&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R, by &&LSTRONG&&RMary Shelley&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&R * New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars * Biographies of the authors * Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events * Footnotes and endnotes * Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work * Comments by other famous authors * Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations * Bibliographies for further reading * Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences―biographical, historical, and literary―to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&R&&L/B&&R &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LB&&RMary Shelley&&L/B&&R began writing &&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, &&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter," Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature?s hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&R&&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises rofound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever. &&LBR&&R&&LBR&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LB&&RKaren Karbiener &&L/B&&Rreceived a Ph.D. from Columbia University and currently teaches literature at New York University.&&L/P&&R **

The setting is Hong Kong, 1963. The action spans scarcely more than a week, but these are days of high adventure: from kidnapping and murder to financial double-dealing and natural catastrophes–fire, flood, landslide. Yet they are days filled as well with all the mystery and romance of Hong Kong–the heart of Asia–rich in every trade…money, flesh, opium, power. From the Paperback edition.

Published in 1913, this swashbuckling yet satirical adventure, set in the sixteenth century, tells of Agostino d'Anguissola, a nobleman raised in extreme piety by his devout mother. But Agostino finds himself exposed to the raw passion and deadly politics of the wider world upon learning more about his father's rebellious ways.

Years after a violent war destroyed much of the world, Kaspar has grown up in a society based on peace and harmony. But beyond the city walls, a vicious band of rebels are plotting to tear this peace apart. It is up to the Guardians - an elite peacekeeping force - to protect the city, without ever resorting to the brutal methods of their enemy. When Kaspar joins the Guardians, he has a chance encounter with a rebel - a beautiful girl named Rhea. Haunted from that moment on by strange visions and memories - memories that could only belong to Rhea - he realises he hasn't been told the truth about what the rebels really want, and what he's really fighting for.

This 1915 novel is one of Sabatini's greatest adventure tales. Set in the sixteenth century, it tells the story of Sir Oliver Tressilian, a Cornish knight betrothed to Rosamund Godolphin and betrayed into slavery by his jealous half-brother. Sir Oliver is sent to Spain and vows vengeance against his treacherous sibling.

Set in England during the 1685 Monmouth Rebellion, this rousing 1910 novel contains all the swordplay, intrigue, and star-crossed romance that marks Sabatini at his best. As Monmouth leads his doomed revolt, young Anthony Wilding tries to help the Duke while simultaneously attempting to win the heart of a lady.

Steinbeck's first posthumously published work, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights is a reinterpretation of tales from Malory's Morte d'Arthur. In this highly successful attempt to render Malory into Modern English, Steinbeck recreated the rhythm and tone of the original Middle English.

She lost everything to the scheme of an evil servant. But she might just gain what she’s always wanted…if she makes it in time. The impossible was happening. She, Magdalen of Mallin, was to marry the Duke of Wolfberg. Magdalen had dreamed about receiving a proposal ever since she met the duke two years ago. Such a marriage was the only way she could save her people from starvation. But why would a handsome, wealthy duke want to marry her, a poor baron’s daughter? It seemed too good to be true. On the journey to Wolfberg Castle, Magdalen’s servant forces her to trade places and become her servant, threatening not only Magdalen’s life, but the lives of those she holds dear. Stripped of her identity and title in Wolfberg, where no one knows her, Magdalen is sentenced to tend geese while she watches her former handmaiden gain all Magdalen had ever dreamed of. When a handsome shepherd befriends her, Magdalen begins to suspect he carries secrets of his own. Together, Magdalen and the shepherd uncover a sinister plot against Wolfberg and the duke. But with no resources, will they be able to find the answers, the hiding places, and the forces they need in time to save both Mallin and Wolfberg?

The man... the Master is back! An epic love story on the brink of disaster. A BDSM Master who craves his former power. The woman who loves him and the secret fantasy she's been hiding - a desire that can save their love or tear them apart. For Jonah Noble and Leticia, this could be the end of their story... or the beginning of a sensual adventure so erotic it will change them forever. Novella of 36,000 words.

