Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California. Although his parents don’t approve, he’s found true friends in Nick, Suki, and Ollie, sons of field workers. The group is inseparable. But Steven is in turmoil. He’s beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship.When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II, Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar. Ollie enlists in the army and ships out. And Nick must flee. Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he turns to Steven for help. Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm, Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world.As the war escalates, bonds deepen and the fear of being different falls away. But after Nick unexpectedly disappears one day, Steven’s life focus is to find him. On the way, Steven finds a place he belongs and a lesson about love that will last him his lifetime.

    It's a relationship of convenience at first, but could it become something more? This manga comedy is now a hit streaming anime! Extra-long book includes 2 Japanese volumes!RELATIONSHIP RANK INCREASED...?When Hanako loses a cherished memento, Taro finds himself out in the cold as he pulls out all the wrong stops to try and find a happy resolution. Narumi and Hirotaka offer what support they can while deepening their own relationship, but their help can only go so far... As for Naoya and Ko, perceptive onlookers nudge the pair to close what little distance remains between them, but will they get the hints?

    Her job at the local paper allows her to pursue her art in her free time, with no one but her tabby cat Ginger Pickles to mind her in Mermaid Terrace. But then the owner of the paper is called away on an emergency, and it's up to Tressa to run the paper for six months. Her first task: find a new part-time journalist.Dan Byrne is the angriest man in Ireland – or so the readers of his very successful column, 'Dan takes on the world', think. But after a story goes south and he loses his job in Dublin, Dan has no choice but to start afresh. When an opportunity comes up in sleepy Cornwall, Dan and his Golden Retriever Ritchie set off for a new adventure.For Tressa, Dan's arrival to Port Lowdy changes everything. Tressa tries not to look too deeply at her own life, but Dan sees a story to uncover in absolutely everyone – even her. The two of them couldn't be more different... yet, if they can find a way to work together, they may just breathe new life and joy into this sleepy seaside village.Finding Love at Mermaid Terrace is a heartwarming new village romance about the power of love and kindness, from the bestselling author of Starting Over at Acorn Cottage.

    

    From their humble beginnings of founding the Sunshine Club when they were girls to becoming the matchmaking queens of Newton, Texas, these three were inseparable. When Blanche passes away, Gussie and Ina Mae feel the best way to honor their dearly departed is with a shot of whiskey, some good music, and making a match for Blanche’s niece, Sissy.Never mind that Sissy’s in town for only six weeks. Is there a better reason for her to stay? And is there a better prospect than handsome, charming, blue-eyed local preacher Luke Beauchamp? No and no. The attraction is already there. Now it’s up to Gussie and Ina Mae to make sure the sparks really get to crackling by Christmas.The Sunshine Club is back in business. Don’t underestimate two feisty women who have their hearts set on a happy ending.

    This is only the beginning, as he and other world-weary workers are about to meet the other feline professionals who have mastered pawfully cute techniques to reduce human stress.

    My darling girl. I remember her tiny hand in mine, her first smile. I recall her tears when she’d tumble over, healed instantly with a band-aid and a little kiss. I have to keep her safe. Even if it means someone else gets hurt…In the pretty, privileged college town of Milford, New Hampshire, everyone is friendly, everything is safe. And on this cold autumn day, as red and yellow leaves begin to fall from the trees, and everyone wraps up for the first time, it would be easy to believe nothing bad could ever happen here.Until a screech of tires is heard, a thud, a child’s scream. The crash that sees Jenna’s six-year-old daughter Amy Rose being hit by a car driven by seventeen-year-old Maddie.Maddie’s mother, Ellen—a college professor with a warm, approachable reputation—insists it must have been an accident. Her daughter is always safe on the road—and she’s vulnerable herself.But as Amy Rose lies unconscious in hospital, the town begins to take sides. With Ellen, who just wants to defend her daughter. Or with Jenna, a single mother with a past, whose child hovers between life and death…The truth is that both mothers have secrets they’re trying to keep. And, with Amy Rose’s life hanging in the balance, one of them will stop at nothing to protect the person she loves—her daughter.An incredible, powerfully emotional and heartbreaking read, with a dilemma that will make everyone wonder what they would do, in either mother’s shoes. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Diane Chamberlain.

    Adorably drawn, these endearing snapshots of Alina's life are surprisingly familiar, as if they've been taken from your own life: finding solace with a lone puppy at a crowded party, the frustration of deciding what to eat for dinner, making the mistake of hitting the snooze button, accidentally stepping on a dog's foot and feeling like a MONSTER, and tons more! Including dozens of all-new exclusive comics in addition to fan favorites, this collection is perfect for those who need a laugh at the small agonies of life.

    The owner, reclusive novelist and butterfly enthusiast Maggie, has kept the curtains of her dusty house drawn for many years. But now she is dying, and Erin, seeing the shadows that cross Maggie’s face, wants to help in any way she can.Years ago, Maggie’s only son Lucas ran away to the other side of the world and the searing heat of the Costa Rican jungle. Maggie is desperate to see Lucas again – there is something she needs him to know.Erin wants to help Maggie find peace. But when she travels to the warm white sands and tropical butterfly gardens of Costa Rica to find Lucas, it becomes very clear that he is hiding something too.As Erin unravels the webs of deceit entangling mother and son, she learns about the terrible tragedy that changed their lives forever: the night when a little girl in a fairy nightdress went missing. But with Maggie’s time fast running out, is it too late for them to find the forgiveness they need to move on?A heart-wrenching page-turner about a family ripped apart by guilt and lies. Set against the storms of the Cornish coast and the silvery sands of Costa Rica, The Butterfly Garden is a story of love, loss and letting go. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Harriet Evans and Lucinda Riley will be gripped.

