I loved these.” ―Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble“This inventive, enchanting collection reads like the fairy tales of old, hushed stories passed woman to woman, before the Grimms came and wiped away all the blood.” ―Laura Ruby, author of Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All“The writing is as spare and precise as poetry, connected to the darker, edgier elements of fairy-tale conventions. Albert’s rich and tightly focused collection forms the core of the mythology created in her novels, and her fans will be thrilled at this further glimpse into that world.” ―Booklist, starred review “Stories fueled by feminist rage, the frustration of being unnderestimated, and the insatiable longing to experience more mark this collection as timely and universal.” ―SLJ

    With both of them being prominent, successful lawyers, she followed in their footsteps and set out to create a name just for herself. Her career has been the forefront of her life, coming before everything, including her once upon a time longtime friend and lover, Emerald Hampton. Their relationship suffered long ago due to her commitment to school and her career and his rising music stardom. Years have passed and Emerald has returned to claim the woman that was always supposed to be his. However, confronting old feelings means confronting old secrets.Emerald Hampton also known professionally as GEM has had success all over the world with his beautiful vocals. Even with all of his fame and fortune, he still feels like something is missing from his life. That something is Rhyon Capers, the woman he has loved since he was eight years old. After taking some time off from the industry, he ventures home to get his woman. While he knew he would not receive the warmest of welcomes from her, he was prepared to go put in work to make her his again. Will they be able to work through the dormant feelings and past secrets to rekindle a lost love, or will they have to accept that their time has passed?

    When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember. Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara's home. And only a winter child--and the ice dragon who loved her--could save her world from utter destruction. "The Ice Dragon" marks the highly anticipated children's book debut of George R.R. Martin, the award-winning author of the "New York Times" best-selling series A Song of Ice and Fire and is set in the same world. Illustrated with lush, exquisitely detailed pencil drawings by acclaimed artist Yvonne Gilbert, "The Ice Dragon" is an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and sacrifice by one of the most honored fantasists of all time.

    Her wicked stepmother, twisted with jealousy, arranges a marriage for Samantha with a rich, arrogant and cruel man. It only the actions of her concerned father that save her from this fate worse than death. Or so it seems, until she discovers that her father’s plan is to send her hundreds of miles away to Lord Callum’s castle in Inverness, as servant and cook to a disfigured beast of a man, hidden from all but those who dare enter his maternal grandfather’s home. Which is worse? Marriage to a monster, or servant to a beast? In this original Regency fairytale the classic tale of Beauty and Beast takes a decidedly romantic Regency turn.

    Loneliness is the worst part -- until she finds a fellow refugee, a boy named Wisp. Together they must make new lives for themselves. Yet they both have secrets -- hidden pasts and magical powers that can tear them apart!

    Judith had neither. Her father had been a friend to Balthazar’s father. She was now an orphan, though she was no trembling waif-child. At twenty-two she was too old for such a designation. Nevertheless, the loss of her father and the subsequent funeral and the settling of his accounts had depleted their already meager purse. Judith’s father had gifted his only daughter fine frocks and hair combs, but that was years ago, before his luck turned, and the vast majority of such gifts had been sold.Judith found herself with a terribly small inheritance and no way to supplement this dismal income. That is, until she was summoned by Balthazar’s mother.

    It's a place where magic spells, enchanted artifacts, steam-powered machines, firearms and mechanical golems are a part of everyday life.Gamer Andrew Falk begins his journey in a small village on the border of Orcish territory. The locals are the keepers of many secrets, but their behavior is too realistic for characters in a game; so realistic, in fact, that Andrew starts to treat them as if they were real people. Maybe because of the way he plays, or maybe just thanks to good luck, he becomes one of a mysterious class of people known as "sliders,” and Elenia, the goddess of fate, sends him on an epic quest. But he quickly comes to understand that it's not just his stats as a gamer that are at stake here, but his real life. The virtual goddess turns out to be capable of affecting the real world in order to force Andrew to complete her assignments within the game.Now Andrew's going to have to turn Arktania upside-down in his quest for five ancient swords. But the "Loner" curse means that he won't have anyone to rely on but himself.

