New Releases by Lurlene McDaniel

The doctors assure Erin Bennett and her parents that they can''t find a physical cause for her headaches. But the throbbing, violent pain is so intense that Erin knows she needs help. Even landing the lead in the senior musical opposite David Devlin, the good-looking, popular guy everyone else is wild about, doesn''t give Erin much pleasure. In fact, she finds David so annoying that her headaches are getting worse. Erin knows that the headaches started just after the death of her younger sister, Amy, one year ago. She though her grieving was over, but somehow the headaches must be connected to Amy. The therapist Erin starts seeing begins to help her deal with her pain, but what is it about David that triggers Erin''s violent reaction?

A story of finding hope in the unlikeliest of places, perfect for fans of Five Feet Apart—both the book and movie—looking for their next read! Sixteen-year-old Kara Fischer has cystic fibrosis and only months to live. But the close-knit bond she develops with Vince, who also has the disease, helps her come to terms with her own illness. Given one last wish, Kara wonders if miracles could really happen.

Sometimes Carrie Blake feels she just can''t stand life''s problems or pain. At fifteen, she''s had leukemia for three years, and although the disease is in remission, she''s never sure when things might change. Her parents, whose bitter divoce has left Carrie feeling torn between them, don''t seem to understand how much harder they make her daily life. When Carrie meets Keith Gardner at a cancer support group, everything seems brighter. Keith and his loving supportive family are wonderful to Carrie. Then Keith''s illness worsens and he knows he can no longer fight off dying. Armed with love of family and friends, Keith chooses to participate in a hospice program, which allows him to remain at home instead of in the hospital. Carrie feels helpless as she watches Keith slip away. Will Keith''s courage help Carrie to face her own uncertain future?

Jessica McMillian and Jeremy Travino are a perfect couple. But now Jessica has been diagnosed as having kidney failure. She is on dialysis three days a week and is so depressed that she''s not sure she wants to live. Her one hope for a normal life is a kidney transplant, but she''s an only child and her parents aren''t suitable donors. Jeremy is determined to donate one of her kidneys to her, but his parents are terrified of losing their only child. Will Jeremy find the strength to go against his parent''s wishes and do what he must to save Jessica?

Chelsea James and Katie O''Roark met at Jenny House and spent a wonderful summer together. Now Chelsea and her mother are staying with Katie as Chelsea awaits news concerning a heart transplant. While waiting for a compatible donor, Chelsea meets Jillian, a girl who''s funny and kind. Jillian is also waiting. She needs a heart-lung transplant. The two girls become fast friends. When Chelsea meets Jillian''s brother, he awakens feelings in Chelsea she''s never known before. However, as her medical situation grows desperate, Chelsea finds herself in a contest for her life against her very best friend. Is it fair that there''s only a chance for one of them to survive?

Carley Mattea thinks that boys only like girls who are pretty - especially boys as popular and handsome as Kyle Westin. Scarred by a facial deformity, she believes that Kyle would never have fallen for her if it hadn''t been for the chemistry accident that left him temporarily blind. When Kyle discovers that his sight will soon be restored, Carley can''t help but worry about his reaction when he sees her face for the first time. Will Kyle''s feelings prove to be more than skin-deep?

The celebration isn''t supposed to end in tragedy. The night of their high-school drama group''s cast party starts out as fun for sisters Amy and Erin. Their lives come crashing down when Amy takes the car to get more food and has a horrible accident. Erin and her family pray for Amy to awaken from her coma. But as the monitor bleeps and the respirator hisses, Amy lies somewhere between life and death. Erin and her parents must find the courage to accept the fact that Amy''s life-support system will never bring her back. When she dies, can the family give some meaning to her senseless death? Can Amy''s dying become the hope for someone else''s living?

Fifteen-year-old Shannon Campbell knew her father had been troubled since he served in the Vietnam War, but his violent suicide still shocks her. Shannon always shared so much with her father--why wasn''t her love enough to make him want to live? As Shannon and her mother try to make sense of his death, they courageously renew their commitment to living in the face of their loss. Despite the hardships life may bring, they know they will forgive and love again.

Jory Delaney has always had lots of money. But there''s one thing she knows she cannot buy--and that''s her best friend Melissa''s life. Although Melissa''s leukemia is in remission, it''s hard for both girls to hold on to the possibility of a very bright future. When Melissa''s health begins to deteriorate, Jory watches her friend''s courageous battle and is overwhelmed by a sense of loss. Distanced from her parents, Jory grows closer to Melissa''s mother and older brother, Michael, as they give each other untold strength in the face of tragedy. As she grapples with the unfairness of Melissa''s imminenet death, can Jory find a way to turn her anger into the hope and inspiration that Melissa wanted to leave behind?

Sarah McGreggor has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. It is at this critical moment that Sarah learns she was adopted. When the "One Last Wish" check arrives, Sarah decides to search for her birth mother--and a chance for life.