    In this book, Worry Lines interweaves these fan-favorites into an entirely new story about the making of the book itself. Charting the creative process from its anxiety-riddled beginning to its (hopefully) hopeful end, This Book Is for You is a charming and honest portrait of worry.This book is for you if you are:1. A Brave Worrier (BW)2. An Absolute Legend (AL)3. Anywhere from Mildly Concerned About Something (MCAS) to Deeply Anxious About Everything (DAAE)

    A wise and warm-hearted story about aging, family and community for readers of Tricia Stringer and Liz Byrski.At 70, Ella's world is upended, leaving her at odds with her three adult children, whose attention is fixed more firmly on her money than her ongoing welfare. After an argument with her son Anthony, she flees his Adelaide home for Cutlers Bay, a seaside town on the Yorke Peninsula. There she befriends Angie, a 40-year-old drifter, and becomes an irritant to local cop Zach. He's keen to shift Ella off his turf, because Anthony phones daily, demanding his mother be sent home. And besides, Zach just doesn't trust Angie.Ella warms to Cutlers Bay, and it warms to her. In a defiant act of self-determination, she buys an entirely unsuitable house on the outskirts of town, and Angie agrees to help make it habitable. Zach is drawn to the house on the clifftop, and finds himself revising his earlier opinions of Ella, and Angie.A keenly observed story about aging and its inherent vulnerability, about community and chosen family, about how family stressors shape us all, about trust and loyalty, and about standing up for yourself.

    After his parents died in a horrific car crash, he uses the inheritance money to start a brewery and gets married.Happiness doesn't last very long. The brewery is struggling, and his marriage is rocky. Still, he has his team at work supporting him. Until he doesn't.Microbrewer Alchemist is the story of a man who stumbles upon a secret that he is still trying to understand while turning his life around at the same time. There are no intimate scenes or harems, but there is a bit of swearing.

    

    While working on a liberal arts group project with freeloaders who don’t put in any effort, Sangwoo reasonably decides to remove their names from the final presentation.But he didn’t imagine how involved he would become with the person whose study-abroad plans were messed up because of that project. The involved person: the campus star who everyone knows, Department of Design’s Jang Jaeyoung. He has everything from skills, looks, family background and good relationships except for 1 big problem: Chu Sangwoo.What happens when an engineer and an artist whose personalities are like oil and water have to work together? Jang Jaeyoung is like a semantic error in the perfect world of Chu Sangwoo. Will Sangwoo be able to debug this?

    Ouch! Once there, he meets a mysterious girl...who happens to be undead. But despite her general dislike of humans, she decides to help him out. Can the two of them make it back to the surface? They might just be a more powerful combo than anyone was expecting!

    So why does she feel so trapped?Jack had two dying wishes: that his wife scatter his ashes somewhere ‘exotic’, and that she not give up on life once he was gone. He intended to spur her on to new adventures, but despite clinging to her red suitcase, Geraldine Verne hasn’t left the house for three months.It takes an accident for Geri to accept help from her friends, but when Meals on Wheels arrive she is mortified. Yet heartbroken volunteer Lottie brings with her more than cottage pie and custard. Like Geri, she too is struggling to cut loose.As a gloriously unlikely friendship blossoms, Geraldine begins to feel a long-lost spark of life and a newfound confidence. Perhaps what both women needed most, after all, was each other.

    Raised by a master of magical toolmaking, she develops a passion for the craft and becomes engaged to her father’s apprentice. Before her father can see her wed, however, he suddenly passes away. As if this weren’t enough, on the day before their wedding, her fiancé announces that he’s in love—but not with her! Dahlia finally realizes she needs to live for herself. She vows to be her own woman from now on and devote herself to her craft, even if it’s not quite the quiet life she was hoping for! From a chance encounter with a knight to starting her own company, there are challenges aplenty on the horizon. But this young craftswoman is no longer a shrinking violet—she’s Dahlia, and she’s ready to bloom.

    . . A Heartstopper mini-comic

    

    

    But a brush with death awakens memories of her past life as a Saint–a woman who wields rare, powerful healing and protection magic–along with the ability to use that magic herself! The downside is that Fia also remembers her past life’s untimely death, and the danger she will be in if anyone finds out what she really is. She vows to stay on her knighthood path and keep her powers a secret forever! But how can she resist using her newfound powers when they’re just so useful?

    She’s now a popular English lit professor. Life is good. Really. The only problem is the invite in her mailbox. Who in their right mind has a fifteen-year high school reunion?Iris Long’s days are predictable. She did the safe thing and married the high school quarterback. While her life isn’t a grand love affair, it’s comfortable, and as the secretary at the local high school, she can see her daughter and son throughout the day. Her family is great, but Iris longs for the one person she can’t have.Jaxon comes back to town amid gossip that started sixteen years earlier and never really died down. After crushing on Iris in high school, seeing her again is a welcome surprise. But it’s Iris’s daughter, Sean, whose dark hair, blue eyes, and brilliant mind are startlingly like Jaxon’s own who exposes scars from small town secrets.Jaxon has been kept in the dark by those she loves most, including Iris. But when the truth is finally revealed, will she leave for good?

    But can his list of 100 Remarkable Feats really save his nanna?Xander Maze loves lists, and his grandmother is #1 in his list of People I Love Most in the World. But now that Nanna has stage 4 cancer, can a new list of 100 Remarkable Feats really save her life?Particularly when his list contains difficult things like #2 Make a Friend and #3 Make a Best Friend.Funny, moving and with a protagonist you can't help but fall in love with, 100 Remarkable Feats of Xander Mazeis#1 Heartbreaking#2 Heartwarmingand a book about defying the odds, not accepting the unacceptable, and one boy's unconditional love for his nanna.