&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RNorthanger Abbey&&L/I&&R, by &&LSTRONG&&RJane Austen&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&R * New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars * Biographies of the authors * Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events * Footnotes and endnotes * Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work * Comments by other famous authors * Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations * Bibliographies for further reading * Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences―biographical, historical, and literary―to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&RA wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story, &&LI&&RNorthanger Abbey&&L/I&&R is often referred to as &&LB&&RJane Austen&&L/B&&R’s “Gothic parody.” Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RThe story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RExecuted with high-spirited gusto, &&LI&&RNorthanger Abbey&&L/I&&R is the most lighthearted of Jane Austen’s novels, yet at its core this delightful novel is a serious, unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.&&LBR&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&R&&L/B&&R &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&RAlfred Mac Adam&&L/B&&R teaches literature at Barnard College–Columbia University. He is a translator and art critic.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/B&&R&&L/B&&R **

Javan, a decorated general and military instructor, once swore an oath to his friend, King Orvan, that should he ever be needed he would answer the call. Now, Orvan is insane, taking advice only from his dog, and he has called Javan and his three best warriors to go on a suicidal mission to retrieve a magic orange petal from the Giant Kingdom, with only a chimpanzee named Mr. Prickles to aid them.King Orvan of Dargod has been cursed with insanity, passing all sorts of crazy laws and taking advice only from his dog. But when he calls for his oldest friend, a former general and military instructor, and his three best warriors to go on a mission to find a magic orange rose petal, they soon find out that this mission is not only legit, but is vital to the survival of their kingdom. On their way they encounter obstacles such as an insane wizard, drunken oafs and their hideous mother, zombies, enemy soldiers, and a giant princess who makes them into her living dolls, and their only hope seems to Mr. Prickles, the chimpanzee that King Orvan insisted that they take along.

Six girls.Five stars.Four kinds of organic yogurt.Three days.Two guns.One case of mistaken identity.Welcome to Bradley's world...

Out on the Frontier, the killers called the "Nameless" have no wanted posters—because everyone they go after winds up dead. Now D must measure his sword against these grotesque and deadly freaks!Hired by the mayor of Schwartzen to stop a corrupt political ploy that would sacrifice human lives to appease the local Noble, Grand Duke Bergenzy, the vampire hunter arrives in town to find his client has himself dropped dead under suspicious circumstances. His widow, wanting no more bloodshed, begs D to simply forget the job—but D's interest in the job is just beginning...

The gnarble dreams of swimming up to see the sky above, lit by the sun in colors he just knows he'd love!The gnarble wants nothing more than to swim up above the waters to see the blue sky, but gnarbles don't have flappers like blyfish do, and gnarbles don't even have koggers like the swimming gungaloo! But though gnarbles never swim so high, this particular gnarble is determined to see the sunlit sky. He swims past spongy gishy-gosh and feeding fipple-fosh, but who would think the little gnarble could pass the hungry warckel, subbaubble, and—most dangerous of all—the evil plink?!Daniel Errico's charming nonsense rhymes and Tiffany Turrill's vivid, expressive iillustrations combine beautifully in this entertaining story of a little fish on a big mission. Kids will giggle aloud at crazy creatures with names like gishy-gosh and glimmy glins; parents will love snuggling up with their children to read about the little gnarble's escapades in this wacky world of silly sea...

In the spring of 1915, seventeen-year-old medically trained Evangelina de Leon is called upon to deliver a baby, but a physician from a neighboring town arrives and throws her out. The next day, she is arrested for the woman's death and her historic fight for racial justice begins.