You don''t know me, nut I know about you. . . . I can''t make you live longer, I can''t stop you from hurting. But I can give you one wish, as someone did for me. Katie O''Roark feels miserable, even though she knows she''s incredibly lucky to have received an anonymous gift. Still, the money can''t but her a new heart or bring her back to her track-star days. When a donor is found with a compatible heart, Katie undergoes transplant surgery. While recuperating, she meets Josh Martel and senses an immediate connection. When Katie decides to start training to attain her dream of running again, Josh helps her meet the difficult challenge. Will Katie find the strength physically and emotionally to live to become a winner again?

Desi thinks it''s totally unfair that innocent baby Alicia was born HIV positive. Now the eight-month-old Alicia lives at Childcare because she was given away by her sick teenage mother. Desi can relate to feeling unloved. Her parents give her all the material things she needs, but there seems to be a wall between her mother and herself. Working at Childcare has opened Desi''s heart and allowed her to feel the love that she''s been longing for. But Alicia is not her child and there is no cure for her condition. Can Desi cope with the harsh realities and still believe in love? Working at Childcare has opened Desi''s heart and allowed her to feel the love that she''s been longing for. But Alicia is not her child and there is no cure for her condition. Can Desi cope with the harsh realities and still believe in love? --u003e

From Lurlene McDaniel, the bestselling author of young adult inspirational fiction, comes Heart to Heart. This emotionally charged novel explores loss, love, renewal, and the ways in which these complex bonds within families and between friends are tested at life''s most challenging moments. Elowyn Eden and Kassey Messechek are best friends. They share every aspect of their lives. But one thing Elowyn has not yet shared with Kassey is that she checked the organ donor box on her newly acquired driver''s license. Kassey only learns of this in a startling and devastating way—when Elowyn''s life-giving donor wishes are about to be honored. Arabeth St. Clair has not had the luck to have a best friend. Due to her diseased heart, she''s led a sheltered life. When Arabeth is sixteen, she and her mother receive the call that will change their lives—but they don''t know to whom they should be forever grateful. When the worlds of these three girls and their families intersect, lives are changed in ways never imagined. Most especially, it is Kassey who sees things differently, for she can keep alive the memory of her dear friend by sharing the renewed life of another teenage girl, while helping to ease the pain of the two families involved and coming to terms with her own.

A cynical teenager discovers that angels appear in the most unexpected places when sixteen-year-old Leah is hospitalized during the holiday season and meets a large, warm, and loving Amish family.

Told in letters, journal entries, e-mails, doctors’ reports, and instant messages, the heartbreaking story of an aspiring ballet dancer battling leukemia. From: Melinda Skye To: Readers Subject: Jesse Hi! I can’t believe it. What a surprise from Jesse. When he got my e-mail about being accepted by the Washington School of Classical Dance’s summer program, he called to congratulate me! I loved hearing his voice. We’ve been friends forever–could it turn into something more? Melinda From: Jesse Rose To: Readers Subject: Melinda I couldn’t believe the news. Melinda is so young! How could she be sick? How did she get leukemia? She’s got to get better. She’s got to. Jesse

What is the toughest request anyone can be asked to fulfill? Travis Morrison is a champion diver and one of the most popular kids at school. On the first day of summer vacation, while boating on the lake with his friends, Travis attempts a silly stunt dive that goes wrong. He fears he has broken his leg. Instead, his trip to the hospital reveals he has a rare form of cancer, and to save him, the doctors tell his parents they must amputate. In an instant, Travis’s life and the lives of everyone around him are forever changed. Travis is determined that he and only he should decide the course of his life. He has a plan, but he can’t carry it out alone. Will he convince one of his friends to fulfill his most important request? Lurlene McDaniel tackles a controversial subject, probing the issues of personal choice and quality of life.

Though written more than a century ago, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s beautiful sonnet rings true today for three young couples who believe in the power of love. In “Night Vision,” Brett finds a way to brighten a special girl’s lonely existence. “Bobby’s Girl” features Dana, who must choose between two brothers, both of whom she loves. “Laura’s Heart,” the third story, introduces 16-year-old Laura Carson, who is hospitalized on a regular basis because of her weak heart. But when tragedy strikes a loved one, she realizes her heart is stronger than she thought and that love lives on forever.

Nothing in April Lancaster''s future seems certain as she battles a brain tumor that doctors say is inoperable. The hospital is the last place she would expect to find love - until she meets Mark Gianni. Mark is handsome and charming, and he also has terminal Cystic Fibrosis. Despite initial reservations, the two quickly fall in love and plan to spend the rest of their lives together...no matter how long that may be. When a sudden accident aggravates Mark''s condition, April must make a decision that will change the course of her life forever. This is a heartbreaking story by bestselling author Lurlene McDaniel that is perfect for fans of The Fault in Our Stars.

