Best of
21st-Century

2020

The Ops Room Girls


Vicki Beeby - 2020
    Evie must seek a new future for herself and, inspired to contribute to the war effort, joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room plotter.Posted to a fighter station on the Sussex Coast, Evie befriends two other WAAFs – shy, awkward May and flirty, glamorous Jess. Faced with earning the approval of strict officers and finding their way in a male dominated world, the three girls band together to overcome challenges, navigate new romances and keep their pilots safe in the skies.But the German bombers seem to know more than they should about the base’s operations, and soon Evie, May and Jess are caught up in a world more dangerous than they ever imagined...

The Men of Steel Anthology


M.J. Fields - 2020
    The series has over 900 5 Star reviews! Meet the Men of Steel Tattooed, pierced, alpha, New Jersey brothers Jase, Cyrus, Zandor, and Xavier Steel work side by side at their families tattoo shop Forever Steel. These sexy and confident young men vow to never fall in love. They show no restraint when it comes to living life the way they want, and enjoy the simple pleasures in abundance. They have an unbreakable family bond and stand by each other through thick and thin. Forever Steel, baby. Meet Jase Steel, a twenty-two-year-old hot-as-hell, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, who doesn't care what you or anyone else things of him. But Jase's wild ways and "who gives a f*** attitude is about to change. He can't seem to get the beautifully innocent, blonde college girl out of his head. So what she's the cousin of a friend who does not approve? Jase has never exercised self-control when it came to getting a woman, and he wasn't going to start now. After tricking Carly into “fake dating," it turns out the joke's on him, as Jase falls hard and fast for her. But as painful secrets from his past come to light, Jase will have to man up and bare it all to Carly, even if the ugly truth could tare them apart forever.**** Meet Cyrus, the oldest of the Steel brothers. He's strong, independent, and damaged. But don't feel sorry for him, Cyrus likes his life just the way it is. No rules, no commitments, and no more than 3 times with the same woman. Until Tara. A child of the foster care system who can't remember ever being loved or feeling safe, Tara brings out the protective alpha male in Cyrus. And as much as he hates to admit it, something else. Something he wishes he didn't feel. Something that could weaken his resolve. As they spend more time together, Cyrus's three-times-only-with-no-strings rule disintegrates. But Cyrus hates being vulnerable. He hates feeling weak. And so he does what any red-blooded man afraid of commitment does, he lets Tara slip through his fingers, rather than let her all the way in. But with him, Tara is a fighter, and she's not about to give up. **** Meet Zandor Steel. He's spent the past year in Italy acting out just about every sexual fantasy he could dream up. But it wasn't all fun and games. Zandor was there to oversee construction on a posh casino resort playground for the rich and famous. But rumors of trouble with this brothers has him worried, and Zandor heads home to help out. It's the least he can do. Jase and Cyrus had been Zandor's mentors. When it came to women, they taught him to avoid attachments and to know the difference between lust and love. So when word of at least one of his brothers being ready to settle down arrives, Zandor hopes he can talk some sense into him before it's too late. Until he runs smack into resistance. Southern Bell, Bekah George may just be the match Zandor has been looking for in the bedroom. She's neither intimidated by, nor afraid of his preferences. But as he starts to let his guard down, and consider the possibility of there being more to life than mind-blowing, non-committal sex, Bekah reveals a side of herself Zandor doesn't want to see. Was he right to avoid entanglements, or has he already fallen to hard to let her go? **** Meet Xavier Steel, Twenty -three-year- old Xavier Steel is his own man, despite what his brothers and Momma Joe think. He turns away from the family business and heads to New Jersey to start a production company. Xavier plans to follow his true life's passion and make a living playing and creating music. Taelyn Patrick takes a grueling job in order to make extra money to help her fiancé Daniel through medical school. Besides, how hard can it be to help a spoiled rich kid throw his money down the drain?

Champagne Football: The Rise and Fall of John Delaney and the Football Association of Ireland


Mark Tighe - 2020
    He had his critics, but his power was never seriously challenged until last year, when Mark Tighe and Paul Rowan published a sequence of stories in the Sunday Times containing damaging revelations about his personal compensation and the parlous financial situation of the FAI. Delaney's reputation as a great financial manager was left in tatters. He resigned under pressure, and the FAI was left hoping for a massive bail-out from the Irish taxpayer.In Champagne Football, Tighe and Rowan dig deep into the story of Delaney's career and of the FAI's slide into ruin. They show how he surrounded himself with people whose personal loyalty he could count on, and a board that failed to notice that the association's finances were shot. They detail Delaney's skilful cultivation of opinion-formers outside the FAI. And they document the culture of excess that Delaney presided over and benefited from, to the detriment of the organization he led.Champagne Football is a gripping, sometimes darkly hilarious and often enraging piece of reporting by the award-winning journalists who finally pulled back the curtain on the FAI's mismanagement.

Themes and Variations


David Sedaris - 2020
    Someday, when it was his turn at the table, he’d connect with his readers. The experience has been even more revealing than he’d hoped.In this hilarious and perceptive essay, the celebrated humorist reflects on the unusual patterns of forced socialization between author and audience, and the obligations and sometimes surprising returns of not-so-chance encounters with strangers: jokes, secrets, insights, and even charity.

Sweet-Talking Cowboy


Vicki Lewis Thompson - 2020
    Six years ago she gave him her heart. He sent her away. He was wrong for her then. He’s wrong for her now. But the years have fanned the flames... Saddle up for the first book in the all new Buckskin Brotherhood series! Steamy western romances from the NYT bestselling author who brought you The McGavin Brothers of Eagles Nest, Montana. If you like sexy cowboys, charming small towns, and laugh-out-loud adventures, you’ll love The Buckskin Brotherhood. Pick up your copy today! The Buckskin Brotherhood SWEET-TALKING COWBOY (Book 1)

When We Cease to Understand the World


Benjamín Labatut - 2020
    Inside, he finds the first exact solution to the equations of general relativity, unaware that it contains a monster that could destroy his life's work.The great mathematician Alexander Grothendieck tunnels so deeply into abstraction that he tries to cut all ties with the world, terrified of the horror his discoveries might cause.Erwin Schrödinger and Werner Heisenberg battle over the soul of physics after creating two equivalent yet opposed versions of quantum mechanics. Their fight will tear the very fabric of reality, revealing a world stranger than they could have ever imagined.Using extraordinary, epoch-defining moments from the history of science, Benjamín Labatut plunges us into exhilarating territory between fact and fiction, progress and destruction, genius and madness.

BLITZ: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win


David Horowitz - 2020
    In Blitz, Horowitz tackles the high-stakes upcoming presidential election. This book provides a blueprint for how Trump will once again stun his competitors - winning over key and surprising new supporters and finally vanquish the left wing of the Democratic party, keeping America free and prosperous.

Evil at Lake Seminole: The Shocking True Story Surrounding the Disappearance of Mike Williams


Steven B. Epstein - 2020
    The Florida State grad was juggling fatherhood with a thriving real estate appraisal career. And that very evening? He and his high school sweetheart, Denise, planned to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary.But Mike Williams never returned home.When an intense search of the lake's marshy waters turned up only his hunting boat and a camouflage hat, investigators reached the morbid conclusion he'd fallen overboard and drowned, his body eaten by alligators. Nearly two decades passed before the dark secrets hidden at Lake Seminole--and elsewhere--were finally revealed.EVIL AT LAKE SEMINOLE is a diabolical tale of betrayal, greed, and deception--and of a courageous mother who devoted her life and savings to uncovering the truth of what really happened to her son.

The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States


Walter Johnson - 2020
    Louis.From Lewis and Clark's 1804 expedition to the 2014 uprising in Ferguson, American history has been made in St. Louis. And as Walter Johnson shows in this searing book, the city exemplifies how imperialism, racism, and capitalism have persistently entwined to corrupt the nation's past. St. Louis was a staging post for Indian removal and imperial expansion, and its wealth grew on the backs of its poor black residents, from slavery through redlining and urban renewal. But it was once also America's most radical city, home to anti-capitalist immigrants, the Civil War's first general emancipation, and the nation's first general strike -- a legacy of resistance that endures. A blistering history of a city's rise and decline, The Broken Heart of America will forever change how we think about the United States.

She's Mine Now


Weston Parker - 2020
    Great. Just what I need.As a single mom, I’m concerned about my little girl and rebuilding my life.My ex is a piece of work, and I ain’t talking about art.I’ve sworn off men for forever, even while facing the wedding fever that’s spilling over from my best friend’s wedding.But there’s something about the doc. He’s way more than he appears to be.And he cares about his patients and his staff.*Eye roll* Nope. Seriously. He’s a billionaire from some invention, but he’s not interested in sipping drinks on a beach.He’s fully dedicated to saving lives and helping people.At least that’s the story on the street.I’m just working hard not to fall for his good looks or wicked smile.Surprisingly, the sparks between us could light up a New Year’s skyline.Against my better judgment, I find myself loving his attention.My ex, however, does not.When blows come to blows, my hot doc isn’t backing down.He’s got one message for my past mistake—she’s mine now.Yes. Yes, I am.

Alpha Heroes: The Complete First Series Bundle


Anna del Mar - 2020
    No wonder his call sign is Rogue.A former special operations pilot, Troy is now a ferocious lawyer engaged in a high-stakes mission to catch a mysterious enemy. Handsome and smooth-talking, he hides his past behind an extensive catalog of manipulating charm.Marisol Mendez is a scientist playing the dangerous role of spy. She's on a mission of her own to avenge her sister’s murder and preserve her family’s legacy.The most dangerous thing they could do is fall in love...ApolloApollo Battleson knows what it is to be down and out.He’s come a long way since poverty and tragedy launched him into a soul-crushing journey through the juvenile court system.Now he’s a doctor, a decorated former SEAL, and a self-made man.He’s also the guy who keeps his pack of alpha brothers alive as they tackle some of the world’s most dangerous missions.But that all changes when he meets a mysterious woman who goes by the name ‘Blue.’And she might just put him in more danger than even he can handle.KassKass Battleson is a man who has beaten the odds and chosen his own destiny.A hardcore overachiever, he's also an elite Delta Force operator, and along with his brothers, the founder and CEO of the hottest startup in Denver.Rich, powerful, and used to getting his way, Kass has everything he’s ever wanted, except for the one thing he craves more than anything else: Liberty Rose—AKA Tee.She’s the one that got away.And now that she’s in danger, Kass will have to fight for her with all he’s got.Both of their lives depend on it.

