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fangirlshrewt97 · 5 years ago

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Scars from Ghosts

Author(s): Fangirlshrewt97

Fandom: Anne with an E

Pairing: None

Characters: Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, Matthew Cuthbert, Diana Barry, Josephine Barry, Cole Mackenzie, Gilbert Blythe, Bash LaCroix, Mary LaCroix, Rachel Lynde, Ms. Stacy, Jerry Baynard

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings: Reference to past child abuse

Additional Tags: Whumptober 2019, Whump, Past Child Abuse, Scars, Hurt, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Whumptober Prompt: Scars

Summary: At a dinner party, a small accident reveals an ugly ghost from Anne’s past she would rather forget existed.

Link to A03: archiveofourown.org/works/20908724

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It happened when Anne was least expecting it. Or rather, it happened because she got careless and stopped paying attention. Being in Avonlea, being in Green Gables, she had gotten almost used to the feeling of safety and genuine love from other people towards her.

Green Gables was filled to bursting with all their friends: Gilbert, Bash, Mary, and baby Delphine. Diana, Cole, and Aunt Jo. Ms. Lynde and Ms. Stacy. Matthew had even convinced Jerry to stay over for the party. It was the end of the harvest season, and due to a fruitful season, Matthew had suggested to Marilla that maybe they should celebrate their luck. Marilla had been stunned her brother was the one to make the suggestion, but Anne had been over the moon, squealing and jumping on Matthew, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

After that, Marilla didn’t really have a chance against them both, not that she was actually objecting to it. Ever since Anne had come into their lives, she had brought new life and joy the siblings had not known for a long time. So they sent out the invites for their friends to join them for dinner at the end of the week, and Anne helped Marilla prepare all the food while Matthew went to town to indulge in a small bottle of wine.

The party was in full swing, everyone having enjoying the food and company, happy to take a moment to appreciate the bonds between them all. After dinner, all the guests were gathered in the adjoining living room. Anne and Diana were playing with baby Delphine while Ms. Lynde and Mary looked on, the former giving her (unsolicited) advice on raising children with affection but a strict hand. Marilla and Ms. Stacy were talking about Anne’s progress in school and how Ms. Stacy was adjusting to live in Avonlea after being here for nearly four months. Aunt Jo was nearby and contributed every now and then to give her input on city life. The three boys were all gathered together and talking, though given the differences and minimal interactions, that conversation was the most awkward one in the room. And Bash was asking Matthew a seemingly never ending series of questions followed by fresh optimistic sighs as he learned more about farming and resigned himself to the foreign cold.

Delphine chose one of the quiet lulls to start crying, making Anne chuckle as she picked up the baby, carefully swinging her in her arms. She completely missed the obviously fond look Gilbert threw her way. When Delphine finally settled, Anne handed the baby off to Mary so she could put the baby to sleep upstairs while the rest of them continued to chat.

Anne was speaking excitedly to Ms. Stacy when it happened, she tripped over a crease in the rug and couldn’t get her balance back fast enough, sending her sprawling on the floor.

“Anne!” came the cry from several directions as Marilla, Diana, and Ms. Stacy all rushed to help the girl up, her face now as red as her hair. They all missed Gilbert’s aborted jolt forward, as well as his clenched fist.

Cole came to lend an elbow while they led Anne to sit beside Aunt Jo.

“Are you alright dear Anne?” Diana asked, worried her friend had been hurt.

Anne, who had suffered much greater physical pain, was more hurt by the embarrassment than the slight sting in her knee from the impact of the wooden floor. “I’m fine Diana.”

“Honestly Anne, how many times do I have to tell you to watch where you walk!” Marilla scolded lightly as she straightened from her crouch beside her adopted daughter.

“I’m sorry Marilla.” Anne apologized.

“Oh Anne, I think you may be hurt!” Ms. Stacy said as she lifted the skirt of her dress slightly to see Anne’s calf.

Anne panicked and shouted “No!”

The scream startled Ms. Stacy who immediately dropped the skirt and took a step back.

“Anne!” Marilla yelled.

“Oh! I am so sorry Ms. Stacy, I didn’t mean - I mean - you just surprised me,” Anne ended weakly, “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Oh it is fine Anne, I just thought…”

“No, no I’m fine really.” Anne insisted. Marilla crossed her arms and squinted at the redhead, honestly, this girl was more trouble than she was worth some days.

“Can I just check to make sure?” in a tone that indicated she wasn’t actually asking.

“There’s nothing to check!”

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!”

“Marilla please…” Anne pleaded, though she knew that Marilla could be just as stubborn as her when she pleased.

As a last effort she looked at Matthew for help. Matthew squared his shoulders before saying “Marilla may just leave her be, since she is fine?”

A silent glare from Matthew got him to back off though, sending Anne an apologetic shrug. Anne yelped when Marilla grabbed her ankle, lighting the hem slightly and turning her calf. Anne closed her eyes and hoped Marilla would just see that there wasn’t anything interesting and let it go. She had never been that lucky though.

“Well you don’t seem to have any scrapes at least…Anne was is this?” Marilla asked as she spied a small area of bumpy skin she had never seen before.

Anne tried to tug her leg out of Marilla’s grasp but she had a tight hold of her. “It’s nothing.”

“Want to try again?” Marilla asked as she moved Anne’s legging slightly up get a better view. She inhaled sharply when she realized the bumped area was actually a scar. A burn scar whose shape was too perfect to have come from an accident.

“It was just an accident at the orphanage…” Anne said, but even she could hear the desperate lie in her words. Matthew had come closer to see the scar for himself.

Feeling self-concious and realizing the boys were also watching her, Anne roughly brought her leg underneath her, brushing her skirt over the edge of the couch.

“Anne...” And oh, how Anne hated hearing any kind of sadness in Diana’s voice. Turning to see her was a mistake, seeing the sadness was also in her eyes make tears well up in Anne’s own eyes.

“Mr.HammondhadatemperandIdidn’tdomyjobcorrectlysohepunishedme.” Anne said in a big exhale, wanting to get the words out.

“What?” Marilla asked, not having caught a word.

Biting her lips, Anne closed her eyes and inhaled before breathing out and enunciating slowly “Mr.Hammond had a temper and I didn’t do my job correctly. That day. So he punished me.”

The hall was so quiet, the only sound was the crackling of the wood in the fireplace.

“He what?” Marilla asked, voice quiet and stunned.

Anne kept her eyes lowered focusing on her clenched fists which were on her lap.

“He had asked me to have dinner ready by the time he came back home. But one of the kids knocked down the stew from the stove, so I had to clear it and remake it. I didn’t finish in time…So Mr. Hammond decided I need to be punished.”

“By doing what exactly?” Marilla’s voice was cold. Anne bit her lip and crouched into herself as she squeezed her eyes, willing herself not to cry.

“He took the fire poker and… struck me.” Anne said, voice barely audible on the last word.

Diana’s grip on Anne’s arm had loosened, and Anne could feel the tension in the room suffocating her. God, had it been this stuffy a few minutes back. Marilla’s own hand was shaking slightly from what Anne could see through her parted eyelids.

