"Sam was a born hockey player. Twelve-year-old Sam Parker has dealt with a lot over the past two seasons of hockey — a concussion, a bully, and a divorce. He has overcome all of those challenges, not to mention keeping his grades up at school. Plus, he and his best friend Jill have discovered they have feelings for each other. Things are going well for him. Then, his divorced parents both start dating again, which is weird and makes him a little angry for reasons he can’t entirely explain. The worst part might be Breck, the son of the woman his father is dating. Like Sam, Breck is a hockey player. When both of them try out for the same varsity squad, the competition is fierce. Even when the dust settles on tryouts, the rivalry between Sam and Breck runs through the entire season… and not just on the ice. Breck seems to be taking Sam’s place in his dad’s life and Sam doesn’t like that one bit. In hockey, line changes are simple — tired players get off the ice, new players go on. Sam learns that, in life, change is anything but simple… or easy. And the meaning of “family” isn’t always the same for everyone. Line Changes is the fourth and final peewee book in the Sam the Hockey Player series."
"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
Fleetwood Mac Conroy has experienced something no parent should ever have to go through. In the aftermath, his world has fallen apart. Now he is holed up in a motel in Leavenworth, Washington, trying to work up the courage to end his life.
Tara has been working at a restaurant In Leavenworth for the last few weeks, trying to outrun guilt and anger.
The Singer is on a solo tour, trying to salvage his career and his personal life, both of which are in shambles.
In one way or another, for better or worse, each of them will find each other and discover what it truly means to live in… a village of strangers.
A dark, difficult, and ultimately heart-warming journey told in a non-linear fashion that explores the power of music, the pain of great loss, and the strength of tenacity."
"Everything should be great for young hockey player Sam Parker. He has just turned twelve. He plays center on The Rockets, the team he's been on since Mites. His best friend, Jill, is the goaltender. And he just had his birthday. So why isn't he happy? It's simple-because his parents are still getting a divorce. The bombshell news that landed last fall has a daily impact on Sam. His life is changing-in more ways than just this-and he struggles to keep on top of everything. School, friends, shuttling between his house and his dad's new apartment... it all seems too much. He feels like he's double-shifting and doesn't know if he's coming or going. So Sam devises a plan to get his parents back together. All it will take is becoming a star player. What could go wrong? A lot, it turns out."
"Cal Baker is a lifelong rocker who had a number one hit in 1979. Since then, he's managed to barely cling to a career by chasing every musical trend that looked promising. Along the way, he was married and divorced a dozen times. Now, he's sixty-two and his thirteenth wife informs him that she wants a divorce, threatening to make it a baker's dozen of divorces. On top of that, the timing couldn't be worse, as he has a new record coming out soon.
This news sends Cal on a quest to discover why this keeps happening to him. He reaches out to all of his ex-wives, searching for the answer that will help him save his marriage, so he won't have to get... A Baker's Divorce."
"Eleven-year-old Sam Parker is a hockey player who has always had fun playing the game. But that was before a bully at school starts hounding him. To make matters worse, even the refs seem to have it in for him, making a series of bad calls that costs his team a game. Flustered by the constant hassle from the bully and his gang and frustrated with the way things are going on the ice, Sam decides to take things into his own hands to solve both problems. His choices only make things worse, and his troubles seem to pile up. Worse yet, no one seems to understand — not his teachers, not his parents, and not even his best friend, Jill. Sam will have to figure out how to solve this problem and learn how to deal with frustrating and unfair events – both on and off the ice. Play through it. Life is hockey. Hockey is Life."
"Eleven-year-old Sam Parker is a hockey player entering the first year in which body checking is allowed. His natural fear of getting hit is temporarily overshadowed by finding out his parents are getting divorced. Determined to keep them together by being a hockey superstar, Sam instead suffers a bone-crunching check from the school bully in his first game of the season. The resulting pain and fear brings out the worst in Sam as one difficulty after another piles on. Even his best friend, Jill, doesn't always seem to understand what he's going through. Sam has to learn how to get up after life knocks you down - both on and off the ice. Fall Down. Get up. Fall Down. Get up. Life is hockey. Hockey is Life."
"Roman Britain, 60 CE.
Appius and Titus, Roman soldiers, march toward Camulodunum to put down Boudicca's revolt. But the night before, Titus has some a pressing philosophical question for his brother-in-arms. It is one that Appius initially answers easily, but the more they discuss the question, the more he struggles for a true answer.
'Why do we fight?'
Before he can fully examine this compelling question, Appius and his cohort are thrust into combat against the fierce Iceni in a pitched battle for control of southern Britain."
"All That Counts is a novel about life and a man's discovery about what is truly important in it.
Graham Wilson is a thirty-something recreational hockey player who decides to follow a long-held desire to become a goaltender. His transition is both comedic and inspiring as he seeks to challenge himself in the midst of a mundane life. Also on display is the curious paradox of the recreational game in American culture (i.e., it means everything, but it is only a game, but it is more than a game, but...). When his team's regular goalie leaves, Graham steps unsteadily into the crease, causing conflict on a team that is used to winning.
Graham's journey is a microcosm of life. Humor, inspiration, camaraderie, love and spite all make their appearances both on and off the ice as Graham struggles to learn what truly is 'all that counts.'"
Join our community for the latest bookish news, reading recommendations, exclusive opening extracts, author events and competitions. It\'s all free. And enter a monthly draw to win a £50 Gift Card. See past winners here
