The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline series returns with the second installment in her acclaimed Age of X series. Religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen—the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him—have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion. Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity. Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

The legendary sixteen stones once touched by the hand of the god Oum'ilah will grant immortality and supreme power to whoever can gather them and place them in the rightful crown.

The truth is, when you banish the gods from the world, they eventually come back—with a vengeance. In the near future, Justin March lives in exile from the Republic of United North America. After failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, Justin is surprised when he is sent back with a peculiar assignment—to solve a string of ritualistic murders steeped in seemingly unexplainable phenomena. Justin’s return comes with an even bigger shock: His new partner and bodyguard, Mae Koskinen, is a prætorian, one of the Republic’s technologically enhanced supersoldiers. Mae’s inexplicable beauty and aristocratic upbringing attract Justin’s curiosity and desire, but her true nature holds more danger than anyone realizes. As their investigation unfolds, Justin and Mae find themselves in the crosshairs of mysterious enemies. Powers greater than they can imagine have started to assemble in the shadows, preparing to reclaim a world that has renounced religion and where humans are merely gamepieces on their board.

He came to England in search of treasure. Two hundred years later, he?s found her... Ivar Graycloak is a brave warrior, a man known for his strength and integrity. He is also a man with a terrible secret. Long ago he was part of a Viking crew cursed by an evil sorceress to live for eternity as were-creatures. An eagle by day and a man by night, Ivar has lived a solitary existence for over two centuries. Then the king orders him to marry. Lady Alaida is everything a man could want in a bride?intelligent, spirited, and beautiful--and their wedding night is a balm to Ivar's lonely spirit. Then a seer brings him word of a dark vision, one that makes Ivar vow to stay away from his lovely wife forever. But now that Ivar has sampled Alaida?s passion, her humor and warmth, he is enthralled. His traitorous body?his very heart?longs for that which he can never possess. Lady Alaida may surprise him yet, though, for she has a power of her own?a power that will either destroy everything they hold dear or ultimately set them free?

ULLSAARD HAS CONQUERED THE KNOWN WORLD. All have fallen before his armies. Now it's time to take the long journey home, back to the revered heart of the great Empire he had helped create for his distant masters. But when he returns to the capital, life there is so very different from what he had believed. Could it be that everything he has fought for, has conquered and killed for, has been a lie? File Under: Epic Fantasy [ Conquering Armies | A Vast Empire | Temple Of Shadows | Rebellion And War ]

Has a notorious murderer returned to the streets of Ancient Rome? In the fourth novel in Paul Doherty's acclaimed Ancient Roman series featuring Claudia, a killer stalks the streets of Rome. Perfect for fans of Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor. 'An engrossing and informative read' - Publishers Weekly September 314AD, and once more death strikes the sprawling streets of Imperial Rome. When two prostitutes are found murdered - their bodies ripped open and their right eyes gouged out - it is feared a notorious killer, the Nefandus, has returned. Rumoured to be an imperial officer, he once waged bloody murder amongst Rome's prostitutes but vanished before his identity could be discovered. Has he reappeared, or is someone working in his guise? Desperate to retain order, the Empress Helena turns to her most trusted agent, Claudia. Helena commands her to discover the truth behind the Nefandus, before Rome descends further into chaos and confusion. What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'Paul Doherty's books are a joy to read' 'The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books' 'A great read - I recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery'

In this sexy paranormal thriller, a powerful shaman queen takes the ultimate risk to stop a war that threatens to destroy her Otherworldly kingdom. Back in the mortal realm, shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham was skilled at banishing beings that didn't belong. But as the Thorn Land's new queen, she's desperately searching for a way to end the war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope is the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear . . . Knowing who to trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation—one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril . . .

Ashera, the first queen Dunya has ever seen, is believed to be dead. A public announcement when the King of Qamar is beheaded offers a direct challenge to those responsible. Further, a declaration by the new joint rulers of Qamar—Winta and Thorne, her newest mates and both powerful shifters—not only confirms Ashera’s death but also thrusts her four mates into the spotlight. Malachi, the former incubus assassin turned general turned king. He’s the de facto alpha of Ashera’s mates and has stepped into the role of ruler of Shaytan with the promise of vengeance, bloodshed, and no prisoners. Jacobi, the angel king who is now questioning his place. Afterall, he has an older sister. Shouldn’t she have been given the chance to rule Malak? Should she be given the chance now? Caspian, arrogant fae prince who needed to be reminded that he’s no better than anyone else. Frankly, in most people’s minds, he’s worse than everyone else. Ambrose, the vampire prince betrayed by his father. He’s not interested in hearing why his father lied to him for centuries; he’s only interested in killing that bastard slowly. All four have now openly challenged the resistance, vowing to put an end to them and their reign of terror no matter the cost. King Judah of Sahira makes his displeasure of this alliance between Qamar and Ashera’s mates known. This can only mean one thing—war has come for the kingdoms of Dunya. A war that will see kings fall while queens rise. A war that challenges the very foundation of each kingdom’s morals. A war that was started by men, but will be ended by women. Ashera needs to win this war, navigate her new powers, and learn how to manage her growing harem of alphas. But if there’s one thing this succubus queen isn’t afraid of, it’s putting men in their place. ~*~*~ There is FF and MM in this book. This is a FAST BURN reverse harem. ~*~*~

Years of bad luck have made Logan Pierce a little bitter, but it all goes from bad to worse the night she witnesses two immortal beings rip a man’s head off with their bare hands. Her life is wrecked overnight by a single man—Cyrus, who seems to think she’s someone important in his bloody world. But they won’t know the truth until she’s dead, and he’s very anxious to help her get there. But Logan isn’t going down without a fight. She makes him a deal. She will die, but first he must spend a month getting to know her, a month to change his mind. What she doesn’t expect is a month filled with displays of incredible wealth, spontaneous trips across the country, and unbelievable acts of immortal power. And as Logan spends her last days with Cyrus, she stops seeing the monster and begins to see a lonely, broken man she can’t walk away from. If she isn’t careful, it won’t just be her life she loses at the end of the month, but her heart as well... Crown of Death is a new standalone series set in the House of Royals world. It is not necessary to have read the House of Royals Saga to start this series.