Banned and Challenged Books Week Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2021 #ReadBannedBooks

 Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us. 

That is the theme for this year's banned and challenged book week. Every year since 1990 the American Library Association has collected and listed banned books for that year. Below, I have listed the top 100 in the last decade. (resource ALA, 2021)

No doubt you have read all or some of these books or have them on your shelves, not even realizing that the books have been challenged or outright banned. We all do not have to like what others read. Fortunately, we have the freedom in this country and some others, to read what we want. 

Take some time this week and read at least one of the books on the list. Talk about it. Visit your local library to see what events they have for the week. Comment to me about your own thoughts. Take some action by visiting the ALA and getting some ideas of what you can do. 

I will be reading, will you?

~Michelle

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
2. Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
4. Looking for Alaska by John Green
5. George by Alex Gino
6. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
7. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
8. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
9. Internet Girls (series) by Lauren Myracle
10. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
11. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
12. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
13. I Am Jazz by Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel
14. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
15. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
16. Bone (series) by Jeff Smith
17. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
18. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
19. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss
20. Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg
21. Alice McKinley (series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
22. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris
23. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
24. Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz
25. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
26. A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
27. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
28. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
29. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
30. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
31. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
32. It's a Book by Lane Smith
33. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
34. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
35. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
36. A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer
37. Bad Kitty (series) by Nick Bruel
38. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
39. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
40. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
41. The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby by Dav Pilkey
42. This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman
43. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki
44. A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
45. Beloved by Toni Morrison
46. Goosebumps (series) by R.L. Stine
47. In Our Mothers' House by Patricia Polacco
48. Lush by Natasha Friend
49. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
50. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
51. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
52. The Holy Bible
53. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
54. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
55. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
56. Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily von Ziegesar
57. House of Night (series) by P.C. Cast
58. My Mom's Having A Baby by Dori Hillestad Butler
59. Neonomicon by Alan Moore
60. The Dirty Cowboy by Amy Timberlake
61. The Giver by Lois Lowry
62. Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
63. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
64. Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle
65. Dreaming In Cuban by Cristina Garcia
66. Fade by Lisa McMann
67. The Family Book by Todd Parr
68. Feed by M.T. Anderson
69. Go the Fuck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
70. Habibi by Craig Thompson
71. House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
72. Jacob's New Dress by Sarah Hoffman
73. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
74. Monster by Walter Dean Myers
75. Nasreen’s Secret School by Jeanette Winter
76. Saga by Brian K. Vaughan
77. Stuck in the Middle by Ariel Schrag
78. The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal
79. 1984 by George Orwell
80. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
81. Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
82. Awakening by Kate Chopin
83. Burned by Ellen Hopkins
84. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
85. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
86. Glass by Ellen Hopkins
87. Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesle´a Newman
88. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
89. Madeline and the Gypsies by Ludwig Bemelmans
90. My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
91. Prince and Knight by Daniel Haack
92. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology by Amy Sonnie
93. Skippyjon Jones (series) by Judith Schachner
94. So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
95. The Color of Earth (series) by Tong-hwa Kim
96. The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
97. The Walking Dead (series) by Robert Kirkman
98. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
99. Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S Brannen
100. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Pineapple Circus and Pineapple Cruise by Amy Vansant #Spotlight #giveaway #CozyMysteries #bookseries

 

Pineapple Circus

Pineapple Port Mysteries Book 13

Now in the center ring... murder!

Newly-minted private detective Charlotte Morgan, resident orphan of the Pineapple Port 55+ community, discovers she might not be an orphan after all. Stunned by the news, she distracts herself with a cat burglar who left a smear of make-upped whiskers on a sliding glass door, and a path straight to "Clown Town" a retirement community for retired circus performers. When a fortune-teller doesn't see her own death in the cards, Charlotte's burglary becomes a murder investigation!

Charlotte's neighborhood moms, Mariska and Darla, can't help with this one. They're busy infiltrating an underground golf cart racing ring, led by a shady operator and her toady sidekick...

When another circus performer falls victim to the Big Top Killer and Stephanie goes missing, Charlotte finds herself walking a highwire of danger...this killer isn't clowning around!

