sacrifice

Brion is trapped in a hopeless search for his mentor and friend, Redmond, who has disappeared in a kingdom on the brink of civil war. When he falls afoul of the regent, Lady Adelaide, Brion finds himself beyond the bounds of the law, pursued by assassins, and accused of kidnapping the boy-king of Morcia. Now he must pluck Redmond out of a thousand square miles of enemy territory while evading clashing armies and keeping his friends alive. How far will he go to save one friend? How much will he sacrifice?.

"An Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities. Tarisai is determined to survive, but months into her shaky reign as empress she is haunted by child spirits, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire. She fears the pressure may consume her--if the assassination attempts don't kill her. But Tarisai must either die for justice--or live for it"--OCLC.

"An Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities. Tarisai is determined to survive, but months into her shaky reign as empress she is haunted by child spirits, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire. She fears the pressure may consume her--if the assassination attempts don't kill her. But Tarisai must either die for justice--or live for it"--OCLC.

Born to be a sacrificial Weatherell girl like her mother, Anya Astraea instead sets out in search of vengeance against the mountain deity who claimed the life of her twin sister.

Twelve-year-old Lonny Quicke and his younger brother finally leave their hidden forest home and venture into the nearby town of Farstoke, where Lonny discovers that, at first glance, the people of Farstoke are not cruel and selfish, but as he debates revealing his secret ability, he wonders whether his new friends are really as kind as they seem.

Transgender demigod Teo is unexpectedly selected for the Sunbearer Trials, a fierce competition among demigod heroes where the winner sacrifices the loser to Sol, their blood fueling the Sun Stones that protect Reino del Sol.

Logan came to Mesmortes Coven Academy in Haelsford, Florida to learn to control her powers, but she soon learns she has a role to play in the ancient curse of the Hellmouth--whatever the cost to herself and her new friends.

Follows the efforts of a family to find the mother who went missing from Seoul Station and their sobering realizations when they recall memories that suggest she may not have been happy.

Brodie was a good dog, and good dogs go to heaven, except Brodie can't move on. As wonderful as his glimpse of the afterlife is, he can't forget the boy he left behind, who's still in danger.

Young readers will be drawn to all kinds of gory and unsavory topics, including foot binding for young women, the murderous Empress Wu, the deadly search for immortality, and the origins of acupuncture.