Bad Girls Burn Slow

In this compelling new novel from the author of Want Some, Get Some, Pam Ward proves that sometimes looks are deceiving. . . With her pale skin, heart-shaped lips, and piercing gaze, ten year-old Paula is luminous. No one can believe that Margie, as bronzed-skinned as she is plain, could possibly be Paula's mother. But Margie knows better--behind Paula's innocent, girlish beauty lies the heart of a destructive soul who literally loves to play with fire, cannot control her temper, and in school, has a proven proclivity toward violence. Margie hopes that moving closer to the California waters will snuff out the mysterious, growing flame in her daughter's heart, but Bernard, their new neighbor and funeral parlor owner, immediately senses that there is something "strange" about little Paula--something that he does not want in his home or place of business. . . Bernard, a man with secrets himself, decides that his new neighbors may need a little encouragement to find another place to live. But Paula, though still a child, has keen instincts of her own. As her suspicions about Bernard unravel and lead to a suspenseful, disturbing battle of wills, the most shocking of secrets are revealed. . . Praise for Want Some, Get Some "An outstanding debut novel. . .original, fast-paced, and full of the drama that keeps the pages turning. Don't sleep." --Darren Coleman, Essence® bestselling author

An NPR Best Book of the Year • A Buzzfeed Best Book of the Year On Halloween, 1991, a popular high school basketball star ventures into the woods near Battle Creek, Pennsylvania, and disappears. Three days later, he’s found with a bullet in his head and a gun in his hand—a discovery that sends tremors through this conservative community, already unnerved by growing rumors of Satanic worship in the region. In the wake of this incident, bright but lonely Hannah Dexter is befriended by Lacey Champlain, a dark-eyed, Cobain-worshiping bad influence in lip gloss and Doc Martens. The charismatic, seductive Lacey forges a fast, intimate bond with the impressionable Dex, making her over in her own image and unleashing a fierce defiance that neither girl expected. But as Lacey gradually lures Dex away from her safe life into a feverish spiral of obsession, rebellion, and ever greater risk, an unwelcome figure appears on the horizon—and Lacey’s secret history collides with Dex’s worst nightmare. By turns a shocking story of love and violence and an addictive portrait of the intoxication of female friendship, set against the unsettled backdrop of a town gripped by moral panic, Girls on Fire is an unflinching and unforgettable snapshot of girlhood: girls lost and found, girls strong and weak, girls who burn bright and brighter—and some who flicker away.

"An intense ride that you will surely not forget!" --APOOO Book Club In this gritty, fast-paced drama, author Pam Ward delivers the page-turning tale of a woman who's ready for a better life--at all costs. . . Trudy, aka "Trudy with the Booty," is determined to escape South Central L.A. Trouble is, that requires financing. Plus, Trudy has no intention of leaving before she's dealt revenge to her slick-talking ex, Lil Steve. Ever since he started selling nude videos of her around the neighborhood, Trudy can barely walk the streets! His demise would be the icing on her cake, and now that she's gathered a crew to assist in her brilliantly designed bank heist, the future looks bright. But when Trudy indulges in a farewell fling with a stone cold killer who hates being played, it might be the worst mistake of her life. Can she pull off her plan without getting caught--or worse? "Ward combines humor, drama, and scandalous behavior with flair. . .outspoken with an offbeat plot that readers will find compelling." --RT Book Reviews "The action was fast, the tension high. . .an enjoyable story." --The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

Trudy knows what she wants and how to get it. But a better life away from South Central needs financing, financing needs a plan and Trudy's ex needs a lesson. Cue the crew, recruited by Trudy in the club where she sings - jackers, hustlers and wreckers ready to take down a crazy score that could make them all rich. And cue the problem: Jimmy, a stone-cold killer who doesn't like being ripped off. So they rip him off anyway...

In the game of love you can't afford to drop the ball... Zoe’s always been shy. At college, to try to help her, her friend dares her to do the craziest thing she can think of… kiss a random guy. She follows Dylan into a room she thinks is a classroom and ends up seeing a little too much of him. She can hardly kiss him now… not when after their embarrassing encounter and certainly not after he tells her he has a girlfriend. But when he finds out about the dare, the two make a pact… if they ever cross paths again – and they’re both single – they’ll kiss. Two years later, fate intervenes, and they end up as accidental roommates. Now Zoe’s seeing a lot more of Dylan than she bargained for and it’s even harder to resist peeking the second time round.

It took less than two seconds for Sheriff Nathan Thornton to peg sexy Sky Wright as trouble. Whatever the reason, the woman was belly-dancing her way into his thoughts. Now, if only she'd belly-dance into his bedroom. Original.

Kirkus Best Books of 2019 * Kids’ Indie Next Pick List * Bookpage Best Books of 2019: Middle Grade “Beautiful, mysterious and deeply satisfying.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me and Goodbye Stranger The world tilted for Elodee this year, and now it’s impossible for her to be the same as she was before. Not when her feelings have such a strong grip on her heart. Not when she and her twin sister, Naomi, seem to be drifting apart. So when Elodee’s mom gets a new job in Eventown, moving seems like it might just fix everything. Indeed, life in Eventown is comforting and exciting all at once. Their kitchen comes with a box of recipes for Elodee to try. Everyone takes the scenic way to school or work—past rows of rosebushes and unexpected waterfalls. On blueberry-picking field trips, every berry is perfectly ripe. Sure, there are a few odd rules, and the houses all look exactly alike, but it’s easy enough to explain—until Elodee realizes that there are only three ice cream flavors in Eventown. Ever. And they play only one song in music class. Everything may be “even” in Eventown, but is there a price to pay for perfection—and pretending? “Engrossing.” —New York Times Book Review “Enchanting, heart-rending, and bittersweet.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “An emotionally complex and wonderfully told story.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Thought-provoking.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)