The Bastard

One man’s quest for his destiny leads him to the New World and into the heart of the American Revolution   Meet Phillipe Charboneau: the illegitimate son and unrecognized heir of the Duke of Kentland. Upon the Duke’s death, Phillipe is denied his birthright and left to build a life of his own. Seeking all that the New World promises, he leaves London for America, shedding his past and preparing for the future by changing his name to Philip Kent. He arrives at the brink of the American Revolution, which tests his allegiances in ways he never imagined. The first volume of John Jakes’s wildly successful and highly addictive Kent Family Chronicles, The Bastard is a triumph of historical fiction. This ebook features an illustrated biography of John Jakes including rare images from the author’s personal collection.
Views: 929

Shades of Blue

Brad Cutler, twenty-eight, is a rising star at his New York ad agency, about to marry the girl of his dreams. Anyone would agree he has it all - a great career, a beautiful and loving fiance, and a fairy tale life ahead of him when memories of a high school girlfriend begin to torment him. Lost innocence and one very difficult choice flood his conscience, and he is no longer sure what the future will bring except for this: He must find his old love and make amends. Haunted by the past and confused about the future, he turns to God seeking forgiveness and redemption.
Views: 928

Song of the Trees

With the depression bearing down on her family and food in short supply, Cassie Logan isn't sure where her next meal will come from.  But there is one thing that she knows will always be there-the whispering trees outside her window. Cassie's trees are a steady source of comfort to her, but they also happen to be worth a lot of money. When Mr. Andersen tries to force Big Ma to sell their valuable trees, Cassie can't just sit by and let it happen.  She knows that her family needs the money, but something tells her that they need the trees just as much. The beloved heroine of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry enchants us again in this story of strength and pride.
Views: 926

The Magic World

The Magic World is an influential collection of twelve short stories by E. Nesbit. It was first published in book form in 1912 by Macmillan and Co. Ltd., with illustrations by H. R. Millar and Gerald Spencer Pryse. The stories, previously printed in magazines (like Blackie\'s Children\'s Annual), are typical of Nesbit\'s arch, ironic, clever fantasies for children. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Views: 924

Quest for the Secret Keeper

Delphi Keep is awash in activity, and for Ian, Theo, and Carl, their safe haven might be nearing its end. The Royal Navy has taken the keep to use as a hospital and the tunnels running under the keep and the castle are ideal to set up a central communications outpost for the approaching war. The earl is happy to help the effort, but now the keep is no longer safe for the orphans and they must be evacuated to his winter residence. Ian, Theo, and Carl know that if they're sent away, they'll no longer be protected. But more important than their safety is deciphering the third prophecy. All clues point to a quest. The orphans don't know where they must go, but they know they must rescue the Secret Keeper. To do that, however, they need to work out who this Secret Keeper is. And what, exactly are the secrets he's keeping? From the Hardcover edition.
Views: 923

The Road to Memphis

As America hovers on the brink of World War II, Cassie Logan fights a battle closer to home--the battle of black against white. The third book in the powerfully written Logan family saga finds the 17-year-old Cassie Logan dreaming of college and law school. But no amount of schooling can prepare her for the violent explosion that takes place when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormenters--an action unheard of in Mississippi. Moe will be in even greater danger if he stays in town, so it is up to Cassie, her brother, and their friends to accompany Moe on the road to Memphis--and to safety.
Views: 922

The Indian School

A critically acclaimed historical novel by the author of the National Book Award-winning novel Homeless Bird. When shy ten-year-old Lucy comes to live with her aunt and uncle at their mission school, she's surprised at the number of harsh rules and restrictions imposed on the children. Why, she wonders, should the Indians have to do all the changing? And why is her aunt so strict with them? Then a girl called Raven runs away in protest, and Lucy knows she must overcome her timidity and stand up to her aunt—no matter what the consequences. With her trademark lyricism, spare prose, and strong young heroine, award-winning author Gloria Whelan has once again taken a chapter from history and transformed it into gripping, accessible historical fiction that is perfect for schools and classrooms, as well as for fans of Linda Sue Park and Louise Erdrich.
Views: 921

A Grief Observed

Written with love, humility, and faith, this brief but poignant volume was first published in 1961 and concerns the death of C. S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her introduction to this new edition, Madeleine L'Engle writes: "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. It is helpful indeed that C. S. Lewis, who has been such a successful apologist for Christianity, should have the courage to admit doubt about what he has so superbly proclaimed. It gives us permission to admit our own doubts, our own angers and anguishes, and to know that they are part of the soul's growth." Written in longhand in notebooks that Lewis found in his home, A Grief Observed probes the "mad midnight moments" of Lewis's mourning and loss, moments in which he questioned what he had previously believed about life and death, marriage, and even God. Indecision and self-pity assailed Lewis. "We are under the harrow and can't escape," he writes. "I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get. The old life, the jokes, the drinks, the arguments, the lovemaking, the tiny, heartbreaking commonplace." Writing A Grief Observed as "a defense against total collapse, a safety valve," he came to recognize that "bereavement is a universal and integral part of our experience of love." Lewis writes his statement of faith with precision, humor, and grace. Yet neither is Lewis reluctant to confess his continuing doubts and his awareness of his own human frailty. This is precisely the quality which suggests that A Grief Observed may become "among the great devotional books of our age."
Views: 921

