The best books about keeping close people you love and fighting for your dreams and values

Fiona Faith Ross Author Of Far Out
By Fiona Faith Ross

Who am I?

I write about aloneness and individuals, what it takes to connect to family and community, and how to hang on to the people we hold dear. This means I think a lot about points of view and personal perception. We often wonder: Have I got this right? Did they get my meaning? Does everybody feel this? And more often than not, everybody does. These interpretations are both personal and universal at the same time. We all fear loss; we all have to be brave to hold onto people we love and principles we value.

I wrote...

Far Out

By Fiona Faith Ross

Book cover of Far Out

What is my book about?

We all have dreams to chase, right? Especially when we’re young and we have our whole lives ahead of us. Far Out is the story of Saffron, a 17-year-old girl who has big dreams but finds that real life gets in the way, and maybe she takes her dad for granted. It doesn’t help that she lives in a fantasy, futuristic world ruled by a government that keeps the population suppressed and where society is divided into rich and poor. By dealing with the unexpected and overcoming problems, Saffron learns to be brave and flexible. She learns to fight for her dreams and for the people she loves.

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The Books I Picked & Why

The Scarlet Thread (Fated Destruction Book 1)

By D.S. Murphy

Book cover of The Scarlet Thread (Fated Destruction Book 1)

Why this book?

Book 1 in a 4-book series, and our hero is Kaidance Monroe. I love the world the author has created and I really connected with Kaidance and the challenges she faces. This story is a modern-day take on the ancient Greek myth about The Fates who control our lives, and I love this retelling because the core message holds true for each and every one of us, that we can only control so much of our lives, that there are forces bigger than us that we have to deal with, but it's how we cope that's important. I’ve read the entire series. The author doesn’t drop the pace. I loved experiencing this fantastical world on a rollercoaster ride, clinging on until the end. 

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Shadow Of The Minotaur (Legendeer Trilogy)

By Alan Gibbons

Book cover of Shadow Of The Minotaur (Legendeer Trilogy)

Why this book?

This book is about being brave. You know when a problem grows into a huge scary monster, right? It’s got you cornered and you don't think you'll ever get out alive, but with the right attitude, you can. Our hero Phoenix is braver than his years, but in some ways he’s more grown-up than his dad. In this retelling of the ancient Greek story of the minotaur, who crushes mortals and eats them for breakfast, we step into a monstrous virtual world created by Phoenix’s dad. I wanted to run, but most of all I wanted to stay and see what happened next. Will the minotaur eat Phoenix alive? I related to Phoenix trying to survive and trying to work out his issues with his dad, because every one of us has to face the same difficult world and be courageous about it.

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Justin Thyme (Tartan of Thyme 1)

By Panama Oxridge

Book cover of Justin Thyme (Tartan of Thyme 1)

Why this book?

I absolutely love this book. I read it years ago and it stays with me. I love it because the characters are completely batty and the story is so quirky, yet somehow it’s the truth and I wonder, are we Scots really like that? I fell for 13-year-old Justin quicker than falling off a slippery log over a stream when you're trying to fish out your soggy hat which you just dropped in the water. The world Justin inhabits is so crazy and yet he somehow manages to keep his head when his family and servants are losing theirs. It's another form of being brave, in this timeless world where time carries a curse, and of course, the story is really about saving people that we realize are precious to us. 

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Divergent

By Veronica Roth, Nicolas Delort

Book cover of Divergent

Why this book?

Divergent is Book 1 of a trilogy. All books are gripping to the end and it's a masterpiece of storytelling. At 16, our heroine Tris has to make a terrible choice, and yet again, I fell for her because she's sensitive, loyal, and brave. The forces ranged against Tris will overwhelm her, but fate throws her a random helping hand, as it so often does. This book is about keeping going and battling through when the future seems hopeless and also about finding your friends and allies, the people who'll stand by you when the going gets rough. It's about believing in overcoming obstacles and making your future. The new book covers are simply divine.

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Prison Fae: Supernatural Penitentiary

By Drake Mason, Marisa Mills

Book cover of Prison Fae: Supernatural Penitentiary

Why this book?

I've just discovered Fae Urban Fantasy and I'm absolutely hooked. I love this world and this writing partnership sparkles like endless glitter showers of fairy dust. I connected with student Noelle like a sister, and – you guessed it – by a quirk of fate, she finds herself in the land of the fae, and they are Bad People. Well, they're not all bad, but they can be every bit as mean and spiteful as mortals, even though they look pretty. I've read both books and I believe there's a third one coming out. Again, it's about being brave, confronting your problems, and holding on to people you love. I can't wait to see how the story turns out. 

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