Although perhaps best-known for her lightly humorous fantasies and for her collaborations with Anne McCaffrey on the Petaybee series and the Acorna series, Elizabeth Anne Scarborough has also written Healer's War, a classic novel of the Vietnam War, enriched with a magical, mystical twist, which won the 1989 Nebula Award for Best Novel of 1988. The Minneapolis Star Tribune called it "A brutal and beautiful book." Scarborough herself was a nurse in Vietnam during the war and she draws on her own personal experiences to create the central character, Lt. Kitty McCulley. McCulley, a young and inexperienced nurse tossed into a stressful and chaotic situation, is having a difficult time reconciling her duty to help and heal with the indifference and overt racism of some of her colleagues and with the horrendously damaged soldiers and Vietnamese civilians whom she encounters during her service at the China Beach medical facilities. She is unexpectedly helped by the mysterious and inexplicable properties of an amulet, given to her by one of her patients, an elderly, dying Vietnamese holy man, which allows her to see other people's "auras" and to understand more about them as a result. This eventually leads to a strange, almost surrealistic journey through the jungle, accompanied by a one-legged boy and a battle-seasoned but crazed soldier and, by the end of the journey, McCulley has found herself and a way to live and survive through the madness and destruction.

Banana Yoshimoto's novels have made her a sensation in Japan and all over the world, and Kitchen, the dazzling English-language debut that is still her best-loved book, is an enchantingly original and deeply affecting book about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, the heroine of Kitchen, is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, she is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother (who was once his father), Eriko. As the three of them form an improvised family that soon weathers its own tragic losses, Yoshimoto spins a lovely, evocative tale that recalls early Marguerite Duras. Kitchen and its companion story, "Moonlight Shadow," are elegant tales whose seeming simplicity is the ruse of a writer whose voice echoes in the mind and the soul.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 465-467)

Three nights of terror at the house called Edbrook. Three nights in which David Ash, there to investigate a haunting will be victim of horrifying and maleficent games. Three nights in which he will face the blood-chilling enigma of his own past. Three nights before Edbrook's dreadful secret will be revealed . . . And the true nightmare will begin.

Is this really goodbye for the recent graduates of Westerly High as they get ready to start their new lives? High school is over, graduation already fading into memory. Kip, Anne, Beth Rose, Emily, and Molly are getting ready for one last party before they head off in different directions. Anne has a great new job that will take her all over the world. But it means leaving Con, the boy she loves, behind. Kip is going off to college, a thrilling—and terrifying—prospect. Emily’s engaged, but now Matt is making her think twice about marrying him. Beth will be the only one staying in Westerly . . . with Molly, who never belonged to the in-crowd in the first place, and now there’s no in-crowd left. For these girls of summer, their last night together has to be perfect. It will be a time of goodbyes and new romance as they all wonder: Will they ever belong to any place or person again? Ever have friends like these again? Ever see one other again? 

Newly repackaged, here is the runaway bestseller that launched Dale Brown's phenomenal career. "A superbly crafted adventure." (W.E.B. Griffin) "Suspenseful and spellbinding." (Clive Cussler)From Publishers WeeklyIt is not the Reagan Administration that has secretly been developing a Strategic Defense Initiative in this first book by retired USAF Captain Brown, but the Soviets, and as soon as the system comes on line, the Russians flagrantly attack American intelligence and military craft with their laser weapon. The President and his advisors appeal to the UN Security Council; they even dispatch sophisticated B-1 bombers and a new, armed space satellite, but both are thwarted, and the U.S. is left dangerously incapable of detecting a missile launch from the eastern U.S.S.R. Desperate, they decide to send a souped-up veteran B-52 bomber, the Old Dog, and its expert navigator Patrick McLanahan on a crucial mission into Siberia to neutralize the death ray. Brown knows his airborne and naval high-tech equipment and the cockpit bantering of crews, and can tell a basically interesting story. He does not, however, examine the frightening political consequences of the superpowers trading shots. The novel's excitement is essentially that of a boy's adventure fantasy rather than the well-realized suspense of a credible thriller. 75,000 first printing; $75,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections; Military Book Club selection; author tour. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review“A superbly crafted adventure…Exciting.” —W.E.B. Griffin, bestselling author of the Brotherhood of War series “Suspenseful and spellbinding.” —Clive Cussler “A page-turner…an adventure story with an eerie sense of reality…a premise that is possibly the most frightening since Fail Safe.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch “Excitement…Brown knows his airborne and Naval high-tech.” —Publishers Weekly “Terrific…a gripping thriller…a shattering climax.” —Stephen Coonts

For a group of five girls at Westerly High, the last dance of the year will be filled with magic, moonlight, and end-of-year romance—or will it? Midnight will mark the end of one era . . . and the beginning of another. Kip wishes she could turn back the clock. A few months ago, two boys were competing for her. Now she has no one—just four younger brothers who drive her crazy. One kiss, and Gary turned Beth Rose into a princess. But her Prince Charming has moved on, and Beth’s date for the New Year’s Eve Ball is a friend’s kid brother. Moving in with Anne saved Emily when her parents separated. She may not have Anne’s poise or beauty, but she has Matt, a boy who seems to truly love her. Anne isn’t the same girl she was last year. And she’s lost Con, the love of her life. Molly hates the other girls. And when this night is over, revenge will be sweet indeed. In the grand ballroom of a hotel, on the last Saturday night of the year, New Year’s Eve will bring joy, heartbreak, one surprise proposal . . . and unexpected love. 

