The Beast

Everybody knows the Beast is cursed. Everybody knows he will be redeemed. Everybody knows that the monster is just a mask of the good man within. Everybody is wrong...
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Heart of the Hill

In Volume Three of The Summer of Magic Quartet, Adam's turn to lead the adventure has arrived. The Wise One, Myrddin, needs Adam to retrieve his staff from the Crystal Cave deep inside Glastonbury Tor. The quest grows more dangerous, however, and fear rises. Equus and Ava are far away, the Lady will not wake, and Myrddin is in human guise, unable to use magic without alerting the Dark Being. The four children are on their own. And as the Dark Being approaches, the children discover that danger can find them even in their dreams.
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This Case Is Gonna Kill Me

What happens when The Firm meets Anita Blake? You get the Halls of Power—our modern world, but twisted. Law, finance, the military, and politics are under the sway of long-lived vampires, werewolves, and the elven Alfar. Humans make the best of rule by “the Spooks,” and contend among themselves to affiliate with the powers-that-be, in order to avoid becoming their prey. Very loyal humans are rewarded with power over other women and men. Very lucky humans are selected to join the vampires, werewolves, and elves—or, on occasion, to live at the Seelie Court. Linnet Ellery is the offspring of an affluent Connecticut family dating back to Colonial times. Fresh out of law school, she’s beginning her career in a powerful New York “white fang” law firm. She has high hopes of eventually making partner.  But strange things keep happening to her. In a workplace where some humans will eventually achieve...
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The War of Roses

Elena and her friends now have no conscious memories of Stefan - but each is having a difficult time adapting to a world without him. Damon can scarcely put out fires fast enough. Bonnie feels as if she's going insane. Her latest oddity is sleepwalking across the Dalcrest campus with only a golden-eyed white "dog" as a companion. This behavior terrifies the others, especially given the recent attacks in neighboring towns that leave girls drained of blood. More, Bonnie finds herself caught up in her own love triangle with Matt's shy new roommate, Bastian, and Damon. She realizes that Damon should be completely off limits, but she can't help feeling there is someone else who is Elena's perfect partner somewhere. No one knows much about Bastian, who has white-blond hair and golden eyes, but he doesn't seem to like Damon. Is Bastian just jealous of Damon's affection for Bonnie or does he have some darker secret? Meanwhile, both red roses and black are mysteriously appearing for Bonnie and Elena. Who are they from, and why do they seem so important? The War of Roses has just begun. . . .
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In Destiny’s Shadow

Subject: Anthony Caldwell, lone wolf Family History: His Gypsy mother left him a legacy and a promise. Deepest Secret: He can harness and control the energy around him. With his unique power and handsome, brooding strength, Anthony was on a collision course with the destiny that awaited him in the mountains of New Mexico. His goal -- take down Titan, the man who'd murdered his mother and torn his family apart. Then a woman got in his way, a reporter who wanted Titan for her own scoop. Nothing could stop Melina Becker -- except for the sexual tension that flared between them like lightning and burned twice as bright. As much as Anthony wanted her, Melina was a complication he didn't need -- not when, miles away, his nemesis awaited him. But neither he nor Melina could imagine the fate Titan had in store for them....
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Hearts of Smoke and Steam

ReviewPraise for The Society of Steam:"If Stan Lee had lived in the 1880s, this is the book he would have written—steampunk superheroes. Filled with larger than life characters, cliffhanger action, and ingenious gadgets so richly realized you'll feel the steam hissing from them, at its heart, it's a two-fisted meditation on the mythic glories of heroism and the tragic frailties of the heroes themselves." -- Clay & Susan Griffith, authors of The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1)"Andrew P. Mayer's The Falling Machine enjoys the promise of a glorious conceit that the book delivers on steampunk superheroes in Gilded Age New York City. The first of Mayer's Society of Steam trilogy, this book offers cocked-eyed adventure and the high camp of steampunk wrapped around a story of moral choice, family loyalty and the ultimate question of who gets to be counted as a person. A ripping yarn that strikes all the right notes, The Falling Machine will delight and entertain you." --Jay Lake, Campbell Award winning author of Mainspring and GreenAbout the AuthorWhen he's not crafting stories, Andrew Mayer works as a video-game designer and digital entertainment consultant. He has created numerous new concepts, characters, and worlds, including the original Dogz and Catz digital pets. Andrew calls Portland, Oregon, home (although he's been traveling a lot lately). You can find his musings on writing and media at andrewpmayer.com. Visit the Society of Steam on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/societyofsteam
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Black Horses for the King

Galwyn, the son of a bankrupt and dishonored aristocrat, has always had an ear for languages. So when Lord Artos—later known as King Arthur—needs an interpreter to help him buy large horses to breed a troop strong enough to carry armed warriors against the Saxon invaders, Galwyn gets a chance to redeem his father’s honor and make a name for himself.     Includes an author’s note..Amazon.com ReviewAnne McCaffrey is back with this precious, well-researched yarn that follows a Celtic lad in service to King Arthur. Set in fifth-century Britain, McCaffrey's first historical novel for young adults rejects a fantastical, Hollywood treatment of King Arthur in favor of realism and solid storytelling. Take away the Round Table and the usual knights-in-shining-armor hoo-hah, and you're left with an engaging, endearing chapter from the life of Artos, Comes Britannorum, a young war leader in search of horses strong enough to carry his armored warriors into battle against the savage Saxons.The story is told through the eyes of polite, earnest young do-gooder Galwyn Varianus, who has fled the service of his cruel, brutish, seafaring uncle to take up with the charismatic Artos. Galwyn quickly proves his value with his affinity for languages and horses, and he accompanies Artos and the Companions (proto-Knights of the Round Table) as they execute their plan: acquiring and then breeding a handful of fabled Libyans, the horses of the book's title, and then mastering and disseminating the knowledge of horseshoe-making. The action revolves around Galwyn's role in this plan and never rises above the pace of, say, an after-school special. But rich details, McCaffrey's obvious love of the subject matter, and involving characters go a long way to make up for the story's slow trot. (In particular, you'll find yourself waiting eagerly for the comeuppance of one character, a sneering rider named Iswy, Goofus to Galwyn's Gallant.) --Paul HughesFrom Publishers WeeklyMcCaffrey steps out of her niche as a Hugo and Nebula award-winning fantasy writer to tackle her first historical novel for young adults, retelling the Arthurian legend-minus the Round Table, Guinevere and Merlin-through the eyes of Galwyn Varianus. A Roman Celtic youth, Galwyn helps the future king of Britain, known here as Lord Artos, acquire the legendary Black Horses of his legions. The author's tender reverence for equine history (she raises horses in Ireland) makes for vivid descriptions of frightened steeds in the hold of a ship across the English Channel; it also allows an undue amount of horsey jargon. A teenage boy interested exclusively in horseshoes rings not quite true, yet the well-drawn story moves along at a compelling trot, climaxing in a battle in which horses help Lord Artos reclaim Britain for future mad cows and Englishmen. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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