Princess Diaries Book, Vol. 7 3/4) Views: 15
Pottermore Presents is a collection of J.K. Rowling's writing taken from the Pottermore archives: short reads originally featured on pottermore.com with some exclusive new additions. These eBooks, with writing curated by Pottermore, will take you beyond the Harry Potter stories as J.K. Rowling reveals her inspiration, intricate details of characters' lives and surprises from the wizarding world.The Hogwarts Collection gathers together three Pottermore Presents volumes. Rediscover the stories of Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall in "Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies"; delve into Horace Slughorn's early years in "Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists"; and venture into the Hogwarts grounds in "Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide". Views: 15
From School Library Journal Grade 5–7–A continuation of the series in which third-born children must stay in hiding in order to escape certain death at the hands of the Population Police. Many characters return, including Mr. Talbot and Nina, and some of the plot elements of previous books reappear. While there is little character development, the book is fast paced, opening with a raid on the Niedler School that forces Matthias, Percy, and Alia to run for their lives. The two younger children are injured and Matthias inadvertently becomes a member of the Population Police. Issues of trust and loyalty will appeal to readers as will the twists and turns of the action. This book also contains many references to faith in God and the need to believe. The protagonist often finds solace and strength in thinking of the advice given to him by his surrogate father, Samuel, a man of great faith. This one is strictly for fans of the previous books. — Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 5–8. Each title in the Shadow Children series reveals a different aspect of a dystopian future in which illegal "third children" are hunted by ruthless Population Police. In the sixth installment, Haddix zooms in on Matthias, the eldest of the three friends Nina allied with in Among the Betrayed (2001). While seeking help for Alia and Percy, both gravely injured during their escape from the latest Population Police raid, Matthias impulsively saves the life of an officer and must then pose as an aspiring recruit. Suddenly Matthias is hailed as a hero and whisked into the heart of police headquarters, where he finds unexpected camaraderie with his former archenemies and must contend with feelings of confusion, guilt, and grief as he uses his position to aid undercover rebels. The top-level authorities' instantaneous embrace of Matthias may bother some readers, but the brisk, efficient pacing facilitated by occasionally abrupt plot turns is precisely what has cemented Haddix's strong following among both avid and reluctant readers. Series fans and newcomers alike will devour this whole. Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 15
Alice Hoffman's most magical novel to date--three generations of extraordinary women are driven to unite in crisis and discover the rewards of reconciliation and love. Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people's dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window on the future--a future that she might not want to see. In The Probable Future this vivid and intriguing cast of characters confronts a haunting past--and a very current murder--against the evocative backdrop of small-town New England. By turns chilling and enchanting, The Probable Future chronicles the Sparrows's legacy as young Stella struggles to cope with her disturbing clairvoyance. Her potential to ruin or redeem becomes unbearable when one of her premonitions puts her father in jail, wrongly accused of homicide. Yet this ordeal also leads Stella to the grandmother she was forbidden to meet and to a... Views: 15
In the follow-up to Abbi Glines's #1 New York Times bestseller Until Friday Night—which bestselling author Kami Garcia called "tender, honest, and achingly real"—three teens from a small southern town are stuck in a dramatic love triangle.Willa can't erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she's on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her. High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that's all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know. Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn't care about anyone... Views: 15