In the climactic conclusion of the "Darksword Trilogy," Joram returns from Beyond to claim his heritage and, as King, to lead his people in an epic confrontation against the forces of evil.

They're lean, they're mean, they're the pride of Stoneybrook. Who are they? They're Kristy's Krushers! When Kristy sees how much her little brothers and sister want to play softball, she starts a rag-tag team of her own. Maybe Kristy's Krushers aren't world champions (how could they be, with Jackie Rodowsky, walking disaster, playing for them?), but nobody beats them when it comes to team spirit. Now Bart's Bashers have challenged the Krushers to a real live game. It's bad enough that the Bashers truly are lean and mean-but what's worse is that Kristy has a crush on the Bashers' coach. A crush with a capital C!

From Publishers WeeklyThis engrossing book portrays how easily even "good" kids can lose control of themselves and do cruel and horrible things. Seven junior-high-school students (all "second-bests") led by narrator Jared and best friend Cheryl form the Shadow Club to get back at the "unbeatables" who make their lives miserable. Revenge tastes very sweet when they play humiliating practical jokes on all the school's first-bests, including track star Austin, Jared's nemesis. Any qualms that Jared has about the club get tossed aside when he's acknowledged as president. And, though he calls a temporary halt to the pranks, someone starts playing really dangerous tricks. Events come to a head when Austin is seriously injured. Sure that school weirdo Tyson is the culprit, the Shadow Club captures him. Jared leads the others in beating him up, then almost causes the boy's death. In the thrilling denouement, Jared learns where the blame really lies. Shusterman vividly conveys the overwhelming qualities of violent emotions and chillingly shows how a group of "nice" people can become an ugly, vengeful mob. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library JournalGrade 8 Up A group of competitive high-school students, all second best in their areas of talent, form a secret club in order to pull anonymous practical jokes on their rivals. The pranks, which at first are humiliating but harmless, escalate to the point that they result in vandalism and injury and nearly cause a student's death. Shusterman's focus is on how the actions of these teens create a power that feeds on a previously hidden cruel or evil side of their personalities. This is strong material, and sections of the book have a punch that matches the subject. The dialogue of the teens, their concerns, and especially their feelings, are on target. Unfortunately, most of the book lacks suspense. The club members believe that an unpopular student who has eavesdropped on them is responsible for some of the more vicious pranks, but this is such an obvious red herring that the drama of the situation is lost. This book is neither as complex nor as well written as Robert Cormier's novels, but as its premise and tone hold interest, The Shadow Club may appeal to Cormier's fans and those readers who are not yet ready for his books. David Gale, ``School Library Journal''Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

EDITORIAL REVIEW: **WILD CARDS V: DOWN AND DIRTY George R.R. Martin, ed.** The fifth volume in the Wild Cards alternate universe saga is set in the New York City of 1986. The simmering streets of Jokertown have erupted, as gang war breaks out between ruthless rivals: the Shadow Fists and the Mafia. As the violence rages out of control, even the metahuman Aces and Jokers alike are forced to go underground and wage their own war against the powers of the netherworld! • The fifth volume of the reissued "shared world" superhero series created by current *New York Times* bestselling author George R.R. Martin. • First trade paperback edition! • Features stories by ROGER ZELAZNY, MELINDA M. SNODGRASS, GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, and ARTHUR BYRON COVER. • Cover art by internationally acclaimed artist BRIAN BOLLAND.

The Andean Cloud Forest in Ecuador is mysterious and beautiful. Trace Rawlings is a man who lives by his own rules. Ruthless and domineering, he takes what he wants. But Cynthia is used to someone trying to manipulate her, having dealt with her father all her life. She feels sure she can handle Trace. After all, he's just there to guide her through the treacherous forest, right?

Everyone knows Sam Krupnik. He's Anastasia's pesty but lovable younger brother. This is Sam's big chance to tell things exactly the way he sees them.  He has his own ideas about haircuts, nursery school, getting shots, and not eating broccoli.  Sam thinks a lot about being bigger and stronger, about secret codes and show-and-tell. Make way for your little brother, Anastasia.  Here for the first time is Sam Krupnik's life story.  What a life!

(my conversion)This collection of twenty-two tales depicting the marvels of the universe includes the story of a little guy who gets sweet revenge, an antigravity field day with a flying saucer fan, and a chess game to end the human race