“Oh my dearest Anne…” Aunt Jo said as she broke the tension, moving to tug the young girl into her lap, tucking her head below her own chin. She softly pet her red hair.

That small act of affection was enough to break the dam Anne had been trying to valiantly to keep upright, and Anne burst into sobs, shoulders shaking violently as she fell apart in the older woman’s arms. Aunt Jo, for her part just tightened her grip and held her through it.

It felt like forever, but in reality was only a few minutes before Anne’s sobs became gulping heaves and she finally stopped crying. Slowly, she pushed herself out of the comforting embrace, and raised her her head with trepidation.

Marilla was still half-kneeling on the ground, pale and shaking slightly. Matthew’s mouth was open, and was looking at her with a mix of horror and fear. The boys were all staring at her with wide eyes, while Bash looked on with a clenched jaw and Ms. Stacy had a grim expression on her face. Ms. Lynde and Mary were still upstairs with the baby. By her other side, Diana was silently crying.

“Oh Diana, why are you crying?”

“Why am I? Anne that was so cruel of that evil man to do. I am so sorry.”

“Sorry? Why are you sorry? Does that mean you aren’t…?”

Anne’s fear filled voice seemed to break Marilla out of her trance to ask “Aren’t what?”

“Ashamed…” Anne whispered, shrinking from the older woman’s view.

“Asha- Anne why would I possibly be ashamed of you?” Marilla asked, voice tinged with horror at the thought. Well, mainly because she was still disgusted and furious at this stranger who had harmed her child in such a horrid manner.

“I don’t know.” Anne said, still quiet.

Marilla felt her heart breaking as she saw her stronger and brilliant Anne reduced to this anxious wreck. Moving slowly, Marilla wound her arms around the trembling girl, leaning down to kiss her forehead. The shaking increased as Anne gripped her dress tightly.

“I am not ashamed Anne, and absolutely not of you. I am thinking that if I ever met this Mr. Hammond I might have to do some very unladylike things to him. I am sorry that you had to suffer at his hands though.”

“It’s fine, I’ve had worse.” came the reply, and oh, didn’t that break her heart all over again.

Pulling back just enough to tilt Anne’s head up towards her, Marilla smiled kindly. “I am so proud of you. And I promise that no one will ever hurt you again if I have anything to say. Do you understand?”

Anne’s eyes filled with tears again, but didn’t fall this time. She just nodded quietly.

“Good.”

Mrs. Lynde decided to come back down at this moment with Mary, the two women talking jovially about something. Coming to the bottom of the stairs, they took in the quiet atmosphere. And since Mrs. Lynde wasn’t known for being tactful, she asked bluntly “Well what’s all this then?”

Anne wiped her eyes subtly before jumping up, “Nothing Mrs. Lynde, just took a small fall. Are you guys still hungry? Because we still haven’t had any dessert and Marilla helped me make pie with fruit from the farm” Anne said as she bustled towards the kitchen where the pies where.

Mary raised her eyebrows but Bash just shook his head discreetly. Not the time or place. The rest of the group decided to take the cue from Anne to return to the mood from before.

Of course, no one who had been in that living room was able to sleep that night without the scene replaying in their head.

Anne was still scared that one day a ghost from her past would rear its ugly head and it would be more than her new family could bear. But until then, she slept peacefully with the feeling of Marilla’s hug and promise of safety warming her more than any blanket ever had.

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epicureancaravan · 5 years ago

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ushering in 2017

Just as the calendar slips into December and the clocks strikes midnight to usher in the last month of the year, I find myself moving into a joyful and happy zone. The festive spirit filled with cheer has begun to manifest itself all around me: and I have made it my business to usher more friends and family into this mood.

As they say, if you know the power of positive thoughts, you wouldn’t let a single negative thought cross your mind. And likewise, it is like all forces have come together to make it an even more extraordinary month for me and those around. It has been a month of jamming with my closest pals to celebrate life and our knowing each other.

We celebrated Rajesh Bhatia’s birthday over some fine wine and dine with hubby Rahul and my closest pals Radhika, Bala, Anita, Jaya Ashar and my favourite boy Shantanu Ugrankar. My evening with Asha Kulkarni Almeida and Asavari Dubhashi, my two close school buddies just happened out of the blue when we connected at 11am and decided to catch up later that evening after work over some retail therapy at the mall followed by gapshap on what we call as ajoba (grandfather) reclining chairs on how our lives were unfolding. Food and I go hand in hand and so we wrapped the evening with some steaming sizzlers and ravioli. . Don’t analyse the combination, but in the right company; all things fall into place.

But not before we planned a date in January to brunch at Olive. Though each one of us is so different, with one being a research microbiologist and the other an Ayurvedic doctor and me from the corporate domain, our shared bonding over naughtiness and what we choose to believe as our evolvedness that keeps us together. We have a name for us Trio; but that is for another day.

Can’t let this month pass without mentioning my school bestie Promila Jethwani who is in Dubai, but just a phone call or a chat away for me. I have made this special buddy a December promise to be there for her next birthday so long as it is somewhere in Asia. ‘Prom, I hope you are reading this and not going ahead with Las Vegas; mujhe naukri jo karni hai. Am not going to give up on convincing you that Koh Samui is so us; all the wine, fish ,sand and sea. Beach party toh banti hai’.

Parsi bhonu(food) is my hot favourite and what more could one ask for when our close pal Jaya hosted us at her old world charm of a gymkhana PVM at Cooperage on a sunny afternoon over white wine and sas ni macchi, bheja fry, the signature cheese samosas of PVM, Salli boti, prawn cutlets . A parsi meal cannot be complete without having good old Dukes Raspberry; and that we did have in plenty. They must have run out of bottles that afternoon.

And then my pal Rachana (whom I possibly know for a short while; but we seem connected like from decades from an approach to life perspective; celebrated her 40th birthday along with her hubby Vishal over a rocking evening. Flower themed decoration, khazana wala khana and crooning into what I understand continued to be 'A Party all night'. Meeting with my baby niece Rhea was the highlight of this weekend. She is an epitome of innocence, delight, joy and mastic all bundled into one. Got me to play Hide and seek after decades and insisted she won despite my desperate attempt to find the ultimate hiding space .

We also celebrated two birthdays in our building Ganpati group at our famous Essbel Khau(Eatables) katta (place of sitting) and homes, It was a Happy Birthday for Rajesh and Avinash and so no dinner at home on those days as ‘Khane walon ko.. Party ka bahana chahiye’.

At work, we hosted some children (girls)from an Orphanage run by nuns and it moved me to see them so happy and carefree as Santa made them merry. May God bless the nuns who love and take care of them like mothers and teachers. This is true selfless service and I do hope all of I for one can make a difference in the lives of those who may not be as privileged.

We are missing our friends Rongsen Anungla(Anu),Gautam and their sweetie pie daughter Jiah this month as they are visiting home in Nagaland. Not a year has gone by without one long evening with them during the Xmas week.

