We Can Only Save Ourselves

We Can Only Save Ourselves
Author: Alison Wisdom
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2021-02-02
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0062996150

"Alison Wisdom's addictive, down-the-rabbit-hole debut reads like The Girls by way of The Virgin Suicides, with an extra dash of Cheever's unsettling suburbia. The result is sinister and surprising: a novel I couldn't put down, and one that I kept thinking about long after I'd reached its unexpected, chilling end." —Emily Temple, author of The Lightness One of Newsweek, Bustle, and LitHub's Most Anticipated Books and Goodreads' "Debut Novels to Discover in 2021," We Can Only Save Ourselves is the story of one teenage girl’s unlikely indoctrination and the reverberations in the tight-knit community she leaves behind. Alice Lange’s neighbors are proud to know her—a high-achieving student, cheerleader, and all-around good citizen, she’s a perfect emblem of their sunny neighborhood. The night before she’s expected to be crowned Homecoming Queen, though, she commits an act of vandalism, then disappears, following a magnetic stranger named Wesley to a bungalow in another part of the state. There, he promises, Alice can be her true self, shedding the shackles of conformity. At the bungalow, however, she learns that four other young women seeking enlightenment and adventure have already followed him there. Her new lifestyle is intoxicating at first, but as Wesley’s demands on all of them increase, the house becomes a pressure cooker—until one day they reach the point of no return. Back home, the story of Alice’s disappearance and radicalization is framed by the first-person plural chorus of the mothers who knew her before, who worry about her, but also resent the tear she made in the fabric of their perfect world, one that exposes the question: Isn’t suburbia a kind of cult unto itself? Combining the sharp social critique of Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere with the elegiac beauty of Emma Cline’s The Girls, this is a fierce literary debut from a writer to watch.

Girls Save the World in This One

Girls Save the World in This One
Author: Ash Parsons
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 434
Release: 2020-04-14
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 052551533X

"A ravenous read." --Kirkus Reviews Shaun of the Dead meets Clueless in this hilarious YA horror comedy set at a local zombie convention--featuring a teenage girl gang that has to save the world from a horde of actual zombies. Perfect for fans of Geekerella, Undead Girl Gang, and Anna and the Apocalypse. Mega-fan June Blue's whole life has been leading up to this moment: ZombieCon!The Ultimate in Undead Entertainment has finally come to her hometown. She and her two best friends--gorgeous, brilliant Imani and super-sweet, outrageously silly Siggy--plan on hitting all the panels and photo ops, and meeting the heartthrob lead of their favorite zombie apocalypse show, Human Wasteland. It's going to be the best time of their lives--and one of their last adventures before they all split up for college. And when they arrive, everything seems perfect. June's definitely not going to let anything get in the way of the flawless con experience--even though she's endlessly anxious about the SATs and college admissions, and she can't seem to avoid her ex-best friend Blair, whose VIP badge lets her walk straight to the front of every single line. No matter what, June is determined to make the best of her dream day at ZombieCon! But something's not quite right at the con--there are strange people in hazmat suits running around, enthusiastic cosplayers taking their shambling a little too far, and someone actually biting a cast member. Then, at a panel gone wrong, June and her friends discover the truth: the zombie apocalypse is here. Now June, Imani, and Siggy must do whatever it takes to survive a horde of actual flesh-eating zombies-- and save the world. A hilarious and heartfelt horror comedy, that is an ode to zombies, friendship, and girl power. Praise for Girls Save the World in This One: "Readers looking for all of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the zombie apocalypse will be absolutely thrilled to read this book . . . . Hand this book to anyone who likes zombie apocalyptic horror." --Booklist "This fun coming-of-age story tackles popular topics such as cons and zombies with an inclusive cast of characters, and highlights the power of friendship and strong women. VERDICT: For those who love zombies and action-packed books, as well as reluctant readers."--School Library Journal "An excellent read for any teen who loves thrills, action, and stories of survival." --Publishers Weekly

Ambulance Girl

Ambulance Girl
Author: Jane Stern
Publisher: Crown
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2004-04-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1400048699

