A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin"
The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."
Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns — with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious.... Views: 140
Being different means a death sentence... A series of deadly explosions in Washington D.C. creates a PR nightmare for the Clann...they've been outed to the world, and the world's reaction is nothing but fear. As the Clann's powerbase crumbles in the face of the public's widespread negative reaction, caught in the middle of the exposed web of lies and secrets are high school seniors Tarah and Hayden, former childhood friends fighting a rocky past and a dangerous new attraction that defies betrayal and the secrets they are keeping from their families and each other... Secrets that could get them imprisoned or killed...or just might result in a love that could save the world. ** Views: 140
Product DescriptionBravery. Honor. Sacrifice. These are more than mere words to former Marine sniper Nathan McBride. He’s never backed away from danger, and he’s not about to start now, even if it means confronting the cold-blooded interrogator who tortured him to the brink of death more than a decade ago.When a mutilated body is discovered in a remote Utah lake, it ignites a chain of events that forces Nathan to face a dark chapter from a past he’s worked hard to forget. Could his Nicaraguan enemy be active again? On American soil? The evidence is clear, but the stakes are higher than Nathan can know. In a showdown that will test Nathan’s understanding of justice and mercy, he’ll have to make a life or death decision that has the potential to expose and destroy people at the highest levels of government."An absolutely bone-chilling thriller. Equal parts Stephen Hunter and Thomas Harris. Imagine Bob Lee Swagger going after Hannibal Lecter and you will have only scratched the surface of this intensely exciting novel. Forced To Kill will haunt you long after you read its last brilliantly plotted page." -- Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Foreign InfluenceAbout the author:Andrew Peterson’s debut thriller, FIRST TO KILL - available in the Kindle store and Audible.com - has recently been optioned for a major motion picture. Both novels feature Nathan McBride, a trained Marine scout sniper and CIA operations officer.Andrew holds the classification of Master in the NRA’s High Power Rifle ranking system and has won numerous competitions throughout the Southwestern United States. When he’s not writing, Andrew enjoys scuba diving, target shooting, flying helicopters, hiking and camping, and an occasional round of golf. Andrew and his wife, Carla, live in Monterey County, California.Please visit www.andrewpeterson.com for more information about the Nathan McBride series or email the author directly at [email protected] Views: 139
The sense of adventure and urgency are compelling (School Library Journal) in this sequel to the New York Times bestselling Elixir by Hilary Duff . Clea Raymond believes her soulmate, Sage, is lost forever, and it rips her apart. She is haunted by memories of him being taken away by his enemies. Then strange signs and dreams point to a way she can possibly win him back. To succeed, shell have to put her faith in her former best friend Bendespite the devastating reason hes lost her trust. As Clea and Ben follow a dangerous and mysterious trail across the globe to reach Sage, all their loyalties will be tested. And Clea will face a terrible choiceshe can save Sage, but only by betraying the people closest to her. With Sages immortal soul in the balance, whatever Clea decides will change her life forever. Views: 139
"Redemption and grief, and the love that exists even when people are gone."—The Bookbag.Not alive. Not dead. Somewhere in between lie the Beautiful Dead.There's been no sign of the Beautiful Dead for weeks. Darina achingly misses Phoenix all over again. Surely he will return to help solve the remaining mysteries. It's been almost a year since Arizona drowned in Hartman Lake.Suicide, it would seem. But something doesn't add up...Drowning herself in the lake does not sound like strong, confident, Arizona: Ellerton high school's high-maintenance drama queen.Darina must help Arizona the way she helped Jonas. But invisible wings are beating, the Beautiful Dead are in danger, and time is running out..."Compelling characters coupled with a powerful mystery. A real page turner."—Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4kids Views: 139
