I do like that as well, warm and dripping, when I am thirsty.... Alisa has been in control of her urges for the five thousand years she has been a vampire. She feeds but does not kill, and she lives her life on the fringe to maintain her secret. But when her creator returns to hunt her, she must break her own rules in order to survive.Her quest leads her to Ray. He is the only person who can help her; he also has every reason to fear her. Alisa must get closer to him to ensure her immortality. But as she begins to fall in love with Ray, suddenly there is more at stake than her own life....

    King Jonathan's civilised, multicultural realm is no more; the gibbets and cages have returned. Days of laughter, friendly ghosts and gossipy cats remain only in Wynter's memory - the present confronts her with power play, dark torture chambers, violent ghosts, and cats (those still alive) too scared to talk to humans. The Inquisition is a real and present danger.Crown Prince Alberon is missing. There are murmurings of a 'Bloody Machine' of untold destructive power. And as Wynter and her friends, Prince Razi and the mysterious Christopher Garron, seek to restore stability to the fragile kingdom, risking death at every turn, Wynter is forced to make a terrible choice.Set in a fantastical medieval Europe, this is the first book in a compelling trilogy of court intrigue, adventure and romance. It draws the reader in from the very first sentence and doesn't loosen its grip until the last.'This is marvellous, vivid writing, and storytelling at its best. It reminded me of the first time I read Philip Pullman - I was utterly engrossed.' Roddy Doyle

      On a planet in a parallel universe where magic is a reality, these three high fantasy novels of the Witch World set on the eastern continent of Estcarp once again illustrate why prolific author Andre Norton was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.  Trey of Swords: A trilogy of swords, sorcery, and spectacular adventure set in the Witch World. In Sword of Ice, an ancient blade of incredible power that holds the spirit of the ancient hero Tolar will forge young Yonan into the greatest weapon in Witch World. In Sword of Lost Battles, only Yonan and his loyal friend Uruk can stop the dreaded Targi—the near-invincible warlock who leads the Darkness. With Yonan and Uruk missing in the past, the untrained witch Crytha must hold back the Darkness alone by countering the power of the vile sorceress Laidan with the help of a lethal, legendary blade, in Sword of Shadows.  Ware Hawk: Tirtha, last of a decimated clan, must return to her family’s ancient stronghold of Hawkholme. For protection, she hires Nirel, once a proud Falconer, now a blank shield for hire, who survives by using his gift for seeing the future in his dreams. But he cannot see everything, and a Dark One is determined to stop them.  Gate of the Cat: When she tries to help an injured wildcat, Kelsie McBlair is transported from the Scottish Highlands to a world where magic users, mighty heroes, and terrible monsters dwell. There she embarks on an incredible adventure, accompanied by a cynical witch who doesn’t trust her and a young warrior sworn to protect her. For Kelsie will prove to be the only one who can face off against the Lord of the Dark himself . . .

    From the back alleys of Corus, to the sewers of Port Caynn, to the backwoods of the north country, Beka will not let her quarry escape. Tamora Pierce's first tales told in first person give marvelous insight into the complex and wonderful character of Beka, whose strength, loyalty, and goodness are an inspiration to all those around her . . . except perhaps the criminals.

    The liveship Vivacia is about to undergo her quickening as Althea Vestrit’s father is carried on deck in his death-throes. Althea waits for the ship that she loves more than anything else in the world to awaken. Only to discover that the Vivacia has been signed away in her father’s will to her brutal brother-in-law, Kyle Haven...Others plot to win or steal a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle, and drowned his crew. Now he lies blind, lonely, and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him, to sail the waters of the Rain Wild River once more.Cover illustration by John Howe

    A fated quest. When the world is on the brink, one woman dares to defy destiny…Is the Living Blade real or just a legend? With it… Prince Bashan could win back his kingdom. Master Telen Diaz can free himself of the burden from his past. Owen Smith sees a once-in-a-lifetime chance to gain untold knowledge. … but for Noraya Smith, the Living Blade will bring nothing but suffering and sorrow.

    Emma and Simone, John's daughter, are facing a new series of threats, while their best fighter, Leo, sits in Hell. they must persuade him to come home ... but, in Hell, nothing is as it appears. On Earth, Simon Wong, the Demon King's son, is no longer around to trouble them, but his associates have taken over Simon's underworld activities. the otherworldly stones are being targeted and are in danger of their kind being completely destroyed. It seems that the Demon King is the only one Emma can turn to for help ... Praise for the Dark Heavens trilogy: 'addictive ... you won't want to put it down' femail.com.au 'hitch up ya britches, put on some good running shoes and get into the pace' AurealisXpress 'packed with Chinese mythology, kick-ass action and sexual tension' AsIf.dreamhosters.com

    Many have made the claim, but few have lived to defend it. Timid, weak, and bullied, Wulfric is as unlikely a candidate as there could be. A chance encounter with an ancient and mysterious object awakens a latent gift, and Wulfric’s life changes course. Against a backdrop of war, tragedy, and an enemy whose hatred for him knows no bounds, Wulfric will be forged from a young boy, into the Wolf of the North. This is his tale.

