Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

    Now he scrapes a living working for a rich eccentric who believes in magic. Saul knows it’s a lot of nonsense...except that he begins to find himself in increasingly strange and frightening situations. And at every turn he runs into the sardonic, mysterious Randolph Glyde.Randolph is the last of an ancient line of arcanists, commanding deep secrets and extraordinary powers as he struggles to fulfil his family duties in a war-torn world. He knows there's something odd going on with the haunted-looking man who keeps turning up in all the wrong places. The only question for Randolph is whether Saul is victim or villain.Saul hasn’t trusted anyone in a long time. But as the supernatural threat grows, along with the desire between them, he’ll need to believe in evasive, enraging, devastatingly attractive Randolph. Because he may be the only man who can save Saul’s life—or his soul.

    She’s neither sorceress, nor fighter, nor scholar. What could she possibly have to offer Persephone, the chieftess of the inhuman ketoi—and the woman Maggie’s fallen in love with?After Maggie’s friend Irene goes missing under mysterious circumstances, she has no choice but to turn to Persephone for help. When the trail leads to a shadowy acting troupe, they discover a plot that stretches much farther than a single vanished woman.But when a dark truth is revealed, Maggie must choose between a man from her past…and the impossible yearnings of her heart.

    Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown. But when a strange wind spirits her away from the Land of the Dolls, she finds herself in Krakow, Poland, in the company of the Dollmaker, a man with an unusual power and a marked past. The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina's courageous and compassionate manner lead him to smile and to even befriend a violin-playing father and his daughter--that is, once the Dollmaker gets over the shock of realizing a doll is speaking to him. But their newfound happiness is dashed when Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish friends are in grave danger, and they are determined to help save them, no matter what the risks.

    However, fate is a fickle mistress, and six years after the death of her mother, she's faced with the fact that her father is dying as well. Forced to leave her sheltered little homestead in the woods, Kyri discovers that there is more to life than just hunting and making master quality arrows. During her journey to find a new home and happiness, she struggles with the path that seems to take her away from the quiet life of a fletcher. She learns that sometimes the hardest part of growing up is reconciling who we were, with who we will become.

    Each day is a new adventure, living the life she loves, running cargo on the Ohio & Erie Canal. That is, until her cousin decides to sell the family boat to finance a new business venture. He wants to build locomotives for the railroad—the very industry that could put the entire canal system out of business.Not one to give up without a fight, Briar does a little snooping into her cousin’s new business partner. When she gets a sneak peek at the locomotive plans, she suspects that the man is either a genius, or a ferromancer—one of the dreaded metal mages of Europe’s industrial revolution.Determined to reveal her suspicions, Briar takes the plans and heads for the newspaper office in Columbus, stealing the family boat in the process. Kidnapping her cousin’s handsome business partner wasn’t part of the plan, but when he shows up, demanding the return of his property, she can’t let him go. After all, if Briar can prove that the railroad is using ferromancy, she could save more than her boat. She could save her way of life.

    Pirate captain. Spy. Even a gentleman at one point. He is a chameleon capable of sliding into any skin. He lets nothing get in his way when it comes to completing the mission. Sent to the far northern seas on an important task for the empire, Jost chases a dangerous enemy. As his crew grows increasingly mutinous, Jost is up against the edge as he races to confront the specters of his past, even as a stranger watches his every move from the shadows. It’ll take more than luck and cunning to survive on these rough seas. Note: This is a prequel novella set in the world of the Dragon-Ridden world before the events of book one. It was previously released for free through the author’s blog.

    . .Sometimes, when a person dies, their spirit goes looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space within them, perfect for hiding. Twelve-year-old Makepeace has learned to defend herself from the ghosts which try to possess her in the night, desperate for refuge, but one day a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard. And now there's a spirit inside her. The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, and it may be her only defence when she is sent to live with her father's rich and powerful ancestors. There is talk of civil war, and they need people like her to protect their dark and terrible family secret. But as she plans her escape and heads out into a country torn apart by war, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession – or death.

    Soon her new life in Hatti's glittering capital becomes all she knows. Bound in blood before the gods to Hatti's unwilling crown prince, Istara, now Hatti's queen-in-waiting, learns she will never be loved.But the drums of war beat again, and when the scheming plans of Hatti's king threaten the existence of all civilization, the gods give Istara a choice: to leave behind everything she knows to save mankind, or remain where she is, powerless, a token on the game board of kings. On the brink of one of the most brutal battles in history, she chooses to risk her life to deliver a message to the only man able to prevent the prophecy from becoming a reality—her mortal enemy, the Pharaoh Ramesses II.Wounded, cold and hungry, she wanders in the battle's horrific aftermath, and aids a powerful commander, who she learns protected her once, and has been bound to her ever since by a prophetic dream of his future. Despite his resistance, and Istara once more becoming a pawn of kings, they must confront an eternal love so powerful, not even kings, the gods, or death can keep them apart.

