Books published by publisher West 44 Books

Gin has recently accepted that she is a lesbian. She also may just remain a loner for all of eternity. Meanwhile, across from her in class, Johnny is battling life at school and at home. His day-to-day life consists of a heavy dose of bulimia, self-hate, and abuse from his father. The two loners come together, connected by shared misery, but can they admit how much they need each other before it's too late?

Sixteen-year-old Philip is the son of two Evangelical youth pastors. He also secretly helps his older brother pay for his heroin addiction. When a massive tornado touches down in their small town, Philip's family becomes heavily involved in the post-disaster cleanup as Philip struggles with the return of his detoxing brother. With his life swept into sudden chaos, Philip grapples with questions that cut him to the core.

Life was supposed to be better after the war. Seventeen-year-old Henry Knights knows different. Henry's older brother returns from overseas a changed man just as his father decides to run for public office. Within days, his brother's PTSD and his father's campaign turn life upside down, as does the arrival of a famous war reporter. Caught in chaos, Henry and his twin sister, both adopted, consider finding their birth family. Family secrets. Pranks. A whole lot of trouble. This is the story of the Knights of Suburbia.

With an incarcerated father and an estranged drug-addicted mother, Shanequa's dreams of higher education feel like a fantasy. When Shanequa gets the chance to attend a prestigious private prep school, she feels like her dreams might become reality. Shanequa finds it easier to lie to her new friends than tell them the truth about her family. When her lies are found out, and Shanequa strikes back in blind rage, her path changes forever.

Victor and Isaac aren't sure how long they'll make it in their foster homes. Isaac is comfortable around his foster parents, but afraid they'll give him up. Victor has just landed in a new, crowded home with lots of rules, and is accused of stealing. The brothers make a secret plan to run away from their foster parents and make a home of their own. Will their plan work, or will they lose everything trying?

Cam, Tyler, and Markus are upset that their school cut the basketball team because of lack of funding. They decide to make their own. They don't have jerseys, a coach, or even a regular court to practice on. There's one more problem, they need at least two more people on the team to play. Can the team find two more players? Can they win their first game against the snooty prep school kids that keep stealing their court?

Josh Baker isn't sure why his brain tells him to do things that other people don't need to do: checking his locker again and again, counting cracks in ceilings, and always needing to finish a song, for starters. He is a talented drummer, a math genius, and he knows everything about rock and roll. Yet, he knows his problems have the power to hurt his family and make him fail at school. When Josh is diagnosed with OCD, it's a blessing and a curse. Can he overcome his thoughts, or will they break him?

Heather Wright is always all right. That's what people say. But if she's always all right, then why is life so hard? Heather starts cutting as a way to deal with the difficult emotions she locks inside. But what starts out as casual cutting turns into a dangerous addiction. When Heather goes away to summer theater camp, she meets Josie. Josie is a tough, sassy diva who is more than just a cutter, but a cutting advocate online. Heather looks up to Josie until the darkness of Josie's inner world threatens to spill out over the side and drown both of them. Until she does the unthinkable.