Exploited


Maggie Hartley - 2020
    Previously a good student, a loving daughter and sister, Hannah is now playing truant, drinking, and taking drugs. Angry and mistrustful, it seems that nobody can reach this troubled teenager.Maggie is used to difficult teenagers, but Hannah's behaviour brings into question everything Maggie has ever learnt in all her years as a foster carer. Determined to push away everyone around her away, Hannah's life seems to be spiralling out of control. But when Hannah finally breaks down and confides a shocking secret to Maggie, the truth behind her chaotic behaviour is finally revealed.Can Maggie help this vulnerable young girl overcome the trauma of what's happened to her and set her free from the demons that haunt her?

The Road to Zoe


Nick Alexander - 2020
    He wants to reunite his broken family, but more than this he wants to know why Zoe left—what happened when they were kids, on that terrible day when everything fell apart.They’d been enjoying the funfair—grasping a rare moment of happiness following their parents’ divorce—when after a ride together, Zoe had stopped speaking to her mother’s new partner. Though Mandy believed he was the man she’d waited all her life for, her love for her daughter trumped even that, and soon suspicions of an unthinkable betrayal shattered the family.So finding Zoe would be just the start. If Jude can find her, then what happens next will depend on the story she’s been carrying with her all these years. Because when families are destroyed by dark secrets, can the wounds ever truly heal?

A Ghost in the Throat


Doireann Ní Ghríofa - 2020
    In this stunningly unusual prose debut, Doireann Ni Ghriofa sculpts essay and autofiction to explore inner life and the deep connection felt between two writers centuries apart. In the 1700s, an Irish noblewoman, on discovering her husband has been murdered, drinks handfuls of his blood and composes an extraordinary poem. In the present day, a young mother narrowly avoids tragedy. On encountering the poem, she becomes obsessed with its parallels with her own life, and sets out to track down the rest of the story. A devastating and timeless tale about one woman freeing her voice by reaching into the past and finding another's.

Brandon's Mate


Anastasia Wilde - 2020
    Only one problem—he never forgot the girl he left behind. But his big plans to go back for her as alpha of his own crew turned to blood and ashes, and all he has left is a broken panther, a revenge mission, and four ghosts that won’t leave him the hell alone… Kitty Jameson has spent the last six years trying NOT to think about Brandon—her childhood protector, her best friend, her first crush—and the boy who broke her heart when he left the crew without even a goodbye. But when Kitty’s white wolf genes kick in and start giving her visions of Brandon in deadly danger, she knows she has to find him—even if she can’t forgive him. After all, she was raised a Bad Blood—which means if anybody’s going to kill that friend-abandoning jerk, it’s her. Unfortunately, Brandon is as hot and sexy and stubborn and maddening as ever—and just as protective. He insists he doesn’t want Kitty to be part of his train-wreck of a life, but he can’t seem to let her go. Can Brandon and Kitty grab their second chance at happily ever after, before Brandon’s enemies tear them apart forever? The first book in the Wild Blood Shifters series, the exciting spinoff of Anastasia's wildly popular Bad Blood Shifters! Grab Brandon's Mate today, and fall in love with a new generation of wild, romantic, sexy shifters!

The Gatekeeper


K. Alex Walker - 2020
    Selfish. Arrogant. Immortal. Chief Mataio Tauati took over his father’s post as Lord of The Underworld at just seventeen years of age, mere weeks after his father's passing. Twelve years later, he’s become the strongest god of his ancestral lineage. To challenge him is a death sentence and, for the most part, everyone understands the rules--no one defies the Lord of the Underworld.  For the most part. Archaeologist Tia Coleman seems hell-bent on proving herself as the exception. He refuses to believe this woman who isn't afraid to challenge him and doesn't do a thing he asks is supposed to eventually be the reason his heart beats. Being the strongest means there’s no room for weakness, no matter how much she softens him, and there’s no room to be vulnerable, no matter how easily she brings him to his knees.

Lord of the Mysteries


Cuttlefish That Loves Diving - 2020
    Follow Klein as he finds himself entangled with the Churches of the world—both orthodox and unorthodox—while he slowly develops newfound powers thanks to the Beyonder potions.

Her Dragon Guardian


Riley Storm - 2020
    He’s determined to be her future…Tara Simmons’ life had been nice and boring since she moved out of Five Peaks to avoid her family drama. All that changed when he showed up at her door: half-dead, almost naked, and begging for her help. With the storm of the decade raging outside, driving down the mountain for assistance is out of the question. It’s up to her to save him. But by helping him, she may just be hurting herself.Ares Valen is a dragon shifter. At least, he was, until someone kidnapped and tortured him. Now he’s without his dragon or his powers or any memory of who did this to him. The only thing he knows is the gentle touch and care of the woman who is helping him to recover. He wants to tell her the truth about himself, but he’s afraid it will scare her off. Ares will do anything to keep her and the future he can see in her eyes.As much as he wants to stay, Ares knows that the longer he’s around her, the more danger she’ll be in. Leaving is the smart choice—but it’s not the one either of them secretly wants. To make things work, they’re going to have to deal with family politics, gunfights and a secret that will shock the shifter community. Saving Tara will take everything he has, and even something he doesn’t. Without his dragon’s powers, can he truly be the one to protect her from all evil?

How To Be A Liberal


Ian Dunt - 2020
    In this groundbreaking new book, Ian Dunt tells the story of liberalism, from its birth in the fight against absolute monarchy to the modern-day resistance against the new populism.In a soaring narrative that stretches from the battlefields of the English Civil War to the 2008 financial crash and beyond, this vivid, page-turning book explains the political ideas which underpin the modern world. But it is also something much more than that – it is a rallying cry for those who still believe in freedom and reason.

The Family Tree


Sairish Hussain - 2020
    He has no time to mourn his wife’s death. Saahil and Zahra, his two small children, are relying on him. Amjad vows to love and protect them always. Years later, Saahil and his best friend, Ehsan, have finished university and are celebrating with friends. But when the night turns dangerous, its devastating effects will ripple through the years to come. Zahra’s world is alight with politics and activism. But she is now her father’s only source of comfort, and worries she’ll never have time for her own aspirations. Life has taken her small family in different directions – will they ever find their way back to each other? The Family Tree is the moving story of a British Muslim family full of love, laughter and resilience as well as all the faults, mistakes and stubborn loyalties which make us human.**

No Room at the Little Cornish Inn


Nancy Barone - 2020
    But then her boss at the head office – aka Susan the Sacker – suddenly assigns her to go in incognito and save a tiny inn in Cornwall from being closed permanently. Rosie doesn't know why The Old Bell Inn is performing so badly but it's on her to sort it out!Hours in the car later, Rosie arrives at the inn to find she's been double booked – there are no rooms left. And she isn't there for more than a minute before she's butting heads with the manager, Irishman Mitchell Fitzpatrick. He seems to dislike her on sight, so it's confusing that he seems to get on so well with Danny... But if he's as terrible as his reputation, Rosie will have to be the one to fire him.This really isn't the Christmas Rosie was dreaming of. But maybe, just maybe, it could be a whole lot more...

Mr Portobello's Morning Paper


Amanda Prowse - 2020
    Free from the wearying monotony of marking until the early hours and swallowing the disappointment of trying to educate disinterested young minds, she embraces her new life.Still in the throes of grief, having recently lost both of her parents, Sophia is delighted by the daily visits of Mr Portobello, the shop’s former occupant, and their unexpected friendship blooms into something beautiful. In the process of learning about the eccentric eighty-year-old, Sophia learns as much – if not more – about herself. Mr Portobello makes her question her life, her choices and even how she grieves for those she has lost.This new story with a warm vintage feel brings to mind the age-old saying: Be careful what you wish for…

We of the Forsaken World...


Kiran Bhat - 2020
    In a nameless remote tribe, the chief’s second son is born, creating a scramble for succession as their jungles are being destroyed by loggers. In one of the world’s sprawling metropolises, a homeless one-armed woman sets out to take revenge upon the men who trafficked her. And, in a small village of shanty shacks connected only by a mud-and- concrete road, a milkmaid watches the girls she calls friends destroy her reputation.In we of the forsaken world… Kiran Bhat tells the stories of four worlds falling apart, through the structure of four linguistic chains, comprised of the accounts of four people witnessing the decline of these worlds, in four acts. Like modern communication networks, these sixteen stories connect along subtle lines, dispersing at the moments where another story is about to take place. they flow together and disconnect. Each story is a parable of its own, into the mind of a distinct human being. These are the tales of not just sixteen strangers, but many different lives, who live on this planet, at every second, everywhere.

American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power


Andrea Bernstein - 2020
    Their journey to the White House is a story of survival and loss, crime and betrayal, that stretches from the Klondike Gold Rush, through Nazi-occupied Poland and across the American Century, to our new gilded age. In building and maintaining their dynastic wealth, these families came to embody the rising nationalism and inequality that has pushed the United States to the brink of oligarchy.Building on her landmark reporting for the acclaimed podcast Trump, Inc. and The New Yorker, Bernstein’s painstaking detective work brings to light new information about the families’ arrival as immigrants to America, their paths to success, and the business and personal lives of the president and his closest family members.Bernstein traces how the two families ruthlessly harnessed New York and New Jersey machine politics to gain valuable tax breaks and grew rich on federal programs that bolstered the middle class. She shows how the Trump Organization, denied credit by American banks, turned to shady international capital. She reveals astonishing new details about Charles Kushner’s attempts to ensnare his brother-in-law with a prostitute and explores how Jared Kushner and his father used a venerable New York newspaper to bolster their business empire.Drawing on more than two hundred interviews and more than one hundred thousand pages of documents, many previously unseen or long forgotten, Bernstein shows how the Trumps and the Kushners repeatedly broke rules and then leveraged secrecy, intimidation, and prosecutorial and judicial power to avoid legal consequences.The result is a compelling narrative that details how the Trump and Kushner dynasties encouraged and profited from a system of corruption, dark money, and influence trading, and that reveals the historical turning points and decisions—on taxation, regulation, white-collar crime, and campaign finance laws—that have brought us to where we are today.

V for Victory


Lissa Evans - 2020
    It's late 1944. Hitler's rockets are raining down on London with vicious regularity and it's the coldest winter in living memory. The Allies are gaining ground, but victory is certainly dragging its feet.In a large house next to Hampstead Heath, Vee Sedge is barely scraping by with a herd of lodgers to feed and her young charge Noel, almost fifteen now, to clothe and educate. When she witnesses an accident and finds herself in court, the repercussions are both unexpectedly marvelous and potentially disastrous. Because Vee is not actually the person she's pretending to be, and neither is Noel.Victory is coming. Yet the end of the war won't just mean peace, but discovery . . .With caustic wit and artful storytelling, Lissa Evans summons a time when the world could finally hope to emerge from the chaos of war. As witty as Old Baggage and poignant as Crooked Heart, V for Victory once again reveals Evans to be one of the most original and entertaining writers at work today.