So, as December unfolds, I have finally got started with my 2015 resolution to write my blog. My motivator to this blog has been Manisha Talim, Rahuls cousin who has managed to multi task with her profession as a doctor as well as her interests and hobbies.

So much more happening in the last ten days with a Christmas get together with my near and dear gang; followed with some bonding time with them in Mahableshwar. Mahableshwar will not be complete without at least two meals at Dinas where Hormuz has preserved British and continental recipes handed down three generations along with divine Parsi food. Radhika and charted out our day wise plan at 3am last week. That calls for some spirit;, doesn’t it?

This is also my month of heartfelt thanksgiving to God for bringing people in my life who have been with Rahul and me through thick and thin. So Aai(mom), don’t say I missed you on this one.

Adios for now as I sign off with one of my many favourite quotes. ‘Life is short, Buy the Shoes, Drink the Wine, Order the dessert’.

#eatpraylove #yearendvibes #firstblog

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ashathestarofcountydown · 2 years ago

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A Parent's Love is the greatest treasure of all... by Asha Connie Kells Via Flickr: Ashala's account I put together this picture to celebrate with my dear Australian friend 'Father's Day' 4th September in Australia. Thank you Karen for sending me the backdrop for this picture which inspired me to create this picture to celebrate this special day with you...Karen Webb

#Funny #Border #Collie #Dog #Pup #'Father's #Day'#AustraliaAsha the star of county down #Ashala the star of the county down #connie kells county down pictures #flickr

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calvinjohaanson · 3 years ago

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ma-sulevin · 7 years ago

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The Life Inside

I’ve literally had this in my brain for a year now, so I figured it was time to sit and write it out. All the Cullen posts this week inspired me!

Asha doesn’t have time to think about the fact that she’s standing on an island of stone a hundred feet up in the air. She doesn’t have time to worry about what happens when it falls, or what happens if she slips on the loose stone and tumbles over the edge, or what happens if Corypheus gets tired of toying with them.

Each breath sears her lungs, makes her eyes sting and water as smoke billows up around them from the ground. Every step shoots a pain from her right knee to her hip, but they ran out of healing potions long ago. One wrong step could see her on the ground for good.

Still, she fights. She fights because her friends are with her, because the Chargers are fighting below her, because the fate of all of Thedas is resting on her aching shoulders.

She runs out of arrows and abandons her bow, letting it fall from bloody fingers in favor of the daggers still on her belt. She launches herself at the gnarled form of Corypheus, letting her anger and fear fuel her, letting it push her body past the point of exhaustion.

He bats her away easily, sending her skittering across the stones below his feet. She can hear them scraping against the silverite of her chest plate, overpowering her senses until she slides to a stop.

She climbs to her feet before her vision clears, snatching up her daggers from where they fell as she runs back toward their enemy. A familiar, comforting tingle of magic caresses her skin as she charges past Dorian--a rejuvenation spell, weak as he loses mana, but enough to make her next attack hit home.

She jumps from behind him, leaping from a crumbling boulder to reach higher, and sinks both daggers into a patch of skin on Corypheus’ neck. His taunting cuts off mid-sentence in a scream, and he reaches over his shoulder to lift Asha with one skeletal hand.

He shakes her and she loses both of her blades. They clatter to the ground between Cassandra and Blackwall, unheeded as they continue attacking.

The crackling of red lyrium in the air and under his skin makes her stomach roll and the hairs along her arms and neck stand up. Corypheus lifts her higher and pulls her closer until their noses nearly touch, and she can see the red light in his eyes burning into hers.

His growling voice cuts through all the noise from her companions, all the noise from the growing Breach and the lyrium Corypheus controls.

“You will fall,” he says, and it sounds to Asha like an order. “I will destroy you and the life inside of you.”

The life inside… ? Asha takes a deep breath and spits in his face.

He roars again and drops her, the impact on her already injured knee making her scream as he disappears. Cassandra and Blackwall give chase, both howling for his attention, both determined to be the one to have the final strike against him.

Dorian is at her side in a moment, hands under her arms to lift her up, but she resists. “My knee,” she says, tears in her eyes but steel in her voice. “I can’t stand.”

He slips his arm around her and pushes as much magic as he can into the injured joint, healing tearing tendons until she can bear to put weight on it.

“I can’t do more, cousin,” he says, and she can see the waxiness of his skin under his normal warm complexion. He’s exhausted, lyrium potions gone as well by now. “We must finish him.”

She gives him a curt nod and they step away from each other. She runs toward Corypheus again as he rips his orb from the sky and begins to beg to his gods for help. But, like hers, they do not answer.

Asha lifts her hand and the orb flings itself from Corypheus’ grasp and into hers as her anchor flares. The green light sparks up her arm, stinging like a thousand needles, reminding her of how it felt when she first awoke in Haven.

Held aloft, the orb seals the Breach, and she drops it without a second thought. She takes slow steps forward, gritting her teeth, anger and rage and hatred boiling under her skin.

“You wanted into the Fade?” she hisses, so quietly that she might think he hadn’t heard if not for the look of terror that crosses his gnarled face. She takes another step and reaches for him so that the green light of the anchor sparks against his face.

It’s the opposite of closing a rift. It feels like pushing instead of pulling, but she reaches the anchor’s magic into where his heart should be and opens one. He screams in agony as the rift pulls him apart, then with a tug, the rift closes, and Corypheus is gone.

She falls to her uninjured knee with a grunt, but then Blackwall is there as the stones begin to fall. He lifts her in his arms, shield and sword abandoned as he begins to run with her on shaking ground.

The temple is falling.

She saved Thedas, but she’s going to die.

—

“There you are,” a soft voice murmurs in her ear. “Good as new.” Asha opens one eye at a time to see Vivienne standing over her, a wry smile on her face. She looks exhausted, too, but she helps Asha up with one hand.

“Thank you,” Asha murmurs, rubbing at her forehead with one hand. “Ahh…” she looks around and sees that they’re alone, for the moment, the Chargers still patching up their wounded and gathering their few dead to take back to Skyhold. “Did you happen to notice…”

Vivienne’s smile fades somewhat. “Yes, Cassandra told me what to look for. You should have been more careful, my dear. This is no time for a pregnancy.”

Asha’s face flames even as her body becomes cold. “I didn’t know.” She swallows thickly and forces herself to take slow, deep breaths. “I didn’t… how long?”

Vivienne blinks, an expression Asha doesn’t recognize shining from her eyes for just a moment. Pity, maybe. Sympathy. “You would need to see a midwife for an answer. If you had no idea, you must not be far along.”

“Asha!” Both women turn as Henry’s voice cuts through the chaos. He’s running toward them, and Asha takes a few wobbly steps in his direction before he snatches her up in his arms. He spins them around and squeezes her tight. “Don’t ever leave me behind again.”

She muffles a sob against his shoulder, clutching him with all her strength. He’s alive too. “I promise,” she gasps out. “I promise. Take me home, please.”