A thrilling tale, based on a true story, of one woman's tremendous courage and incomparable wit in trying to rescue her husband from the Tower of London the night before he is to be executed.The heroine of A Noble Cunning, Bethan Glentaggart, Countess of Clarencefield, a persecuted Catholic noblewoman, is determined to try every possible means of saving her husband's life, with the help of a group of devoted women friends.Amid the turbulence of the 1715 Rebellion against England's first German king George I, Bethan faces down a mob attack on her home, travels alone from the Scottish Lowlands to London through one of the worst snowstorms in many years, and confronts a cruel king before his court to plead for mercy for her husband Gavin. As a last resort, Bethan and her friends must devise and put in motion a devilishly complex scheme featuring multiple disguises and even the judicious use of poison to try to free Gavin.Though rich with...

Being gay and pagan can make for a lonely holiday season, as Liam knows well. He's used to celebrating alone. The last place he expects to meet a like-minded guy is at LAX during a twenty-nine-hour layover. Liam's never felt so comfortable or compatible with another man, even if there is an air of mystery to Race. Race is no stranger to holiday isolation, and he decides they should seize the opportunity they've been given and observe the Saturnalia the way it was meant to be. A grand celebration ensues, where every moment is special and every meal a feast.The ancient traditions take on new meaning as the men find meaning in each other. Each has a destiny, and for their paths to continue together, it'll take a kind of magic that hasn't been seen in centuries. Can Race convince Liam to accept that destiny?

Life is tough when you're a fourteen year old girl. It's even tougher when a quick joyride in your mom's spaceship leaves you stranded light-years from home. But with the help of a well connected space Lord, Aiyela might have a big push in the right direction.If only she only she can land a job, land her ship without exploding, and generally not embarrass herself.Marshall, a former gang member and new father is struggling to make ends meet with the love of his life Sarah. After he's fired from his a job an opportunity to make some extra money surfaces, the only problem is that it involve's stealing money from a Mars exploration program. When the plan goes awry and things take a turn for the worst Marshall gets into trouble with the law. Marshall's mistake will trigger a series of events that will lead to a big decision, a decision of freedom or confinement, a decision that could change his life as well as the people he loves forever.

Scotland, 1306. Young Thomas Randolph is thrilled to swear fealty to the rightful King of Scots, his uncle, Robert the Bruce, and to fight for Scotland's freedom. But when the Scots are defeated in battle, he is taken prisoner, one among many to be executed under the Dragon Banner. Saved from execution by a friend, he must swear fealty to King Edward or betray the man who saved him. With no choice, Thomas serves the English, but his heart is with Scotland. Now whatever he does, Thomas will be a noble traitor.

"Kill them all." The command has been issued. A purging of the black ops community. And the clandestine agency SIS has been hit hardest. All current and former members marked for termination. Including Jack Noble and his known associates. But when the men behind the operation make it personal, Jack cares less about unraveling their plan, and more about exacting vengeance. And he doesn't care who gets in his way.

To go or not to go, that is the question... School reunions suck, everyone knows this, but Serena Carlisle has put herself down as a "maybe." Maybe she'll stay home and cry into her ice cream, or maybe she'll put on her big-girl pants and show her old classmates that she's managed to make something of herself. Marc di Gregorio is Hollywood's hottest property, and Serena's getting paid to kiss him on stage every night. A dream job, right? It would be if not for Owen Cadwallader, the man she last saw eight years ago as she was loaded into the back of a police car at the school prom. The teenage crush she's never been able to forget. He's a "maybe" too, but will Serena manage to hold her nerve and face him again? Or should she take the easy option and drown her sorrows with a handsome heartthrob instead? A Very Happy Valentine is a standalone romance novella in the Happy Ever After series.

As the daughter of a marquess, Lady Marian Russell is poised to impress in her first London Season. She is young, beautiful, and wealthy—but catching an eligible husband is the last thing on her mind. Marian is disillusioned with how the upper class lives while the poor of London suffer, and she is determined to right this imbalance. When she comes face-to-face with a mysterious man who steals from arrogant aristocrats and redistributes the spoils to the poor, Marian recognizes a motivation that mirrors her own. She is determined to discover the true identity of the unscrupulous hero and offer her assistance.When she unmasks the bandit, however, Marian is stunned: he is none other than the elusive Lord Robin Loxley. In exchange for her silence, Robin begrudgingly agrees to train the lovely Marian in the art of thievery, quickly realizing that his heart may be stolen next. But when Robin and Marian discover a copycat thief operating in London, they are faced with a foe...