    It's hard to kill a dragon. Is it impossible to kill a god?Bahr, the god of Fire and War, is terrorising the land, annihilating men, Eldarkind and dragons alike. Nothing can stand before him and Beren, chief amongst men, faces everything he loves being lost to Bahr’s fickle fires.After witnessing Bahr’s devastating power, Beren despairs, until the mysterious king of the Eldarkind offers him one glimmer of hope – but it comes at great cost. To have any chance of success, Beren must have faith in the enigmatic Eldarkind, set aside his lifelong differences with the dragons, and place his trust in the enemy who has destroyed his home and family. Unless he does so, they are all doomed.As Bahr’s vengeful eye turns to their hostile alliance, their differences threaten to divide man, Eldarkind, and dragon. Can Beren forge the strongest allies from his bitterest enemies before Bahr destroys them all?Discover how the epic fantasy tale begins in this prequel, The First Crown: A Caledan Novelette. If you liked The Lord of the Rings, The Inheritance Cycle, or the Books of Pellinor, then you’ll love the Books of Caledan series.

     Does he have the courage for either one? What of the oath he swore to the Company of the Golden Dragon? Does he have the strength to maintain his allegiance or will he go off on his own to seek revenge? If he does, will he place Golden Wind in even greater danger as his vortex of dark thoughts brings Vay ever closer to the Gem Guardian and her ultimate prize: The Golden Dragon? In the midst of Hooper’s raging thoughts, the ode book reveals a new quest and one if the company fails to achieve will mean not only the end of their journey but their lives, too. Now to the north and east, your journey to take To free another king who there now waits Filled both body and soul with endless pain From a treasonous son who binds with chain For on that day of dawning’s sure light When the King and Queen shall be of one light For if the king does indeed fall and die Your quest ends and comes Vay on high. The journey of the Company of the Golden Dragon continues in the Roar of Wings, Book Four of The Legend of Hooper’s Dragons. Read it now to enter into Gary Darby’s imaginative world of dragons, magic, trolls, wizards, heroes, fairies, villains, battles and quests. Buy The Roar of Wings today!

     Only the Company of the Golden Dragon stands between her ultimate dominion over Erdron’s people and their freedom. Still reeling from the loss of one of their own, the company faces yet another perilous journey as the quest book sends them deeper into the Great Expanse in search of the mysterious MerDraken in hopes that they will join in the battle against Vay’s wickedness. Legend has it that those who seek out the MerDraken never return. As Hooper and Golden Wind lead the company into the vastness of the never-ending ocean, they have but one thought: their failure means that Vay emerges triumphant and Erdron is lost forever. On Moonlit Wings is the sixth book in Gary Darby’s exciting fantasy series, The Legend of Hooper’s Dragons. Buy now and follow Hooper and Golden Wind as they battle Vay and her dark minions for the soul of Erdron.

    Everything from his vocation to the girl he will marry has been planned. So when he receives the Calling and embarks on his trek to find his life-long animal bond, he is far from prepared for the adventure ahead, or for the Cosmic "gift" he is about to receive.​ On the other side of the realm, the headstrong Princess Veressa of Griffinrock demands secret training from her prudish yet powerful Ranger protector. Veressa, too, receives the Calling and drags her mentor along on one last high adventure. ​ As the paths of these two sixteen-year-olds begin to intertwine, neither can foresee the desperate struggles before them nor the heroic journeys they will be called upon to undertake. Ages: 13 and up Genres: Young adult, coming of age, fantasy, dragons, magic, epic, adventure, mystery Explicit language: None Explicit sex: None Violence: Mild to moderate This is the first of the four-book adventure The Dragonbonded Return series. Be sure to pick up Book 2 in the series! For further details about upcoming books by the author, visit thedragonbonded.com. To receive advance notice of JD Hart's upcoming releases, go to thedragonbonded.com/subscribe and subscribe to the author's mailing list.

     If he can not—or will not, then all may die, and the quest to save Golden Wind ends in Vay’s evil victory over all of Erdron. From the ode book comes guidance, but it points toward an unexpected and entirely unwelcome direction. Still, the company has no choice but to journey to a fiendish place where they must fight and defeat monsters, some of their making, behind a dark shroud without any help and where all may perish unbeknownst to the rest of the world. The journey of the Company of the Golden Dragon continues in book three, A Thunder of Wings in the epic fantasy series The Legend of Hooper’s Dragons.

    She is a healer, herbalist, and midwife. When she is visited by Jin, a beautiful assassin in service to the king, Enfri is confronted with the truth of her heritage and the reason she has been condemned to die by the crown. Using her wits and the magic of a scholarly dragon to survive, Enfri flees into the desert from a coterie of killers.

     A mighty weapon that could turn the tide of war. Who will find them first? Vay, the evil fairy, or the Company of the Golden Dragon? If it is Vay, she will become all-powerful and will surely destroy the company along with Hooper and Golden Wind and conquer all of Erdron. Soar on dragon wings with the company as they search the Great Expanse, a forbidding stretch of ocean where ships and people inexplicably disappear, where sea-monsters roam and which holds a fabled race that supposedly disappeared from the face of Erdron centuries ago. Join Hooper and the Company of the Golden Dragon as they continue their quest to save Golden Wind and defeat Vay. Buy your copy today.

