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The Soviet Network by Amerigo Merenda The Soviet Network is a story that involves underground saboteurs who gradually dismantle communismâs monolithic ideology. For generations, citizens behind the âiron curtainâ were persecuted by dictators who smothered freedom and sheltered tyranny. Family relationships, threatened by espionage and violence, suffered through a reign of terror. Russiaâs authoritarian political history will show its ugly face when millions of citizens are denied human rights. Liberal democracy could not penetrate one partyâs domination until a respected Ukrainian military officer, Commander Rypchensky, organized a disciplined underground network whose goal was to replace totalitarian despotism with a democratic government. Romantic relationships are trapped in a web of political turmoil where murder and terror rip families and loved ones apart. Reading The Soviet Network will reveal by contrast, how life in a totalitarian culture can destroy our human spirit. |
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Straight to The White House by Amerigo Merenda Straight to the White House is a special read for a variety of reasons. Itâs a story of a young boy whose repressed childhood trauma emerges later in his adulthood and impacts his personal and professional life choices. A combination of personal strengths allow him to survive the onslaught of psychological demons that emerge. His intellect, perseverance and spiritualism are characteristics that allow him to manage his life successfully but his insecurity concerning his sexuality continues to haunt him. After graduating from Cornell he enters a catholic seminary, fulfilling a long held desire for becoming a Jesuit priest. From this point on his life is made more complicated and interesting when he finds himself attracted to a beautiful woman just before he is drafted into the army during the Vietnam war. Moving forward his life is being challenged by competing forces that pull him in different directions, while his sexual insecurities persist. His search for his true identity continues to evolve while a series of events change his life forever. His mentor, a Jesuit priest who knows him from childhood, plays a key role in clarifying his life ambitions upon his return from Vietnam. |
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Ballades, blank verse, and one lone sestina from Sandra Bond, who is "talented, knowledgable, insightful, entertaining, generous, kind and quite brilliant". |
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Three Men In Orbit by Sandra Bond "They're back... and they've got a sextant!" A steampunk extravaganza set in an early twentieth century where science has conquered gravity and colonised the Moon, but where other issues of the day remain as problematic as in our own timeline... such as the vexed question of votes for women. The beloved characters of Jerome K. Jerome's THREE MEN IN A BOAT take a pleasure-trip into space in an anti-gravity sphere, only to find themselves caught up in shenanigans and skullduggery millions of miles from anything to be found on the Thames. Will they be able to make it back to Earth with their skins and their reputations both intact? |
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The Devil's Finger by Sandra Bond "Cryptids and comedy don't mix." Looking after outspoken comedian Jemima Charfield keeps her super-assistant Imogen Payne so busy, she barely has time for a social life. But when Jemima uncovers a real, live, shapeshifting beast, Imogen will need to surpass herself... or risk a murder charge for both of them! Cryptids, comedy, catastrophe and carpet warehouses combine in a crisply witty supernatural thriller. |
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The Psychopath Club by Sandra Bond "He's a good kid. He just wants to kill you." The high school misfits and loners who call themselves The Psychopath Club donât know that among them is a budding serial killer, Darroll Martock. Now, thanks to an enigmatic creature from somewhere beyond imagination, heâs gained a frightening new power...and this cold, remote Midwest town will never be the same. âThe Psychopath Club is dark, funny and plays with your expectations. ...A proper psychopath, an unwanted horseâs head and more than one slip into strange new worlds...drawing you on to see just where the outrageous Darroll Martock is going to end up.âStewart Hotston, author of Tangleâs Game |
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Life After Dusk by Douglas Jern Liv has awakened after decades of cold sleep, only to learn that the world she knew has ended. The ruins are covered in a toxic gas known as ether, which causes horrific mutations when inhaled. Liv sets out on a journey through the benighted wasteland, dodging bloodthirsty mutants and killer robots along the way, in a desperate gamble to save the future from the endless, lifeless twilight. Interspersed with Livâs journey are glimpses into the world before the fall, from the creation of Y, an immortal being whose blood holds the key to eternal life, to the cataclysmic war between humanity and Yâs progenies. A combat android forced to fight, die, and fight again, seeks a way to break the cycle and reach the promised heaven beyond. A college dropout goes on a road trip that takes a turn for the nightmarish when he sets foot in an old house that hides a terrible secret. A young girl, created for a purpose she cannot understand and banished from her home, discovers the power hidden within her, and the meaning of her existence. The fate of the ruined world rests on Livâs shoulders. Her journey will not be an easy one, but where there is life, there is hope, and Liv always finds a way. |
