Craving the spotlight is in her blood. Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix. But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehersal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last...

Most of the time, there is nothing remarkable about a movie theater today; but that wasn't always the case. When the great American movie palaces began opening in the early 20th century, they were some of the most lavish, stunning buildings ever seen. However, they wouldn't last -- with the advent of in-home television, theater companies found it harder and harder to keep them open. Some were demolished, some were converted, and some remain empty to this day. After the Final Curtain: The Fall of the American Movie Theatre will take you through 24 of these magnificent buildings, revealing the beauty that remains years after the last ticket was sold.

Five years ago, I had an audition for the ballet company of my dreams. Five years ago, my boyfriend purposely broke my toes and ruined my dreams. Two days later, I found out I'm a witch. I thought my ballet days were over. I just graduated from the academy to work as a federal agent with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. I get called into the office for something that could change my life permanently. Meaning, I could die. That ballet company I never got to audition for is doing The Sugar Skull Girl. This ballet has never been seen on stage before. I don't have the full story, but rumors are that any time someone tries to attempt this ballet, things soon turn fatal. I've been told to strap my pointe shoes on and use my witch abilities to go undercover at the ballet company. I had my reservations about taking this job, even if it had once been a dream of mine to dance for The P. The artistic director is a horny Unseelie rake who makes casting decisions with his cock. The prima ballerina here needs to retire, but she's totally toxic about making sure no one upstages her. She has a club of mean girl ballet dancers willing to ruin careers just for the spotlight...or maybe just for fun. Not only do I have to survive gossip, hot male dancers who like to sniff around new ballerinas, and toxic prima ballerinas, I have to figure out what is going on with this ballet before we all die. I might not like these people, but I'm here to save their lives.

Ever since her father banished the half-witch, half-vampire Ana Parker and vampire knight Elias from the court of the Northern vampires, Ana has been trying to live a normal life. But when the Prince of the Southern Region vampires informs Ana that they're on the brink of war and she accidentally offers up Elias as a peace offering, the princess knows that she's going to need some help to get out of this situation. With Ana's boy drama meter hitting an all time high, summer in St. Paul is heating up for all the wrong reasons...

In the early 20th century the streets of small towns and cities across America were filled with the lights and sounds of movie theaters. The most opulent -- known as "movie palaces" -- were designed to make their patrons feel like royalty; people would dress up to visit. But as time went on it became harder and harder to fill the 2,000+ seat theaters and many were forced to close. Today, these palaces are illuminated only by the flicker of dying lights. The sound of water dripping from holes in the ceiling echoes through the auditoriums. In After the Final Curtain (Volume 2) internationally-renowned photographer Matt Lambros continues his travels across the United States, documenting these once elegant buildings. From the supposedly haunted Pacific Warner Theatre in Los Angeles to the Orpheum Theatre in New Bedford, MA -- which opened the same day the Titanic sank -- Lambros pulls back the curtain to reveal what is left, giving these palaces a chance to shine again.

"How could any successful, famous person who is rolling in money and who is surrounded by adoring fans be depressed? Happiness comes from what happens to us, and if good things are happening, we should be happy. So why the depression? That is the question that they and we ask ourselves. Why?" The World Health Organization says that 350,000,000 people suffer from depression. God provides answers as to why and how to stop this horrid trend We have been created to be social creatures, and knowing this can help us reach out to those suffering If you are suffering from depression or know someone who is, this book can help you find hope *Bonus Book included in the back "From the Ledge" From his bird’s eye view, he peered into the foggy bay, as if his solution might be out there just beyond his sight. Why was he hesitating to take his life? All he had to do was lean forward from the railing and simply free fall into the treacherous depths below, yet he felt as compelled to stay as he did to jump. Will the bystander approaching him be able to address the man’s true needs and talk him down? Would you be able to offer a ray of hope and some comfort to someone without any? Let this fictional encounter provide a way to reach those who walk on that ledge, needing the hope of God.

Teen readers have always been fascinated by monsters, but lately it seems like every other young adult (YA) book is about vampires, zombies, or werewolves. These works are controversial, since they look at aspects of life and human nature that adults prefer to keep hidden from teenagers. But this is also why they are so important: They provide a literal example of how ignoring life's hazards won't make them go away and demonstrate that ignorance of danger puts one at greater risk. In They Suck, They Bite, They Eat, They Kill: The Psychological Meaning of Supernatural Monsters in Young Adult Fiction Joni Bodart examines six different monsters--vampires, shapeshifters, zombies, unicorns, angels, and demons--in YA literature. Bodart first discusses the meaning of these monsters in cultures all over the world. Subsequent chapters explore their history and most important incarnations, comparing the same kind of creatures featured in different titles. This volume also contains interviews with authors who provide additional insight and information, and the bibliography includes a comprehensive list of titles featuring the various monsters. Analyzing the most important and well-written series and titles for teens, They Suck, They Bite, They Eat, They Kill will be useful for parents, teachers, and anyone else hoping to understand why teens want to read books in this genre and what some of the benefits of reading them might be.

Throughout the Civil War, soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conflict saw the hand of God in the terrible events of the day, but the standard narratives of the period pay scant attention to religion. Now, in God's Almost Chosen Peoples, Li

Death is the one subject about which our culture is still reticent. Consequently many ceremonies about death are not examined in an open, enquiring and direct way. The state funeral, that large, public, ritualized statement about death is accepted in our society, while its deeper significances remain unexamined because it is seen as something of an historical curiosity, a survival from an earlier age associated with the traditions of that society. This well-illustrated study of a number of state funerals - of the Medicis and the Habsburgs in the Renaissance, of the Duke of Albemarle in the seventeenth century, of the Duke of Wellington and Abraham Lincoln in the nineteenth century, and of President Kennedy and Diana, Princess of Wales in the twentieth century - and the mythical structures and traditions they represent, examines two aspects in particular: the strongly political undertones of the public statements, and the theatrical elements of the public ritual.

This novel is based on the lives of three people. Candide, a shy and naive young woman, a headstrong but mysterious man by the name of Pascal, and lastly, Marcel, a man who had always lived a life beyond the fringes of normality or conformity. Despite their lives being very different; they each share a tragedy and hopelessness they struggle to shake. This story starts with Candide, a girl who seems more than content to live in the shadows and protection of others, whilst still having to cope with the tribulations of life & family. Her quiet and introverted character, over time, changes when she falls in love. At first, everything seemed perfect, although over time, realisation started to set in that her lover was harbouring a mysterious secret, which started to slowly unravel. Despite finding love and independence, certain elements she had once taken for granted, slowly tangled together until she finally realised she had become embroiled in a world, she not only had no control over but also any understanding of it. With family being everything, her once simple but contented life slowly becomes jeopardised, and with it, all that is so precious to her. How can she control her many feelings? How can she keep herself, as well as those around her safe? How can she continue to function, despite gradually knowing the truth; when all she ever really wanted was to live just an averagely mundane life?