    - Patrick Ness

    By day, he teaches literature. At night, he steals it. Adam is a plagiarist, an expert reader with an eye for great works. He prowls simulated worlds perusing virtual texts, looking for the next big thing. And when he finds it, he memorizes it page by page, line by line, word for word. And then he brings it back to his world. But what happens when these virtual worlds begin to seem more real than his own? What happens when the people within them mean more to him than flesh and blood? What happens when a living thing falls in love with someone who does not actually exist?

    Can it? A one night stand, an engagement and a wedding, all within the space between New Year’s and Valentine’s day. Could it be love? If so, is it meant to be?

    Now he and Lilac reconcile his memories of that night with the truth uncovered after the crash. Short connects first two novels. Includes preview chapter from This Shattered World.

    Snyder's stunning debut novel Poison Study, is on her way to her ancestral homeland of Sitia to be reunited with her family and to learn more about her magical powers. An order of execution hangs over her head should she ever return to Ixia. But her true love, Valek, quickly learns that an assassin has taken it upon himself to make sure Yelena doesn't reach her destination.As Ixia's chief of security, and a highly skilled assassin himself, can Valek track down the killer in time to save Yelena's life?

    At that point, Elantris had only been out in stores for about seven or eight months, but I actually hadn't written anything new on the story or world since 2000, when I'd finished the first draft of the original book. This story was originally posted for sale on Amazon.com; once the contract with them ran out, I posted it on my website.There were always a few holes in the manuscript where I decided not to include viewpoints or sections of explanation in the name of streamlining, particularly at the end. In the back of my mind, I knew what happened. This story talks about one of those holes; it is meant to be read after you've finished the novel and takes place during the events of the climax. In the annotation, I've written a further explanation of why I wrote this piece. Some of you may find it interesting to read this ahead of time; I put it in the annotation, however, as I know others would rather enjoy the story without bias beforehand, then read my thoughts afterward. Either way, if you haven't read the novel Elantris, this contains major spoilers. Might I suggest reading the book first? This story won't work at all for you if you haven't.As always, thanks for reading!

    The coat. It was elegant. It was beautiful. It was so close that he could have reached out and touched it.And it was unquestionably his.

    Now a strong, independent woman and owner of the Bon Bon Beauty Parlor, she is determined to live her life alone. Having spent years constructing a steel cage around her heart, she vows to never let any man get too close. Her mama made that mistake, and it ended in tragedy. Saffron isn’t about to let the same thing happen to her. She is content to bury herself in romance novels, dreaming of the swaggering, shirtless heroes on the covers. That is enough for her until the morning her eyes flutter open to find the sexiest man she has ever seen hovering over her. He is tending to her, protecting her and, before she can blink, he is trying to steal her heart. Parker Sloan grew up in the lap of luxury. He has every advantage but little freedom. From the day he was born, his parents have had his entire life mapped out. His domineering father—Dr. Nate Sloan—insists his son attend medical school, pursue a career in cardiology and get engaged to a self-centered socialite. But, Parker has other plans. Against his parents’ wishes, he becomes a paramedic. One fateful morning he takes an emergency call that lands him smack in the middle of a beauty parlor. It is there he meets the sweet and beautiful Saffron Butler. From the moment he looks into her big brown eyes, he is a goner. In their dark, chocolatey depths, he can clearly see their future—a lifetime of love and happiness spent in each other’s arms. Wooing Saffron won’t be an easy task. But it is one he is determined to accomplish. Failure isn’t an option. He will do whatever it takes to gain her trust and win her affections. Bon Bon Beauty is part of the Plus Size Romance Series. Each book is a standalone with no overlapping characters, storylines or cliffhangers. This series is a perfect combination of romance, steamy love scenes and humor. The stories are sensual and romantic, uplifting and lighthearted. Feel-good reads that leave you feeling great!