When Gavin Meckler's light aircraft encounters a mysterious cloud and crashes to earth, he discovers that the eerily quiet landscape in which he has landed is 200 years older than the one from which he took off. In this gentle, peaceful, sustainable new world, it is possible to travel from one side of the globe to the other in a matter of minutes without burning fuel, and everyone is a gardener because that's how they can be sure to eat. Inspired by William Morris's utopian novel News from Nowhere, Robert Llewellyn shows us a future where we don't burn anything to make anything else and which isn't hovering on the brink of disaster; where aliens haven't invaded, meteors haven’t hit and zombies haven’t taken over. In short, a world where humanity eventually gets it right. All the technology described in the novel has seen the light of day in reality. Llewellyn's future isn't perfect and may not be very likely, but it is entirely possible.

A month after the United States enters World War II, the country is in upheaval and so is the Erhardt family. Nine-year-old Lark, her mother Arlene, and Aunt Betty are heading for San Diego, far away from Harvester, Minnesota and Arlene s shiftless husband. In the booming wartime economy, Arlene and Betty are soon at work, leaving Lark alone to explore their new neighborhood, a wartime housing project full of others with similarly uprooted lives. Away from prying eyes and small town expectations, the two women begin to forge new lives and new dreams dreams that Lark isn t always comfortable with. This richly detailed novel, told through Lark s observant eyes, reflects the era s tumultuous events in the everyday dramas of its memorable, finely nuanced characters."

Thirteen-year-old Eva Thomas finds herself in a life threatening mystery when her dreams become real. Night after night, she is transported to Dreamland, where an evil being, the Shadow, wants her dead. Exhausted from her troubled sleep, Eva stumbles through her days in a new town where her grandmother is known as an eccentric and in a new school where a bully has decided Eva needs to be put in her place. Can Eva save herself and her dreams before it’s too late?

Agnes receives few compliments, and Henry Preble is not so bad-looking even if he does have a reputation for cornering girls at work. In the eyes of the world, knowing that you're on the shelf at twenty-four can do strange things to a girl. So strange that you might wake up one morning with almost no recollection of the previous night's events . . . Published for the first time in the UK, The Gardenia, the basis for Fritz Lang's 1953 classic Hollywood noir film The Blue Gardenia, is a gripping story of suspense and a brilliant exposé of the press sensationalism of 1950s America. This volume also contains Out of the Blue, which was made into a comedy film in 1947 starring George Brent and Carole Landis.

From internationally bestselling author Belinda Alexandra comes a sweeping, emotional journey that “depicts vividly the powerful lifelong bond between mothers and daughters” (Paullina Simons, author of The Bronze Horseman). In a district of the city of Harbin, a haven for White Russian families since Russia’s Communist Revolution, Alina Kozlova must make a heartbreaking decision if her only child, Anya, is to survive the final days of World War II. White Gardenia sweeps across cultures and continents, from the glamorous nightclubs of Shanghai to the austerity of Cold War Soviet Russia in the 1960s, from a desolate island in the Pacific Ocean to a new life in post-war Australia. Both mother and daughter must make sacrifices, but is the price too high? Most importantly of all, will they ever find each other again? Rich in historical detail and reminiscent of stories by Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley, White Gardenia is a compelling and beautifully written tale about yearning, longing, and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.