    A young Saxon boy named Durwin, crippled by a childhood accident, had caught the eye of a Norman sage teaching at a rural school of magic. Realizing that the boy had promise, Durwin was made stable boy, and eventually allowed to attend classes.Now twenty, Durwin is proficient enough that he is assigned to teach, but the other sages refuse to promote him and he is hassled by the Norman juniors for his disability. But those troubles turn out to be the least of his worries when he manages to corrects errors in an ancient corrupted spell, which promptly prophesies murder.Sure enough, word soon reaches the school that one of the local count’s house sage has died, perhaps slain by black magic. Durwin is whisked away to the family’s castle, only to find that one death was only the beginning. The young sage quickly learns of a dizzying plot to assassinate King Henry. Dropped into the middle of the complex politics of England’s royal courts, can Durwin stop them in time?

    Her only comfort is a small child who clings to her for protection. But once they board the slave ship, the child reveals her rebellious nature and warns that her mother---a fierce warrior---is coming to claim them all.

    Kate Forsyth and Kim Wilkins have teamed up in this collection of 7 incredible stories, all original and never-before published.One English village. Two thousand years of stories.People have always come to make wishes at the Silver Well: in Pagan times and Christian, during revolution and war. When Rosie arrives in the tiny village of Cerne Abbas with a broken heart, she becomes connected across the centuries with others who have yearned for something. Seven stories, set in seven time periods, reveal the deepest longings of the human heart.

    In here you'll find Verne and Wells, Tolstoy and Checkov, Stevenson and Oliphant, Kipling, Twain, Haggard and Blavatsky alongside their hosts.Come, join us for dinner and a story: Robert Louis Stevenson - Wee Davie Makes a Friend Rudyard Kipling - The High Bungalow Leo Tolstoy - The Immortal Memory Bram Stoker - The House of the Dead Mark Twain - Once a Jackass Herbert George Wells - Farside Margaret Oliphant - To the Manor Born Oscar Wilde - The Angry Ghost Henry Rider Haggard - The Black Ziggurat Helena P Blavatsky - Born of Ether Henry James - The Scrimshaw Set Anton Checkov - At the Molenzki Junction Jules Verne - To the Moon and Beyond Arthur Conan Doyle - The Curious Affair on the Embankment Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths. Interview with the author:So what makes this short story collection so special?Meikle: I love the idea that all these famous writers knew each other, and met for a meal, a drink, a smoke and some storytelling in an old London club / bar setting. It chimes almost exactly with my own idea of a good time. It's special to me in that it's a culmination of the past half dozen or so years of writing. Before this collection there were the Carnacki stories, the Holmes stories, the Challenger stories, and the collaborations with M Wayne Miller in numerous deluxe hardcovers. THE GHOST CLUB feels like an endpiece to all of that, a last celebration of everything I love about the era and the storytellers. Plus it's the most ambitious piece of work I've undertaken in my writing so far, the cause of much worrying and fretting on my part, so seeing the lovely blurbs and comments from writers I have long admired makes it extra special to me.Why should horror fans give Victorian Terror a try?Meikle: It's where we come from. The Victorian era storytelling tradition was the launching point for horror, and also for crime fiction, for science fiction, for fantasy and for much of how we see the world today. It gave us Sherlock Holmes, Dr Jeckyll, Dracula, the Invisible Man, Captain Nemo, and all manner of ghosts, spooks and spectres that still fill our entertainment of choice today. It's my way of paying homage to that tradition. This is who I am.How did you choose which authors to use in this book?Meikle: Initially all I knew was that Doyle and Stoker were founder members of the club in London. Then I found out that Henry James was in London at the same time as them and it started to come together.

    Now at the dawn of the mechanical 19th century, only the five clans united can hold back the blood-red tide of industrial apocalypse. Unless they dive into it laughing. I did say 'mad' Rayne Gray is a cheerful, charitable bear of a man. Philosophical about his life of violence, optimistic about the dawning 19th century. A man watching for daggers in the dark, he still holds a candle for others. Alas, the wheel of fortune shifts, he is on his own, three steps from madness, two steps from arrest, one step from death. And this dance puts Rayne on the path to the Family, a mad collection of clans more deadly than any alley of assassins. And more mad than a battle in Bedlam. But there was never a man better at keeping alive and sane, than Rayne Gray. From the book: She stood, placing sketch-board upon the grass. Brushing wrinkles from her skirt, dust from her behind. “Now stand, Master Gray, for I’ve a bit of wisdom for you.” Was she taller than I’d thought? No. But the fetching quality lay shadowed by something that arched over and behind. The determined look, perhaps, inspiring the sunlight about her. “I am standing,” I pointed out. I let hand slip towards rapier-handle, casual as an itch. “Ah, so you are.” She held up four fingers, counted upon them. “First: never believe the dead are stronger than the living. The grave-touched draw strength from the blood and breathe of life. They scrape by on ash and embers. Tis the living that hold the flame.” I considered these words. The theory ran sound. Only mere observation complicated the issue. “Second,” she continued, “never believe the mad are wiser than the sane. He who makes a beast of himself, escapes the pain of being a man. And so loses the wisdom.” Excellent. As the sanest man in ten thousand miles, I rejoiced to hear it. “Third. Never believe a name has power. You may name the stars or waves or faces in the mirror, but they will not own you for master when you call. They are the things themselves, never the name of the thing. So also, you.” She turned away. “Good luck to you, then.” I blinked, feeling no wiser. “That made three. Wasn’t there a fourth?” She stopped, spoke without turning. “Ah. Right enough. Well, fourth, then. You cannot come out this alive, Rayne Gray. Too many seek the prize you’ve set to bed. And the prize herself is a drinker of life, same as you. Can a man challenge his reflection?”

