Ruler of Beasts

Danielle Paige delivers a dark and compelling reimagining of a beloved classic, perfect for fans of Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Beastly by Alex Flinn, and Wicked by Gregory Maguire. When the Cowardly Lion set off for the Emerald City in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Dorothy and the others, he sought courage above all else. This digital original novella is the sixth installment in the prequel arc to the edgy and thrilling New York Times bestsellers Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise, and is the Lion’s story after he got what he’s always wanted. The Lion’s wish has finally come true—he is the courageous ruler of the forest and all of its beasts. But the Lion is bored—he misses the days of his adventures with Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, and the Scarecrow. When Glinda the Good Witch shows up unexpectedly and tasks him with a mission back in the Emerald City, he jumps at the chance to do something exciting, even though he knows she’s not telling him the entire truth.
Views: 957

Two-Hundred Steps Home Volume Three

Claire is in the Dales trying to deal with Josh's revelations and her past with Michael. The snow is relentless and all Claire wants to do is curl up with a good book and a Starbucks. Carl and his PA Julia have other ideas, as they set out to find challenges to test Claire's resolve. Her biggest challenge is yet to come. 'Volume 3 contains March's installments from Amanda's writermummy blog'Claire's life revolves around Starbucks, stilettos and her career as an Advertising Account Director for AJC. That is until her boss Carl decides to send her on a mission to visit every one of the 200 YHA hostel in England and Wales as part of a marketing campaign. More used to five-star spa resorts than 'flea-infested hostels' Claire only takes the assignment to save face. It becomes clear to her the 'mission' is a ruse to make her resign. Volume Three follows Claire to the Derbyshire Dales, where she tries to understand Josh's revelations and her feelings for Michael. She also has to undertake the tasks presented by her boss's nasty PA Julia.However, Claire's biggest challenges are yet to come.
Views: 955

Marked Cards

A beautiful young reporter and a small group of jokers and aces have unearthed evidence of a secret conspiracy called the Card Sharks, whose goal is no less than the wholesale destruction of those afflicted with the Wild Cards virus. Hannah and her heroes must flush out the Card Sharks before they can employ their ultimate weapon.
Views: 954

Nova and Quinton: No Regrets

Today is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet. Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova's life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way-a reminder of life's dark side-and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova's heart?
Views: 954

ZippityZern's Uncommon Nonsense - A Declaration

In book two of Linda L. Zern's series "ZippityZern's Uncommon Nonsense" better known as "the blue book," the author continues to observe, deduce, and comment on life and living. Topics include the proper way to freak out over discovering porn in a teenage boy's room, teaching the young and impressionable the fine art of toilet plunging, and the proper use of paranoia as a parenting tool.The Atlans were a strange tribe. Most societies were ruled by a man or ruling family who claimed to be descended from - or at least chosen by - a God. But if one learned about the Atlan religion, their claim was that every member of their race was a direct descendent of their Gods. Or rather, three of their gods gave life to the three original Atlans, and the fourth god raised them until they could fend for themselves. And although descended from gods, the Atlans claimed their gods would rather see them dead than prosperous. Except for the fourth god, who occasionally managed to give them a bit of help when they needed some. Through the generations, that fourth god - Dinnae - was the only god the Atlans ever prayed to, but sparsely, lest their parent gods overhear.
Views: 953

Septimus Heap Complete Collection

Fantasy adventure at its best! This collection contains all seven books in the New York Times bestselling Septimus Heap series. Also included are The Magykal Papers, a wonderful full-color compendium of extras such as maps, guides, and journals, and The Darke Toad, a 96-page novella packed with the action, humor, and magic that make this series perfect for fans of Fablehaven or Harry Potter. The series follows the adventures of Septimus Heap, who, as a seventh son of a seventh son, has magical powers. After he becomes the apprentice of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, he starts his studies for seven years and a day to become an Ordinary Wizard (or maybe an ExtraOrdinary?). His adventures take place in a fictional world full of secrets and mysteries, a world where rats are messengers and can speak, a world where spells are common and where the dark forces are trying to penetrate. Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, Darke, and Fyre are the enchanting and humorous adventures of Septimus Heap and his friends in this magical world.
Views: 953

