Books with author Laura A. Miller

A romantic, mind-bending novel about parallel worlds, soul mates, destiny, and the big-time consequences of even our smallest choices, perfect for fans of The Future of Us and Before I Fall.Abby Barnes had it all planned out—high school, college, career—but one decision made in her senior year of high school changed her carefully mapped-out future.When Abby wakes up the morning of her eighteenth birthday, it's as though her past has been rewritten. Abby discovers that a cosmic collision of parallel universes has erased her old reality. Now Abby is falling in love with a boy from her Parallel's memories—a boy she's never even met. She's living the life she always wanted, but what if living her Parallel's life means she loses her soul mate?

THE MAGICIAN'S BOOK is the story of one reader's long, tumultuous relationship with C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. Enchanted by its fantastic world as a child, prominent critic Laura Miller returns to the series as an adult to uncover the source of these small books' mysterious power by looking at their creator, Clive Staples Lewis. What she discovers is not the familiar, idealized image of the author, but a more interesting and ambiguous truth: Lewis's tragic and troubled childhood, his unconventional love life, and his intense but ultimately doomed friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien. Finally reclaiming Narnia "for the rest of us," Miller casts the Chronicles as a profoundly literary creation, and the portal to a life-long adventure in books, art, and the imagination.

THE MAGICIAN'S BOOK is the story of one reader's long, tumultuous relationship with C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. As a child, Laura Miller read and re-read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and its sequels countless times, and wanted nothing more that to find her own way to Narnia. In her skeptical teens, a casual reference to the Chronicles's Christian themes left her feeling betrayed and alienated from the stories she had come to know and trust. Years later, convinced that "the first book we fall in love with shapes us every bit as much as the first person we fall in love with," Miller returns to Lewis's classic fantasies to see what mysteries Narnia still holds for adult eyes--and is captured in an entirely new way. In her search to uncover the source of these small books' mysterious power, Miller looks to their creator, Clive Staples Lewis. What she discovers is not the familiar, idealized image of the author, but a man who stands in stark contrast to his whimsical creation-scarred by a tragic and troubled childhood, Oxford educated, a staunch Christian, and a social conservative, armed with deep prejudices.THE MAGICIAN'S BOOK is an intellectual adventure story, in which Miller travels to Lewis's childhood home in Ireland, the possible inspiration for Narnia's landscape; unfolds his intense friendship with J.R.R.Tolkien, a bond that led the two of them to create the greatest myth-worlds of modern times; and explores Lewis's influence on writers like Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Franzen, and Philip Pullman. Finally reclaiming Narnia "for the rest of us," Miller casts the Chronicles as a profoundly literary creation, and the portal to a life-long adventure in books, art, and the imagination. Erudite, wide-ranging, and playful, THE MAGICIAN'S BOOK is for all who live in thrall to the magic of books.

From the author of Parallel comes a high-stakes romantic puzzler set in a near-future where everyone's life is seamlessly orchestrated by personal electronic devices, perfect for fans of Black Mirror. Fast-forward to a time when Apple and Google have been replaced by Gnosis, a monolith corporation that has developed the most life-changing technology to ever hit the market: Lux, an app that flawlessly optimizes decision-making for the best personal results.Just like everyone else, sixteen-year-old Rory Vaughn knows the key to a happy, healthy life is to follow what Lux recommends. When she's accepted to the elite boarding school Theden Academy, her future happiness seems all the more assured. But once on campus, something feels wrong beneath the polished surface of her prestigious dream school. Then she meets North, a handsome townie who doesn't use Lux, and begins to fall for him and his outsider way of life.Soon Rory is going against Lux's recommendations, listening instead to the inner voice that everyone has been taught to ignore—a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming.Imaginative and thrilling, this fast-paced story with two starred reviews is not to be missed!“Miller offers an intricately plotted, intellectually rich thriller that will please a range of readers, from those searching for a page-turner to those wishing to thoroughly engage the mind.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Engaging and thought-provoking, Free to Fall should appeal to a variety of readers with its blend of action, secrecy, and romance, and it provides excellent discussion opportunities.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

From the author of PARALLEL and FREE TO FALL comes a novel about brokenness and beauty and the healing power of hope. Seventeen-year-old Jessa Gray has always felt broken inside, but she's gotten very good at hiding it. No one at school knows about the panic attacks, the therapy that didn't help, the meds that haven't worked. But when a severe accident leaves her with a brain injury and visible scars, Jessa can no longer pretend that she's okay--now she looks as shattered as she feels. Fleeing from her old life in Los Angeles, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad, but her anxiety only gets worse in the wake of the accident. That is, until she meets Marshall, a boy with a heart defect whose kindness and generous spirit slowly draw Jessa out of her walled-off shell and into the broken, beautiful, real world--a place where souls get hurt just as badly as bodies, and we all need each other to heal. ALL THINGS NEW is a love story about perception and truth, physical and emotional pain, and the messy, complicated people we are behind the masks we put on for the world, perfect for fans of ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS."An enthralling and vital YA read--boldly tackling issues of mental and relational health within a compelling narrative." --Young Adult Book Central"This one is sure to please fans of many genres, combining a page-turning thriller with a realistic romance, surprising twists, and an utterly satisfying ending." --June/July 2017 Girls' Life Must Read"[Jessa's] immediate chemistry with Marshall has an addictive, electric quality that's reminiscent of Augustus and Hazel's in John Green's The Fault in Our Stars...an often potent story about confronting the future and featuring an engaging central relationship." --Kirkus Reviews"Miller's writing is fantastic, and she really know how to get her theme across...a worthwhile read for those who love a good high school romance." --RT Book Reviews"ALL THINGS NEW is a daring, beautiful novel, exquisitely told and full of heartache and hope." - Jessica Khoury, author of the ORIGIN trilogy and THE FORBIDDEN WISH."Beautiful, poignant, and honestly portrayed, All Things New is an enchanting story that gives hope for a brighter today and an even brighter tomorrow." - Christina, @ The Bookshelf Corner Blog"ALL THINGS NEW is a refreshing and honest look at what teenage anxiety, panic, and trauma looks like." - Brooke Snow, middle school counselor