Teen violence, bullying and the burning quest to fit in are presented in the poems of four unforgettable high school students: Natalie, Kyle, Tricia, Miguel. Their stories unfold in this explosive new book told in free verse. A story of teen angst like no other, it is based on fictional characters but is rooted in the realities of the teen experience. When Natalie moves to a new high school she befriends three unwitting victims into her spider-web of manipulations, lies and deceit. Through the poetry and assignments of an English class we glimpse the world of the four teens. Natalie, whose alcoholic parents, years of neglect and ultimate rape by her father’s friend has shaped her into a cruel and manipulative teen; Tricia, dealing with her blended family, is drawn into Natalies’ forbidden world of partying and rebellion; Kyle, a would-be musician is in love with Tricia and Miguel who lusts for Natalie while hiding the secrets of his family. The story weaves us through their poetry, their lives and culminates at a party where the four lives fishtail out of control. English class will never be the same.
secrets
In The Darkness
Gareth is his parents’ dirty secret: Cursed with a demonic appearance, he has always been in hiding just to stay alive. He must never be seen or his family will die. But when a violent attack endangers a local youth — whom Gareth adores from the shadows — there is no one else to help, and Gareth is driven to risk everything to save him.
The Jade Notebook
After down-to-earth Zeeta and her flighty mother, Layla, settle in the idyllic beachside town of Mazunte, Mexico, where Zeeta’s true love, Wendell, has an internship photographing rare sea turtles, Zeeta discovers that paradise has its dark side as she and Wendell dig deeper to unearth her elusive father’s past.
The Ghosts of Gribblesea Pier
Aurelie Bonhoffen, who has grown up in the circus, discovers a remarkable family secret on her twelfth birthday that may help in dealing with a sinister man who wants to take over her family’s pier.
The Rabbit Girl
What is the secret of Mallie’s picture? The mystery unfolds as evacuees Tony and Alice escape the terrors of London’s Blitz for the Lake District, where they befriend a fascinating and fearless old lady.
The Midnight Palace
In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery. Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, the book begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life. Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere’s sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.
Empire of Ruins
While on an assignment in Queensland, Australia, to discover the truth behind a powerful weapon known as the God Face, Modo, a teenaged, shape-changing hunchback living in Victorian London, battles the evil machinations of the Clockwork Guild and makes an astounding discovery–one that hinges on Modo’s true appearance.
Right Behind You
When he was nine, Kip set another child on fire. Now, after years in a juvenile ward, he is ready for a fresh start. But the ghosts of his past soon demand justice, and he must reveal his painful secret. How can Kip tell anyone that he really is–or was–a murderer?
Who Cares?
Rhys loves to tap dance. Knowing how his peers may react, Rhys keeps his passion to himself. Sam spends his days surfing, yet when Rhys spends the weekend at Lorne with him, he seems really keen on Rhys’s tap. Maybe Sam has a secret too.
A Templar’s Gifts
The second book in Kat Black’s historical fantasy trilogy full of intrigue, mystery, and adventure! Something’s wrong with Tormod MacLeod. Ever since returning home his visions have become more intense and disorienting, making him increasingly ill and constantly on the verge of collapse. But then he meets Aine, a fiery, no-nonsense Scottish lass who has powers of her own and a special supernatural connection with Tormod–when they’re actually getting along. Together they must find the healer who can save Tormod’s life, all the while dodging King Philippe le Bel’s ruthless soldiers, who will stop at nothing to find Tormod and information about the secret he keeps.