The beloved characters of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s bestselling novel Sister of My Heart are reunited in this powerful narrative that challenges the emotional bond between two lifelong friends, as the husband of one becomes dangerously attracted to the other.Anju and Sudha formed an astounding, almost psychic connection during their childhood in India. When Anju invites Sudha, a single mother in Calcutta, to come live with her and her husband, Sunil, in California, Sudha foolishly accepts, knowing full well that Sunil has long desired her. As Sunil’s attraction rises to the surface, the trio must struggle to make sense of the freedoms of America–and of the ties that bind them to India and to one another.From the Trade Paperback edition.Amazon.com ReviewThe Vine of Desire is peopled by Indian immigrants and--just as palpably--by their hopes and dreams. As one character says, "All immigrants are dreamers, but they're practical about it. They know what's OK to dream about, and what isn't." Though it's a sequel to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Sister of My Heart, the novel stands alone as an exploration of the contemporary immigrant experience. Anju and Sudha, cousins and best friends since their Calcutta girlhood, find themselves in the Bay Area, Anju with a husband and Sudha with a baby daughter. Each covets what the other has until finally their relationship collapses. Anju finds solace among her fellow Berkeley students, while the beautiful Sudha learns, for the first time, what it's like to pay her own way. Digressive and overwritten, The Vine of Desire can try your patience, but it's so well plotted and compassionately told that you can't help but care about these immigrant dreams. --Claire DedererFrom Publishers WeeklyThis exquisitely rendered tale of passion, jealousy and redemption continues the extraordinary relationship between Anjou and Sudha, the two exceptional women at the heart of Divakaruni's praised Sister of My Heart. The two cousins have traveled a lifetime away from their home city of Calcutta to California, a place so foreign to their native culture and traditions that they must constantly reevaluate their bearings and values. Anjou, miserable after a miscarriage and its unhappy effect on her marriage, and Sudha, fleeing both a husband whose family urged her to abort her daughter, and a first love who wants to take care of her and her child, hope to find solace in their sisterlike relationship. Divakaruni expertly juxtaposes the challenges, freedoms and crassness of modern-day America with the issues, both personal and cultural, each woman faces. Anjou uses Sudha to help her cope with a growing restlessness as well as with dissatisfaction with her husband, Sunil. Sudha is both comforted and suffocated by her life as an escapee from her past, becoming a servant in her cousin's household. At the same time, each woman must eventually acknowledge Anjou's husband's unspoken but obvious attraction to Sudha. Divakaruni combines a gift for absorbing narrative with the artistry of a painter. Her lyrical descriptions of the characters' inner and outer worlds bring a rich emotional chiaroscuro to an uplifting story about two women who learn to make peace with the difficult choices circumstances have forced upon them. Agent, Sandra Dijkstra. National author tour. (Feb. 1)Forecast: Already a reading group favorite, and consistently hailed by critics, Divakaruni can expect excitement for this book to build quickly. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Views: 15
Some things Pip and Tomas will find when dealing with unicorns:SHOW-OFFS STAMPEDES MYSTERYA UNICORN WHO'S AFRAID OF EVERYTHING Some things Pip and Tomas will not find when dealing with unicorns:PEACE AND QUIET Pip Bartlett has a way with magical creatures. But even she's challenged by Regent Maximus, a unicorn who's afraid of everything. With the help of her friend Tomas, Pip has to get Regent Maximus ready for a big unicorn competition-even if Regent Maximus would rather do anything than compete. Making matters worse, someone mysterious is trying to win the competition by cheating-and if Pip and Tomas don't stop the bad things from happening, it's not only Regent Maximus who'll have reason to be afraid. Views: 15
Three bestselling authors—E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle—bring you on the road trip of a lifetime in this dynamic novel packed with fun, friendship, and feminism.Jesse, Vicks, and Mel each has her own reason for wanting to get away from their nowheresville Florida town. Add in a hot (and harmless) hitchhiker, an impending hurricane, and a close encounter of the gator kind, and the result is one sizzling road trip where the journey is far more important than the destination. Now in a fresh new package, How to Be Bad will take even more readers along for the ride. Views: 15
THE SOULKEEPERS (Book 1)When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him.WEAVING DESTINY (Book 2)Malini Gupta thought Jacob Lau was her destiny. But after months of failing to decipher how she fits into the Soulkeepers, frustration threatens to tear their relationship apart. And it doesn't help that a new Soulkeeper named Mara is ready to stop time itself to earn Jacob's love.When Malini faces her worst fears, and even death, she learns a funny thing about destiny. Fate is a tapestry of choices, and she has the power to weave hers.RETURN TO EDEN (Book 3)Dr. Abigail Silva has waited over 10,000 years for redemption and a chance at a real relationship with the angel she loves. But when you're made from evil itself, it's hard to remember if salvation is worth the wait. With Lucifer's plan coming to fruition, she must decide if God's offer of humanity is all it's cracked up to be, or if a deal with the devil is the more promising solution. Views: 15