Would you rather dance beneath the waves or hide your smuggled magic there? Welcome to a world of sparkling adult fantasy and science fiction stories edited by Stephanie Burgis and Tiffany Trent and featuring underwater ballrooms of one sort or another, from a 1930s ballroom to a Martian hotel to a grand rock 'n roll ball held in the heart of Faery itself."From the first page, I knew I was in good hands. This is my kind of fantasy — magic, adventure, and gorgeous writing. The Underwater Ballroom Society is the kind of fantasy that got me into reading fantasy."- Patrice Sarath, Author of The Sisters MederosStories in this anthology:Ysabeau S. Wilce, "The Queen of Life"Y.S. Lee, "Twelve Sisters"Iona Datt Sharma, "Penhallow Amid Passing Things"Tiffany Trent, "Mermaids, Singing"Jenny Moss, "A Brand New Thing"Cassandra Khaw, "Four Revelations from the Rusalka Ball"Stephanie Burgis, "Spellswept"Laura Anne... Views: 139
Her mother dying in a poisonous plot of power. An instrument of peace threatening destruction. A warrior determined to uncover her secrets. Piper Akins has lived her entire life in the clutches of an evil cult and yearns to run away. But with her mother's life at stake, she is forced to follow the leaders' demands to search for the supposed magical trumpet of King Tut—knowing the power it will give them once it is in their possession. Math might be the smartest warrior in the force, but the only way to prove himself is to work with Piper to find the missing trumpet of peace and defeat the evil cult before they can destroy the world. However, Piper has secrets, and the fulfillment of her quest means the failure of his. While she and Math circle around each other, pretending one thing, believing another, Piper finds herself falling for the brave warrior. But her mother will die if Piper... Views: 139
When three high school sophomores set up a weblog as a class project to research whether girls or boys are more sex-crazed--and to play matchmaker, their own messy love lives become even more complicated. Views: 139
Book 7. The dragon Basil, now grown mighty in strength, size, and courage, addresses and seeks the cause of a new series of crises that threaten the stability of Avalon, while his friend Merlin is distracted by problems with his son, Krystallus. Views: 139
A CROWN PRINCESSA SCANDALOUS SECRET CRUSHA KINGDOM ON THE BRINK OF DISASTERIn her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.When the palace guard captures an intruder--a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy--Alera is alarmed...and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom. Views: 139
This sharply satirical novel concerns a battle royal between two academic institutions and their principals. England, 1987. It's all-out war. Two universities in the same city each aim to destroy the other and take over one another's buildings, students and – above all – bank balance. At a time of austerity in public life and huge government cuts, the situation has become desperate and the respective university principals are prepared to fight very dirty indeed. Dr Lawford Chute of the revered Sedge University wants to expand, expand, expand, while the government is telling him to cut, cut, cut. But Dr Victor Tane of Charter Mill employs more covert methods to ensure his institution comes out on top. Who will win these ferocious academic fights and be the model for the statue in the modern-day university grounds: the ultimate proof of posterity for which both principals are battling? This hilariously witty and highly topical satire on... Views: 139
In order to save her mother, a teen is forced to become an indentured assassin in this sizzling dystopian thriller.No one reads the fine print. The good news is that the USA is finally out of debt. The bad news is that we were bought out by Valor National Bank, and debtors are the new big game, thanks to a tricky little clause hidden deep in the fine print of a credit card application. Now, after a swift and silent takeover that leaves 9-1-1 calls going through to Valor voicemail, they’re unleashing a wave of anarchy across the country. Patsy didn’t have much of a choice. When the suits showed up at her house threatening to kill her mother then and there for outstanding debt unless Patsy agreed to be an indentured assassin, what was she supposed to do? Let her own mother die? Patsy is forced to take on a five-day mission to complete a hit list of ten names. Each name on Patsy’s list has only three choices: pay the debt on the spot,... Views: 139
You'd think a knife in the ribs would be the end of things, but for Chuy, that's when his life at last gets interesting. He finally sees that people love him, faces the consequences of his actions, finds in himself compassion and bravery . . . and even stumbles on what may be true love.A funny, touching, and wholly original story by one of the finest authors writing for young readers today. Views: 139