Let Me Go


Casey Watson - 2020
    She was spotted climbing the railings on a footbridge that crossed a busy motorway and pulled to safety by a member of the public. After six weeks in hospital, social services are looking for a short-term placement so she can be kept safe while family therapy takes place. Harley has a family – a widowed mother and an older sister, Milly, who left home with her long-term boyfriend just over a year ago. There is no prospect of Harley going home just yet though, as her mum, who has learning difficulties and addictions issues, feels she cannot cope. So she arrives with Casey and Mike under a twenty-eight day care order.As Harley tries to hurl herself out of the moving car on the way home, it quickly becomes clear she is in urgent need of help. Three weeks into the placement, after Harley has made various attempts to abscond, it seems like zero progress is being made. Then all of sudden there is an unexpected breakthrough, and light at the end of a long dark tunnel, but only once Harley is finally able to share the truth about the abuse she suffered at the hands of a very dangerous man.

The Outcast Girls


Shirley Dickson - 2020
    Fans of Wives of War, Before We Were Yours and Diney Costeloe will absolutely love this poignant and moving World War Two novel. England, 1937: After a devastating childhood at Blakely Hall Orphanage, fifteen-year-old Sandra is released. She finds work as a housemaid, finally able to put her past behind her. But the start of World War Two throws the country into turmoil, and her brother Alf is sent away to fight, leaving her completely alone. Germany, 1939: Eleven-year-old Frieda is about to board a ship bound for England with her brother, Kurt. Life at home is perilous, with synagogues set alight and innocent lives lost to the Nazis. They have no choice but to flee, with only their identity cards and a small suitcase. But at the last moment, as Frieda stands on the deck crammed with frightened children, she spots her brother jumping off, back to land. England, 1943: Joining the Land Army, Sandra is sent to a farm in the remote countryside where she meets evacuee Frieda. The girls are grappling with their own tragedies – Sandra fretting over whether Alf, flying a bomber in the heavens, will see tomorrow, and Frieda distraught that Kurt abandoned her, uncertain whether he is alive. Sandra and Frieda form a friendship that sees them through the darkest of days, but in times of war heartbreak is always just around the corner. Will the girls ever be reunited with their loved ones? And will the relationships they have fostered amidst the terror of war survive? Shirley Dickson is breaking readers’ hearts all over the world: ‘I was gripped from the very first page… It was heartbreaking… I smiled through these happy times with them but also shed tears… I could not put it down… Will undoubtedly pull at your heartstrings. Just make sure you have a box of tissues ready!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars ‘Absolutely fabulous… Had me hooked from the very first page… Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and had me in tears by the end of the book.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘I absolutely loved it!... An emotional, heart-wrenching story of love and loss amidst the horror of war... Will tug at your heartstrings... Will have you reaching for the tissues... Wonderful.' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘A beautifulstory! Had me in tears from the very beginning. I couldn't put this one down.’ A Book With Review, 5 stars ‘Outstanding... I absolutely loved this superb page-turner.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘Make sure you have tissues handy… The story is heartbreaking… Worthy of 5* and more.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘Promises to keep you turning the pages as your heart attempts not to break.

Intimations


Zadie Smith - 2020
    This is not any of those—the year isn’t half-way done. What I’ve tried to do is organize some of the feelings and thoughts that events, so far, have provoked in me, in those scraps of time the year itself has allowed. These are above all personal essays: small by definition, short by necessity.”Crafted with the sharp intelligence, wit and style that have won Zadie Smith millions of fans, and suffused with a profound intimacy and tenderness in response to these unprecedented times, Intimations is a vital work of art, a gesture of connection and an act of love—an essential book in extraordinary times.

Your Blue Flame: Drop the Guilt and Do What Makes You Come Alive


Jennifer Fulwiler - 2020
    But when caught up in life's busyness, it's too easy to make a habit of suppressing our most joyful contributions to the world.As Jennifer learned, the secret to a life you love isn't necessarily jumping the track, quitting your job, or hustling to make your dream your full-time reality. Rather, it's about doing more of what makes you come alive in your actual life. Your Blue Flame is your upbeat playbook to rekindling your energy, sparking those meaningful "first loves" back to life again, and discovering the unique way each one of us can make the world a better, brighter place.With Jennifer's wit and straight-forward, practical insights, this helpful guide will show you:How to channel your blue flame's contagious energyWhy your blue flame is both personally fulfilling and a sacred duty to othersTips and tricks to boldly make time for your passionsHow to rethink dreaming big for your actual lifeNo matter where you are in life, you'll be inspired with stories of others who found their flames, like the couple who packed up their three kids and moved to a farm, the woman who discovered a passion for letter-writing at age ninety-five, and of course Jennifer's own story of self-producing her own stand-up comedy tour after being turned down by the entertainment industry establishment.It's been said that the glory of God is the soul fully alive. It's time to start chasing our spark, and Your Blue Flame will show you how.

Spring It on Me


Weston Parker - 2020
    Or so I’ve been told. Something about over-domineering, alpha-hole, and rich rubs people the wrong way.All good in the neighborhood. I’m not interested in relationships anyway. But unfortunately, thanks to my success, I need a new secretary. Or rather, I’m being forced to take on a new admin, and the conditions are clear—I’m not allowed to fire her for a year. Nothing like having rules sprung on you in your own company. So I hire a single mom with a pretty smile. Everyone likes her. Everyone but me. She’s got more fire than I expected. And no matter how abrasive or aloof I am, she presses harder against me. I’m falling for her stubborn nature and finding myself wanting to bend my rules of relationships to please her in any way I can. And then… she leaves. Quits without warning. Seems she has a secret.One an orphan like me can’t swallow without choking. My baby.

The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism


Thomas Frank - 2020
    Rarely does a work of history contain startling implications for the present, but in The People, No Thomas Frank pulls off that explosive effect by showing us that everything we think we know about populism is wrong. Today "populism" is seen as a frightening thing, a term pundits use to describe the racist philosophy of Donald Trump and European extremists. But this is a mistake.The real story of populism is an account of enlightenment and liberation; it is the story of American democracy itself, of its ever-widening promise of a decent life for all. Taking us from the tumultuous 1890s, when the radical left-wing Populist Party--the biggest mass movement in American history--fought Gilded Age plutocrats to the reformers' great triumphs under Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Frank reminds us how much we owe to the populist ethos. Frank also shows that elitist groups have reliably detested populism, lashing out at working-class concerns. The anti-populist vituperations by the Washington centrists of today are only the latest expression.Frank pummels the elites, revisits the movement's provocative politics, and declares true populism to be the language of promise and optimism. The People, No is a ringing affirmation of a movement that, Frank shows us, is not the problem of our times, but the solution for what ails us.

Marry the Scot Series: Volume I


Jolie Vines - 2020
    Get on a plane with me."A Highlander walks into a bar...My father's conference, to be exact. The Scot is huge, overbearing, and his gaze sets me on fire. He wants to take me home to see his mighty tower.I'm tempted. I really am.Except I just had a proposal from someone else. One that could give me everything I wanted.Apart from love.But when did I ever have a need for that?Love Most, Say Least“With my foot to the accelerator of a stolen vehicle, I kidnapped an unconscious heir.”I never cared about who I’d marry, only that I had to walk the aisle before I was twenty-one or lose my inheritance. Then a tiny, wild-haired beauty pulled a stunt that sent my heart into overdrive, and my pulse hasn’t slowed since.She had no idea a car wreck scarred my body and stole my family.She couldn’t know that from one kiss, I’d be all but in love.I’d saved my virginity for a marriage I didn’t value. Now Beth is in my sights, I finally know what I want, even if loving her means losing everything.Hero"Sit tight, lass. I'll find ye."I always pictured my brother's best friend to be impressive--after all, he's a military helicopter pilot whose job is to save people. Then he appears in front of me and my assumptions fly out of the window.Tattoos on muscles.Grey eyes and a sexy smirk.A Scottish accent to die for.And what's more? He's here to rescue me from my uncle's clutches. My poor sheltered heart stands no chance.The Rival"I won't lose you. Not to him."Resigned to marry a man I despise in order to save my family's farm, I can't let one point lie. If I'm going to lose my virginity anytime soon, it'll be on my terms. But when I proposition a stranger, I can't predict that the sweet, generous, super sexy man will turn out to be my betrothed's relative.And fierce rival.Let the Highland Games begin.This boxed set contains the first three novels and a novella in the Marry the Scot series. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop. Download this now to enter a world of gorgeous scenery and hot Scots!"Jolie Vines has become a one-click author for me" - J. Saman, Bestselling Author

Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty from a Hospital Diary


Timothy Snyder - 2020
    Unable to stand, barely able to think, he waited for hours in an emergency room before being correctly diagnosed and rushed into surgery. Over the next few days, as he clung to life and the first light of a new year came through his window, he found himself reflecting on the fragility of health, not recognized in America as a human right but without which all rights and freedoms have no meaning.And that was before the pandemic. We have since watched American hospitals, long understaffed and undersupplied, buckling under waves of coronavirus patients. The federal government made matters worse through willful ignorance, misinformation, and profiteering. Our system of commercial medicine failed the ultimate test, and thousands of Americans died.In this eye-opening cri de coeur, Snyder traces the societal forces that led us here and outlines the lessons we must learn to survive. In examining some of the darkest moments of recent history and of his own life, Snyder finds glimmers of hope and principles that could lead us out of our current malaise. Only by enshrining healthcare as a human right, elevating the authority of doctors and medical knowledge, and planning for our children's future can we create an America where everyone is truly free.

The Danger Gang


Tom Fletcher - 2020
    From that night on, the kids who live on Franky's street start to change. One by one, they become a little odd. A little unusual. A little... magical.Franky's always wanted to be part of an amazing gang - just like his hero, super-spy Zack Danger! And soon, he realises that there's real danger in store for himself and his new friends.And so the Danger Gang is born...

Undercover Action


Cassie Cole - 2020
    A dashing undercover cop.The three of them protecting me--and sharing me.My undercover objective is to get close to the Finnegan brothers.To learn their secrets by any means necessary.I thought I was ready for anything...Until they said they want to share me.Connor Finnegan, the smooth mastermind with a face and body cut from stone, stares at me with emerald eyes that pierce my soul.Leo Finnegan has delicious washboard abs and struts around the club like he’s looking for a fight. A bare-knuckle boxer on the weekend, he’s the muscle behind their operation.Complicating things is Riley McCarthy, the roguish bartender at their club. Tall, dark, and handsome, Riley and I have a history that predates our work on this undercover mission...The three of them take turns dating me.Sharing me.Loving me.But am I getting too close to them?And if so, will it jeopardize my entire mission?UNDERCOVER ACTION is a stand-alone Reverse Harem love story filled with suspense, tension, and sizzling-hot romance. HEA guaranteed!

