Afraid


Lisa JacksonLisa Jackson - 2022
    Cecilia’s after her movie-star mother was brutally attacked by her sleazy boyfriend, Ray Watkins. Lucy’s damning testimony landed Ray a twenty-five-year sentence. But now, Ray is free. And he’s going to find Lucy and make her pay, no matter how far and how fast she runs . . . RAYNERayne Taylor found unexpected happiness at St. Cecilia’s, until her roommate, Natalie, committed suicide. Only when Rayne finds a box of mementoes from that time does she realize how wrong she may have been about Natalie’s death—and how far someone will go to keep the truth hidden . . .ERINErin MacDonald remembers little about the long-ago night she and her sister, Anna Beth, were kidnapped. While Erin was found safe, Anna Beth vanished forever. Now Erin has reluctantly come back to the family estate, where Detective Rafe Montego hopes to finally crack the case. But as flashes of Erin’s memory reemerge, she learns how deep the danger goes . . .

White Devil: The True Story of the First White Asian Crime Boss


Bob Halloran - 2015
    Willis, according to prosecutors, was “the kingpin, organizer and leader of a vast conspiracy,” all within the legendarily insular and vicious Chinese mafia.It started when John Willis was 16 years old . . . his life seemed hopeless. His father had abandoned his family years earlier, his older brother had just died of a heart attack, and his mother was dying. John was alone, sleeping on the floor of his deceased brother’s home. Desperate, John reached out to Woping, a young Chinese man Willis had rescued from a bar fight weeks before. Woping literally picks him up off the street, taking him home to live among his own brothers and sisters. Soon, Willis is accompanying Woping to meet his Chinese mobster friends, and starts working for them. Journalist Bob Halloran tells the tale of John Willis, aka White Devil, the only white man to ever rise through the ranks in the Chinese mafia. Willis began as an enforcer, riding around with other gang members to “encourage” people to pay their debts. He soon graduated to even more dangerous work as a full-fledged gang member, barely escaping with his life on several occasions.As a white man navigating an otherwise exclusively Asian world, Willis was at first an interesting anomaly, but his ruthless devotion to his adopted culture eventually led to him emerging as a leader. He organized his own gang of co-conspirators and began an extremely lucrative criminal venture selling tens of thousands of oxycodone pills. A year-long FBI investigation brought him down, and John pleaded guilty to save the love of his life from prosecution. He has no regrets.White Devil explores the workings of the Chinese mafia, and he speaks frankly about his relationships with other gang members, the crimes he committed, and why he’ll never rat out any of his brothers to the cops.Told to Halloran from Willis’s prison cell, White Devil is a shocking portrait of a man who was allowed access into a secret world, and who is paying the price for his hardened life.

Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with My Sister's Killer


Jeanne Bishop - 2015
    She became a public defender, an outspoken opponent of capital punishment, and a supporter of mandatory life sentences for juvenile killers. But all the while she never once spoke the name of her sister's killer aloud, never once cared what had happened to him after he was convicted of the crime.Over time she realized that God was asking more of her. Her responsibility as a Christian was not to simply tell herself that she'd forgiven the young man while secretly hoping he languished in prison the rest of his days. As Christians we have an obligation to work to reconcile with those who have harmed us."Change of Heart" is the story of this transformation, from someone who actively sought the killer's imprisonment for the rest of his life to one who now visits him regularly in prison. It has not been an easy journey, and at times the personal cost has been high. But this change of heart has brought Bishop to a better understanding of what it means to be a person of faith.

Detained


Don Brown - 2015
    But when they arrive in the US, they are arrested, accused of terrorism, and incarcerated at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba, all on false charges. Suddenly, they face the nightmare of death by execution.Their only hope is Navy JAG Officer Matt Davis, who has been assigned to the case of his life--to defend the Makaris in court at Guantanamo Bay. Matt believes his clients are innocent but faces monumental opposition--not only from powerful federal prosecutors with a huge agenda and an unlimited budget, but also from the woman he loves who, as a fellow JAG officer, has been ordered onto the prosecution team to convict the Makaris.As the drama unfolds in Cuba, Emily Gardner, a top-ranking TSA lawyer, has just received a larger-than-life nomination as General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security. While preparing for confirmation by the US Senate, she discovers a shocking scheme that will turn her life upside down. Can Emily expose the truth in time to save the lives of those being accused--and escape with her own life? Somewhere between the war-torn plains of Northern Lebanon and the secret torture chamber of Guantanamo Bay lie the keys to justice.

Smuggler


Nicholas Fillmore - 2019
    Bound to drug boss ALHAJI, he returns to Europe to finish the job. But in Chicago O’Hare customs agents “blitz” the plane and a courier is arrested. Thus begins a harried yearlong effort to elude the Feds, prison and a looming existential dead end.

The Last Queen: A Novel of Courage and Resistance


Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniChitra Banerjee Divakaruni
    In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch. Sharp-eyed, stubborn, and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen--and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son's birthright from the encroaching British Empire.Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil, and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, one whose story cries out to be told.

The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2009


Dave EggersMatthew Power - 2009
    Compiled by Dave Eggers and students from his San Francisco writing center, it is "both uproarious and illuminating" (Publishers Weekly).