WARNING! Fans of the series will be particularly shocked by the breathless ending! (though every book can be read as a standalone).

Pineapple Port Mysteries by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Amy Vansant, is a funny, clean, and gore-free small-town, female amateur sleuth series, but with all the pulse-pounding excitement of a detective thriller.

**On Sale for $2 off right now!!**

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Pineapple Cruise

Pineapple Port Mysteries Book 14

When Mariska trades the brisket she won at “Meat Bingo” for three tickets on the new Gulf Voyager cruise ship, she, Darla and our detective Charlotte enjoy a ladies cruise to Key West. But when passengers start dropping like anchors, they find themselves afloat in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico...and a murder mystery.

Charlotte notices the victims were all sitting at their assigned dinner table...does that mean they're next?

Fans of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None will love this cruise-bound caper!

**On Sale for $2 off right now!!**

***Check out the rest of the Pineapple Port Mysteries – some are on sale!!***

Pineapple Lies – Get it FREE Sept. 2, 7, 14
Pineapple Beach House – Only .99c Aug 30 -Sep 5
Pineapple Turtles - Only .99c Sept. 18-24
Pineapple Puppies – Only .99c Sept 20-26
Pineapple House Hunter – Only .99c Sept. 30-Oct. 6
Pineapple Jailbird – Only .99c Sept 10-16

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Mystery Readers love The Pineapple Port Series:

"Amy is one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend all of her books. No matter what genre she writes in, she manages to create books that demand that the pages be immediately turned to find out what happened because you really care about the characters." ~ Dianne Harman, USA Today and Amazon Chart #1 Bestselling Author

"Too much!! Wow! I don't think I've had so much laughter and fun in a cozy mystery ever! " - Amazon Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Mysteries usually aren't my genre, but Amy does a great job in adding twists, turns and - of course - her humor to every page. For a person like me who finds it hard to pick up a book and keep turning the pages, the fact that I tore through this book from start to finish and am looking forward to the next one speaks volumes." - Author, Rodney Lacroix ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"More than once, I found myself laughing out loud while reading through the story. The character development is good, the humor is unforced. All around, an excellent, lighthearted mystery that I would absolutely recommend." - Amazon Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"One of the best surprise ending I have read.." - Amazon Vine Voice Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"An unlikely friendship and romance develop with moments of levity and hilarious laughter. More than once, I found myself laughing out loud while reading through the story. The character development is good, the humor is unforced. All around, an excellent, lighthearted mystery that I would absolutely recommend." --- Amazon Vine Voice Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amy Vansant has written over 20 books, including the fun, thrilling Shee McQueen series, the rollicking, twisty Pineapple Port Mysteries, and the action-packed Kilty urban fantasies. Throw in a couple romances and a YA fantasy for her nieces... Amy specializes in fun, exciting reads with plenty of laughs and action -- she tried to write serious books, but they always ended up full of jokes, so she gave up.
Amy lives in Jupiter, Florida with her muse/husband a goony Bordoodle named Archer.

Website 

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Sand and Shadow by Laurisa White Reyes #spotlight #sci-fi #horror

 

Sand and Shadow

Genre: SciFi Horror

★Winner of the Houston Writer's House Competition★

Seven Survivors.

One Monster.

Nowhere to hide.

Mission Specialist Adán Fuentes awakes from cryo-hibernation to discover that most of his fellow crewmates are dead and the shuttle Carpathia is not where it’s supposed to be. Surrounded by a vast barren landscape, he and the other survivors wonder how they can accomplish their mission, to establish a home for future colonists.

When an unseen creature attacks them, the Carpathia’s crew must turn their attention to surviving and solving the true purpose behind their mission.

Inspired by the 50’s sci-fi flick FORBIDDEN PLANET, SAND AND SHADOW plumbs the depths of the human psyche and the power of its influence. As the Carpathia’s crew’s secrets and flaws are revealed, readers may find themselves compelled to examine their own dark places.

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Laurisa White Reyes is the author of sixteen books. Her middle grade novel THE STORYTELLERS won the 2015 Spark Award from The Society of Children's Books Authors & Illustrators (SCBWI) and her young adult novel PETALS received the 2017 Spark Honor Award.