My Garden World: The Natural Year


Montagu Don - 2020
    This year has given us the enforced opportunity to learn more about the fascinating natural world around us. Whether you live in the countryside or the town, Monty's observations and insights are relevant to each and every one of us. My Garden World is Monty Don's personal journey through the natural year, month by month, season by season, observed from the immediate world around him.

Moose Mountain Brothers: Series Boxed Set


Marley Michaels - 2020
    Then she's rescued by Gray Cooper and sparks fly.Introvert Seeking Mountain ManWhen Jemma Scott’s boss goes m.i.a. during a writing retreat on an Alaskan mountain, Jemma books a flight to track her down: destination Moose Mountain. What she didn’t expect was to faint at the feet of Cole Cooper, her mountain guide, the moment she meets him. She also didn't expect to fall head over heels for the man either.Fan Girl Seeking Mountain ManIt’s time for the inaugural Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, and Amy Robinson has been waiting all her life for a reason to visit Alaska and find a mountain man to call her very own. So, when she literally walks straight into the arms of Boone Cooper outside a bookstore on her first day, she thinks she’s died and gone to mountain sheriff heaven.Hiker Seeking Mountain ManAfter traveling to the Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, Sadie Parker decides to take a few days of R&R to spend more time exploring the captivating Alaskan mountain she’s read about. When Sadie gets herself into trouble and faces down a wolf, Brooks is compelled to save her, no longer able to ignore the voice inside saying he should look after her and keep her close.***Moose Mountain Brothers is a sweet, flirty, instalove series about four big, gruff and tough brothers living their lives on Moose Mountain. The mountain has always provided for these men, and now it’s sending them feisty women to warm up their cold mountain hearts and complete their mountain lives forever. Can we all say, awww.

Bad in Boots


Em Petrova - 2020
    Who can blame him, when the small town is so thick with memories and everyone recalls that he let the love of his life slip away? However, his father’s summons for help on the family ranch can’t go unanswered much longer—and now he’s offering Cort a share. Returning to hard work is expected…but he never thought he’d see HER again.Joss Ellis hates returning to her hometown with her tail tucked, a failure in everyone’s eyes. Her aspirations of making a place for herself in the big city have left her defeated and more than a little depressed. But the minute she sees her rugged ex, her emotions take a detour to hot and bothered. It’s impossible not to run into each other. Even the secret fishing hole is a reminder of whispers and promises that never came true.She’s the same beauty with a big heart that he can’t keep his hands off. He’s sexier and more untamed than ever. To bring them even closer, they’re fighting similar battles in life. While Cort’s determined to show her that happiness is right here in Crossroads, Joss isn’t convinced. All she’s certain of is that sleeping with her ex is a really bad idea…and she definitely won’t fall for him this time around.

A Tomb With a View: The Stories & Glories of Graveyards


Peter Ross - 2020
    Who are London's outcast dead and why is David Bowie their guardian angel? What is the remarkable truth about Phoebe Hessel, who disguised herself as a man to fight alongside her sweetheart, and went on to live in the reigns of five monarchs? Why is a Bristol cemetery the perfect wedding venue for goths?All of these sorrowful mysteries - and many more - are answered in A Tomb With A View, a book for anyone who has ever wandered through a field of crooked headstones and wondered about the lives and deaths of those who lie beneath.So push open the rusting gate, push back the ivy, and take a look inside...

Read Between The Lines (Business of Love Book 6)


Ali Parker - 2020
    Successful. Wealthy. That’s me, and I look damn good in a three-piece suit or in nothing at all. Nudity is my jam. I’m an artist and my favorite inspiration is the female figure. Curvy. Beautiful. Lush. My life is perfect. Fast cars. Big luxurious home. And we’re opening more galleries across the country. The only thing I don’t have is inconsequential: love. Then a beautiful curvy woman shows up on my gallery floor and her wise ways and sexy sway make me think differently. Maybe the life I have isn’t what I want after all. I thought I knew what living was, but after her, I’m not so sure. She’s challenging. Fickle. Flighty. She wants to travel abroad and she never saw a man like me fitting into her life. Poor thing doesn’t know what she’s missing.She’s mine. Period. Now I just need to be subtle, cool, collected. And she needs to read between the lines.

Wallflower Seeks Mountain Man


Marley Michaels - 2020
    She’s always been the girl swaying to the music at the side of the room, happy to watch everyone else. Having put her life on hold and moved back home to look after her father, she’s happy to read her beloved mountain man books and work at their family store. The less peopling involved, the better.When her dad drags her along for a delivery, the moment she steps onto Bear Mountain and locks eyes with Brady Long, she knows her life will never be the same.Brady has dedicated his life to creating a self-sustaining homestead on his family’s land as one of the founding brothers. Now that the mountain’s prophecy has been fulfilled, he’s waiting for his one true love to be called to the mountain and reveal themselves. And the moment he sees Serena Black, he knows he’s found her.All they have to do now is overcome all the obstacles keeping them apart, so they can finally make their bright future a reality.***Wallflower Seeks Mountain Man is Book 1 of the new Bear Mountain Brothers series. They're the same kind of sweet, flirty, instalove stories you love from Moose Mountain, but this time you'll get the big, gruff and tough founding sons of the Bear Mountain Homestead living their lives on Moose Mountain's neighboring cousin near the town of Kenshaw. The mountain has always provided for its keepers, and now the Bear Mountain prophecy has been fulfilled, it's time for their soul mates to warm up their cold mountain hearts and complete their mountain lives forever. Can we all say, awww.

Dragon's Thief


Zoe Chant - 2020
    Getting jumped by mysterious attackers behind the diner where she works isn't new ... but this time she's saved by a copper-eyed, blazingly handsome man who tells her to run with him instead.He was looking for a thief, but he found his destiny instead.Dragon shifter Reese has been seeking his stolen sunstone for decades. Without it, he can't shift. His quest leads him to Tara, the one person who might have a clue where the sunstone can be found, except she doesn't even know she knows it. But everything gets infinitely more complicated when he takes one look in her eyes and realizes she's his fated mate. If he can only get her to trust him, after a lifetime of trusting no one ...Now they're on a cross-country road trip, bickering and falling in love, with dragon-hunting, sunstone-stealing cultists on their heels. While Tara's coping with the fact that dragons are real, she finds the possibility of a sweet, gorgeous guy who's completely fallen for her even more unlikely. And some of her secrets run so deep that even she doesn't know about them …DRAGON'S THIEF is a standalone dragon shifter romance with heat that would make a dragon blush. One-click to bring this sexy, made-for-each-other paranormal pair home today!

The SEAL's Baby Deal


Katie Knight - 2020
    But when his lifelong best friend, Eleanor Thornton, shows up looking gorgeous as ever and asking for a huge favor…he’ll have to rethink his stringent stance on playing Baby Daddy.Wildlife photographer Ele knows she wants a baby—romantic partner not included. And who better to go all in on no-strings-attached baby-making than with her SEAL BFF? Besides, she’s always wondered what it would feel like to be wrapped up in David’s muscled, rock-solid alpha male arms…When their toe-curling efforts quickly lead to a positive pregnancy test, both David and Ele are secretly disappointed their contracted time is cut short—especially after David is deployed, leaving Ele to give birth to their daughter on her own.Reunited while David’s on assignment in the African rainforest, their passion is reignited. But when the area is gripped by a dangerous insurgency, all of David’s fears about getting too close come rushing back to the surface.How can he possibly hope for a future with Ele when he can’t even guarantee they’ll survive?

Older and Wider: Menopausal musings from the midlife


Jenny Eclair - 2020
    Upbeat and honest, Jenny shares her new-found hobbies, the joy of pets and how to make the best of the different but still-fabulous you.

Shifters Under the Mistletoe: Holiday Multi-Author Box Set


V. VaughnRinelle Grey - 2020
    This is a collection of brand-new shifter romance stories in time for Christmas. We hope you enjoy our sassy, loving, smart, and sweet heroines as they fall for the man of their dreams and get their very own holiday present in the form of true mate love.A Cowbear’s Christmas Fling - Liv BrywoodAmelia’s Christmas vacation to Huckleberry Valley takes an unexpected turn when sexy bear shifter Luke Evans catches her eye. She doesn’t have time for romance, but he’s impossible to ignore. With the help of a little mistletoe magic, he’s determined to claim her as his fated mate.A Caribou Christmas Carol - Lola KiddA last minute road trip leaves shifter Kary Doyle in a sticky situation. He thinks he’s found his mate but she’s a tourist from out of town. With her trip coming to an end, can he find a way to tell her how he feels without scaring her away?Her Guardian - V. VaughnOne avalanche. Two strangers. Three days until Christmas. Marjorie reluctantly went to the mountains of Colorado for the holidays to unplug from taking care of everyone in her werebear clan. The last thing she wanted was to end up with someone taking care of her.Peppermint Prancer - Ellis LeighMy job as a kitchen elf was easy until I was called to work in the training barn with the reindeer. Yes, those reindeer. Now I’m baking protein bars, worrying about things like carb loading, and doing my best not to obsess over one of the original sleigh pullers. The one with the graying hair who won’t stop flirting with me. Christmas is coming, and I know exactly what package I want under my tree.Dragon Out The Tinsel - Julia MillsOne Wolf Princess. One amazing Dragon. A Destiny neither could’ve ever imagined. They may have waited thirteen years to be together but saving all they know and everyone they love is the only way these Fated Mates will get their well-deserved happily ever after and a very Merry Christmas.Pirouetting Around the Dragon - Rinelle GreyHelios has far too much on his plate for a forbidden romance with a very beautiful — and very human — ballerina… If Helios and Piper want their happily ever after, they’ll have to fight for it — and it won’t come cheap. But that shouldn’t be a problem for a dragon billionaire, right?Fae Lady Rebellion - Celia Kyle & Marina MaddixChafing under the watchful gaze of her overprotective big brother, Wren Oberon has to use all of her fae powers to get her sneaky-sneak on so she could attend the holiday party of the year at Othercross. Now she finds herself in a compromising position with no help in sight — until some random wolf shifter comes to her aid in a most dramatic fashion. Can she figure out a way to escape her brother's enchantments or will she live the rest of her life wondering what might have been?Dashing Home for Christmas - Harmony RainesReindeer shifter Dash is traveling home to Wishing Moon Bay for Christmas. One phone mix-up later and he has the best Christmas gift ever. His mate. But he soon realizes he will have to sacrifice his own happiness to make Penny’s Christmas wish come true.Dragon’s Christmas Surprise - Scarlett Grove350-year-old billionaire dragon Erik Sorenson is not a fan of Christmas. When a squirming bundle shows up on the firehouse steps, tinsel hanging from the firetruck is the last of his worries. He needs a nanny and fast. Daphne Young arrives for the interview wet and hungry and smelling like his mate. It’s then that Erik realizes he may need to change his mind about Christmas.