An embellished retelling of the town of Tombstone, Arizona, during its heyday in the late 19th century, featuring famous heroes and outlaws of the American Old West.

The Noble Hustle is Pulitzer finalist Colson Whitehead’s hilarious memoir of his search for meaning at high stakes poker tables, which the author describes as “Eat, Pray, Love for depressed shut-ins.”   On one level, The Noble Hustle is a familiar species of participatory journalism--a longtime neighborhood poker player, Whitehead was given a $10,000 stake and an assignment from the online online magazine Grantland to see how far he could get in the World Series of Poker.  But since it stems from the astonishing mind of Colson Whitehead (MacArthur Award-endorsed!), the book is a brilliant, hilarious, weirdly profound, and ultimately moving portrayal of--yes, it sounds overblown and ridiculous, but really!--the human condition. After weeks of preparation that included repeated bus trips to glamorous Atlantic City, and hiring a personal trainer to toughen him up for sitting at twelve hours a stretch, the author journeyed to the gaudy wonderland that is Las Vegas – the world’s greatest “Leisure Industrial Complex” -- to try his luck in the multi-million dollar tournament.   Hobbled by his mediocre playing skills and a lifelong condition known as “anhedonia” (the inability to experience pleasure) Whitehead did not – spoiler alert!   - win tens of millions of dollars.  But he did chronicle his progress, both literal and existential, in this unbelievably funny, uncannily accurate social satire whose main target is the author himself.  Whether you’ve been playing cards your whole life, or have never picked up a hand, you’re sure to agree that this book contains some of the best writing about beef jerky ever put to paper. From the Hardcover edition.

This tragi-comedy is one of the plays we know Shakespeare worked with a collaborator on — John Fletcher — and is based on Chaucer's Knight's Tale. This revised edition includes a new introductory essay bringing the edition up-to-date in terms of both the play's performance and critical history, and in particular with current thinking about the nature of Shakespeare's collaboration with other playwrights. As scholars have begun to discover more about this aspect of his career, interest in the play has grown. This revised edition is ideal for undergraduate study, offering on-page annotations to the play text as well as a lengthy, illustrated introduction.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions – and I just bought a one-way ticket there. I'm the lead singer for a chart-topping rock band, living the rock and roll dream. We've got the whole world at our feet—along with dozen's of women's panties—and yet something's missing. Then I run into her. She's a woman from my past, a woman I've known since we were kids, and she's everything I've been craving. She knows me, truly knows me and it doesn't take long for us to fall back into our childhood friendship. Except, she's not a girl anymore. And as much as I wish I could have more with her, I'm not willing to sacrifice the friendship I've been so desperate for. When one moment of weakness leads to the best night of my life, I'm forced to choose between the friend who's become my lifeline, and the possibility that she could be so much more. I know what I should do, but what if being noble means...

New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble takes her readers on another beach adventure where a young woman discovers the power of family and forgiveness.School teacher Julie Barlow and her two best friends, Beth and Aggie, are looking forward to an adults only beach vacation. Julie also plans to use the time to figure out why her perfectly planned life has gone terribly amiss. They've barely hit the road when a frantic call from Julie's mother hijacks their best laid plans. Uncle Tony "Lucky" Costa is missing. Always entertaining, often irresponsible, never reliable, Uncle Lucky was a favorite with her friends. For Julie, for whom he'd been a sometimes surrogate father, not so much. Her mother wants them to take a "teeny" detour to look for the irascible retired surfer. Julie makes excuses. After all, she was the one who decided she never wanted to see Lucky again. Overruled in this as she is in much of her life, Julie and...

