Impressed by the work of the puppetmaster and his apprentice, Tavia’s ruler, The Margrave, has ordered dozens of life-size marionette soldiers to be sent to Wolfspire Hall. When the orders for more soldiers come in with increasingly urgent deadlines, the puppetmaster’s health suffers and Pirouette, his daughter and protégé, is left to build in his stead. But there is something far more twisted brewing at Wolfspire—the Margrave’s son wants Pirouette to create an assassin. And he wants her to give it life. With Tavia teetering on the brink of war and her father dying in the dungeons, Pirouette has no choice but to accept. Racing against the rise of the next blue moon—the magic that will bring her creations to life—she can't help but wonder, is she making a masterpiece...or a monster?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An unexpected offer threatens the bond between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi as the two Jedi navigate a dangerous new planet and an uncertain future in the first canon Star Wars novel to take place before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice. Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master. When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.

This is the true story of encounters with enlightened beings known in the East as Bodhisattvas, who have attained the Rainbow Body, yet who can and do appear in whatever form they are needed to assist humanity. These are the Gods of ancient myth, known in the West as Ascended Masters. Here are the adventures of one individual as the Masters bring him face to face with his own Higher Self-the I AM Presence.

In The Musician's Way, veteran performer and educator Gerald Klickstein combines the latest research with his 30 years of professional experience to provide aspiring musicians with a roadmap to artistic excellence. Part I, Artful Practice, describes strategies to interpret and memorize compositions, fuel motivation, collaborate, and more. Part II, Fearless Performance, lifts the lid on the hidden causes of nervousness and shows how musicians can become confident performers. Part III, Lifelong Creativity, surveys tactics to prevent music-related injuries and equips musicians to tap their own innate creativity. Written in a conversational style, The Musician's Way presents an inclusive system for all instrumentalists and vocalists to advance their musical abilities and succeed as performing artists.

Turning his back on the excesses of London in the credit boom, Edward Burke sets off on a year-long journey of self-discovery, to learn from some of the greatest masters of martial arts. His search for growth through the fighting arts will take him to the academy of Bruce Lee's most famous student, a traditional dojo in Japan, ancient Buddhist temples and a scorching capoeira roda in Brazil. But his greatest challenge will be as the live-in student of the legendary Chiba Sensei - Japanese swordsman, Zen monk and master of aikido. Far from the rarefied world of high finance, he soon finds himself scrubbing the floors of Chiba Sensei's dojo, bruised, scared and exhausted from long days of punishing training. But in the intensity of the training and the formidable presence of his fearsome, charismatic master there may just be something which will make this odd pilgrimage worthwhile. Told with a wry humor, woven with insights, and populated with colorful characters, this is the joyful tale of a year of pain, suffering and menial labor, undertaken for the love of movement and the privilege of learning from the masters.

A showman's fate is in the hands of the devil in an enthralling novel inspired by the Faust legend from the bestselling author of the Hangman's Daughter series. Rome, 1518. The church is tarnished by greed. Peasants are rebelling. Tumultuous times demand drastic recourse--before the devil gets his due. Johann Faust is a renowned magician, astrologer, and chiromancer traveling through Germany with his successful troupe: the orphaned juggler Greta and his loyal companion Karl. The avaricious Pope Leo X now requires Johann's services to replenish the papacy's drained coffers through alchemy. But the devil, with whom a regretful Johann once agreed to an unholy trade for fame, wants something else. Racked with paralyzing seizures, Johann fears that his debt is nearer to being settled. In France, Johann hopes for answers from an eminent new friend who could hold the key to his torment, body, and soul. For the celebrated artist, inventor, and anatomist Leonard da Vinci is suffering from the same accursed malady. Time is not on his side either. Now they all must outrun the devil, and the more human threats of the papal henchmen, before Johann is dragged straight to hell--along with everyone he holds dear.

A full credit high school art history textbook that helps you discover (and remember) fascinating connections between art, history, the Bible and other core classes like never before. Paired with the companion Teacher Guide, this curriculum is ideal for homeschool families, co-ops, church libraries and private Christian schools.

Two years after the thrilling events of The Exercise Of Vital Powers, Kayden Jayta's apprenticeship to join the Order is about to come to a dramatic end. The long awaited sequel to Ian Gregoire's unheralded fantasy debut, raises the stakes and takes the perilous adventures of the precocious anti-heroine to the next level.

It will take everything they've learned to stop the rise of evil.The last dragon's egg is discovered in the treasury of Veldwaite, launching Lorit and Chihon into a battle with the Temple Priests. They rescue a young Wizard and enlist his help in the fight to stop the Temple from harnessing the power of the last dragon. Now they're the masters, training him.They've come a long way since the farm. Fought many battles. But will it be enough to save the dragons from the clutches of the Temple in their last effort to ensnare the world in darkness?Experience the epic and magic-fueled conclusion of the Master to Apprentice Series.

A young man's destined quest becomes a dance with the devil in a mesmerizing retelling of the Faust legend by the bestselling author of the Hangman's Daughter Tales series. It's the fifteenth century and only heretics are curious about the universe. Germany, 1494. Born under a rare alignment of the stars, Johann Georg Gerlach, the "lucky one" to his mother--is fated for greatness. But Johann's studies and wonder at the sky has made him suspect. Especially in wake of the child disappearances that have left the God-fearing locals trembling and his one true love trapped in terrified catatonia. Her only words: "I have seen the devil..." Banished from Knittlingen as cursed, Johann crosses paths with Tonio del Moravia. The traveling fortune-teller and master of the arcane arts recognizes something extraordinary in the wanderer. Taking Johann under his wing, Tonio promises a new world of knowledge and sensations. But with it comes a sinister web of deception and a chilling prophecy. The stars are set to align again. Now Johann must draw on the skills of his apprenticeship to solve the dark mystery that grips his village in fear and the deepening mystery of his own destiny.