Charged with the nonintrusive study of alien cultures, the crew discovers a society containing no love or laughter. It is, instead, centered around death—a world of aristocratic and common folk in which grieving is an art and the cornerstone of life. But the alien civilization stands on the brink of astonishing change, heralded by the discovery of Linni, the Gray Wanderer, a young woman from the countryside whose arrival has been foretold for centuries. And for Anthropologist First Class Aaron Spenser, L’Lal’lor is a place of destructive temptations, seducing him with its mysterious, sad beauty, and leading him into an unthinkable criminal act. Told from the shifting viewpoints of characters both alien and human, and through records of local lore and transcripts of court martial proceedings, Cards of Grief is a thoughtful, lyrical, and spellbinding tale of first contact. It is a true masterwork of world building from Jane Yolen, a premier crafter of speculative fiction and fantasy.

    It’s no challenge—her readings have always been faked, but this time she has some insider knowledge. The kidnapping was supposed to be easy—no one would get hurt and she’d get the money she needs to start a new life. But a seemingly harmless prank has turned dark, and Skye realizes the people she’s involved with are willing to kill to get what they want and she must discover their true identity before it’s too late.

    Here is his rollicking report.

    Every year, supporting members of WorldCon nominate their favorite stories first published during the previous year to determine the top five in each category for the final Hugo Award ballot. Between the announcement of the ballot and the Hugo Award ceremony at WorldCon, these works often become the center of much attention (and contention) across fandom. But there are more stories loved by the Hugo voters, stories on the longer nomination list that WSFS publishes after the Hugo Award ceremony at WorldCon. The Long List Anthology Volume 2 collects 18 fiction stories from that nomination list, along with 2 essays from the book Letters to Tiptree that was also on the nomination list, totaling over 500 pages of fiction by writers from all corners of the world. Within these pages you will find a mix of science fiction and fantasy and horror, the dramatic and the lighthearted, from android caretakers to Lovecraftian romances, from adventures to quests and more. There is a wide variety of styles and types of stories here, and something for everyone. The stories included are: "Damage" by David D. Levine "Pockets" by Amal El-Mohtar "Today I Am Paul" by Martin L. Shoemaker "The Women You Didn't See" by Nicola Griffith (a letter from Letters to Tiptree) "Tuesdays With Molakesh the Destroyer" by Megan Grey "Wooden Feathers" by Ursula Vernon "Three Cups of Grief, By Starlight" by Aliette de Bodard "Madeleine" by Amal El-Mohtar "Neat Things" by Seanan McGuire (a letter from Letters To Tiptree) "Pocosin" by Ursula Vernon "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers" by Alyssa Wong "So Much Cooking" by Naomi Kritzer "The Deepwater Bride" by Tamsyn Muir "The Heart's Filthy Lesson" by Elizabeth Bear "Grandmother-nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds" by Rose Lemberg "Another Word For World" by Ann Leckie "The Long Goodnight of Violet Wild" by Catherynne M. Valente "Our Lady of the Open Road" by Sarah Pinsker "The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn" by Usman T. Malik "The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps" by Kai Ashante Wilson

    Instead, she sinks it. Assigned by her English teacher to write a poem that reveals her true self, Cassandra Randall is stuck. Her family's religion is so overbearing, she can NEVER write about who she truly is. So Cass does what any self-respecting high school girl would do: she secretly begins writing a tarot-inspired advice blog. When Drew Godfrey, an awkward outcast with unwashed hair, writes to her, the situation spirals into what the school calls "a cyberbullying crisis" and what the church calls "sorcery." Cass wants to be the kind of person who sticks up for the persecuted, who protects the victims the way she tries to protect her brother from the homophobes in her church. But what if she's just another bully? What will it take for her to step up and tell the truth?

    The killer confesses.But that’s not the whole story. That’s not even the beginning...It’s 1985 and the disappearance of ten-year-old Lisa Cook shocks the nation. Her best friend, Kirsty, traumatised and fearful, gives evidence that helps to put the Cook family’s lodger behind bars.…But what if Kirsty made a mistake?Now, decades later, Kirsty leaves a life she loves to move back to the hometown she hates – tortured by her memories, she’s determined to finally uncover the truth about what happened to Lisa that day. But someone is waiting for her there, someone close to her family. Someone who is hoping to finish off a job that was started years ago…An absolutely gripping emotional drama for fans of The Couple Next Door, Whisper Me This and Laura Elliot.