In addition to writing, Laurisa also is the founder and Senior Editor of Skyrocket Press, which publishes quality fiction and non-fiction for a variety of readers. She also teaches English composition at College of the Canyons in Southern California. To subscribe to Laurisa's monthly newsletter, visit her website at

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White Feathers Academy by Phyllis Cherry #spotlight #middlegrade #YA #Fantasy #giveaway

 

Genre: Middle-Grade, YA Fantasy 

WHAT IF - Somewhere in the galaxy there is a school taught by angels?
WHAT IF – A young person with no special talent finds the one perfect gift?
WHAT IF – Youngsters who failed to survive their first life are given a new life?
WHAT IF – One evil young girl threatens talented students with her greed?

Halo Havens didn’t know that angels had special talents and different jobs.

She’d never met an android, talked to a giant fish or met an angel.

Her life changed the day she skated in front of a car trying to rescue a puppy and was transported to the fantastic world of White Feathers Academy. There she makes new friends, accepts the challenge of a seemingly hopeless job and embarks on the greatest adventure of her new young life, if she can survive the tests.

Add to Goodreads

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Phyllis Cherry writes stories for the Middle-Grade, YT and YA audience. Her books are sought by readers who enjoy fantasy, mystery, coming of age and religious genres. If you enjoy a good read about angels and wannabe angels, you’ll love her White Feathers Academy Series Books I and II (Mystery at Camp Esther, White Feathers Academy Book II, to be released in October 2021, Inkspell Publishing).

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Unseen Evil Lurks Among Us by Jeffrey James Higgins #spotlight #giveaway #CrimeNovels, #Thriller

 

Genre: Crime Thriller 

Rookie Homicide Detective Malachi Wolf investigates a string of murders in Washington, DC and uncovers both a vigilante killer and a terrorist conspiracy—making himself a target.

After his father’s murder, Malachi abandoned his economics doctorate to become a police officer and protect the innocent. Now, he must solve his first homicide to prove himself worthy of the badge.

Austin grew up in a strict religious home, with an abusive father who taught him to solve problems with violence, so when an Islamist infiltrator murders Austin’s girlfriend, he seeks revenge the only way he knows how.

The body count grows as Malachi hunts the brutal assassin and unearths a sinister scheme that threatens the country. The former academic seeking justice and a vigilante set on revenge travel on a collision course—two men fighting evil by different means. Can Malachi stop the murders and expose the plot before the streets run with blood?

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Jeffrey James Higgins is a former reporter and retired supervisory special agent who writes thriller novels, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays. He has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. During his career, he made the first narco-terrorism arrest, convicted the world’s most prolific heroin trafficker, and arrested an Iranian operative trying to acquire surface-to-air missiles. Jeffrey received both the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.

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Broken Skies (book 1), Fractured Suns (book 2), Shattered Stars (book 3) by Theresa Kay #spotlight #book series #Ya #SciFi #giveaway

 

Broken Skies

Broken Skies Book 1

Genre: YA, SciFi, Adventure Romance

Jax will do anything to save her twin . . . even team up with a teenage alien left behind by the same ship that took her brother.

She agrees to help the alien get back home, and in return, he agrees to sneak her into the alien city to find her sibling.

Too bad it's not that simple.

Jax soon finds that she's drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back and he's equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn't know the alien's true motives, and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

Worse, the connection forming between them has unknown consequences.

The humans and the aliens are both hiding deadly secrets and the forbidden bond linking the two teens threatens to reveal everything. What started as an uneasy alliance and a seemingly straightforward rescue mission could spark an inter-species war.

The Broken Skies series is a completed series filled with action, adventure, aliens, and romance. Perfect for fans of the Lux series, Under Different Stars, and The Fifth Wave.

One click today to dive in!

★★★★★ "A fast-paced and action-packed start to a series that will leave you reeling as you scramble for the sequel." - Kelly St Clare, USA Today Bestselling Author.