    The events take place after each story's respective Epilogue.Here’s a glimpse into the lives of the ladies of the Boston Series. Find out what’s been going on with Gretchen & Amanda, Becca & Erin, Cassie & Tessa, and Jamie & Lauren.Epilogues are nice, but they’re a snapshot in time. Maybe it’s a year after the book ends, or even just a few months. Maybe there’s a wedding or another life-changing event. Maybe a character announces she’s pregnant. Maybe the characters are moving across the country.In this group of short stories, you’ll find out about the directions the lives of Boston Series characters have taken and will take in the coming years, how they’re doing together, how they’re doing at work, and learn about what’s coming next for each of the characters in their relationships.If you plan to read these, please read all the books in the series first. While the respective books in the series are always complete without What Happened After…, the context of the main stories is essential for you to enjoy these post-Epilogue vignettes.List of books in the Boston Series:

    Army vet in his seventies who is asked to lead a group of young grand-nieces and grand-nephews on a walk through the hills of California’s Central Coast as wildfires burn far to the north. They don’t know him and don’t want to follow him, and Oisín would love to be anywhere else. But still they walk together, through golden grasses and amid live oaks and manzanitas, coyotes and rabbits, on their way to a discovery beyond any of their expectations. A quietly brilliant story of beauty and possibility, The Museum of Rain is about suddenly finding the world—or at least a small piece of it—as good as you’d hoped.

    But as the relatives gather for the funeral and the stories start to flow, Yoichi’s childhood starts to resurface. The Spring afternoons playing on the floor of his father’s barber shop, the fire that ravaged the city and his family home, his parents’ divorce and a new ‘mother’.Through confidences and memories shared with those who knew him best, Yoichi rediscovers the man he had long considered an absent and rather cold father.

    At school she’s been nicknamed “The Ice Queen” by her classmates, and for good reason: she prefers to keep everyone at arm’s length and seldom talks to others. Neither Fuyuka nor Asahi have had a chance to interact with each other yet, but Asahi’s tendency to meddle in other people’s business slowly but surely marks the beginning of a relationship that blooms into something more…

    This book contains a slew of additional content, including all the color and cover artwork up to Part 3 Volume 1, a short story on Monika and Nicola’s first tour of the temple, a manga chapter by Suzuka, and three four-panel manga by You Shiina. Also inside are design sheets showing how Bookworm’s characters were visually brought to life, and a Q&A with author Miya Kazuki containing lesser-known details about the plot as well as information on how she planned out and developed the series.

    Takeda, the senpai above her at work, annoys her constantly-and yet she finds herself growing closer to him. Every day is filled with comic mishaps and romantic moments as Igarashi tries to balance work, life, and love. This full-color manga-which started its life as a webcomic-is sure to charm audiences of workplace comedies like Aggretsuko and The Office!

    It’s been thirty years since May DuBerry, Willy’s young wife and Lacey’s mother, abandoned them both leaving Willy to raise Lacey alone. Lacey Cherrymill is smart, stubborn and focused. She’s also a single mother to a young daughter recently diagnosed with a devastating illness. The last thing she needs to think about right now is the betrayal that rocked her childhood. Reluctantly, she has returned to her rural beginnings, a former dairy farm in the Maryland countryside, and to Willy, a man steeped in his own disappointments and all the guilt that goes with them. Together they will pool their wobbly emotional resources to take care of Tasha, all the while trying to skirt the issue of May’s mysterious disappearance. But try as she might, Lacey can’t leave it alone. Just where is May DuBerry Cherrymill and why did she leave them, and how is it that they have never talked about the wreckage she left behind?

    As Komugi gets to really know Rin the fox, his cold exterior slowly melts away–and Yū can’t help but be concerned. In order to let someone new into his heart, Yū struggles to confront his emotional trauma from the past. But by the time Yu realizes his true emotions, something unthinkable has happened to Komugi…

    "I'm into someone", Cang Shu, a straight A student who always indulges in learning and has no passion for social contact, actually announces in public that she likes the poor student Qi Lin?! Thanks to a misunderstanding, the two of them begin to know each other, when a girl who disdains to make friends meets another girl who desires to be loves, what will occur between them?

    

    But while her life looks good on paper, four months out of treatment, Jade realizes she hardly knows her college-age children and she and her husband Nick are little more than housemates.Determined to start over, Jade schedules a family vacation to a lakefront cabin. When her kids bail and Nick stays home to handle a last minute work crisis, Jade heads to Chammont Point alone, determined to dust herself off and figure out what to do with the rest of her life.While she’s away, the life she thought she had unravels. Secrets, lies, and old wounds drive Jade into new adventures and new relationships. With the help of family and new found friends, Jade learns starting over sometimes means finding a brand new restarting point.

    It was a dream come true! Though he remembers his life and knowledge of Earth, he is now Cain von Silford, the third son of an aristocrat. Being granted the protection of the gods on his fifth birthday turned out to be too much of a good thing for Cain. His stats and boosts are so powerful, he must hide his real abilities to climb the ranks of society as he descends into the darkest dungeons. The ultimate isekai adventure begins as a teen-turned-child is trapped in a beautiful kingdom he didn't create, but might one day rule!

    She often has what his father and grandparents call episodes. She screams and fights, scratches and spits, and has to be carted away to specialized clinics for frequent treatments. Bastien doesn't like it when she goes, because when she comes home, she isn't the same. She has no feelings, no desires, and not much interest in him. According to the doctors, Bastien's mother suffers from bipolar disorder with schizophrenic tendencies, but he prefers to imagine her as a comic-book heroine, like Jean Grey, who may become Dark Phoenix and explode in a superhuman fury at any moment.Based on the creator's own childhood experiences, The Parakeet is the story of a boy whose only refuge from life's harsh realities lies in his imagination. In his eyes, we see the confusion and heartache he feels as he watches his mother's illness worsen and the treatments fail. Through his eyes, we see how mental illness can both tear families apart and reaffirm the bonds of love. Poignant yet playful, The Parakeet follows Bastien's struggle to accept the mother he has while wishing for the mother he needs.

