Friendship Fiction

Jesse Logan doesn’t want a fresh start. He wants his old life back—before an injury made his career as a firefighter impossible, before his grandfather’s Alzheimer’s got so bad he doesn’t recognize Jesse anymore. When a friend tells him about a paid psychological study, Jesse sees it as a chance to get back to the man he was while making a little extra cash.

Rylee Swanson is beginning eighth grade with zero friends. A humiliating moment at the end-of-seventh-grade pool party involving a cannonball, a waterlogged updo, and some disappearing clothes has Rylee halfway convinced she’s better off without any friends—at least friends like those. The one question Rylee can’t shake is . . . why? When a group assignment in journalism pairs Rylee with science geek DeNia Alonso, DeNia’s annoyingly know-it-all, nerdy personality is both frustration and fuel to Rylee’s search for answers.

An American aircraft carrier blows up and sinks in the Persian Gulf. Was it an accident? A terrorist attack? Does it matter? Maybe not. Not after decades of hostility and brinkmanship between the United States and Iran. And certainly not after a known Iranian-funded and supported terrorist organization launches an attack on an American naval facility in the middle of rescue operations.

Georgie and Connor were once inseparable. Best friends from birth, they did everything together - until Connor's dad got a once-in-a-lifetime job offer and the family relocated to New York. Age 16, Georgie's life is totally different. Balancing school, work, and her dwindling social life is a challenge already, but it gets even more complicated when her conceited ex-best friend - who also happens to hold a major grudge against her for no apparent reason - moves back into town. One thing's for certain: friendship should come with an instruction booklet.

"Love and Friendship" is a short epistolary novel by Jane Austen, written in 1790, when Austen was just 14 years old. The story is told through a series of letters between the characters, primarily the protagonist, Laura, and her close friend, Isabel. The novel is a satirical take on the romantic fiction of the time, with Laura's escapades and misadventures serving as a critique of the societal norms of the day. The story follows Laura's attempts to navigate the social scene and find a suitable husband, which leads to a series of humorous and ridiculous situations.