"Welcome to extraction testing"Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her 16th birthday when she'll be tested for Extraction, in the hopes of being sent from Kiel's toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be "extracted," she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life. What she finds initially at the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it's free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid—but life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet's leaders don't... Views: 8
This pirate's latest prize may be love...With a single pistol shot and the swing of a cutlass, Alice Tupper saves her mistress's life. But no lady's maid in polite society has ever killed a duke--at least, not on purpose. So Alice sets sail for America and her new destiny--only to find herself battling pirates on the high seas. Aboard her rescue ship, The Scarlet Night, she is hailed a hero and earns her place among the crew...as well as the ire of Captain Gavin Quinn. Gavin chose this pirate's life, but he knows it's no place for a woman, especially one as exasperating--and beautiful--as Alice. Despite his desire for her, Gavin is determined to do the right thing and deliver her to the new world. But Alice's deepest wish is a life by Gavin's side. Will his heart overrule his sense, and will he risk everything to pursue his greatest treasure of all? Views: 8
Named one of the best books of 2015 by NPR, Amazon, Seattle Times, and Shelf Awareness A few bloody months in South Asia during the summer of 1947 explain the world that troubles us today. Nobody expected the liberation of India and birth of Pakistan to be so bloody — it was supposed to be an answer to the dreams of Muslims and Hindus who had been ruled by the British for centuries. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi's protégé and the political leader of India, believed Indians were an inherently nonviolent, peaceful people. Pakistan's founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a secular lawyer, not a firebrand. But in August 1946, exactly a year before Independence, Calcutta erupted in street-gang fighting. A cycle of riots — targeting Hindus, then Muslims, then Sikhs — spiraled out of control. As the summer of 1947 approached, all three groups were heavily armed and on edge, and the British rushed to leave. Hell let loose. Trains... Views: 8
With his gift for crafting “a keep-you engaged- to-the-very-last-page thriller” ( USA Today ) at full throttle, Greg Iles brings back the unforgettable Penn Cage in this electrifying suspense masterpiece. A new day has dawned . . . but the darkest evils live forever in the murky depths of a Southern town. Penn Cage was elected mayor of Natchez, Mississippi—the hometown he returned to after the death of his wife—on a tide of support for change. Two years into his term, casino gambling has proved a sure bet for bringing new jobs and fresh money to this fading jewel of the Old South. But deep inside the Magnolia Queen , a fantastical repurposed steamboat, a depraved hidden world draws high-stakes players with money to burn on their unquenchable taste for blood sport and the dark vices that go with it. When an old high school friend hands him blood-chilling evidence, Penn alone must beat the odds tracking a sophisticated killer who counters his every move, placing those nearest to him—including his young daughter, his renowned physician father, and a lover from the past—in grave danger, and all at the risk of jeopardizing forever the town he loves.
From Publishers Weekly Iles's third addition to the Penn Cage saga is an effective thriller that would have been even more satisfying at half its length. There is a lot of story to cover, with Cage now mayor of Natchez, Miss., battling to save his hometown, his family and his true love from the evil clutches of a pair of homicidal casino operators who are being protected by a homeland security bigwig. Dick Hill handles the large cast of characters effortlessly, adopting Southern accents that range from aristocratic (Cage and his elderly father) to redneck (assorted Natchez townsfolk). He provides the bad guys with their vocal flair, including an icy arrogance for the homeland security honcho, a soft Asian-tempered English for the daughter of an international villain and the rough Irish brogue of the two main antagonists. One of the latter pretends to be an upper-class Englishman and, in a moment of revelation, Hill does a smashing job of switching accents mid-sentence. Views: 8
Based on the author's discoveries about her great-grandfather, this stunning debut novel takes place over three days when World War II comes to the doorstep of an ordinary German family living in an idyllic, rural village near the Swiss border.When World War II breaks out, Edith and Oskar Eberhardt move their family—their daughter, Marina; son-in-law, Franz; and their granddaughters—out of Berlin and into a small house in the quiet town of Blumental, near Switzerland. A member of Hitler's cabinet, Oskar is gone most of the time, and Franz begins fighting in the war, so the women of the house are left to their quiet lives in the picturesque village. But life in Blumental isn't as idyllic as it appears. An egotistical Nazi captain terrorizes the citizens he's assigned to protect. Neighbors spy on each other. Some mysteriously disappear. Marina has a lover who also has close ties to her family and the government. Thinking none of them share her hatred of the... Views: 8