Power Couple


Laramie Briscoe - 2020
    Reaper and Harmony have been the gold standard when it comes to celebrity love stories. It's hard to be in that shadow, to live up to that precedent. Which is why I stopped trying when my band, Grey Skies hit the big time. But when I go to Vegas to support my Mom, in her new residency, I have absolutely no idea I'll leave Vegas with a new pop-star wife. Brianna Jenkins As one of the top pop-stars in the world right now, I don't have time for anything. Much less love, or even a night out. When my best friend surprises me with tickets to the sold-out Harmony Stewart show in Vegas on my one off weekend of the month, I'm beyond excited. Especially when we find out our seats are next to her family . Harboring a crush on her oldest son added with a few more drinks than I normally have equals consequences neither one of us bargained for. The next morning, I wake up no longer Brianna Jenkins, pop star. I'm Brianna Jenkins, member of the new power couple, about to take the world by storm. Whether we want to, or not.

Postcapitalist Desire: The Final Lectures


Mark Fisher - 2020
    From the emergence and failure of the counterculture in the 1970s to the continued development of his left-accelerationist line of thinking, this volume charts a tragically interrupted course for thinking about the raising of a new kind of consciousness, and the cultural and political implications of doing so.For Fisher, this process of consciousness raising was always, fundamentally, psychedelic — just not in the way that we might think…

Three Half Goats Gruff


Kim McDougall - 2020
    Critter wrangling rule #4: There isn’t much you can’t kill, confuse, or disgust with a can of bug fogger.A Paranormal Suspense Story with a Touch of Romance

Sway


Matthew John Bocchi - 2020
    It was the end. When it came to my dad though, no amount of rational thought could outweigh my feelings. I watched the footage over and over again, trying to validate my hopes and dreams, believing there was a minute possibility he made it out of the building alive.”After his father died on 9/11 in the World Trade Center, nine-year-old Matthew John Bocchi began an obsessive quest to find out exactly how he died. He researched video tapes, pictures, blogs, anything that could potentially answer the question looming in his mind: was his father one of the jumpers? In the first memoir told by a child of 9/11, Matt intimately delves into the psychological and emotional torment that ensued after his father’s death. With heartbreaking vulnerability, he details how his incessant quest resulted in a devastating act of violence that stripped his innocence as a young man. As Matt spirals down a bottomless pit of drug abuse, he willfully risks his life in search of the next high—all in an attempt to forget his past.  Now at twenty-eight years old and sober, he recounts his unique story—one full of heartbreak and despair, grief and uncertainty, but most importantly, happiness and hope. The lesson he teaches us is clear but intricate: No matter how far you fall, you can always rise again. No matter how far you stray, you can always find your way home. And no matter how wide you sway, you can always pick up the pieces and stand tall.

Dragon's True Mate


Riley Storm - 2020
    But what about her feelings for one?After losing her business, her husband, and her old life, Lilly Vickers is forced to move back in with her parents. She’s not looking for love, but instead is hoping to find a new passion that will provide her with the means to finally move out. A chance encounter with one of the dragon shifters of Five Peaks gives her an idea for a business. What she doesn’t expect, is just what will happen when he shows up again. This time, she can’t ignore the intense chemistry that exists between them.Trent Atrox is putting on a front. He’s told Lilly he’s at her new shop to help her because he wants to, but the truth isn’t quite that bright and cheery. The real reason he’s there, is because the most recent damage was his fault and he’s been ordered to help fix it. What he didn’t plan for, was that he would fall for her. Now he’s stuck in a lie, and he doesn’t know how to get out of it. Not without Lilly seeing him for who he really is…Even with the pair of them working to fix the damage, they’re facing an uphill battle. Not everyone who has come to Five Peaks in the wake of the dragons going public with their existence are fans. A small but growing group is becoming more outspoken, denouncing anything to do with dragons, including shops like Lilly’s. Though she sells nothing but dragon trinkets and memorabilia, they want to bring her down. Can this pair of self-professed screw-ups manage to repair her shop and themselves, while not destroying their budding relationship? Or will the dragons’ enemies succeed in stopping them both?

When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent: Finding Hope in the Psalms


J. Ligon Duncan III - 2020
    We feel isolated, confused, and alone. Everyone experiences suffering--even the biblical writers express similar feelings in the Psalms. Through brief meditations on Psalms 88 and 89, J. Ligon Duncan points to hope in the midst of the pain of feeling abandoned by God. These examples of crying out to God show readers how to respond to their own suffering, and assure them of our heavenly Father's mercy that sustains trust even in the darkest of circumstances. With clarity, empathy, and compassion, Duncan points us to the powerful hope found in these psalms that ultimately point us to Christ's promise to never leave us alone.

Beauties: Hockey's Greatest Untold Stories


James Duthie - 2020
    Grab a seat with TSN’s James Duthie as hockey’s finest relive highs, lows and hilarious moments on and off the ice from superstars, journeymen, coaches, referees, broadcasters, agents, and hockey moms and dads. In Beauties, you’ll find out:· How Sidney Crosby’s most unusual nickname came to be· How Steve Stamkos’s dad accidentally stole Steve Yzerman’s car· How Paul “Biznasty” Bissonette almost had the Arizona Coyotes kicked out of a Winnipeg hotel on game day· How Wayne Gretzky’s greatest one-liner may have turned around the Stanley Cup Final in 1985· About the night that Hayley Wickenheiser went blind· Why the St. Louis Blues credit Laila Anderson, a brave young girl, for their Stanley Cup win· What Bobby Orr said the first time he saw Connor McDavid play at a rink in TorontoAnd more!

Spirit of the Fallen


T.J. Green - 2020
    He has a violent history that haunts him, and a father he wants answers from - if he ever finds him.When they set up in business together with the Orphic Guild, they’re expecting adventure, intrigue and money.But their first job is more complicated than they expected.When they break fey magic that seals an old tomb, they find it contains more than they bargained for. Now they’re hunting for a rogue spirit, but he always seems one step ahead.The fight leads them in a direction they never expected.Gabe could leave his past behind, or he could delve into the darkest secrets of mankind. Shadow has no intention of being left out.If you enjoy action, intrigue, humour, and dark secrets that won’t stay buried, you’ll love this first in series spin-off from the White Haven Witches.

Point-Less: An English Teacher's Guide to More Meaningful Grading


Sarah M. Zerwin - 2020
    In Point-Less, she nudges teachers to consider how traditional forms of grading get in the way of student growth. Her pioneering ways of marking, collecting, and sharing student work shows teachers how to assess with fidelity and in ways that serve student learning. Instead of assigning random points to student tasks, she demonstrates how teachers can provide students with concise, descriptive data that serves as meaningful and specific feedback.'Inside this book, teachers will find:- online resources rife with tools and examples to manage feedback - ways to harness the electronic grade book as a useful instructional tool - frameworks that guide student and teacher feedback - checklists to simplify convoluted rubrics.'Sarah addresses every grading obstacle one could think of. She provides ways to navigate objections that parents, athletic directors, administrators, colleagues, colleges, and even students might have with this innovative way of reporting grades.'It's exciting to think how instruction could change if teachers weren't compelled to evaluate everything students did for the mere purpose of putting points in the grade book. Are you ready to find your path to a better way of grading? Are you ready to lead students on this journey to becoming better readers, writers, and thinkers? If so, you are going to love Point-Less!--Cris Tovani

Secret Baby For The Soldier Bear


Meg Ripley - 2020
    Readers 18+.

Just Desserts


C.L. Cruz - 2020
    CleoAfter a nasty divorce, I’m determined to save myself for the perfect man.Unfortunately, none of the men I’ve met can measure up to my ideal.But when I hire a carpenter to do some work in my bakery, I start to see things differently.Reece Murphy is a blue-collar working man—not at all what I thought I wanted.He’s strong and sexy with a big beard and even bigger muscles.Can I look past his rough exterior and see the good man beneath before it’s too late?ReeceAs a carpenter, it’s my job to build things.The only thing I’ve given up on building is a relationship with a woman.That’s why my work is where I put my heart.When I’m contracted by a local baker, it seems simple enough.But Cleo Boulanger is anything but simple.She’s curvy, classy, and makes me want to taste her croissants.Before the job is done, I’m determined to have my cake and eat it, too.

Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports


Yaron Weitzman - 2020
    Attendance was down. So were ratings. The Sixers had an aging coach, an antiquated front office, and a group of players that could best be described as mediocre.Enter Sam Hinkie -- a man with a plan straight out of the PE playbook, one that violated professional sports' Golden Rule: You play to win the game. In Hinkie's view, the best way to reach first was to embrace becoming the worst -- to sacrifice wins in the present in order to capture championships in the future. And to those dubious, Hinkie had a response: Trust The Process, and the results will follow. The plan, dubbed "The Process," seems to have worked. More than six years after handing Hinkie the keys, the Sixers have transformed into one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. They've emerged as a championship contender with a roster full of stars, none bigger than Joel Embiid, a captivating seven-footer known for both brutalizing opponents on the court and taunting them off of it.Beneath the surface, though, lies a different story, one of infighting, dueling egos, and competing agendas. Hinkie, pushed out less than three years into his reign by a demoralized owner, a jealous CEO, and an embarrassed NBA, was the first casualty of The Process. He'd be far from the last. Drawing from interviews with nearly 175 people, Tanking to the Top brings to life the palace intrigue incited by Hinkie's proposal, taking readers into the boardroom where the Sixers laid out their plans, and onto the courts where those plans met reality. Full of uplifting, rags-to-riches stories, backroom dealings, mysterious injuries, and burner Twitter accounts, Tanking to the Top is the definitive, inside story of the Sixers' Process and a fun and lively behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most transgressive teams.