    As a traveling psychic, she makes her living working at carnivals and festivals and circuses around New England. It's a life Ruby has made peace with--settling in one place has never been for her. She needs no one, and no one needs her.Until one night, when she is camped by the side of the road in her trusty Volkswagon Westie van, a fierce thunder and lightning storm erupts. In the middle of the downpour, she hears a distinct voice telling her to let me in. In jumps a little black and white dog, and to Ruby's astonishment, she can hear the dog's thoughts. Has she been struck by lightning? Did the storm do this? Is she losing her mind?It turns out, Ruby can hear many dogs' thoughts. She decides to set up semi-permanent residency in the town of Harmony Farms, until she can sort out what is going on, and who the little dog, Hitch, belongs to. But some people in Harmony Farms don't want her there. And it seems that events keep preventing Ruby from leaving. What secrets is this town keeping? Why was she meant to find this dog? And what has Ruby really been running from, all these years?

    Epilogue to Think of England/Will Darling Adventures

    That is, until he meets death, by way of the Grim Reaper. The Reaper, a junk food loving, poetry reading, cigarette-addicted entity, has no time to waste as he searches for a suitable successor who would become "Death" for the next millennium. By training the boy in the ways of death and dying, Reaper grooms his young apprentice and through suspenseful and horror-laced events, he unknowingly gives Sonny something he never intended: Something to live for.

    A sudden rainstorm forces them to share an umbrella, they spend Christmas together, and New Year's fortunes spell it out, but they're not ready to make the leap. Meanwhile, does Yuto have a crush on Kurobe?

    But does it have to include my business partner’s moody younger sister, Layla? Yes, it does, and she happens to be escorting me to New Orleans. As much as we hate each other, it isn’t completely crazy. Technically, she’s an employee and someone decided I should be her boss. But one fight after another leads us to an explosion in the bedroom… more than once.I definitely wasn’t planning on nailing more than a good business deal on this trip. Unfortunately, our plan to leave the antics in the bedroom and out of the office falls apart as soon as we return home. First, because some of our mutual talents can’t be forgotten. Two, because there is a business partner that may kill me as soon as he figures out what happened. And three, because some secrets can only be kept for so long, give or take nine months.The Unexpected Card is the first standalone novel from the Mr. Boss series. This workplace romance is filled with banter, a swoony boss, steamy times, and surprises along the way.

    Traversing the country, Barrett Swanson introduces us to Americans who are contending with the aftermath of political and economic collapse and considers how the end-of-history preoccupation with wellness and consumerism has led to spiritual desolation and new forms of fascism.A trip with his brother to a New York psychic community becomes a rollicking tour through the world of American spiritualism. At a wilderness retreat in Ohio, men seek a cure for toxic masculinity, while in the hinterlands of Wisconsin, anti-war veterans turn to farming when they cannot sustain the heroic myth of service. And when his best friend’s body washes up on the shores of the Mississippi River, he falls into the gullet of true crime discussion boards, exploring the stamina of conspiracy theories along the cankered byways of the Midwest.At a moment when grand unifying narratives have splintered into competing story lines, these essays document the many routes by which Americans are struggling to find stability in their lives, sometimes at dire and disillusioning costs.

    But as she cleans up Fanny's house, she begins to wonder if Fanny's hope chest might hold the answers to her questions about disappointed dreams and holding on to hope.That is, if she can face both the mess and her own heart.

    The first kiss project is her foolproof plan to finally get rid of the status at her birthday party while her parents are out of town.With several kissable boys on her guest list, this should be a walk in the park. But she didn’t reckon on her older brother returning from college days before her 17th birthday, putting a spoke in her plans. To make matters even more complicated, he has a friend in tow, and the cute hockey player stirs unexpected butterflies in her stomach every time their paths cross.While Sandy moves heaven and earth to make her party and project come true, she doesn't know that Thane Griffyn is making his own plans to teach her the real meaning of a first kiss.A compelling, sweet high school romance, perfect for fans of Kelly Oram, L A Cotton, Cassie Mae, and Erin WattTeen & young adult contemporary romanceNew adult romance

    He's just a normal university student who gets caught up in a hero summons with an actual Hero. But even "Hero" is just a ceremonial role these days, ever since the Demon Lord was killed centuries ago. In a world where demons are chill, nobles are no longer corrupt, wars are a distant memory and there are no more epic quests to complete, what's a regular guy to do? Why, build a harem, of course!

    

    

    Him? Her “Daddy”?Powerful enough to have been venerated by humankind, yet warmhearted and even a tad ditzy, the dragon soon finds himself raising and doting on the precocious Olivia as if she really were his daughter in this touching tale. The toddler may be impossibly cute now, but just you wait—she’s a curious child and she’s growing up real fast. You can bet that one day, she’ll be the strongest human there is!But first, how will he handle little Olivia receiving an acceptance letter to a human school?

    For Lin DaoShi is not only famous, he's also straight – and comes nursing an eating disorder, a dying career and a broken heart. Brought together by a common love for ballet, they soon find themselves trapped in a pas de deux only the secrets they must keep can break apart...

    With two young children, a business in a town struggling under an unexpected crime wave, and her husband more interested in his cricket team than their marriage, life is a juggling act. Then, when new neighbours arrive and they are exactly the sort of people the town doesn't want or need, things get worse.Life has taught Helen Demetriou two things: being homeless is terrifying and survival means keeping your cards close to your chest. Having clawed back some stability through her involvement in the community garden, she dares to relax. But as she uncovers some shady goings-on in the council, that stability turns to quicksand.For teenage mother Jade Innes, life can be lonely among the judgement of the town and the frequent absences of her boyfriend. A chance encounter draws her into the endangered community garden where she makes friends for the first time. Glimpsing a different way of life is enticing but its demands are terrifying. Does she even deserve to try?Can such disparate women unite to save the garden and ultimately stop the town from tearing itself apart?A timely novel exploring prejudice and privilege, from bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe.PRAISE FOR FIONA LOWE: 'The undisputed queen...' Canberra Weekly'Fiona's insight into the fickle nature of life ... and how best intentions can so easily come undone makes it simple to identify with her characters and lends an authentic resonance to this roller-coaster story.' - Australian Country'Fiona Lowe weaves an extraordinary story of loss, love, and forgiveness.' - GLAM Adelaide'If you loved Big Little Lies, you'll want to devour Fiona Lowe's Just an Ordinary Family next.' - Mamamia

    A five feet four, one-hundred-and-twenty-pound guy who reeks of a damsel in distress. In other words, Tate’s kryptonite.When a sprained ankle leaves him trapped in the woods, Bryan has no option but to accept help from the only man within miles around. But there’s just so much to do in a cabin before boredom kicks in. With only one bed, one brooding inexperienced hunk, and a few days for his injury to heal, it's only a matter of time before things heat up.Just when Tate starts opening up to Bryan, an unexpected turn of events throws Bryan in the face of danger. To rescue him this time, Tate must leave his fortress in the woods to return to society. Will their brief encounter be enough for them to survive what lurks in the city?Full of playful banter, lingerie, heels, a slight age gap, devious friends, stubborn exes, mystery, and intrigue, this book will give you a thrilling and swoony experience.Please note, this approximately 100k word book was previously published as Falling for Mr. Corporate and My Dear Mr. Corporate. Over 20k words have been added to the story for a dual POV of the section which was formerly Falling for Mr. Corporate. Also newly edited.

    Coming out to your parents. Learning that your sister is your biggest dating rival. High school sure does have its share of twists, turns and moments of high drama. To get through it all with your smile and sanity intact, you’re going to need some friends. Really good friends. Friends like Johnny, Mariel, Gaby and Martina who, one way or another, will find a way to get through their teenage years together.

    Before she got Covid and infected him, putting his already fragile life in danger.To protect Toby’s health in the years that follow, Phoebe dedicates herself to pathogen avoidance, refusing to touch any potential sources of contamination—handrails, doorknobs, vending machine buttons, and even other people—leading to an unintended life of seclusion. By the time she reaches high school, her only sources of respite are pottery class and her friendship with Walter, the elderly owner of the used bookstore where she works part-time.Now Walter’s devised a plan to help Phoebe overcome her anxiety, and she must decide whether to continue isolating herself or risk everything initiating a friendship with the charming subway busker she can’t help but want to touch.

    Perfect to pair with your morning coffee or binge-read while curled up with a favorite blanket on a snowy afternoon!From a stately mansion to a rough barn, from a cheerful fireside to a lonely mountain road, from a chaotic church pageant to the grim aftermath of war, no heart is without its burden. But no trouble is too deep to be touched by the light of love and the warmth of Christmas.

    After her fairytale fantasy life is destroyed by her girlfriend’s infidelity, sheltered Alice heads to raucous San Francisco on a journey of sexual awakening, community building, and self-discovery in this bawdy sex-comedy and queer romance that celebrates its diverse ensemble’s joys, kinks, and loves.

    I fell in love with how each short story packs a punch and is memorable on its own." — Readers' Favorite"The author’s writing flows from story to story effectively keeping readers wanting more." — Entrada ReviewsOur lives are all drawn together as an infinite series of intersecting stories, paths that cross, divide, and double back again. Sometimes the foundations from where they begin can enslave our minds or set them free, with the only difference between destinies tied to how we see the world around us.Two runaways cross paths in a Tennessee bus station with only one ticket between them. Who has the better reason to leave town? A middle-aged man in Illinois eyes the daily grind of a young basketball player who never boards the school bus. Does he have the wherewithal to turn this life around? A family sees looters racing toward their home as they escape an Oregon wildfire. Does it matter what the thieves steal before it all burns?These and 47 more stories make up a debut collection of shorts, with each one or several easily read within a single sitting. Many of these stories have already been expanded for inclusion in a second collection and several are being considered for longer intersecting works.

    The writing is like Vanessa herself; funny, charming and brave.” —Mindy Kaling Through a series of extraordinary, incisive, often-humorous essays, Emmy-nominated winning actress Vanessa Baden Kelly examines what the idea of “home” means to a Black millennial woman in FAR AWAY FROM CLOSE TO HOME: A Black Millennial Woman in Progress. How important is race to the idea of community? What are the consequences of gentrification on the life of a young Black woman? What aspects of a community help―or hurt―a family with a young child? In these profound, intimate essays, Baden has found a space where she can work out thoughts and feelings she feels unsafe saying out loud. As she processes the initial ideas more fully, her essays evolve from personal stories to fully-realized communiques of a generation of Black women who are finding a new sense of both belonging and ostracism in private, work, and public life. A single ride on a Los Angeles public bus that begins with the overwhelming odor of a man sleeping across one of the seats travels through a range of ideas and choices: “choosing” to sit in the back of the bus; the interconnectedness of living in a majority-Black community in the Crenshaw district; the segregation and gentrification of Los Angeles; the challenges of raising a child in a modern urban environment. Underlying the theme of each essay are questions of how a Black millennial woman can find “home” anywhere when confronted with its invasion by police, men, and society’s expectations.Author VANESSA BADEN KELLY is an Emmy-winning actress, Emmy-nominated writer, and producer. She began her career as a child, starring on Nickelodeon’s Gullah Gullah Island and Kenan and Kel. After departing entertainment, she began organizing in college, co-founding the Student Coalition for Justice (later the base for the Dream Defenders) and continued working in the field. To date, she has led campaigns for The Trayvon Martin Foundation, Community Coalition South LA, and various political campaigns including Obama for America ’08 and the Ndoum Presidential Campaign in Accra, Ghana. Additionally, she is an Ambassador for the RuJohn Foundation. Upon her return to Hollywood, Vanessa has become a successful television writer and producer, writing for shows such as TNT’s Animal Kingdom and Mindy Kaling’s HBO Max series The Sex Lives of College Girls. Vanessa originated the role of Journee as writer/star of the Issa Rae digital series Giants, where she is four times Emmy-nominated and one time Emmy-winning for Best Actress in a Digital Drama. Vanessa is mother to a human son, Ryder, and a dog son named Dude.

    It’s there she meets Tov, the Librarian whose brown eyes are easier to get lost in than the stories she loves.Things get complicated, however, when Rinity discovers the Librarian is actually the Crown Prince. And his friend, Royal Advisor Gibbs, never seems to be far from the Prince— and seems to have taken an interest in Rinity's best friend.Amya Cole knows better than to set her sights too high— a merchant’s son is all she needs to be provided for and still be useful. But the Royal Advisor quickly becomes an unexpected development in those plans.When a mysterious man offers Rinity the opportunity to become the girl the Prince thinks she is, she must decide how far she's willing to go for the answers she wants. Will the girls find their happy ending or bring Liosa down with them as they try to find it?It's Aladdin meets Pride and Prejudice in this romantic comedy about finding the love you deserve in the most unexpected places.

    

    The post office of Hell, Texas, receives a different kind of mail. All the angry apologies and proud boasts, the midnight confessions and last laughs sent in moments of honesty to the dead. Shy Maddy Rupert, 15, has a summer job at the post office in the quiet hill-country town. Selling stamps, sorting mail, - and dumping the dead letters down a cursed well shaft. Easy work, if boring. Until someone in the well begins writing to Maddy. She just may have a date for the Mid-Summer Dance, whether she wants one or not.The summer promises to be more interesting than Maddy expected. And that isn't even taking into account the ghosts camping at the crossroads.

    While Musa and Sam struggle with ghosts from their past.But summer is coming to the land of spidersilk: and with it come familiar faces. For better and for worse.What's in the cards for our trio?

    Their marriage is what dreams are made of. Until the day Rhea miscarries…When their baby journey starts to take a severe toll on them and their marriage, Aman isn’t sure if having a child will complete them or destroy them. While he wants their life to go back to what it was, Rhea can’t see the way back to their previously blissful lives.Suddenly, Rhea and Aman find the fabric of their stable marriage fraying beneath the strain of their failed conceptions and each other’s warring expectations. Will their love for each win over their opposing dreams? Will their marriage survive society’s expectations or will they succumb to it, losing each other in the process?

    

    She’s living her high school dream to the fullest–from prepping for the long-awaited school festival to unexpectedly cutting her hair. And between Tamamo’s fox sisters and her weasel and tanuki classmates, the number of non-humans surrounding her continues to grow!

    “What a small word for such a big thing.”The broken world groans. Oh, for a beacon of light! Where is something to live for—to kindle the spark of excitement, to calm the heart, to impart love, joy, and peace—and perhaps to shine the light of God’s glory on earth as in heaven?Hope. In these twenty-two sweet stories and poems, experience the dawning of a sure, unfailing hope. Join a plethora of relatable characters young and old in their journey through the heights and depths of suffering—a cancer diagnosis, a shocking accident, the loss of a dear family member. Wrestle with the agony of a missing loved one, an unavoidable mortgage, or a tough move. Experience the ache of rejection and loneliness, misunderstanding and oppression, and illnesses both physical and mental. Yet in the midst of each heartache winds a strong, undying cord of hope—that light in the darkness, that beacon, that anchor of the soul. As you smile, cry, and sigh through each heartfelt piece, perhaps you too will grasp ahold of your own hope again.For our God is our glorious Hope.

    Though only a handful of years older than Gray, Christian carries herself with poise and wisdom far beyond her years. A woman of few words, she speaks volumes with her body. Before Gray even really knows what her type is, Christian stars in endless daydreams and even fulfills a couple of her fantasies before vanishing out of thin air, leaving Gray in an empty bed with nothing but bittersweet memories and broken dreams. With no choice but to move on, Gray attempts love, even moving with her college girlfriend to New York City to pursue a career in journalism. But her standard has been set, the bar way too high for any other woman to reach or clear. It's an unexpected encounter in an obvious place when Gray sets eyes on her dancer again. Will the bright lights of Broadway illuminate the way back to the woman of her dreams? Or will they blind her to any other possibility of happiness?Break a leg, Gray. The Great White Way calls.

    

    Finding work in a grand house on the edge of Cork City, she is irrepressibly drawn to the charismatic gardener Michael Egan, sparking a love affair and a devastating chain of events that continues to unfold over three generations. Spanning more than a century, Life Sentences is the unforgettable journey of a family hungry for redemption, and determined against all odds to be free.This sweeping story of one family's fight for survival goes on making the heart lurch long after the final page, and confirms Billy O'Callaghan as one of the finest living Irish writers.