Gritty, heartrending and unputdownable - the story of two sisters sent first to an English, then an Australian orphanage in the aftermath of World War 2.Rita and Rosie Stevens are only nine and five years old when their widowed mother marries a violent bully called Jimmy Randall and has a baby boy by him. Under pressure from her new husband, she is persuaded to send the girls to an orphanage - not knowing that the papers she has signed will entitle them to do what they like with the children.And it is not long before the powers that be decide to send a consignment of orphans to their sister institution in Australia. Among them - without their family's consent or knowledge - are Rita and Rosie, the throwaway children. Views: 8
When an extremist faction of Iranian militants takes the first bloody step towards toppling the decadent West, Admiral "Tombstone" Magruder and Carrier Battle Group Fourteen are the only ones who can stop the madmen cold. Views: 8
Harley Brennan and Shyla Hollings agreed to part company to follow their careers. It was a mutual decision. The star running back had no problem getting dates, but never the right dates. After one year spent trying to replace the only woman he'd ever loved, he declared defeat. Until the reality TV show, Marriage Minded, approached him.Harley flew to L.A. after the Super Bowl, ready to find his new soul mate. Bumping into Shyla at the airport didn't give him a clue that she'd be behind the scenes, designing the sets for the program. And she didn't tell him. Was Fate playing a hand, bringing them together? If so, Harley had to admit, Fate had lousy timing.Convinced his life was heading for a touchdown, Harley's confidence was high, until his luck ran out. Would the running back get knocked out of the game or sprint to victory?A unique combination of reality TV show surprises, football action, humor, and steamy love scenes, HARLEY BRENNAN, RUNNING BACK, will keep you guessing until... Views: 8
From Publishers WeeklyZindell (_Neverness_) stirs together the grail legend, a dash of Blake and a sprinkling of Tolkien with other bits of lore in this classic fantasy quest, a revised version of an earlier novel and the first entry in a new series. Young knight Valashu Elahad, seventh and least son of the king of Mesh, has no love for war. But minions of the evil Morjin are at work in the land of Ea. King Kiritan of Alonia invites the knights of Ea to his court to formally begin the grand quest for the Lightstone, the long-lost Cup of Heaven. Driven by visions of the golden cup, Val sets off for Alonia, joined by warrior-scholar Master Juwain and hedonistic but goodhearted Brother Maram. Along the way Val's company grows, even as nightmares trouble his soul deeply. By the end, the company numbers seven, echoing an ancient prophecy: "A seventh son... will slay the dragon. The old world will be destroyed and a new one created." Vivid characters and richly detailed settings offset some uneven pacing and a few predictable elements. (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistStarred Review Zindell, a reputable writer of better-than-average fantasy, here begins a saga that, substantially revised from its original British edition, may prove his breakthrough to a larger audience. Seasoned fantasy readers will recall Tolkien as they read of the island continent Ea coming under the power of the fallen dark angel Morjin. All Morjin needs to rule forever is the Lightstone, a talisman so long lost that no one has any idea of where it might be. Most who seek it don't come back. Enter Prince Valashu, who as the seventh son in a royal household is somewhat at loose ends, and his companion-squire-whatever, Maram, who, of course, set out to find the Lightstone. En route, Maram becomes more than a sidekick, and Valashu encounters people and situations the likes of which he never met while living in the palace. What direction this saga will take is so much guesswork at this stage, but it seems that it will be character-centered and include a wide range of emotions and motivations as Valashu and Maram pursue their classic quest. Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 8
WHO DO YOU TRUST? No one would meet Mark Delaney's eyes. After a devastating brush with death, he had changed dramatically -- and done so with one purpose in mind. He had a killer to catch and could no longer trust his own family. But one woman dared to look beyond his facade. April Cartwright, newly hired by the Delaneys, sought to know the real Mark. But the loner knew he had to resist. A murderer was in their midst, and if Mark succumbed to the sweet promises April offered, his mission would put them both in deadly peril. And he would not risk her innocent life -- even at the cost of his own! Views: 8