The basis for the movie starring Kathy Bates, Ambulance Girl is an inspiring story by a woman who found, somewhat late in life, that “in helping others I learned to help myself.” Jane Stern was a walking encyclopedia of panic attacks, depression, and hypochondria. Her marriage of more than thirty years was suffering, and she was virtually immobilized by fear and anxiety. As the daughter of parents who both died before she was thirty, Stern was terrified of illness and death, and despite the fact that her acclaimed career as a food and travel writer required her to spend a great deal of time on airplanes, she suffered from a persistent fear of flying and severe claustrophobia. Yet, this fifty-two-year-old writer decided to become an emergency medical technician. Stern tells her story with great humor and poignancy, creating a wonderful portrait of a middle-aged, Woody Allen–ish woman who was “deeply and neurotically terrified of sick and dead people,” but who went out into the world to save other people’s lives as a way of saving her own. Her story begins with the boot camp of EMT training: 140 hours at the hands of a dour ex-marine who took delight in presenting a veritable parade of amputations, hideous deformities, and gross disasters. Jane—overweight and badly out of shape—had to surmount physical challenges like carrying a 250-pound man seated in a chair down a dark flight of stairs. After class she did rounds in the emergency room of a local hospital. Each call Stern describes is a vignette of human nature, often with a life in the balance. From an AIDS hospice to town drunks, yuppie wife beaters to psychopaths, Jane comes to see the true nature and underlying mysteries of a town she had called home for twenty years. Throughout the book we follow her as she gets her sea legs, bonds with the firefighters who become her colleagues, and eventually, comes to be known as Ambulance Girl.

Reviving Ophelia

Reviving Ophelia
Author: Mary Pipher, PhD
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 347
Release: 2005-08-01
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 110107776X

#1 New York Times Bestseller The groundbreaking work that poses one of the most provocative questions of a generation: what is happening to the selves of adolescent girls? As a therapist, Mary Pipher was becoming frustrated with the growing problems among adolescent girls. Why were so many of them turning to therapy in the first place? Why had these lovely and promising human beings fallen prey to depression, eating disorders, suicide attempts, and crushingly low self-esteem? The answer hit a nerve with Pipher, with parents, and with the girls themselves. Crashing and burning in a “developmental Bermuda Triangle,” they were coming of age in a media-saturated culture preoccupied with unrealistic ideals of beauty and images of dehumanized sex, a culture rife with addictions and sexually transmitted diseases. They were losing their resiliency and optimism in a “girl-poisoning” culture that propagated values at odds with those necessary to survive. Told in the brave, fearless, and honest voices of the girls themselves who are emerging from the chaos of adolescence, Reviving Ophelia is a call to arms, offering important tactics, empathy, and strength, and urging a change where young hearts can flourish again, and rediscover and reengage their sense of self.

The Girls in the Wild Fig Tree

The Girls in the Wild Fig Tree
Author: Nice Leng'ete
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2021-09-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0316267864

An "elegant and inspiring memoir" by the human rights activist who changed the minds of her elders, reformed traditions from the inside, and is creating a better future for girls and women throughout Africa (Sonia Faleiro, New York Times). Nice Leng`ete was raised in a Maasai village in Kenya. In 1998, when Nice was six, her parents fell sick and died, and Nice and her sister Soila were taken in by their father’s brother, who had little interest in the girls beyond what their dowries might fetch. Fearing “the cut” (female genital mutilation, a painful and sometimes deadly ritualistic surgery), which was the fate of all Maasai women, Nice and Soila climbed a tree to hide. Nice hoped to find a way to avoid the cut forever, but Soila understood it would be impossible. But maybe if one of the sisters submitted, the other would be spared. After Soila chose to undergo the surgery, sacrificing herself to save Nice, their lives diverged. Soila married, dropped out of school, and had children–all in her teenage years–while Nice postponed receiving the cut, continued her education, and became the first in her family to attend college. Supported by Amref, Nice used visits home to set an example for what an uncut Maasai woman can achieve. Other women listened, and the elders finally saw the value of intact, educated girls as the way of the future. The village has since ended FGM entirely, and Nice continues the fight to end FGM throughout Africa, and the world. Nice’s journey from “heartbroken child and community outcast, to leader of the Maasai” is an inspiration and a reminder that one person can change the world–and every girl is worth saving.

