Books with author Elizabeth J. Kirk

The dead are the best listeners. 16-year-old Violet Chance thinks so, anyway. Which is why she spends most of her time in the graveyard, concocting elaborate stories of the departed, attending the funerals of strangers, and even impersonating the dead. After an unspeakable family trauma forces her into the safe arms of God’s Acre, the mystical town cemetery, she forges an unlikely friendship with Albert, the reclusive, old gravedigger—a haunted loner who prefers to spend his days six feet under, but whose fascinating stories about the buried enchant and captivate Violet’s imagination. That is, until the dead start telling her stories of their own, and what a lively bunch of storytellers they prove to be.The Gravediggers of Champagne County is a rare coming-of-age tale about a curious girl tormented by the things she’s seen, haunted by the secrets she keeps, and the graveyard that won’t let them stay buried for long. A gritty and touching magical realism story about tragedy and loss, and the unbreakable bonds of love and trust that can be forged even in the darkest moments. Set in the sleepy, small-town of Champagne County, the cast of charming characters (living and dead) simply dazzle against a rich graveyard setting so gripping it’s sure to live on long after the last page has been read.

Felix has a heart condition that threatens his life. His parents take him on holiday to Costa Rica, where they visit the Divide, a place where the waters that run down to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans separate. But at this exact, magical spot Felix passes out, and when he opens his eyes, he discovers he's arrived in a back-to-front world where mythical creatures and magic are real, and humans and science are just rumour and legend. Luckily, Ironclaw - a griffin - takes him under his wing, and together with Betony, a tangle-girl, they set out to find a cure for Felix's condition and the way back home. Fast-paced and funny, The Divide is a quirky and immensely enjoyable adventure whichweaves in strands of ecology and mathematics, and the emergence of a multinational enterprise in an innocent world. This is the first volume of a trilogy, and the Kindle edition has new illustrations by the author.

After his daring adventures in The Divide and Back To The Divide, Felix is safely back at school in the real world and looking forward to a visit from his best friend, Betony. But when Rhino, the school bully, knocks over Felix's bag in the corridor, all his plans are shattered. In Felix's bag, forgotten until this moment, is the magical lamp he kept last summer. From its spout escapes a furious brandee (genie) who takes Rhino hostage, demanding that Felix and Betony return him home. Together they make the journey across the Divide, but little do they know that inside the lamp, Rhino has discovered a dangerous new toy; an enchanted jinx box that will give him everything his heart desires...Together with their old friends, Felix and Betony must cross frozen northlands, fight terrifying wolf-like snagglefangs and outwit devious japegrins, to stop Rhino and the trickster jinx box that could wreck both their worlds for ever.

On the other side of the DIVIDE, magical creatures are real and humans are the stuff of myths! Part 1 in the incredible, unforgettable trilogy.Felix is spending what may be his last summer in Costa Rica, that odd global crossroads where two continents meet and two oceans part. Perched on an abyss, Felix loses consciousness and falls through The Divide. When he comes to, he's in another world: one where legendary animals are real. And he soon discovers that all these wonderous creatures think HE'S the mythical beast with magical powers. Guided by his newfound friends Betony, an elfin girl, and Ironclaw, an eagle-eyed, owl-eared, lion-pawed brazzle, will Felix find his way back home? And will he find a cure for his weak heart?

Felix is back in the real world after his extraordinary adventure in The Divide. But so too is Snakeweed, the villainous japegrin, who's followed him home - and he needs the enchanted formula hidden in Felix's notebook. Snakeweed's visit brings disaster. He turns Felix's parents to stone and, worse than that, his wicked spell seems to be spreading like a sinister virus which could threaten the whole of life on earth. To find a countercharm, Felix must return to the magical palce he discovered the previous year. But when he gets there he finds it much changed, and his unusual friends in a horrible fix.

The thrilling sequel to the fantastical novel THE DIVIDE, which PUBLISHERS WEEKLY called "inviting...with a nicely constructed cliff-hanger [that leaves readers]...hungry for the next."After his adventures in THE DIVIDE, Felix lives quietly at home with his parents. But Snakeweed, the arch villain, is still at large. Having failed to sell bad magic to the real world, he wants to go back home. All he needs to get there is the spell hidden in Felix's notebook. So Snakeweed pays a visit to Felix--and freezes his parents with a horrible curse that begins to spread like a magical disease. Soon the curse is effecting everything--and the Earth itself may be in danger. Felix must return to The Divide to find the counter-charm that can cure his parents...and save the world!

The thrilling conclusion to the smart, funny, fantastical DIVIDE trilogy, which has sold more than 400,000 copies across all channels!Felix is back at school, but things aren't back to normal! Rhino, the class bully, snatches the mysterious Brandee lamp he had kept from his last adventure in BACK TO THE DIVIDE, and next thing you know, a djinn has taken Rhino hostage and is demanding that Felix return him home to the mystical, back-to-front world. But no sooner is the djinn's wish granted than Rhino escapes into the villanous protection of Skullcap, new chief nasty of the Japegrins. It's up to Felix and Bettony to once again use their wits to save both worlds from the ultimate explosive threat of mixed-up science and magic.

A unique and humorous fantasy that weaves a cast of eccentric and charming characters into an incredible adventure story.When Felix's parents take him to "The Divide"--a spot in Costa Rica where the waters that run down to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans separate--Felix finds himself in a bizarre parallel world where mythical creatures and magic are a reality.There, he meets Betony, a tangle child and herbalist who becomes his friend in this strange land. As Felix explores this new world he soon discovers that its mythical beasts and fairy folk think Felix is a legendary creature who uses practical science instead of magic! Will Felix ever find his way back home...and will he want to?

A timely YA thriller—part John Le Carré and part The Americans—about a Bolshoi ballerina trapped by family secrets and a legacy of espionage.The Bolshoi Saga: MarinaMarina is born into privilege. A talented young dancer with Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet at the height of the Cold War, she seems destined to follow in the footsteps of her mother Svetlana, a Soviet Artist of the People. But when Svetlana disappears without explanation, Marina and her father have to get out. Fast. They defect to America, hoping they’ve escaped Russia’s secret police, hoping they can make a fresh start in New York. Instead they discover the web of intrigue around Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach is as tangled as the one they left behind.

ARE YOU READY TO BE FREE FROM THE PAINS AND PATTERNS OF SEXUAL ABUSE?The “#MeToo” movement has only begun to expose the magnitude and unimaginable number of sexual abuse victims who have had no voice. In her book, Me Too, author Joy Elizabeth Hellmann shares her story from initial event through healing of the effects and trauma of sexual abuse to help others find their way through the isolation and darkness.If you have been victimized in this area, Me Too is a must-read for you. As you learn about Joy’s experiences and see how through placing her healing journey in God’s hands she overcame the devastating effects of sexual abuse, you will be comforted, inspired and equipped to take that same step toward total freedom.Me Too will help you:• Rediscover hope.• Begin walking in restored wholeness.• Know you are not alone!