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Only Mostly Dead (Afterlife Incorporated) by Alli Temple No one tells you how much paperwork there is after you die. I expected to wake up on a cloud where angels played harps and fed me grapes. Instead, Iâm a ghost stuck in suburban Toronto. The only ones who can see me are a part-time psychic and an unemployed grim reaper. Turns out the business of dying is a train wreck. But if there was ever a girl boss who could get it back on track, itâs me. All I need is a little help from my new roommates, whether they want to be involved or not. Nothing at Afterlife Incorporated moves quickly and if I donât find a way out soon there wonât be anything left of me to cross over. They say death can be easy, but being only mostly dead sucks. Only Mostly Dead is the first installment in the Afterlife Incorporated urban fantasy trilogy. It features a slowâso slowâburn romance that may take several books to resolve. Be patient. Death is comingâŠeventually. |
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Littlethumb Sneezed by Truant D. Memphis What would happen if everything in the world froze but you? Littlethumb Sneezed is the tale of prolific artist and renowned philanthropist, Littlethumb Brooks. From the discovery of his creative genius as a child to his rise to fame, join Littlethumb on a satirical journey through the world of American pop culture. It is a life filled with love, laughter, charity, art, disguises, magic tricks, international intrigue and unfortunately, horrible tragedy. Also, there's a punk rocker named Tommy Toxic. It began with the Occurrence. Littlethumb was a little boy⊠|
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Mixed Connection by Nicole Devonne Cassidy Heart is living a boozy bookwormâs dream, co-owning a book themed bar with her best friend. She has built herself up through years of therapy after losing her parents at sixteen. Sticking to her pact with her best friend, Cassidy chooses to make herself the priority in her own life by saying yes to more experiences, including attending her upcoming ten year high school reunion. Itâs a convenient coincidence that Jameson Bennetteâs next house remodel and Cypress Lake High Schoolâs ten year reunion are happening at the same time and in the same location. He can ease himself back into town, enjoy a drink, and pass a few awkward stories between old friends. He isnât prepared to literally barrel into the woman he pined for all throughout high school. After Cassidy and Jameson are formally introduced, feelings resurface. Heâs funny and even more handsome than she remembers. He canât get past the fact he let her slip away so many years ago. The closer he gets to completing his renovation project, the reality of Jamesonâs impending departure weighs on them both. They have a decision to make: will this be another missed connection or could this finally be the blueprint to their forever? |
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Refilling The Well by Claris Lam What happens when you overwhelm the well that represents your energy and wellbeing? It's drained, and you burn out. All you can do next is refresh and refill it to sustain yourself again. Refilling The Well is a poetry chapbook that reflects on the harms of hustle culture and societal expectations of reaching success, including burnout. It also reflects on how to heal from burnout and remembering that you're more than just your accomplishments. Fans of Lang Leav and Atticus will enjoy Refilling The Well's free verse poetry. |
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Faithfully Yours Mozart: Love's Enduring Symphony by Faith Jacobs Love blooms in the most unexpected circumstances. As the new year rings in and spring approaches after a season of trial and tribulations, Wolfgang and Constanze embark on their courtship enamored with the hope of understanding and approval from both sides. Yet the tides of love are narrow, never wide, and when faced by opposition and the trials of lifeâs unpredictable ebbs and flows, courage is the heartâs greatest strength on the road of loveâs most precious triumph⊠|
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Faithfully Yours Mozart: the courtship by Faith Jacobs Who could surmise that a smidge of freedom would be tainted by bitterness, more than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? *** Vienna, May 1781, Young Wolfgang finds himself without his father in a world of nobles and enlightenment of the arts in Vienna, yet with all its beauty and artistic flair comes the tides of ever-present struggles! Amidst the difficulties, however, lies an unexpected spark, in the eyes of unexpected circumstance, whatever could possibly lie at the heart of such an endeavor? And With dreams of fortune and favor on his heart, in world tossed upside down by constant opposition and difficult circumstances, Wolfgang finds himself drawn to the kindest heart of a diamond amongst the rubies and pearls. In a world fraught without goodness of heart in the hands of greedy men, can such a rare rose bring the composer what heâs always needed? |