    

    When a baby is born alive after a botched abortion, the parents are faced with questions they have never considered. This story follows their journey to the Answers they need regarding Christ, the value of Life, and what they must do to turn their lives around.(Official blurb in progress)

    At least until his brother Evan visits and ruins everything by asking questions, forcing Miles to realize he has feelings for Paige. Romantic ones.Now Miles has to decide what he kind of relationship he wants with Paige and what their relationship means to themselves and the outside world. Things were a lot simpler when it was just the two of them.Told in Miles’ POV, this twenty-first century, coming-of-age novella explores the blurred lines between friendship and romance.

    However, instead of dying, he found himself 500 years later in the body of a young and aspiring composer who shared the same name. Having received a second chance at life, Fang Zhao sets out to achieve the previous owner’s dreams.Armed with the experience of living through an apocalyptic age and his profession as a composer before that period, Fang Zhao uses his talent, wits, and knowledge to make his mark in the entertainment industry of the future.

    a dog? Probably? She adopted it anyway, and her life with this "dog" will never be boring!

    Of course, she’d rather be riding her horse or playing with her younger siblings than learning to curtsy. But, with her mother in France for a holiday, the care of the house falls to her—and what better time to learn what it really means to be a lady?Ivy, her twin sister, has other things on her mind. Namely, the endless conundrum of why she promised to keep an eye on her younger siblings while her parents are gone. She’s the least-qualified person to take care of them, but, bound by her word, she’s determined to try.Even with all the guidance and advice available, becoming Miss Knight isn’t proving to be easy for either of them. However, any amount of work is worth keeping a promise to their mother.This short novella, set between Ivy Introspective and At Her Fingertips, is the second Alice & Ivy novella.

    However, it seems she isn't the only one who has made plans.A prequal short story for Fanny's Hope Chest. This short story is given free to Sarah's Newsletter subscribers.

    Anything features characters stretched to their limits: a pencil and a crayon who are best friends, a Tea-Dragon with a mischievous and mysterious habit, a terminally ill child with a lovely wish. In these pages, you’ll discover an eccentric gentleman who never stops reading, a foster boy who makes up in appetite what he lacks in conversational skills, and a single mother with a fault-finding mother-in-law and five rambunctious children who haven’t learned respect for a living room.Watch as a couple sacrificially prays for a lost and dying sister-in-law, a young lady tearfully talks her best friend through a coma, a courageous brother offers to lay down himself for others, a camera-shy teenager faces her greatest fear, and a music camp applicant struggles mightily with writing an interesting bio. Warmth, hope, and encouragement pervade the pages, echoing the theme of “anything” from a refreshing variety of angles both insightful and entertaining, spiritually profound and eternally valuable. These short pieces will delight and encourage the whole family.

    Faith. Family.Anne-Marie sits vigil beside a hospital bed as David battles through his own weakness to help a friend. Cassidy tries to hold out hope for her missing groom while Rob pushes himself to the limit to prove something to his brother. Jake receives comfort from an unexpected source as Nate attempts to make the best of a bad bargain and Tsara struggles to find her place in a dark and cruel world.Humor, hope, and healing fill the pages of these seven stories, each less than 2,000 words.

    but in Dublin an inner-city lane can be just that. Welcome to Clementine Lane, where everyone knows everyone’s business and respectfully keeps it to themselves and everyone else.A drugs rehabilitation centre is set for development on the lane, prompting the locals and their snobbish neighbours from the next road over, to unite in protest. This fragile alliance is forced to take on the combined weight of the Political and Media realms, when an addict dies in suspicious circumstances.Elsewhere, a dark past that has haunted the lane for a century intertwines the fates of a teenager and a homeless alcoholic. Is it supernatural? Or is reality that bit more frightening?Finally, a man from a well-heeled part of the city blows into the lane, full of confidence and short on affection for his neighbours. When confronted with an impending loss, his friends fade into the digital world, leaving him to face this problem alone; but then, no man is an island….Clementine Lane is a humorous and poignant panorama of contemporary Dublin.

    The difficulty within the labyrinth ramps up as those from other countries interfere with the party’s progress, but they continue to have a blast on their adventure as usual. In Japan, Marie is surprised when a typhoon arrives, and visits a pool and goes on a trip to Izu while enjoying the cuisine to the fullest. Welcome to summer in Japan, Ms. Elf!

    Six members of the Hall and Matthews families sat in tense silence within. If only they could reach their destination safely!Other winds than the present snow-laden blast had blown contrary to their plans during the week-and-a-half before Christmas. As the young friends organized a performance of “Good King Wenceslas,” difficulties swirled around them like the eddying winds of the snowstorm or the “cold wind’s wild lament” which had assailed the good king and his faithful page.And when catastrophe threatened to bring all their plans crashing down, and a change of perspective gave them a new idea of the important things in life, they were left with a choice. Could they choose to follow in the steps of the noble king, or would the real lesson behind the story of Wenceslas be lost?

    Or at least, Mama and Stephen do, and that’s just as bad. The little girls don’t quite understand why talking about “more gages” makes Mama so sad and Stephen so worried, but they’re determined to find a way to help. Can a handful of change and a heart full of hope somehow spark the miracle they need?

    This new edition contains all three volumes of the acclaimed romance manga, a complete shojo story in one book, from the creator of The New York Times bestseller That Wolf-Boy Is Mine! and the ongoing Those Not-So-Sweet Boys! A YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens pick!Mako's always had a passion for photography. When she loses someone dear to her, she clings to her art as a relic of the close relationship she once had...Luckily, her childhood best friend Kei encourages her to come to his high school and join their prestigious photo club. With nothing to lose, Mako grabs her camera and moves into the dorm where Kei and his classmates live. Soon, a fresh take on life, along with a mysterious new muse, begin to come into focus! Contains Vol. 1-3 of Love in Focus-the entire series!

