In 1867 an infant girl called Luli is born into a middle-class Chinese family on the mainland. Her fate is altered when instead of being put to the breast of her mother, her father declares her a misfortune and she is left at the famous Chaozhou wall where many parents and grandparents abandon their unwanted girls. But the child’s mother is desperate to save her and beseeches one of her sons to step in and deliver the baby to safety.At the same time in the affluent house of a scholar on the island of Hong Kong, house slaves Sun Ling and Jingwei are sworn sisters, bound by their shared struggles. When the hardship and abuse become too much too bear, the girls escape and make a run for freedom, then find themselves on a ship bound for the western coast of the Americas. When the paths of these three forgotten girls of China meet, the ocean journey is treacherous and not for the faint-hearted. In the midst of monumental difficulties, their lives converge, and they traverse many obstacles, but will do anything for one another in their oath to stay together and fulfill their hope for a better future in Chinatown, on the shores of San Francisco.

    

    This collection of five full novellas presents some very different heroes and heroines, but the common theme is that they all find love, despite trials and tribulations along the way, in some way related to Christmas.This collection contains:The Duke’s Christmas Vow by Arietta RichmondA Lady with unexpected interests and few prospects, a Duke with a vow to keep, a Christmas House Party, an accidental meeting, a plot to compromise, a trail of feathers, a love born of defiance.The Countess’ Christmas Miracle by Clara KensingtonA widowed Countess determinedly settled in her ways, yet hiding loneliness, a man returned from war, already in love with the impression of a woman gained from letters, a son determined to bring them together, a Christmas which changes everything.The Duke’s Christmas Masquerade by Grace AustenA Lady in love with the wrong man – at least as far as her mother is concerned, a Masquerade Ball, a deception with unintended results, a last minute reprieve achieved through the courage of love.Christmas Love for the Duke by Lydia PembrokeA Duke caught in past grief, a commoner born Companion who hopes for more out of life, the meddling of a well-meaning aunt, a love condemned by society, decisions which change both of their lives.The Christmas Letter by Regina DarcyA Viscount’s heir, estranged from his parents because he wants a life different from his heritage, a lawyer’s daughter who finds joy in everything, especially family and Christmas, a letter never meant to be sent, written with only love in mind, the interference of a friend, the transformation of two lives.

    She knows to protect herself she must find a way to leave town, but she has to work up the courage to go.

    Godfrey was a central figure in the Reno-Benteen defense over the 25th and 26th of June, 1876. He kept a diary of the Yellowstone Expedition against the Sioux from May 17 to September 24.The diary reveals anecdotes and observations of General Custer's mood and behavior before the fight on June 25th, as well as the desperate story of survival experienced by the battalions under Reno and Benteen. It also contains fascinating details about how the cavalry moved, camped, and relaxed during the days leading up to the fight.In 1892, (then Captain) Godfrey wrote what became a very famous and widely-read article for Century Magazine about the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Both of these documents are cited by most serious Custer books..

    His job is to keep Hermann Goering alive until he can be tried and hanged. In the course of his duties, Petersen runs into trouble from his mercurial commanding officer, his black-marketeering roommate and the mysterious Lisbeth Bichler who becomes their Hausfrau.

    She was taken in by the Choctaw and treated as one of their own, even though she failed at the simplest of tasks. Eight years later, when two white men came into the village to claim her as their relative offering herds of cattle and horses in trade, she did what she thought was best for her Choctaw family. Bliss left her village in hopes she would find herself a better fit in the white world. Before the day was out, she learned the men were not who they said and had no intention of treating her like family. In the end, she was faced with an unforeseeable choice and an unwinnable battle. Two Feathers was a young Native learning the ways of the Choctaw. However, he was not like the other men in his village who lived off of the land, farming and raising livestock. He enjoyed spilling the blood of the invaders and was absent, fighting, more than he was home. Still, he had fallen for the little white girl who couldn’t farm, couldn’t make baskets, and was generally a failure at Native life. Returning from a battle, he discovered the white men had taken Bliss, the woman with whom he expected to share his life. Her unexpected departure changed everything. Gone were his desires to do anything other than locate the girl; she consumed his every thought and he vowed to bring her back. Learning that the men had nefarious intentions, only reinforced his resolve. Will he find her before she makes the dreadful decision she knows must be made? Will she be able to face her adopted, Native family after all that has happened? Will Two Feathers’ love be enough to vanquish the horrors she endured at the hands of her own people?

    A young man is given a new start in life as a result of an impulsive action, beginning a journey that will take him to the far reaches of the known world to watch - and sometimes to partake in - the rise and fall of mighty empires.