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People of the Stone by B. M. Thompson When worlds collide, the alliance between Peretos and Bellumâcities long ago sunderedâis renewed. War preparations begin in the combined army of the Joiners of Peretos and the soldiers of Bellum. Their goal is to eradicate the menace of the Stone People. While the coalition is a beacon of hope, darkness festers at its heart. Across the Wasteland in the wake of the Uprising, Jorisfell's families remain broken as bereft parents brave the Wasteland to find their exiled children and bring them home. Those left behind continue digging into the stone, fighting for survival in the face of new dangers. The mysteries of Eleytia's past deepen as the search for the cryptic Restoration prophecies ranges from the record rooms of Bellum to the bowels of the Wasteland. When opposing cultures collide, secrets are revealed and age-old, fanatical convictions are upended. Whoâor whatâis at the heart of these prophecies? Will the answers bring restoration? Or destruction? |
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Legend of the Stone by B. M. Thompson A thousand years ago, the Ruination turned Eleytia to stone. The sky burned red, the waters became toxic, and the animals changed into monsters. The humans unlucky enough to be caught outside the safety of their city walls mutated into the deadly Stone People. They now seek to scour the last of humanity off the face of Eleytia. Pockets of humanity scratch a meager existence out of the stone Wasteland, unaware of one another and unsure if they are the only humans who survived the cataclysm. In these disparate cities, a young woman is exiled, a defiant soldier deserts a cruel army, and a childless mother vows to save her family. Stories are told of the mythicalâpossibly supernaturalâJoiners and the amazing feats they once performed. Like the living things that tell them, fables are transformed with age, becoming more confusing and conflicting with each passing year. Are the Joiners Eleytia's salvation? Or the curse that caused the Wasteland in the first place? |
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How to Slay a Demon Lord and Get away with it by Devi Letalis Damien is barely holding it together. Struggling with the weight of his recent loss, he finds himself torn between his duty to Lariza and his responsibility as the leader of Lamia Vult. Just when he thinks things canât get worse, an angry mob forms at the gates, blaming the cult for mysterious dreams that drain not only the citizens of the city but also the members of Lamia Vult. And as if that werenât enough, Damien canât shake the feeling that Damnatio might be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With pressure from the police and his allies questioning his ability to lead, Damien must face his demonsâliterallyâand hope that he can save himself before everything falls apart. Will he survive the nightmare, or will he lose himself in the chaos? |
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Twilight of Evil by George Alexander What if Adolf Hitler cheated death in the ruins of Berlin? Prepare to be shaken as we delve into the controversial tale of Adolf Hitler's escape from the ruins of Berlin, his dreams of a thousand-year Reich still fuelling his dark ambition. Did the Fuhrer truly perish in the crumbling capital, or did he evade capture and flee to the distant shores of South America? Twilight of Evil delves into the controversial and intriguing tale of Adolf Hitler's escape from Berlin during the closing days of the Third Reich and his post-war life. Join David Hazel, a young Jewish researcher, as he probes into the shocking truth behind Hitler's disappearance through the work of the renowned American scholar, Dr. Peter Alex. The novel transports readers to the chaotic final days of the Nazi regime, where the crumbling empire and the desperate measures taken by its leaders are depicted. The book probes into the dramatic exploration of Hitler's ultimate fate, revealing the truth behind his disappearance and the people who crossed his path. Witness the secret escape of Hitler, Eva Braun, Martin Bormann, and Gestapo Chief Heinrich MĂŒllerâa select group of Nazi officials. From secret alliances to deadly betrayals, this novel takes you on a journey through the escape and post-war life of some of history's most notorious figures. |