    She wakes up on a flying steamboat on her way to a school run by Angels in a white marble castle. On the boat she meets Mick who has been dead for more than a hundred years but still looks like a teenager. He helps her past the difficult beginning at the new school in a new world filled with magic.One day some of Meghan's roommates find a mirror in the cellar of the school and they persuade her to go through it with them - well knowing it is strictly against the rules of the school. Meghan ends up back on earth where she meets Jason. But Jason is in danger and Meghan knows something important. Something that is a matter of life and death. Soon she is forced to choose between the two worlds. The one she belongs to now and the one she left.Praise: - Willow Rose definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. She balanced fantasy and intense emotion brilliantly. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys the paranormal. - Fictitious Musings- I loved this book! It was really good and just warm with a touch of darkness to it (...) It's good stuff! - That Chick That Reads- Death & Life meet with a twist. Definitely worth a read - Becky's Barmy Book BlogBook 2 - SERENITYIt is Meghan's second year at The Academy. While trying to help and care for Jason on earth she is struggling to keep up in school, where they this year will learn both to ride Pegasus' and fly through severe storms. Meanwhile Mick is becoming more than a friend to her and soon she finds herself facing the unavoidable choice. But something evil is threatening the students at the Academy and Meghan is no longer safe within the walls of the castle. Something causes several of the students to be caught in the middle of a nightmare, that they can't wake up from. Soon they realize that they might have a traitor in their midst. Praise:This was a wonderful sequel. Every bit as good as the first book in the series. Now on to the third one - I am really excited to see what happens next. I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good paranormal romance. /GoodreadsBook 3 - ENDURANCEMeghan's training at the Academy is coming to an end. Everything is going great as she comes closer to graduation. She is engaged to be married and the wedding is near when she hears some disturbing news that makes her rethink her future.In class the students are learning to catch dreams and fly with the speed of light. Meghan soon discovers her special talents and that she is much stronger than she thought. But unfortunately that doesn't help her as she faces the truth about her own death, which will be revealed to her at the end of the year.Endurance is the third book in Willow Rose's Afterlife series about a young girl's life after death.Praise:I hope there will be more in this series because I have enjoyed getting to know Meghan and her friends, Mick, Jason, and the teachers at the Academy. by Once Upon a Twilight

    On the run from blue eyed, demonic creatures who will stop at nothing to find her, she turns to a family of hunters for help. Irresistibly drawn to each other, she brings with her the handsome doctor who cared for her in the hospital. But they soon discover this isn't the first time their paths have crossed. In a life neither of them remembers, they were once tangled in a web of betrayal that drove them apart and a war began in the ashes of their love. Is it too late to salvage what they once had?

    But a small band of outlaws are prepared to risk their lives to defeat Gudrun and restore the land to its rightful leader. This trilogy follows them in their quest, from the first terrifying journey to meet the mysterious snow-walker's son, to the final battle in the lands beyond the rainbow bridge...The Snow-Walker's SonSince Gudrun came from the frozen mists beyond the edge of the world, the Jarl's people have obeyed her in hatred and terror. But the enchantress has one weakness: a son, Kari, banished to a forbidding fortress in the north, never seen by the Jarl's people. In secret they wonder: Are the rumours true? Was he born a monster?Now Jessa and her cousin Thorkil have been exiled to the north, and if they survive the journey, they will find the truth: Is Kari a beast? Or the means to stop the sorceress?The Empty HandFrom frost and magic, the sorceress Gudrun conjures a rune beast and sends it from the land of the Snow-Walkers, southwards towards the stronghold of the new Jarl, Wulfgar. The approach of the beast spreads fear amongst the people. Jessa, Skapti the poet, and a slave named Hakon Empty Hand must help the Jarl confront this horror while around them, mistrust and conspiracy grow. In some hidden way, these dark events are linked with Gudrun's mysterious son, Kari, whose own talents as sorcerer are beginning to reach their terrifying potential.The Soul ThievesIn the dramatic conclusion to the "Snow-Walker" trilogy, the sorceress Gudrun places an enchantment of frost and dreams upon the people of the Jarlshold and steals the soul of the Jarl's young bride. To reclaim the girl, Jessa and her friends must now begin a perilous quest to the land of Snow-Walkers, a place not shown on any map. They must journey beyond the edge of the world, beyond the rift into darkness, where the final battle between Gudrun and her son must take place.

    But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men and lead them into battle against impossible odds.The fates of both these soldiers and all the men they lead depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning. But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.

    She also didn't expect to fall in love--especially not with a werewolf hunter. Between ravenous werewolf packs, a bloodthirsty family of hunters, and Rylie's battle with her inner wolf, all the odds are stacked against Rylie's love for Seth. But Seth will do anything to be with her... even if it means turning against his family and sacrificing everything.

    Far-reaching in scope and imagination, Lord of Snow and Shadows embarks on a journey like no other—into a shape-shifting world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light.Raised by his protective mother in the sunny clime of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father—or the ominous legacy that awaits him. But his innocence is about to be shattered. The man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul, has been murdered by his enemies. It is his fiery, chameleonlike blood that pulses through Gavril’s veins. The news is Gavril’s first taste of death—but it will not be his last. For blood is the liquid that seals his fate.Expected by clan warriors from the north to avenge his father’s murder—and still his unquiet ghost—Gavril is kidnapped. He soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but changing, in subtle ways at first, into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive. Ensconced in Kastel Drakhaon with no means of escape from the icebound kingdom, and carefully watched by neighboring rulers waiting to move against him, the untested Gavril must fight to retain his human heart and soul in the face of impending war—and the dark instincts that threaten to overpower him.Man and beast, spymaster and insurgent, nature and the netherworld--all collide in phenomenal twists and turns. A masterwork of adventure fantasy, Lord of Snow and Shadows will leave you stunned—and longing for more.

    For decades, sorcerers and those associating with them were hunted to near extinction.But Seri, a Leiran noblewoman living in exile, is no stranger to defying the unjust laws of her land. She is sheltering a wanted fugitive who possesses unusual abilities-a fugitive with the fate of the realms in his hands...