In fact, that was the last thing she wanted. However, a chance encounter with Jericko Cook, A.K.A. Ricko, might just change her mind. Then again, it might prove why she’s steered clear of bad boys in the first place. Between shoot outs, other women vying for his attention and a long list of deceptive characters lurking, Arianna might not be able to handle being a dope boy’s woman, or she could find out there’s a lot more thug in her than she thought. Ricko was living life and enjoying the fruits of his labor. As the man in charge, cars, money, hoes and clothes weren’t just a saying to him; it was his everyday reality. He didn’t realize that real love was the only thing he had been lacking, but it could be just what he needed. Mia had it easy. She got all the perks of a relationship except a title. Getting Ricko to commit to her was proving harder than she thought. When he pushes her to the side for what she thought was just the new flavor of the week, she realizes that Arianna isn’t going anywhere. But, Mia will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even if that means making sure no one else can have him. Sophia is Arianna’s best friend, and she is always down to ride. She’s no stranger to the street life like her friend, so when she gets the chance to get with a certified thug in Ricko’s brother, Jabari Cook, she jumps at the chance to be the Bonnie to his Clyde. Will she be prepared for the ride this young thug has in store for her, or will she have to give up? Jabari Cook is looking to get to the money, everything else is irrelevant. He is on a mission to take what he believes is rightfully his and will stop at nothing to claim his throne. Jabari will remove whoever or whatever is in the way of his money; family or not. Sophia wants to be his ride or die, but will she be used as a pawn to get him where he wants to be, or will he finally meet his match? Come take this ride through the streets of Chicago with these two brothers as they build their empire while juggling deception and love.

    Unfortunately, Davina isn’t one of them. With an unloving and dysfunctional mother her only choice is to take on the responsibility and fend for her little brother. Thinking that her life couldn’t get any worse she loses her job and her mother kicks her and her brother out on the grimey streets of Houston all in the same day. She runs into her longtime crush Nigel and he ends up helping her get back on her feet. Nigel is fresh out of the county jail scheming and scamming his way to the top and Davina can’t seem to resist him. Their chemistry is undeniable but to her he’s out of her league and to him; she’s just too average. They’re both on the come up but will they let their guards down and let love lead the way to the money and a relationship?

    Markus Grant lives by that phrase. He's consumed with holding his position in the streets and keeping his crew tight. But his heart yearns for someone to share his life with. However, there are new threats on the horizon and he can't afford to have his attention elsewhere. Not until a beautiful woman on the run, stumbles across his path. Reign is the epitome of pure love draped in fear and bruises. Her past life is in the rearview, and her future is in her grasp. For her and Markus, love happens without their permission. The euphoria of their bliss lessens the stress of what they're battling outside of the bubble they’ve created for themselves. With Reign by his side and being his peace, the need to protect everything becomes greater. Threats are now promised, and the crown on his head comes with a hefty price. Streetlife is all Markus knows. To preserve his life and the life of his family will he step down and leave the throne of New York up for grabs? Or will he fight ‘til the death? Find out in Dope Boys: Anything for the Crown *This is a re-release*

    No one knows who is behind it and why so much painstaking effort is dedicated to its design. After a young Internet entrepreneur is found dead in his San Francisco apartment, Stanford Computer Science Professor embarks on following a trail of clues left by a mysterious Dark Web puzzle. On his quest for the answers, he must confront the most powerful clandestine organizations and cold blooded killers who will stop at nothing to hide their dark secrets. The action unfolds against the backdrop of unsolved murders of young girls whose chlorine soaked bodies are found at various locations around the San Francisco Bay. This book will take you from the West Coast of the United States to other corners of the world in pursuit of the answers. You can follow the story to the coordinates in Stockholm, Berlin, and California through the links provided in the "Places" chapter at the end of the book. The coordinates of the locations in Manhattan and Sonoma County could not be disclosed. About the puzzles The puzzles used in this book are based on the actual Cicada 3301 riddles from different years. One notable exception is the "Stockholm Puzzle", which has a different, equally mysterious source. The puzzles in the book are easy to follow and do not require any technical background, just a sharp and curious mind.

     Steven works overtime to prove to Imani that she is the only one for him and he whisks her off to Vegas. Meanwhile, Imani discovers that someone close to her has eyes for Steven. Just when Raina thought everything was smooth sailing for her and Jason, his ex-wife partnered with his mother and dropped a bomb on the happy couple. Will this break Raina and Jason apart or will it only solidify the love they share for each other. In this sequel of White Boys Packing Too, the couples are tested to see if what they have is the real deal when there are others out to tear them apart.

