In the spring of 1884, young Johnny Fry and his little black cat, Jinx, set out on a trip he has dreamed of all his life. It doesn't take him long to realize the ride on the Pony Express Trail, where his father had ridden many years before, is nothing like his childhood imaginings. Along the way he meets robbers, drunks and killers who force him to defend both himself and his 'little buddy', if he wants to get where he's going alive and in one piece. Fortunately, he makes some friends as he travels. Handy, a big, blue-eyed, broad-shouldered Swede fresh off the farm who joins him in Nebraska, and George Washington Moore, Wash to his friends, an ex-slave and former Buffalo Soldier turned mountain-man, seeking the freedom he never seems to get enough of. Together the four of them (don't forget Jinx) travel a perilous, treacherous path through the mountains of Wyoming and Utah and across the deserts and mountains of Nevada and California toward his future. Among his fortunes and misfortunes: an accident puts him in a hospital for two months where he meets a wonderful red-headed nurse, who's a survivor of the Mountain Meadows Massacre; he is twice forced to defend himself from a man who wants to reclaim something Johnny doesn't even know he has; and he has a confrontation with a gunman who wants revenge for a brother who got what he deserved. The West of 1884 was still the wild and beautiful place of legends. Billy the Kid and Jessie James were not long in their graves; Wyatt and Virgil Earp were alive and living in California; and the Texas to Kansas cattle drives were still alive in the memories of many. Surrounded by the perils and beauty of the Old West, Johnny must become a man because it's that or die.

Jinx's Magic is the second book in Sage Blackwood's highly acclaimed fantasy-adventure series, Jinx. This humorous and smart tween trilogy set in a magical forest is perfect for fans of Angie Sage's Septimus Heap, Michael Buckley's the Sisters Grimm, and Brandon Mull's Fablehaven. "Readers will thrill to journey with Jinx" (Jinx, School Library Journal, starred review), a daring young wizard's apprentice, as he travels from his home in the Urwald to an unfamiliar desert land in search of ancient magic. He needs that magic badly—there are forces threatening the Urwald from all sides. The more he learns, however, the clearer it becomes that this quest will require more than the magic of a solitary wizard's apprentice, and soon he'll have to call upon all of the Urwald—witches, werewolves, wizards, and trees—for help.

Feeling like the blacksheep in a family of superheroes with her uncontrollable ability to generate static electricity, Bella suddenly finds herself confronted by a new master villain and his diabolical plots, as well as a gorgeous but mysterious stranger who calls himself Debonair. By the author of Hot Mama. Original.

The young wizard Jinx concludes his suspenseful and dryly humorous adventures in the magical forest of the Urwald with this third installment in the series that ALA Booklist says “deserves a permanent place in the children’s fantasy pantheon, with Narnia and Earthsea” (Jinx's Magic, starred review). This action-packed conclusion is perfect for readers of fantasy adventure series such as Septimus Heap, the Sisters Grimm, and Fablehaven. The forest is under attack and its magic is fading. Can Jinx summon enough of his magic—the bright fire within him—to rescue Simon, defeat the Bonemaster, unite the Urwald, and fight off the invaders? He is the Urwald's only hope. . . .

The Golden Compass meets the digital age! When a coding star enters an elite technology academy, she discovers a world of competition, intrigue, and family secrets—plus a robotic companion that isn't what it seems. Lacey Chu is a girl who codes. She has always dreamed of working as an engineer for MONCHA, the biggest tech firm in the world and the company behind the "baku"—a customizable "pet" with all the capabilities of a smartphone. But when Lacey is rejected by the elite academy that promises that future, she's crushed. One night, Lacey comes across the broken form of a highly advanced baku. After she repairs it, the cat-shaped baku she calls Jinx opens its eyes and somehow gets her into her dream school. But Jinx is different than any other baku she's ever seen...He seems real. As Lacey settles into life at school, competing with the best students in a battle of the bakus that tests her abilities, she learns that Jinx is part of a dangerous secret. Can Lacey hold on to Jinx and her dreams for the future? Jinxed is the perfect... middle grade book for girls who are passionate about coding summer reading chapter book for kids 9-12 science fiction book for kids 9-12 engineer academy book robot book for kids "With a sharp eye toward the rising awareness of device addiction and a keen sense of wonder, McCulloch's tale is a feast for the imagination that celebrates women in STEM fields."—Publisher's Weekly, STARRED review "I raced through this book...a little bit Golden Compass and all adventure."—Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author

