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Tarvin

Tarvin is shy, intelligent, and awkward, all of which he gets to prove when his crush from school pays him a visit for help with her homework. It all goes further downhill when she convinces him to break into a private garden. Read it for free at https://stories.osterin.comSeaside Summers are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series."You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren BlakelyIN SEASIDE DREAMS...Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She's quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella's prank takes a bad turn and a sinfully sexy police officer appears on the scene.Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he's found the one thing he'd never allowed himself to hope for--or even realized he was missing.After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella's powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden's loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son--even Bella?***READY FOR MORE SEASIDE SUMMERS? Seaside Dreams (Bella)Seaside Hearts (Jenna)Seaside Sunsets (Jamie)Seaside Secrets (Amy)Seaside Nights (Sky)Seaside Embrace (Hunter)Seaside Lovers (Grayson)Seaside Whispers (Matt)***SEASIDE SUMMERS is part of the Love in Bloom big family romance collection. Characters from each series appear in future books. Each book may be read as a stand-alone novel, or as part of the series. Visit Melissa's website for a series guides and checklists.READ THE FULL LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES:SNOW SISTERS: Sisters in Love, Sisters in Bloom, Sisters in WhiteTHE BRADENS (Weston, CO): Lovers at Heart, Destined for Love, Friendship on Fire, Sea of Love, Bursting with Love, Hearts at Play, Promise My Love (novella), Daring Her Love (novella)THE BRADENS (Trusty, CO): Taken by Love, Fated for Love, Romancing My Love, Flirting with Love, Dreaming of Love, Crashing into LoveTHE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD): Healed by Love (Nate), Surrender My LoveRiver of Love, Crushing on Love, Whisper of Love, Thrill of LoveTHE REMINGTONS: Game of Love, Stroke of Love, Flames of Love, Slope of Love, Read, Write, Love, Touched by Love THE RYDERS: Seized by Love, Claimed by Love, Chased by Love, Rescued by Love, Swept Into LoveWILD BOYS AFTER DARK: Logan, Heath, Jackson, CooperBAD BOYS AFTER DARK: Mick, Dylan, Brett, Carson HARBORSIDE NIGHTS: Catching Cassidy, Discovering Delilah, Tempting Tristan***AUTHOR BIOMelissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance--perfect beach reads--with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Melissa enjoys chatting with readers and book clubs. Send her an email invitation to your next event!
Views: 829

Srebrenica Massacre: a Dutch fairy story

Srebrenica Massacre: a fairy story for grown-ups based on the official Dutch army report on the Srebrenica massacre. When the killer lambs’ supply of soft tissue toilet paper runs out, the outlook for the goats is ominous as the Big Bad Wolf closes in.Srebrenica - the Dutch soldiers’ contemptuous name for Srebrenica was Goat Country, scene of one of the worst massacres in post-war Europe. The United Nations persuaded the Muslims in Srebrenica to disarm, having first assured them that they would be protected by the Dutch Army. Result: up to eight thousand Muslim men were massacred by the Serbs. This fairy tale is inspired by the official Dutch Army report on the events in the Srebrenica enclave – it is all there in the report, right down to the last piece of soft tissue toilet paper.
Views: 821

A World's Toll: Trapped Between Time

Mia finds herself trapped between time when she overused a watch with manifesting powers. Now she is walking on a path she may never turn back as Mia is in the world of Amaria, a place that only exists between the gaps of time and space. Along with a new found friend, Martin, together they venture to a place not many come upon. Will they conquer each and every obstacle and return to their world?David Masterson is a talented music journalist working at a modest music magazine, hoping to go places. One day his Editor gives him the assignment he has been waiting for -to obtain an exclusive interview with the world's most famous,but reclusive, Rock Star - Jared Lucas!Not believing his good fortune, Masterson journeys to the remote estate of LAMENT HILL, Mount Hood, Oregon, home of the legendary Rock icon, to secure the interview that he believes will make his career. Yet, what appears at first to be a dream assignment turns out to be anything but as, in Masterson's attempt to get Lucas to reveal his soul, he is soon shocked to discover that he is, in fact, fighting to keep hold of his own...
Views: 806

