Brooke Beyfuss Livres

"One night, Avery is awoken by a fire consuming her family's compound; she runs away with her cult brother Cole, hiding in the woods and then in a school gym for weeks. After police apprehend them for shoplifting, a horrific discovery is made-their entire lives have been a lie and they were actually kidnapped as children, taken by the cult leaders they knew as Mom and Dad. Cole is quickly reunited with his family and permanently separated from nineteen-year-old Avery, who is taken to a women's shelter when no family comes forward. Avery isn't certain who survived the Bakelite cult fire or, more importantly, who set it. As she tries to move past the lies and the emotional and physical trauma of her childhood, the events of that fateful night come bursting back into the news, and a police investigation throws Avery back into the spotlight. The memories of that night and her former life threaten to undo all the progress she's made, but she must uncover the truth about the fire to truly be set free"-- Provided by publisher

From breasts and orgasms to periods, pregnancies, and menopause--A Brief History of the Female Body is a fascinating science book explaining the mysteries of the female body through an evolutionary lens. Let's face it: The female body is an enigma. For teenagers first experiencing their periods, the monthly arrival of mood swings and cramps can be agonizing and inconvenient. With pregnancy--perhaps the most miraculous of bodily events--comes countless potential complications, including high blood pressure, diabetes, premature birth, and postpartum depression. And menopause is equally mystifying. Why do females lose their fertility over time and experience the notorious side effects--like hot flashes, weight gain, and hair loss--while males maintain their fertility forever? Evolutionary geneticist and educator Dr. Deena Emera has spent much of her career studying the evolution of female reproduction. A Brief History of the Female Body draws on her vast expertise as a biologist, her experience as a mother of four children, and her love of teaching to look far into our evolutionary past, illuminating how and, more importantly, why the female form has transformed over millions of years and its effects on women's health.

Is it ever alright to kidnap a child? With breath-taking suspense, Before You Found Me emotionally explores the fine line between right and wrong in an enduring story of found family and tender love amidst harsh circumstances.Rowan McNamara doesn't open the door to her new life—she's thrown through it. Following an explosive argument with her abusive fiancé, Rowan runs. With no family except for her estranged sister, Celia, Rowan takes refuge in an idyllic New England town.There, she meets Gabriel, the eleven-year-old son of her neighbor, Lee. Lee is welcoming, friendly, and a little too helpful. But Gabriel is a mystery: withdrawn, often bruised, and only willing to speak to Rowan through his basement window. When she discovers that Lee has kept Gabriel imprisoned for the past three years, Rowan is desperate to save him. Fueled by outrage and empathy, she abducts Gabriel and flees to her childhood home in rural Oklahoma, determined to raise him as her own.Together they battle nightmares, curious stares, and Celia's constant disapproval. But when Lee begins haunting more than their dreams, Rowan and Gabriel realize they stopped pretending to be a family a long time ago. Their bond is just as strong as blood, and they're willing to do anything to protect one another.