Lori Lansens Books

Sharla Cody is only five, but has already lived a troubled life -- only to find herself dumped on an elderly neighbor's doorstep when her mother takes off for the summer. Although Sharla is not the angelic child Addy Shadd had pictured when she agreed to look after her, the two soon forge a deep bond. To Addy's surprise, Sharla's presence brings back memories of her own childhood in Rusholme, a town settled by fugitive slaves in the mid-1800s. She reminisces about her family, her first love, and the painful experience that drove her away from home. Brilliantly structured and achingly lyrical, this is a story about the redeeming power of love and memory, and about two unlikely people who transform each other's lives forever.

Four go up the mountain - but only three come down again ... On the anniversary of the day his best friend, Byrd, had a tragic accident on the mountain which had been the boys' paradise and escape, Wolf Truly reaches for the summit again with the intention of not coming home. But Wolf meets three women in the cable car on the way up from Palm Springs and finds himself agreeing to help them get to a mountain lake. As the weather suddenly deteriorates, the group is stranded on a lethal ridge as the lights of the city twinkle below, so close and yet so terrifyingly far away. Those who will survive the ordeal will do so through a mixture of bravery, determination and self-revelation. 'Lori Lansens has created a heart-pounder of a book that is every bit as much of an emotional roller-coaster as an adventurous one. Filled with richly drawn characters, unexpected twists, and gritty details about survival' Jodi Picoult

This novel by the bestselling author of The Girls and The Mountain Story presents a chilling vision of a near-future America dominated by the religious right. It follows Rory Ann Miller, a smart young girl accused of terrorism after a bombing at her upscale Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. Over the course of 48 hours in 2023, Rory and her best friend become fugitives with a bounty on their heads, facing a relentless pursuit from law enforcement, drones, and a social media frenzy of trolls. Complicating matters, Rory's mother, a social activist, is arrested and implicated, while her father, who betrayed them in a bitter divorce, cooperates with the authorities. The narrative unfolds in a society marked by gated communities, re-criminalized abortion and birth control, and teenage virginity oaths. It introduces the Red Market, a controversial entity that either symbolizes a conservative fear or represents a criminal network profiting from unwanted babies and fetal tissue. Rory's journey is filled with cynicism, fear, and anger as she grapples with betrayal and seeks trust. Her insights into the roles of men and women in perpetuating societal norms are sharp, blending humor, sadness, and truth.

"In twenty-nine years, Rose Darlen has never spent a moment apart from her twin sister Ruby. She has never gone for a solitary walk or had a private conversation. Yet, in all that time, she has never once looked into Ruby's eyes. Joined at the head, "The Girls" (as they are known in their small town) attempt to lead a normal life, but can't help being extraordinary. Now almost thirty, Rose and Ruby are on the verge of becoming the oldest living craniopagus twins in history, but they are remarkable for a lot more than their unusual sistery bond."--Back cover.

Love and grief combine to awaken an obese woman from her loneliness. When her husband doesn't come home on the eve of their 25th wedding anniversary, Mary Gooch, who has never learned to be self-sufficient, sets out on a truly remarkable journey of self-discovery that takes her first to the big city and then to another country.