    

    

    How to Read Literature is the book of choice for students new to the study of literature and for all other readers interested in deepening their understanding and enriching their reading experience. In a series of brilliant analyses, Eagleton shows how to read with due attention to tone, rhythm, texture, syntax, allusion, ambiguity, and other formal aspects of literary works. He also examines broader questions of character, plot, narrative, the creative imagination, the meaning of fictionality, and the tension between what works of literature say and what they show. Unfailingly authoritative and cheerfully opinionated, the author provides useful commentaries on classicism, Romanticism, modernism and postmodernism along with spellbinding insights into a huge range of authors, from Shakespeare and Jane Austen to Samuel Beckett and J. K. Rowling.

    She evokes a home no longer accessible and a body at times uninhabitable, often mirrored by a hybrid Eve/Caliban figure. Blooming with intense lyricism and fertile imagery, these full-blooded poems are elegant, mythic, and intricately woven. Here the female body is a dark landscape; the female body is cannibal. Sinclair shocks and delights her readers with her willingness to disorient and provoke, creating a multitextured collage of beautiful and explosive poems.

    With a mother who hated her very existence and a father who was locked away in prison for the attempted murder of her mother, she just couldn’t catch a break. With a stressful home life, Dominique's only ray of sunshine is her boyfriend, Kaleb. As teens, the duo was madly in love, with plans to marry and raise a family together. That is until Kaleb unintentionally breaks her heart. Crushed, Dominique does the only thing she can think of, and that is to leave. Kaleb realizes that he’s ruined their chances when Dominique moves away and goes off to college; leaving behind no way for him to contact her. After a few years, Kaleb eventually accepts the fact that Dominique is gone forever. By then he has his life on track and is now a very successful businessman with the world at his fingertips. A chance encounter reconnects the two ex-lovers, and Kaleb sees it as a chance to right his wrongdoings and finally be with the one who captured his heart all those years ago. There’s one problem, not only is Dominique engaged to marry another man, but she is also the mother of her fiancé's son. To make matters worse, Kaleb gets involved with a woman who loves him unconditionally. Although faced with a sticky situation, Kaleb refuses to allow Dominique to slip away again. He vows to get her back at any cost. Even if it means destroying a home that Dominique doesn't know is damaged, to begin with. Will these young lovers reconnect and have their happily ever after, or will they realize that their ships have passed? Find out how Dominique and Kaleb's story unfolds in the complete series of "This Could Be Us But You Playin'".

    With the life style her father lives, she made it her business to branch off. Even though her beauty was evident, men wanted her more because of her last name. The Banks name carried weight in the streets and for once Air wanted her own life. She moved out of the city and focused on herself. One encounter at a restaurant led her into the arms of a man that was just as heavy in the dope game as her father. Not knowing of his way of life, she started falling for his charm. Ghoul has always been a cool, calm, and collective guy. He’s very calculated and knows how to keep it together even in the toughest situations. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Ghoul has been a Dope Boy for years and one thing he knew how to do was keep the street life and home life separated. Besides making sure his money was stacking up, his only other concern is taking care of his dying mother. Who knew by him doing something so drastic one night, would have him shift his energy to Air. Air was sassy, sexy and had a spark to her that made him want her even more. Ghoul laid all of his cards on the table for her in the beginning. There was nothing she didn’t know but Air had one secret she kept away from him, for a reason. With secrets being kept and enemies plotting, once the two collide, lives may be destroyed. Will these two have a chance of survival once Air finally reveal her secret? Will Ghoul have to constantly fight for Air’s attention to get her to see that even, Dope Boys Need Love too? Secrets will be told, love will be lost and only the strong will survive.

    So being bad for him was never on her agenda... right? Running away from her father’s house to live a life with her boyfriend of four years was supposed to be her perfect fairy tale ending. Until six months later, he kicked her out, forcing her to live on the streets of Detroit. Vowing to only focus on what matters, Zoerina Banks bounces back, grinds her butt off, and stacks her paper. However, it becomes easier said than done when the biggest distraction hits Ms. Banks—sending her life on a wild, uncontrollable rollercoaster. It’s his way or no way. That’s the number one rule Khadarious ‘KD’ Dixon has always stuck by and been successful with. He’s ruthless on the streets, ruthless to his enemies, and even ruthless with his women. Even with his heavy past influence in the streets, he’s always been specific on wanting to be low-key. But being low-key when your name is always in everyone’s mouths is much easier said than done. Those that know who he is, either love him, fear him, or loathe him. And the streets always know how to lure him back in, one way or another. He’s arrogant, spoiled, and everything she shouldn’t want in a man—everything she should be running far away from. But her attraction toward him is undeniable, undeniable and dangerous. She convinces herself that she doesn’t want anything to do with him. But who is she trying to kid? He’s never been one with commitment. She’s never been one without it. A new hood love. An irresistible chemistry. A perfect match. But could Zoerina’s biggest enemy, turn out to be the dangerous man she’s fallen in love with?