    To receive a copy sign up to the authors newsletter at www.amsohma.comNot to be read before The Luckless (book 1 in the series).

    With time running out and a large reward hanging in the balance, Will chases down every possible lead, braving the macabre underground laboratory of a sadistic nobleman before embarking on a daring, late-night library break-in. Told through Will’s own diary and with his characteristic wit, “The Strange Task Before Me” is an intense race against the clock that mixes action, humor, and a bit of magic—all while laying the groundwork for momentous events to come, expanding on the mythology of The Camelot Shadow, and introducing a key new character in the unpredictable Baron Frederickson.

    When she enters his office, he is struck by her haunting beauty and the raw pain in her eyes. Her descriptions of the odd events happening in her bungalow pique his curiosity. Chloe Hicks' life consisted of an egocentric ex-husband, a pile of bills, and an equine business in foreclosure until a fire destroys the stable and her beloved ranch horse. What little hope she has left is smashed after the marshal suspects arson. She escapes the accusing eyes of her hometown, but not the memories and melancholy.The sexy historian distracts Chloe with the legend of a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft. She is drawn to the story and the similarities of events that plagued their lives. Perhaps the past can help heal the present. But danger lurks in the shadows...

    All he wants is to uncover the identity of his parents, but instead he finds himself at the helm of Lord Fabian Rommel's epic scheme to conquer Havan and the neighboring kingdom of Sunbury.When his prey becomes more than a target, Callum is given a choice to stand beside those who would wield him as a weapon or defend those who would call him friend.The lines blur between ally and enemy and all is not as it seems. Callum must uncover the truth if he hopes to see the dawn and survive this deadly game.Sword and Sorcery meets Epic Fantasy in this action-packed novella that will leave you at the edge of your seat.

    The quest to locate the sacred object adds pressure to the uneasy alliance between Evan and the Atlanteans. His inability to accept the world he’s in, and his constant battle with Zeus, both threaten to derail the expedition and his life.Traversing the mountainous terrain of the Peloponnese and Corinthian Gulf to the centre of the spiritual world, Evan meets with Pythia, Oracle of Delphi. Her cryptic prophecy reveals much more than he expected; something that changes his concept of the ancient world and his former way of life.Will Evan and his friends succeed in their quest to find the relics and stop the advent of Christianity?

    But when her new target leads her to a discovery that unveils a graver plan from the Coven, she doesn’t hesitate to follow. Yet, she’s not the only one on the hunt. And the sexy, infuriating man who crosses her path could prove to be a distraction—something she’s never encountered before.Honor and family mean everything to Braith. When his life is turned upside down by the murder of his ward and heir without cause or reason, he has no choice but to turn to vengeance. Until a stunning, dangerous woman continues to thwart his efforts at every turn. Now, he must battle not only his need for revenge but his desire for the female, as well.

    Kenna and Dom must choose their alliances wisely to halt the grim advance of a seemingly unstoppable foe. Can enemies work together, or will betrayal seal the fate of The Five Kingdoms?Reading Progress Percentage:1) 6%2) 12%3) 18%4) 24%5) 29%6) 35%7) 41%8) 47%9) 53%10) 59%11) 65%12) 71%13) 76%14) 82%15) 88%16) 94%17) 100%

    They’ve chained him to a stone fireplace in the upper rooms of the Iron Crown’s stronghold in France, and brutally interrogated him for three days. Any minute Ghost is about to return and finish the job. These are Sebastian’s thoughts during what he believes are his last moments to live.

    The recent death of the father she never knew, prompts his relatives to invite her to a family reunion in central New York. It's the last place she wants to be.While there, she hears about Tina, her nineteen-year-old great grandmother who is forced to suspend her dream of a career in New York City to care for her widowed father and three siblings during the 1930’s depression. Their saga comes alive for Carly when she is drawn into the family struggles of an era so different than her own. Tina’s Italian immigrant family lives on the south side of a small town amid prejudice and political corruption. Their lives take a tragic turn when a boy drowns, and another is injured while swimming in dangerous local waterways. The incidents incite contention within the town, and lead to violence and murder that threaten Tina’s family and friends. With a love story as an anchor, Legacy at Liberty Lake reveals the spirit and passion of a family and a neighborhood’s determination to grab a piece of the American Dream.

    So when Argyle is murdered - the third butler to be stabbed in a week - Rose knows she must find out what really happened.Rose's investigation leads her on a journey into a hidden world of grave robbers and duelling butlers, flamboyant magicians and the city's ancient feline guardians.Knives aren't just for cutting cucumber sandwiches, you know . . .