In this provocative new novel, Pierre Boulle probes with a sharp scalpel the psychological anatomy of a spy - a man who sacrifices his country, his honor, and even his own life to an heroic image. In a story of intrigue and adventure as ingenious and gripping as anything in The Bridge Over the River Kwai, Mr. Boulle takes us from the aristocracy of British Intelligence and the German Secret Service to such ungentlemanly pursuits as torture, murder, and long-simmered revenge. The action revolves around Cousin - an intellectual author who prides himself on his own objectivity but who actually sees the world through the dreams of his own imagined superiority. World War II gives Cousin the chance to show that superiority by volunteering for espionage - a job, he feels, that is for gentlemen, and the arduous responsibilities of which only an aristocrat can assume. The heroic image to which Cousin sacrifices everything - including, at last, himself - is his own. A NOBLE PROFESSION is Boulle at his best - a sardonic, ironic, brilliant performance that adds a new and shining portrait to this master storyteller's wryly etched gallery of false heroes, charlatan saints, and vengeful patriots.

Welcome to Baldwin's Shore, the small town where everybody has a secret... Brooke Bartlett is no exception. She's been in love with her brother's best friend for half her life, her dirty little secret. With Luca on the other side of the world, the temptation stayed out of reach, but now he's back, and he's not the only one. Brooke's stalker is watching from the shadows, and he's got his own ideas about her future... Luca Mendez's time in the army taught him two lessons—that to survive, he has to shoot straight and guard his heart. But when the woman he turned down all those years ago asks him for help, he finds he'll do anything to see her smile again.

New for 2022, a bonus book for the Club Luxe series!See what happened with Malcolm and Victoria after they defeated their enemies and fought for their happy ending...Victoria is hosting the glamorous Cage Christmas Gala, but an explosion in the ballroom makes her believe that someone is out to harm Malcolm... again.Being married to a billionaire hasn't been easy. Between balancing her career with raising her children, the last few years have been insane. Kidnapping attempts on her babies have been frequent. Even taking her daughter to ballet practice has become a task involving armed security.So when her little boy requests a family vacation to get away from it all, Malcolm fires up the private jet, ready to go... until they discover the unusual destination and surprising holiday plans. This could lead to a memorable family getaway... or put them all in more danger...There's only one way to find out.This is a standalone, steamy...

To protect a daring young lady and her brother, he must defeat his villainous past or lose the only thing worth fighting for. Hardened by a childhood in the rookery and honed by years as a bare-knuckle boxer, Mason Hale revels in his reputation as a ruthless moneylender to London's Underworld. But everything changes when he commits to caring for his young daughter and the mysterious boy who protected her when Mason couldn't. When Lady Katherine Blackwell discovers someone is intent upon abducting her brother for an unknown purpose, she has no one to turn to except a man known for brutal efficiency in the boxing ring and on the streets. She just needs Hale to keep her brother out of danger while she uncovers who is behind the attacks. As the East End scoundrel takes up residence in their Mayfair manor, Katherine starts to suspect their bodyguard is made of more than brute strength and a brash attitude. And though Mason has no illusions regarding his sordid and violent history, the more Lady Katherine declares she doesn't need a hero, the more he wants to be exactly that. If you like shameless heroes, intrepid heroines, and undeniable chemistry, you'll love Amy Sandas's bold new historical romance novel, Noble Scoundrel.

On the central and north coast of British Columbia, the Great Bear Rainforest is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world, containing more organic matter than any other terrestrial ecosystem on the planet. The area plays host to a wide range of species, from thousand-year-old western cedars to humpback whales to iconic white Spirit bears.According to local residents, another giant is said to live in these woods. For centuries people have reported encounters with the Sasquatch—a species of hairy bipedal man-apes said to inhabit the deepest recesses of this pristine wilderness. Driven by his own childhood obsession with the creatures, John Zada decides to seek out the diverse inhabitants of this rugged and far-flung coast, where nearly everyone has a story to tell, from a scientist who dedicated his life to researching the Sasquatch, to members of the area's First Nations, to a former grizzly bear hunter-turned-nature tour guide. With each tale, Zada discovers...

