Day Zero


Kelly deVos - 2019
    She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?

A Very London Christmas


Sara Madderson - 2021
    She’s scored the best nannying role ever, to four-year-old Bea, and they plan to take festive London by storm. Cue hot chocolate! Ice skating! Father Christmas at Harrods! It’s like a fairytale, except for the part where Saoirse starts to fall for her boss, Bea’s dad. Divorced. Unreasonably gorgeous. Loaded. And either completely heartbroken, or the love child of Scrooge and The Grinch. She can’t decide which.Miles is determined to give Bea a proper Christmas this year. Last Christmas--the year her mother left them and the world shut down--was a disaster. So he’s hired a sweet, bubbly, Christmas-obsessed nanny to be her companion. Which seems smart, because he couldn't be less festive. But he feels a lot less smart when Saoirse’s warm heart, endless enthusiasm and angelic looks play havoc with his heart (and his trousers). His heart is not open for business. It is firmly, irreversibly shut. Besides, he could never be serious about a woman who buys a Mrs Claus seat cover for the toilet in his penthouse.WARNING: A Very London Christmas is a grumpy sunshine, single dad, nanny-boss romance containing enough festivity to warm the Scroogiest hearts, and a sprinkling of Christmas spice!

City of the Uncommon Thief


Lynne Bertrand - 2021
    Foundlings scrub the bogs. Needles bind. Swords tear. And men leave. There is nothing uncommon in this city. I hope Errol Thebes is dead. We both know he is safer that way."In a walled city of a mile-high iron guild towers, many things are common knowledge: No book in any of the city's libraries reveals its place on a calendar or a map. No living beasts can be found within the city's walls. And no good comes to the guilder or foundling who trespasses too far from their labors.Even on the tower rooftops, where Errol Thebes and the rest of the city's teenagers pass a few short years under an open sky, no one truly believe anything uncommon is possible within the city walls.But one guildmaster has broken tradition to protect her child, and as a result the whole city faces an uncommon threat: a pair of black iron spikes that have the power of both sword and needle on the ribcages of men have gone missing, but the mayhem they cause rises everywhere. If the spikes not found and contained, no wall will be high enough to protect the city--or the world beyond it.And Errol Thebes? He's not dead and he's certainly not safe.

Hidden Scars


Amanda Sue King - 2015
    One without beatings and contemptuous words. College scholarships provide an opportunity. But her parents, who reluctantly allow her to leave, refuse to relinquish their hold. Phone calls, threats, and surprise visits fuel her with paralyzing fear.When Chuck Mathews, her forbidden love, proposes and wants to marry right away, Morgan's hope fades with memories of her mother's cruel, unfounded accusation, "we know you've had sex", and her dad waving a gun with a promise, "I'll kill him". Besides, in Mississippi, the legal age for marriage is twenty-one. None of this detours Chuck. Not even when Morgan receives word her parents are having her watched. Will she ever be free? More important, how does she ever find the courage to face her parents and ask the one question--why?

Born to Fight


Brittany Anne - 2018
    The world went dark. Technology, computers, cell phones, they're a distant memory at best. The UNR controls everything within their districts in the East and the West. The people are slaves. But there is hope…Resistance leader Hunter Kane was trained from birth to be the ultimate soldier. He has one purpose and one purpose alone: take down the UNR. After a near-fatal attack and a narrow escape from death’s door, Hunter finds his world turned upside down. He spent his entire life as a killer. A soldier. A savior? An emotionless robot with one job. But he can’t fight the feeling he gets when he stares into the eyes of the woman who saved his life. He was born to be a fighter, but suddenly, he’s not so sure that’s enough for him. What will Hunter choose when he must decide between his purpose and his heart?Rain had not seen another human being in two years since she’d stowed herself away in an ancient bunker, content to live out her days in hiding. When when she stumbles upon a man caked in blood and barely breathing, she knows instantly that her entire world is about to change. Rain spent her whole life dreaming of the Resistance only to be thrown into it by the man who started it all, but how will he react when he finds out who she truly is? Rain desperately believes in their cause, and believes in the sparks flying between her and Hunter even more. Can they really find happiness in this world that's fallen apart, or will Rain's secrets destroy them both and end the Resistance once and for all?***Disclaimer: This book is for mature readers only. In addition to sexy love scenes and plenty of f-bombs, the story contains content that may be uncomfortable or upsetting to some readers. Discretion is advised.

