book 1 of the windows of the soul duology ✿ ✿ ✿ lucent: softly bright or radiant ✿ ✿ ✿ My brother's hand traces the cut on my right cheek for some minutes. I have no idea how a cut can be so interesting, but I won't judge a book by its cover. He unexpectedly moves and places a heartwarming kiss on my crown, brushing through the strands of my hair. But what startles me the most, is when he speaks, "Duerme bien, mi niña bonita." And just as I wasn't able to sleep hours ago because of my stupid fear, I let myself fall into a dreamless sleep as his soothing voice travels through my ears. ✿ ✿ ✿ Layla Rivera. A young naive fourteen-year-old who's just lost her childhood best friend and guardian. She's anxious and timid when meeting other people, so she usually cowers and distracts herself, immerse between the pages of books. When she is thrown into the lion's den - or also named as her older brothers' house - she's left fearful and intimidated by the six foot three males who she never had a clue about. Trying to make sense of what her new life will bring while being unaware of the dangers her new home beholds, she tries to make her way into her new family, but it doesn't seem as easy as she expected, or is it? ©️juststarsandbooks All written works on this account belong to Juststarsandbooks. I do not condone any reproduction/duplication of this book anywhere - app, website, etc - without my consent. Pics aren't mine.

Clover Marianne Emerson has always been a quiet storm, hiding her fears behind soft smiles and her scars beneath impossible expectations. When tragedy uproots her life, she is thrust into the chaos of her brothers' world-a place of loud voices, sharp edges, and a love she doesn't know how to accept. They are strangers bound by blood, each with their own cracks and shadows. Clover tries to fit herself into their lives, perfect and invisible, but perfection is a fragile thing. As the walls between them start to crumble, so does the mask she's always worn. Follow Clove as she learns to navigate teenage life, sibling rivalry, and her own dreams and as she begins to discover that perfection isn't what binds a family together-it's love, chaos, and everything in between.

After she suffers a great loss, life takes Josephine St. Claire on a captivating journey of self discovery, when she is reunited with a family that was hidden from her. A plethora of siblings but a close-knit family nevertheless, one that she was purposely made an outsider from by her mother, Josephine wonders if she will ever fit in or if she's simply destined to forever walk the lonely road.

Despite her rocky upbringing, Juniper Dixon strives to be kind to all things, even those who are not kind to her- except for the dead. She didn't really fit in at school or at home, but she supposes that doesn't really matter, now that the dead are walking. All that matters is that she keeps breathing. At least, that's what her dad says. • ⚠️ This book has mature themes such as EDs and abuse, with slight mentions of sa and suicide. They aren't constant and they're not nearly as intense as they are in Future Ghosts, but they are there. ⚠️ If there are any typos/errors, please don't hesitate to point them out so I can fix them! Comments are appreciated! Enjoy!

The Rhodes Method: Stay out of trouble, make curfew, don't get fired from work, and---most importantly---never answer calls from their deadbeat father.

+++ This is a PREQUEL. It is not necessary that you read the original story "Jodee" first, but highly recommended+++ 5-year-old Jodee Chambers does not have a perfect life. Her parents aren't together, she doesn't live in a while picket fence neighborhood, and she never knows what the next day will bring. But Jodee is young and naive and always sees the glass half full. When that all changes, what is she going to do? Will these changes be for the better or worse? 16-year-old Ace Chambers has had it rough from the day he was born. His father is an abusive alcoholic and his mother only cares about when and how she will her next fix. He never got to have a true childhood; taking care of both of his parents and his little sister at a young age. Ace's only way of coping is making sure Jodee has a good role model and unfortunately, partying with his best friend also seems to help. But Ace is determined to turn his life around, for his sister and for himself. Will he be able to do it amongst all of the chaos? Caleb Warner has been an outsider from the very beginning. His mother wants him out of the house as soon as possible as he always seems to holds her accountable for everything that goes wrong in his life. His father abandoned him and his mother to start a new family with another women a leave his son behind. Through all of this Caleb has always put on a façade to show people he is just some funny, goofy, loving guy. But in reality, a little part of him breaks every day. Can Caleb finally find the family he's longed for, through his best friend, Ace? Will that be enough for him? Can they all get what they want and create a little family of their own? Read LOST to find out how Jodee's story started...

Beatrice Anderson has never lived a normal life. Living in a town where gangs run wild and no one seems to follow the law Beatrice has become quite a rambunctious kid. Her parents were never really there for her and her siblings and their parenting skills were sketchy at best. But she has always had her brothers behind her. While having absent parents was hard on the siblings that just made their bond grow stronger and stronger making them quite a tight nit bunch. Beatrice knows this is not a normal life. But this is her life and she has learned to accept that. She has learned to run with the tide and not fall behind. Not only in a world where she has to keep up with her older brothers but to keep up in the illegal world. In Beatrice's world you've got to run or be left in the dust. While staying away from police officers trying to send her and her underaged siblings off to foster care, making sure you don't get too deep into gang affairs, and being independent yet still keeping trust and honesty within your family. But what happens when hidden secrets come out from more than one family member, tensions run high, and they realize they don't know nearly enough about each other than they thought. It's gonna be a hell of a ride.

Jodee has been living alone with her older brother and one of his friends for most of her life. The only problem is that Ace Chambers - her brother - is one of the most feared and dangerous men in the city. Ace is rarely home from work and when he is he doesn't say much nor engage in her life. His sister, however, is the opposite - Jodee is a shy and reserved 14-year-old-girl; always wanting to be out of the spotlight that her brother's mysterious life puts on her. She gets good grades, has a small friend group, and is content with her own company. Although the Chambers siblings are polar opposites they are very close. Jodee understands Ace like no other and Ace always has Jodee and her best interest at the top of his priorities. So what happens when her quiet - but different - life is turned up-side-down? Will Ace be able to protect her and save her innocence? Can Jodee handle this change? And most of all, will their little family stick together.

Copyrighted 2018 **This is the rewritten version of His Flower. I hope you enjoy!** There was only one word to describe my life: Hell. It was all I had ever known, the only thing I was used to. I didn't want it any other way. Why the fuck couldn't she see that? -&- Having a normal childhood was completely foreign to the two polar opposites Rosalyn Summers and Rex Turner. Both grew up in the closest thing they knew to Hell, each with terrible problems of their own. Perhaps, that is why they were so drawn to each other. Rose might have been that typical shy, quiet girl roaming the school's halls, no friends to speak of and no genuine interest in learning, but even she couldn't deny that attraction towards the school's resident 'bad boy'. The one no one else dared speak to. Rex's anger issues always got the best of him, even when that idiot girl came tumbling into his life. She just wouldn't leave him the fuck alone. No matter how much he liked it. He could convince himself he wasn't good for her as much as he wanted. It didn't matter, she wouldn't let him be and he would soon refuse to let her go. Completely oblivious to her own darkness raging beneath the surface. *WARNING: This story has quite a few very possessive and controlling men. If that kind of thing isn't for you, this book definitely won't be.** There is also talk of anxiety, panic attacks, and some drug-use mentions. ALSO this story will have a LOT of chapters! It's filled with triggers (mentioned above), but also a bunch of cute scenes, fluff moments, adoring toe-curling moments, and a plot you won't see coming!