So when one of their own was wronged in any way, the community always had its own way of dealing with it.The first title in a series of gritty family sagas, Our Vinnie accounts the dramatic true story of a brother’s determination to avenge his younger sister’s rape. Josie was just 11 when her Vinnie, then 14, was taken away to a detention centre. Distraught by his absence and left alone with indifferent parents, when she escapes from one of their rows she naively enters the house of a neighbour, Melvin, who – horrifically – leads her upstairs and overpowers her.Convinced by her friend Carol, Josie tells her sister Lyndsey about the rape but, with Vinnie out of the picture, Lyndsey uses the information for her own ends. When Vinnie returns, hardened by years inside the system, his outrage on discovering the truth is severe. And with new abuses continually coming to light, a cataclysmic series of violent events begins to spiral out of control…Dramatic and shocking, Our Vinnie is an unbelievable page-turner, documenting a community forsaken by society, and one brother’s unrelenting determination to take justice into his own hands.

    First he had to win admission when only one hundred applicants would be selected from over four hundred. Then Jamie had to learn how to use the power of a Dragon belt and learn to fly with a Dragon. Added to all of this, against all tradition, Jamie has been bonded to a Dragon in his first year. But Jamie overcomes all of those difficulties and even helps his bonded Dragon, Tomith, whom he has nicknamed Tommy, to learn how to fly. Now Jamie and Tommy face the second semester, and in this semester they will continue to struggle— but not only with their classes. They have now been caught up in the Stonebriar House Championship. Each year, the five Houses—Blackburn, Warwick, Aubondale, Waverly, and Pembroke—all compete for the coveted House Championship. Jamie’s and Tommy’s House, Aubondale, has finished in last place for the previous seven years. The overriding passion of every student in Aubondale is to finally get their house out of last place. To help accomplish this, Jamie and Tommy will have to compete in the school’s Dragon races, something they know nothing about. Even as Jamie and Tommy settle into the day-to-day struggles of school life at Stonebriar, they have been marked for capture or assassination by a shadowy organization known at the Sisterhood. For decades, the Sisterhood has been seeking to fulfill a prophecy that will grant the sisters total control over all the nations of Aurellius—along with immortality. But, in order to achieve their goal, they must eliminate Jamie and Tommy. Jamie’s and Tommy’s greatest challenge will not be helping get their House out of last place—their greatest challenge will be to simply survive.

    Heroes old and new assemble to combat this daunting threat. Should they fail, their world is doomed.Rebellion, war, and toppled thrones ravage the Eight Wizardoms.The mysterious leader of a secret organization seeks to wreak chaos, death, and destruction.What motivates his elaborate scheme? What is his end-game?A squad of unlikely heroes armed with magical objects are drawn into the conflict:-Jerrell "Jace" - A clever thief with a flair for the outrageous.-Narine - A wizardess, queen, and bride...pursued by assassins.-Harlequin - This female pirate wields sabers, a whip, and a sharp tongue.-Crusser - This lifelong soldier has a big heart and a terrible temper.-Brogan - A retired warrior burdened by lifelong regrets.-Blythe - She wields an enchanted bow that forever altered her appearance.These characters lead a compelling and memorable cast in a tale that brings the eight wizardoms to the brink of devastation.This boxed set includes:-God King Rising-Legend of the Sky Sword-Curse of the Elf Queen

    That remains true for me.”“I'm Lady Isra, the most ferocious villain in the land or so I hear. The people say a lot about me. They say I am heartless, cold and wicked. But they don't know what made me this way. I lost love becoming trapped in the throes of darkness."“I'm isolated in this world. I've taken the power of a dragon. I've cast a spell upon myself so that only those who possess the ability of magic can feast their eyes upon me.”“But now I've met him. This magnificent being. He's a raven. I can't help but admire him. Astrid, now what a handsome fellow. I don't know where he will take me but I'm curious to step into his claws."A witch drawn to the dark world that's only going to go darker. A tale of magic and romance. Perfect for fans of fairy tales and Disney.Isra Sravenheart, USA Today Best Selling Author takes you into a world where a witch reigns supreme in her fortress while her pet raven, Astrid shows her what true companionship can be.

    In exchange for her soul, Kassina obtains power to become the most feared sorceress in all the lands, and vows to exact her revenge on the people for the deaths of her parents. Granted eternal life, Kassina and her evil are never far away. For many years, the humans and elves of the mystical world of Marithia have lived in an age of peace. But that peace is shattered when King Arman is slain by his own son, a pawn of the vampire sorceress Kassina. Arman’s murder sparks the most brutal and bloody war ever seen between the Forces of Darkness and the peaceful Marithians. In the midst of the conflict, Vartan, a young knight wrongfully outcast from King Arman’s court, reluctantly discovers he is the subject of a prophecy involving the fabled weapon, Talonsphere. In alliance with the legendary dragons, he finds himself with the opportunity to rid the world of Kassina and her dark armies forever, and finally return Marithia to an era of peace.

    Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “an action-packed treat […] with a relatable heroine facing challenges in a vivid world of magic and mystery,” and called a new classic by readers, The Crowns of Croswald series is a magical romp through a fully formed universe with dragons, magical quills, potions, and mythical creatures.Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is—or what her powers could be. When she crosses a magical boundary, she discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an evil Queen threatens all that is good. Will Ivy’s bravery and wit be enough?Curious and whimsical, both shy and brave, Ivy is a hero that connects with readers of all ages. For those who wished that Narnia, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland could go on forever, Croswald opens a whole new world of magic. Recommended as a read-aloud for families and a first middle-grade fantasy read, The Crowns of Croswald is a four-part series that will carry readers to a whimsical world that they won’t want to leave.

    Sweet and proper, Karah's future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life... if she agrees to play their game.Nemienne, neither sweet nor proper, has fewer choices. Left with no alternative, she accepts a mysterious mage's offer of an apprenticeship. Agreeing means a home and survival, but can Nemienne trust the mage? With the arrival of a foreign bard into the quiet city, dangerous secrets are unearthed, and both sisters find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset their newly found lives, but also to destroy their kingdom.

    Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert.Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all—not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future king) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin.Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed.A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy, the first part of a planned duology.

    This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.

    Fifteen thousand years after the end of their war, their bodies can still be found across the world. They kneel in forests, lie beneath mountains, and rest at the bottom of the world's ocean. For thousands of years, men and women have awoken with strange powers that are derived from their bodies.The city Mireea is built against a huge stone wall that stretches across a vast mountain range, following the massive fallen body of the god, Ger. Ayae, a young cartographer’s apprentice, is attacked and discovers she cannot be harmed by fire. Her new power makes her a target for an army that is marching on Mireea. With the help of Zaifyr, a strange man adorned with charms, she is taught the awful history of ‘cursed’ men and women, coming to grips with her new powers and the enemies they make. Meanwhile, the saboteur Bueralan infiltrates the army that is approaching her home to learn its terrible secret.Split between the three points of view, The Godless' narrative reaches its conclusion during an epic siege, where Ayae, Zaifyr and Bueralan are forced not just into conflict with those invading, but with those inside the city who wish to do them harm.The first installment of an exciting new epic fantasy series, The Godless is a fast-paced page turner set in an enthralling new world, perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks.

    Saved by Jack, a HuMan, thought by Thanes people to be simple myths, Thane is hurled into a foreign world that he must make his own if he hopes to survive. When his only friends, Dor and Tam, try to find and help him, they are caught and tortured by a massive gathering of trolls that could bring about the annihilation of all races. Now, in a desperate search to find and save his friends, Thane must come to grips with his powers and himself before all is lost to the gathering storm of evil. An epic tale of good versus evil, Hand of Fire is a written tapestry of emotion that will draw in readers of all genres and not let them go until the last word is devoured.

    Unfortunately, a stint at the airport lounge's tea vending machine does not seem to be getting her any closer to her dreams. To pass the time she daydreams, chats with air-hostesses and takes part in mock anti-terrorist drills. At home, she studies her English, fights with her twin and engages in a secret love affair with her cousin and neighbour, Eza. But when a scandal threatens her tenuous happiness, she must pull out all stops on her overactive imagination, and seek a terrible revenge.

    Of endless weekdays, working weekends, making presentations, working with complicated Excel sheets, handling a boss with time-management issues and the general politics of the workplace. Sigh! After eight years of this life, her only personal insight is that she's terribly unambitious and constantly struggling to be an average performer in the competitive corporate world. When a colleague flashes the glint of a golden sabbatical she catapults into it headfirst. After all, one has to find one's calling at some point in one's life. So will the sabbatical miraculously change her life forever? Or will she go rushing back to her pocket money-generating job?

    The quest for answers leads her into a parallel realm where magic reigns, and with a hostile sheriff and a shapeshifting assassin on her trail, she must place her life in the hands of a seductive, supernatural man who tempts her like no one else.An immortal sylph enslaved by magic...Nevan is trapped by a desperate bargain struck a century earlier, yet the beautiful, spirited Lindsey has enticed him to abandon his magically enforced duty. As forbidden passion flares between them, they'll risk everything to uncover the truth and find what they both need the most—redemption.When two worlds collide...The fates of the elemental and mortal realms depend on the star-crossed lovers. As dark secrets from their pasts threaten to shatter the fragile trust between Lindsey and Nevan, a shocking revelation holds the power to deliver salvation or destruction.

    In more ways than one.Music wonder Rowena Krebs is so huge she's now in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. Right at the top of Musica Records. Her old rival, now best friend, Topaz Rossi is a magazine guru in New York, heading up American Magazines. Bright and energetic as the city itself.But things are changing: Rowena senses a shift both in business and on the home front. And Topaz can't work out why the circulation figures are dropping. Something's up. Paradise is a place that can bring trouble...