The Game of X


Robert Sheckley - 1965
    That's what William P. Nye discovers when he accepts the offer of a job from his friend George—just a casual invitation in a little Paris cafe. Nye little realises that this is the start of his meteoric careers as Special Agent X—an imaginary super-spy dreamed up as a ploy in the war of nerves...X bluffs and blunders along the perilous paths of big-time espionage—chained to the wall in a medieval torture chamber, snatched in the nick of time from the jaws of rusty iron pincers... jabbed by a red-faced enemy agent's knife on a crowded steamer... pea-shot with poison darts by a dwarf disguised as a schoolboy... chased by a gondola through the foul-smelling garbage-laden canals of Venice... flying an aeroplane without a lesson... duelling to the death with ancient battle-axes...Nye begins to wonder if he really is the indomitable, feared, king-size Agent X. Everyone else seems to think so...

I Am Wolf


Joann Buchanan - 2012
    I Am Wolf --The journey of a boy about to become a man who inherits his ancestors gift and must learn the right way to use it. He falls in love with Alaynee and begins to feel like he is normal again. When their world is shattered by the kidnapping of Alaynee's little brother, Jonah breaks the cardinal rule of his gift and bites the kidnapper, creating a creature called the unnatural. This sends him and all his friends on an adventure across the states to a place in Tennessee. There they find not only must they stop the unnatural creature, but they must save Cara--the girl the creature is after. Jonah must ask himself the most important question of all, would you sacrifice yourself to save another?

The Last Valkyrie: An Urban Fantasy Novel


Karina Espinosa - 2018
    With a laundry list of enemies, she has no idea who could be framing her. One thing is for sure: they know what she is and they'll stop at nothing until she’s behind bars or dead.With no choice but to delve into the supernatural underground she tried so hard to avoid, Raven seeks aid and learns what it means to be human.The world believes her kind no longer exists, but Raven Romero is The Last Valkyrie. Disclaimer: This novel contains topics such as drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, and has a main character that is bisexual. Read at your own discretion. Book 2 will release in 2019

Yours to Savor


Scarlett Edwards - 2013
    Twenty-five year old Sandra Hawthorne once had a life that many would envy. Smart, beautiful, and engaged to an accomplished young professional, she seemed to have anything she desired at her fingertips.Nobody suspects the emotional turmoil she lives with under the surface. Stalked by demons from her past, Sandra abandons everything on the cusp of her wedding and seeks refuge in a small town far away. But no matter where she hides, she cannot escape from the nightmares that torment her existence. ...AND A DANGEROUS MAN... Having made his fortune supplying high-end drugs to the most affluent clientele, thirty-three year old Brandon Galliani now seeks to reform himself and reestablish ties with his long-estranged family. But when one final business trip beckons him to a small Washington seacoast community, the last thing he expects to find is a secretive, enigmatic woman who captures his heart, enraptures his soul, and changes his life forever. ...BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FATE. For two years, Sandra has kept to herself while desperately hunting for relief from her nightmares. Everything changes when she crosses paths with a mysterious, dazzling stranger one crisp spring morning. Sandra knows she cannot afford to let down her guard around him. Yet the man quickly becomes hell-bent on breaking through the walls of her self-imposed prison. Sandra resists, but soon discovers that what her mind thinks it wants and what her heart knows it needs are two very different things. --Your to Savor is the riveting, erotic tale of two opposites colliding in a fiery clash of passion, lust, and love. Each holds secrets from the other. The truth will strain the flawed underpinnings of their relationship. In the end, will Sandra and Brandon's budding love be enough to overcome the most despairing odds?

Becoming a Butterfly


Mia Castile - 2012
    All she wanted was to fit in, until one night when everything changed. Jade and Tasha, her two best friends, helped her create an online personality that was everything she wanted to be– and it was only the beginning. In doing so, she attracted the attention of Henry, her lifelong crush and next door neighbor. Unfortunately, it was Farrah, her online personality and not herself, he was interested in. She also attracted Chase, the brooding, quiet, anti-social new kid of Brownsburg High School, who easily figured out her secret and blackmailed her. They forged a friendship that was both unique and complicated. Lacey must decide if revealing herself to Henry and her entire school as the cool, charming, and funny Farrah is worth possibly losing him forever. She finds herself needing to make an even harder decision than she ever thought possible. When did the lines between truth and lies get so blurred?Becoming a Butterfly is a story about coming of age and finding yourself when you never knew you were lost.**This is a MATURE YA FICTION SERIES.**

Claimed


Lauren Barnholdt - 2011
    But when handsome and popular Campbell Elliot goes out of his way to be nice to the new girl, Natalia's plan to go unnoticed flies out the window. Cam's hot, but he's completely off-limits. Raine Marsden, the most popular and meanest girl in school, has had her eye on him ever since the summer. And Raine doesn't like competition.When Cam goes as far as inviting Natalia to the exclusive weekend party at Raine's house, Raine sets her sights on a new victim. But what Natalia doesn't know is that Raine and her friends are no ordinary mean girls. They have powers most people can only dream of, and nobody will stand in the way of what they want. And what Raine wants is Campbell.Claimed, the first book in The Witches of Santa Anna series of novellas, proves just how far true love will go and that nothing--not even pure evil--can change your destiny.

Larger Than Life


Jodi Picoult - 2014
    Set in the wilds of Africa, Larger Than Life introduces Alice, the unforgettable character at the center of Picoult’s anticipated new novel, Leaving Time.   A researcher studying memory in elephants, Alice is fascinated by the bonds between mother and calf—the mother’s powerful protective instincts and her newborn’s unwavering loyalty. Living on a game reserve in Botswana, Alice is able to view the animals in their natural habitat—while following an important rule: She must only observe and never interfere. Then she finds an orphaned young elephant in the bush and cannot bear to leave the helpless baby behind. Thinking back on her own childhood, and on her shifting relationship with her mother, Alice risks her career to care for the calf. Yet what she comes to understand is the depth of a parent’s love.

Forged in Desire


Brenda Jackson - 2017
    Bold enough to love her. When good girl Margo Connelly becomes Lamar "Striker" Jennings's latest assignment, she knows she's in trouble. And not just because he's been hired to protect her from an underworld criminal. The reformed bad boy's appeal is breaching all her defenses, and as the threats against her increase, Margo isn't sure which is more dangerous: the gangster targeting her, or the far too alluring protector tempting her to let loose. Though Striker's now living on the right side of the law, he's convinced his troubled past keeps Margo out of his league. But physical chemistry explodes into full-blown passion when they go on the run together. Surrendering to desire could be a deadly distraction—or finally prove that he's the only man qualified to keep her safe, and win her love.

Just Your Average Princess


Kristina Springer - 2011
    Jamie can’t imagine it was easy for Milan to leave her life back in Los Angeles and move to Average, Illinois, population one thousand. But it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for her since (a) Milan’s drop-dead gorgeous; (b) she’s the daughter of two of Hollywood’s hottest film stars; (c) she’s captured the attention of everyone in town, including Danny, Jamie’s crush since forever; and (d) she’s about to steal the title of Pumpkin Princess right out from underneath Jamie!

The Chosen Soul


Heather Killough-Walden - 2009
    Sarah Grey’s second child was breached; the twin was going to die.The Stranger offered help.Twenty years later, Raven Grey, the second twin born on that fated night, is now an extraordinarily beautiful woman. With a gift.But what is the price to pay for that gift?If Raven and her brother can not escape the handsome and powerful elf prince, outwit the dark and dangerous bounty hunter, and defeat the ancient, mighty Death Mage - Raven is sure to learn just what that price is.And pay dearly.

Blood & Ash


Deborah WildeDeborah Wilde - 2020
    Long-lost magic. Can one determined private eye topple a dark conspiracy?​​​​​​​Detective for hire, Ashira Cohen is having a no-good, very bad day.When Ash was thirteen, her con artist father disappeared, leaving her with emotional scars and a limp she can't hide. But she toughened up, determined never to be played again. Is history repeating itself?First, she’s hit on the head during a stakeout, revealing a mysterious tattoo on the back of her skull. Even worse? It’s a now-broken ward unleashing dangerous magic that as a Mundane, she shouldn’t possess. And the icing on this crap cake? Her unruly powers nearly kill her long-time nemesis, Levi, the uptight leader of the magic community. One word from him revealing her forbidden abilities, and everything she’s built will be taken from her… by force.The only bright spot is that Levi requires her supernatural skills to solve a spree of abductions. After years of being underestimated by him, it’s Ash’s chance at payback and she’s going to enjoy bringing him to his knees—or stuffing him in a body bag.Crackling with humor and suspense, Blood & Ash features a headstrong heroine tackling paranormal mysteries and an enemies-to-lovers romance. Get this complete series now!"Wilde combines hardboiled noir and Jewish folklore in this action-packed, perfectly paced paranormal romp. ... the real star is Ash's hilariously snarky narrative voice which is archly sarcastic but never mean. ... Wilde balances exuberant wit with deep compassion and handles Ash's chronic pain and fragmented family with care. This giddy, sexy series launch is a delight." - Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Wolf Moon


