With reign over the city's drug trade, Benjamin Atkins made sure that his precious daughter, Raven, was secluded from the grit that the city had to offer. But when Raven's young heart gets claimed by Mizan, a stick-up kid in search of a come-up, there's nothing Benjamin can do about losing her to the streets. She chooses love over loyalty and runs off with Mizan, but her new role as wifey soon proves to be more than she can handle.Puppy love always feels right, but things turn stale, and she soon finds that everyone she loves has disappeared. All she has is Mizan, but when hugs and kisses turn to bloody lips and black eyes, she realizes that Mizan is not who she thought he was.Raven becomes desperate for a way out, but this time, Daddy can't save her. Every time she finds the courage to leave, fear convinces her to stay. Like a moth to a flame, Raven is drawn to Mizan, even though she knows he'll be the death of her.When the hood life she chose becomes unbearable and the only way out is in a coffin, what will she do?

    Some call me arrogant, but I call it confidence. You decide when you find out what I'm working with.First things first--I'm seventeen, but I'm grown and have been for a long time. I have my own ride, my mama doesn't clock my time, and my boyfriend, Ameen, is getting money like you wouldn't believe. There's only one problem: when Ameen gets mad, sometimes he takes his anger out on me. And yeah, maybe I could leave him, but there's no way Ameen could imagine being without me.So now I'm all confused, especially since my first love, Malachi, is back in my life. Ameen is not giving up without a fight, and no matter how hard I try, the love I have for Malachi won't go away. And did I mention that Malachi has a girl? Needless to say, my days are filled with drama. So this is my story and you need to come and chill with me as I try and see what boy is for me, what love is all about, and if my first teenage love affair will forever rule or ruin my life.

    Drug-dependent and mentally ill, but desperate to keep hold of her daughter, Alice's mother snatches her from her parents' house and disappears.Cathy spends three anxious days worrying about her whereabouts before Alice is found safe, but traumatised. Alice is like a little doll, so young and vulnerable, and she immediately finds her place in the heart of Cathy's family. She talks openly about her mummy, who she dearly loves, and how happy she was living with her maternal grandparents before she was put into care. Alice has clearly been very well looked after and Cathy can't understand why she couldn't stay with her grandparents.It emerges that Alice's grandparents are considered too old (they are in their early sixties) and that the plan is that Alice will stay with Cathy for a month before moving to live with her father and his new wife. The grandparents are distraught – Alice has never known her father, and her grandparents claim he is a violent drug dealer.Desperate to help Alice find the happy home she deserves, Cathy's parenting skills are tested in many new ways. Finally questions are asked about Alice's father suitability, and his true colours begin to emerge.

    As the details of his short life emerge, it becomes clear that to help him, Cathy will face her biggest challenge yet. Reece is the last of six siblings to be fostered. Having been in care for four months his aggressive and disruptive behavior has seen him passed from carer to carer. Although only 7, he has been excluded from school, and bites people so often that his mother calls him "Sharky." Cathy wants to find the answers for Reece's distressing behavior, but he has been sworn to secrecy by his mother, and will not tell them anything. As the social worker prepares for the final hearing, he finds five different files on Reece's family, and is incredulous that he had not been removed from them as a baby. When the darkest of family secrets is revealed to Cathy, Reece's behavior suddenly starts to make sense, and together they can begin to rebuild his life.

    Suffering at the hands of abuse from her father and her older, controlling, boyfriend Khalil, Heaven yearns and dreams of the day of her escape. Her prayers are answered when she is introduced to Khalil's boss, Street King turned businessman, Gavin Lucas, known in every hood in Jersey, as the infamous G. G becomes Heaven's knight in shining armor, sweeping her off of her feet into a whirlwind of passion, exotic getaways, and designer labels. But can Heaven keep up, or will the lifestyle of the rich and shameless swallow her whole? Heavens Hell explores the world of brutal life and fantasy, and leaves us all desperate to find out... do fairytales come true?