    . .”Born with a deforming disease known as CLOVES syndrome, Alex Bruorton has learned to deflect the hurtful comments slung his way and focus on the beautiful, brave person he truly is. From birth, his illness, which causes severe overgrowth in his face, was painfully evident. He has endured twenty-five surgeries to correct the growths, but nothing lasts for long. At a very young age, he realized he had to accept his face as it is. Fortunately, his family’s fierce love and protection have been constant and impenetrable. But it’s almost impossible to totally shield a child from bullying. Alex went to school, suffered horrible attacks, and returned home, hiding his fear and anger. Gradually, his family found a way to help him help himself. They enlisted the help of a therapist who showed Alex how to declare a truce on his war with the outside world and learn to open up and talk—about himself, about life, about pain, and about joy. Today, Alex has friends, is an avid fisherman, and loves his life. Any bullies who come his way are quickly disarmed by his honest, integrity, and humanity. His story will inspire kids and parents alike. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today’s troubled world.

    It is associated with the bittersweet memory of missing something or someone, while being grateful of that/ their existence.”The HIRAETH art anthology brings together the talents and imagination of 28 dedicated artists.Inspired by the Welsh concept of hiraeth, or the Portuguese saudade, or the Romanian dor, this anthology was created with home in mind. Included in this book are a myriad of locations - real, imagined, and something in between - inspired by the artist's memories, narratives, and stories.

    Just what that change will be remains a mystery. Caught between their desires and their fears, they decide to take the plunge. Surely Maple Creek will answer their deepest longings and bring them fulfillment, belonging, and hope.Yet after eight months in their new home, questions still abound. What is it that makes Maple Creek different? How can they make sure the Desperate Experiment succeeds—and what does success even look like? Is it even possible to truly belong?And what does brotherly love have to do with changing the world?By This Shall They Know is Book 1 in the Fellowship of Light series. It is important to read Book 0.5, A Desperate Experiment, before beginning By This Shall They Know.

    Updates Wednesdays and sometimes Saturdays.Mostly it's about walking in the woods with a friend, looking for mushrooms to put in your soup, or haggling with the guy selling squash, or taking care of a neglected garden. It's putting some jam on shortbread biscuits. And yes, sometimes you go down into the dungeons with your friends, and you kill monsters there, or disarm traps, but when you come out, you realize you've found the perfect magic item to give to one of the local kids that helped you out when your cat was sick. Look, the dungeons are always going to be there, and sometimes you need to make a journey to one of the Spirit Gates, or make a pilgrimage with the local Cleric of Symmetry to a holy shrine. Your tour through the local dungeons can wait. You'll have rivalries with other groups, and find some dungeon eggs that need to be carefully incubated in case they turn out to be something valuable, and help a friend to build a fishing weir. There's a big world out there, a mostly tame place with lots of magic, and even more to do and see. Join me, won't you?

    

    

    Elves, dragons, or anyone else who wants to dine on earth cuisine is welcome. Bon App�tit!

    The St. Roch, now on permanent display at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, is the better known of the two, although North Star of Herschel Island is still sailing and still adding to her legend. Historian Bruce Macdonald—who, along with his wife, owns North Star of Herschel Island—has meticulously researched the origins and service logs of each ship and created a book that will enthrall old Arctic hands, maritime history buffs and anyone who appreciates well-written Canadian history.Under the command of Captain Henry Larsen, the sturdy RCMP vessel St. Roch spent years showing the Canadian flag in the Arctic, performing many duties including delivering medical supplies and taking census information in addition to enforcing the law in the North. St. Roch is world renowned for achieving many firsts, including being the first vessel through the Northwest Passage west to east, the first vessel to navigate the passage in both directions and the first vessel to circumnavigate North America. Inspired by St. Roch, renowned trapper and Inuit leader Fred Carpenter designed the elegant North Star, the ultimate ice vessel used to transport furs and people to and from remote Banks Island. Together, the two iconic ships have helped to solidify Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic and have become symbols of unity among Northern communities.In Sisters of the Ice, Macdonald documents in vivid detail the adventurous histories of these two vessels, as well as the history of the Northern communities in which they gained renown. Detailing daring escapes from dangerous ice conditions to thrilling sea voyages to raucous whaling towns, Macdonald reveals the perilous and often lawless climate in which these vessels operated and the ties of Canadian identity that they helped forge.

    A plot against the crown. Those she loves in terrible danger…Livia, a humble doctor’s daughter from the Italian countryside, arrives in Paris with her new husband. At first, she feels alone and isolated among the gray, rain-drenched streets. Until Elisabetta, the Emperor’s clever, beautiful mistress, takes her under her wing, and finally Livia has a true ally.The two women are soon inseparable, strolling arm in arm down Paris’s wide boulevards and dancing the night away at masked balls. At last, Livia feels happy in her new life.But when Elisabetta is mysteriously poisoned, the tables turn and it is Livia who has the power to shape the destiny of those around her. She must draw on all her knowledge of herbs and medicine to cure her friend. And the stakes soon become higher than she ever imagined, when her husband is falsely accused of treason and conspiring against the crown.With Elisabetta close to death and the future of France in peril, Livia will need to draw on all her courage to save the lives of those she loves… as well as her own…A totally gripping, richly imagined historical novel about the power held by women in a world run by men. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Marie Benedict will be absolutely hooked from the very first page until the final, breathtaking conclusion.

    But in the process of trying to have some friend and get her mind off things, she finds herself even closer to the man she has feelings for…both physically and emotionally…as they embark on a vacation together.

    Is there any way to move beyond their past and their present and chart a future that will bring all they desire?Will they find the answers to life’s haunting questions? Is there one solution which can prove the key to all their struggles?And how will Mr. Meadows’s Desperate Experiment affect their hopes and dreams?