Vodka Politics: Alcohol, Autocracy, and the Secret History of the Russian State

Russia is famous for its vodka, and its culture of extreme intoxication. But just as vodka is central to the lives of many Russians, it is also central to understanding Russian history and politics. In Vodka Politics, Mark Lawrence Schrad argues that debilitating societal alcoholism is not hard-wired into Russians' genetic code, but rather their autocratic political system, which has long wielded vodka as a tool of statecraft. Through a series of historical investigations stretching from Ivan the Terrible through Vladimir Putin, Vodka Politics presents the secret history of the Russian state itself-a history that is drenched in liquor. Scrutinizing (rather than dismissing) the role of alcohol in Russian politics yields a more nuanced understanding of Russian history itself: from palace intrigues under the tsars to the drunken antics of Soviet and post-Soviet leadership, vodka is there in abundance. Beyond vivid anecdotes, Schrad scours original documents and archival evidence to answer provocative historical questions. How have Russia's rulers used alcohol to solidify their autocratic rule? What role did alcohol play in tsarist coups? Was Nicholas II's ill-fated prohibition a catalyst for the Bolshevik Revolution? Could the Soviet Union have become a world power without liquor? How did vodka politics contribute to the collapse of both communism and public health in the 1990s? How can the Kremlin overcome vodka's hurdles to produce greater social well-being, prosperity, and democracy into the future? Viewing Russian history through the bottom of the vodka bottle helps us to understand why the "liquor question" remains important to Russian high politics even today-almost a century after the issue had been put to bed in most every other modern state. Indeed, recognizing and confronting vodka's devastating political legacies may be the greatest political challenge for this generation of Russia's leadership, as well as the next.
Views: 953

Office Duties Box Set #2

**On sale at 50% off for the holiday weekend!  Sale lasts from Friday, November 29th through Monday, December 2nd, so pick up your copy today!** The final four installments in the demon erotic romance series Office Duties available here in one single package. Follow Samantha Olsen as she catches the eyes of her new boss, the strange and reclusive Mr. Davies, and learns more about him and herself than she ever expected. All titles are also available separately. Nice Ride: Delving into the rabbit hole spells trouble for any little girl. The days keep getting harder and her work more frustrating as she tries to get through her increasingly complicated life. It gets worse when she realizes something both terrible and wonderful is happening to her, but she's afraid. She has no one to turn to and only trouble to find as she pushes back against a new fate for herself. After Work Activities: The truth can be more unbelievable than any work of fiction. That's why Sam is having such a hard time trying to reconcile what she was seeing with what she knew to be reality. Things further complicate when her boss presents an astounding revelation that she finds hard to swallow even as the symptoms of her strange malady tell her there's something more to what's going on than she can understand. Growing Pains: Tempers and temperatures run high as Sam deals with the next stage of her evolution. The weekend is nearly upon her when things in the office go from bad to worse during a very tumultuous Friday. Her supervisor and best friend finally clash and emotions run high as Sam's insatiable appetite threatens to consume her every thought. Through it all she has only one hope. Saturday. Loose Ends: The scene complicates for poor Sam as loose ends come undone. Friends are threatened and relationships complicate as anger and confusion run high. Davies promises her the world when all she wants is answers while office politics turn deadly. Everything comes to a head as motives are revealed and revenge is served cold.
Views: 953

Apollyon's Saint Land of Literature

The eighth part in the series Apollyon's saint. The war with the god's is raging and Apollyon's legion is taking over earth. Gabriel escapes Apollyon in the grasps of death herself. While imprisoned by the angel of death Gabriel meets a schizophrenic writer, a mass murdering jester, and a serial killer. His curse from Apollyon sends him on a crash course through their horrific past.Part 2 of All the Days of John Mann. Continues the story that began in The Stolen Days of John Mann.Preacher John Mann is the only known survivor of exposure to the choke, the virus that has decimated humanity. As society struggles to survive and rebuild, Mann and his uncertain ally Gunner leave Keen in her brother's safekeeping while they continue on the trail of the missing boy David. Their road is full of treacherous turns that can only lead them into brutal conflict with a gang of Russian traffickers.While Doctor Russell's relentless pursuit of Mann brings her closer to her quarry, unseen, the Government's net draws ever tighter around them all.Suffering a crisis of faith, Mann is all too aware that his very existence puts all those he would hold close at risk.'His faith seemed to diminish by the mile the further he moved away from Keen, like fuel dripping out onto the road from a cracked tank.'When danger, betrayal and death are the common currency, John Mann's potential as a weapon or as the source of a vaccine is the ultimate prize that all would profit by but which he won't easily surrender.
Views: 952