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The Anonymous Letters of C Forestier by Felicia Davin Paris, 1825. Isabelle de Tourzin cannot afford to fall in love with a mortal. Not again. Ageless and nearly invulnerable, she spends her days in private grief and plots to end Malbosc, the powerful, secretive man who seduced her only to leech her magic for more than a century. She was rescued before she had the chance to kill him, and heâs eluded her ever since. At last, Isabelle has in her hands a magic compass that will point her toward her quarry. Infuriatingly, a cunning stranger keeps disrupting her search. The interloper claims to be hunting Malbosc as well. Trust is impossible, but the stranger proves to have useful information. Isabelle reluctantly agrees to an alliance. The strangerâa shameless liar who appears to be a man named Forestierâaccompanies Isabelle across France. Heâs charming and unexpectedly kind. Itâs been a lifetime since she enjoyed anyoneâs company so much, which makes Forestier an even greater danger than Malbosc. Forever is too long to live with a broken heart. |
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The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q by Felicia Davin Paris, 1825. Losing her husband is the best thing to happen to Delphine in ages. After he used magic to control her, Delphineâs only regret is that she didnât kill that petty tyrant herself. Widowed, Delphine can pursue her dashing rescuer, the androgynous novelist Camille Dupinâand solve the mystery of her first love, a man called Ari who disappeared before Delphine could tell him she was pregnant with his child. Ari isnât dead. Three years ago, he stole a magical weapon from a powerful man and was exiled to a distant prison. When a stroke of luck allows him to escape, he sets out to confront the man who ruined his life and reunite with Delphine. He never expected to find her in bed with Camille, or to find himself falling in love with both of them. Camille loves Delphine and was almost ready to let her guard down. Ariâs reappearance stirs up old hurts and threatens them allâAriâs enemy will stop at nothing to get his stolen artifact back. Camilleâs conscience wonât let her abandon Delphine and Ari in danger, but she wonât stay to have her heart broken once theyâre safe. Before Delphine, Camille, and Ari can imagine a happy future, theyâll have to reckon with the past. |
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The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin Paris, 1823. Victor BeauchĂȘne has led a stifling existence, unrecognized for both his cleverness and his gender, except in the pages of his meticulous diary. Abruptly cut off from his familyâs fortune, he takes the opportunity to start a new life in a shabby boarding house with his beloved spinster aunt Sophie. There, he stumbles upon two kinds of magic: a pen with eerie powers of persuasion and a reserved, alluring art student named Julien. Brilliant, unconventional Julien is also Julie, a person whose magical paintings can transform their body or enchant viewers. Haunted by a terrible episode in their past, theyâve come to Paris for artistic successâthe ordinary, non-magical kind. Victor, too handsome and far too inquisitive, is a dangerous distraction from their ambitions. Drawn to each other, Victor and Julie strike up a cautious correspondence of notes slid under doors. It soon unfolds into a passionate romance. Outside the bedroom, their desires clash: Julie wants to distance herself from the world of magic and Victor wants to delve deeper. When the ruthless abuser from Julieâs past resurfaces, he aims to take control of her powers and ruin more lives. Victor and Julie are the only ones who can stop him. Do they trust each other enough to survive the threat to their love and their lives? The Scandalous Letters of V and J is a historical fantasy romance with two nonbinary main characters, told primarily in letters and diary entries. It is approximately 100,000 words long and sexually explicit. |
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Out of Nowhere by Felicia Davin Aidan Blackwood barely survived an unethical experiment by Quint Services. Researchers there robbed him of his ability to access the Nowhere, a void between worlds that allows him to teleport. Aidan plans to destroy the company and the man behind it, trillionaire Oswin Lewis Quint. The problem? Aidanâs childhood best friend Caleb is the one who rescued him. Aidanâs spent years distancing himself from Caleb. Itâs the only way to protect him from the dangers of Aidanâs life as a Nowhere runnerâand the only way for Aidan to protect his fragile heart from unrequited love. Now Caleb is inextricably involved in Aidanâs most dangerous plan yet. Aidanâs already lost his power. He canât lose the person he cares about the most. Caleb lied his way into a secret Quint Services facility to rescue his best friend. He wonât be shut out of Aidanâs life now, even if it means risking his own life in Aidanâs wild scheme for revenge. As they pit themselves against a ruthless, corrupt trillionaire, Caleb worries that his unexplored feelings for Aidan might be loveâand that he might not live long enough to find out. |
