In Their Footsteps -- Tess Gerritsen

Beryl Tavistock is a 28-year old raven-haired beauty with brains and wits to boot. She and her brother Jordan were orphaned 20 years previously when their mother and father were both killed in the line of duty, working as spies for England. However, at a present-day party for spies and other high-positioned people who ran in the same circles, Beryl and Jordan learn the truth about their parents' deaths when one party guest becomes a bit too inebriated divulges the family secret: the official ruling was that Madeline Tavistock had been having an affair, and her husband Bernard had killed them both in a passionate murder suicide.

In shock over this revelation which had been hidden from them for years, Beryl and Jordan travel to Paris where the 20 year old murder took place, in an effort to track down the truth, because they feel confident that the official ruling is wrong. Accompanying them as a favor to their old family friend is ex-CIA agent Richard Wolfe whose magnetism with Beryl creates difficulties for both of them. As they traipse around Paris, in the footsteps of their parents, murders begin anew, and the assurance that their parents were innocent becomes more and more concrete to Beryl and Jordan. But will they be allowed to learn the truth, or will it cost them their lives?

I Love You Miss Huddleston: and other inappropriate longings of my Indiana childhood -- Philip Gulley

This autobiography is a hodge-podge of stories from author Philip Gulley's childhood and teenage years in Danville, Indiana. From the rumor (spread by his siblings) that he was adopted to days being overworked by the U.S. Government, and up to the time he left his parents' house in the interest of not living in a "prison," these stories are told in Gulley's witty voice as he reminisces over various aspects of his colorful past.

The Post-Man Always Rings Twice -- James Cain

Frank Chambers is a drifter who gets kicked off a truck near a small gas station/restaurant in California. He decides to grab a bite to eat (without being able to pay for it) at the restaurant, and the owner, a Greek man named Nick Papadakis, ends up offering Frank a job. Initially, Frank is uninterested, and plans to hit the road and continue the life he is used to living. But when Frank spots Nick's wife Cora in the kitchen, he suddenly finds a reason to stay on and work for Nick.

Before long, Frank and Cora begin a torrid affair and plan the murder of Nick Papadakis with the goal of freeing Cora from the marriage she loathes and allowing the two lovers to begin a life together. As plans fail and succeed, and as the justice system gets involved, lies, truths, betrayals, and destruction taint the future Frank and Cora dreamed about, proving that some things can only end in tragedy.

This World We Live In -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

It is April, almost a year since the asteroid struck the moon. Though she had stopped writing in her journal for a while, 16 year old Miranda Evans decides to resume her journaling and describes the goings-on of her family in this world they now live in. For the most part, things remain as they were before: rare moments of electricity, weekly food deliveries, and dark, ash-laden skies.

But soon things start to change. Rain begins to fall, and Matt and Jon, Miranda's brothers, bike ride to the river in hopes of catching the fish that should be running. They return with garbage bags full of fish... But they also bring along Syl, a woman they met in a motel and whom Matt has "married." While the family strives to adjust to its new dynamic, tensions start to rise and only become worse when Miranda's father, his new wife and their infant son, and three strangers (including Alex and Julie Morales) show up. With the food they had already being stretched thin and now being stretched thinner, tempers flare and the definition of family becomes re-defined.

Before long, Miranda and Alex develop feelings for each other as they pilfer houses together in search of food and other items for survival. But Alex plans to leave again with Julie, feeling it is wrong of them to accept the charity of others when they can not repay it. Yet each attempt to leave is thwarted, and Alex and Julie find themselves with the Evans family longer than anticipated. When plans are finally set with a hopeful future for several members of the group, a tornado strikes and, once again, life changes for everyone.

Ice Cold -- Tess Gerritsen

While Dr. Maura Isles is at a medical conference in Wyoming, she runs into a former college classmate who invites her to join he, his friends, and his daughter for a day of skiing before they leave Wyoming. With the issues in her own relationship with Daniel Brophy on her mind, Maura decides to enjoy the company of this handsome man and accepts his offer; a choice that changes the course of her life.

When the suburban the group is traveling in winds up on its side in a ditch in a snowstorm, the group is forced to leave the vehicle and wade through snow down a road that offers the only sign of life for miles... a road that ends in Kingdom Come. There they find several abandoned houses, and before long, they know something bad had taken place in those houses. As the days pass, and as one of their group is maimed beyond repair, their only option for salvation comes through one member leaving the group in search for help.

