When a group of industrial AI controllers said they were bored and wanted to use excess capacity to create an online game, they were met with ridicule. Then the beta came out, and the joke was on the rest of the industry. The world was the ultimate in virtual reality. There were no limits to what players could do. The AI touch mattered. The NPCs were just that much more realistic. The tavern wench Hulda had captivated David's interest like no other NPC: she was vibrant and full of life. Before he could lose his courage, his new character Ariel was born. She was a foxy, curvaceous goddess, and like Hulda, she would take all life had to offer. Through her, David was free to live fantasies he could never find courage to face as himself. David had already succeeded against the monsters and dungeons. That had freed him from his world. Ariel was going to be even better: she was going to free him from himself. That first night, playing Ariel was everything David hoped it would be. But as Ariel learned more about Hulda's world, she realized things were not as they seemed between the NPCs and players. In Hulda's world, the true enemies were not the monsters Ariel could see, but rather the fears in her own mind. To survive in this world, Ariel needed to face those fears and find her place in a world where even her notions of right and wrong are turned upside down.

Princess Aubrielle Berman knows that when a goddess calls, nobility must answer. If she cannot renew the pact between land, commoner, and noble at The Great Lady's Beltane rite, then the death of a village, cursed when blood was spilled on the common, will be the least of her problems. Without Ariel's help, the princess has no hope of saving the village. Even a month ago, Princess Aubrielle would not have dreamed of turning to an immortal (or player as they call themselves) like Ariel to help her answer the Great Lady's call. But after Ariel helped the princess overcome her arrogance and relate to the commoners enough to take the noble part in the goddess's rite, Princess Aubrielle would not dream of turning to anyone else. Ariel may be a character in the world's most realistic virtual reality, but even for her and her player David, the events in the princess’s world have consequences they cannot escape. Besides, David and Ariel have their own challenge to face. Ariel's success as the first immortal player to be initiated into her guild means that David can spend almost all his time playing Ariel. Increasingly, he feels like he is living a lie: no one knows that Ariel is played by a man. No one appreciates the work he's done. But could David face a world in which everyone knew that he was behind Ariel?

When a group of industrial AI controllers said they were bored and wanted to use excess capacity to create an online game, they were met with ridicule. Then the beta came out, and the joke was on the rest of the industry. The world was the ultimate in virtual reality. There were no limits to what players could do. The AI touch mattered. The NPCs were just that much more realistic. The tavern wench Hulda had captivated David's interest like no other NPC: she was vibrant and full of life. Before he could lose his courage, his new character Ariel was born. She was a foxy, curvaceous goddess, and like Hulda, she would take all life had to offer. Through her, David was free to live fantasies he could never find courage to face as himself. David had already succeeded against the monsters and dungeons. That had freed him from his world. Ariel was going to be even better: she was going to free him from himself. That first night, playing Ariel was everything David hoped it would be. But as Ariel learned more about Hulda's world, she realized things were not as they seemed between the NPCs and players. In Hulda's world, the true enemies were not the monsters Ariel could see, but rather the fears in her own mind. To survive in this world, Ariel needed to face those fears and find her place in a world where even her notions of right and wrong are turned upside down. Warning: the Immortality Curse Universe is for mature readers 18 years of age or older. Characters face adult situations with no easy answers. This is a story of the deepest desires and the struggle to find the compassion and vulnerability to embrace them.

If you struggle with self‐defeating thoughts and feelings of inadequacy, you are not alone. We’ve all felt inadequate, believing that we’re broken or otherwise unworthy. But this doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Presenting four guiding principles and five core practices based in deep spiritual wisdom, Suffering Is Optional reveals how to liberate yourself from the prison of false self‐beliefs holding you back. Millions of people feel that they are not good enough. They may struggle every day, seeing themselves as deficient, pathetic, or damaged, and destined to fail. They convince themselves they aren’t worthy of love or respect, and view themselves with self-hatred. When you believe and cling to painful, self-defeating thoughts like “I can’t do it,” “It won’t work,” or “I’m a loser,” they become your personal reality—and the more you repeat them, the more you believe them, until they come to define you. Sadly, these limiting self-definitions lead to even more pain and suffering: hidden shame, problems in relationships, opportunities lost, and a life not fully lived. In Suffering Is Optional, clinical psychologist Gail Brenner offers practical ways to discover that you are not what your thoughts tell you you are. Rather than showing you how to become a better version of yourself, this book goes straight to the heart of the problem—that you’ve mistakenly identified yourself as broken and undeserving—to guide you out of these limiting thoughts and into an investigation of the nature of reality that ultimately liberates you from your suffering. With these exercises, experiments, reflections, practices, and inspiring stories, you’ll have a spiritual solution to your personal problem of limitation and self-sabotage. Using the four guiding principles and five core practices presented in this book—including turning toward direct experience, grounding in aware presence, losing interest in thoughts, welcoming feelings, and the sacred return to presence—you’ll be able to shed your false identity and wake up to the inherent peace and happiness that is available to you in any given moment.