    With her family on the brink of financial ruin, her only hope is finding a wealthy husband. When the Dowager Duchess of Galpin offers to be her patron, though, she quickly realises this might be the only chance she has.Harry Egerton, the Duke of Galpin, would do anything to avoid his grandmother’s constant nagging, even spend the whole night in the company of the first Lady he runs into at the ball. Soon, though, he finds himself enchanted by the kindness in her heart.But the Dowager Duchess has one condition for helping Rose: she and her grandson must stay away from each other. A task that proves to be more and more difficult as feelings bloom between them. But when Rose’s father goes missing, they will need more than the magic of the season to make things right...

    

     Based on real historic events and institutions such as the notorious and secretive Hellfire Club, Deryn Lake's accomplished series culminates in these four absorbing mysteries. The Rawlings novels are richly atmospheric Georgian mysteries woven around the real characters of John Fielding, the phenomenal sightless magistrate known as the ‘Blind Beak’, whose Runners formed London’s early police force; and John Rawlings, the Apothecary reputed to have invented soda water. Praise for Deryn Lake’s John Rawlings Mysteries: ‘A wealth of marvellous characters parade across the pages, their dialogue is lively and John Rawlings is proving to be a real charmer’ - Eastbourne Herald ‘An effervescent tale...the author organises her large cast and colourful background with skill and gusto through a racily readable drama’ - Felicia Lamb in the Mail on Sunday’s Night & Day Magazine

    Still reeling from the loss of his sister, he receives another shock when his childhood friend Randa Lockhart steps off the stage with his niece Kallie. He’s stunned to see that the little pigtailed nuisance that tagged after him, and his best friend, years ago has turned into a beautiful young woman. Randa and Kallie have barely settled in when Coop finds buffalo hunter Marvin Doolin beating the local blacksmith within an inch of his life for laming his horse. Coop steps in and when the buffalo hunter tries to kill him, shoots him. Now Doolin’s four brothers are out to even the score. When they go after Randa, they cross the line. They’re about to find out that’s there’s nothing Coop won’t do, and no one he won’t track down to protect the two females that have burrowed hard and fast into his heart.

     Edinburgh 1880. When Amy Osbourne’s parents die in an accident she’s forced to leave her London home and is sent to live with her aunt and uncle at the opposite end of the country. Alardyce House is cold and dreary, her aunt haughty and cruel. Amy strikes up a friendship with her cousin Edward, but his brother Henry is just as conceited as his mother and a mutual loathing develops between him and Amy. As she struggles in this strange, unwelcoming environment, Amy begins to realise that something isn’t right at Alardyce House. Local women are brutally attacked and Henry is the prime suspect but, as he belongs to a powerful family, nothing is done to stop him. Lost in this house of shadows and struggling with her grief, Amy embarks on an affair with Matthew, a servant. When the affair is discovered Matthew is dismissed and Amy’s formidable aunt compels her to marry Henry to save her from shame, although her ulterior motive is the large fortune that comes with her hand. Mortified at the prospect of spending her life with a monster, Amy flees to London carrying an illegitimate child. But this is only the start of her troubles, which will lead her to pain and cruelties that will leave her life hanging in the balance. Contains scenes of sex, violence, imprisonment and torture.

    It had stood perfectly enduring the centuries showing generations that pure love can withstand all storms. This is the story of Khurram and Arjumand. How a boy and girl transformed into a power couple and re-shaped the history of India. Their love, just like the Taj, endured despite separation, power struggle, wars, and politics and in the end, even death. It seemed to have transcended the living realm and gone beyond to heaven. Shahjahan erected in marble the fabric of his love and no matter what the obstacles they always remained together. In his final days, Shahjahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in a fort overlooking the Taj Mahal and yet the call of his love remained the blood in his veins and his soul met his wife when he was buried beside her after his deathAbout the Author: Pravin Anand is Block Development Officer (BDO) in UP Government. He was born and brought up in Kanpur. After his MBA he chose to work in Government Services as an Excise Inspector. His love for writing continues after his two stories in ‘Mukta’ (1993) and ‘Meri Saheli’ (1995). He writes articles for newspapers in Hindi and also on Hub pages, Bukisa and on Google Blogs. He has published two books before - I Love You More Than Anyone Else and Mars, Love and Breakup.

    This time we have 35 true crime stories taking place in 27 countries from around the world. The book starts out in Argentina with one of the first cases to be decided by fingerprint evidence back in 1892. We have two stories from down under. Tracey Wigginton was known as the Lesbian Vampire Killer. A Terrifying Cycle of Abuse features a disturbing story of child abuse and murder. We might not think of ice cream in quite the same way after reading the chapter from Austria. There are two from Belgium including the Parachute Murder - the title might be a bit of a spoiler. The story from Brazil is another disturbing chapter on child abuse. There are two from Canada including the Meat Cleaver Murder. Others include Denmark with an Angel of Death story and one in Denmark...did ISIS recruit a 15 year old girl? Other countries represented are Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the book ends with one from England and two from the United States.