His name is Douglas... but I call him the Devil. Since I was young, I have loved my best friend Willow's older brother. She doesn't know how much he destroyed me years ago, when he took my virginity and left the country, never speaking to me again. I wrote to him. I messaged him. But he completely ghosted me. Now he's back. For Willow's wedding, which I am planning. I'm avoiding him like the plague. But this is a small town, and he's trying to find me. He wants to make amends, but I won't let him. I won't forgive, and I won't forget. I will not let my heart get broken again. A best friend's brother, BWWM romance.

The world is obsessed with Hyperion's Keep, a virtual reality game that allows people to join a fantasy realm and make real money. The only issue is that if you die in The Game, you die in real life... Follow Lorcan as he and his friend, Jacob, come of age and join Hyperion's Keep for the first time. All player classes are not created equal, and when Lorcan accidentally chooses Mage - the weakest class - will he be able to find success? Find out in the first book of the new Accidental Mage series: The Orb of Agner!

Noble Lies is the fifth book in the Phoenix Rising series, which follows Ana as she is drawn into the secret world of the Siis, an ancient race of empathic beings torn apart by a civil war.

Blindsided by an attack that destroys her home and blamed for murder, Karolina Dalca, a half-vampire, escapes, only to plunge into the magical societies from which she was sheltered. Betrayed by those around her, she abandons her dreams of becoming an investigator and flees, trusting only herself. Her police internship would never prove more useful. Hoofing it through the wilderness, she makes it to her university dorm, disheveled but delightfully deflowered. Enter a full vampire: one wielding dark magic and a ride out of Canada. A fugitive from the law, Karo complies with his demands to escape, unsure whether his requests are bewitched. She vows to clear her name and avenge her mother's death, but Karo's family secrets aren't so easily left behind.

When private investigator Daniela di Grassi is given a new case, the evidence is so compelling that even her client himself thinks he did it. Ethan White was one of the world’s top music producers, at least until last week, when his spectacular fall from grace began with the discovery of a mutilated college student in his bed. A dead girl nobody cares about, cops with one agenda, and a prosecutor with another—nothing about this case is simple. And when Dan digs deeper into the mystery, the conflicting clues aren’t the only thing she finds intriguing. Ethan’s got his own secrets too.As the worlds of black and white collide, who will come out on top?White Hot is the ninth book in the Blackwood Security series but can be read as a standalone - no cliffhanger!

At twenty-eight years old, the only men in lawyer Cate Jenkins’ life are her two cats, Thor and Loki, unless you count her not-so-secret love affair with Ben & Jerry. Escape comes in the form of art classes, where life drawing model Joe provides a welcome distraction from the monotony of her job. Each Thursday for five weeks, she gets to lose herself in a world of twinkling blue eyes and chiselled abs.Meanwhile, next-door neighbour Dane is determined to win Cate's heart. Can his gifts of coffee and kitty treats win out against muscled perfection?And more importantly, what secrets are both men hiding?Life is a standalone romantic comedy novel. Keywords: Artist, BBW, Curvy, Romantic comedy, Romcom, Humor, Lawyer, Rags to riches, Opposites attract

High Society Is Rough For Assassins! Enter Lady Selena, the former assassin who assumed it’d be easy to step into the role of pampered mademoiselle, but who finds herself aggravated by how differently she views things compared to her flower-brained mother and her scheming, deceitful (yet utterly ineffective) stepsister. She navigates tea parties filled with ladies attempting to assert their dominance, attends an academy thick with ulterior motives, and dodges harassment flung at her with an icy glare and fierce counters, but it’s that stone-cold heart of hers that leaves her isolated and alone. One day, she learns her stepsister has become engaged to the second prince, a fact that forces her to run away from home. She doesn’t get far before bumping into someone, however, and that someone just happens to be the first prince. Come watch as the cold-blooded former assassin who’s never known love dives fearlessly into noble society!

