"Haunted by a portrait that seems to taunt them, a conflicted young aristocrat spirals down a path to the worst possible version of themself in this suspenseful retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray, perfect for fans of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and These Violent Delights.
Happiness needs to be earned in the face of impossible odds, or there’s no beauty in it.
London, 1867. Dorian Gray is the heir to a title and their family’s estate, but they’ve never been given the chance to decide whether that’s actually what they want out of life. Forcibly estranged from their father by their manipulative grandfather, Dorian feels trapped in the life that has been decided for them.
Then one night they sneak out of their grandfather’s house, they meet a sweet and talented young painter named Basil, who immediately recognizes Dorian as his new muse. They agree to sit for Basil for a portrait, and Dorian is struck by the beauty and depth that Basil paints into their likeness—and they dare to begin hoping there might be more to life than being their grandfather’s perfect, empty-headed heir.
Dorian is further elated when Basil introduces them to the world of molly houses and drag performers—they’ve never seen such joyful variety of humanity and gender expression. But, as the barrier between the London they know and the one they're discovering begins to crumble, Dorian must face the fact that freedom and safety do not come hand in hand.
The aftermath of this realization pulls Dorian into a terrible downward spiral, torn between guilt over their own actions and hatred for the suffocating expectations of society. They push away those closest to them, surrounding themself instead with vapid courtiers and decadent socialites. And as Dorian’s spiral of self-loathing deepens, something strange happens—Basil’s portrait of them begins to change. Their smile becomes a little sharper, the glint in their eyes a little colder.
Dorian will have to choose—embrace the wickedness within and allow themself to become what they were always meant to be, or dare to try for something far more fragile and dangerous: a life of their own making.
The Remixed Classics Series
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelmingly cishet, white, and male canon.
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
This Wretched Beauty: A Dorian Gray Remix by Elle Grenier"
"Can we crack the code to life itself? In the third volume in the Discovering Life's Story series, scientists compete to decipher the genetic blueprint behind all life on earth.
It's the dawn of the twentieth century. Darwin has theorized that traits get passed down through generations, and Mendel has come up with a mathematical formula that predicts how traits reappear over time. But a key mystery remains: is there a recipe for living beings? If there is, where is it hidden? With the help of powerful new microscopes and x-rays, scientists peer ever closer into cells, searching for answers. They find chromosomes, tight coils of DNA, mutations that introduce new variations in species, and proteins that dictate how living things function. Walter Sutton observes that chromosomes come in pairs. Nettie Stevens discovers the X and Y chromosomes that define biological gender. And Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, and Francis Crick compete to be the first to understand DNA's structure. But is it proteins or DNA that carry the secrets to life's blueprint?"
"Fame meets Rent in this powerful YA debut about a boy who must reconcile with his identity and insecurity as he steps into the spotlight, from Broadway star Andrew Keenan-Bolger.
The only thing standing between Danny and his dreams is…everything.
For fifteen years, Danny Victorio has kept his head down, kept his mouth shut, and kept everyone out. But an audition for Manhattan's most prestigious arts school offers him a chance to escape Staten Island-and his crumbling family-for good.
If he doesn't screw everything up.
At LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, Danny is thrust into a world of fierce talent and even fiercer ambition. As he navigates overwhelming expectations, the ghosts of his past, and, for the first time, real friendship, Danny can't shake the question: Where do I belong…if I belong at all?
Set against the gritty, vibrant backdrop of 1996 New York City-where peep-show palaces were giving way to Disney stores, "Club Kids" ruled the nightlife scene, and a new musical called Rent was driving teens to sleep on the seediest sidewalks of Times Square in hopes of a ticket-Limelight is a story about discovering your voice, finding your family, and figuring out who, and where, you're really meant to be."
"The thrilling conclusion to the Lizzie & Darcy Mysteries duology, following Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series!
A Bingley family curse looms over Lizzie's sister and Darcy's best friend—but are the dark forces at work supernatural or human?