    There they were to suffer brutal beatings and little care or love – they survived as best they could, looking out for each other, until the terrible morning when Terry couldn’t wake Dennis.In a time when the country was united by war and struggle, the case shocked the nation and made headlines around the world. Terry, a small figure in the courtroom, captured the hearts of mothers and families everywhere, and the public outcry against the foster services led to the instigation of the first provisions to protect other vulnerable children from neglect and cruelty.

    Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.Watch the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF5xEK...

    After she is sexually and emotionally abused by her foster parents, she turns to the one person she knows she can trust--her boyfriend Chu, a mid-level drug dealer. But when life finally starts looking up for Camille, Chu is brutally murdered. Again feeling abandoned and helpless, and refusing to return to the system, Camille finds herself living with a stable of women in a tiny run-down apartment building in Washington, D.C., working for Nut, a deranged pimp. Fed up with her life, Camille is forced to right her wrongs, and slowly learns that her past does not necessarily determine her future.

    It explains why some cases, similar to that of Baby P's, end in tragedy.

    He has to give a speech today for his Oral Communications class, and he's terrified of public speaking. Worse yet, he's being bullied by one of the most popular kids at school. He just has to make it through his third-hour gym class and then give his speech, and everything will be all right. The events about to transpire, however, may make this what proves to be the worst day of his life.

    Damaged. Angry. Once full of promise and life, now lost in the shadows of resentment and detachment, this is Dream of Night's story—and it is also Shiloh’s. One is a thoroughbred racehorse, the other an eleven-year-old foster child. Starved to the bone, Dream of Night is still a very powerful animal, kicking, bucking, screaming to show his strength. Shiloh has been starved in other ways—starved of affection, starved of stability and she lashes out too…with sarcasm. This injured and abused racehorse has a lot in common with punky Shiloh and by chance they both find themselves under the care of Jessalyn DiLima—a last stop for each before the state takes more drastic measures—sending the girl to a “residential facility” and the horse to a vet...for euthanizing. Jess is giving them a second chance, a last chance—but she fosters animals and children like this for a reason—she’s a little broken, too. And she knows what it’s like to have lost nearly everything she loves. As the horse warms up to the girl and the girl lets her guard down for the horse, the three of them become an unlikely family. They recognize their similarities in order to heal their pasts, but not before one last tragedy threatens to take it all away.

    The rebellious party girl has a perfect accomplice in best friend Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who scores them drugs, booze and under-age entry into the only club in town. But then everything changes. A traumatized Riley suddenly decides to give up the party life, and a wide-eyed Mackenzie meets Grey Lewis, a broodingly talented, gorgeous older man she falls instantly in love with. Though Riley warns her to stay away, the aspiring rock star's body and ample drug supply are too tempting for her to resist. Previously inseparable, Riley and Mackenzie go their separate ways.When summer hits, Mackenzie has new friends, a new apartment and new drugs to mask the pain of Riley's absence. And of course, she has Grey. But despite the fierce, consuming passion they share, the mysterious bad-boy always leaves her guessing. Is Grey really a good guy? Or was Riley right about him all along? Mackenzie's in too deep to care. Unable to curb her mounting addictions, before long the lust-for-life teen totally loses control. She forgets Riley, forgets life, forgets everything but Grey and their next hit. But luckily for Mackenzie...Riley has never forgotten about her.

    In this book Sally describes a shocking story of a mother's neglect and a father's betrayal.

    Also for kicks, he took his children out on to the lake and held them under until they were gasping for their lives. He sexually assaulted Barbara from a young age, often when the rest of the family were in the house. He repeatedly threatened to kill her, and made two very serious attempts. During the final attempt, as he was raping and choking her, Barbara made a vow - if she survived, she would come forward and get justice against her father ... Without Hope is a powerful and inspiring true story of a girl who finally found the inner strength to escape her brutal childhood.

    Despite the difficulties of a new school, a new church, and a new neighborhood, Serenity gains strength from the family around her, the new friends she finds, and her own careful optimism. Debut author Renée Watson's talent shines in this powerful and ultimately uplifting novel.

    Told with comedic rawness and colorful sarcasm, Ellis's second novel is an epic story of love, loss, pain, and forgiveness that shines a spotlight on the painful reality of domestic abuse.