Crown noble, the breathtaking debut by Bianca Phipps, navigates the crossroads of familial ties and forgiveness. Phipps ruminates on the ways we are shaped as humans. Is it nature or nurture? Is it fate or a happen chance? What teaches us to love our generational inheritance, no matter how harmful? Phipps takes us to the most intimate parts of family matters in hopes of understanding as a means of overcoming.

Jack Noble. Assassin for hire. Thief. Spy. Described by his associates as a man who has no feelings, passes no judgement, and feels no remorse. So why the hell did he stop to help a lost child moments before he was to meet with one of the top crime bosses on the East coast? A simple decision that now places Jack in unfamiliar territory where he has become the hunted.Jack Noble. Assassin for hire. Thief. Spy. Described by his associates as a man who has no feelings, passes no judgement, and feels no remorse. So why the hell did he stop to help a lost child moments before he was to meet with one of the top crime bosses on the East coast? A simple decision that now places Jack in unfamiliar territory where he has become the hunted. Noble Intentions is a thrilling and suspenseful story of underworld crime, government secrets, and heart-pounding action. This is the first episode of Noble Intentions. It is a short novella of 15,000 worrds. New novella length episodes (20,000 to 30,000 words each) will be released every two to three weeks. Season One (Episodes 1 through 5) now complete. Warning: These stories depict realistic violence with real consequences. Some scenes might be too intense for the faint of heart.

A tragic riding accident leaves Lilian DeLacey unable to walk and restricts her life to books and quiet activities. When her twin sister convinces her to attend just one ball, she accepts. Wheelchair-bound, she watches the dancers with longing, until a startling familiar masculine scent unlocks memories of the mysterious man who had saved her—none other than the charming and affable John Andrews. Meeting John creates a desire to walk again and not miss out on life, but can he love a woman who may never walk again? John Andrews, the Earl of Harlow returned from the Napoleonic wars with scars both inside and out. Nightly dreams force him to relive horrors he would soon forget and make him fear ever falling in love, lest he harms a bride who shares his bed. John attends a ball while on assignment for the Crown and recognizes the beautiful woman he rescued a year ago from a bad riding accident, and his response to her stuns him. Smitten by her beauty and wit, he pursues her, accepting her disability. Their chance encounter blossoms into romance, igniting a yearning for a future, yet bound by his fear of marriage. When an undercover commission for the Crown takes him into the heart of a dangerous smuggling operation on the Cornwall coast, an unseen danger threatens his life and Lilian’s. Will trust and love be enough to save them and heal the scars that threaten their future? **

The world is obsessed with Hyperion's Keep, a virtual reality game that allows people to join a fantasy realm and make real money. The only issue is that if you die in The Game, you die in real life... Lorcan must recruit a group to help him track down the man who has taken his friend. Not everyone has his best intentions at heart, however. Will he be able to find success with his new found powers? Find out what happens next in this second installment of the new Accidental Mage series: The Kobold Thief!

This is a debut short story. What happens when new, intense love mixes with jealousy and insecurity? Michelle has met the man of her dreams and wants him all to herself. Will she get what she wants and will it give her the happiness she craves?War is hell, according to William Tecumseh Sherman. That was then. Now, war is a game played by established rules, by mutual agreement, by gentlemen, and only when all other means of problem resolution have failed. Suffering, real human misery, can be reduced or even eliminated when war is kept within boundaries. War is now a much more attractive prospect, in this satire. It even makes an odd kind of economic sense, as production equates with prosperity. War is disruptive to the natural environment, and that’s always a concern too. All we are saying, is give war a chance. A short story.

All Sara Baldwin ever wanted was to be a dancer, but that dream died along with her mom and dad when she was nine years old. As the only witness, Sara was too scared to tell anyone what she saw. At LKB Events, she takes on the challenge of making others' dreams come true while she works toward the goal set by her grandfather to claim her inheritance. But the path to happiness is paved with pitfalls, and when she's fired from the company she helped to build, the bottom drops out of Sara's world. She falls with it, right into the path of a monster. US Marine Garrett Dorsey doesn't believe in fairy tales. On active duty, he saw the worst of humanity, and after returning home to run the family business, he definitely isn't looking for love. But all that changes the night a fake Cinderella sprints out of the ballroom at the Peninsula Hotel, leaving his bruised ego and one glittering shoe in her wake... A Secret to Die For is a standalone...

