Miles from Ordinary
A Novel
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ISBN10: 1250002605
ISBN13: 9781250002600
Trade Paperback
208 Pages
$19.99
CA$27.25
An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
Thirteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her new job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control . . .
"No one can get inside the head and heart of a 13-year-old girl better than Carol Lynch Williams, and I mean no one," said James S. Jacobs, Professor of Children's Literature at Brigham Young University, of her breakout novel, The Chosen One. Now, with Miles from Ordinary, this award-winning YA author brings us an equally gripping story of a girl who loves her mother, but must face the truth of what life with that mother means for both of them.
Reviews
Praise for Miles from Ordinary
"Imagine Anna Quindlen or Sue Miller turning her attention to writing a young adult novel, and you have an idea what [Williams] has done for early teen readers."—Audrey Couloumbis, author of the Newbery Honor Book Getting Close to Baby
"The emotional impact is so intense that the reader inhabits Lacey's roller-coaster life and hopes at the end that she and her mother can survive and find peace."—VOYA
"Readers [will be] kept on the edge of their seats as the drama and tension build toward the novel's stunning conclusion."—YA Book Shelf
"What I love most about Carol's books in her writing. It's beautiful and poetic, and paints pictures in my head so vivd that I often wonder how I conjured them. She's one of those authors who remains at the top of my list of best writers, purely because of her ability to come up with sparse, seemingly effortless sentences filled with emotion and hope."—WonderousReads.com
"Absorbing . . . [Williams] has crafted both a riveting, unusual suspense tale and an absolutely convincing character in Lacey. The book truly is miles from ordinary, in the very best way. Outstanding."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Gripping . . . Provocatively dark and at times downright scary, this novel will have readers rushing to the unforeseen, achingly authentic conclusion."—Booklist
"In a novel spanning a mere 24 hours, Williams takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride . . . Poignant."—Publishers Weekly
Reviews from Goodreads
BOOK EXCERPTS
Read an Excerpt
I
There are mice.
Lots of mice. Running all over my room. Letting out crying sounds that grate on my ears. They crawl on my feet. My legs. I feel them on my arms. Soft things with toenails like blunt needles.
"Momma?"...
About the author
Carol Lynch Williams