    Ever wonder what Gambit gets up to when he's not out saving the world with the X-Men? Welcome to the exciting but treacherous terrain of the New Orleans underworld, where Gambit's skills and mastery are unquestioned but this time, his confidence might be his downfall!Collects Gambit (2004) #1-6.

      Tarot-reading is one of the oldest esoteric practices. Lore has it that the art of reading tarot cards has existed for over 600 years. Yet tarot is more popular than ever in our modern society because the cards speak to our most instinctual and primal selves through their stories, meanings, and symbols. In The Tarot Companion, best-selling tarot author Liz Dean reveals the messages and mystery of the cards from the Major to Minor Arcana, as well as how to cleanse and shuffle your deck. This beautiful and accessible little volume lets you quickly and accurately use the cards to reveal an inner truth, gain insight into a pressing question, or divine what may unfold in your life.

      Together they hatch an ingenious scheme to get rid of her husband. But in life as in poker, the other player sometimes has an ace up his sleeve.

    In the vein of Richard Russo and Tom Perrotta, a gripping, suspenseful, and gorgeous debut novel--told hour-by-hour over the course of a single day--in which a husband and wife try to outrun long-buried secrets, sending their lives spiraling into chaos.

    The tools that Gabriela Herstik offers in Bewitching the Elements will help you connect to the universe and your inner light.Through earth, learn how to ground and create compassionate boundaries.Through air, harness the breath, balance the body, and find presence in the moment.Through fire, embody passion, burning away what no longer serves you, and learn to constructively work with anger.Through water, explore your emotional depths and come back to the heart.Through spirit, connect to your own sense of power, embracing all of the lessons of the elements.Committing to a path that serves our authentic selves is a radical act. When we do this work alongside nature, by turning to the elements, we find a map back to our intuitive and energetic wisdom.

    Jessa Crispin guides you through the intuitive world of the tarot to get those creative juices flowing again. Thought to be esoteric and mystical, tarot cards are approachable and endlessly helpful to overcoming creative blocks. Crispin offers spiritual readings of the cards, practical information for the uninspired artist, and a wealth of fascinating anecdotes about famous artists including Virginia Woolf, Rembrandt, and David Bowie, and how they found inspiration. With five original tarot spreads and beautiful illustrations throughout, The Creative Tarot is an accessible, colorful guide that demystifies both the tarot and the creative process.

    Wait! What?When it came to the attention of the old ones that their creations, the Earth gods, had been playing games at the expense of humankind for millennia, they put a stop to it. But the rebellious gods were far too addicted to their games to give them up. After several summit meetings, they voted to use their own children as players and locate the playing field in the most treacherous environment in the known universe... high school.To make it even more interesting, they would strip their children of their memories and withhold the rules of the game. Like the other players, sixteen-year-old Ever thinks she's an ordinary kid until she transfers to R. Caine. When mystery and mystic collide, she'd better wake up to her powers fast.

    Full color.

    . . A world veiled in darkness after a cataclysmic collision that stilled the earth. Millennia have passed and only humankind has survived--through the divine gift of dreams. Exquisitely rich and magical, this new Rider-Waite-Smith-based tarot deck by digital artist Ciro Marchetti takes you into the heart of fantasy. You can use this legacy from ages past to discover what you need for your own life as it guides you toward hope, wisdom, and inspiration. The companion guidebook, Gateway to the Divine Tarot, presents the author's interpretation of each card's significance, along with additional perspectives from experts in the tarot community, including Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone, James Ricklef, and Leisa ReFalo. Includes a 78-card deck, a 312-page book, and a black organdy bag. Legacy of the Divine Tarot for iPhoneLegacy of the Divine Tarot for iPad Larger signed prints of the individual cards and themed montages from the Legacy of the Divine deck are available from the artists web site. www.ciromarchetti.com Get the entire interactive experience: Watch the trailers below and visit the companion site at www.legacyofthedivinetarot.com. The Tower Card http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSBAe2u87Xc Empress Card: http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoSTPd--Nik Wands IV: http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX-cFCxPu2U Swords III: http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=jok8LWU968o Swords IV: http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCBIljCbOk