New Releases by Lurlene McDaniel

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.

Katie O''Roark is thrilled to learn that Jenny House is being rebuilt. After the fire last year, Katie thought she could never return to the camp, where she spent the summers with teens like her who faced medical odds stacked against them. But thanks to Richard Holloway''s efforts, Katie and her longtime friends Lacey and Chelsea will work as counselors once again. They''ll be joined by Megan, Morgan, and Eric, who are newcomers to Jenny House but who have experienced the generosity of One Last Wish Foundation. It''s not until Katie arrives at camp that she discovers that Josh Martel, her former boyfriend, is also a counselor. Being near Josh again brings back a flood of old emotions for Katie. And when Josh confronts unexpected adversity, Katie knows she has to work out her feelings for him. Through the heart transplant she underwent years ago, Katie miraculously received a gift of new life. Now she must discover how to make the most of that precious gift and choose her future.

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?

Leah has never been more in need of support, so Ethan chooses to leave his Amish life on the farm to move in with Leah and her family. However, once he arrives, they both realize that Ethan''s Amish values are quite different from those of Leah''s complex "American" world. Worlds collide in this heart-rending conclusion to the bestselling Angels Trilogy as Leah and Ethan must finally determine whether love will be enough to overcome their differences.

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

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?

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.

Raina is happy and relieved that her friends Kathleen and Holly found volunteering at the hospital rewarding. They loved their summers at the hospital so much they will be working for credit during their junior year. Raina is also looking forward to spending as much time as possible with Hunter during their last year of high school together. Kathleen is still dating Carson, but they are at different schools and she’s worried it won’t last. And poor Holly’s still waiting for her parents to let up on their rules so she can actually go out on a date. Everything is going well until Raina’s old boyfriend Tony shows up and threatens to ruin the thing that matters to Raina the most—her relationship with Hunter. But she isn’t the only one with a secret. When Raina’s mother reveals her family secret, Raina feels betrayed. Luckily she has Holly and Kathleen to lean on.

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.

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.

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.

In first grade, twins Alexis and Adam wrote down what they wanted to be when they grew up and put it in their teacher’s time capsule. Now entering their senior year in high school, they are surprised to find out what they wrote: Alexis wanted to “help people” and Adam wanted to be a fireman. But that was before Adam got sick and their family fell apart. Adam’s leukemia is now in remission but, sadly, so is the twins’ family. Their mother and father are always working—not only don’t they have time for Alexis and Adam, they don’t have time for each other. Alexis can’t even convince them to take a weekend off for one last family vacation to Disney World. No one is prepared when Adam gets sick again, but this time Alexis is not alone. Adam’s illness reunites the family. And Alexis discovers that the time capsule predictions weren’t so far off the mark.

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.

Heather Barlow has always been idealistic, and now she''s finally ready to make a difference by setting sail to Uganda for a medical mission trip. Upon arrival, however, Heather realizes that she is unprepared to face the disease, famine, and misery she encounters everywhere. The overcrowded refugee camps and orphanages seem overwhelming until she meets Ian McCollum, who is also working with the medical staff. Ian is the only one who can see beyond the horror and help Heather change the world by helping one person at a time - even at great cost to one''s own self. Bestselling author Lurlene McDaniel expertly crafts a heart-wrenching story of love and sacrifice in this prequel to Angel of Hope.

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?

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.

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?

When Amy''s car accident results in the death of her little sister, she finds it difficult to move on and manage her anger, especially when she is in the presence of a certain boy with whom she is performing in the school musical.

Andrea is enjoying her first year of junior high, and the school musical, "Grease," but her parents fight constantly, and she does not want anyone at school to find out about her brother''s mental disability.

Rachel Deering''s dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer has to be put on hold when she finds out that she has diabetes, but the lessons she learns in managing her disease help her take control of her life.

When Megan finds out that her mother has a cancerous brain tumor, her anger at the world alienates her from her friends and family until she finally comes to realize what really is important.

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

A collection of three stories in which teenagers facing life-threatening illnesses find that love can make all things bearable.

Having lived in remission of leukemia for five years, Dawn was able to hide her sickness from her friends, but when another medical crisis causes her to be partially paralyzed, Dawn worries how she will handle this obvious condition as a high school student. Original. 60,000 first printing.

As thirteen-year-old Dawn Rochelle deals with cancer, she befriends others in similar positions, in four stories about loss, survival, and courage.