It is 1904 and the partially deaf Asta Hedstrom is engaged to Nils, but she does not want to marry him: she would rather spend her time with her best friend Gunnar Fuglestad and his secret boyfriend, Erlend, who belongs to the wealthiest family on their Norwegian island; so when Nils gravely injures Gunnar, she shuns her marriage and moves in with Gunnar and Erlend in a secluded cabin above town--and the three misfits set out to win the annual Christmas...

"In the scorching land of Darhan, fifteen-year-old Raim is forced to live as an outcast from his people when he breaks a magical oath he doesn't remember making"--

"Once, the war was fought with kindlings—elite, magic-wielding warriors whose devastating power comes at the cost of their own young lives. Now the war is over, and kindlings have been cast adrift—their magic outlawed, their skills outdated, their formidable balar weapons prized only as relics and souvenirs. Violence still plagues the countryside, and memories haunt those who remain. When a village comes under threat of siege, it offers an opportunity...

"Whip-smart Ariel doesn't fit in. Only in the winds of the Blue Ridge Mountains and spring storms that mirror the turmoil in her heart does she really feel at home. Her brother understands her, but he's in Afghanistan. Her father hasn't been the same since George was deployed. Her mother focuses on Ariel's gorgeous sister. When Gloria is selected to be an Apple Blossom Parade princess, Ariel feels even more the outsider and takes to the hills. There,...

"In a snow-covered land where monsters rule the icy tundra, only song weavers hold the power to control these vicious giants. But for centuries song weavers have been the subject of suspicion--how can those who hold so much power be trusted? Ever since his parents were lost on a pathfinding expedition, Ash has spent his life as an outcast. As a budding song weaver, his village marked him as a potential threat, even though all he wants to do is protect...

"Chub knows he'll never be one of the cool kids--and he doesn't care. All he wants is to show everyone that class hero Archer 'The Arch' Norris isn't the great guy everyone thinks he is. Armed with embarrassing photos, a pair of the Arch's dirty underwear, and a talent for mischief that would make any supervillain proud, Chub sets out to bring down the Arch's empire of lies in a winner-takes-all final showdown. The one thing that's not part of the...