Armel

Armel fancies himself a scientist, performing his research. Having hit a roadblock with his animal subjects, he goes in search of a human volunteer...When a brutal murder shows signs of magical foul play, detective Gerrit finds himself on the case alongside a Qui - the only person who can subdue the killer when they find him.Read it for free at https://stories.osterin.comA charm hidden in a shipping box brings Tredan’s disgraceful past to his door.Retired Enchanter Tredan and his wife Lanith, magical curio merchants in the seaside town of Isor, have been model citizens for years. But Tredan has harbored a terrible secret. As the victim of a Church-induced spell, he created a journal with spells to enslave the Enchanters’ magical essence to the Church.Enchanters generate the essence powering everything in Tredan’s world. The Church has long resented the Enchanters’ exclusive control over essence. The head Church magician, His Divine, is determined to acquire Tredan’s journal and take the Enchanters’ power for his own.With Lanith out on an errand for the morning, Tredan opens the box containing an Enforcer’s compulsion charm. This Church magician will stop at nothing to collect Tredan’s journal for His Divine. The ensnared Tredan must battle the Enforcer’s superior magic and keep the journal safe. Tredan must also find a way, even if he must enlist the help of the dead, to warn an unsuspecting Lanith before she returns home and falls prey to His Divine’s wrath.Wrath, Prequel to Tredan's Bane -- Honorable Mention Winner, Fiction-Short Story Category, 2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest
Views: 803

Average Sunday Afternoon

Short Stories. Humour flits through, from an invasion by cows, crime in Dublin, death in a dustbin, to village legends and the everyday visions of a mad girl. All the people in these stories break rules and test the boundaries of habit, faith or even television. For good or bad, the covers are stripped away and life can never be the same again.A mermaid named Lily goes on an adventure with her dolphin friend, Cory. They see many sea creatures on their travels. Then, they go to the above ground world.
Views: 772

Bonjour Tristesse & a Certain Smile

Published when she was only nineteen, Françoise Sagan's astonishing first novel Bonjour Tristesse became an instant bestseller. It tells the story of Cécile, who leads a carefree life with her widowed father and his young mistresses until, one hot summer on the Riviera, he decides to remarry - with devastating consequences. In A Certain Smile Dominique, a young woman bored with her lover, begins an encounter with an older man that unfolds in unexpected and troubling ways. These two acerbically witty and delightfully amoral tales about the nature of love are shimmering masterpieces of cool-headed, brilliant observation.
Views: 766

Edwin

"Edwin" is a fantasy short story about a Storyteller who suffers from blank spots in his memory. The problem is when he wakes up one time covered in blood. Read it for free at https://stories.osterin.comSeaside Summers are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series."You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren BlakelyIN SEASIDE DREAMS...Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She's quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella's prank takes a bad turn and a sinfully sexy police officer appears on the scene.Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he's found the one thing he'd never allowed himself to hope for--or even realized he was missing.After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella's powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden's loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son--even Bella?***READY FOR MORE SEASIDE SUMMERS? Seaside Dreams (Bella)Seaside Hearts (Jenna)Seaside Sunsets (Jamie)Seaside Secrets (Amy)Seaside Nights (Sky)Seaside Embrace (Hunter)Seaside Lovers (Grayson)Seaside Whispers (Matt)***SEASIDE SUMMERS is part of the Love in Bloom big family romance collection. Characters from each series appear in future books. Each book may be read as a stand-alone novel, or as part of the series. Visit Melissa's website for a series guides and checklists.READ THE FULL LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES:SNOW SISTERS: Sisters in Love, Sisters in Bloom, Sisters in WhiteTHE BRADENS (Weston, CO): Lovers at Heart, Destined for Love, Friendship on Fire, Sea of Love, Bursting with Love, Hearts at Play, Promise My Love (novella), Daring Her Love (novella)THE BRADENS (Trusty, CO): Taken by Love, Fated for Love, Romancing My Love, Flirting with Love, Dreaming of Love, Crashing into LoveTHE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD): Healed by Love (Nate), Surrender My LoveRiver of Love, Crushing on Love, Whisper of Love, Thrill of LoveTHE REMINGTONS: Game of Love, Stroke of Love, Flames of Love, Slope of Love, Read, Write, Love, Touched by Love THE RYDERS: Seized by Love, Claimed by Love, Chased by Love, Rescued by Love, Swept Into LoveWILD BOYS AFTER DARK: Logan, Heath, Jackson, CooperBAD BOYS AFTER DARK: Mick, Dylan, Brett, Carson HARBORSIDE NIGHTS: Catching Cassidy, Discovering Delilah, Tempting Tristan***AUTHOR BIOMelissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance--perfect beach reads--with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Melissa enjoys chatting with readers and book clubs. Send her an email invitation to your next event!
Views: 750