He releases her and wipes at her face with his thumbs, staring at her as though checking for any injury the healers or Vivienne left behind. Then he smiles and releases her. “Of course, Lady Inquisitor. To Skyhold!”

“To Skyhold!” The cheer picks up around them, and suddenly the victors are moving again. They’re going home.

—

By the time they make it back to Skyhold, everyone there is celebrating. Asha has to resist the urge to run to find Cullen, to bury her face in the warmth of his fur collar and let him chase her pain and exhaustion away.

But she’s the Inquisitor, returning victorious, and she needs to show the rest of the Inquisition that she’s the same strong leader they’ve been looking up to this whole time. They can’t know that she wants to climb into bed and sleep for two whole days, or that she’s trembling and nauseous with the news that only a few of them know.

Everyone is cheering as she drags herself through the keep. The smile on her face is real, if exhausted, and she waves at them as she walks by. Leliana, Josephine, and Cullen wait for her on the landing, and she keeps her eyes on them as much as she can as she climbs.

They bow to her when she stands before them, and she wrinkles her nose at the sign of respect. Josephine winks at her.

Cullen hesitates for only a moment more before stepping forward, arms extended, and Asha collapses into them. She clutches at his cloak and presses her face into his neck, breathing deeply of the comforting scent of elderflower, and she has to fight the tears that spring to her eyes.

“Thank the Maker,” Cullen breaths, clutching her so tightly to his chest that she can barely breathe. It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t want him to let go. “Oh, thank you.”

Asha whines and tries to press herself even closer. “I love you,” she breathes, words disappearing into his skin.

He pulls away but keeps his hands on her shoulders until he can see that she’s well. Then he grins. “Josephine has planned quite the party for you,” he says. “I should let you… mingle. I’m sure everyone desires your attention.” When she opens her mouth to argue, he adds, “As much as I might want it for myself.”

She nods. She understands. Once again, their romance must wait.

—

When she slips away, she does so unnoticed. She climbs the stairs to her rooms, alone, and doesn't hesitate before going to her desk. She seats herself and unlocks one of the drawers--the one with her diary and bundles of contraceptive herbs. She checks the diary first, looking at the calendar she keeps to track her cycle.

She should have started on the trip to fight Corypheus. She is only four days late.

She counts her bundles of herbs next, then again. She has the correct number remaining. She didn't miss a dose.

Cullen enters the room behind her before she puts her desk back in order. He finds her there, her head in her hands, tears slipping slowly down her cheeks as she fights them.

He doesn't speak before kneeling beside her chair to wrap his arms around her. He pulls her as close as he can, running his fingers through her hair, and waits.

She sobs against him, slipping from her chair to the floor before him. Her tears are loud, from deep in her chest, an outpouring of everything she's kept inside for months. He rocks her as his own tears fall unnoticed, soothing words murmured against her hair.

When she finally quiets, he squeezed her just that much tighter. "I love you."

She whimpers, then sucks in a breath to steel herself. "You're too good to me, Cullen."

His chuckle is dark. "You have that backward, as always."

She hums but doesn't pull away. She shifts instead, pressing her face into his neck instead of into his shoulder, and kisses at the edge of his stubble. He shivers.

"We need to talk about something," she finally says, though she still doesn't sit up to look at him, "before you hear it from someone else."

Cullen's whole body tenses under her, preparing for the worst news his racing mind can come up with. "What happened?" He pulls away from her, holding her shoulders so she'll look at him.

Her face is blotchy, her nose and eyes red from crying, and her voice is hoarse when she speaks again. "During the battle--"

"Were you hurt?"

"No--well, yes, my knee, but I'm healed now." She summons the energy to glare at him for his interruption. "Corypheus... said something."

"Dorian did mention that Corypheus loved to hear his own voice," Cullen confirms at her pause. "Did he upset you?"

"Not precisely. He said... he would destroy me and..." she pauses again, squinting her eyes as she forces herself to continue, "and 'the life inside me'."

Cullen's lips part as though he's going to speak, then his jaw snaps closed with an audible click. His eyes, which had been trained on Asha's during her whole slow speech, slip away to look at her desk, at which drawer is open, at the diary she had been bent over when he walked in.

"A life," he repeats. "Inside. Of you."

His grip on her goes slack, and he drops his hands to his lap. She grabs them, squeezing his fingers. "I... will need to see a midwife. To confirm. But... I am late. And Vivienne seemed to think that I'm..." she trails off. She can't say it.

Cullen's face is hard as stone when he pulls his hands away to stand. He paces to the fireplace, then to the balcony doors to throw them open, then back to the fire. Asha stands too, though she stays by her desk.

"It's early yet," she says, voice quiet and full to the brim of hesitation. "It... can be undone, still."

He doesn't look at her. "You were taking herbs."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "Yes. I checked that too. Every day, as the healer said. As I have every day for eight years." Her gaze hardens as Cullen doesn't turn. "Would you look at me, please?"

He obeys when he hears her on the edge of tears again. She sways where she stands, and he can't help the instinct that carries him across the room to her, that has him sweep her into his arms and press his face into her hair.

"I'm going to be a father?"

She almost can't hear his question, breathed as it is against her, but it brings a fresh wave of tears to her eyes.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"The timing could be better," he acknowledges, and Asha releases a watery chuckle. "There's still danger. There are still rifts to close and problems to address. But Corypheus is dead. The sky is healed. You..." He pulls away and looks down at her, his hands coming up to cup her face. He strokes her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping away tears, and smiles when she does. "I love you."

She reaches up for the back of his neck and pulls him down to rest their foreheads together. "I love you."

#asha trevelyan #cullen rutherford #my writing #2017 writing

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naaradpr · 5 years ago

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Nature is where we belong… Roopkumar Rathod has my blessings: Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman, Mike Pandey, Suniel Shetty, Anil Kumble, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan among others endorse Roopkumar Rathod’s Photo Book, Wild Voyage At the opening preview of Meraki, a group photography exhibition at Nine Fish Art Gallery in Byculla, Roopkumar Rathod launched his coffee table photobook, aptly titled Wild Voyage. Inspired by the music of nature in creative pursuits, Wild Voyage flows with an elemental rhythm and tranquillity. It is a journey from the depth of the ocean, unaffected by waves, with the perfect moment just before capturing to the calming chaos it brings with it. Roopkumar Rathod, veteran singer-music director and now, an author, feels that it is about his passion, the buzz of adrenaline when a picture comes to life! Being a forest lover and a wildlife enthusiast, he loves the jungle-y wilderness and the whispering winds through the trees that tell their tale. “Sometimes, we just need to listen! The jungle transmits the enchantment and mysteries of its surroundings to the questing pilgrim. It is my meditative space. The Earth has magic for those who believe in it!”, avers he, while adding, “I have filled my canvas with moments that feel bona fide, vulnerable and uncontrived. Here I am, stepping off the edge with an open heart and this is my journey into the wild… My wild voyage!” With a foreword by, none other than, the Shahenshah of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan, the testimonial read, “A lot of research has shown that, although we live in houses or buildings in the city, we are still cavemen at heart. The basic wiring in our brains and how we interact are the same as thousands of years ago. Nature is where we still belong. That’s why we all enjoy a walk in the woods, gazing at the stars, watching a sunset, being on a beach, or going camping. I thank Rathodji for sharing his experiences with us through his superb photography. He has my blessing for continued joy and success with his love for photography,” states Amitabh Bachchan. Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman, who is also a co-exhibitor at Meraki says that the world already knows Roopkumar Rathod is a very well-known singer and music director. However, she avers, “Very few people know that he is an excellent photographer. He is really very good with his work.” Acclaimed filmmaker and wildlife activist Mike Pandey expresses the pleasure it is to glide through and savour magical moments of wilderness. He adds, “Roop's unique perspective opens another door into nature's enigmatic world. The special moments in the wilderness, bathed in equally stunning magical light have been captured and frozen for eternity by stunning images and timing... This has been a work of patience, crafted with care and wonderfully presented. Wild Voyage actually transported me to the wilds, leaving me wanting for more. The Earth needs more Roopkumar!” Here is what Suniel Shetty has to say. “A musical genius, a soulful singer, a magical photographer and a forever friend. Roop, you always inspire and brighten every room you enter, your energy is infectious. May you continue to breaks your own mould as an artist and keep rediscovering your own talents.” Padma Shri Cricketer Anil Kumble says that Roopkumar Rathod’s exploits in music is well-known. He also adds that not many are aware about his passion for wildlife photography. “This book is a window to his love for animals; a delightful collection, full of brilliant captures, that takes you on a journey into the magical world of nature. We were aware of Roopkumar's ear for music, and now this book is a testament to his eye for nuance!” Shankar Mahadevan of the famed Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio believes photography to be an amazing art in itself, especially when a person’s musicality and sensibility comes into it. According to him, the whole picture changes and that is what Roopkumar Rathod’s talent is all about. “There are very few musicians in our country who have immense depth and knowledge about Indian classical music and at the same time can adapt to any genre of music, and Roop bhai is one of them. This depth and knowledge translate in his amazing wild life photos. Every photo looks like a song and every scene feels like a melody. He has been a wild life enthusiast for many years and his passion for the jungle is equal, if not a minuscule more, than music!” Awaiting the launch, he believes that Roopkumar Rathod’s patience, passion and dedication is clearly evident. Another stalwart in the Indian music industry is Hariharan, a dear friend to Roopkumar Rathod. They have known each other since the 1980’s. Hariharan imparts that, apart from being a talented singer-composer, Roopkumar Rathod is also a Tabla Nawaz. “He is a born artist and his artistry took a turn to another field, photography. I saw musical compositions of the wild being in its surroundings. The wild being took the form of a melody and the surroundings provided harmony. Awesome photographs are clicked when the timing is right and indeed, Roop clicks at the right second,” he avers. Celebrated bariatric surgeon Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala says that Wild Voyage stunningly captivates wildlife for photography enthusiasts. Bringing the same unbridled passion of Roopkumar Rathod’s singing to photography, he divulges that he had a small role to play in pushing his dear friend to take on photography as a hobby. “In this book, he has brought his artistic aesthete, signature detail and an eye for natural beauty to the fore. I would urge everyone to grab a copy!” Apart from these dignitaries, royalties of the likes of Maharaj Shakti Singh Mewar of Udaipur, Rajasthan, acclaimed wildlife photographers Sudhir Shivram and Latika Nath, actor-politician Beena Kak, Vijay Darda of Lokmat group, Dr. Jamuna Pai among others also endorsed the versatile Roopkumar Rathod’s Wild Voyage. More power to wildlife photography with Wild Voyage!

#roopkumarrathod #waheedarahman #anilkumble #Shankar Mahadevan #suniel shetty

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cielrouge · 8 years ago

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2017 YA Reads by Authors of Color

*As per usual, this list will be updated as more covers are revealed

After the Fall by Kate Hart - In a story told from two viewpoints, 17-year-old Raychel relies on the support of her overachieving best friend Matt while secretly sleeping with his brother Andrew, and Matt tries to play hero and hide how much he loves her.

Akata Warrior (Akata Witch #2) by Nnedi Okorafor - A year ago, Sunny Nwazue, an American-born girl Nigerian girl, was inducted into the secret Leopard Society. As she began to develop her magical powers, Sunny learned that she had been chosen to lead a dangerous mission to avert an apocalypse, brought about by the terrifying masquerade, Ekwensu. Now, stronger, feistier, and a bit older, Sunny is studying with her mentor Sugar Cream and struggling to unlock the secrets in her strange Nsibidi book. Eventually, Sunny knows she must confront her destiny, and fight a climactic battle to save humanity.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han - Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for.But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson - 15-year-old Mary B. Addison, once accused of murdering a baby when she was nine, finds herself pregnant after release to a group home - and the only way to keep the baby is to tell the truth about what really happened six years ago.

American Street by Ibi Zobi - On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?

The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian - Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real. But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn’t have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control—can she figure out how to stay true to herself?

Because of the Sun by Jenny Torres Sanchez - 17-year-old Dani struggles with how to process the ambiguous grief she feels in the aftermath of her mother's death after moving to New Mexico with an aunt she never met.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco - Tea's gift for death magic means that she is a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community, but when an older bone witch trains her to become an asha - one who can wield elemental magic - Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice in the face of danger as dark forces approach.

Calling My Name by Liara Tamani - Told in fifty-four short, episodic, moving, and iridescent chapters, this story follows Taja Brown on her journey from middle school to high school.

A Crown of Wishes (Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi - Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor. Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength.

The Closet I’ve Come by Fred Aceves - When Marcos is placed in a new after-school program for troubled teens with potential, he meets Zach, a theater geek whose life seems great on the surface, and Amy, a punk girl who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. These new friendships inspire Marcos to open up to his Maesta crew, too, and Marcos starts to think more about his future and what he has to fight for. Marcos ultimately learns that bravery isn’t about acting tough and being macho; it’s about being true to yourself.

Dark Goddess (Alpha Goddess #2) by Amalie Howard - After an epic struggle that unseated the Asura Lord of Death and placed Serjana Caelum’s best friend, Kyle, on his throne, the Mortal Realm is peaceful and the balance between good and evil—which Sera is sworn to protect—has been restored. But signs of a new threat to the world of men quickly begin to appear: A scourge of demons descends on the Mortal Realm, and Sera is beside herself trying to locate their source. She sends word to the gods for help, and their answer comes in the form of Kira, the living incarnation of Kali, goddess of destruction. Soon Sera and Kyle find themselves fighting not just the demon plague, but Kira and her twin. But when an even more sinister threat arises—putting not just the human world but all planes of existence in jeopardy—they must all learn to work together or lose everything.

