Mike has his junior year well under control. He's got a solid group of friends. He's dating Lori, one of the hottest girls in school. And Coach Cody has all but given him the starting spot as the Ridgedale Rangers' varsity center fielder. And then Oscar Ramirez shows up. Oscar is an amazing ballplayer, as talented at the plate as he is in center field, and it's not long before Mike loses control. He's on the bench, he's getting into fights, and he finds himself in weekend detention with Katherine Herold, the most mysterious, abrasive, alluring girl in school. Mike is lost, confused, and looking to Coach Cody to help him get back on track. But the coach has his own set of rules for Mike to play by, and the decisions Mike makes are going to impact more than just the starting lineup.Robert Lipsyte, one of the most celebrated writers in young adult literature, has crafted a subtly intense tale of adolescent struggle, a sports story about much more than sports—one that... Views: 30
When her father disappears, eighteen-year old Daria Jones is forced on an inescapable journey through a magical world, while a lifetime of shattering secrets, hidden power, and unforeseen love unfold; all of which she must harness before an ancient, reviving evil kills her father. Views: 30
From Publishers WeeklyRailroads might seem outmoded today, but they were originally dynamic, cutthroat enterprises, according to this byzantine business history of track laying in the American West. Independent historian Borneman (Polk) chronicles the post–Civil War scramble to build a web of transcontinental railroads, lavish land grants, and government subsidies. Dozens of railroads and their executives are featured, but the melee eventually gels into a showdown between the Southern Pacific, intent on monopolizing the routes into California, and the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, determined to reach the Pacific by a prized snow-free southerly route. The regionÖs rugged topography forces railroads to compete for a handful of one-track-wide mountain passes and river crossings; rivals throw down miles of track per day to reach strategic junctions and occasionally send armed gangs to seize choke points. BornemanÖs evocations of railroad culture--the construction feats, boom-and-bust railhead towns, train robbers, and luxury cars--add color but are skimpy. He centers the story instead on boardroom maneuverings, and while railroad tycoons are a colorful lot, their deal-making begins to blur. As empire-building bequeaths corporate consolidation, BornemanÖs narrative runs out of steam before reaching the terminal. 16 pages of photos, 30 maps. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FromBefore the Civil War, the most logical route for the planned transcontinental railroad was across the southern plains and the deserts of the southwest. Instead, for reasons more political than economic, the more northerly route was selected, and the two strands were joined at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1868. Almost immediately, the competition began for the rights to build a web of lines across the southern route. Borneman, a historian and attorney, has written an interesting, if uneven, chronicle of the political as well as physical struggles to complete these tasks. He profiles numerous competing companies and their sponsors, and he describes their often cutthroat tactics and greed. Eventually, two large companies, the Southern Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, squeezed out or absorbed other competitors. When he sticks to the actual process of construction, Borneman’s narrative is brisk, colorful, and exciting. It drags and confuses when it deals with the machinations in corporate board rooms. Still, this is a worthy look at a less-publicized aspect of railroad construction. --Jay Freeman Views: 30
Keelie Bronson and Griff Tyler have been adversaries for years, locked in legal battles and enmity over Keelie's belief that Griff was responsible for her father's death. But when Griff's control over his vampire clan comes under attack, Keelie may be the key to clearing his name. When Griff and Keelie finally meet face-to-face, neither of them are prepared for their fierce attraction. Soon, a moment of weakness unleashes a passion that cannot be denied. But Keelie still wonders: is Griff a good man, or is he the monster she always believed him to be? Views: 30
A collection of five varied erotic stories with mixed themes. Views: 30
BETRAY THE BETRAYERIn the nuke-conceived birth of Deathlands, a rare breed of warrior-survivor emergedborn into suffering, hardened by circumstance, forged by endurance and sharpened by combat. Yet in the heart of this warrior, the quest to find a place of peace beats on unrelenting....LAND OF THE LOSTThe pristine coastal waters off San Clemente become a battleground over the island and its abandoned naval station. The rocky shores are rife with the sulfur mines that make Deathlands' richest jackgunpowder. To maintain hell-fought possession, a ruthless sea baron and his fleet engage rebellion from the land. On this island populated by roaming bio-weap nightmares engineered by predark whitecoats, Ryan Cawdor is caught in a war he has no intention of fighting, but has every determination to survive. Views: 30
An erotic novel set in steamy, corporate Miami where emails send temperatures soaring.Tina thinks she's found her perfect match; a mirror of her black upper-middleclass background. But when heartbreak wears the polish off of his shining armor, it's time to discover what she's been missing.Latin beauty Noemi works hard and plays rough, finding pleasure in bringing men to their knees. How long can she remain on top? That depends on who's asking.Pamela has it all, but it's not what you have, it's how you get it, and she doesn't like things to come easy. When she stumbles across a suitable challenge, she might finally be in over her flaming red head.Satisfaction. Every woman wants it, but when too much of a good thing is more than they can handle, these three women find themselves in uncharted territory, testing the limits of their deepest desires. It's Jimmy's game and rules are not his concern. He'll bring them to the edge of passion where seduction is a unique... Views: 30