Girl. Boy. Sea

Girl. Boy. Sea
Author: Chris Vick
Publisher: Zephyr
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2020-06-18
Genre: Friendship
ISBN: 9781789541380

Storm, shipwreck, survival. This novel delves deep into the might and majesty of the unpredictable ocean, the strength of an unlikely friendship between a British boy and a Berber girl and their will to survive against all the odds.

The Magical Girl's Guide to Life

The Magical Girl's Guide to Life
Author: Jacque Aye
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2021-12-21
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1646042484

"Inspired by the wand-wielding, crime-fighting magical girls in your favorite animes and mangas, The Magical Girl's Guide to Life teaches you how your self-care journey starts by uncovering the magical girl within. With fun exercises, journal prompts, and personality tests, you'll quickly learn everything you need to know about your magical girl self, including your magical girl name, what type of power you possess, and what cute companion will perfectly complement your magical girl journey"--Provided by publisher.

Money Mum Official: Save Yourself Happy

Money Mum Official: Save Yourself Happy
Author: Gemma Bird
Publisher: Hamlyn
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2022-01-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0600637360

SAVE A FORTUNE AND TRANSFORM YOUR LIFESTYLE IN 2022. If you're feeling the pinch after Christmas and worried about the rising cost of living then INSTAGRAM SENSATION MONEY MUM is here to help you SAVE THOUSANDS WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING. "Money Mum, here, coming to you, as always, with another money tip! You don't have to be wealthy or earn a huge salary to achieve all the things you want in life - and I'm here to show you how. Just by spending a little less on everyday small costs or being savvy with your choices, you will naturally have a little more for the finer things in life. My exciting new book will show you everything you need to know to save money and be truly happy forever. When you're trying to manage a busy family, it's easy to lose sight of the things that really matter and feel like you're drowning in worries while the pennies are drowning away. So many of us feel we have to pretend to be wealthier than we are and try to hide it when we can't afford something. Why though, when we are all sharing what we had for our tea and how many press ups we did that morning on social media, can't we be more honest about our finances? Why is there still so much shame and secrecy about being a bit strapped for cash, or in debt? I feel really strongly that it has got to change, and I'm here to get you through it.. I want to empower women and girls to take responsibility for their own financial futures. To have those difficult conversations and do the uncomfortable maths, because believe me one day you will be so glad you did. From starting small and making little changes to your everyday habits, through building a second income into your lifestyle, to going for the big goals in your life that you might think are out of your reach - this book will help you reboot your finances one money tip at a time. Because money isn't a secret recipe that only rich people know, it's a mindset and an attitude that anyone can have. And Money Mum is here, as always, to show you how. Now stick the kettle on, grab a pen and paper and let's start saving you some serious cash!" Inside you'll find: - My ultimate deals and tips, covering everything from shopping and bills to selling unwanted items - How to follow my weekly 'No Spend Day' and 'Make Money Day' - What your money mindset does to your anxiety levels and the impact social media has on your spending - Tips for getting the whole family talking about money from an early age - Spending tracker templates, charts and plenty of space for your own notes!

Saving Us

Saving Us
Author: Katharine Hayhoe
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2021-09-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1982143851

United Nations Champion of the Earth, climate scientist, and evangelical Christian Katharine Hayhoe changes the debate on how we can save our future in this nationally bestselling “optimistic view on why collective action is still possible—and how it can be realized” (The New York Times). Called “one of the nation’s most effective communicators on climate change” by The New York Times, Katharine Hayhoe knows how to navigate all sides of the conversation on our changing planet. A Canadian climate scientist living in Texas, she negotiates distrust of data, indifference to imminent threats, and resistance to proposed solutions with ease. Over the past fifteen years Hayhoe has found that the most important thing we can do to address climate change is talk about it—and she wants to teach you how. In Saving Us, Hayhoe argues that when it comes to changing hearts and minds, facts are only one part of the equation. We need to find shared values in order to connect our unique identities to collective action. This is not another doomsday narrative about a planet on fire. It is a multilayered look at science, faith, and human psychology, from an icon in her field—recently named chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy. Drawing on interdisciplinary research and personal stories, Hayhoe shows that small conversations can have astonishing results. Saving Us leaves us with the tools to open a dialogue with your loved ones about how we all can play a role in pushing forward for change.