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Controlled (The Alternative)
by Patrick JonesRachel's junior year is going to be perfect—she's taking AP classes, is first-chair viola, and is busy planning her college visits. Then Misty, Rachel's wild and unpredictable cousin, lands on her parents' doorstep and turns Rachel's orderly world upside-down. Rachel's family hopes enrolling Misty in Rondo Alternative High School will help with her behavior issues, but her rough past and reckless choices make her a force to be reckoned with. As Rachel gets pulled deeper into Misty's dark secrets, she’ll have to figure out if can she transform the uncontrollable Misty—or will it be Misty who transforms her?
Doing Right (Locked Out)
by Patrick JonesEvery adult wants to give DeQuin advice. His father, who's serving a life sentence, thinks DeQuin needs to toughen up. His uncle wants DeQuin to work hard and keep his head down. Then there's his grandfather, lecturing DeQuin at every turn―when he's not rambling about his glory days in the 1960s civil rights movement. DeQuin is doing fine without their help―until a fun night with friends gets out of control. Now he has to deal with the fallout. Should he fight, as his dad suggests? Should he run and hide, as his uncle would do? Or should he follow his grandfather's example of peaceful resistance? Whatever he chooses, he's still just one confrontation away from losing everything.
Drift: Nissan Skyline (Turbocharged)
by Patrick JonesThe great thing about drifting, thinks Kekoa, is that it's more about skill than expensive parts. That's good for him. Since his mom left him on the island with his grandma, his Nissan Skyline 350 is all he has to his name. Life is the opposite for Billy Cain, who can buy his way into or out of anything. But when Billy's antics threaten the few things Kekoa cares about, they'll put it to the test: does skill or money win out when it comes to wheels, winding mountain roads, honor, and love? Includes real tech specs and tuning details for the Nissan Skyline 350!
Fight or Flee (Unbarred)
by Patrick JonesDo the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. When Hinton Helsinger leaves the Youth Correctional Center, he's set on reforming his impulsive ways. But things at home have changed: his dad has been killed, his mom's remarried his uncle, and his uncle is the new kingpin of the family gang that controls the town's drug trade. Threatened by Hinton's return, Hinton's uncle hatches a sinister plot using Hinton's girlfriend, Olivia, as a pawn. As Hinton struggles between the impulse to avenge his dad's death and the desire to seek a way out of that corrupt life, he embarks on a downward spiral of revenge and madness from which he and those he loves are unlikely to escape. This modern twist on Shakespeare's Hamlet explores the themes of reform, revenge, and self-destruction.
Freedom Flight (Support and Defend)
by Patrick JonesHaving a parent return from military duty is a dream come true. But sometimes, coming home comes with problems. When Paige's mom returns from her final tour of Air Force duty, Paige couldn't be happier for things to go back to normal. But before long, Paige realizes her mom brought something else back with her—an addiction to pain pills. The irritable, medicated, zombie version of her mom isn't the person Paige wanted to come home. She'll try anything to get through to her mom and help her with her painful secret. But can Paige get her mom clean without ruining their relationship and her own ROTC dreams?
Friend or Foe (Unbarred)
by Patrick JonesDo the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Ian's band is finally taking off. But the band's front man and Ian's best friend, Orlando, can't catch a break as a black kid in their white town. Tension with a security guard lands both Ian and Orlando in jail, and when Orlando is held indefinitely, someone will need to take over the band until he gets out. When Orlando chooses Chase, the band's bassist, to step in, Ian is slighted. As Ian's resentment builds, he plots his revenge. One by one, he turns his bandmates against one another, with tragic results. As Ian holds his friends close and his enemies closer, no one can tell which is which—until it's too late. This modern twist on Shakespeare’s Othello takes a gritty look at betrayal, revenge, and obsession.
The Gamble (Bareknuckle)
by Patrick JonesFor years, Leung has been learning Wing Chun. This fighting art demands balance. It makes Leung find his center. So when Leung sees the boxing matches at New York's Woodrat Club, he’s shocked by the fighters' wild, sloppy styles. But he can't stop watching. Leung's Irish friend, Sean, thinks that Leung could conquer the bareknuckle boxing scene. But first, Leung's uncles, Tso and Nang, have to approve. Then Leung will have to learn to ignore jeers and hard stares—because he'll be fighting before a crowd that wants to see a Chinese immigrant lose.
Guarding Secrets (Locked Out)
by Patrick JonesEveryone has secrets in high school. But no one has a secret quite like Camila Hernandez's. For as long as Camila can remember, her mother has been in prison. And Camila has tried to make sure no one finds out. She avoids all friendships. She keeps to herself. Because if people get too close to her, they might find out the truth. And once they know, they will see her only as a criminal's daughter. Sure, some of Camila's classmates also have parents doing time. But her mother isn't any ordinary criminal. Her mother is on death row.
Head Kick (The Dojo)
by Patrick JonesNong Vang dreams that one day he'll be an MMA superstar. He can trash-talk with as much force as his deadly kicks. But being a hero in his real life hinges on more than his first amateur MMA fight—it means struggling through school and protecting his family from his bully big brother. Can he find the courage and skill to succeed inside the cage and out?
Heart or Mind (Unbarred)
by Patrick JonesDo the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Tension between African Americans and Somalis at Rodney's high school erupts into a food fight that turns into a riot. In the midst of the violence, Rodney helps a Somali classmate to safety. Soon Rodney and Jawahir fall for each other. Against the pleas of their families and friends, they can't help but follow their hearts. As groups on both sides of the fight harbor lingering resentment, Rodney and Jawahir are caught in the middle. Rodney is determined to avoid trouble, having served a previous stint at the County Home School. But in a world where hate seems to rule, can Rodney and Jawahir keep their flame of love alive? Or will their relationship ignite a fire that destroys all in its path? This modern twist on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet explores the themes of love vs. loyalty and societal clashes.
On Guard (Bounce)
by Patrick JonesPoint guard Mercedes Morgan is on track to set the all-state record for three-pointers. She's even caught the attention of a big-time college recruiter. But her sister has fallen in with a gang from the old neighborhood, and a drive-by shooting lands her in a coma. Now their little brother might be headed down the same dangerous path. Can the star player help her family leave the past behind them while also saving her season, or will they always be on guard?
Out of the Tunnel (The Red Zone #1)
by Patrick JonesIn Troy, Ohio, there's Trojan football and then there's everything else. It's been that way as long as anyone can remember. But it's been more than a decade since Troy took home the state title. This season, they finally have a chance to end the drought. Brian Norwood is the son of a Trojan football legend. His father starred on the last championship team—an undefeated team. And it seems like every sacred Trojan tradition began with his dad. Now Brian is the starting tight end—a member of the team's inner circle. He's finally living up to his father's expectations. But being one of Troy's privileged few is not at all what Brian expected.
Outburst (The Alternative)
by Patrick JonesAfter serving time for assault, Jada lands in foster care and a new school to try to turn her life around. She knows she has to control her bursts of anger if she wants to go home to her mom. But the Markhams' house rules are unbearable. And what makes the staff at Rondo Alternative High School any different from the teachers who've written her off before? When tensions flare, Jada is put to the test. Can she find the strength to make the right decisions and regain her mom's trust—before it's too late?
Pass It Forward (Bounce)
by Patrick JonesLucas has big dreams of getting a basketball scholarship and helping his mom out of poverty. When a growth spurt helps Lucas become a force on the court, his dreams finally seem within reach. But Lucas's brother tries to steer him toward a very different path: making easy money on the street. Can Lucas keep his focus and stay true to his dream?
Raising Heaven (Locked Out)
by Patrick JonesDeja's mom has never been there when Deja needed her. She's lied, run off, and gotten into trouble with the law more times than anyone can count. She always promises to change―and always breaks those promises. Now―seventeen years after Deja was born in prison―her mom is back behind bars and having another baby. Deja agrees to raise baby Heaven until her mother returns home. She's determined to give Heaven the loving family life Deja never had. But being a substitute parent is harder than Deja expected. She'll need help from her friends, her grandmother, and even the mother she stopped trusting a long time ago. And she hopes that maybe―just maybe―she can keep her promises to Heaven.
Returning to Normal (Locked Out)
by Patrick JonesLife is looking up for Xavier. Things are good with Jennie, his baseball coach believes in him, he's earned the role of closer, and his dad's coming home after serving ten years. But making up for lost time with his dad doesn't go as Xavier had hoped. It seems his dad's always angry with him. Or drinking. Or out. Or lecturing Xavier on what it means to be a man. When the tension at home builds, Xavier's own hot temper flares, threatening to send him down the same path as his father. Xavier is determined to make a different life. Can he figure out how to control his actions to keep his baseball dreams alive?
Side Control (The Dojo)
by Patrick JonesJackson James wants three things: to succeed in MMA, to join the military like his father, and to protect his little brother from ending up in trouble like he did. But it's a challenge to stay in control of his life at school, at home, and at the dojo—especially with the distraction of Tyresha Harris, one of the new female fighters. When faced with tough choices, can Jackson learn to make the right ones inside the cage and out?
Slammed: Honda Civic (Turbocharged)
by Patrick JonesDeAndre knows racing again could land him back in reform school—or this time, behind bars. But even with his Honda Civic impounded, he can't stay away. Especially when he gets the chance to go head-to-head with Ali, who stole DeAndre's girlfriend, Nikki. When others aren't playing fair, DeAndre will have to decide: How can he tell who's on his side? And is earning back his credibility worth risking his life? Includes real tech specs and tuning details for the Honda Civic
Taking Sides (Locked Out)
by Patrick JonesTodd and Tina Morgan were both there the night their mother died. They both saw their father kill her. But they can't agree on what actually happened. To Tina, their father is a murderer. Their mother was trying to defend herself. To Todd, their father is a protector. He saved Todd and Tina when their mother turned a knife on them. Now their father is on the run. Todd and Tina are in separate foster placements. Todd knows there's only one way to clear his dad's name: get Tina to change her story. Get her to tell the truth. But the truth may not be as simple as Todd thought. Whose story is right? And whose side should Todd really be on?
Target (The Alternative)
by Patrick JonesMoving off the reservation and enrolling at Rondo Alternative High School is supposed to give Frankie a new start. But leaving gang life proves harder than Frankie ever imagined, as his cousins are set on bringing him into the family's dirty business. When Frankie's father is brutalized in prison by a rival gang, Frankie is faced with a decision. Will he take revenge and prove his loyalty to his people? Or can he keep his promise to his mother and find a way out?
To the Point (Bounce)
by Patrick JonesRandy prides himself on being all a team captain should be. He expects a lot from himself and from his teammates. But his high standards are challenged when he discovers some players are cheating in school. Although he takes his role as team captain seriously, Randy's worried that exposing the wrongdoing of teammates will put their tournament in jeopardy. Is he ready to take that risk?
Triangle Choke (The Dojo)
by Patrick JonesHector's father used to be a Golden Gloves champion boxer. Now he's an unemployed alcoholic. Hector is trying to stay focused on winning his first amateur MMA fight, but it's not easy when his dad is MIA, his mom is against his training, and his best friend and girlfriend have betrayed him. Can he find the right moves to win over his opponents inside the cage and out?
At All Costs (The Red Zone #4)
by Patrick Jones Brent ChartierKyle and Mike share a dream of playing college football. They're both members of the Central High Trojans. And lately their dream is in danger, because Mike has taken some serious hits. A head injury is affecting his performance on the field—and it might mean he'll have serious health problems. When Kyle figures out a way to cheat the football program's new concussion tests, he decides he's protecting Mike's chances of playing college ball. But is he also putting Mike at risk of further harm? And when Mike's symptoms get worse, will Kyle pressure his friend to leave the game—or pressure him to play?
Collateral Damage (Support and Defend)
by Patrick Jones Brent ChartierHaving a parent return from military duty is a dream come true. But sometimes, coming home comes with problems. Tyshawn can't wait to show off his three-pointers. His dad, a former basketball star and a sergeant in the US Army, is finally coming home from overseas. But Ty isn't prepared for how serious his dad's traumatic brain injury is. Neither is his mom. When Ty is left to care for his dad, it's hard to keep up with his own life—and his girlfriend, his coach, and his teachers all take notice. He may not be the injured one, but he needs to figure out how to cope with this new situation—and fast.
The Franchise (The Opportunity)
by Patrick Jones Brent ChartierLatrell Baker's scientific approach to football—watching football—has finally paid off. Harmon Holt heard about the algorithm he developed for determining best defensive play, and now Latrell's landed himself an internship with the NFL's LA Stars. But he'll soon discover that working in pro football involves more politics and secrets than science.