The Snake and the Spider

It began with a teenager kissing his mother good-bye. It ended with the discovery of human bones in the Florida underbrush. Two Michigan teenagers were enjoying their dream vacation in Daytona Beach, Florida. Then, along came a spider and a snake.... Spider was a bone-thin loser. Snake was the real thing- pure evil and armed to the teeth. For the two teenagers, these madmen planned a night of lingering, inhuman terror. Investigators were left with a twisting trail of clues and lies that led from the blazing Florida heat to the stark chill of a morgue. The frantic families of seventeen-year-old Jim Boucher and nineteen-year-old Daryl Barber were left with a living nightmare of false leads and fading hopes...until the whole shocking truth finally came out about the two innocent young men and two deadly predators who called themselves...The Snake and The Spider.
Views: 918

In the Dark

Edith Nesbit's natural gift for storytelling has brought her worldwide renown as a classic children's author. But beyond her beloved children's stories lay a darker side to her imagination, revealed here in her chilling tales of the supernatural. Haunted by lifelong phobias which provoked, in her own words, 'nights and nights of anguish and horror, long years of bitterest fear and dread', Nesbit was inspired to pen terrifying stories of a twilight world where the dead walked the earth. All but forgotten for almost a hundred years until In the Dark was first published 30 years ago, this collection finally restored Nesbit's reputation as a one of the most accomplished and entertaining ghost-story writers of the Victorian age. With seven extra newly-discovered stories now appearing for the first time in paperback, this revised edition includes an introduction by Hugh Lamb exploring the life of the woman behind these tales and the events and experiences that contributed to her...
Views: 918

Skin Contact

Kimberly Derting returns you to the world of The Body Finder with her short story, “Skin Contact.” It was just a doll… …just a dream… Except, Rafe knew the truth. Before Rafe met body-finding Violet Ambrose and joined her team at the Center, there was another girl. Sophie was everything to Rafe. She was different from any girl he’d ever known. And Sophie was on the run from a dangerous past. Now, if Rafe can make it to the remote Montana house in time, he might have the chance to save the girl he loves. But to do so means revealing the ability he’s been hiding from everyone, even those closest to him. Note: This story was originally published in the anthology, Enthralled, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong. Kimberly Derting is the author of the award-winning The Body Finder series, The Pledge trilogy, and The Taking trilogy. She is also the co-author of the forthcoming picture book Luna and the Scientific Method!
Views: 913

The Syrup Bandit

The Syrup Bandit is the next installment from Book of Legends, a series of made-up folktales. This story takes place back when trains were the main way to travel. The hero of the story is Sack Harrum, a polite and courteous young man who accidently robs a train, and the gruff young girl who witnesses the whole thing and demands half of the loot."A compelling and well-paced story that made me eager for the next volume." "I was hooked from the start and can't wait until the next installment. I hope the author is a fast writer." Javin Cox was dead . . . or at least he should be. The last thing he remembered was touching off a Suitcase Nuke strapped to his back, hoping to take out an enemy compound of “Toads” who’d invaded earth and decimated all her cities. His Special Operations team had survived the initial invasion and were fighting a guerrilla war -- a last ditch effort to buy earth time to regroup. Javin had hit the ‘det’ switch, felt the blast, saw nothing but white . . . everywhere. And then he heard voices, talking about him as if he weren’t there. Until he’s swallowed up in a dark tunnel and realizes he’s moving incredibly fast. Javin awakens on a jungle planet, naked, no memory of who he is or where he came from, and facing a giant green lizard who wants him for dinner. From one scrape to the next, Javin crosses this odd landscape finding he can speak the language like a native and knows things; things about science and technology, that are far beyond this planet or its people. But that’s not all. The natives seem to know him too. You see, they think he’s Mulda’ fi, a Promised One, who has been sent to save their world from evil domination. There are pictures, legends, even statues of him all around . . . and Javin is sure he’s never been here before! It also turns out he has an enemy, who looks just like him, with powers he can’t even begin to imagine. Or maybe he can, if he can just get his “lucky marble” – which turns out to be much more than it seems – to work. Javin's special ancestry makes him the ‘One’ (or maybe One of Two) who can save all the races in the galaxy from being snuffed out. The problem is he knows nothing about it. And the Guardians, who are supposed to watch over things, can’t tell him anything because they’ve got problems of their own.
Views: 912

The Enchanted Castle

The Enchanted Castle is a children's fantasy novel by Edith Nesbit first published in 1907. The enchanted castle of the title is a country estate in the West Country seen through the eyes of three children, Gerald, James and Kathleen, who discover it while exploring during the school holidays. The lake, groves and marble statues, with white towers and turrets in the distance, make a fairy-tale setting, and then in the middle of the maze in the rose garden they find a sleeping fairy-tale princess. The "princess" tells them that the castle is full of magic, and they almost believe her. She shows them the treasures of the castle, including a magic ring she says is a ring of invisibility, but when it actually turns her invisible she panics and admits that she is the housekeeper's niece, Mabel, and was just play-acting.
Views: 912