In Cruise Confidential, Brian David Bruns spills the dirt — or in this case, the dirty water — on those romantic, fun-filled vacations at sea. His hilarious chronicle of the year he spent working for Carnival Cruise Lines takes readers down into the areas where the crew works and lives, leaving readers gasping with laughter as they’re assaulted nonstop with events that range from the absurd to the utterly bizarre. Stewards fighting over food. Cutlery allowances and other nonsensical rules. What the crew calls those onboard (no, it’s not “passengers”). And of course, the sex. An abundance of ready, willing, and able bodies eager for action on a vessel replete with nooks and crannies leads to love in some mighty strange, and seemingly impossible, places. Breezy, entertaining, and informative, Cruise Confidential is essential reading for those planning a cruise or for anyone who just needs a good laugh.

Dive into this FREE steamy Christmas romcom (which ends on a cliffhanger!) if you love grumpy book boyfriend, Hallmark movies with the door open. He's my brother's best friend, a grumpy billionaire CEO colder than the North Pole. Probably couldn't find me with a GPS. Not that he's tried. She's my best friend's sister, the one who melts my icy exterior. Resisting her? It's like turning down the biggest deal of my life. But this Christmas Eve? Get ready. I'm Julie Simmons, the everything-assistant to a boss who makes Cruella de Vil look cuddly. Holidays? Ha! I was all set for a season tethered to my laptop, dancing to the relentless beat of my boss's whims. That was until she sent me on a mission impossible to the luxury hotel of Landon Adams. Landon. My brother's best friend. My personal Scrooge. My forever crush who's so distant he might not even remember we inhabit the same galaxy, let alone the same zip code. Things take a twist with a bar brawl, thanks to some hockey players, and who comes to my rescue? Landon, in all his shining Armani glory. But who said I needed saving? And Landon's got enough CEO duties to deal with. Back at my no-pet apartment, I'm greeted by a dog, my missing notebook, and... a knock at the door? Wait, is that Landon? Once Upon A Christmas Eve is a thrilling prelude to '# Most Eligible Scrooge'. Buckle up—the ride's short, but the drop's electrifying.

In this laugh-out-loud funny and inspiring autobiography, one of Hollywood’s best-loved comediennes muses about movies, men, motherhood, and MS In a book that is at once Hollywood hilarious and personally moving, Teri Garr, star of such classic films as Young Frankenstein, Oh God!, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Mom, and Tootsie, for which she received an Academy Award nomination, writes about her life with the same wit and warmth that have won the hearts of fans for over three decades. From sipping Cokes with Elvis Presley to hangin’ with the Beatles; from her secrets to succeeding in Hollywood without losing her sanity, to dealing with the fear, anxiety, and denial of being plagued by mysterious physical problems that eluded diagnosis for over twenty years—the insights in Speedbumps, while always couched in Garr’s trademark humor, are honest, heartfelt, and often profound. BACKCOVER: “The driven comedian tells (almost) all…[and] she’s as dizzily funny as ever.” —Entertainment Weekly “Garr sticks to the truth whether it’s hysterically funny, or, at times, heart wrenching. Read this book, it’s a lesson in courage.” —Mel Brooks

Beyond overcoming, Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans' memoir is one of hope and resilience. Flowers for Brother Mudd: One Woman's Path from Jim Crow to Career Diplomat explores the paradox of an African American and a Catholic - a minority within a minority - who craved a wider future. Find out how a girl from Louisville, Kentucky's Smoke Town forged independent-mindedness to survive a segregated society. Learn what propelled this "colored girl" to jet across the world for three decades in a career that she chose at age 16. This former diplomat recounts the cushioning love of her upstanding, social studies teacher father, who rose from tobacco farming to head a school in coal country; and imaginative mother from Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. She salutes the Ursuline Sisters; educators at Morgan State and American Universities; and in India where she went on a Fulbright. In the face of a bleak future if Civil Rights changes hadn't come, she shows how a person of color could thrive and strive to tell her story to the world.

Ellie and Blue have been running their entire lives. An internationally recognized ultraendurance athlete, Ellie has competed in the world’s most difficult races, with her faithful canine companion, Blue, never far from her side. Beyond running, they’ve navigated life’s most daunting challenges. But locked behind Blue’s soulful eyes is a secret—a secret that will change their lives forever. A timeless story exploring the depths of love, loyalty and perseverance between Ellie and her dog, Blue, who learn that sometimes self-discovery, resilience and redemption come from the most unlikely and unexpected places.

What's going on behind the bravado of the 'average Aussie bloke'? Following the untimely deaths of two friends, Rob Mills began questioning who he is as a person and a man. Soon his self-reflection shifted outwards, and he got to wondering how he fits into the category of 'Aussie bloke'. Who is the average Aussie bloke, anyway, and does he even exist? What does he see as his purpose in the world? What is the state of his mental health? What does he think about gender roles, about family, sex and mateship, about violence and vulnerability? Charged by his naturally inquisitive nature, and with enough smarts to know he doesn't have all the answers, Rob called on the help of experts and friends. This book is the result of all these questions: a fascinating, chatty, insightful and often hilarious deep dive into both Rob's own life and that of the man on the street.

Rory Calhoun is a teen popstar with perfect teeth and messy hair who’s inspiring first crushes all over the globe. Millie Jackson is just one of the millions of fans who love him—but that doesn't mean her heart doesn't break for him every single day in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story. How many of Rory’s fans collect “data” about him in a special notebook hidden in their underwear drawer? Or have faked a fascination with whale migration for a chance to visit his hometown? Millie may not be Rory’s only fan at Susan B. Anthony Middle School, but she's convinced she's the biggest—and the best. Rory’s new song “Worldwide Crush” is climbing the charts, and his lyrics are clear: he’s looking for love—and he’s looking in the audience. Meaning Millie’s secret fantasies of running in the surf and eating waffles with him may not be crazy after all . . . she could be that girl! But first she has to get to his concert—his completely sold-out concert in a city nowhere near her home for which she does not have tickets or a ride. She just has to figure out how.

All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine. Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong. Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life. When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting the slayer his freedom. Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry. Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

Jeanette Purkis spent her early life reacting violently against feelings of embarrassment, anger and confusion about her 'difference' from other people. She was unaware until adulthood that this could be a result of having Asperger Syndrome. Jeanette's remarkable life and her journey towards finding a different kind of normal is inspiring reading.

Does the perfect kiss exist? This smart and funny modern romance from the author of Flipped explores the pleasures and perils of love. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Evangeline Logan wants a kiss. Not just any kiss—a “crimson kiss,” like the one in a romance novel she’s become obsessed with. But the path to perfection is paved with many bad kisses—the smash mouth, the ear licker, the “misser,” the tentative tight lipper. The phrase “I don’t kiss and tell” means nothing to the boys in her school. And worse: someone starts writing her name and number on bathroom walls. And worst of all: the boy she’s just kissed turns out to be her best friend’s new crush. Kissing turns out to be way more complicated than the romance novels would have you believe. . . . “Evangeline’s strong, entertaining voice will pull plenty of readers, who will root for their heroine as she begins to piece together a grown-up life.” —Booklist “The pacing is near-perfect: readers realize, just when Evangeline does, that it is not a kiss she is [really] after. In the end, the playful title and premise are matched by tender and convincing storytelling.” —Publishers Weekly