★★★★ "Broken Skies is a captivating read, and its appeal crosses genres. Whether you like sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, or just anything with a hint of romance, check it out; it's got something for everyone."- FicCentral

★★★★★ "I don't want to give too much away but take an alien/human love story, set it in a post apocalyptic type society, feature a strong but damaged heroine, sprinkle in a compassionate but secretive male lead, add in suspense, drama, shake and you have the wildly entertaining Broken Skies."-Shannon from Book Crushin

**On Sale for Only .99 cents!!**

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Fractured Suns

Broken Skies Book 2

Almost everything she thought she knew is wrong…

A trip to the city yields some much-needed answers, but Jax is once again forced to leave Lir behind and return to Peter’s cabin where enemies from her past await. But there are bigger things at stake than revenge, and she finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions toward a place she hoped to never see again.

After being imprisoned on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks, and the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. But Jax’s visit gives him renewed hope—and the strength to continue fighting his uncle's influence over the E'rikon, even when things look hopeless.

While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven by greed and power. But the ones they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and "family" doesn't mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love…or will they lose each other in the process?

One Click today to continue this young adult science fiction adventure series filled with action, romance, heartbreak, and betrayal!

Shattered Stars

Broken Skies Book 3

Unexpected allies. Unexpected betrayals. Unexpected abilities.

The last thing Jax ever wanted was to be a weapon. Her abilities are unpredictable at best, but there’s no one else with enough power to take on Jastren and his mental manipulations. She doesn’t have to do it alone, though. Not only can she rely on the unwavering support of Lir, Rym, and her human friends, she also ends up with help from a surprising source.

Meanwhile, her twin brother Jace—his body controlled by Jastren, and the shattered pieces of his mind locked inside—has become a monster. The struggle to hold on to what’s left of his humanity has left him weak and more confused than ever before. Every thought, every impulse, and every memory has the potential to destroy him—and everyone else around him.

The futures of both the humans and the E’rikon are on the line, but as ulterior motives and political machinations are revealed, it becomes clear that the betrayals aren’t restricted to only one species. Can Jax and Lir get everyone to work together in time to prevent the two species from destroying each other? Can Jace find some measure of redemption for all he has done? And will Jax be able to harness her powers without losing herself?

One Click today to read the emotional, action-packed conclusion to this completed young adult dystopian science fiction romance series!

Theresa Kay writes stories that feature flawed young adult and new adult characters in science fiction, urban fantasy, or paranormal worlds, all with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure. She's constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed "fangirl" who loves being sucked into new books, movies, or TV shows. Living in the mountains of central Virginia with her husband and two kids, she works as a paralegal by day and spends her free time reading tons of books, binging Avengers movies, anime, and Doctor Who, or playing Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed.

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ebook copy of Magic Bound the first book in my other series (Ravencrest Academy) 

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Seventeen Skulls by Joe Powers #Spotlight #Giveaway #thrillers #horror

 

Genre: Horror, Thriller

 

Someone is stalking and killing the residents of a homeless shelter in Beaverbrook. And he’s doing it from a cell at the Garden Island Super-Maximum Security Penitentiary, over a thousand miles away.

Notorious serial killer Eldon Grant has discovered the ability to travel through the Shadow Realm – a dark and sinister conduit that lies in the murky fissures between the physical and astral planes. This allows him to return to his old stomping grounds and resume his rampage without leaving the cozy confines of his cell. It’s the perfect crime.

But his actions haven’t gone unnoticed.

As the bodies pile up, shelter worker Jennifer Brennan vows to get to the bottom of the murderous spree. Along with a disjointed group of companions, she sets out to learn who’s responsible and figure out a way to stop him before they draw his attention and become his next victims.

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Joe Powers is a Canadian horror writer and long-time fan of all things scary. From his introduction to the genre on a stormy Saturday night at the age of six - his first viewing of Bride of Frankenstein - he's been hooked. Among his many inspirations he lists Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Michael Crichton, Rod Serling and Richard Matheson. He enjoys introducing the reader to flawed, believable characters and leading them on dark journeys with an unexpected twist. His work has appeared in various anthologies and collections. Seventeen Skulls is his second novel, following 2019’s western/horror crossover Terror in High Water. In his spare time he's an avid hockey fan and creative writing instructor. He lives in New Brunswick with his wife, Sheryl, and an assortment of furry creatures.

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