Louis Auchincloss has been called "our most astute observer of moral paradox among the affluent" (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.), his fiction described as that which "has always examined what makes life worth living" (Washington Post Book World). Now he brings us the rollicking tale of an unforgettable woman of mid-twentieth century America: the devilish, forever plotting, yet wholly beguiling Clara Hoyt. A romantic early in life, Clara gets engaged -- much to her mother's horror -- to the lackluster Bobbie Lester. Soon after her Vassar graduation, however, Clara sees the error of her ways, spurns Bobbie, and slyly enthralls the well-bred and fabulously wealthy Trevor Hoyt, the first of her husbands. Soon she lands a job at a tony magazine, and so begins her wildly entertaining course to the inner sanctum of New York's aristocracy and into the boardrooms of the publishing world.In a world where women still had to wield the weapons of allure and charm, above all else, to secure positions of power, Clara, one of the last of her kind, succeeds marvelously. Auchincloss gives us, in Clara, an irresistible Cleopatra, lovely, wily, and mercurial. As Shakespeare wrote of that feminine creation, "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety."

    Alyssa Karr's beautiful words fill the reader with inspiration and hope to turn darkness into light.

    I have everything, money, power, a different woman on my arm every night of the week. Life was good. Even if it was all a façade to something much darker. Some nights I only had my money to keep my warm. I looked back at my decisions, questioning them. All of this money should make me happy. I could do anyone, buy anything, but something was missing. Then Kristin showed up on the scene and derailed my plans. She wasn’t supposed to be here, but she was. Kristin was my new secretary, brought into the company on false pretense, but she was here now. Every day I had to work with her closely. I could smell the sweet perfume of forbidden fruit and I wanted a taste. I wanted to tantalize my taste buds with her sweet nectar. Hear her call out to me in the night with that innocent voice of hers. I wanted to give her what she didn’t even know that she needed. I had to have her and find out why Kristin was different. What made me willing to risk it all, for her?

    A fire is lit: is it a lamp perched over the inscription upon an ancient blade? Or a roaring conflagration consuming the house in which the howling fiends wait? Things will never be the same after this. You've set forth on a damning path. Carry the Vigil. Fight back the shadows.Rulebook for Hunter: The Vigil This book includes: * A rulebook for playing hunters, those humans who have seen the truth of the World of Darkness and are spurred to action. * A many-faced Vigil for many types of hunter: characters might choose a path of violence, of investigation, or even of rehabilitation. Decipher mysteries and confront the horrors. * Provides new player types and antagonists for crossover- intensive chronicles as well as those chronicles focused only on hunters.

    Each day displays chapters from various books of the Bible, allowing readers to easily work through the assigned passages.

    D. Robb Celebrity in Death Her career in homicide has taken her into the darkest depths of New York City’s underground—and sometimes Lieutenant Eve Dallas feels more comfortable in those kinds of places than in the high-rise, high-society world of her billionaire husband, Roarke.But while she’s no party girl, she’s managing to have a reasonably good time at the celebrity-packed bash celebrating the debut of The Icove Agenda. This time it’s Eve, not Roarke, who’s a guest of honor, since the film is based on one of her famous cases. Her partner, Peabody, is practically giddy over rubbing shoulders with Hollywood royalty. Eve, on the other hand, is more likely to roll her eyes than have stars in them. But she has to admit it’s a little spooky seeing the actress playing her, who looks almost like her long-lost twin.Not as unsettling, though, as seeing K. T. Harris, the actress who plays Peabody—drowned in the lap pool on the roof of the director’s luxury building. Talented but rude, and widely disliked, K.T. had made an embarrassing scene during dinner. She clearly liked being the center of attention. Now she’s at the center of a crime scene—and Eve is more than ready to get out of her high heels and strap on her holster, to step into the role she was born to play: cop. Delusion in Death It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks, complained about the boss, maybe hooked up with someone for the night. Until something went terribly wrong.At first it was just a friction in the air. The noise intensified. The crowd seemed oppressive. Some sharp words were exchanged, some pushing and shoving. Then the madness descended. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things—monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics makes its report, the mass delusions make more sense: it appears the bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive people into temporary insanity—if not kill them outright. But that doesn’t explain who would unleash such horror—or why. Eve’s husband, Roarke, happens to own the bar, yet he’s convinced the attack wasn’t directed at him. It’s bigger than that.And if Eve can’t figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it’s airborne....