In this fast-paced, thrilling middle grade fantasy rooted in Tagalog mythology, a young Filipino girl discovers realms beyond our own full of monsters and gods, a terrible evil who wants her magic, and even a talking duck! The first book in a duology from Gail D. Villanueva (My Fate According to the Butterfly) that's perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and Aru Shah. Lulu Sinagtala can't wait for a fun Christmas break. She's excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible!But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic, meaning she's the...

By day, Ian Groden runs a business. People answer to him, he’s in charge. However, Ian has a secret, dark side and he isn’t really in charge of anything. His life, his body, and mind are not his own, but belong to Taren Murdock, the man who is Ian’s husband and, more importantly, Master. Ian's only purpose is serving his Master’s every desire. The more Ian’s servitude hurts, the better it is.

 USA Today Bestselling Author L.T. Ryan's Jack Noble series travels back to the beginning as Noble and Bear are tossed into the CIA-sponsored program that allows them to live as ghosts with no rules other than to get the job done by any means necessary. After completing training, they are sent overseas to recover an operative being held and tortured by terrorists in Aleppo, Syria. Saving the woman is not without risks, as the young team learns first hand. It isn't long before their assumptions of who is on their side, and who is working against them are turned upside down. As Noble and Bear close in on the agent, they uncover an enemy that hits far closer to home than they ever imagined. Filled with pulse-pounding action, intrigue, and suspense, The First Deception takes you on an international thrill ride that leaves you begging for more. **

A man is not great because he is a good man. A great man can be good, evil, or any shade of gray in between. A great man is a man who sees the world around him, and changes it to suit him, instead of letting it change him to suit itself. Lowin Fenly didn't want to be a hero, and he never thought of being a villain, but sometimes the path that must be walked by great men leads to dark places. Body twisted by dark magic, the scribe-turned-Knight must learn to control the beast he is becoming, or risk losing the few remnants of humanity he clings to.

New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble returns to the beach in her latest summer read about the family we create and the wishes we make that can shape us.Zoe Bascombe has never said no to her family. When she blew her Juilliard audition, she caved to their wishes and went to business school. But when her mother dies and leaves instructions for Zoe to spread her ashes at a place called Wind Chime Beach, she defies her brothers and starts out for a New England town none of them has ever heard of and discovers a side of her garden club mother that her wildest dreams hadn't imagined.Zoe has another family.Her first instinct is to run home. Instead she is caught in the middle of her feuding new relatives. With one family fighting among themselves and the other not speaking to her, Zoe must somehow find a way to bridge her new life with her old.For the first time in her life, Zoe must make a stand for her family—both of them. If only she can...

In March of 2002, while the eyes of the world focused on Afghanistan, Jack Noble finds himself on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. A Marine in name only, Jack is on-loan to the CIA. Normally an integral part of the team, he finds that he is nothing more than a security detail in Iraq. Jack and his partner Bear have a run-in with four CIA special agents over the treatment of an Iraqi family.In March of 2002, while the eyes of the world focused on Afghanistan, Jack Noble finds himself on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. A Marine in name only, Jack is on-loan to the CIA. Normally an integral part of the team, he finds that he is nothing more than a security detail in Iraq.Jack and his partner Bear have a run-in with four CIA special agents over the treatment of an Iraqi family. Within hours Jack and Bear are detained.All Jack wanted was to finish his enlistment and move on with his life. All he did was intervene and save a family from unwarranted violence at the hands of four CIA agents. But he soon discovers that he did far more than intervene. He has placed himself dead square in the middle of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of the U.S. government.This Jack Noble political thriller is not for the faint of heart!