Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book is a collaboration focused on Novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

    And certainly what Melville did for whaling Austen does for marriage--tracing the intricacies (not to mention the economics) of 19th-century British mating rituals with a sure hand and an unblinking eye. As usual, Austen trains her sights on a country village and a few families--in this case, the Bennets, the Philips, and the Lucases. Into their midst comes Mr. Bingley, a single man of good fortune, and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who is even richer. Mrs. Bennet, who married above her station, sees their arrival as an opportunity to marry off at least one of her five daughters. Bingley is complaisant and easily charmed by the eldest Bennet girl, Jane; Darcy, however, is harder to please. Put off by Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity and the untoward behavior of the three younger daughters, he is unable to see the true worth of the older girls, Jane and Elizabeth. His excessive pride offends Lizzy, who is more than willing to believe the worst that other people have to say of him; when George Wickham, a soldier stationed in the village, does indeed have a discreditable tale to tell, his words fall on fertile ground. Having set up the central misunderstanding of the novel, Austen then brings in her cast of fascinating secondary characters: Mr. Collins, the sycophantic clergyman who aspires to Lizzy's hand but settles for her best friend, Charlotte, instead; Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's insufferably snobbish aunt; and the Gardiners, Jane and Elizabeth's low-born but noble-hearted aunt and uncle. Some of Austen's best comedy comes from mixing and matching these representatives of different classes and economic strata, demonstrating the hypocrisy at the heart of so many social interactions. And though the novel is rife with romantic misunderstandings, rejected proposals, disastrous elopements, and a requisite happy ending for those who deserve one, Austen never gets so carried away with the romance that she loses sight of the hard economic realities of 19th-century matrimonial maneuvering. Good marriages for penniless girls such as the Bennets are hard to come by, and even Lizzy, who comes to sincerely value Mr. Darcy, remarks when asked when she first began to love him: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." She may be joking, but there's more than a little truth to her sentiment, as well. Jane Austen considered Elizabeth Bennet "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print". Readers of Pride and Prejudice would be hard-pressed to disagree. --Alix Wilber

    Danger. Destiny. Little did Renee know that this is what she would find at Gottfried Academy. Then she meets Dante, and discovers that the school has more than one dark secret. Intelligent, elusive and devastatingly gorgeous, most people can't decide whether they love, hate or fear him. All Renee know is that when they're together, she's never felt more alive - or more afraid. Life and death collide in this ebook bundle containing the first two books in Yvonne Woon's bestselling Dead Beautiful romance trilogy. "Raises gothic romance to dizzy new heights; a dazzling debut." - Pocklington Post on Dead Beautiful "If you loved Twilight you'll love this book...A welcome addition to the paranormal romance genre." - The Overflowing Library on Dead Beautiful "A fantastic and unique story with plenty of mystery, intrigue and romance." - Secret Lives of Fiction Lovers on Dead Beautiful "Romantic, suspenseful and...will leave readers wanting more." - Kirkus Reviews on Life Eternal "I would suggest holding onto your seat because you're about to fly off. Amazing." - Dark Readers on Life Eternal

     FULLY FEATURED TABLE OF CONTENTS The full Table of Contents appears at the beginning of the book and can be accessed through the MENU or GO TO button. EPUB 3 CHECK The book successfully passes ePub 3 check developed IDPF. The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) is the global trade and standards organization dedicated to the development and promotion of electronic publishing and content consumption.

    

    and romance. All burned-out film star Mathias Carter wants for Christmas is peace and a quiet place to brood on the disaster of his love-life. But when that disaster in the shape of Eve Langan arrives on his doorstep, Matt finds one kiss rocks his world... and now he has a fight on his hands to convince Eve he's the man of her dreams.As Christmas approaches all Bronte Ferranti wants is to spend it with Nico and her twins, while she awaits the birth of her third child... everything is going to plan... until her baby decides to be born too soon... is Bronte and Nico's Christmas going to be filled with heartbreak? Or will the magic of the festive season create a miracle?Meanwhile Rosie is having fun preparing for her first Christmas as Mrs. Alexander Ludlow... she's got everything organised and ready for the festivities... except she's forgotten something crucial... Rosie's going to give Alexander a Christmas he'll never forget.