    SPECTRE RISING (BOOK 1)Cal "Spectre" Martin is out of the military, but that doesn't mean he's out from behind enemy lines. In a techno thriller that launches the military/political espionage SPECTRE series, C.W. Lemoine explores just how far a fighter pilot will go to save the ones he loves. AVOID. NEGOTIATE. KILL. (BOOK 2) Book 2 in the military/political espionage thriller SPECTRE series finds Spectre with a new job - and a new set of problems. His latest mission will force him to confront political deception, international terrorism… and devastating personal loss. ARCHANGEL FALLEN (BOOK 3) Spectre is being hunted by the FBI. The agency believes he’s at the heart of an unthinkable act of terrorism. But as Spectre’s about to find out, the true culprit has set in motion a far more powerful conspiracy. EXECUTIVE REACTION (BOOK 4)Political deception, international espionage and entrenched military corruption. Cal "Spectre" Martin finds himself face to face with the Commander in Chief aboard Air Force One. Together with FBI agent Michelle Decker, he is ready to share evidence so incriminating it could topple the current administration in Washington D.C..

    Now, dungeons dot the landscape, releasing Demons that terrorize and destroy everything in their path. If they aren’t stopped soon, humans won’t be the only endangered species.In an attempt to preserve life and win the war against Demons, Protectors from different species all over the world have downloaded level-up programs to help them fight. Jason Jonosan doesn’t want to be a part of that world, though his dad created the original tech. His dad’s latest work has made him a target, and Jason finds himself running for his life.When he’s accidentally injected with an accelerated prototype, it’s level up or die. But as he goes through dungeons with his best friend and new Party members, they realize the situation isn’t as simple as they always believed, and the race to save Jason’s life turns into a quest to save the world.

    Our beginners guide contains all the essential information you need in order to succeed. It covers the basic techniques, well illustrated with over a hundred images, and explains everything you need to know in an understandable way. Bonsai Empire is the world's most visited Bonsai website and has provided beginners with quality information for over a decade. We have developed this guide to help you get a taste of this fascinating and living art, and hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do! This book includes: - Over 100 stunning images - Over 80 pages - Explanations of the basic techniques - Care guides on the 10 most popular tree species - Background on the history, definition and styles Walter Pall: "Now here is the ultimate book to lead beginners. I am happy to have been able to contribute to this" Mauro Stemberger "Very clear" and "With great quality drawings and pics"

    But when Gavin saves a woman's life, what should have been a simple task draws him face-to-face with his nightmarish past... and the truth of King Arek's demise.As he unravels the mystery surrounding King Arek's mysterious disappearance, Gavin's strongest convictions are tested by his greatest fears. He begins a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, and along the way, discovers that making difficult choices isn't nearly as painful as accepting their consequences.The Kinshield Saga: The Complete Series contains four complete novels:Book 1: The Kinshield LegacyBook 2: The Wayfarer KingBook 3: Well of the DamnedBook 4: Kinshield's RedemptionAlso includes the prequel novella Sole Sacrifice.

    There may be typos or missing text and there are no illustrations. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there.

    Now you have found your way back through the Thorns, to a home that is no longer yours. You are Lost. Find yourself.The Core Rulebook for Changeling: The Lost• A rulebook for playing the changelings, those humans changed by durance in Faerie to something more than human• A vivid imagining of the fae beings and places that hide unseen in the World of Darkness• Provides new player types and antagonists for crossover chronicles as well as chronicles focusing on changelings aloneChangeling: The Lost is the fifth game in the World of Darkness.

    Only rarely do our experiences draw back the veil of shadows and reveal the horror in our midst. These glimpses into the supernatural can cause us to retreat into comforting lies - 'There are no such things as monsters' - or stir our morbid curiosity. Only a few, however, can overcome their fear and dare to look deeper.The World of Darkness Rulebook introduces a version of our contemporary world where the supernatural is real. Players join to tell tales of mystery and horror, where theme, mood and plot are more important to a character s experiences than his weapons or equipment. Inside are rules for character creation, task resolution, combat and any activity your character attempts as he delves into the shadows.

    Two years ago, Breslin was having trouble getting his left eyelid to open and close. This was too peculiar to ignore, so Breslin decided to pay a rare visit to his doctor. As it turned out, the eyelid was a matter of nerves. But extensive testing revealed something unrelated and life-threatening: he had an aneurysm in his brain - a thin, ballooned artery wall that could burst and kill him at any moment unless he opted for a risky surgical procedure. Breslin agreed to the surgery and at age sixty-five, grateful for this miracle (what else could you call it?), began taking stock of his remarkable life.

    Their legacy of shadows eclipses the light thrown by their packs ritual fires. But are the Lasombra truly the esteemed leaders of the Sword of Caine or do they simply abuse it to serve their own ends?The Lords of the SabbatAs the next entry in the revised lineup of clanbooks, Lasombra takes one of the classic Vampire sourcebooks and brings it into a modern context. All-new information accompanies revised material, inviting you to add as much depth to your character as you like. The sheer volume of information contained in the new clanbooks (each with 32 more pages than the first-edition books) permits Storytellers to round out their chronicles.