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Edge of Nowhere by Felicia Davin Kit Jackson has two talents in life. He can navigate the void known as the Nowhere to teleport himself across long distances and he can keep his mouth shut. These talents have earned him a reputation as a discreet, reliable Nowhere runnerâheâll smuggle anything for the right priceâand thatâs how Kit likes it. Morals donât earn money, and neither do friends. When the private research firm Quint Services makes Kit an astounding offer for a mystery delivery, he says yes. The parcel turns out to be an unconscious man, and even for Kit, that raises questions. When something monstrous attacks them in the Nowhere and throws them into an unknown wilderness, Kit and this stranger, a man named Emil, have to rely on each other. Kit just wants to make his delivery and get paid, but he finds himself increasingly entangled in Quint Servicesâ dangerous researchâand his own attraction to Emil. Emil Singh left his career in the Orbit Guard to work at Quint Services Facility 17, a base hidden in an asteroid, to prepare a team to cross the Nowhere into other worlds. Itâs the chance of a lifetime and he canât wait to explore the universe. But then Emil witnesses a terrible accident in a Facility 17 lab and gets sent to Earth for questioning. Something isnât right, but before Emil can investigate, he and the Nowhere runner hired to transport him are knocked off course. Is the monster that attacks them a creation of Quint Services? What else is the corporation hiding? He has to get back to Facility 17 to protect his team and he needs Kitâs help. Can he trust the cynical young smuggler? |
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Passenger Princess by Morgan Elizabeth A sexy, Bodyguard, Grumpy/Sunshine, Celebrity romance from best-selling author, Morgan Elizabeth. Who knew applying to be the next Miss Americana while youâre drunk on tequila would actually get anywhere? But thatâs exactly what happened to Ava when she wanted an excuse to promote her best friendsâ new businesses. She never even expected to get past the first round of auditions, much less win the beauty pageant, and now here she is, wearing a silk sash and a crown on her head, trying to picture what the next three months is going to look like. As the newly crowned Miss Americana, sheâs off on a three-month press tour, visiting all 50 states as part of her contract. For a girl who loves adventure, itâs a dream come true, except for two hiccups. The first one being the morality clause and long list of rules the organization is forcing her to live by while wearing the crown. And second, and probably the worst one, is the deliciously sexy, yet grumpy driver-slash-bodyguard assigned to keep her in line. Jaime normally spends his days as head of security for the world-famous rock band Atlas Oaks, but when they take a break from touring, heâs excited for a change of pace. Until he learns his new assignment is the gorgeous and ever-frustrating pageant princess who gets under his skin in more ways than one. When he learns Ava has made it her mission to drive him crazyâby constantly looking for a new hit of endorphins by toeing the line as well as by flirting with him endlesslyâhe realizes what he thought would be a simple assignment is anything but. Now if only he can survive the next ninety days keeping his hands to himself and off the woman he canât get out of his head. |
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Napkins & Other Distractions by M.A. Wardell On paper, they're a disaster. In the sheets, they're a perfect match. â Kent Lester is proud of the joyful, thriving learning community he's created as principal of Lear Elementary School. But six years after his divorce, he's ready to focus on his personal life and spread his bisexual wings. Things get off to a rocky start when Kent's first date is an uptight control freak â although that doesn't stop them tangling some sheets. Vincent Manda never seems able to move past the friend zone, and besides, he's not sure anyone can handle his OCD. But that night with the bearded, older Kent revealed a side of Vincent he'd never experienced before. And he's equal parts scared of and desperate for a repeat. When Lear's test scores take a nosedive, Kent finds himself under the microscope. Forced to implement new software to monitor and collect school data, he's horrified to discover that Vincent is working on the project. With his last install ending less than ideally, Vincent's job depends on this one succeeding â and butting heads with the principal won't help. Vincent and Kent need to view each other in a new light, but that could change their futures forever. |
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Intelligent People by H. A. Ferdinand âI know we can do this. I believe in us. We are intelligent people. Between us, we can put together an issue thatâs so hot that youâll need asbestos gloves to turn the pages.â Once they were the thoroughbreds of Fleet Street, a close-knit gang of young investigative reporters at the sharp end of their profession. Twenty-five years later, single and burnt out, they come together for one last glorious stand on the local paper of a bustling Yorkshire seaside town. At their heart is Vita, newly abandoned by her husband, eternally wrong-footed by her teenage children. She thought sheâd left it all behind her but here she is, sparring with the police again and finding herself the office object of desire. Just when she thinks sheâs back in her stride, a suspected attempted murder in a local tourist spot drags her into a plot that is too close to home for comfort. Suddenly Vita and her lovelorn band of colleagues risk ending up on the front page themselves. A warm-hearted, fast-paced, comic, seaside romp from the writer of Mrs Tempestâs Marriage Bureau. |