    You never know what's going on in someone else's home. From the outside looking in, Yolanda Clarke appears to have it all. She's a beautiful woman, and her husband, Timothy, is the pastor of BrightStar Tabernacle. They seem to have the perfect life. But, looks are certainly deceiving. Yolanda has become a puppet on a string, totally controlled by Timothy. While everyone at church thinks he walks on water, Yolanda knows the person behind the mask. His constant verbal tirades, physical and emotional abuse has become unbearable. In walks Andre Hunter. He's the type of man that can make any woman forget all her troubles. His chocolate skin, pearly whites, and beautiful smile enthrall Yolanda. She has never entertained the idea of infidelity, but the abuse and lack of intimacy at home makes her adulterous affair justifiable in her mind. Andre gives Yolanda everything she's missing at home- respect, conversation, and passion behind closed doors. But, Andre is hiding secrets of his own. Will Yolanda finally climb from the abyss of despair she's lived in with Timothy and move to a brighter tomorrow with Andre? Or will she forever remain "The Sunday Morning Wife?"

    No-one knew the London businessman was born into a world beyond poverty, the son of a rapist father and disturbed mother. Abandoned as a baby, he spent most of his childhood in care and suffered appalling sexual abuse. But no-one knew. But a call from the abuser's wife, 30 years on, proved he was living in a house of cards.The youngest of five children, David was the son of a drunkard rapist father and a mentally unhinged mother. His father was jailed and his mother deserted the family, leaving five urchins to battle to survive in an inner city Glaswegian slum. Rescued, but separated, David grows up with vague memories of Ma, but no memory of his siblings.For the next years of his young life David was shipped from pillar to post, until the authorities decided the best place for him and his youngest sister was Quarriers Children's village, where he was delivered into the hands of a paedophile.Helpless, powerless and alone, it was beaten into David that no-one cared for him and no-one loved him.Finally David escapes and goes on to build a life of success, determined to bury his secret and never tell anyone what happened to him. Then he receives a phone call from his abuser's wife, and all that he has built comes tumbling down. She asks David to be a character witness on behalf of the man who stole his childhood. Instead David chooses to tell the truth, turning the tide for detectives involved in a massive investigation and changing his own life forever. This is his remarkable story.

    Bewildered by the bizarre and cruel behaviour of her mother and terrified by the violent outbursts of her perpetually angry father, the only certainty in life is that there is none. So when Granddad 'Pop' gives her sweets and does the horrid things he does to her, how is she to know that isn't what all Granddads do? And if it isn't, why does her mother find it funny? Told with honesty and courage, this is the story of a little girl who never stood a chance - who was regularly abused in the most shocking ways by her family and preyed upon by the worst kind of men. Faith went on to have two children in her teens and endured appalling domestic violence but now, after all the suffering, she has turned her life around. Her decades-long journey out of the darkness tells the truth about what happens to abused children when they grow up, in a story that's horrifying and compelling in equal measure.

    It welcomes the reader in and this book is bursting full of relationships whether between siblings or internet dates or married men. Its subject might be the loneliness of how much everybody knows.--Eileen Myles, author of Sorry, Tree and SkiesSteven Reigns’ Inheritance sizzles with the unsparing heat of memory. This impressive and soulful collection displays a queer poetics so precise and deft it leaves the reader almost singed by how close to the mark the words flare.--Tim Miller, author of Body Blows and 1001 Beds

    "Afterglow is a riveting read, not to be missed." - Midwest Book Review. Now available as a Nook e-book via Barnes & Noble!Brian and River have escaped the Houses, but can they survive Los Angeles on their own? Drugs and childhood demons seem set to destroy them. Not to mention working the streets.... Is their love and Brian’s music enough to survive the ultimate test? Crisis leads to a journey across the country to face the past, to Arizona to find peace, and finally to Portland, Oregon to find a home.Click on the author's name for more info or to read the first chapter.