Dead Little Mean Girl by Eva Darrows - Unapologetic geek girl Emma’s life is made a living hell by her new stepsister Quinn - until Quinn’s untimely death forces Emma to reexamine everything she thought she knew about her.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone - Justyce McAllister is top of his class, captain of the debate team, and set for the Ivy League next year—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs during the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up. Way up. Much to the fury of the white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. And Justyce and Manny get caught in the crosshairs. In that media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack. The truth of what happened that night—some would kill to know. Justyce is dying to forget.

Dove Alight (Dove Chronicles #3) by Karen Bao - Shy, introverted Phaet Theta has gone from being a top student to an interplanetary fugitive to the reluctant but fierce leader of a revolution. But as the death tolls rise, the cost of the war weighs heavily on Phaet. Phaet started this war because she lost someone she loved. Will she have to lose another to end it?

The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera - After “borrowing” her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot Sanchez is forced to pay off her debts by working in her family's South Bronx grocery store. But she must make the right choices about her friends, her family, and Moises, the good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood.

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza - Two sisters—sole survivors of a murdered royal lineage - must reunite from opposite ends of the galaxy to salvage what's left of their family dynasty and save the universe from a greater threat.

The End of Oz (Dorothy Must Die #4) by Danielle Page - Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to save Kansas and make Oz a free land once more. At the end of Yellow Brick War, Amy had finally defeated Dorothy. Just when she and the rest of the surviving members of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked thought it was safe to start rebuilding the damaged land of Oz, they realized they’ve been betrayed—by one of their own. And Dorothy might not have been so easily defeated after all.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - F.C. Yee - Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets American Born Chinese, wherein 15-year-old Genie Lo wonders if she's qualified enough to gain admission to an Ivy League school, then becomes powerful enough to break through the gates of Heaven with her fists.

Exo by Fonda Lee - For a century now, Earth has been a peaceful colony of an alien race, and Donovan Reyes is a loyal member of the security forces, while his father is the Prime Liaison--but when a routine search and seizure goes bad Donovan finds himself a captive of the human revolutionary group, Sapience, terrorists who seem to prefer war to alien rule, and killing Donovan just might be the incident they are looking for.

Flame in the Mist by Renee Adhieh - The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by the Black Clan. Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of this gang. But she's quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she's ever known.

Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh - Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold anthology—written by the best children’s authors—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. In a partnership with We Need Diverse Books, industry giants Kwame Alexander, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, and Jacqueline Woodson join newcomer Kelly J. Baptist in a story collection that is as humorous as it is heartfelt.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao - A dark and edgy reimagining of the evil queen from Snow White based on Asian folklore and mythology in which Xifeng must unleash a jealous god on the world and set free the viciousness of her own soul in order to become Empress of Feng Lu.

Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Five teens get to know one another and work to overcome the various disorders that have affected their lives, they find themselves forming bonds they never thought they would, discovering new truths about themselves and actually looking forward to the future.

Girl on the Verge by Pintip Dunn - A provocative story about a high school senior, Kanchana, straddling two worlds, unsure how she fits in either—and the journey of self-discovery that leads her to surprising truths.

Good Girls Don’t Lie by Alexandra Diaz - A Mexican-American Juno, a realistic coming-of-age story starring good girl Josie Figueroa.

A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho - Finley returns to her small Maine hometown seeking revenge for the death of her childhood best friend Betty, and explores whether the right kind of boy can get away with killing the wrong kind of girl.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - 16-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed.

Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga - Despite sending him letters ever since she was thirteen, Taliah Abdallat never thought she'd ever really meet her rock star father, Julian Oliver. With her best friend Harlow by her side, Taliah embarks on a three-day journey to find out everything about her 'father' and her family. But Julian isn't the father Taliah always hoped for, and revelations about her mother's past are seriously shaking her foundation. Through all these new experiences, Taliah will have to find new ways to be true to herself, honoring her past and her future.

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen - A scrapbook-style teen guide to understanding what it really means to be a feminist packed with contributions from a diverse range of voices, including celebrities and public figures, and featuring more than forty-four pieces, including an eight-page insert of full-color illustrations.

History Is All You Left Of Me by Adam Silvera - Secrets are revealed as OCD-afflicted Griffin grieves for his first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, who died in a drowning accident. If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.

How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana - This profoundly moving memoir is the remarkable and inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican-American home.

I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo - Desi Lee is a disaster in romance. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds her answer in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years. Armed with her “K Drama Rules for True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

The Inexplicable Logic of My Heart by Benjamin Alire Saenz - Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican-American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?

It’s Not Like It’s A Secret by Misa Sugiura - A not-yet-out lesbian, Japanese-American teenager, Sana Kiyohara, deals with being the new kid at school, has a family with stifling traditional Japanese values (which help protect their secrets), dates a girl who hangs out with a totally different crowd, and makes plenty of mistakes along the way.

Kokoro (Kojiki #2) by Keith Yatsuhashi - Masterfully combining fantasy, science fiction and Japanese mythology, the sequel to Kojiki takes us into the heart of a war that spreads across the worlds.

Legion (Talon #4) by Julie Kagawa - The legions are about to be unleashed, and no human, rogue dragon or former dragon slayer can stand against the coming horde in book 4 out of the Talon series.

The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana - Amrita must unravel the mysteries of her past to save her kingdom, but in doing so, she herself might come unraveled.

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo - Jess Wong is Angie Redmond’s best friend. But when Angie begins to fall for Margot Adams, a girl from the nearby boarding school, Jess can see it coming a mile away. As Angie drags Jess further into Margot’s circle, Jess discovers more than her friend’s growing crush. Secrets and cruelty lie just beneath the carefree surface of this world of wealth and privilege, and when they come out, Jess knows Angie won’t be able to handle the consequences. When the inevitable darkness finally descends, Angie will need her best friend.

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert - A Los Angeles native, black and Jewish Suzette, deals with the aftermath of her stepbrother's mental health crisis and navigating unexpected love.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - A novel in verse about the consequences of street violence, and a second novel tentatively about a crew of young musicians who find their audience in the most unlikely of places.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar - Based on the author's childhood in the 1960s, a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl adjusts to her new life in New York City when her American dream is suddenly derailed.

The Merciless III: Origins of Evil by Danielle Vega - When Brooklyn answers a call on her teen helpline, she finds herself plunged into the cultish community of Christ First Church’s youth group. She's especially drawn to Gavin, the angelic yet tortured pastor's son.Torn between an unstoppable attraction to Gavin and her obsession with the truth, Brooklyn is forced to make a devastating choice to rid Christ Church of evil once and for all...But the devil has plans for Brooklyn's soul.

The Mind Virus (Wired #3) by Donna Freitas - Skylar Cruz’s heart is shattered. But even though everyone has betrayed her, Skylar was able to negotiate a way to open the door between the Real World and the App World. Now Skylar must help the people who left the virtual world behind as they become refugees in the Real World. And for everyone who remained plugged in, a new danger has become evident. Their bodies are mysteriously dying, and it’s because of events Skylar’s sister, Jude, set in motion. A virus has been unleashed that could mean total extinction of the App World—and everyone in it.Skylar and Jude must set aside their differences and work together if they are to defeat the mind virus before the App World fades away into oblivion.