C.D. Gorri - 2014
    My name is Grazi Kelly. There are things I know are true and things that I never would have guessed. First, demons and witches exist and they are evil. Second, the world is up for grabs and the witches are getting their minions ready. Third, I'm a werewolf and it's my job to stop them."High school sophomore Grazi Kelly leads an ordinary life in the suburbs of New Jersey helping her grandmother with chores and attending Catholic school. Things are pretty good except for her bullying cousin and the rest of the obnoxious cheer team. Then things take a frightening turn when the night of the full moon arrives and the bodies start piling up. Grazi learns that she is different in ways she never expected. She finds herself torn between Sebastian, the school soccer star and Ronan, a foreign exchange student who shares her secret. She must uncover the identity behind the mysterious attacker, but is she ready for the entire truth?

Sledge


Ernie Lindsey - 2013
    He left Officer Mary Walker alive, but he crushed her leg, her confidence, and her spirits.Now a private investigator, Mary takes sleuthing work as it comes and keeps a watchful eye over her shoulder. But, during a routine surveillance job on a chilly October night, a ghost from her past leaves her future uncertain.***SLEDGE is a fast-paced, suspense thriller short story from the author of SARA'S GAME.

Fallingwater Rising: Frank Lloyd Wright, E. J. Kaufmann, and America's Most Extraordinary House


Franklin Toker - 2003
    Scholars and the public have long extolled the house that Frank Lloyd Wright perched over a Pennsylvania waterfall in 1937, but the full story has never been told.When he got the commission to design the house, Wright was nearing seventy, his youth and his early fame long gone. It was the Depression, and Wright had no work in sight. Into his orbit stepped Edgar J. Kaufmann, a Pittsburgh department-store mogul–“the smartest retailer in America”–and a philanthropist with the burning ambition to build a world-famous work of architecture. It was an unlikely collaboration: the Jewish merchant who had little concern for modern architecture and the brilliant modernist who was leery of Jews. But the two men collaborated to produce an extraordinary building of lasting architectural significance that brought international fame to them both and confirmed Wright’s position as the greatest architect of the twentieth century. Fallingwater Rising is also an enthralling family drama, involving Kaufmann, his beautiful cousin/wife, Liliane, and their son, Edgar Jr., whose own role in the creation of Fallingwater and its ongoing reputation is central to the story. Involving such key figures of the l930s as Frida Kahlo, Albert Einstein, Henry R. Luce, William Randolph Hearst, Ayn Rand, and Franklin Roosevelt, Fallingwater Rising shows us how E. J. Kaufmann’s house became not just Wright’s masterpiece but a fundamental icon of American life.One of the pleasures of the book is its rich evocation of the upper-crust society of Pittsburgh–Carnegie, Frick, the Mellons–a society that was socially reactionary but luxury-loving and baronial in its tastes, hobbies, and sexual attitudes (Kaufmann had so many mistresses that his store issued them distinctive charge plates they could use without paying). Franklin Toker has been studying Fallingwater for eighteen years. No one but he could have given us this compelling saga of the most famous private house in the world and the dramatic personal story of the fascinating people who made and used it.A major contribution to both architectural and social history.From the Hardcover edition.

Fire in Frost


Alicia Rades - 2015
    It's not the harmful kind that can kill a girl like Olivia. It's the kind that can save her."CRYSTAL FROST tells herself she isn't crazy, but sane people don't see ghosts. As her psychic abilities manifest, Crystal discovers she can see into the future, witness the past, and speak with the dead. Add blackmail to the list of things she never thought would happen to her, and you basically have her sophomore year covered. After spotting her first ghost, secrets from her family, friends, and classmates begin to surface. Uncovering secrets can be dangerous, but giving up means someone will get hurt. Again.