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An Evening with the Dymond Sisters by H. A. Ferdinand It's the summer of 1933 and four English college girls, who have formed their own cabaret act and who should have known better, are about to release their puerile humour on the genteel German spa town of Baden-Baden. Before long, Glossie, Cressida, Josefa and Amy have acquired a following, including ageing British screen legend Gareth Palamon who promises them a future of fame and glamour and handsome charlatan Hector Bedingfield who dabbles in psychoanalysis and financial advice. But it soon becomes clear that there are other shadowy forces guiding the fate of the Dymond Sisters and they find themselves knee-deep in the kind of trouble that threatens to unravel their showbusiness ambitions and, worse still, a friendship that they assumed would last for ever. Comedy, romance and mystery come together in this endearing story set in a pre-war world of nightclubs and casinos and starring a cast of four heroines who stumble well-meaningly from one misadventure to another. |
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Mrs Tempest's Marriage Bureau by H. A. Ferdinand Just when she thought there was nothing left to live for, middle-aged underachiever Phyl is handed ÂŁ65,000 and told to go out and turn her life around. Inspired by a 1920s book on relationships by the bewitching Mrs Natalia Tempest, she sets her heart on opening an old-fashioned marriage bureau and bringing together lost souls just like herself. But the lost souls who come to her door are about to embroil her in the strangest adventure of her life. Comic, heart-warming and as eccentric as its heroine, Mrs Tempestâs Marriage Bureau is part romantic comedy, part mystery and a big part farce. For fans of PG Wodehouse and Helen Fielding, HA Ferdinandâs books combine sharp wit with a fondness for the oddballs, misfits and cynics of this world. |
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for love and blood and fury by J.J Arias A ruthless vampire. A powerful witch. A healer with a hidden legacy. A searing paranormal romance that proves three hearts can beat as one.Elena, the head of Miamiâs vampire cartel, never expected her ex-girlfriend Zuriâa powerful witchâto storm back into her life demanding help with a rival coven. Seeing Zuri again, Elena knows she would do anything for the woman she once shared scorching nights and dark secrets with. But before Elena can act, betrayal strikes, leaving her wounded and trapped in a human hospital with no memory of her attack. Desperate and vulnerable, Elena clings to Marisolâa nurse with potent healing abilities she barely understands. Even as mortal danger looms, the sensual tension between Elena, Zuri, and Marisol becomes irresistible. Their lives intertwine in a throuple romance that burns with desire while peril mounts. Together, they confront Elenaâs vampire enemies, the danger to Zuriâs coven, and uncover Marisol's hidden lineage. For Love and Blood and Fury is a heart-pounding, steamy sapphic paranormal romance where the ultimate power lies in the fierce bond of three women who will fightâand loveâtill the end. |
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Some Rise by Sin by Sion Scott-Wilson 1829 is a tough year to be a body snatcher. Burke and Hare have just been convicted of killing people to sell their bodies, to widespread outrageâbut despite the bad press, doctors still need fresh corpses for medical research. Sammy and Facey are a couple of so-called âresurrection menâ, making a living among society's fringe-dwellers by hoisting the newly departed from the churchyards of London whilst masquerading as late-night bakers. Operating on tip-offs and rumours in the capitalâs drinking dens and fighting pits, the pair find themselves in receipt of some valuable intelligence: an unusual cadaver has popped up on the market, that of a hermaphrodite. For any medic worth his salt itâs a once-in-a-lifetime opportunityâa medical curiosity and rara avisâand famous anatomist Joshua Brookes commissions the two men to obtain the body, at any cost. But some corpses hold secrets, and before long the enterprise becomes a deadlier and more complex undertaking than either man could ever have imagined. Some Rise by Sin is a rich, authentic and absorbing historical narrative with a darker edge, a story of surviving on the outskirts of respectability. With echoes of Michel Faberâs The Crimson Petal and the White, it is meticulously researched and suffused with the dark and grimy atmosphere of Regency London, and explores what ambition can mean for poor people in a society that conspires to grind them down at every turn |