Tempted Under the Mistletoe (The Sweater #2)


C.L. Cruz - 2020
    He needs a change. Can a little holiday magic turn this fake date into something real?HollyAs a single woman, a lot of the men at the office don’t take me seriously.When the office holiday party rolls around, I need a date.I find just who I’m looking for at a Christmas tree lot, and we strike a deal.Gabriel is sexy, charming, and makes me want to jingle his bells.As business turns to pleasure, will I give into the temptation to make him mine under the mistletoe?GabrielWorking at the family tree farm isn’t what I want.It seems like a Christmas miracle when I meet Holly Lancaster.When I agree to go as her date to her corporate holiday party, it seems like my way out.But she’s too tempting.She’s curvy, smart, and I want to lick the frosting off her cookies.Can I convince her that we’re meant to be more than business partners?

Show Time


Tawna Fenske - 2020
    Being one of the suckers who falls in love on TV? Hell, no.Lucky for me, I found a CFO who shares my urge to skip the mating game part of my family’s social experiment and reality show. Vanessa and I can cast the cops, teachers, and nurses needed for a self-contained community, and leave the dating mess to my siblings.Easier said than done. Vanessa’s smart and funny and hot as hell, and for once I can’t focus on running the show. Somewhere between a sexy waterslide ride and adopting dog, we share a helluva lot more than spreadsheets. The only thing riskier is realizing someone’s out to destroy our project before it’s off the ground.How do I save the business, protect my family, and keep my hands off the sexy CFO? For once, I’m not sure I’ve got it all under control.

Soul Full of Coal Dust: The True Story of an Epic Battle for Justice


Chris Hamby - 2020
    Since then, however, not much has changed. Big coal companies-along with their allies in the legal and medical professions-have continually flouted the law and exposed miners to deadly amounts of coal dust, while also systematically denying benefits to miners who suffer and die because of their jobs. Indeed, these men and their families, with little access to education, legal resources, and other employment options, have long been fighting to wrench even modest compensation and medical costs from our nation's biggest mining interests-all to combat a disease that could have been eradicated years ago.Tracing their heroic stories back to the very beginning, Chris Hamby, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on this issue, gives us a deeply troubling yet ultimately triumphant work that promises to do for Black Lung what Beth Macy did for the opioid epidemic. From corporate offices and mine shafts, to hospital beds and rural clinics, Soul Full of Coal Dust becomes a legal and medical thriller that brilliantly traces how a powerless band of laborers-alongside a small group of lawyers and doctors, often working out of their homes or in rural clinics and tiny offices-challenged one of the world's most powerful forces, Big Coal, and won.Full of the rich and complex atmosphere of Appalachia and packed with tales of those who have toiled in the mines of West Virginia, Soul Full of Coal Dust is a necessary and timely book about injustice and resistance.

Writing in the Dark


Tim Waggoner - 2020
    Writing in the Dark offers advice, guidance, and insights on how to compose horror stories and novels that are original, frightening, entertaining, and well-written.Waggoner covers a wide range of topics, among them why horror matters, building viable monsters, generating ideas and plotlines, how to stylize narratives in compelling ways, the physiology of fear, the art of suspense, avoiding clichés, marketing your horror writing, and much more. Each chapter includes tips from some of the best horror professionals working today, such as Joe Hill, Ellen Datlow, Joe R. Lansdale, Maurice Broaddus, Yvette Tan, Thomas Ligotti, Jonathan Maberry, Edward Lee, and John Shirley. There are also appendices with critical reflections, pointers on the writing process, ideas for characters and story arcs, and material for further research.Writing in the Dark derives from Waggoner’s longtime blog of the same name. Suitable for classroom use, intensive study, and bedside reading, this essential manual will appeal to new authors at the beginning of their career as well as veterans of the horror genre who want to brush up on their technique.

In a Dragon's Mind


Riley Storm - 2020
    Vlad is big enough to take on an army, but gentle enough to make her body sing with pleasure. She could get lost in his tantalizing gaze, but now is not the time to fall in love.Vlad can’t reveal his true nature to a human, even if she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. As a dragon shifter, he’s been sworn to secrecy. His clan has been hiding in plain sight among the humans of Five Peaks for almost a century. To rescue the woman who has claimed his heart, he’ll have to sacrifice everything.Together, they must find a way to escape their mutual enemies before they end up dead. That could prove easier said than done however, thanks to an unexpected enemy. Vlad’s best friend isn’t ready to leave their new home. He’ll stop at nothing to make sure they don’t leave either, even if it means betraying Vlad and Ellyn.

Elder Wolf


Scarlett Grove - 2020
    As Alpha, his brothers count on him to be the first to find his mate and start a family. But Austin is haunted by the memory of his childhood sweetheart who died long ago. He’s held a candle for her all these years, but for the sake of his family, he decides its time to let her go. Cheyenne Bailey has worked for decades to climb the corporate ladder just to hit the glass ceiling. All Cheyenne has ever really wanted was a family of her own, but she’s never been able to get over the boy she’d loved since kindergarten. When Austin is matched with Cheyenne on a shifter dating app, he can’t believe his first love has come back to life. But soon he discovers the sinister plot behind Cheyenne’s disappearance from Fate Rock. Can Austin and Cheyenne find their second chance, or will the wounds of the past keep them apart forever?

When America Stopped Being Great: A history of the present


Nick Bryant - 2020
    In When America Stopped Being Great, Nick Bryant argues that by 2016 it had become almost historically inescapable. In this highly personal account, drawing on decades of covering Washington for the BBC, Bryant shows how the billionaire capitalised on the mistakes of his five predecessors – Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – and how also he became a beneficiary of a broken politics, an iniquitous economy, an ailing media, a facile culture, disruptive new technology and the creation of a modern-day presidency that elevated showmanship over statesmanship. Not only are we starting to see the emergence of a post-American world, Bryant fears we are seeing the emergence of a post-American America.The history of Trump’s rise is also a history of America’s fall.

Mayflies


Andrew O'Hagan - 2020
    With school over and the locked world of their fathers before them, they rush towards the climax of their youth: a magical weekend in Manchester, the epicentre of everything that inspires them in working-class Britain. There, against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded, a vow is made: to go at life differently. Thirty years on, half a life away, the phone rings. Tully has news.Mayflies is a memorial to youth's euphorias and to everyday tragedy. A tender goodbye to an old union, it discovers the joy and the costs of love.

Sheets & Giggles


Megan Wade - 2020
    But that banging is more than I can stand.When it drives me so crazy that I go to confront him, I discover that banging isn’t the kind of banging I thought it was at all.Don’t I feel silly?As always, this Megan Wade book comes with her ‘Sugar Promise’. High heat, low drama, guaranteed.

Utopia Avenue


David Mitchell - 2020
    Emerging from London’s psychedelic scene in 1967 and fronted by folk singer Elf Holloway, guitar demigod Jasper de Zoet, and blues bassist Dean Moss, Utopia Avenue released only two LPs during its brief, blazing journey from the clubs of Soho and drafty ballrooms to Top of the Pops and the cusp of chart success, and on to glory in Amsterdam, prison in Rome, and a fateful American fortnight in the autumn of 1968.David Mitchell’s captivating new novel tells the unexpurgated story of Utopia Avenue; of riots in the streets and revolutions in the head; of drugs, thugs, madness, love, sex, death, art; of the families we choose and the ones we don’t; of fame’s Faustian pact and stardom’s wobbly ladder. Can we change the world in turbulent times, or does the world change us?

Bad Boy Best Friend


Hope Ford - 2020
    He's a DIRTY mechanic and she's a plus-size hottie and together they're going to get your engine revving! VROOM! VROOM! I hope you enjoy this steamy, sweet love story of friends to lovers and second chances.XX,Hope

His Curvy Enemy


Piper Sullivan - 2020
    I had a proposition for the enemy.I bet the pompous jerk I could find him his perfect woman.It was supposed to be simple. A few dates with gorgeous, accomplished women, one of whom he’d fall for and stop badmouthing my business.But it all went sideways. My algorithm, or more likely, my nosey business partners, set us up.We talked. We laughed.We kissed.We crossed so far over the line, it was invisible by the time I realized what I had done.I’d gone and fallen for the enemy.

Familiar Face


Michael DeForge - 2020
    People can’t recognize themselves in old pictures, and they wake up in apartments of completely different sizes and shapes. Commuter routes radically differ day to day. The citizens struggle with adaptability as updates happen too quickly, and the changes are far too radical to be intuitive. There is no way to resist—the updates are enacted by a nameless, faceless force. The narrator of Familiar Face works in the government’s department of complaints, reading through citizens’ reports of the issues they’ve had with the system updates. The job isn’t to fix anything but rather to be the sole human sounding board, a comfort in a system so decidedly impersonal. These complaints aren’t mere bug reports—they can be anything: existential, petty, just plain heartbreaking. Michael DeForge’s ability to find the humanity and emotional truth within the outlandish bureaucracy of everyday life is unparalleled. The signatures of his work—a vibrant color palette, surreal designs, and a self-aware sense of humor—enliven an often bleak technocratic future. Familiar Face is a masterful and deeply funny exploration of how we define our sense of self, and how we cope when so much of life is out of our control.

It Takes Blood and Guts


Skin - 2020
    As an incendiary live performer, she shatters preconceptions about race and gender. As an activist and inspirational role model she has been smashing through stereotypes for over twenty-five years. With her striking visual image and savagely poetic songs, Skin has been a groundbreaking influence both with Skunk Anansie and as a solo artist. From her difficult childhood growing up in Brixton to forming Skunk Anansie in the sweat-drenched backrooms of London’s pubs in the ‘90s, from the highs of headlining Glastonbury to the toll her solo career took on her personal life, Skin’s life has been extraordinary. She also talks powerfully about her work as social and cultural activist, championing LGBTQ+ rights at a time when few artists were out and gay. Told with honesty and passion, this is the story of how a black, working-class girl with a vision fought poverty and prejudice to write songs, produce and front her own band, and become one of the most influential women in British rock.

Cocky Boss (Badder Bosses #3)


C.L. Cruz - 2020
    QuinnOn the outside, I’m respectable and responsible.But on the inside, I’m a secret romantic.When my boss offers me a proposal, it’s more business than pleasure.After spending more time with him outside of the office, my idealized fantasies are shattered.Now I’m getting to know the real Bennett.He’s handsome, loyal, and there’s more to him than his cocky exterior.Can I trust that he wants me, or does he just want the money?BennettI have every reason to be cocky—money, power, and good looks.At least I thought I did.Turns out one bad decision could cost me everything.Now I have to find someone to marry, and my assistant is the easiest choice.It isn’t until we spend more time together that I realize she’s more than just a convenience.Quinn is curvy, sexy, and teaches me what romance really is.Can I convince her that what we have is not just for show anymore?

Valdor: Birth of the Imperium


Chris Wraight - 2020
    It is a name that brings forth images of heroism, honour and peerless duty. For it is he who commands the will of the Legio Custodes that most esteemed and dedicated cadre of elite warriors. He is the Emperor’s sword, His shield, His banner and he knows no equal. Clad in shining auramite, his fist clenched around the haft of his Guardian Spear, he is the bulwark against all enemies of the throne, within or without. Nearing the end of the wars of Unity, Valdor’s courage and purpose is put to the test as never before. The petty warlords and tyrants of Old Earth have been all but vanquished, and the Emperor’s armies are triumphant. What now for the nascent Imperium and what fate its forgotten soldiers, its Thunder Warriors and armies of Unity? A new force is rising, one which shall eclipse all others and open the way to the stars. But change on Terra is seldom bloodless and for progress to be ensured darker deeds are necessary.

Inked Hearts 1-3 Collection


Crystal Kaswell - 2020
    Start your binge read now!The men of tattoo shop Inked Hearts are brooding, bossy, and impossible to resist!Dive into this addicting series and see why readers say “Crystal Kaswell is the queen of broken bad boys.”This romance collection contains the first three books on the Inked Hearts series.TemptingHe's my best friend's brother. He's off limits. But when I find the brooding tattoo artist's sketchbook full of dirty drawings--drawings of me--I can't resist.Hooking UpSweet, booksmart grad student Iris and I have a friends with benefits arrangement with three simple rules. All fun. No strings. No falling in love. But then I've never been very good at following rules.Pretend You're MineI'm pretending I'm in love with my best friend. What could possibly go wrong?Leighton is my best friend. Pretending she's my girlfriend is a terrible idea, even if the entire world is expecting the breakdown of the year at my ex's wedding. Then she kisses me... and I forget we're pretending.

Win at All Costs: Inside Nike Running and Its Culture of Deception


Matt Hart - 2020
    . . .” He quickly realized he was in possession of a stolen report prepared a year earlier by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for the Texas Medical Board, part of an investigation into legendary running coach Alberto Salazar, a Houston-based endocrinologist named Dr. Jeffrey Brown, and cheating by Nike-sponsored runners, including some of the world’s best athletes. The information Hart received was part of an unfolding story of deception which began when Steve Magness, an assistant to Salazar, broke the omertà—the Mafia-like code of silence about performance-enhancing drugs among those involved—and alerted the USADA. He was soon followed by Olympians Adam and Kara Goucher who risked their careers to become whistleblowers on their former Nike running family in Beaverton, Oregon.Combining sports drama and business exposé, Win at All Costs tells the full story of Nike’s running program, uncovering a corporate win-at-all-costs culture. His is a cautionary tale for America’s next generation of athletes, and a wake-up call for sports fans, opening their eyes to the reality that rigged competition is widespread and systemic.

Standing Toe to Toe


Weston Parker - 2020
    In those ten years I’ve seen her for what she is: a cut-throat, take no prisoners, have no mercy business woman whose goal is to take what is rightfully mine. We’re both vying to make Partner at our agency but only one of us will come out on top.After being forced to work together on an ad campaign, I’m appalled to learn that Kathryn doesn’t do Christmas, whatever that means. She’s never partaken in any of the holiday festivities the beautiful city of Vancouver has to offer. So I strike up a plan. If I can give her a bit of holiday spirit I might just be able to soften her edge and make her a less threatening adversary.All is fair in love and war... and business. Right?I never expected that she would be the reason my Christmas season felt so special this year. The mistletoe, snow, and Christmas carols pull us together while logic and common sense keep us apart—until it doesn’t.The catch is we’re still competitors, and we still want the same job regardless of how we feel about each other. Do I be nice and give her the win and bow out? Or, do I be naughty, dig in my heels, and fight to the bitter end no matter the cost?If there are such a thing as Christmas miracles now would be the time to pull one out of my hat.

Footprints in the Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2)


Pam Lecky - 2020
    Who will pay the ultimate price? Lucy Lawrence throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey of self-discovery to the land of the pharaohs. Travelling to Cairo as the patron of the charming French Egyptologist, Armand Moreau, Lucy discovers an archaeological community plagued by professional rivalries and intrigue. It is soon apparent that the thriving black market in antiquities threatens Egypt’s precious heritage. When the Egyptian Museum is burgled, Lucy is determined to solve the case, much to the annoyance of the local inspector of police, and the alarm of Mary, her maid. But when an archaeologist is found murdered in the Great Pyramid, Lucy is catapulted into the resulting maelstrom. Can she keep her wits about her to avoid meeting a similar fate?

Chaos & the Geek


Elizabeth Stevens - 2020
    And, you end up with a roommate who wears a very good elegant mask over the rough and tumble, bad boy core I remember far too well.Only, it’s ten years later and I’m even nerdier than I used to be. It’s ten years later and I couldn’t look worse. It’s ten years later and I can’t keep one guy. It’s ten years later and my brother still teases me mercilessly in front of him. It’s ten years later and Kit somehow looks even better than the guy I spent my formative years crushing on.So, there’s not only the issue that he’s my older brother’s best friend, but also a sex-god this virgin can barely talk to. But that certainly never stopped me from drooling over him and it wouldn’t stop me now. He’s so far out of my league, I wouldn’t even clean in his league.Except, there might just be a smouldering heat in Kit’s eyes that suggests he’s not quite as out of my league as I thought. Just maybe, this geek is about to get a whole lot of chaos.KitWhen I find out about my best mate’s little sister’s situation, the offer is out of my mouth before I can stop it; Hawk’s like a brother to me even if Amber’s never looked twice at me. I could never tell if she was scared of me or hated me. But the deal is done. She’s going to bring her bedraggled self upstairs to my penthouse and live with me for as long as she needs.I see the pain she hides away, I see the lack of confidence despite how smart she is, how good. If there’s something I’ve learned, it’s that confidence makes all the difference. So, it becomes my mission to help Amber find her confidence. But I find more than confidence in her and suddenly I’m seeing my best mate’s little sister completely differently.I’ve never known what to say to her. She’s always been good and studious and sweet. She’s always been so far out of my league I wouldn’t even carry bags in that league. Her face is a mask that tells me nothing in between the sparse words that come out of her mouth.Except, there might be something in the way she smiles at me that gives me hope I’m not as far out of her league as I thought. It might just be time that this chaos gets a little geek.Please be aware that this story is set in Australia and therefore uses Australian English spelling and syntax.

Lane


Kali Hart - 2020
    NO cliffhangers. NO cheating. Guaranteed HEA.

Legal Love


C.L. Cruz - 2020
    I’m happy with what I have—a small apartment, a bicycle, and a job at the biggest law firm in Fairview. Last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I ended up abandoned on my wedding day. So I don’t take risks, not anymore. Not until I meet Owen Carmichael, a young, hotshot attorney with a panty-melting smile who makes me want to put it all on the line. Owen My life is all about taking risks, climbing the ladder, searching for the next big opportunity. When stress lands me in the hospital, I get transferred to the Fairview branch of our law firm to try to slow me down. I’m sure I’ll hate it, until I meet her. Dot Brightly. Young, cheerful, and curvy, the opposite of everyone I’ve ever dated and exactly what I need in my new life. Now I just have to convince her that loving me is a risk worth taking. This is a Sweet, Steamy Short Story Romance. No Cliffhangers. This is the first in the Vincent Street Valentines series, written with Liz Fox. If you love short romances with insta-love, steamy sex scenes, and a sweet love story, then this is the book for you.

Black Sheep


Rachel Aukes - 2020
    Stolen colonists. All Throttle wanted was a vacation...Fifteen years into a twenty-year voyage, war veteran Captain Throttle Reyne is looking forward to taking a break from dealing with malfunctions, glitches, and the hassles of monitoring a thousand colonists in cryo-sleep. But when her colony ship breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Throttle and her crew must leave the colonists behind to search for help. They find a ship that's not only missing a crew… it's clearly not from their star system. It's the discovery of a lifetime. All they need to do is tow the mysterious vessel back to their colony ship for further study and Throttle won't ever have to work again. One problem. While they're away, the colony ship is stolen—with the colonists still on board. Throttle gives chase to a lawless star system on the outer rim. To get their colonists back, they must take on the pirates and ganglords who will do anything—and sell anyone—to make a buck. They play dirty. But Throttle and her crew play dirtier.Strap on your restraints and experience the start of this new space opera thrill ride. It's perfect for fans of Jay Allan, Jennifer Foehner Wells, and Star Wars.

Back in the Saddle


Peyton Banks - 2020
     Parker Brooks was a legendary bull rider. He had become a household name until he suffered a career-ending knee injury. Now he's back home working his family's ranch alongside his brothers. A night out for a celebration flipped his world upside down. A certain young woman who had walked away from him without a word, or an explanation, was working the bar. Maddison King was the only woman he'd been ready to give his heart to. She'd been his everything, and then she'd up and vanished. He'd thought he'd gotten over her, but one look at her luscious curves and killer smile had him realizing otherwise. She's older, more mature, and too damn sexy for her own good. There was no denying the attraction between them. It was just like old times. He deserved to know why she’d packed up and left. She couldn’t run from him forever. When secrets are revealed, Parker and Maddison's worlds explode. Will they be able to survive the past to build a future?

Sticky Situations (American Heroes, #3)


Tory Baker - 2020
    He finished his deployment and decided to return home to Virginia. He wanted to spend time with his family and live quietly. He never imagined that the road home would lead him to a brand-new beginning. Raelynn Smith owned a bakery and she was as sweet as the treats she had for sale. She captured Travis’s attention from the beginning. She’s vibrant, happy and something he has missed in his life. Travis made a career out of getting in and out of sticky situations. The one he’s about to get in with Raelynn will definitely be the sweetest. Tory is back and this time she’s giving you a sugary-sweet treat that’s rated H for hot. Find out what happens with this growl-worthy alpha meets his match in a vivacious baker who definitely enjoys keeping him on his toes. As always each Tory story is a standalone romance, safe and full of moments to make you believe in Happily Ever After.

How to Be More Paddington: A Book of Kindness


Michael Bond - 2020
    Welcome to the wise and wonderful world of everyone’s favourite bear.Paddington Bear is a beacon of happiness – well meaning, funny and always kind.Explore Paddington’s unique and universal take on life in this very special collection of warm words about friendship, family, love, laughter … and everything in between.

Right on Time


Liz Fox - 2020
    No Cliffhangers. This is the first in The Right Men series. If you love short romances with insta-love, steamy sex scenes, and a sweet love story, then this is the book for you.Dear Reader,This series is loosely based on actual experiences I had during my years of being a curvy, single woman. The first scene in this book? Yep, it happened to me. But with these stories, I get to write what I wish had happened. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.hugs,Liz Fox

Chicken Thoughts: Comics About Birds


Sarah Wymer - 2020
    This delightful collection also includes a handful of never-before-seen comic strips! Readers of all ages have enjoyed Chicken Thoughts comics since they first flew onto the Internet in 2018.See the world through a parrot's eyes as Chicken the cockatiel & friends do bird things and think bird thoughts!

Mozart: The Reign of Love


Jan Swafford - 2020
    He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and through his life he responded to these threats with a repertoire of antidotes mental and physical. Whether in his rabidly obscene mode or not, Mozart was always hilarious. He went at every piece of his life, and perhaps most notably his social life, with tremendous gusto. His circle of friends and patrons was wide, encompassing anyone who appealed to his boundless appetites for music and all things pleasurable and fun.Mozart was known to be an inexplicable force of nature who could rise from a luminous improvisation at the keyboard to a leap over the furniture. He was forever drumming on things, tapping his feet, jabbering away, but who could grasp your hand and look at you with a profound, searching, and melancholy look in his blue eyes. Even in company there was often an air about Mozart of being not quite there. It was as if he lived onstage and off simultaneously, a character in life’s tragicomedy but also outside of it watching, studying, gathering material for the fabric of his art.Like Jan Swafford’s biographies Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, Mozart is the complete exhumation of a genius in his life and ours: a man who would enrich the world with his talent for centuries to come and who would immeasurably shape classical music. As Swafford reveals, it’s nearly impossible to understand classical music’s origins and indeed its evolutions, as well as the Baroque period, without studying the man himself.

Mountain Seeking Santa


Marley Michaels - 2020
    Catch up will all the big, gruff and tough Cooper men living their lives on and near the mountain and the feisty women they call their own. The mountain provides for its protectors, now it’s providing for Christmas too. Can we all say, aww

Misters of Passion: A Small Town Romance Boxset


Piper Sullivan - 2020
    Really.A player like Jackson was bad news for a Small Town girl like me.Still, I couldn’t quite resist his smoldering, intimate glances.Worse… I’ve succumbed once already.And I have NO intention of repeating that mistake, thank you very much.If only I could just convince myself of that...That Hot NightI’ve known Janey my whole life, the bossy girl next door.Always with her face hidden behind a camera.Until one hot night, when I finally saw her. In a red dress.She hypnotized me. Mesmerized me.Opened my eyes to Janey, the woman.And now that I’ve had a taste of her, nothing will ever be the same.Not me.And certainly not us.

Whale Day: And Other Poems


Billy Collins - 2020
    Poet Laureate Billy CollinsBilly Collins's thirteenth collection, and first in four years, contains more than fifty new poems that showcase the playfulness, wit, and wisdom that have made him one of our most celebrated and widely read poets. This collection covers many themes and moods, including Collins's insights on the wonders of life and thrill of mortality.

Who They Was


Gabriel Krauze - 2020
    At the university he attends, he’s Gabriel, a seemingly ordinary, partying student learning about morality at a distance. But in his life outside the classroom, he’s Snoopz, a hard living member of London’s gangs, well-acquainted with drugs, guns, stabbings, and robbery. Navigating these sides of himself, dealing with loving parents at the same time as treacherous, endangering friends and the looming threat of prison, he is forced to come to terms with who he really is and the life he's chosen for himself.In a distinct, lyrical urban slang all his own, author Gabriel Krauze brings to vivid life the underworld of his city and the destructive impact of toxic masculinity. Who They Was is a disturbing yet tender and perspective-altering account of the thrill of violence and the trauma it leaves behind. It is the story of inner cities everywhere, and of the lost boys who must find themselves in their tower blocks.

The Billionaire's Troublesome Triplets


Holly Rayner - 2020
    And what better way to celebrate than with the gorgeous American woman he meets by chance?On a dream getaway to Rome, Elise Johnson can’t believe her luck when a chivalrous and temptingly handsome stranger recovers her bag from a pickpocket. At first it seems as though one beautiful, romantic night together is all fate has in store for them—but in this case, one night is all it takes.Elise has barely gotten home when she discovers that Lucas’s so-called wonder-drug may not be as effective as he claimed. She’s pregnant, and Lucas is the father!With his company’s reputation at stake, Lucas faces a stark choice: cover up the pregnancy before it can become a scandal, or stand by the woman with whom he shared that fateful night in Rome.But the biggest surprise is yet to come. There’s not just one baby, but three!

An Imperfect Christmas


Tanya Jean Russell - 2020
    A home she hasn’t returned to for two years.No one knows the real reason why she hasn’t been back. No one, that is, except the one person who she is most nervous about seeing again.Will Maggie make peace with her past? Can she find love this Christmas?Or will more obstacles be thrown in her way…?

Your Smile is a Trap


NOT A BOOK - 2020
    But he dreams of ordinary high school life, so when he puts on glasses to blend in with his peers, he finds that making friends is a lot harder when you don’t have your looks to fall back on. Not to mention he’s also socially awkward, his new seatmate has a permanent scowl on her face, and his fans have tracked him down at his new school.살기 뿜뿜 레이저 눈빛으로 숨만 쉬어도 주위를 살벌하게 만드는 여자 차백합.빛나는 외모를 숨기고 소심한 행동으로 고등학교 생활에 빨간불이 들어온 남자 안기유!!운명 같은 초난감 빠방 스쿨 라이프!!Associated Names:Dangereux sourireDetrás de tu sonrisaNeoui Misoga Hamjeong你的微笑是陷阱君の笑顔は罠너의 미소가 함정I

Your Smile is a Trap


AENGO - 2020
    But he dreams of ordinary high school life, so when he puts on glasses to blend in with his peers, he finds that making friends is a lot harder when you don’t have your looks to fall back on. Not to mention he’s also socially awkward, his new seatmate has a permanent scowl on her face, and his fans have tracked him down at his new school.살기 뿜뿜 레이저 눈빛으로 숨만 쉬어도 주위를 살벌하게 만드는 여자 차백합.빛나는 외모를 숨기고 소심한 행동으로 고등학교 생활에 빨간불이 들어온 남자 안기유!!운명 같은 초난감 빠방 스쿨 라이프!!Associated Names:Dangereux sourireDetrás de tu sonrisaNeoui Misoga Hamjeong你的微笑是陷阱君の笑顔は罠너의 미소가 함정I

Surprise Me


Aidy Award - 2020
    Birthday parties are hell. Jett doesn't have any idea how old he or when he was born was thanks to Ereshkigal's curse. He's never even had a birthday, much less a party. Not a whole lot of celebrating in hell. He couldn't even imagine celebrating the passing of his years. He'd much rather mark the passing of time since he'd met Yvaine. If anyone's birthday should be celebrated it was that of his soulmate. But Jett and the Dragon Warriors aren't the only magical beings that want to show up to the party. Nobody likes a forces-of-evil party crasher, especially when they're trying to kidnap the birthday girl. Read this fun-sized follow up story to DEFY ME today and be sure to check out the other Holidays with the Romance Chicks Valentine's day books too!

Joy and Payne


Kat Baxter - 2020
    How I end up stranded on the side of the road in a ridiculous elf costume in the middle of a blizzard is just par for my course. Especially when the man who plays knight to my damsel is none other than Mr. Grumpy-pants AKA the hottest man I’ve ever met. EliI’ve made a fortune off of murder. That is to say I’m a bestselling horror novelist and the only reason I still live in this crazy Christmas town is because my sister and my niece are here. Finding that curvy candy maker on the side of the road is the last thing I need. But I can’t leave her to freeze in her candy-cane striped tights. So I bring her home with me. Then the snow to end all snows hits and we’re stuck together. I’ve always had a sweet tooth so keeping my hands (and my mouth) of the delectable and sassy southern girl is going to be harder than I think. And when the snow clears we might just have found where we both belong...together. The holidays are coming and we’re heading to the North Pole — the real-life town of North Pole, New York, that is! Join your favorite romance authors for a series of standalone love stories set in a small town shared world filled with all things sexy and bright. ;) Snuggle up with some hot cocoa and your favorite cozy blanket because you’re not going to want to miss any of what these Holiday Honeys have in store!

The Garden House


Marcia Willett - 2020
    Fresh out of university and dangling on the precipice of adulthood she questions what it is she really wants from life. Although her childhood friend, Will, is there to help her through her grief she soon realises there were things her father was hiding from her…Jules is also mourning Martin, but they thought best to keep their relationship secret, she must now grieve entirely alone. All she has to remember her love are the memories of their time spent at a beautiful community garden and teashop nearby. The Garden House is where they met, fell in love and where their secret affair will inevitably be uncovered. As El and Will begin to piece together her father’s secrets they bring them closer and closer to both Jules and a truth that is difficult to face. Praise for Marcia Willett:'A beautifully woven tale of families and their secrets...' Liz Fenwick, bestselling author of The Cornish House'Riveting, moving and utterly feel-good' Daily Mail'Sweeping powers of description transport her readers to another time and place' Rosanna Ley

Beckett


Kali Hart - 2020
    Not surprisingly, I almost kiss the concrete when I trip. I’m saved by the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. Too bad I’m here with someone else. But when my date crosses the line, my military hero is there to save me. Again. Though the sparks between us are instant, I have to guard my heart. I’m tired of feeling like I owe people for helping me. If only we had met at another time, when my life wasn’t such a mess. Beckett When I catch the curvy beauty in my arms, I’m instantly drawn to her. I don’t even know her name, but I know I have to have her. I only came out tonight to keep an eye on my guys and make sure they stay out of trouble. But once I meet Sara, I feel the need to protect her at all costs. Especially from her date. She’s guarded, and I can’t blame her. She’s been taken advantage of for far too long. But I’ll stop at nothing until she realizes that the only thing I want from her is her heart. Forever. Sweet & Steamy short story insta-love romance with an alpha military hero and younger curvy woman with an HEA. NO cliffhangers. NO cheating.

Shamrocked


Joely Sue Burkhart - 2020
    A human woman (me) accidentally walks into a Faerie bar run by a leprechaun who keeps a cursed gargoyle on a shelf. Somehow, that gargoyle goes home with me, and I start dreaming of a man. Doran. He’s trapped in stone and darkness, and only I can free him. He says I’m the treasurekeeper, and I need to find his friends, the other treasures, so we can break his curse. He haunts me night and day, driving me to hurry. I can’t sleep. I can’t think. I have to find them. I have to free him. Turns out his friends aren’t that hard to find, because they’re drawn to me, too. But these whiskey-drinking, tattoo-loving, motorcycle-riding badasses are resigned to their fate. Over the centuries, they’ve lost too many treasurekeepers to risk their hearts and souls again. I have to find a way to convince them to join me. Before it’s too late.