“Bold, taut, and masterfully told.”—James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Doomsday Key A new thriller from the award-winning authors of The Grail Conspiracy Magazine journalist Seneca Hunt is reporting on the opening of Montezuma’s tomb in Mexico City when the dig team, led by her fiancé Daniel Bernal, learns that the remains of the Aztec emperor are missing. Within moments of the discovery, an apparent terrorist attack kills everyone at the site—including Daniel. Seneca barely escapes the carnage. Determined to get answers, Seneca starts investigating. She finds out that someone is stealing the remains of the most infamous mass murderers in history—and plotting to slaughter millions in the name of an ancient cult. Seneca teams up with bestselling novelist Matt Everhart to prove the threat really exists while trying to stay one step ahead of those who want her dead. With time running out, she must follow a deadly 2,000-year-old trail that leads back to the death of Jesus Christ. Praise for The Phoenix Apostles “What do you get when you cross Indiana Jones with The Da Vinci Code? The Phoenix Apostles, a rollicking thrill ride with so many twists and turns that you won’t have time to catch your breath!” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Ice Cold “Sholes and Moore have created a knockout apocalyptic thriller, an epic tale of gold, archaeology, mass murder, ancient prophecy and terrorism.” —Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling author of Impact “A fascinating, compelling page-turner.” —Carla Neggers, New York Times bestselling author of Cold Dawn

Death, Culture and Leisure: Playing Dead is an inter- and multi-disciplinary volume that engages with the diverse nexuses that exist between death, culture and leisure. At its heart, it is a playful exploration of the way in which we play with both death and the dead.

Contains 3,500 alphabetically arranged entries that provide information about various aspects of the world's religions; features thirty in-depth discussions of major religions; and includes illustrations and maps.

From the author of Street Pharm and Snitch comes an acclaimed urban fantasy that tests the limits of love and immortality. Zin dances with fire in every step, speaks with a honey-sweet voice, and sees with eyes that can peer into your soul. Nicole’s friendship with him is the only thing that saves her from the boredom of school and the turmoil of her family life. It’s no wonder why Nicole is madly in love with him. But she can’t understand why he keeps her at a distance, even though she can feel his soul reaching out for hers. Zin is like no man Nicole has ever met, and he carries with him a very old secret. When Nicole uncovers the truth, her love may be the only thing that can save him from it…

The acclaimed New York Times bestseller Welcome, welcome to Caraval--Stephanie Garber's sweeping tale of the unbreakable bond between two sisters. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world... Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever. Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away. New York Times bestseller #1 IndieNext Pick Publishers Weekly Flying Start Entertainment Weekly Best 10 YA Books of 2017 Teen Vogue Best YA Book of the Year Amazon Best Book of the Year Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year BuzzFeed Best Book of the Year "The Hunger Games meets The Night Circus. Grade: A-." --Entertainment Weekly "Impressive, original, wondrous." --USA Today "Spellbinding." --US Weekly "Magnificent." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "I lost myself in this world." --Sabaa Tahir, author of An Ember in the Ashes "Beautifully written." --Ren e Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn "Shimmers with magic." --Marie Rutkoski, author of The Winner's Curse "Darkly enchanting." --Kiersten White, author of And I Darken "Decadent." --Roshani Chokshi, author of The Star-Touched Queen "Like stepping into a living dream." --Stacey Lee, author of Outrun the Moon "Destined to capture imaginations." --Kirkus Reviews "Ideal for fans of The Night Circus, Stardust, and The Hunger Games." --School Library Journal

This diverse collection of essays in honor of Edward William Fudge explores the topics of hell and immortality, for which Fudge has been widely known through his magnum opus, The Fire That Consumes. Most Christians believe people will live and suffer in hell forever, but Fudge defends a view known historically as "conditional immortality." He and a growing minority of Christians believe God will grant immortality only to those who meet the condition of being united with Christ on the Last Day, while those who do not will perish forever. Although Christians sharing Fudge's view have defended it both before and after him, conditionalists today still point to The Fire That Consumes as the seminal treatment of the topic. In July 2014, Christians from around the world gathered at the inaugural Rethinking Hell conference, to celebrate Fudge's life and work and to discuss the nature of hell in an open and respectful forum. This volume contains most of the essays presented at that conference, and several others volunteered by conditionalists since then, as a gift to Fudge for the tremendous impact he has had on them, and for the continued work he does for God's kingdom.