If Corps Tech Sergeant Aly Erikson wants to survive another day, she will have to give up everything: her identity, her rank, her attachment to her brothers-in-arms, and most of all, her guilt. After doing her duty as a member of a ground infantry squad tasked with “neutralizing” an insurrection by non-citizens on a mining planet, Erikson realizes that everything she thought the Corps stood for, thought she stood for, is crumbling away. Where is the honor, the justice, the spirit of law? When the enemies are nothing more than outclassed and outgunned dregs of the Algol System’s forgotten people, being part of their execution squad has put her as far from the ideals of justice as Erikson can imagine. Haunted by their ghosts, she struggles to maintain her military bearing until even that is suddenly ripped away in an act of terrorism that sends her, her brother, Tech Sergeant David Erikson, and another Corpsmember, Rebecca Soltznin, on the run on a hostile planet. Forced for the first time in ten years to blend in with a civilian population, the three are faced with a single choice: regroup with their brothers-in-arms or become deserters. For Aly, it’s easy; why go back to being a cog in the death machine the Corps is becoming? But for the other two, the price for making the wrong decision may be higher than they’re willing to pay. On the run, under attack from the scavengers who plague the system, and out of options, the three face conflict from every direction. If they can’t find a way to fight together, their chances for survival are less than zero. And for one of them, the best solution may come down to one simple act: betrayal. In this prequel to the popular Spectras Arise Trilogy, readers get an intimate look into the events that led Aly and David Erikson on their path from decorated and dedicated soldiers to black-market arms smugglers, and ultimately, to rebels against the Political and Capital Administration of the Advanced Worlds.

    Some even have power over advanced elements like poison, space, and lightning. These gifted people are known as element wielders. But times are changing. For reasons unknown, no earth wielder has been born in over one hundred years. Without an earth wielder to keep balance, the planet has undergone a scorch. Food is scarce. Plants no longer grow in abundance. Humanity is headed toward extinction. Young orphan, Aadi knows all this. He spends his days scouring the rowdy streets of Missea, doing his best to keep himself and his best friend alive. He takes each day one at a time, not giving the future much thought. But an ancient evil is on a collision course with him. A hidden power within him is urging to be set free. Aadi tries to ignore it, but it relentlessly calls to him. Will he be able to overcome his past and face the threat to Va’siel? And at what cost?

    When the boy from her dreams shows up at school, Hanna knows something weird is going on; but what is even weirder is the pull she feels toward him. When the boy, Jared, makes his feelings for Hanna clear strange things start to happen. Hanna could swear that Jared could read her mind and sometimes she could even read his. Then one day during gym class everything gets turned upside down and Jared sweeps in to the rescue only to reveal a surprising truth. She discovers that everything she thought she knew about her life was a lie and she is being called to fight an evil wanting to destroy everything she has come to love. When Hanna discovers the truth Gemma couldn’t be more surprised and more excited. It has been torture having to hide the truth from her sister and she is glad the secret is finally out. Though now things start to get even crazier when Gemma discovers that the evil she has been told about all her life, might not be so evil after all. How will she prove it to her family or is she destined to become their enemy?

    I’ve always believed this, even as I take up a sword in a contest of princes that will determine who will be king of our lands. It’s a prize that many covet, including my brother who wants the throne more than any I know and is the last person who should have it. I don’t even want to be king, but I’ll do it just to keep it from him, and that’s all that matters until I’m gifted the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.Benta comes as a wonder in the Matching, a ceremony to determine the mates of me and my fellow battle princes. She’s not like the other prizes. First, she’s human, not a simpering Worsi or snooty Piki. She’s also a fierce woman who’s full of surprises, any of which could tear us apart.

    She comes back to life with superhuman powers. She remembers that in her brother's comic books superheroes come to be feared and hated no matter what good deeds they do. She tries to lead a normal life.But little by little fate conspires against this course. Bad things happen that only she can make right. Baby step by baby step, then bigger steps, she grows into her responsibilities.To help her do her superhero "job" she creates first one, then another alternate identity. Former soldier now mercenary Yao Ming, unequaled with weapons, able to get unseen into places impossible to enter. Beautiful jet-setter millionaire Sandrine Ascaride. And a star girl with blue skin and purple hair who can fly and wield laser bolts and lightning.She is sometimes desperately lonely, unable to share her secret. Then she finds she is not alone....

     Elizabeth Gray is found hanging from a tree. Her town is shocked to learn that Elizabeth had no birth certificate, no social security number, no record of education. Her mother, an independently wealthy woman, refuses to cooperate with authorities. But Elizabeth is not truly gone: she communicates in spirit with her three childhood playmates, driving them to investigate the true circumstances of her death. And in doing so, Mack, Lillian, and Vanessa discover the world of The Brambles, a mansion owned by the elderly movie star, Mitch Cooper. They meet John Leary, a defocked priest and Mitch's "caretaker." Drugs, a motorcycle gang, a corrupt medical doctor nicknamed "Honeybear." How are all of these things connected, and what is the secret to Elizabeth's true identity? Only three brave teenagers can find out. The Brambles is a more than a mystery, but an absorbing exploration of life, death, and how people navigate relationships around them. A book you don't want to put down, and when you do, your thoughts go back to it." — Ross Rojek, San Francisco Book Review Mature teens to new adults who want a story that begins with a ghostly presence and evolves into a much broader plot will find The Brambles creates a brooding set of circumstances that embrace everything it touches, making for an engrossing story that's thought-provoking and hard to put down. — Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

    . . .

    With a business deal about to expire unless her mechanical baker remembers his secret recipe, Mrs Milliard turns to Inspector Ambrose for help. But as Ambrose soon discovers, no one in Mrs Milliard's neighbourhood is ready to talk.Will Inspector Ambrose uncover the truth before Mrs Milliard's midnight deadline? Can he solve a mystery that seems impossible on first inspection? The culprit is closer than it seems, and time is running out.Join Inspector Ambrose and help him solve the mystery of Mrs Milliard's Mech today!

    Why? Because as the only openly vampire police officer in the world, even after disclosure, he's been put on one of the very few supernatural divisions anywhere. Meaning it's his job.It also doesn't hurt that the demon whose area he works in has been targeted as well, seemingly by the same group.If he and his new partner can't figure the case out in time, things might well end up going very badly, indeed.

    Military Science Fiction Short Story Nate is a test pilot for the United States Army. Actually, he is the best damned test pilot period, even with the headaches. The United States is developing a new kind of piloted war machine with the help of Franklin Industries and they have secured some of the most high tech, abrasive equipment on the planet. Does it work? According to the test pilot, it works like a champ. If that's the case, then why is everything shrouded in mystery at the end of Nate's test flight? Furthermore, why does Nate suffer such horrific migraines? Read here to find out!

    Eric had never done any good to any one. He was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. Suddenly, he had a dream and he was cured. He thought it to be EVIL. He goes to find the reason behind it. No one helps him but he starts meeting people whom he had never met and started visiting places he had always thought to be without significance.Who are these people? What saved him: EVIL or DIVINE?

     His funny name and snow-white hair are the least of his problems. When a devious prank goes bad, Socket and his friends realize they are about to lose everything they’ve worked for in the alternate reality universe of virtualmode. But when the data drain encroaches on Socket’s subconscious memories, some mysterious force erases the event entirely. Subtle clues suggest there's more to him than he knows and will lead him to discover why his mom is always at work. And just how far from normal he is. The beginning of Socket Greeny’s epic journey to save himself begins with the making. The universe is depending on him.

    He has a violent history that haunts him, and a father he wants answers from - if he ever finds him.When they set up in business together with the Orphic Guild, they’re expecting adventure, intrigue and money.But their first job is more complicated than they expected.When they break fey magic that seals an old tomb, they find it contains more than they bargained for. Now they’re hunting for a rogue spirit, but he always seems one step ahead.The fight leads them in a direction they never expected.Gabe could leave his past behind, or he could delve into the darkest secrets of mankind. Shadow has no intention of being left out.If you enjoy action, intrigue, humour, and dark secrets that won’t stay buried, you’ll love this first in series spin-off from the White Haven Witches.

    (The collected omnibus edition of all four parts of NIMBUS is also available.) --Seedy corporations and airship factions, demons and rogues, zealots and thieves…an epic tale of power, greed, and corruption.Jude Finley is a new recruit aboard the Gangly Dirigible, an airship that extracts water from rainclouds. Having only lived above the Skyline for a year, Jude is still getting used to the way things work in the world above the clouds. While working aboard the airship, Jude and his friends uncover a secret which may or may not help them against a growing uprising that could spell doom for everyone on the planet. Meanwhile, Demetrius Rucca, wheelchair-bound son of a prominent religious leader, begins recruiting followers for his own subversive cause. As allegiances are sworn to him and his followers grow, he begins to discover the new powers that lie within him. This power could be the salvation Demetrius is looking for–or it could be the destruction of the known world.ABOUT THE AUTHORS:AUSTIN KING has written plays, poems, novels, and short fiction, but he spends most of his time making sure his credentials sound more impressive than they really are.B.J. Keeton is a writer, teacher, and runner. When he isn't trying to think of a way to trick Fox into putting Firefly back on the air, he is either writing science fiction, watching an obscene amount of genre television, or looking for new ways to integrate fitness into his geektastic lifestyle.

    Five very dangerous elven women from five very different countries are on a quest to save the world, and when they're not kicking ass, they're driving each other crazy.As Jenavelle and her friends search for a way to stop the coming dragon apocalypse, they'll have to deal with witches and curses, bounty hunters and refugees, portals in time and of course, more than a few dragons. So this is a particularly inconvenient time for Jena to learn she's adopted. And when she returns home and discovers the truth about her parents, it will leave her changed forever. (And that change involves a pair of very large horns.)Explore an epic fantasy world that's as classic as it is bizarre with JENAVELLE, a knight who's sick and tired of fantasy clichés, AMINA, a princess with a fondness for pirates, NIYA, a hard-drinking mercenary in search of a her next ex-girlfriend, TOMOE, a shaman who is coping well with her recent resurrection, and LOZEN, a hunter whose hobbies include fine cuisine, high fashion, and excessive violence.Discover the world of Vaenos, where dragons are weapons of mass destruction, faeries are pests, mermaids are monsters, and everyone has long pointy ears! With five heroines inspired by historical warriors and leaders, this modern twist on old-school fantasy mashes up classics like Lord of the Rings with the funny, sexy, self-aware style of Supernatural, Buffy, Archer, and Rat Queens.Keywords: epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, elves, fairies, unicorns, dragons, women, coming of age, feminist fantasy, lesbian fantasy, funny fantasy, African fantasy, Asian fantasy, Native American fantasy