Meanwhile, Maura's friends in Boston become unsettled when Maura neither returns calls nor returns on time from her trip. Immediately Detective Jane Rizzoli and her husband Gabriel Dean, an FBI agent, fly to Wyoming in search of clues to Maura's whereabouts. When bodies turn up charred in the suburban, everyone assumes the worst. As her friends mourn her life, Maura fights for her life in the frigid winter of Wyoming with only the help of a 16-year-old boy and his stray dog Bear to help her survive.

Voyage on the Great Titanic: the Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic, 1912 -- Ellen Emerson White

Margaret Ann Brody is a 13 year old orphan in England. She waits patiently for her brother, who has traveled to America, to make enough money to send for her so that she might join him there.

Quite unexpectedly, an opportunity presents itself for Margaret to accompany the wealthy Mrs. Carstairs to America on the brand new R.M.S. Titanic. In return for the fare to travel, Margaret will be responsible to assist Mrs. Carstairs in all her affairs, including dressing and walking her dog Florence.

As Margaret begins this journey, she describes in her journal everything she sees and experiences as she has the chance of a lifetime to travel first class -- a position that winds up being a blessing as she witnesses the tragic sinking of the majestic ocean liner.

Pretties -- Scott Westerfeld

Having returned to New Pretty Town to become pretty and test the cure the New Smokies have found for being pretty-minded, Tally finds all her former dreams coming true by being turned pretty. She lives a life of constant parties and constant fun, and her biggest concern is whether or not she will be admitted into the "coolest" pretty clique known as the Crims.

But then she sees an ugly face from the past -- one of the Smokies -- and her memories from her time in the Smoke return unbidden and unwelcomed. With the help of Zane, the leader of the Crims, she finds the cure left hidden for her by the Smokie, and together she and Zane ingest half of the cure, determined to face a return to non-pretty minds together if the cure works; or to die together if it doesn't.

But as Tally now remembers, the Specials don't look favorably on the non-pretty-minded who do not conform to the standards of the city. And now she and Zane must pretend to be what they no longer are in order to buy enough time to escape New Pretty Town for good.

Deadly Decisions -- Kathy Reichs

In this third installment of the Temperance Brennan series, Tempe finds herself called back to Canada earlier than planned to help identify the remains of two Outlaw Motorcycle Club members -- the latest victims of the violent turf war going on between such clubs. The death toll quickly rises as retaliation is sought, and before long, innocent people are being caught in the crossfire, hurling Tempe into a vicious and convoluted mystery that leads her to South Carolina and back again as the bodies keep piling up.

Meanwhile her personal life becomes just as convoluted as her relationship with Andrew Ryan takes a shocking turn when he is arrested for dealing drugs; and then her nephew shows up and begins showing an unsettling interest in biker clubs. As Tempe races to find the people responsible before more innocent victimes pay the ultimate price, she finds her own life in danger and only escapes with the help from a surprising source.

Nineteen Minutes -- Jodi Picoult

On what should be a typical school day in March at Sterling High School, an 11th grader named Peter Houghton enters the school and begins shooting. When the smoke clears, ten students lay dead and 19 more are wounded. Peter is arrested and held in jail while the rest of the town struggles to piece together the events of the day and the aftermath of the tragedy as some bury their own children. Peter Houghton is a monster...

...Or is he?

Through flashbacks and changing perspectives, the reader becomes acquainted with Peter and the key people in his life. Beginning in kindergarten, Peter was taunted, teased, hurt, and humiliated for 12 years, mostly by the same kids. His one true friend abandoned him in 6th grade to join the popular crowd, and his family focused more on his glorified (and tragically killed) older brother. Peter was alone in the world -- or at least he thought he was.

This book forces the reader to ask a lot of questions about actions and consequences, about the importance of friends and status. And it also reminds us that even those we perceive as monsters were loved by someone.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner -- Stephenie Meyer

The story begins with a known conclusion: Bree Tanner will die in the end.