    A girl visits a bazaar in Cairo, seeking a favor from a mysterious angelic being.This story first appeared in the anthology Clockwork Cairo: Steampunk Tales of Egypt.

    They could not change it. In the remnants of a lost empire, the hordes of the Serpent, a newborn god thirsting for blood, are gathering to invade the realm with their dark magic.His family dead in a night attack, Codrin loses everything: his home, his standing, and his future. As the Serpentists chase him, the assassin-trained fighter has only one trusted ally – Shadow, his sentient sword. When he takes the Oath of Justice at his family’s graveside, he is struck by a bolt of silent lightning. His mother was a powerful Wanderer, and that strike awakens the magic of the White Light in him. Ancient knowledge and glimpses of a dark future come to him, but he doesn’t yet know that the fate of the realm rests in his hands.Lady Jara’s future hangs in a precarious balance; powerful men covet her land and covet her, after she loses her husband in battle. She is forced to retreat to Severin, with her daughters, for a last stand. A chance encounter with Jara draws Codrin to her new home. Two strong armies are marching toward Severin, and the city is doomed to fall … unless he can save it. Errant is by turns taut medieval fantasy and touching love story, an irresistible read. Enter a fantasy world of magic and gods, epic battles, intrigue and mystery.

    - A killer with a deadly message plagued by a burden of guilt. - A priestess divinely empowered to absorb others' pain. - A soldier fighting for courage in the face of fear. - A broken warrior-priest on a mission of vengeance. - A thief desperate to escape the burden of his memories. Betrayed by mind or body, these people struggle to survive in a grim world that takes no pity on the weak. Yet they will discover that they are simply different, not damaged.

    --Karen Joy FowlerMandelbrot the Magnificent is a stunning, magical pseudo-biography of Benoit Mandelbrot as he flees into deep mathematics to escape the rise of HitlerBorn in Warsaw and growing up in France during the rise of Hitler, Benoit Mandelbrot found escape from the cruelties of the world around him through mathematics. Logic sometimes makes monsters, and Mandelbrot began hunting monsters at an early age. Drawn into the infinite promulgations of formulae, he sinks into secret dimensions and unknown wonders.His gifts do not make his life easier, however. As the Nazis give up the pretense of puppet government in Vichy France, the jealousy of Mandelbrot's classmates leads to denunciation and disaster. The young mathematician must save his family with the secret spaces he's discovered, or his genius will destroy them.

    The kingdom lies in ruins after years of bitter civil war. Simon de Montfort is dead, slaughtered in battle, and his surviving followers fight on with the fury of despair. Known as the Disinherited, these landless men infest the forests and highways and prey on the common folk. Hugh Longsword, a common soldier, fights for the King against the rebels who threaten to destroy England. He is taken into the service of the Lord Edward, King Henry’s eldest son, and made to work as a spy. Edward sends him into the wild north country, home to the most dangerous rebel captains: men such as Sir John d’Eyvill and his savage cousin Nicholas, known as the Beast for his cruelty. While Hugh spies on these cut-throats, the King gathers all his forces to attack Kenilworth Castle, greatest of the rebel strongholds. Though hopelessly outnumbered, the defenders hurl defiance from the walls and refuse to surrender. One assault after another is repulsed, even as the north country slides into chaos and another band of Disinherited seize the Isle of Ely in the fens of Cambridgeshire. From their watery fastness they ride out to attack the Jews of Lincoln, burning deeds, slaughtering innocents and kidnapping the wealthiest for ransom. One of those taken captive by the rebels is Esther, a widowed Jewess. She is carried away to Ely, where the Jews are treated with inhuman cruelty. Esther is rescued by Hugh, and they are hunted through the marshes by teams of soldiers and wolfhounds. Together they must survive all the dangers of a war-torn land, where law and justice are fallen away and only the strongest can hope to prosper. Longsword is the latest historical adventure novel by David Pilling, author of Reiver, Soldier of Fortune, The Half-Hanged Man, Caesar’s Sword and many more novels and short stories.

    His Journal. A Journal of an Adventurer.Should he stand up to become a "hero"?...Will it matter?Lake Merrin is a city in the North-Western part of Western Duchy, Favinonia. It is also known as Iron Dukedom. Duke Trahern Isenhart III is the ruler of Iron Dukedom, and his third cousin Count Darel Isenhart is the ruler of Lake Merrin, and it’s county.Lake Merrin is home to twenty thousand people, and it has the second oldest Adventuring Hall in Favinonia; nearly nine hundred years old.

