Rebecca Mahoney
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THE VALLEY AND THE FLOOD
Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers

Rose Colter is almost home, but she can’t go back there yet. When her car breaks down in the Nevada desert, the silence of the night is broken by a radio broadcast of a voicemail message from her best friend, Gaby. A message Rose has listened to countless times over the past year. The last one Gaby left before she died.

So Rose follows the lights from the closest radio tower to Lotus Valley, a small town where prophets are a dime a dozen, secrets lurk in every shadow, and the diner pie is legendary. And according to Cassie Cyrene, the town’s third most accurate prophet, they’ve been waiting for her. Because Rose’s arrival is part of a looming prophecy, one that says a flood will destroy Lotus Valley in just three days’ time.

Rose believes if the prophecy comes true then it will confirm her worst fear–the PTSD she was diagnosed with after Gaby’s death has changed her in ways she can’t face. So with help from new friends, Rose sets out to stop the flood, but her connection to it, and to this strange little town, runs deeper than she could’ve imagined.

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Praise for THE VALLEY AND THE FLOOD:

A Winter 2020-21 Indie Next Top Ten Pick

A Kirkus Best Book of February 2021
A Booklist Top Ten SFF/Horror Debut of 2021
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2021
A Mass Book Award Must-Read Pick of 2021

★ “In this ensnaring tale, debut author Mahoney strikes a flowing balance, weaving together suspense, connection, uncanniness, healing, devastation, and hope… Superb storytelling.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred)

★ “Something has followed [Rose] to Lotus Valley, and in this poignant exploration of emotion and trauma, she must make a stand and figure out who she wants to be.” —ALA Booklist (Starred)

“Part mystery, part thriller, part horror-lite, this genre-bending story will be popular with many teens.” —School Library Journal (full review)

”Mahoney meshes flashbacks and the present intricately and effectively, resulting in two equally dramatic narratives… Part allegory, part psychological thriller, this suspenseful debut is a moving study of grief, regret, and PTSD.” —Publishers’ Weekly (full review)

“Refreshingly, wholly original, The Valley and the Flood will haunt you long after you turn the final page. A beautiful triumph of a debut.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series

“Rebecca Mahoney weaves a tense and beautiful tale about the monsters we make and the memories that haunt us. With the looming threat of the Flood and a town full of secrets, this story grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go.” —Kate Alice Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive and Rules for Vanishing

Content Notes:

THE VALLEY AND THE FLOOD contains depictions of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, including several scenes of panic attacks and a brief description of violent intrusive thoughts. There are also references to an off-page fatal car accident, as well as an on-page (non-fatal, non-graphic) car accident.

Cover for The Memory Eater: a girl with curly brown hair and a red dress stands in front of the waves while a monster's pale tendrils wrap around her

THE MEMORY EATER
Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers

For generations, a monster called the Memory Eater has lived in the caves of Whistler Beach, Maine, surviving off the unhappy memories of those who want to forget. And for generations, the Harlows have been in charge of keeping her locked up—and keeping her fed.

After her grandmother dies, seventeen-year-old Alana Harlow inherits the family business. But there’s something Alana doesn’t know: the strange gaps in her memory aren’t from an accident. Her memories have been taken—eaten. And with them, she’s lost the knowledge of how to keep the monster contained.

Now the Memory Eater is loose. Alana’s mistake could cost Whistler Beach everything—unless she can figure out how to retrieve her own memories and recapture the monster. But as Alana delves deeper into her family’s magic and the history of her town, she discovers a shocking secret at the center of the Harlow family business and learns that tampering with memories never comes without a price.

Pre-order from: Penguin Random House Amazon Barnes and Noble Indiebound

Order signed copies from: Porter Square Books

Add It On Goodreads


Praise for THE MEMORY EATER:

A Kirkus Best Book of March 2023
Finalist for the New England Book Award in YA

★ “An eerie tale offering equal measures of fright, angst, and emotional catharsis.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred)

★ “Via poetic prose, darkly ominous ambiance, and Alana’s witty, undeniably teen voice, Mahoney movingly addresses themes of atoning for past mistakes, confronting intergenerational trauma, and overcoming grief in this unforgettable read.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred)

“A contemplative, heartbreaking exploration of family and the ways in which we heal and hurt each other.” —BCCB

“A must-read study of memory and emotion, filled with complex characters in an eerie setting.” —School Library Journal

Mahoney combines a touch of magic with a story of grief, loss, and growing up under the weight of a whole town's survival.” —Booklist

“Strange and beautiful, The Memory Eater is a book you won't easily forget.” —Nicole Lesperance, author of The Wide Starlight and The Depths

“Tender and unsettling and endlessly inventive, The Memory Eater is a book unlike any I've read before. I will be thinking about this story for years to come—I only wish I could give my memory away and read it again for the first time.” —Courtney Gould, award winning author of The Dead And The Dark

“Eerie and atmospheric, here is a love letter to the power and importance of memory, wrapped up in a book you’ll surely never forget.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series

Content Notes

THE MEMORY EATER contains depictions of intergenerational trauma, the death of a grandparent, and explores the consequences of a community where memories can be tampered with or stolen. If you have any questions about specific content, please feel free to reach out via my contact form.