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The Birth of Ida by Rachel Grosvenor 'You believe in ghost stories? You afraid of ghosts when there's snakes and men tryin' to kill you?' Ousted from her homestead, Ida Vale quickly learns that the only way to survive as a lone traveller is to disguise herself as a man. Unsuspecting farmer Colt is the perfect target, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, looking roughly the right size. On the run as 'Colton John' the bounty hunter, Ida ventures into the unforgiving wilderness of The Nameless Stretch. Drawn towards a witch's house by the whisperings of the Derelict Woods, she discovers that the land is here, the murdered return to haunt their assailants. And to her shock, Ida is being haunted by someone she loves. She's not a murderer, like her brother. So who is it watching her every move? Meanwhile, Colt sets into motion a series of events that he hopes will end in one of two Ida Vale at his door, dead or alive. But in The Nameless Stretch, you can't escape your demons â and Ida soon learns she has far more to fear from the living than the dead. |
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The Finery by Rachel Grosvenor Tyranny is in the air in the city of Finer Bay, and Professor Wendowleen Cripcot would like to be left alone, thank you very much. The memories of the last one hundred years are quite enough to be getting on with, if only these young upstarts from the government body, The Finery, would stop trying to control her every move. With the eyes of a dictator upon her, there are not many places to hide⊠but Wendowleen has never been one to back down from a fight (just ask her pet wolf), and insurrection is brewing underground. |
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Chai and Cat-tales by Lynn Strong Bask in a sunbeam with three cozy fantasy novellas of the Catsprowl, a busy neighborhood brimming with cats and cat-goddesses, book-keepers and bath-houses, piping hot chai, and pouncing kittens' mischief. The Prince of Her Dreams Najra has three dreams in her life: First, catch the attention of a prince. (Specifically, the God-Emperorâs bookish youngest brother.) Next, get him to hire her to assist with his research in the marvelous Archives in Tel-Bastet. And then, at last, read ALL the books. Marrying the prince has never been in the plan. Najra has never lusted for anything but knowledge. Unfortunately, the prince has dreams as well. Because he's also a prophet who foresees trouble coming. Between her heretical geometries and her cursed spellbook, Najra has to admit that his dreams of trouble have her pegged. Now what is she supposed to do with a matchmaking busybody of an Archivist pushing them together, an angry catfolk bodyguard pulling them apart, and a sweet, anxious prophet-prince who won't even tell her what he wants? Priye For a small alley-kitten, human words make a tricky tangle of misunderstandings that bite back. Purring and hissing and yowling are much more clear. A human named her Priye, though, and he taught her that it means someone who is darling, someone who is treasured. Growing up in the nooks between three cultures is hard, but Priye wants to make her own way. And she wants to repay the kind people who feed small hungry kittens. But it's not always easy to hunt when everyone else is bigger and stronger and faster. The humans who named her like soap and water entirely too much. But maybe they have a point about sharing things instead of hunting things? The Potter's Dream Usually, the Temple of Bastet teems with cats and catfolk and cat-priestesses and cat-goddesses. It is not supposed to teem with mice. But kind-hearted priest Shai Madhur isn't very good at denying a nourishing meal to anybody⊠not even the mice. He needs a better mouse-catcher. But first, he needs to know where the shrine's cauldrons have gone. Because a potter has come to Shai Madhur's temple shrine, and the poor man looks hungry. What kind of priest can Shai Madhur be if he can't feed someone a nourishing meal? When he's sworn his life to serving others, and suddenly he has nothing at all to give, what does he have left? Sermons of acceptance are all well and good, but they don't fill an empty stomach. And there's something very strange about the potter. This book sets out to be cozy representation for folks who have been othered: brown folks, disabled folks, neurodiverse folks, ace and questioning folks, fat folks, diversely faithful, anyone who's wanted to see their othered selves welcomed and celebrated. |
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On Silver Shores by V.T. Hoang Sirens are known for their beauty and grace. Everything from their lithe figures to their perfectly symmetrical faces to the cadence of their voices is designed to charm. Pleasure of the flesh is how they sustain themselves. So, of course, Detective Carver would be the one siren lucky enough to hate sex. Ever since his husband died, Carver has resented the defining feature of his race, but when his boss calls in someone to assist with his investigation, he finds himself confronted with a problem he never expectedâattraction. Jian is supposed to be just an analyst, buttoned-up and stiff and unassuming. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, he can put on a nice smile and act polite enough, but there's something behind his eyes that's decidedly not professional. That hunger for carnal satisfaction Carver thought long dead starts to come back to life as they work together. And he has to wonder if he's just starving or if this is a craving. |