     Amazon International #1 Bestseller! If you are a Minecraft fanatic, you would definitely want to know more about Steve and his life. Find the answers to all your questions and explore the life of Steve in his Diary. This diary written by Steve will help you uncover the many secrets and mysteries related to Steve's life. *** Read It FREE With Kindle Unlimited Or Prime Membership *** Don't have kindle? No worries! Read it on your PC, Mac, Tablet Or Smartphone! *** Download Your Copy Or Read It FREE With Kindle Unlimited Or Prime Membership *** Buy Diary of a Wimpy Steve for your young Minecrafters right now and get the FREE audiobook to start reading today before this outstanding 2-for-1 deal expires! -------- Tags: Kids books. minecraft, minecraft books,minecraft free, minecraft books for kids, minecraft games, minecraft xbox, minecraft tips, minecraft game, minecraft comics, minecraft story book

    He was my everything. We knew he would be joining the service when we graduated. Just like his dad and grandfather did before him. So, no matter how much I wanted him to stay, he had to go. He had to leave me. My mom was once in the same situation and she waited her whole life for my dad to come back to us. I saw what she went through and how it destroyed her. I couldn’t do that to myself. So, I ended it with Tank. Tank Emily thinks I will never come back to her. But what she doesn’t realize is, I don’t have a choice. No matter what happens, no matter how far away I go, I’m coming back to her. Where I Belong (Alpha Men, 5) An Alpha Man and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Kim I fell for Rich in a picture. He is in my brother’s army unit and twelve years older than me. Although I dreamed about him all the time, I never imagined that we would ever meet… and he would live up to my fantasy. Rich My army brother asked me to check in on his sister. I told him I would and then he gave me her picture. I fell for her just by looking at her, and I knew the minute I saw her, I was where I belong. Do Over (Alpha Men, 6) An Alpha Man, and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Madison Jase and I were in love and going to be together FOREVER! And then he had to leave me. I spent the last five years dealing with a broken heart. I tried to move on, I met someone else and we had a baby together. But now, Jase is back and says he’s here to get what is his. Jase I had to leave her. At the time I didn’t think I had a choice. But I worked all this time to get back to her. She thinks since her body has changed and she has a little girl now that I don’t want her. She couldn’t be more wrong and I’m going to prove it to her. I’m going to get my second chance… my do-over. Note: This is a steamy, sweet, SHORT romance. It has a HEA with alpha male and a plus-size woman that makes him hers! If you love short romances with insta love, hot love scenes, and a sweet story, then this one is for you.

     Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection If You Liked School, You'll Love Work.

    Grab a blanket and curl up with your new favorite big cats.SCORCH Drew Maddox has to find his fated mate.Drew Maddox has been given orders by the king of the jaguar tribe. It’s time to start building the Maddox empire. There is only one name on his list, a woman betrothed to him at birth. It's time to find her. Francesca March has no idea about her heritage or where she came from. Adopted by humans, she has lived a lonely existence as the only she-panther she knows. Long ago she gave up on happy endings, heroes, and trust. She’s never let anyone get close enough to learn her secret. That is until she meets a stranger on the side of the road. Drew knows time is running out. He has to convince Francesca to marry him in less than five days. But with his own secrets haunting him he struggles with how much to tell her without losing her. Can Francesca face the reality of what it truly means to be a she-panther, or will Drew keep her in the dark to fulfill his duty? Sparks fly. The sheets burn down. And every time they touch a flame ignites. Will fate keep them together, or tear them apart? SACRIFICE The chase is on.Josh Bauer expects his mate to be excited to see him, but when he shows up in her small town, she slams the door in his face.Tessa Cunningham has been an independent she-panther, running her own business and taking care of her mother. The last thing she wants is to let go of the control she has over her life.The more Josh chases her, the more she resists his sexy charm.Josh has an obligation to fulfill, but he learns that being a mate is worth sacrificing everything—even if that means losing Tessa.SEIZE Sometimes you have to take what you want.Donovan may come from a royal line of jaguar shifters, but he’s serving another king now. His mission is to uncover the plot for a shifter war. He never imagined guarding his tribe’s territory would put him in the path of she-panther, Caroline Addison. Caroline knows she only has a few weeks until her fated mate surfaces, so she takes a last minute vacation to escape. Only, she never knew she would find the one man she’d always been looking for.When Donovan and Caroline decide nothing can keep them apart, not even a shifter war, they realize there is a cost. And the price may be too high to pay. SHIFT Loyalties are tested, a war is upon them, and love knows no bounds.Case Maddox has finally found his mate.But the shifter war keeps brewing.Can he save his Tribe, and the woman he loves?Cadence is trying to find her place as a human in a world of shifters and as the mate of the jaguar king, but she's struggling. One night her world comes crashing down around her and she has to decide if she can even go on.Captured and held hostage. The only way for Cadence to survive may be to pledge herself to Case's ultimate rival.But Cadence has a secret that may be the key to her survival.