The Golden Compass for the digital age in this action-packed sequel to Jinxed. When Lacey Chu wakes up in a hospital room with no memory of how she got there, she knows something went really wrong. And with her cat baku, Jinx, missing in action and MONCHA, the company behind the invention of the robot pet, threatening her family, she isn't sure who to turn to for answers. When Lacey is expelled and her mom starts acting strangely after the latest update from MONCHA, Lacey and her friends work together to get to the bottom of it and discover a sinister plot at the heart of the corporation. Lacey must use all her skills if she has a chance of stopping MONCHA from carrying out their plans. But can she take on the biggest tech company in North America armed with only a level 1 robot beetle and her friends at her side? Praise for Jinxed: "[A] vividly imagined Toronto-set middle grade series opener intertwines smartphone technology with the hallmarks of classic science fiction via a fun, insightful narrative and bright voice...With a sharp eye toward the rising awareness of device addiction and a keen sense of wonder, McCulloch's tale is a feast for the imagination that celebrates women in STEM fields."—Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW) "McCulloch effectively strikes a balance between worldbuilding and action...A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike."—Kirkus Reviews "A little bit Golden Compass, a little bit Hunger Games, and all adventure!"—New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman

Jinx She was meant to be just another appointment, but when Sienna Blake came to get her scars covered up, the story that came with it changed everything. I should have been more aware back then, more clued in to what was going on, but I'd been so focused on finding my path in life that I'd messed up, and she'd become a victim because of it. I'm going to make it up to Sienna and help her get her life back, this time with me in it. And it's not just because of who hurt her. It's because there's something about her that I can't stop thinking about. She's fragile but strong. Hurt but complete. And I can't stay away from her. Art's my passion, and skin's my canvas, but The Broken Eagles are what brings it all together. At least, it was until Sienna came back into my life. Sienna I don't go out, and I don't speak to people-I just focus on my pottery and designs. So why I finally decided to bite the bullet and get a tattoo, I don't know. Maybe I did it because it was him? Covering up the past helps, but you can never erase it completely. This I know well. But that one appointment opens up my life in ways I didn't expect, and now that we've met up again, Jinx is determined to give me a future I never imagined I'd have. Unfortunately, we can't always erase the demons chasing us, though, and it seems like she isn't finished trying to ruin my life. But now she wants everything we've built together to come tumbling down. This time, though, I'm not on my own, and I'm stronger than I was before because of him. Until Jinx is part of Aurora Rose Reynolds' Happily Ever Alpha World. If you loved Until July, then you'll want to read Until Jinx.

The highly acclaimed first book of a fantasy adventure series set in a mysterious forest, starring a daring new hero. "Readers will thrill to journey with Jinx" (SLJ, starred review), a wizard's apprentice, as he sets off on a quest through the dangerous Urwald, a magical forest full of wizards and were-creatures, and discovers that it is more complex than he could imagine, and that it needs him more than he could ever guess. This humorous and smart tween fantasy adventure is perfect for fans of Septimus Heap, The Sisters Grimm, and Fablehaven. Supports the Common Core State Standards

A woman with nowhere to call home...Roxanne rolls onto Galveston Island with nothing to her name save her car and her rescued (read: stolen) pitbull, Zeus. Low and behold, the very first person she meets is perhaps the last person she should.A man desperate to keep his home...As the president of the Mischief Makers MC, Jinx is battling the Beachside Bangers and their cartel ties to keep his idyllic island safe. The last thing he needs is a woman who won't listen and her huge monster of a dog taking his time and attention.The battle of a lifetime...As these two find their way to each other, tragedy looms on the horizon, and the brothers of this MC and their allies are going to battle.Unfortunately, the good guys don't always win...