Avery's Story (Rival High #1)

Welcome to your NEXT great read! NEXT is an exciting new line of books that feature short, irresistible stories that include both full-color and black-and-white art that's sure to keep you hooked. Once you've read one, you'll need to know what happens … NEXT! When two high schools merge, four friends help each other navigate the ensuing drama in this brand-new series by Candace Buford with art by Jamie Green.

Avery Jones is ready for a fresh start, and what better time than the first day at a new school? That’s where she meets Madison (the influ­encer), Teresa (the genius), and Corinne (the athlete). Each one is so unique and cool, all Avery wants to do is impress them.

So when she sees an opportunity to twist the truth a little, she takes it. After all, a little white lie never hurt anyone … right?

But when Avery’s new school merges with her old school, she finds herself in way over her head juggling two lives -- and her new friends are starting to get suspicious. Will Avery be able to fix things before her friends figure out the truth?

Candace Buford has been an avid reader since childhood -- always looking for stories with strong and complex POCs. She graduated from Duke University with a degree in German Literature, which exposed her to the delightfully creepy side of storytelling by writers like Kafka and Brecht. She also holds a law degree from Penn State Law School and a business degree from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. Raised in Houston, Candace currently lives in the heart of Seattle, where you can find her huddled in café corners, scribbling away in her notebook. She shares her life with a rocket scientist and a Plott Hound, who both ensure there is never a dull day. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @candacebuford.

Jamie Green is a creator based in Cleveland, Ohio. She has illustrated several books including the Arden High series by Molly Horton Booth and Stephanie Kate Strohm, and A Line Can Go Anywhere by Caroline McAlister. When she isn't illustrating, Jamie spends her time lifting, knitting, foraging and hiking.