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Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once by Amy Orrell Tomorrow was beautiful once, and it could be again. But Jack can only choose one future⊠England, 2150. Time travel has accelerated climate change and set humanity on the brink of destruction. As a Person of Mixed Era Origin with the ability to recall parallel versions of time, British historian, Jack Elliot, seems the perfect candidate to travel to the past and prevent the advent of time travel. The catch? Success means Jack will cease to exist. Critically injured when he arrives in the past, Jackâs life is saved by Maddie, a second-generation immigrant and resistance fighter, who mistakenly believes heâs connected to the disappearance of her sister, Suraya. Jackâs denial soon unravels with the discovery that Suraya can lead him to his father â the man who robbed him of his mother â and the inventor of time technology. What begins as a fragile alliance soon puts their feelings and their missions to the test. Jackâs wonât be the only life affected by his sacrifice, but does he have the right to decide who should live and who should die â and will it be worth it for the futures he and Maddie hope to create? |
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From Within, A Darkness by Ray Adams A mining operation deep in space. A crew of five, a security team of four. It's drudge work; routine, repetitive. Until it isn't. For some of the crew, there comes a growing sensation that they're not alone on the asteroid. Something is out there, waiting to be found, in the darkness. But does the biggest threat come from outside? Or from within? In the meantime, an ailing ship limps toward them, its own crew oblivious to the horror that awaits them. They come seeking help, but who are the rescuers and who, if anyone, will be the rescued? |
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The Last Sanctuary by Ray Adams Roo Raka's body lies dead, his consciousness downloaded into a hard drive through a revolutionary and dangerous procedure. Though with no way of reuniting his body and his mind, and the Galactic government set on retrieving the mysterious entity known as the Memm, the crew of the Lady Julian are fast running out of options. |
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The Jollet Procedure by Ray Adams After the events of The Forcek Assignment, Poonsar is left devastated by the fate of his captain, Roo Raka, and retreats to his homeworld under a dark cloud of depression. Bo Dans and the rest of the crew of the Lady Julian meanwhile go in search of a new strategy to combat the Memm. Does the answer lie outside the Federation with a rogue scientist? How will they extract this scientist from the clutches of the Committee? And will Poonsar be able to fight through his mental anguish and rejoin them in their mission? |
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The Forcek Assignment by Ray Adams A quiet life on the fringes of society is all Roo Raka wants. Regular work, enough to keep his crew happy, and if it strays into grey areas of legality then, well, a little bending of the law never hurt anyone. Not anyone who didn't deserve it, at least. There's always a bigger picture to consider though, and after he runs into trouble on what should have been a routine cargo pick-up, Roo Raka finds himself drawn into a web of conspiracy, a plot that's aimed at the heart of Galactic government. As those in power tighten their grip, and law enforcement cracks down on an increasingly unhappy populace, plans are drawn up and there's a decision to be made. Can Roo Raka stand by and ignore everything he sees around him? Is it really nothing to do with him? Or does there come a time when a good man no longer has the luxury of doing nothing? |
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The Cartoon Life and Loves of a Stupid Man by Marc Joan As an independent comic book store owner and the heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, Philippe Favrier lives a life that straddles the real world and the realm of fiction. Struggling with mental illness, Philippe relies on his wife, Marilyne â a successful surgeon with her own haunting secrets â and a groundbreaking drug his father developed. Bound by their shared pain, they navigate their haunted lives, forever shadowed by the heart-rending loss of their baby, Antoine. Their fragile world begins to crumble when Philippe catches a disturbing glimpse of an unfamiliar profile in the mirror. And his uneasiness is further fuelled by an anonymous comic strip that arrives at his store, featuring a character bearing an eerie resemblance to him. Is Marilyne hiding an affair? Is she connected to the comic strip thatâs tormenting him? As he probes deeper, Philippe is drawn into a web of deception, where the lines between reality and imagination blur â until his investigations into Marilyne and the malicious comic artist at last reveal the tragic truth. |