Into the Mirror: The Life of Master Spy, Robert P. Hanssen


Lawrence Schiller - 2002
    Into the Mirror is the story of FBI Special Agent Robert P. Hanssen, the master spy who singlehandedly created the greatest breach of security in the country's history. Written in novelistic prose, Schiller creates a gripping portrait of Hanssen, who for 22 years was a loving husband, devoted father of six, devout Catholic & member of Opus Dei, passionate anticommunist, dedicated FBI agent & a traitor. On 2/18/01, the FBI arrested Hanssen & charged him with selling to the Russians--over a period of more than 20 years--top-secret, classified information. Nothing reported to date about this ordinary-looking but tormented man has revealed the facts that Schiller & Norman Mailer--collaborators on the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Executioner's Song & Oswald's Tale--uncovered during their 9-month investigation into the life of this man. Seeking to solve this mystery, they spent hundreds of hours interviewing members of his family as well as his closest friends, colleagues & fellow church members. They traveled to Moscow to interview a key member of the KGB who had handled the spy they knew only as "Ramon Garcia." Into the Mirror gets inside the mind of a devious & dangerously brilliant man & creates a portrait of someone so caught up in the struggle with his own personal demons that he would betray everything he held sacred: his wife, family, religion & country.

Understanding Power Quality Problems: Voltage Sags and Interruptions


Math H.J. Bollen - 1999
    Now in this comprehensive book, power engineers and students can find the theoretical background necessary for understanding how to analyze, predict, and mitigate the two most severe power disturbances: voltage sags and interruptions. This is the first book to offer in-depth analysis of voltage sags and interruptions and to show how to apply mathematical techniques for practical solutions to these disturbances. From UNDERSTANDING AND SOLVING POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS you will gain important insights intoVarious types of power quality phenomena and power quality standards Current methods for power system reliability evaluation Origins of voltage sags and interruptions Essential analysis of voltage sags for characterization and prediction of equipment behavior and stochastic prediction Mitigation methods against voltage sags and interruptions Sponsored by: IEEE Power Electronics Society, IEEE Industry Applications Society, IEEE Power Engineering Society.

Brianne's Secret (Final Pleasures Book 3)


M.S. Parker - 2018
    I've found my sister and I'm waking up next to Clay, my childhood crush. The perfect happily ever after. Then, why do I feel like it’s a little too perfect? Just as life looks promising, journalist Tess Gardener finds her sister missing – again. As she and Clay scour the country, things between the couple come to a head, making her question everything she believes in. For the first time Clay doesn’t know what the future holds, but he hopes that Tess will be a part of it…until a betrayal of trust threatens to destroy everything. Will the childhood sweethearts discover Brianne's secret and save their relationship? Find out now in the thrilling conclusion to Tess and Clay’s story by bestselling author, M.S. Parker.

Bad Boy Cowboy: The Complete Series Box Set


Claire Adams - 2017
    Instead, fresh out of college with a degree in Art History, she hopes to open an art gallery featuring works from artists in the area, although she'll need to be creative if she wants to come up with a way to fund the venture. The longer she remains at home, however, the more opportunity she has to run into Trethan, her high school sweetheart, who now works for her father at the Lazy J. She can't deny that she's still attracted to the man, but there's a lot of unresolved tension between the two of them stemming back to an unhappy night shortly before Vanessa left for college. Can she find it in herself to give Trethan a second chance? Or are the two of them better off apart? Bad Boy Cowboy is a western second chance romance series and 80,000 words long. No cheating and a HEA. Includes 4 bonus books.

Yes, Sir (Part One)


Julia Nash - 2019
    And now I have to sell my body and soul to fix it… I never wanted to be there in the first place, working in Brock Wrentham’s mansion, under his watchful, relentless gaze. And the last thing I ever expected was to mess up so badly that I’d be in his debt and at his mercy. The only way out? Submit to ten punishments of Brock’s choosing, each one intended to pay off the money I cost him with my colossal screw up. Yes, the punishments involve me in various states of undress. Doing things with Brock, things I’ve never done with another man. Things I definitely never imagined myself doing, much less with one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. I do enjoy it, more and more each time. But as I slip further under his spell, I start to wonder who the real Brock Wrentham is, and what he’s hiding. Because there’s something so terrible in his past, it makes my punishments look like a walk in the park. I don’t know if the fragile trust we’ve built can ever hope to survive the truth. The truth of who he is, what he’s done, and why he wants me to be the one to pay for it all…

Her Billionaire Dream (Her Sweet Billionaire Romance Book 1)


Tayla Alexandra - 2018
    Having invested years into saving the family business from the ashes his father left, he has no time for a serious relationship. He has no need for a woman in his life and dates his high school sweetheart only because she is equally rich, extremely independent, and looks good on his arm. But when she ducks out on him on the most important weekend of the year, he is desperate. Dena Gysler wants nothing to do with her rich, arrogant employer outside of work. She cleans his office and he has no idea she exists. That suits her just fine because in the five years of taking out his trash, he’s never once acknowledged her existence. When he offers her ten thousand dollars to accompany him on his weekend business conference, Dena is appalled. But ten thousand dollars to a cleaning lady is a lot of money to refuse. Dena and Chandler agree to a strictly-business plan that will benefit them both. And falling in love is not a part of that plan. But then again, plans change.

Hollywood Private Lives Uncensored


Alan Royle - 2016
    Hollywood minus the hype and hokum.

The Skinny Soup Maker Recipe Book: Delicious Low Calorie, Healthy and Simple Soup Machine Recipes Under 100, 200 and 300 Calories. Perfect For Any Diet and Weight Loss Plan.


CookNation - 2013
    Offering tips and inspiration, the book guides you through a range of versatile and innovative soup ideas, drawing inspiration from around the world.From traditional family favourites to new and interesting ideas which will change the way you think about soup. What’s even better is ALL recipes are under 100, 200 or 300 calories.The Skinny Soup Maker Recipe Book is the perfect accompaniment to any weight loss diet or healthy living plan!