15-year-old Zahra has lived in England most of her life, but she is haunted by memories of her early childhood in Africa: the warm sun, the loud gunfire, and happy days playing with her older sister before "the visitors" came. It is hard for Zahra to make sense of everything that happened, and the terrible events are impossible to talk about, but when three familiar women arrive unexpectedly for tea, Zahra realises that the dangers of the past could still destroy her. What Was Never Said is the powerful story of a girl navigating the demands of two very different and conflicting worlds; a tale of surviving loss and overcoming fears.
*** From the acclaimed author of The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood *** Everyone can change their life. But what happens when it hides a secret that changes everything? In 1964, Maggie wakes to find herself in a mental asylum, with no idea who she is or how she got there. Remnants of memories swirl in her mind - a familiar song, a storm, a moment of violence. Slowly, she begins to piece together the past and the events which brought her to this point. In the present day, Jonathan is grieving after the loss of his father. A cold, distant man, he was not easy to love, but at least while he lived there was hope for reconciliation. Then a detective turns up on Jonathan's doorstep to question him about crimes he believes Jonathan's father may have committed long ago... As the two stories interweave, the devastating truth long kept hidden must emerge, and both Maggie and Jonathan are forced to come to terms with the consequences of the shocking and tragic events of over forty years ago. 'Passionate, intriguing and beautifully written... deserves to stand on the shelf next to Maggie O'Farrell's books. A powerful and talented new voice' Rachel Hore, bestselling author of The Love Child 'If you love Maggie O'Farrell, you will love this' Veronica Henry, bestselling author of The Long Weekend 'A brave and moving story about how much can be lost and what happens next' Alison Moore, author of Booker-shortlisted The Lighthouse
For as long as she can remember, Sarah’s family life has revolved around her twin sister, Annie—the pretty one, the social one, the girl who can do anything. The person everyone seems to wish Sarah—with her crippling shyness—could simply become. When Annie suddenly chops off her hair, quits beauty pageants, and gains weight, the focus changes—Annie is still the star of the family, but for all the wrong reasons. Sarah knows something has happened, but she too is caught in her own spiral after her boyfriend breaks up with her and starts hanging out with one of Annie’s old friends. Annie is intent on keeping her painful secret safe. But when she and Sarah start spending time together again for the first time in years, walls start to break on both sides … and words that had been left unsaid could change everything.
Sixteen-year-old Mehreen is overwhelmed by her anxiety and depression, and she doesn't believe anyone in her life will understand if she tries to talk about it. She's been thinking about suicide for a while when she discovers a website called MementoMori.com. The site matches people with partners and assigns them a date on which to end their lives, together. Mehreen is partnered with Cara and Olivia, strangers dealing with their own struggles. But as the girls get to know one another in preparation for their "date of termination" they find themselves developing a strong bond—even becoming friends. For the first time, they're each able to share their darkest secrets with people who won't judge them. They realize that, with the right support systems, life is worth living after all. So they decide to abandon the suicide pact. Except the website won't let them stop. As their assigned "date of termination" draws nearer and MementoMori continues to manipulate them, the girls will have to rely on one another to survive. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential 24/7 support.
"If one chooses to ''swim, upstream'' and claim for oneself how one will encounter life, then one is not a victim. One is there own person. And the possibilities for joy, love and freedom in this life can be touched. " (Page ???, I do not know the numbering. This is a quote found in the meditation Swimming Upstream and the Realness of Faith.) John Ruiz has written a set of meditations on scripture passages that spell out a deep faith. He invites the reader to enter into the stories he tells, and to recognize the action of God present in a life attuned to that Presence. He points to "the living presence of God who is continually Breathing God''s spirit and life into God''s word." This results in practical lessons for daily living that can be drawn from these bible verses. Jody Crowley Beers Spiritual Coordinator at the Monastery of Saint Benedict Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
These 55 poems have captured the most significant and tragic aspects of my life from the age of 13. I am still unable to coherently express such events and emotions in simple words, in a simple explanation. My only outlet for these demons have taken the form of metaphors that I have crafted with the art of literature. I pray with all my heart that someone with the same heartache will pick up this book, open the pages, and read, and not feel as alone as they did moments before, to no longer feel how I used to feel.
"God helps those who help themselves." - The Bible? "Preach the gospel always; when necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi? Sayings like these are such a part of modern pious tradition that we assume they come from the Bible, the mouths of saints, or the pens of famous Christian writers. In What the Saints Never Said, apologist Trent Horn takes over forty of these well-known but dubious sayings and attempts to track them to their true source. In so doing he finds some that are close to what was really said, many that were mis-attributed or twisted beyond their original meaning, and more than a few that were just plain made up! Trent Horn sets the record straight,
From bestselling author Samantha Wheeler comes a remarkable novel about finding your voice.Ava wants nothing more than to tell her family she loves them, particularly her big sister, Nic. But Ava has Rett syndrome &– she can't talk, nod her head or even point at a communication card. She understands everything, but no-one understands her.When tragedy strikes her family, Ava becomes even more determined to talk. But it's not until she meets occupational therapist Kieran and new friend Aimee that she is hopeful for change &– and to be heard at last.
Dark romance, high stakes, and plot twists abound in this paperback original YA thriller that's perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover. What you don't know can hurt you.... It’s been months since the accident that killed Ella’s best friend, Hayley, and Ella can’t stop blaming herself. Now Ella is back at school, and everywhere she looks are reminders of her best friend—including Sawyer, Hayley’s boyfriend. Little by little, they grow closer, until Ella realizes something horrifying . . . She’s in love with her dead best friend’s boyfriend. Racked with guilt, Ella turns to Hayley’s journal, hoping she’ll find something in the pages that will make her feel better about what’s happening. Instead, she discovers that Sawyer has secrets of his own and that his relationship with Hayley wasn’t as picture-perfect as it seemed. Ella knows she should stay away but finds herself inextricably drawn to him—and scared of everything she never knew about him. Perhaps it’s his grief. Or maybe his desires, cut short by tragedy. Or could it be something twisted only Hayley knew about? A dark, romantic thriller perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Laura Nowlin, Everything We Never Said explores the secrets in even the best of friendships and asks how well you ever know the ones you love.
Two teens meet after tragedy and learn about love, loss, and letting go Naima Rodriguez doesn’t want your patronizing sympathy as she grieves her father, her hero—a fallen Marine. She’ll hate you forever if you ask her to open up and remember him “as he was,” though that’s all her loving family wants her to do in order to manage her complex OCD and GAD. She’d rather everyone back the-eff off while she separates her Lucky Charms marshmallows into six, always six, Ziploc bags, while she avoids friends and people and living the life her father so desperately wanted for her. Dew respectfully requests a little more time to process the sudden loss of his parents. It's causing an avalanche of secret anxieties, so he counts on his trusty voice recorder to convey the things he can’t otherwise say aloud. He could really use a friend to navigate a life swimming with pain and loss and all the lovely moments in between. And then he meets Naima and everything’s changed—just not in the way he, or she, expects. Candace Ganger's Six Goodbyes We Never Said is no love story. If you ask Naima, it’s not even a like story. But it is a story about love and fear and how sometimes you need a little help to be brave enough to say goodbye.