Here Be Sexist Vampires

Sam Parker is a vampire with a gift so strong and substantial that she is invited to partake in a test for a place in the Grand High Master Vampire’s private army. She finds that not only has the army never included a woman, but it has never included a Sventé vampire; a breed that is regarded by the super strong Pagori breed and the hypnotically beautiful Keja breed to be too tame and human-like. Most refuse to take her seriously, especially a Pagori commander named Jared who she craves in spite of herself. The Grand High Master, however, sees her potential and offers her the position of Jared’s co-commander to help train the newest squad in time for the impending attack on his home. Sam has to demonstrate to Jared and the squad of chauvinists why it is incredibly foolish to underestimate a wilful, temperamental, borderline-homicidal Sventé female. Warning: This novel contains an iron-willed female vampire with an energy whip, a sexist male vampire who is determined to have her, explicit vampy sex, and a romance story with real bite.
Views: 951

A Forge of Valor

“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons) The #1 Bestselling series, with over 400 five star reviews on Amazon! A FORGE OF VALOR is book #4 in Morgan Rice’s bestselling epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS (which begins with RISE OF THE DRAGONS, a free download)! In A FORGE OF VALOR, Kyra slowly returns from the verge of death, healed by Kyle’s love and mysterious power. As he sacrifices for her, she regains her strength—yet not without a price. She presses Alva for the secret of her lineage, and he finally reveals all about her mother. Given a chance to quest to the source of her power, Kyra must make a crucial choice: whether to complete her training or journey to help her father, who wallows in the capital dungeon, his execution pending. Aidan, Motley at his side, also strives to rescue his father, trapped in the perilous capital, while in the far corner of the kingdom, Merk, amazed by what he discovers in the Tower of Ur, braces himself against a massive troll invasion. His Tower surrounded, he must fight alongside his fellow Watchers, to defend his nation’s most precious relic. Dierdre finds herself facing a full-fledged Pandesian invasion in her embattled city of Ur. As her precious city is destroyed all around her, she has to decide whether to escape or to make a final, heroic stand. Alec, meanwhile, finds himself at sea with his cryptic newfound friend, sailing to a land he’s never been, one even more mysterious than his companion. It is here that, finally, he learns of his destiny—and of the last hope for Escalon. With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, A FORGE OF VALOR is a sweeping saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honor and valor, of magic, destiny, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders. Book #5 in KINGS AND SORCERERS will be published soon. “If you thought that there was no reason left for living after the end of the Sorcerer’s Ring series, you were wrong. Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of trolls and dragons, of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)
Views: 950

Lhind the Spy

In this sequel to Lhind the Thief, Lhind has gone from castoffs to silks, back alleys to palace halls—and is not having an easy time of it. That’s before she’s snatched by an angry prince she’d robbed twice, who is determined to turn her over to the enemy who frightens her most, the sinister Emperor Jardis Dhes-Andis. When her own dear Hlanan comes to rescue her, it’s Lhind who has to do the rescuing, setting off a wild chase to fend off mercenaries and then to confront an entire army intent on invasion. Lhind and Hlanan try to negotiate the perilous waters of a relationship while on the run—straight into a trap. Just when Lhind is beginning to figure out where she might fit into the world, she finds herself alone again, surrounded by enemies, in one of the most dangerous courts in the world. And she begins to find out who she really is.
Views: 950

All Lined Up

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights. In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both. Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past. But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again. Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated. Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter. And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
Views: 950

StarCrossed

Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady's maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold--as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren't as apolitical as she thought... that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion.
Views: 950

Marry Me by Sundown

#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey takes you on a captivating adventure in 1880s Montana where passions and gold fever run high as an American heiress turns to a rugged mountain man to help her locate her father’s fortune. Summoned back to Philadelphia from the social whirl in London, Violet Mitchell never expected to find her brothers living on the edge of financial ruin while their father seeks new wealth in Montana’s gold fields. With the family’s home and social standing at risk, Violet makes a drastic decision. Morgan Callahan rode away from his family’s cattle ranch to make his own fortune. Now as he finishes exploiting a mother lode of silver, a young woman claiming to be his late partner’s daughter turns up wanting to be taken to her father’s mine. Suspecting that the pretty schemer works for the mining outfit that is trying to steal his land, he has no qualms about snatching her and holding her at his camp where she can do no harm. Morgan underestimated the new thorn in his side. Determined to claim what rightfully belongs to her family, Violet summons up the courage, grit, and spunk to cope with the hazards and discomforts of an untamed land and the disturbingly masculine stranger who holds her fate in his hands. But an error of judgment brings down a hailstorm of calamity and danger that upends her plans and deepens her bond to a man who is not the brilliant match a lady wishes to make but could be all that a strong, passionate woman desires.
Views: 948