Rainbow Rowell Books Novels & Stories

⸻ The forest had grown completely dark. The fire cast long shadows between the ancient pines. Rowan added another branch. “You should probably go.” The Direwolf remained exactly where it was. She looked toward the darkness. “I’ll be okay.” Nothing. “You don’t have to stay.” Still nothing. She smiled. “Suit yourself.” Curling her jacket beneath her head, Rowan settled against the rock overhang. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her body. The day’s events replayed endlessly through her mind. The storm.

Anything to change the conversation before she starts rambling on about the bucket list she wants to fulfill with Rowan. “Tales of the Moonlight,” She repeated the book’s title with a bit of dryness in her voice. “It’s a fantasy book.” “You like reading fantasy?” I held my hand out for her to give me the book. “Is it kid-rated though?” She hummed as she handed it over for me to inspect. “Uncle Ro bought it for me.” I closed the book in a flash, making the poor object yowl with a slapping sound. Rowan, again.

“So you’re saying the Ravens are a room full of predators.” Rook didn’t look away. He didn’t try to soften it. “I’m saying it’s a room full of men who survived by taking what they wanted until someone bigger took it from them,” he replied, voice low. “It’s a room full of rules that don’t exist on paper.” My throat tightened. I glanced toward the window, toward the city pretending to be harmless. “And Torin chose to remain in that world,” I whispered.

He was sitting on the floor, stacking wooden blocks in a pattern that looked suspiciously like a DNA double-helix. ​"How are you, honey?" I asked, sitting beside him. ​Rowan didn't look up. "The people in the suits are loud, Mommy. Not like the stars. They’re loud with... wanting things." ​"I know. We're going to a place where it's quiet soon. Just us and the other kids." ​Rowan finally looked at me. His eyes were brown, but in the dim light of the library, they seemed to hold a depth that no five-year-old should possess. "Mommy, why did you tell the man the rocks don't talk?"

It had been shoved right to the bottom throughout the day, as I’d taken books out and forced new ones in. As I dug around for it, my fingers brushed over a much-folded piece of paper. Kathrena and I had both been given maps upon our arrival, but I’d left mine shoved in my backpack during the day. One girl, Rowan, who seemed to be in most of my classes, had offered to show me around. She had flaming red hair, and skittish eyes that darted around constantly. She had a bright smile, though, and slick red lips, which suited her ginger hair and green eyes. She was likeable, in a jittery sort of way.

Mia had bought them matching stuffed animals, a dragon for Rowan and a lion for Nova. "Because you're both fierce," she said. Isla gave them art supplies, paint sets, colored pencils, sketchbooks. "For when you want to create something beautiful," she said. Then it was my turn. I pulled out two wrapped boxes. "For Rowan," I said, handing him the first one. He tore into it eagerly, then stopped. "A journal?" "Like Daddy has," I said. "For writing down your thoughts. Your dreams. Everything you're feeling." He ran his fingers over the leather cover. "Really? For me?"

The bookshelf was just as tall as Andrew so he could easily access the books there. The bookshelf had all sorts of books, ranging from fictional novels to nonfictional novels, to educational novels and textbooks. Her eyes caught titles like; The Redwall series by Brian Jacques, Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and a lot more. Even the Encyclopedia was in his bookshelf. And there was also some novels on the basis of business and finance. The book the lad was currently reading was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Getting along with kids is simpler than you think, Mr. Mattel. Take Wanda, for example. All you have to do is show interest in whatever she's interested in. "When it comes to Rowley, however, you'll have to get creative. He's a tough one to crack, and you can't treat him like a child, either. You must think of him as a fellow grown-up you're trying to please." Rowan took a deep breath. Pleasing Rowley seemed to be the hardest task to accomplish in this world. As such, he headed to the bookstore the next day and bought an eclectic collection of parenting books. He spent the rest of the day poring over those books and doing nothing else.

Zeke called down. I climbed back up. “There’s a chest and this weird book, I don’t know. But nothing is in the book.” “The cover says Ghost Stories.” Wyatt pointed out. I swear the cover was blank before. I sighed and handed it off to Hunter. “It must be enchanted or something.” Hunter opened the book. “Who is Captain Rowell ‘The Cruel” Swale?” “I don’t know,” I answered. “Why?” “There’s a story in here about him.”

I got this hunch that he'd become aware of my gaze and was about to return it, so I looked away immediately. "Are you aware that the rainbow is just an illusion?" He asked turning to me, with that cute smile still playing on his lips. "Huh?" "The rainbow," he repeated, pointing towards it "it's an illusion cast on the sky due to the reflection of light" "Really" I said. He scoffed and silence reigned once again. I figured it was now time to part ways before he begins to grow on me. "I'm about to go in now," I said reluctantly "Which hospital building do you stay?" I grabbed the arms of his wheelchair.