North of Happy by Adi Alsaid - In the wake of his brother's untimely death, teen chef Carlos Portillo runs away from home to find his true path in life.

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate - 17 -year-old theater student and Alto 2 at a Performing Arts boarding school, Jordan Sun, disguises herself as a boy in order to audition for the school's exclusive all-male a cappella group--and discovers a world packed with tradition, rivalry, and debauchery.

One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns #2) by Kendare Blake - The battle for the crown has begun, but which sister will prevail? With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

Overturned by Lamar Giles - Nikki Tate is infamous, even by Las Vegas standards. Her dad is sitting on death row, convicted of killing his best friend. And for five years, he’s maintained his innocence. But Nikki wants no part of that. Then her dad’s murder conviction is overturned. As her dad digs into the seedy underbelly of Vegas, the past threatens everything and Nikki is drawn into his deadly hunt for the truth. But in the city of sin, some sinners will do anything to keep their secrets, and Nikki soon finds herself playing for the biggest gamble ever—her life.

The Place Between Breaths by An Na - 16-year-old Grace is in a race against time—and in a race for her life. She is smart, responsible, and contending with more than what most teens ever have to. Her mother struggled with schizophrenia until, one day, she simply disappeared. Ever since, Grace’s father has worked as a recruiter at one of the leading labs dedicated to studying the disease, hoping against hope to find a cure in time to help his wife if she is ever found. Grace does her part, interning at the lab and one day make a breakthrough, when she stumbles upon a string of code that could be the key. But something inside of Grace has unraveled. Could her discovery just be a cruel side effect of the schizophrenia finally taking hold? Can she even tell the difference between what is real and what isn’t?

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson - Tired of being singled out at her mostly-white private school as someone who needs support, high school junior Jade would rather participate in the school's amazing Study Abroad program than join Women to Women, a mentorship program for at-risk girls.

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Half-Japanese teen Kiko Himura fails to get into art school away from home, leaving her to navigate through social anxiety and microaggressions in a small town, as she reconnects with her childhood crush and learns to stand up to her self-centered mother - all while growing to love the part of her heritage she was never taught to appreciate.

The Savage Dawn (Girl at Midnight #3) by Melissa Grey - Echo awakened the Firebird. Now she is the only one with the power to face the darkness she unwittingly unleashed...right into the waiting hands of Tanith, the new Dragon Prince. Echo might hold the power to face the darkness within the Dragon Prince, but she has far to go to master its overwhelming force. The war has begun, and there is no looking back. There are only two outcomes possible: triumph or death.

The Ship Beyond Time (Girl From Everywhere #2) by Heidi Heilig - In this breathtaking sequel, Nix has escaped her past, but when the person she loves most is at risk, even the daughter of a time traveler may not be able to outrun her fate—no matter where she goes.

They Both Die in the End by Adam Silvera - Set in a near-future New York City where a service alerts people on the day they will die, about two teens who meet using the Last Friend app and are faced with the challenge of living a lifetime on their End Day.

Siege of Shadows (Effigies #2) by Sarah Raughley - Maia and the other Effigies can’t escape the eyes of the press—especially not after failing to capture Saul, whose power to control the monstrous Phantoms has left the world in a state of panic. When Saul suddenly surfaces in the middle of the Sahara desert, the Sect sends Maia and her friends out after him. But instead of Saul, they discover a dying soldier engineered with Effigy-like abilities. And although these soldiers seem to answer to Saul, Maia can’t help but wonder if he has outside help.Yet the looming danger of Saul and this mysterious new army doesn’t overshadow Maia’s fear of the Sect, who ordered the death of the previous Fire Effigy, Natalya. With enemies on all sides and the world turning against them, the Effigies have to put their trust in each other—easier said than done when secrets threaten to tear them apart.

Soulmarked by Shaila Patel - 18-year-old Liam Whelan, an Irish royal empath, has been searching for his elusive soulmate. Laxshmi Kapadia, an Indian-American high school student from a traditional family, faces her mother's ultimatum: Graduate early and go to medical school, or commit to an arranged marriage. When Liam moves next door to Laxshmi, he’s immediately and inexplicably drawn to her. In Liam, Laxshmi envisions a future with the freedom to follow her heart. Liam's father isn't convinced Laxshmi is "The One" and Laxshmi's mother won't even let her talk to their handsome new neighbor. Will Liam and Laxshmi defy expectations and embrace a shared destiny? Or is the risk of choosing one's own fate too great a price for the soulmated?

That Thing We Call A Heart by Sheba Karim - Pakistani American teen, Shabnam Qureshi, living in New Jersey, tells a lie that has unexpected consequences. When her feisty best friend, Farah, starts wearing the headscarf without even consulting her, it unravels their friendship. As Shabnam rebuilds her friendship with Farah and grows closer to her parents, she learns powerful lessons about the importance of love, in all of its forms.

The Victoria In My Head by Janelle Milanes - Cuban-American straight-As student and dutiful daughter Victoria Cruz, defys expectations when she breaks out of her shell to successfully auditions for a local rock band and winds up falling in love with the bad boy frontman.

Vindicated (Emancipated #3) by M.G. Reyes - Murder will out in the shocking conclusion to the Emancipated trilogy, where no one is who they seem and the truth has a nasty habit of showing up uninvited. The six Venice Beach housemates have made some life-alteringly bad decisions since they were each legally emancipated from their parents, including confronting a killer. And the consequences have been deadly. Now, they’re hiding out, trying to find a way out of the mess they’ve made without getting themselves killed when one of the housemates disappears, two fall in love, and another betrays them all. And when the secrets they’ve been keeping are finally laid bare, they’ll wish they’d never started looking for answers in the first place.

Want by Cindy Pon - Set in a teeming, pollution choked Taipei which follows a group of teens living on the seedy fringes of a highly divided society that works only for the elite as they decide to risk everything to take down the powerful company which controls the city,

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - Told in alternating perspectives, When Dimple Met Rishi focuses on two Indian-American teens whose parents have arranged for them to be married.

When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn - Ben Gibson is many things, but he’s not sorry and he’s not a liar. He will tell you exactly about what happened on what started as a simple school camping trip in the mountains. About who lived and who died. About who killed and who had the best of intentions. But he’s going to tell you in his own time. Because after what happened on that mountain, time is the one thing he has plenty of.

Wild Beauty by Anne Marie McLemore - A novel of magical realism, the Nomeolvides women have tended the lust estate grounds of La Pradera which they've grown for generations, until the reemergence of a family curse starts to makes the men they love disappear, again.

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones - 19-year-old Liesl must venture to the Underground when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

You Don’t Know Me But I Know You by Rebecca Barrow - 17-year-old Audrey receives an unexpected letter from her birth mother as she and her boyfriend struggle to decide what to do about an accidental pregnancy, while facing a growing distance with her best friend, keeping secrets of her own.

#authors of color #book recommendations #yalit

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5 heartwarming moments when teenagers appreciated their parents for a change.

