After 17 years locked in a tower for a crime she swears she didn't commit, Queen Merewyn might finally be released. She hopes that a visit by Nina, the queen of a neighboring country, will give her a chance for freedom, and a chance to help her son, Crown Prince Maxen, negotiate the treacherous waters of court politics. Nina's court sorceress, Daryna, however, resents the fact that Nina is focused on Merewyn's troubles, rather than concentrating on getting help from Merewyn's husband, King Ethelred, in modernizing their country. Meanwhile, Merewyn's jailer and old friend, Duke Brandon, rushes to prepare his castle for the royal visit, knowing this may be his last chance to get the king and queen to reconcile. Initially excited when Ethelred finally allows her to attend the festivities, Merewyn begins to worry that some of the guests are plotting against her. Still locked in her tower, she prepares for the grand welcome feast and her first night of freedom in years, but... Views: 612
For fans of Humans of New York and PostSecret, a collection of raw, urgent, and heartfelt stories, shared anonymously.What would you confess if you knew it would never get back to your spouse, your colleagues, or your family? What story would you tell about your life if a stranger was willing to listen with no judgement, no stigma, and no consequences—just an unburdening and the relief of confession? After graduating from law school, Helena Dea Bala was a lobbyist in Washington, DC, struggling to pay off her student loans. She felt lonely and unfulfilled but, after a chance conversation with a homeless man she often saw on her commute, she felt...better. Talking with a stranger, listening to his problems, and sharing her own made her feel connected and engaged in a way she hadn't in a long time. Inspired, she posted an ad on Craigslist promising to listen, anonymously and for free, to whatever the speaker felt he or she couldn't tell... Views: 612
In a time of chaos, the #1 New York Times-bestselling political humorist asks his fellow Americans to take it down a notch. Is there an upside to being woke (and unable to get back to sleep)? If we license dentists, why don't we license politicians? Is your juicer sending fake news to your FitBit about what's in your refrigerator? The legendary P.J. O'Rourke addresses these questions and more in this hilarious new collection of essays about our nation's propensity for anger and perplexity, which includes such gems as "An Inaugural Address I'd Like to Hear" (Ask not what your country can do for you, ask how I can get the hell out of here) and "Sympathy vs. Empathy," which contemplates whether it's better to hold people's hands or bust into their heads. Also included is a handy quiz to find out where you stand on the Coastals-vs.-Heartlanders spectrum. From the author of Parliament of Whores, None of My Business, and other modern... Views: 612
The stakes are higher. The witches are deadlier. And the romance is red-hot. The eagerly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and Indiebound bestseller Serpent & Dove is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas. Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide. To survive, they need allies. Strong ones. But as Lou becomes increasingly desperate to save those she loves, she turns to a darker side of magic that may cost Reid the one thing he can't bear to lose. Bound to her always, his vows were clear: where Lou goes, he will go; and where she stays, he will stay. Until death do they part. Views: 612
From the moment their eyes met, Ellie knew Leroy Lahey would be her destiny. Handsome and ripped, there's just something about Baylor University's soon-to-be star quarterback that makes him impossible to resist. Consumed by a passion neither can understand, Leroy and Ellie spend the summer together. Left senseless and overwhelmed by his touch, Ellie experiences a world of desire she never imagined possible. Safe in Leroy's arms, Ellie begins to see a life beyond high school: going to college, starting her own business, having a family. But when life-altering news shakes them to their cores, Leroy and Ellie must discover if their passion is enough to help them get through what might possibly be the greatest challenge of their lives. Views: 612
"[An] excellent fair-play mystery...this British Library Crime Classic more than deserves that status."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED ReviewOn a dismally foggy night in Hampstead, London, a curious party has gathered in an artist's studio to weather the wartime blackoutAs World War II takes its toll around them, a civil servant and a government scientist are matching wits in a game of chess, while an artist paints the portrait of his characterful sitter, bedecked in Cardinal's robes at the other end of the room. In the kitchen, the artist's sister is hosting the charlady of the miser next door.When the brutal murder of said miser is discovered by his nephew, it's not long before Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard is at the scene, faced with perplexing alibis and with the fate of the young man in his hands. In the search for the culprit, Macdonald and his team of detectives must figure out if one of the members of the studio... Views: 612