Anna

In una Sicilia diventata un'immensa rovina, una tredicenne cocciuta e coraggiosa parte alla ricerca del fratellino rapito. Fra campi arsi e boschi misteriosi, ruderi di centri commerciali e città abbandonate, fra i grandi spazi deserti di un'isola riconquistata dalla natura e selvagge comunità di sopravvissuti, Anna ha come guida il quaderno che le ha lasciato la mamma con le istruzioni per farcela. E giorno dopo giorno scopre che le regole del passato non valgono più, dovrà inventarne di nuove. Con Anna Niccolò Ammaniti ha scritto il suo romanzo più struggente. Una luce che si accende nel buio e allarga il suo raggio per rivelare le incertezze, gli slanci del cuore e la potenza incontrollabile della vita. Perché, come scopre Anna, la «vita non ci appartiene, ci attraversa».
Views: 735

Isem

Isem, a simple farmboy, finds himself thrown into trouble when he defends himself from an assault - by burning the man to ashes with magic.His world and plans are disintegrating. Will the north woods be enough to heal this man’s pain? A short-short story of the future, past, and present.
Views: 734

Killing Crazy Horse

The latest installment of the multimillion-selling Killing series is a gripping journey through the American West and the historic clashes between Native Americans and settlers. The bloody Battle of Tippecanoe was only the beginning. It's 1811 and President James Madison has ordered the destruction of Shawnee warrior chief Tecumseh's alliance of tribes in the Great Lakes region. But while General William Henry Harrison would win this fight, the armed conflict between Native Americans and the newly formed United States would rage on for decades. Bestselling authors Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard venture through the fraught history of our country's founding on already occupied lands, from General Andrew Jackson's brutal battles with the Creek Nation to President James Monroe's epic "sea to shining sea" policy, to President Martin Van Buren's cruel enforcement of a "treaty" that forced the Cherokee Nation out of their homelands along what would be...
Views: 698

The Human Body

A platoon of young men and one woman soldier leaves Italy for one of the most dangerous places on earth. Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the Gulistan district of Afghanistan is nothing but an exposed sandpit—scorched by inescapable sunlight and deadly mortar fire. Each member in the platoon manages the toxic mix of boredom and fear that is life at the FOB in his own way. Brash Cederna shamelessly picks on the virgin Ietri. Giulia Zampieri seemingly navigates this male-dominated world with ease—until two male comrades start vying for her attention. And for medical officer Alessandro Egitto, the FOB serves as an escape from a real life even more dangerous than one fought with guns. At night, lying on their beds, they feel the beat of their own hearts, the ceaseless activity of the human body. But when a much-debated mission goes devastatingly awry, the soldiers find their lives changed in an instant.
Views: 694