When you think of teenagers, “grateful” is probably not the first word that comes to mind.

In fact, teenagers often have the opposite reputation — spoiled, entitled, and selfish. Fittingly, advice for parents of teenagers frequently focuses on how to deal with bad attitudes.

However, labeling all teens inherently ungrateful isn’t totally accurate. Many teenagers actually do appreciate their parents’ hard work, whether it’s cooking, doing their laundry, or helping them study for next morning’s algebra test. Of course, it might be hard to see that gratitude, especially when teens are busy hanging out with friends, texting at the dinner table, or slamming the occasional bedroom door during a disagreement.

Photo via iStock.

So, for parents who are feeling doubtful about whether or not their kids appreciate their hard work, here are five stories of teens who were just waiting for the right moment to show their gratitude.

1. Without money for a gift, this single mom’s daughter made a touching gesture.

When Kira Allen’s daughter Vivian was 17 years old, Kira didn’t think she’d be getting a gift for Mother’s Day.

“As a single mom, I’ve always done my best to meet our necessities,” the California mom explains. She liked to cook for her kids, especially her delicious homemade blueberry-apple crisp.

But that year, Kira says, “We were too broke for gifts.”

Kira was just returning to work after medical leave for issues including severe anemia, sleep apnea, and a high risk for stroke. She’d originally only planned to take two weeks off, but once she got to the bottom of her medical needs, she realized she was in “a battle for survival,” so her medical leave went on for another three and a half months.

However, even though they were short on money, Vivian didn’t want to disappoint her mom by leaving her empty-handed on Mother’s Day, especially after the year she’d had. So, she wrote Kira a heartfelt note.

Vivian’s note to her mother. Image via Kira Allen.

“Dear Queen,” she began. “Without you there is nothing. No sun, no moon, no stars — in my world.”

Today, Vivian is 23 years old and away at college, and she’s missing her mom’s blueberry-apple crisp. But her note is still where she left it, on her mom’s nightstand. “It still means more to me than anything she could have ever purchased,” Kira says.

2. A tattoo went from giving a dad a scare to being his greatest gift.

Photo via iStock.

In April 2018, Richard, a dad from New Jersey, thought he was getting the shock of his life when his 18-year-old son Jonathan sent him this text: “Guess what dad I’m getting a tattoo.”

Richard worried that Jonathan was making a rash decision. However, when he saw what his son chose for his new ink, he was surprised in the best way. Jonathan’s tattoo was a set of Roman numerals marking the day that his dads adopted him.

“I was so taken aback,” Richard told the parenting website Gays With Kids. Jonathan was 5 years old when he was adopted, and as the years passed, his father wondered if he’d forgotten the date. But now, Jonathan’s first tattoo will always remind him that his son is forever thankful for the day they became a family.

3. This daughter’s personalized messages to her mom fit every occasion.

Sarah Davis (left) with her mother, LaTonya. Photo by Holly Pohl Photography, used with permission.

Sarah Davis was 17 years old on Mother’s Day in 2017, and she wanted to give her mom, LaTonya, something unique — a gift LaTonya could enjoy for years to come.

Sarah had recognized the sacrifices that her mom made for her while growing up. In fact, as a teenager, she had even begun taking on some of LaTonya’s household tasks herself in order to give her mom a little extra help. For example, when LaTonya was having a bad day, Sarah would clean the fridge, the pantry, or other common areas.

But to do something really special for Mother’s Day, Sarah wrote a collection of personalized notes along with instructions on which note to read when, such as “when you need a smile,” “when you can’t sleep,” and “when you’re missing me.”

As soon as she saw the instructions, LaTonya had a touching realization: Her daughter must have put a lot of thought into this gift.

Sarah’s instructions for her gift to her mom. Image via LaTonya Davis.

“I haven’t opened all of the notes yet because I feel like it’s the gift I don’t ever want to end,” LaTonya says.

She continues, “[Sarah] regularly shows appreciation for all of the opportunities afforded to her, but this reminded me that she sees me not only as a mom but as a whole person.“

4. A birthday gift got one mom’s unique wishes exactly right.

“Birthdays have always been a source of conflict for me,” Asha Rajan says.

Growing up, she was raised to believe that being a girl or a woman meant making yourself “small” by avoiding drawing attention to yourself. She carried that belief into parenting, often sacrificing her own moments of celebration to make sure her kids received attention instead of herself.

And that’s exactly what made Asha’s 2018 birthday so memorable — her teenage sons, Nik and Milan, got the celebration just right. The day included breakfast by Nik, an ice cream cake with candles, and a homemade card that Milan decorated with a painting he’d made in fifth grade.

Asha with her sons, Milan (left) and Nik (right), in 2014. Image via Asha Rajan.

“Having my teens recognise [my] quandary and celebrate me with love and humor while still not making it too much about me made me feel understood,” she says.

“I adore being the mother of teens — all the smelly sports clothes and wet stinky towels notwithstanding!”

5. This college freshman’s sweet tribute to his dad went viral in his first week of school.

From the first day of kindergarten to college move in. Thank you dad. pic.twitter.com/IpbudBIgdp

— Charles Brockman III (@TheOnlyCharlesB) August 13, 2017

Every year since kindergarten, Charles Brockman III’s first day of school started out the same. His parents, Sherry and Charles Jr., would walk him into school and take a photo.

At times, he found the tradition embarrassing (especially while in high school), but once he left home for the first time to go to college, he actually missed his parents’ annual display of support and encouragement.

So after the 17-year-old settled into his new dorm room as a freshman at Mississippi State University, Charles wanted to say a simple thanks. He tweeted side-by-side photos of his dad walking him to school, along with the words, “From the first day of kindergarten to college move in. Thank you dad.”

By the time classes started, his tribute had been retweeted more than 64,000 times and liked more than 263,000 times.

“[My parents] have pretty much supported me in everything I do,” Charles told NBC News a couple of weeks later. “Knowing that makes me want to be successful and make them proud. I don’t mind sharing that.”

No matter how big or small, a teen’s gesture of appreciation is a reminder to parents everywhere that their love, care, and sacrifice has huge meaning.

Image via iStock.

And kids aren’t the only ones who’d like to celebrate all of the hard-working parents out there. Whirlpool has created “Congrats, parents” as part of its Every day, care® campaign in order to share uplifting messages for the parents of the class of ‘18.

After all, the class of ‘18 wouldn’t have made it to graduation day without the sacrifices that so many parents make for their kids. Throughout the journey towards graduation, those parents have put their time toward preparing their kids’ meals, making sure they always had clean clothes, and keeping the house in order along the way.

That’s why, even when teenagers are caught up in their own lives or when they don’t have money for lavish gifts, they can still find unique ways to reveal just how much they care about their parents. These gestures can appear when you least expect it — which, in turn, makes them all the more meaningful.

Read more: http://www.upworthy.com/5-heartwarming-moments-when-teenagers-appreciated-their-parents-for-a-change

from Viral News HQ https://ift.tt/2Hdfpqi via Viral News HQ

#IFTTT #Viral News HQ

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