    Magic comes naturally to him, yet he's not allowed to study sorcery because he's a Calatian--one of a magically created race of animal people. But when a mysterious attack leaves the masters desperate for apprentices, they throw their doors open, giving Kip his chance.As he fights to prove his worth to the human sorcerers, he encounters other oddities: a voice that speaks only to him, a book that makes people forget he's there, and one of the masters who will only speak to him through a raven. Greater than any of those mysteries or even whether the College's attacker will return to finish the job is the mystery of how Kip and his friends can prove that this place is where they belong…

    Fans missing their favorite series can now rejoice: Novik returns with an original Temeraire collection as unique as the world she has created, with each tale inspired by an accompanying piece of fan art. The Temeraire novels provide a window into an alternate nineteenth century populated with Novik’s own richly human and unforgettably draconic characters as they adventure alongside well-known historical figures. That tradition continues here. Readers will delight at appearances by fan-favorite characters from the series and historical figures like the famed explorer Matteo Ricci. In “Planting Season,” Novik shows us an early glimpse of American dragon John Wampanoag at Boston Harbor. “Golden Age” finds a dragon who believes he remembers being called Celeste hatch from a shipwreck-tossed crate onto an island where he meets others of his kind. But other famous fictional characters are to be discovered here as well. Readers will certainly recognize a certain Miss Bennet (here Captain Bennet) and her suitor, Mr. Darcy, in “Dragons and Decorum.” Filled with the inventive world-building, rich detail, sparkling wit, and deep emotion that readers have come to expect from Novik’s work, Golden Age and Other Stories is a treasure at home on any Temeraire-lover’s bookshelf.

     When Keeravani decides to aid a succubus who has somehow become a friend. She finds herself being swept up into a life she thought would never be hers. A life she never wanted. But royalty is a life sentence. The King is dying. The Leaons are corrupt. Ierilo is bordering on poverty. Samere has a plan and she fears that her choices will cause an irreversible rift between Ierilo and the Angilerian monarchy. With the help of a touchy succubus experiencing love for the first time. A water mage who wants to marry a Queen. The Palace Enchantress that she's sure isn't human and her three Advisers all new to their positions Keeravani is going to have free Ierilo of corruption and push towards posterity.

     Set in an alternate universe of London, after the untimely death of Queen Victoria in 1840, recently crowned Juliette faces a mysterious organization. The New World Order threatens her country and claims responsibility for the dirigible accident which killed off much of the aristocracy. Add in distracting romantic entanglements, a gifted unicorn, and tracking down the legendary Excalibur and this teenage Queen has an uphill battle leading to her coronation at Westminster. Will her reign be over before it has a chance to begin? Fans of Gail Carriger, Shanna Swendson, and Gaslamp fantasy won’t want to miss out on this lighthearted YA steampunk adventure. The Queen of England: Coronation is the first book in a trilogy by author Courtney Brandt.

    None of that matters to Sarah. She has a natural talent for hexing and one bad eye, and all she wants is to be left alone—especially by outsiders.But Sarah’s world gets turned on its head at the Nashville Tobacco Fair when a Yankee wizard-priest tries to kidnap her. Sarah fights back with the aid of a mysterious monk named Thalanes, who is one of the not-quite-human Firstborn, the Moundbuilders of the Ohio. It is Thalanes who reveals to Sarah a secret heritage she never dreamed could be hers.Now on a desperate quest with Thalanes to claim this heritage, she is hunted by the Emperor’s bodyguard of elite dragoons, as well as by darker things—shapeshifting Mockers and undead Lazars, and behind them a power more sinister still. If Sarah cannot claim her heritage, it may mean the end to her, her family—and to the world where she is just beginning to find her place.

    . .You can't change your fate - so throw yourself into battle, because you'll either win or wake up drinking mead in the halls of your ancestors. That's what Finn's tribe believe.But when their settlement is massacred by a hostile tribe and Finn and several friends, companions and rivals make their escape across a brutal, unfamiliar landscape, Finn will fight harder than he's ever fought in his life. He wants to live - even if he only lives long enough to tell Thyri Treelegs how he feels about her.The David Gemmell Award nominated author of Age of Iron returns with You Die When You Die - in which a mismatched group of refugees battle animals and monsters, determined assassins, depraved tribes, an unforgiving land and each other as they cross a continent to fulfill a prophecy.

    Mechanical beasts attacking her friends. Can she become a divine warrior and save the floating city?Fifteen-year-old Riwenne is bad at school, chronically late, and lost in a daydream, but she has help from her best friend, Nexita—until the two of them get separated. During the mysterious test on Choosing Day, they both wanted to become priestesses, an important job in the sky city. But only Riwenne became a novice, and Nexita was chosen by the engineers. Now she’s on her own for the first time in her life.When a talking bird tells her that her best friend is under attack, Riwenne faces her worst fear. She must become a divine warrior and save her best friend from mechanical beasts!As she juggles warrior training and priestess duties, Riwenne can’t let herself get distracted. She must recruit other warriors and lead the quest to find out the mystery behind the mechanical beasts, but most of all, she must follow her heart.If she fails, the gods will judge her.

    An ancient Egyptian mummy is terrorising the Scottish gentry and it’s Billy and Charley’s job to stop it. But the mummy is controlled by the mysterious Sandman, who plans to create an evil potion - using a human heart!