Bayett

Necromancers can visit the world of spirits. Bayett would live there permanently, if only it didn't require him to die first. But when the Quis come after him, he might just get that chance.Read it for free at https://stories.osterin.comMy name is Justin Hauten. My friends call me Hotten. So do my enemies. I’m a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and for the last few months I’ve been deployed to Afghanistan on a sensitive reconnaissance mission, along with my best friend—and troublemaker—Sean “Nebraska” Walker. I’m not the smartest guy in the room and I’m certainly not a badass, but when the company commander puts a bullet in my shoulder and orders me to hand over the evidence, my life goes from boring to stupid in about five seconds. And guess what? Nebraska’s having the time of his life. While all of this is troubling, something else has happened that’s throwing my life out of balance: I’ve been receiving love letters from an admirer. A male admirer. This is all new for me. My heart flips when I read his letters because, maybe, it is possible that I feel the same way.Warning: this story contains hot men, jail cells, guns, hot men kissing, a funny sidekick that enjoys embellishing the truth, men in uniform, government conspiracies, hot men kissing, creeps wearing sunglasses at night, secret camera images, and hot men kissing.The Leading Men Are:** Staff Sergeant Justin "Hotten" Hauten... Isn't the smartest guy in the room. He just wants to be a regular soldier but finds himself mixed up kidnappings, government secrets, and the desire to figure out his feelings for Aaron.** First Lieutenant Aaron "Texas" Parris... Has had feelings for Justin for quite some time and he isn't going to hold them in anymore, even if that means getting involved in whatever mess Justin is in -- which is some pretty messed up crap!** Specialist Sean "Nebraska" Walker... Is a tall, lumberjack-ish redheaded, loyal friend to the end. He happily enters into scuffles just for the hell of it. It's possible that he is the cause for some of those scuffles... Being a former semi-pro boxer does have its perks.~*~*~*~It is HIGHLY recommended that you read the series in order.FALLING FOR YOU, Vol 1HUNGRY FOR YOU, Vol 2READY FOR YOU, Vol 3FALLING FOR HIM (The Complete Series), which is priced much lower than purchasing each novella individually.~*~*~*~Need some fine print?* This is a love story between two men. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being "vanilla" and 5 being "this is so hot, I'm dying"; I would rate FALLING FOR YOU a 3.* This series has been published in "Episodic Form" aka, Installments. This means Novella #1 isn't the complete story. It stops at a good spot (cliffhanger), but not at the final conclusion. I know this bothers some folks, so I feel it is best to be upfront about it. This particular novella is about 50 pages long.
Views: 694

The Missing Gun

London in the early months of WW2. When a pawnbroker’s assistant is wounded by a gunman wearing a gasmask it looks like a simple case of a bungled armed robbery, but the more Detective Inspector Hawker looks into it, the more confusing it becomes. A red-headed soldier, a missing gun, a dead cat, an empty violin case and a damaged violin are only a few of the threads that have to be unwound.London in the autumn of 1939: the early months of World War 2. Hitler has just conquered Poland, but life in London continues much as it did in peacetime, albeit a little more restricted since the introduction of petrol rationing. No bombs have been dropped on the city as yet, but the population go about their daily business under the constant threat of German air raids, and a blackout remains in force at night. For Scotland Yard and the criminal fraternity, however, it is business as usual. When a pawnbroker’s assistant is wounded by a gunman wearing a gasmask, it appears to be a straightforward case of a bungled armed robbery, but as Detective Inspector Hawker of the Flying Squad proceeds with his investigation, the more facts he uncovers the more confusing the affair becomes. A red-headed soldier, a missing gun, a dead cat, an empty violin case and a damaged violin are only a few of the threads that have to be unravelled before he can wrap up the case.
Views: 686

One Day in Summer

Aran is a time-traveller who keeps returning to the same place and time over and over again, dragging his best friend, Navaya, with him.Navaya is getting jaded by the constant trips to the same place, and she has a secret to protect.No one is an island, and private detective of the gods Tom Statford is no different. The family he was born with, the family he chose, the family that chose him, they all make him more than the sum of his parts.This collection of short stories is set between the first and second volumes of The Statford Chronicles, and answers some of the questions about the lives and times of some of the pivotal members of Tom Statford's life.
Views: 679