Apotheosis Now: Rabbit Hole to the Beyond


Yanhao Huang - 2021
    Because externally, we are always trying to control what is “not me,” and internally, we always get perplexed trying to figure out whether our actions came from our “higher” or “lower” self. As Albert Einstein said: “We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”This book will help you to understand:Why we have internal conflictsHow does our ego trap us in undesirable circumstancesHow do our beliefs limit usWhy thought-based teachings (Law of Attraction), or self-improvement advice don’t workHow do we really get what we wantWhy is happiness so rare for usWho we are reallyWhat is the nature of existenceWhat is the meaning of lifeHow do we know if there is a GodWhat is the process of spiritual enlightenmentMany of us are starting to become tired of this game of life. We have been comparing and striving all our life. But no matter how much success we have achieved—we are still hollow and still have found nothing fulfilling. We don’t even know if happiness exists because it is no longer a living thing in our experience—it has become dead, as we only know it as a concept or memory.We have sought self-help advice, philosophies, and religious teachings to transform ourselves but have not gotten anywhere. We have made some superficial improvements—like adopting a new mindset—but our core remains the same. We are still competitive, still fearful, and we get disturbed all the time.The problem with all attempts at self-improvement is that we do not address the fundamental problem, which is: who is the “you” who needs to be improved? We do not see that the one who is making the improvement is the same one who needs to be improved. The more we try to improve, the more conflict we introduce, within and without. The more knowledge we stuff in our heads, the more we become trapped in a conceptual prison of reality. Inevitably, the more confused we get in life.The book guides the reader out of their distorted beliefs to experience reality beyond the mind. When the deeper intelligence is allowed to flourish without our mind's interference, then the game of life becomes effortless.

Wine Dark Deep


R. Peter Keith - 2020
    Without a refueling launch from the asteroid, the survival of the ship and its crew is uncertain. The safest course for the Ulysses? Abandon the mission and limp home.But Cal Scott, captain of the Ulysses, is an astronaut of the old school and failure is not an option. He has a plan: head straight for the asteroid belt and get their fuel—one way or another.

Gauntlet Fall (The Gauntlet #1)


Maddy Edwards - 2017
    A fragile peace has allowed hopes for rebuilding to blossom, but they rest on the shoulders of those who run the Gauntlet, the lethal trail to the stronghold of the man whose strange creatures started the war many years ago. The stronghold lies deep in Torrent’s Valley, protected by deadly weapons that defeat every attempt to penetrate it, and it holds information crucial to the survival of Samantha’s world.Samantha wants to go to Harknell School, where Gauntlet Runners are trained. The only trouble is, she's the wrong gender. Determined not to let a little thing like that stand in her way, she disguises herself, calls herself "Sam," and risks everything to learn the skills she needs.Fraught with unimagined dangers, Harknell shows Sam a whole new world and forces her to keep a cool head as she fights to maintain her place and become a Runner. Along the way she'll make lifelong friends, watch loyalties crumble, and learn what it is to love. In this scorching world that no one saw coming, . . .until it arrived.

Species Traitor


Kate L. Mary - 2020
     They came hoping to find a new home after their own planet was destroyed, but Earth was dying as well, and most humans saw their arrival as an invasion. Now, two decades later, the Veilorians have been banished to the District, a fenced-in area on the outskirts of the last known livable land on Earth. Most people do their best to pretend they don’t exist, but not everyone. There are humans, like my cousin, who see them for what they are. Despite the threat of disownment, she married a Veilorian, and now she, too, lives in the District. Even before I met Finn, I was determined to stand up for what was right, but from the moment I laid eyes on him, we had a connection I’ve never experienced before. But with the election of a new and radical mayor on the horizon, tensions are high, and people are calling for change. They want to make my cousin’s marriage illegal and punish any human who goes into the District, but I refuse to back down from this fight. No matter the cost.

