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?