    . . two paranormal fairytale retellings by bestselling authors. Cinderella’s Phantom Prince by Jenni James Prince Adrian died tragically twenty years before, and until he met Adeline, his life had been quite lonely indeed. Suddenly, it is full of intrigues and a yearning desire to get to know the contradictory maiden. One moment, she is a prim and proper miss, and the next, a pillar of pluck and determination. Mostly, he finds he wants to protect her from the onslaught of her family—and the role of servant they have forced her to play. Adeline Moses was not royalty at all—she was merely a companion to her two stepsisters, the daughters of Lady Attlepate. So when she finds herself falling for a princely ghost during a summer party, all the rules of etiquette and her station in life seem to be tossed out the window. Now she is attempting to spend as much time with the prince as she can without her stepsisters ruining what little bit of happiness she has found. Their hearts feel alive for the first time in ages, yet a bit battered too, for how can such an unlikely pair find their happily ever after? Beauty’s Mirror by Rose Fairbanks Leonard Sundridge must find true love before his stepdaughter’s sixth birthday or he will die, cursed by his phantom wife to this fate unless he learns to love. But he cannot leave the estate grounds, and no one has ever loved him. Five years later, an angry and bitter prisoner in his own home, he hires a governess for Rosie in what may be his first selfless act ever. Arabella Beauley once believed in magical tales, but when nothing can save her mother, she forsakes fanciful stories. When her brother incurs a debt to the duke of Erroll, she chooses to work off his debt as a governess. Bella expected merely to give French lessons. Instead, the strange happenings at Sundridge Castle engulf her. Is the duke as rough and beastly as others have said? You’ve never read a Beauty and the Beast story like this before!

    Now she must trust Kapitan Maximillian Jaeger, enemy in the recent bitter war, with her life. Mercenary Captain Regina Fitzwaters embarks on one simple job to save her reputation: to retrieve the mysterious Alchemist’s Box from the court of the neighboring Duchy of Pella. But in Pella, a curse of a thousand years has resurfaced. Where are all the court dignitaries? What does the Alchemist’s box contain that is worth killing, or dying, for?Can Regina and Jaeger put the war behind them and work together to save everyone in the Duchy before it’s too late?

    Drawn from the historical record, Biblical lore, fairy tales, science fiction, and nightmares, these offbeat and fantastical works explore gender and sexuality in their darkest and most beautiful manifestations. In the tradition of Angela Carter or Kelly Link, My House Gathers Desires is covertly funny and haunting, seeking fresh ways to consider sexual identity and its relation to history.In "Sodom and Gomorrah," readers encounter a subversive, ecstatic new version of the Old Testament story. In "The Re'em," a medieval monk's search for a mythic beast conjures forbidden desire. And in "Notes on Inversion," the German psychiatrist Kraft-Ebbing receives a surreal retort to his clinical descriptions of same-sex desire.From "Sodom and Gomorrah":The strangers then are no longer like two men at all. They have undressed themselves, giving up the pretense of skin and becoming a denser part of the air. We are hungry for them. Ours is a sacred desire that was buried too long in our chests, like some city beneath the sand.

    He finds employment as a servant in the Palazzo Ducal, home of Conte Valperga. Sixteenth-century Pesaro is a society governed by status, and Antonius has limited opportunities.When a competition is announced, Antonius seizes his chance. The winner will be apprenticed to the town seer. Antonius shares first place with his employer’s son.The two men compete for their mentor’s approval. As their knowledge of magic and alchemy grows, so does the rivalry and animosity between them. When the love of a beautiful woman is at stake, Antonius must find a way to follow his heart and navigate his future.

    Her path to becoming a knight was no different. Now near the end of her training, a siege on the kingdom perpetrated by a band of sorcerers puts her on a more treacherous path than any she’s walked before.As fire rains down on the castle, the king orders her and fellow knight Thomas Delschein to get his daughter to safety. But even with their combined skills, they barely make it out of the city alive. When they’re forced to cross into enemy territory, things go from bad to worse.Wounded and running out of options, Shaun makes a desperate decision that will change her forever.Corruption of Honor Pt. I-III:I: The BurningII: The Crow and the ButterflyIII: The Divide

    Those of the Chapterhouse of the Black Isle are the envy of the world, for they have their Library, which houses secrets as deep as the ocean itself. Then some fool locked it. Not the ordinary sort of locking, for which there are keys and spells; no, this wretch of a novice was digging around in place he shouldn't even have been looking at, and he has set off the emergency lock, a thing not done for centuries. It has been so long since the emergency lock was set, no one remembers how to unset it. The more the wizards tried to unlock it, the more locked it became. What do you do when no key works and no spell prevails? You call upon Quinn of Clan Five, the master of locks. Because he is a sprite, he can't be trusted any farther than you can catapult him. So you frame him for a capital crime, then offer him a pardon if he will unlock the Library. To make sure he doesn't steal any secrets, you put the faithful ogre, John Golly, to watch over him. All will be well. Except that Quinn-the-Sprite does not intend to leave empty handed. John Golly used to be a tunneler in the service of a mercenary army, and Quinn used to be a tunneler as well, so Quinn figures the ogre will help out a brother. But the House has been talking to John Golly. Something is wrong with the House itself, and the problem lies deep within the Library. The wizards want Quinn to unlock the door and leave, but John Golly and the House want him to go much further. Quinn just wants to make off with a treasure that will set him up for life. And to keep his life. Wizards, sprites, ogres and a talking house. It might have all worked out, if it weren't for the storm. The storm changed everything. But they did not know Quinn and John Golly had been tunnelers in mercenary bands. Nor did they know the House wanted John Golly to do it a favor. And no one could have anticipated the storm.