In 1957 jobs are scarce in rural Ashland, Alabama. Bobby Higgins is facing life decisions; his family’s farm struggles and threat of the draft hangs over 18-year-old males as the Cold War rumbles in the distance. Bobby heads off to boot camp, vowing to provide for his family from his pay. Between shore and sea duty, Bobby leaves broken hearts in every port. When his own heart is stolen by Rose, he’s shocked to learn that she comes with four daughters, a package deal he’s unsure he wants. But when Rose disappears, Bobby finds her and persuades her to marry him. Somehow they navigate their way through the trials of marriage and parenting as he fulfills his patriotic career and his promise to raise four willful daughters. In the spring of 2004, his daughters are brought together by grief. They forge new bonds, sharing their joys, losses, regrets, and ultimately family secrets that will seal all their fates…if they can summon the courage to report for duty. Book Review: "Gardenia Duty by Kathleen Varn is the story of a man who wasn’t looking for love, but when love did find him, he realized that it had more layers than he ever anticipated. Set in 1957, in this story Bobby Higgins is facing some tough times and he has to make some decisions before it is too late for him. As his family is suffering, the Cold War is raging and jobs are almost non-existent, so he leaves for boot camp where he promises himself to offer the best he can for his family. While there were plenty of women to keep him satisfied and happy, he never met a woman who made him want to stay. That is until he met the pretty Rose. He falls for her hard and fast, but she comes with a surprise package. She has four daughters who are at once vulnerable yet so strong. Now Bobby has to make the decision of a lifetime once again. Can he marry Rose and take on the responsibility of her four girls? This is such a beautiful tale of love, acceptance, familial bonds and just becoming a family. Bobby and Rose created this wonderful atmosphere with their love and affection for each other and their little girls. Bobby’s reaction to finding out that the woman he loves has four girls was believable and very real. It would be a hard reality and a tough decision for anyone and the author did a great job of not only making her characters believable but also relatable. It is the small things that count and can heighten the experience of a reader. Kathleen Varn set the pace just right, allowed readers to get invested, connect with the characters and enjoy the story as if they were watching a 3D movie. This descriptive, vivid piece of writing is definitely one of my favorites! An absolute gem!" -- Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

An unforeseen crisis forces multiple worlds to become intertwined in a race for survival. An evil enemy challenges the World of Joy, the World of Behavior, and the World of Psyche. The realms are collapsing due to Sindar’s ability to steal health, justice, and knowledge, and he must be stopped before all existence is destroyed. Seven people now find themselves drawn together to help regain a sense of oneness and stop Sindar’s odious intentions. Many obstacles are placed in their paths, including each other, but they must continue moving forward in the process of reestablishing their existence and saving all three worlds. To help with their journey, they are gifted with objects that connect them to their ancestors. Three intriguing fairies also join the group. However, they cannot rely on bravery and brute force to end Sindar’s reign. No, first, these unlikely heroes must discover they cannot be fulfilled until they accept responsibility for their own behaviors, fill their lives with joy, and regain a sense of spiritual wonder. They must pursue the true essence of life and happiness and find their way back to long ago, when the Prince of Innocence was born.

The Complete Language of Trees is a comprehensive encyclopedia providing the meanings, powers, facts, and folklore for over 400 types of trees--now in a pocket-size edition for easy, on-the-go reference. Along with a stunning visual depiction, each entry provides the tree's scientific and common name, characteristics, and historic and hidden properties from mythology, legends, and folklore. Discover the lore of trees, including: Hackberry Tree - encourages someone to continuously do their best Manchineel Tree - it is so toxic that the smoke from a burning tree can cause blindness, and it is not even advised to inhale the air around the tree Bark from the Bird Cherry Tree was placed on doors during medieval times to ward off plague Washi paper is created from the inner bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. Pando is a Quaking Aspen colony that is 108 acres wide (about the size of 83 football fields!). It is technically one tree. Imagine developing a spiritual connection with a tree in a way that exceeds visual perception; where learning its meaning and value simultaneously improves your own mental and physical wellness. Throughout history, floriographies--flower dictionaries--have gained notoriety for regulating human emotions and giving depth, symbolism, and meaning to extremely delicate aspects of nature. Following the success of The Complete Language of Herbs and its predecessor The Complete Language of Flowers, author S. Theresa Dietz continues this custom with The Complete Language of Trees. Coupled with two indexes, one for searching by common tree name and the other organized by meaning, Dietz cleverly connects quality time in nature with the overall improvement of mental health by developing a stunningly depicted dictionary for gardeners, environmentalists, and nature lovers alike.