From the Brink of the Drink: A Personal Story of Tribulations and Triumphs of Alcoholism


Karla Juvonen - 2020
    

Off Schedule


Andrea Buck - 2021
    Ten days. One motorhome. What could go wrong?When Paula runs into the ex-love of her life, she believes it’s fate. When he introduces his new fiancée, Paula thinks fate should get fired. And when her ex has the nerve to ask what’s going on in her life, she does what any reasonable person would do, she lies.Her musician neighbor is willing to play the fake boyfriend. He just needs a tiny favor in return. Piece of cake, he tells her. Nothing to worry about.Paula sets off to deliver an antique instrument, but ends up stranded in the desert with a homeless dog, an impossible deadline, and ancient motorhome. Only a miracle could get her home. When the miracle shows up looking like a Greek god in a Levi’s ad, staying on schedule becomes the least of Paula’s problems.

Crossbones


Kimberly Vale - 2021
    Only one contender can claim the coveted island throne; each will gamble life and limb to win. Captain. Sister. Maiden. Csilla Abado yearns to prove her strength to the seasoned pirates who balk at her youth and to her elder sister who has always craved Csilla’s captainship. She will risk everything to become the first pirate queen, no matter the cost. Dealer. Son. Legacy. Kane Blackwater wants to leave behind the dirty gold and shady trades he’s made to keep his father’s ship, the Iron Jewel, alive. The Trials represent a new beginning—yet rumors of a secret heir are swirling, threatening his hopes of becoming the pirate king. Stowaway. Daughter. Storm. Lorelei Penny longs for nothing more than to avenge her mother’s death. Stowing away on the Iron Jewel was supposed to get her closer to the killer, but instead she finds herself caught up in the deadly battle where loyalty and desire collide. Csilla. Kane. Lorelei. Each on a mission. The sea, however, has other plans. Dark tides are rising, and if they aren’t careful, they’ll surely drown.

Token Huntress


Kia Carrington-Russell - 2014
    At eighteen, Esmore’s a Token Huntress in her Guild, surpassing her mentor’s expectations of her, despite having no magical ability, like all hunters before her. During a raid in the once iconic San Fransisco, Esmore’s team is ambushed, and a mysterious vampire that she is drawn to captures and takes her to the Vampire Council as a prisoner. Her captor—Chase, a lethal, immortal, sexy, and charming vampire who will stop at nothing to claim her as his familiar. While in captivity, Esmore learns information that makes her question everything she’s been taught. Now in the year 2341, Esmore fights for her survival. But who exactly is she fighting against? The very people who nurtured her or the evil she’s supposed to hate?Dark. Romantic. Dangerous. Your newest obsession awaits…

The After Days


Amy Ginsburg - 2019
    No lie. This is seriously good. It’s fresh, entertaining, and thought-provoking.” –Kathryn Johnson, author and writing teacher Middle-aged suburbanites Rachel and Zach team with their friends to battle not only the predators and scavengers who lurk around every corner but also empty pantries, boredom, despair … and sometimes each other.  How far are they willing to go to survive the Big Blackout? “I was drawn in immediately and swept away by the story. A real page-turner” –Pamela Gates, literary festival organizer This gripping dystopian twist on contemporary fiction about a woman who must find within herself the strength and ingenuity to endure a world suddenly without electricity is both terrifyingly real and astonishingly tender.Perfect for book clubs, The After Days explores the ethical quandaries and logistical problems of ordinary suburbanites – people whose most recent problems were dodgy Wi-Fi and cranky bosses – in their struggle to survive in the increasingly treacherous suburbs of Washington, DC.

Leftover Girl


C.C. Bolick - 2016
    At fifteen, she has adjusted to moving without notice and never fitting in, but everything changes with her adopted mom's hometown. There Jes falls for her mom's nephew, a love she hides when his betrayal leaves her isolated and driven to unravel the past.After Jes befriends a strange new student, she discovers an amazing secret: he's from another planet and searching for a missing girl who might be her. As Jes will learn, truth comes at a cost, but will she give up love to find out?