    This episode written by Paul Witcover. As Kaab takes over her aunt’s role, Diane deals with the aftermath of the burglary at Tremontaine House. Despite Davenant’s moves against her and the school, she remains convinced she has the upper hand. Meanwhile, Esha begins to see the risks—body and soul—of being involved with Diane. Welcome to Tremontaine, where ambition, love affairs, and rivalries dance with deadly results. A Duchess whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; a handsome young scholar with more passion than sense; a foreigner in a playground of swordplay and secrets; and a mathematical genius whose discoveries herald revolution when games of politics begin, no one is safe. Keep your wit as sharp as your steel in this world where politics is everything, and outcasts are the tastemakers.

    Responsible for rooting out heretics is Barakat, a ruthless and uncompromising zealot.As refugees scramble to escape the city, Gregor (Rufus Wright), previously Master of the Palace Guard, has sworn an oath to the new rulers and struggles to survive as the new regime sets about dismantling the city of everything of value.Tumanbay is created by John Dryden and Mike Walker and inspired by the Mamluk slave rulers of Egypt.Original Music by Sacha Puttnam and Jon OuinSound Design by Steve BondSound Edited by James Morgan and Andreina GomezScript Edited by Abigail YoungmanProduced by Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan and John DrydenWritten and Directed by John DrydenA Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.Gregor Rufus WrightBarakat Hiran AbeysekeraCadali Matthew MarshEffendi Red Sagar AryaGeneral Qulan Christopher FulfordIbn Nabil ElouahabiHeaven Tanya RavljenDorin Vincent EbrahimAlkin Nathalie ArminMadu Danny AshokThe Hafiz Antony BunseeBello Albert WellingThe Iblis Byron MondahlFather Nadir KhanMother Lara SawalhaChild Ayaan AryaThe Maid Flaminia CinqueWriter John DrydenDirector John DrydenProducer Emma HearnProducer Nadir KhanProducer John Dryden1/8 The Last Boat As refugees scramble to escape the city, Gregor swears an oath to the new rulers.2/8 The Kill Under the rule of the followers of Maya, Tumanbay has become a place of fear.3/8 RatsGregor's niece Manel is sent by her rebel comrades into the desert on a mission to kill.4/8 Healing the SickSlave trader Ibn seeks justice from the new regime's religious courts.5/8 Kiss My FingersThreat of plague brings Barakat into conflict with Effendi Red.6/8 Holy FatherFollowing a series of murders, Barakat's hold over Tumanbay is complete.7/8 Take My HandManel goes to the swamps in search of her enslaved father, General Qulan.8/8 We Are ThreeAs the rebel army approaches the city, Gregor must confront the truth about his past.

    He doesn’t expect to find out Rafael is his familiar.When Enoch runs afoul of the murderous Bone Gang, he and Rafael strike a deal to take down the gang together. As lawman and outlaw work together, Enoch soon realizes the next thing the gentleman bandit steals will be his heart.Words: 16,260

    Through the beautiful Alyssa Country, and then into the deep untamed forest, where danger constantly lurks. Just before the meet a friendly escort, an attack develops. Lauren kills for the first time. Then on to the Wolfa clan village, where the Chief is seriously ill. His cure means more journeys deeper into thick forest, where wolf packs await and attack. During the return to the hill fort Bran gets seriously injured in a fight with a wild boar, but worse, a wild, savage tribe attack and capture many of their community. After many privations, they find the fort where they are held and gain access. To free her friends, Lauren has to almost destroy the fort with fire. They flee back to a forest, but Nodens sends fire bolts down, and they are trapped in a fierce forest fire. Princess Lauren finds a way out, but the journey back takes a terrible turn when traders are found tortured and killed. This tribe must be taken on, and beaten, for the country to be safe again. Lauren has brought the English Longbow back in time, the only weapon capable of defeating their enemy. At the hill fort, Lauren discovers her mother, the Queen is very ill and she believes at the point of death. Drastic measures are needed... continued

     Exiled from my home at the castle, cut off from family and friends, I fled to the Blights, the last place in the kingdom anyone would run to. In exchange for allowing me to remain in his territory, the dangerous outlaw Blaze has tasked me with guarding his sister, Penny, from unknown attackers. Now I have to dodge two teams of assassins while also trying to keep Blaze from learning the truth-that the man after me is none other than Prince Jasper, the most powerful man in the kingdom. With only my sword beside me, I need to find a way to save Penny and myself without revealing all my secrets.

    But when she discovers an anonymous note, her life will never again be the same. Thrust into a world of shadows, secrets, and intrigue, she’ll be forced to use all her wits, intellect, and knowledge of gemstones as she tries to prevent a war when a priceless, Chinese pearl is stolen. Along the way, she’ll meet some unexpected allies and make some dangerous enemies as she learns who she can trust, but just one false step and it will be more than her life on the line.