Cultured, attractive, and strong-willed, Shelby Collins is mature for a sixteen-year-old. Her family lives in Cartersville, Georgia. Her mother has taken a trip to Alabama to tend Shelbys ailing grandmother. Shelby has been left at home to care for her younger brother and sister and to see to the needs of her father. One night her father, who has come home drunk, tries to molest her. Frightened, she fights him off and flees, but it isnt long before her angry father tracks her down and places her in a reform school in distant Birmingham.While Shelby is able to make a new life for herself in Birmingham, she suffers greatly. But, through her many difficulties, she learns that blessings can come in unexpected ways.This poignant and heart-warming novel addresses several fundamental human longings. Is there an overshadowing influence for good that can help direct our lives? Can we learn to trust again after weve been betrayed? Is there a power that can come into our hearts to help us forgive?

Some families are filled with so much love they can’t help but drive each other crazy Shay Henke has mixed feelings about going to her family’s next reunion. On the one hand, she’ll get to see everyone in her mama's family—folks she loves unconditionally. On the other hand, she knows there’ll be more drama than you can shake a stick at. The days leading up to the event bring one surprise after another. First Shay must deal with her sister-in-law’s deep, dark secret. Then she has to contend with the childish ways of her business-mogul twin cousins. And when her high school crush wants to be her date to the reunion . . . well, it may have been a dream come true for Shay’s teen self, but the woman she’s become doesn’t know what to make of this. Shay’s contentment is challenged, and she’s determined to shake things up a bit. But will she find the excitement she’s looking for, or will Shay realize she prefers her quiet and predictable life? One thing is certain: Life in the Bucklin family is never boring.

An historical romance novel by best selling authors Jennifer Youngblood and Sandra PooleA man she couldn't forget ... a second chance to prove that love never fails ... Cultured, graceful, feisty Shelby Collins is the epitome of a southern lady. She tries to prove her competence by looking after her siblings while her mother is away caring for an ailing relative. Shelby's secure world is turned upside down when her father, in a drunken rage, tries to rape her. Fearing others will learn of his treachery, he kidnaps her, takes her to a reform school, and abandons her. In utter despair, Shelby is sure that her life is over-but sometimes blessings come in the most unexpected ways. When a chance meeting brings her face to face with the ruggedly handsome, Harlan Rhodes, Shelby is unprepared for the feelings that stir within her. Hearts collide, and a love in bloom becomes a lasting love that will span time and space. Through a series of unfortunate events, Shelby and Harlan are separated, forcing them to lead separate lives of loneliness and frustration.Years later, when their lives converge, old feelings rekindle, and they must decide if they will risk all to finally be together. Inspired by a true story, this love inspired historical novel is set against the rich tapestry of the South during the late 1920's and early 1930's. It's a story of love, betrayal, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity. It's about a young girl, growing up, who realizes that life is full of second chances, and that it's never too late to learn how to live. "A compelling story of family loyalty, love, loss, and strength, as warm and fertile as the rich red clay of a Georgia field. The inspiring, hardscrabble lives of Depression-era southerners make for a vivid story of love and forgiveness." --Deborah Smith, New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home"Strongly recommended and superbly crafted reading." --Midwest Book Review"With a combination of heartbreak, romance, and triumph, Livin' in High Cotton is a page-turning pleasure." --LDS Living Magazine"You've got to read this book. I loved it. You won't be able to put it down. It evoked so many emotions, and it was easy reading. I felt like I was actually there. It's one of those books you want to pick up and read a second time." --Rilly Winkle, Alabama TV and radio personality

Monumental Decisions is a fictional narrative based on factual events from American history. Beginning in the final days of the American Civil War, the drama chronicles the lives of two Southern American families and their descendants. One is a product of early European migration, and the other is rooted in slavery. Throughout the narrative, the characters are forced to encounter prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and prejudices, as well as the evolution of the American family. As time passes, issues that fueled the Civil War come back to haunt the two families. Confederate monuments built for public spaces remain a constant reminder of the conflict that divided the country. Events that occur in the lives of the characters and the decisions they make in their wake begin to threaten their very survival. Well over a century after the end of the Civil War, the controversy over the display of Confederate monuments among the general public escalates into violence and even murder.

This dirt-under-the-fingernails portrait of a small-time farmer follows Zack Killebrew over a single year as he struggles to defend his cotton against such timeless adversaries as weeds, insects, and drought, as well as such twenty-first-century threats as globalization. Over the course of the season, Helferich describes how this singular crop has stamped American history and culture like no other. Then, as Killebrew prepares to harvest his cotton, two hurricanes named Katrina and Rita devastate the Gulf Coast and barrel inland. Killebrew's tale is at once a glimpse into our nation's past, a rich commentary on our present, and a plain-sighted vision of the future of farming in the Mississippi Delta. On first publication, High Cotton won the Authors Award from the Mississippi Library Association. This updated edition includes a new afterword, which resumes the story of Zack Killebrew and his family, discusses how cotton farming has continued to change, and shows how the Delta has retained its elemental character.

With 101 stories geared just for middle schoolers, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Middle School offers great support and inspiration for ages eleven to fourteen. Middle school is a tough time. And this “support group in a book” is specifically geared to those younger teens -- the ones still worrying about puberty, cliques, discovering the opposite sex, and figuring out who they are. Stories cover regrets, lessons learned, love and “like,” popularity, friendship, divorce, illness and death, embarrassing moments, bullying, and finding a passion.

This new kind of Chicken Soup for the Soul book for preteens is filled with inspiration and advice for growing up and being your best. True stories will inspire you to “think positive” and be the happiest, best version of yourself. These true stories are organized into chapters that will inspire you to: Just Be You – because being yourself is always the right decision Make True Friends – the ones who truly make you happy Do the Right Thing – we know you’ll feel good if you do Go Ahead and Try It – this is the time to explore new sports and activities Face Your Challenges – you’ll see you’re not alone when you do Count Your Blessings – gratitude really is the key to happiness Treasure Your Family – even if they drive you crazy, they’re the best Look Past the Obvious – you’ll gain a new perspective on friends and family