The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball


Book Description

In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt...right? When Erin Channing's favorite aunt dies, Erin is bequeathed a pink crystal ball and a set of weird instructions. Granted, Aunt Kiki (aka Aunt Kooky) always lived "outside the box." But now Erin and her two best friends are convinced that the pink crystal ball holds the key to their future-or at least the key to getting dates... Consider Your Fate to Be Sealed . . . Absolute knowledge is not unlimited; let the planets be your guide to the number. There are sixteen ways to die, but four of them you will never see. The future belongs to you alone. Other voices will be disappointed. One rotation is as far as you can see. Only uncertainty lies beyond.




Read On...Speculative Fiction for Teens


Book Description

This guide offers exciting new reading paths for students who enjoy fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal themes. With over 350 titles organized into their primary appeal characteristics and scores of thematic lists, librarians and educators will benefit from lists of contemporary selections specifically written for teens. Interest in teen fiction has grown in popularity in the last decade, especially within the fantasy and paranormal genres. This timely guide is one of the few books on the subject that lists titles that are written specifically for teens. Read On...Speculative Fiction for Teens features popular, contemporary themes ranging from vampire love and ghost stories to epic fantasy and out-of-this-world science fiction. Each of the five chapters caters to a specific area of interest—story, character, setting, mood, and language—and within the chapter, numerous lists of novels are organized by topic, with the best titles highlighted. Each of the more than 350 listed titles includes bibliographic information and a brief, punchy description.




The Mothers of Reinvention


Book Description

A fun and passionate work of non-fiction exploring the modern mother’s path to reinvention, both in the home and in the workplace.




Projection


Book Description

Three girls battle a dangerous secret society that will do anything to protect an ancient Greek power in this murder mystery for fans of Dan Brown. In ancient Rome, it was whispered that the great philosopher Plotinus could project his soul into another human being in a ritual that hinged on a kiss. In present-day Delphi, California, the sole remaining guardians of the Plotinus Ability hide in plain sight as members of the exclusive Oculus Society—until their leader, Octavia Harris, is killed in her own home. With no leads on the case, Octavia's daughter, Gretchen, vows to find her mother's murderer at any cost. One piece of the puzzle falls into place when Gretchen's best friend, Jessica Shaw, discovers the Plotinus Ability. Skeptical but curious, the two can't resist trying the ritual, but they're not alone. Ariel Miller, an outsider with a well-known hatred of all things Oculus Society, films the friends exchanging their first kiss, and it isn't long before the video goes viral. As Ariel's guilt and the girls' suspicions of her mount, the three must forget the past and trust one another if they are to find the murderer still in their midst.




School Library Journal


Book Description




Matched


Book Description

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. Look for CROSSED, the sequel to MATCHED, in Fall 2011! Watch a Video




The Writers Directory


Book Description




Notes From The Underbelly


Book Description

As a guidance counselor at an elite, Bel Air high school, Lara Stone works with spoiled, bratty kids every day, and she is definitely not ready to have any spoiled, bratty kids of her own. At least, not now. Not when her life is going so well, and certainly not since she has finally managed to kick-box and low-carb herself down to a perfect size four. But Lara’s husband has different ideas, and they include fatherhood. Now. Suddenly, Lara finds herself deep within the underbelly of pregnancy. A far cry from the blissful, glowing mother-to-be, Lara is instead a cranky, reluctant participant in all things baby. And her mood doesn’t improve when she’s given the task of getting one of her students—the punk, outcast daughter of a famous movie director—into a highly competitive college. But as Lara struggles with uncontrollable crying, inexplicable weight gain, and scary hemorrhoids, she finds that she has maternal instincts she never thought she had, and discovers that expecting is nothing like she ever expected.




The Crystal Ball


Book Description




Tales from the Crib


Book Description

Lara Stone is back again, and nine months of being miserably pregnant was nothing compared to how miserable she is now that her baby has actually arrived. But when Lara’s long-estranged dad shows up with a stripper on his arm, her husband begins flirting with a hot twenty-five year old, and her nanny is casting voodoo spells to keep her from losing that last ten pounds, Lara soon finds that sleepless nights, S&M-like pumping bras and a raging case of the post-baby blues are the least of her problems.