    

    The next morning Gillain is found brutally butchered in her own bed. Determined to avenge the murder, Melina vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth. But soon she is on the run from police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale."ENVY"Read by Victor SlezakBook editor Maris Matherly-Reed receives a tantalizing partial manuscript submitted by a writer identified only as P.M.E. Curiosity compels her to track down the author, Parker Evans, and work with him to complete the novel. But as the story unfolds, Maris becomes convinced it is more than just fiction. When someone close to her dies, the presence of evil looms even closer..."THE CRUSH"Read by Tom WopatWhile serving as a juror on a high-profile murder trial, Dr. Rennie Newton finds herself defending the inalienable rights of the accused -- even though there is considerable evidence of his guilt. When she arrives home, five dozen roses ominously await her. As she becomes the obsession of Lozada -- the accused murderer she helped acquit -- Rennie is drawn into a ferocious endgame with an embittered cop who wants Lozada -- by any means necessary.

    Lucid Intervals Strategic Moves Bel-Air Dead

    That was just fine with him, except for one little exception: Amanda Jacobs. He had fallen in love with her unruly blonde curls and sparkling sapphire eyes, but she had been a teenager then, - too young for him to act on his attraction. When Justin receives a phone call that his former mentor has passed away, he knows he has to return to Hope Falls. Justin just has one question - will the girl that once adored him have grown into a woman that can't stand him? Or will she still be the only thing in the world that feels like home? Book #2: Sweet Harmonies When Karina Black hit it big in music, she didn’t think it would mean giving up her name, her friends, her family, and the music that she loved. It was time for change and that’s just what the sexy, sassy Native American was looking for when she decided to move back home to Hope Falls. What she wasn’t looking for was love… When Ryan Perkins moved to Hope Falls, he knew that it would mean helping his granny run her café and maybe allowing himself the time to indulge in his love for music. Beyond that, the rugged, sculpted charmer didn’t expect anything more than the simplicity that the quiet community offered. What he didn’t know was that Hope Falls offered much more than simplicity… Will Karina really be able to give up her pop star life and fight for the music she wants while also opening her heart to the sweet melody of love? Will Ryan be able to live in Karina’s not so simple world? Or will they both stop the noise around them and make Sweet Harmonies of their own together? Book #3: Sweet Victory Samantha Holt has spent her entire life focused on her career as an Olympic snowboarder - to the point that she's never even had a boyfriend. Now the auburn-haired beauty has taken an early retirement to focus on her personal life, which is about to get a lot more interesting when a sexy man from her past comes to town. Can she trust him enough to be her first? Luke Reynolds has moved back to the Sierra Nevadas to be closer to his family. A big bonus is the chance to finally be close to Samantha Holt, the girl he's been interested in for the entire ten years he's known her. Their snowboarding careers have put them in close proximity before, but Sam seems to have walls up when it comes to him. The bright blue eyes and sexy scruffiness that melt other womens' hearts seem to have no effect on her. Will Luke be able to show her that it's safe to let her guard down? Book #4: Home Sweet Home Lauren Harrison didn’t have time for games. Everything in its place. Everything in its order. Everything in its time. But the gorgeous, high-powered real estate agent was about to find out that when it comes to love, there were some things she couldn’t control. Nothing in life comes easy. Ben Stevens knew this to be true from an early age. The handsome host of a successful real estate reality show knew all too well that he had what he had because he worked hard for it. His charming demeanor radiated from the screen, but behind the camera, he kept his real life out of the spotlight. After becoming co-hosts for a new real estate reality show, Lauren and Ben will both find out that sometimes there is more to someone than meets eye. Will Lauren be able to see the side of Ben that lives behind the camera? Will Ben get to see what’s underneath Lauren’s polished shell? Only time will tell if they can both find a home of their own within each other’s hearts. Book #4.5: One Sweet Day - Novella The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Amanda Jacobs and Justin Barnes.

    The day after the troupe arrives in tiny Morgan’s Crossing, the manager takes all the money and leaves town. By opening a dressmaker shop, Cinnia hopes to make the home she’s always wanted, but Nola, the older sister who has made the decisions for the orphaned sisters, disagrees. Leather worker Nicolai Andrusha is living in hiding as Nic Andrews until the patent on his family’s tanning process is approved. Although he’s under a mandate to keep a low profile, he’s intrigued by the red-haired performer. Controversy arises when miners claim they paid the manager for private appointments with the female performers. Will Nicolai defy his family obligation to help the stranded beauty who has caught his eye?