    Seven years, two months and eleven days that’s how long Kendra and Jess has been together, but maybe this one slip on Jess’s part is the one that will end the relationship.Words: 10,750 - novelette

    I was half expecting your denial, but I'm willing to wait, that you become my lover. I will provide, take care and see that no harm falls upon you, as long as you respect me and behave according to your status. As I said, you are the most adorable thing that had caught my attention in years. You have to be mine and I have every intention to win you over.” “I'm 44 and way past the age for playing. You are everything I've dreamed of for a lover and a companion in life. Your beauty and innocence makes you perfect for me." With these words, Konrad von Lintorff, a Swiss German banker declared his intentions to a 19 years old penniless student. Guntram was young, kind hearted and exactly looking as Konrad's former lover. Can a young sweet boy survive the High Finance World and the love of a possessive and violent man? Follow Guntram's diary through a story of intrigue, love, sex, betrayal, secret societies, deceptions and murder.Note: The author decided that Substitute and its sequel will be available only in paper version. For further details please follow this link: http://tionne74.blogspot.com/2011/12/...

    Check out McCartney's website to read more about it. Special Agent Keegan Tanner's cover is blown while investigating a ruthless child trafficking organization. Desperate to save the lives of the next batch of children, he races to turn in the evidence he's gathered, but a freak accident brings his plan to an abrupt halt. He wakes to find himself in a small country home under the care of angelic nurse and widow, Lizzy Anderson. Though intrigued by his nurse, he is livid when his superior orders him to stay put, for he knows his presence in the Anderson home puts Lizzy in grave danger. When that danger comes calling, will he be ready to serve and protect?

    Sam McCade had broken her heart, and she wasn't about to let him destroy her mother's as well. A quick trip back to Kentucky to lay down the law and she could go back to the safe life she'd built for herself in Kansas City. When Sam McCade went on the run in the middle of the night to save his sister from her abusive husband, there was only one person he could trust to help them, Hannah Drummond. He expected the local gossips to have a field day with his return to Brookville, but he never dreamed Elise would roll into town to check out the situation for herself. And he certainly never imagined that in order to save his sister, Elise would be willing to sacrifice herself as the pawn in a dangerous game of catch the monster when his brother-in-law decides to take back what he wanted no matter who stands in his way.

    Deaf from a childhood illness, she is about to be banished to a convent by her cold and distant father. Baron Fulke of Erlegh has a tragic past. Throwing himself into a life of battle and debauchery, Fulke is removed from the field and commanded to take a bride. King Henry I. is a changed man since losing his only son and heir in the White Ship sinking. Intent to name his only daughter, Matilda, the first Queen of England, he seeks advantage over powerful opposition. Discovering Reina's unique ability to lip-read, Henry separates the two lovers and coerces Reina to spy for the crown under threat of harm to Fulke. In a battle between love and loyalty, Fulke and his courageous band of knights enact a plan that will free Reina from the king's grip or cause all of them to be executed for treason in... A Knight of Silence.

    Jim Newheiser brings biblical perspective and wisdom to bear on such situations.Abuse is a growing problem, and those who have been abused need help. This booklet equips the reader to offer compassionate biblical counsel to a victim of abuse. As well as providing practical instruction on how to help the victim gain safety and deal with the abuser in a biblical way, it points to the victory possible in Jesus Christ, who was abused for his people and who has compassion on all hurting people who turn to him.Intended Readership: Friends of people in a relationship of abuse ~People in a relationship of abuse ~Marriage counselors ~General counselors~Pastors and church ministry teams

    The edition has also been expanded to cover parental learning disabilities and how it may impact on parenting and children's health and development. The findi... Full description

    WHY THREE RANSOM DEMANDS? Lead FBI Agent Phoenix Perry wonders. Former president Palmer Davidson, who picked Phoenix to find the murderer of his Supreme Court nominee, Jennifer Taylor, is a personal friend of Myles Barrington. Now Davidson is wielding his considerable influence once again to find the truth.The clock is ticking.

    When she finds herself in the hospital after one of his violent attacks, she can no longer turn a blind eye. Suffering from severe injuries, her doctor tells her she will never be the same again. Although injured and feeling guilty, alone, scared and most of all, damaged, everyone seems to expect her to return quickly to her normal life – but how can she bounce back when she blames herself for all that’s gone wrong?