Nathan Malone has been homeschooled his whole life. He’s never spent much time with kids his own age and he’s never dated. His mother is now busy with his new twin sisters, so Nathan must enroll at the local high school for his senior year. On the first day, a girl on a motorcycle catches his eye and Nathan is excited to discover the girl is also in his English class.Not only does Lisa ride a motorcycle to school, but she’s a loner who seems to come and go as she pleases. She doesn’t care what anybody thinks of her. Nathan is intrigued—he’s never met anyone like her or had such strong feelings. When he and Lisa finally start spending time together, he’s the happiest he’s ever been.But Lisa has a tragic secret and, when she decides she’ll handle it herself, Nathan has to make a choice. Can he ever let go of Lisa?

A teacher is supposed to impart a love of learning and a thirst for knowledge. It’s a bit different with Ms. Lori Settles. All the kids are talking about how hot she is–and she is especially interested in Ryan Piccoli. When she starts giving Ryan extra attention, he’s feeling more than happy–at first. He’s used to being the class clown, but really he’s a loner. One day after school, the friendship with Lori Settles goes farther than he ever expected. She’s his teacher. She’s at least twice his age. Intimacy with a teacher is wrong, yet it feels so good in every way. Soon, Lori is making demands and Ryan begins to feel overwhelmed, but Ryan refuses to even admit anything is going on. Something immoral is going on and before too long the choices made will change lives forever.

When a pregnant seventeen-year-old girl is hospitalized and in a coma, her younger sister faces several difficult choices while dealing with loss, love, and life at Christmastime. Reprint.

Readers will be touched and inspired by this latest novel from bestselling author Lurlene McDaniel: Beth''s world has been torn apart. She cannot figure out how to go on when a car accident claims the lives of her entire family, and she is the only survivor. Things seem to get even worse when she moves in with her aunt and her spoiled cousin, Terri. But with the love and support of her aunt and some unexpected friends, Beth struggles to overcome the despair that threatens to consume her. Will she be able to move past the painful memories without feeling guilty for being a survivor?

It is 1974 and the country is still struggling to come to terms with the Vietnam War. In the small town of Conners, Georgia, Darcy has just started high school, her older sister Adel goes to weekend dances at the local Army base, and their mother tends her beautiful garden–the biggest and best in town. But Darcy’s world is soon changed forever when her mother goes to Atlanta for tests. The diagnosis is not good–breast cancer. There is so much Darcy wants to talk to her mother about: the war and what happened to the soldiers who were there; the feelings she is having for the new (and troubled) boy in school. But she can’t. So she finds solace in her mother’s garden. There she can help the flowers her mother planted bloom.

In this compelling sequel to Angel of Mercy, Amber Barlow finds herself following in her sister footsteps to Uganda for missionary work. She quickly realizes upon arrival that transitioning from her wealthy lifestyle in Miami to the shocking conditions she witnesses in Uganda will be much more difficult than she had even anticipated. Luckily, she makes a friend in Boyce Callihan, a fellow volunteer from Alabama whose charm and humor help her adjust to her new life. In this inspirational story of transformation, bestselling author Lurlene McDaniel eloquently explores the depth and power of selfless love.

Trisha Thompson and her best friend Christina are having a great senior year. Trisha and her boyfriend, Cody, are making plans to attend Indiana University together in the fall, while Christina has already received a scholarship to the University of Vermont. Everything would be perfect if only Trisha got along with Christina’s controlling boyfriend Tucker, who is trying to convince Christina not to go away for college. But suddenly their lives change one night when Tucker is driving the four home from an away basketball game. When his car hits a patch of black ice and overturns, Tucker walks away with barely a scratch, but Trisha is injured, Cody is in a coma, and Christina is dead. Those left behind must learn that it takes time for their scars—both visible and not—to heal. And they must find the courage to move on with their lives.

It’s the summer after sophomore year and Raina has convinced her best friends since the sixth grade, Kathleen and Holly, to spend their summer as “pink angels” in Parker-Sloan General Hospital’s summer volunteer program. Kathleen is reluctant to do it—she has enough responsibility at home caring for her sick mother. But when she meets Carson, a cute and flirty fellow volunteer, she is happy that she joined the program. Or, at least, she thinks she is. Carson’s “old friend” Stephanie keeps showing up at all the wrong times. And Kathleen’s mother keeps complaining that she needs Kathleen at home. But with friends Raina and Holly by her side and her Pink Angel t-shirt on her back, Kathleen is able to realize that helping others also allows you to help yourself.

Best friends Raina, Kathleen, and Holly volunteer as "pink angels" at the local hospital. Kathleen is at first reluctant. But when she meets a cute fellow volunteer, Kathleen is happy she joined the program. Or, at least, she thinks she is.

A collection of two novels about sixteen-year-old Melissa Austin.

HEATHER BARLOW HAS always been idealistic, and now that she has finished high school, she’s ready to make a difference in the world. After graduation she joins a mission group on a hospital mercy ship sailing to Africa. Praise for Angel of Mercy: “There’s a huge audience for McDaniel’s romance fiction, and this one has all the features her readers look for.”—Booklist “Most readers will be caught up in the passion and sorrow of Heather’s missionary experiences.”—School Library Journal Praise for Angel of Hope: “The love between the sisters is realistically portrayed, and Amber’s slow maturation is convincing.”—Booklist