Lizzie Bennet’s beloved sister Jane has just married Darcy’s best friend, Bingley, and the Bennet family and Darcy are paying the newlyweds a visit at Bingley’s family home, Netherfield Park. It doesn’t take long for their country retreat to turn into an investigation, though, when a long-dead body is discovered stuffed up the parlor chimney.
The locals are convinced that Netherfield is cursed, but Lizzie and Darcy know better than to believe in such nonsense and are determined to uncover the truth about what happened to the mysterious man in the chimney. But as they dig deeper into the history of Netherfield Park, they find that danger is waiting for them around every corner. Soon enough, they’re forced to consider if the curse might have some merit to it, or if there’s something—or someone—far more sinister behind their near brushes with death. . . .
This duology closer is a daring and delightful conclusion to the chronicles of supersleuths Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy!"
"In this Romeo and Juliet-inspired retelling set during the civil rights era, a Mexican American girl is driven to join a movement for justice after her white classmate and best friend from the barrio are tragically murdered.
'Rosa by Any Other Name is a smart, engaging call-to-action complete with star-crossed lovers, tragedy, and hope where 'separate is not equal' and one voice in the crowd can make a difference.'
-Krystal Marquis, New York Times bestselling author of The Davenports
Rosa Capistrano has been attending posh North Phoenix High School to boost her chances of a college education and a career in journalism, thanks to the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education verdict for desegregation. But though she's legally allowed to be there, it's still unsafe for Mexican Americans. That's why she's secretly passing as Rosie, a white girl. All she has to do to secure her future is make sure her Mexican home life and her white school experience never intersect.
However, Rosa's two worlds collide when her best friend Ramon and classmate Julianne meet and find themselves entangled in a star-crossed romance. Rosa is terrified about what their relationship could mean for her and them . . . and her worst fears are soon realized in an unspeakable tragedy. Rosa is thrown into the center of a town-wide scandal and her true identity is put in the spotlight. With the help of Marco, Ramon's brooding and volatile brother whose passion ignites hers, Rosa must choose what is more important to her-protecting her fragile future, or risking everything to help her friends find justice.
Rosa by Any Other Name is a harrowingly beautiful coming-of-age tale that shines a light on an important and often overlooked facet of US history. An extensive author's note with research details and a further reading list are included."
"After high school graduation, Piper Sail isn't quite sure what her future holds-until a possible murder case lands in her lap. Filled with both the glitz and glamor of high society and the dark mafia underbelly of 1920s Chicago, The Secret Investigator of Astor Street is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Maureen Johnson.
Piper Sail knows what she wants: to become a detective. After all, she already solved the case of her missing best friend, and there's no shortage of crime in 1920s Chicago. But for an eighteen-year-old society girl-even one who's currently dating a police investigator-it simply isn't done.
That is, until a girl asks her to dig into her brother's recent death. The police ruled it a suicide, but she's convinced it was murder. And she wants Piper to help her prove it.
In this companion to The Lost Girl of Astor Street, Piper once again grabs her notebook and plunges into the underworld of mafia-controlled Chicago. But she'll need all her wits and courage if she wants to become The Secret Investigator of Astor Street."
"To most people, Piper Sail looks like a rich girl with little potential, but she surprises everyone, including herself, when she starts investigating her best friend's disappearance. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Maureen Johnson, The Lost Girl of Astor Street combines the allure of Jazz Age Chicago with a twisting mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Lydia has vanished. Lydia, who's never broken any rules, except falling in love with the wrong boy. Lydia, who's been Piper's best friend since they were children. Lydia, who never even said goodbye.
Convinced the police are looking in all the wrong places, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail begins her own investigation into Lydia's disappearance. With the reluctant help of a handsome young detective, Piper searches for answers in the dark underbelly of 1924 Chicago. Did Lydia get abducted by one of the city's most notorious gangsters? Or does the trail lead back to their own affluent neighborhood?
"Morrill has a keen eye for historical details and setting, making Jazz Age Chicago Piper's invisible yet omnipresent sidekick. A…well-crafted historical whodunit." -Kirkus Reviews
Piper must decide if she's willing to risk her life to find out the truth."
"Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, The Rebel Girls of Rome brings the stories of two young women to brilliant life: Lilah, a college student looking to understand her grandfather’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II.