Stephenie Meyer brings to life the character of Bree Tanner, who was first introduced in Eclipse as one of the newborn vampires. Told from the perspective of Bree, the reader becomes acquainted with Bree's story: her "creation" as a vampire, her fears, her experiences. Though "friends" are not plentiful in the vampire coven into which Bree has been inducted, she soon finds a kindred spirit in Diego, a vampire a bit older than herself. Together they discover things about their new selves... thing their leader never bothered to tell them. As they learn more and more, they become suspicious as to why they were created, and why Riley, their leader, is keeping them in the dark. As the days pass and the reason for their existence begins to take shape, Bree finds herself on a collision course with fate as she tries to rescue Diego so they can begin their vampire lives away from Riley and his newborns.

But it turns out nothing they'd been told was ever true. And Bree's second life ends prematurely.

Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? It all depends on perspective.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

On the day Harry turns 17 and becomes a legal adult in the Wizarding world, the protective spells his mother placed over his safe-haven will break and he will be vulnerable to the onslaught of the Death Eaters. So on the eve of his 17th birthday, the Order of the Phoenix arrives to sneak Harry out and to safety in an unknown -- at least to Voldemort and his followers -- location. But the Death Eaters were tipped off and prepared for Harry's escape, causing a mad scramble as he is whisked away to safety.

Thus begins what should have been Harry's final year at Hogwarts. The year that Harry does not return to Hogwarts, and neither do Ron and Hermoine. The three leave the safety of The Burrow to fulfill Dumbledore's final charge: destroy the remaining Horcruxes or Voldemort will never die.

Join Harry and his friends as they experience the most dangerous magic of their lives, and as Harry faces his destiny. Because neither can live while the other survives.

Ellen Foster -- Kaye Gibbons

At times witty, at times amusing, at times heart-breaking, ELLEN FOSTER is the story of a young girl grappling with an abusive father, a mother who dies while Ellen is asleep beside her, a loveless grandmother, and equally hateful aunts. Ellen's only real friend is Starletta, the "colored girl" who is her closest neighbor.

As Ellen strives to deal with abuse, confusion, hurt, and a desire for parents who love her, she realizes that true familial love and friendship extends beyond what society claims is acceptable and is not determined by race or birth.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil -- John Berendt

In the heart of the Deep South, in Savannah, Georgia, a murder has occurred. A rich antiques dealer, Jim Williams, has just shot Danny Hansford, a young man with a deeply troubled and violent past. Jim Williams claims it was an act of self-defense, but the evidence leaves many questioning the truthfulness of his claim. Thus begins an almost decade-long investigation and mulitple trials as Jim Williams appeals his guilty verdict again and again.

Set amid the backdrop of Savannah -- a city where everyone knows everyone else, where gossip spreads wildly, and where superstitions fuel many fires -- this story unfolds with shocking detail, humorous characters, and witty stories of interesting Savannah.

The Dead and the Gone -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

In this second novel in the Last Survivors series, we experience New York City through the eyes of 17 year old Alex Morales during the aftermath of the moon being hit closer in orbit to the Earth. On the night of the occurrence, Alex does not witness the closeness of the moon, because the sky is overcast. The only thing out of the ordinary for Alex is that the power has gone out in his neighborhood. With is father gone to Puerto Rico for a funeral, his mother at work at the hospital in Queens, and his older brother stationed elsewhere with the Marines, Alex takes charge of his two younger sisters Bri and Julie, and they turn in for the evening, completely assured that power will be reinstated the following morning.

And Alex is right: power is back on the next day. And with the power come the startling reports about the moon and the tragedies it has caused world-wide. Fear immediately strikes the three siblings, but they feel confident their parents are fine, that their mother will return soon from work, and so they go about their regular routine and go to school. But things don't return to normal, and before long, his uncle recruits Alex and his youngest sister to help carry the merchandise out of the family's store and then his uncle and aunt leave with their family. Feeling their parents and brother won't be able to find them if they leave, Alex, Bri, and Julie remain in their basement apartment for as long as possible, and find various ways to survive and barter for food.

When Bri becomes sick, Alex moves himself and his siblings to another apartment in the building for a time, leaving a note for his parents in case they ever return, though the chances are slim they ever will... they are just gone. As the weather changes, as more people die, and most of his friends and their families leave New York City, Alex begins to realize the only way to survive is to take himself and his sisters to a refugee camp off the island. But with weakness, sickness, and other things beyond his control, will Alex and his sisters be able to stay alive until they can find a way out of New York City and find refuge?