    What could be more elemental than Phire and Ice? Sapphire Henson and Isaiah Harrison had been riding together since childhood. She held him down through his days in the game and his thot-filled nights. But Phire had grown tired of Ice’s arrogance and when he crosses one bridge too many, is there a way for this couple to bounce back… especially when a sexy arms dealer known as Bleu is waiting in the wings to make her his own “Sapphire Bleu?” Elijah Harrison, II, can’t understand the back and forth nature of his brother Ice’s relationship with Phire. He’s convinced that Ice should be more like him and avoid drama by dodging relationships altogether… that is, till a wounded angel crosses his path one night. Ariana Alexander makes Jah throw away all his no-attachment rules. But will she allow her past to destroy any chance of their future? Joshua (Jace) Taylor was supposed to get his family out the hood the legitimate way—with his phenomenal basketball talent. His best friends, Ice and Jah, work hard to keep him out of the game and Jace works just as hard to keep up his college kid façade. Meeting the beautiful Laila MacNamara stirs his darkest desires, bringing out the side of him he wants to keep under wraps. Her heated responses to his dominance make it unlikely that the bad boy in him will stay hidden. Just as they begin to explore the limits of their passion, the intoxicating world of professional basketball, with its endless excesses, pulls at him. At twenty-one, can Jace stay strong enough to be true to Laila? Join these childhood friends from the East Side of San Antonio as they struggle to figure out where life—and love—will take them.

    The journal includes nonfiction, literary horror fiction, poetry, artwork and non-classifiable hybrid pieces.Vol. 1, Issue 1 Contents:• Foreword to Teatro Grottesco essay by Thomas Ligotti•The Nightmare of His Art: The Horrific Power of the Imagination in "The Troubles of Dr. Thoss and "Gas Station Carnivals" essay by W. Silverwood•The Gods in Their Seats, Unblinking short fiction by Kurt Fawver• Affirmation of the Spirit: Consciousness, Transformation, and the Fourth World in Film short fiction by Christopher Slatsky•Try the Veal poem by Robert Beveridge•How to Construct a Gun from Your Own Flesh short fiction by Michael Uhall•Notes on a Horror essay by Dr. Raymond Thoss•"Eccentric to the Healthy Social Order" : Inversions of Family, Community, and Religion in Thomas Ligotti's "The Last Feast of Harlequin" essau by Michael J. Abolafia•Wraiths poem by Wade German•Eraserhead as Antinatalist Allegoryessay by Colby Smith•The Alienation of the Self: Marx, Polanyi, and Ligottian Horroressay by S. L. Edwards•The Theatre of Ovid short fiction by Aaron Worth•Infinite Light, Infinite Darkness short fiction by Martin Rose•Night Walks: The Films of Val Lewton essay by Michael Penkas• Solar Flare short fiction by Paul L. Bates•Strange Bird poem by Ian Mullins•Nervous Wares & Abnormal Staresshort fiction by Devin Goff•My Time at the Drake Clinic short fiction by Jordan Krall•Singing the Song of My Unmaking short fiction by Christopher Ropes•"They say I should kill myself and not try to spoil their enjoyment in being alive": An Interview with Thomas Ligottiinterview by Wojciech Gunia

    Coetzee's Disgrace, Don DeLillo's Underworld, Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Patricia Highsmith's Ripley under Ground, Ian McEwan's Atonement, John le Carr�'s The Constant Gardener, Philip Roth's The Human Stain, Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything Is Illuminated, and Zadie Smith's White Teeth. He highlights how these acclaimed authors use some of the basic elements of fiction. Some topics (like plot, dialogue, or location) will appear familiar to most novel readers, while others (meta-narrative, prolepsis, amplification) will open readers' eyes to new ways of understanding and appreciating the writer's craft. Mullan also excels at comparing modern and classic authors--Nick Hornby's adoption of a female narrator is compared to Daniel Defoe's; Ian McEwan's use of weather is set against Austen's and Hardy's. How Novels Work explains how the pleasures of novel reading often come from the formal ingenuity of the novelist, making visible techniques and effects we are often only half-aware of as we read. It is an entertaining and stimulating volume that will captivate anyone who is interested in the contemporary or the classical novel.