From Jordyn Taylor, author of The Paper Girl of Paris, this dual-contemporary and historical tale—where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined—is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.
Now:
Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with a grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. Then she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow student, Tommaso, claiming he’s found a lost family heirloom, and her world is upended.
Soon Lilah finds herself in Rome, trying to unlock her grandfather’s history as a Holocaust survivor once and for all. But as she and Tommaso get closer to the truth—and their relationship begins to deepen into something sweeter—Lilah realizes that some secrets may be too painful to unbury…
Then:
It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. Until the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna is irrevocably separated from the rest of her family.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, she joins the underground rebellion. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, Bruna must decide how much she’s willing to risk—when fully embracing herself is her greatest act of resistance."
"INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by true stories from the authors' grandparents' lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a broken people.
In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens-Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition-join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.
But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people's lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise-especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.
In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission-or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny."
"In the 80th anniversary year, Jackie French explores the dropping of the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which ended World War 2.
1942.
Japan has bombed Sydney Harbour. Sixteen-year-old Ossie lies about his age to protect his country, even though it means abandoning his only family, a one-eyed dog named Lucky.
Kind-hearted Mrs Plum is already looking after forty-six dogs belonging to soldiers who've gone to war. She can't possibly care for another. But just when she's becoming desperate to find a way to feed them, help arrives: thirteen-year-old Kat Murphy volunteers to take Lucky and persuades the girls at school to help, too.
As Kat and Lucky grow closer, Kat realises he can still see Ossie, the master he loves. And somehow, Kat and Ossie catch glimpses into each other's lives, too. This extraordinary connection helps Ossie survive when he is taken as a prisoner of war to Japan. There, he witnesses a strange mushroom cloud rise above Nagasaki - the result of a bomb that will take, save and change lives, and forever leave the question: was it worth it?
Taken from first-hand Japanese accounts of that momentous but often misunderstood time, this is a story of quiet heroism and endurance in the face of an unimaginable horror that continues to resound to this day."
"“Ricochet is an exciting, satisfying fantasy novel.” —Foreword Reviews
“[A] royal and delightfully complex adventure.” —Booklist
History got it wrong. I survived.
Anastasia Romanov and her younger brother Alexei escape their family’s execution when a bullet strikes Anastasia’s garnet necklace, transporting them to a parallel universe. This alternate Russia is a second chance. Anastasia wants to save her family, Alexei wants the throne, and they plan to travel the infinite multiverse to find a world in which both are possible.
When Alexi is mistaken for the tsarevich of this dimension, he is brought to the Winter Palace, where he eagerly starts impersonating his doppelganger, playing the role that was stolen from him in his own world. To maintain his façade, he must deceive everyone—including Anastasia.
Anastasia just needs time to grieve and heal after losing everything that defined her, but Alexei’s lies lead her on a journey through the alternate Russia. With rebellion brewing, she is determined to save this world’s Romanovs—and Alexei—before they meet the same fate as her own family.
For listeners who enjoy Anastasia by Sophie Lark, The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye, and Romanov by Nadine Brandes."
"Британский военный самолет терпит крушение в захваченной нацистами Франции. Его пилот Мэдди и пассажирка Джули — лучшие подруги. У первой из девушек есть шанс выжить, а вот вторая провалила миссию еще до ее начала: почти сразу Джули, известную под кодовым именем Верити, арестовывает гестапо. Будучи секретным агентом, захваченным на вражеской территории, она оказывается перед страшным выбором: раскрыть свое задание или подвергнуться жестокой казни. И Верити начинает давать показания: сплетая реальные факты, вымысел и эмоции, она описывает свое прошлое и на каждом клочке бумаги цепляется за жизнь и за последнюю надежду вернуться домой.
Бестселлер № 1 по версии «Нью-Йорк таймс» и лауреат премии Эдгара, «Кодовое имя — Верити» — горькое, отчаянное и щемяще-трогательное повествование о страхе и мужестве, решимости и выживании, которое показывает, на что готовы пойти настоящие друзья ради спасения близких."
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