Five months ago, the prince of the great country of Silvershire was assassinated. The main suspect is the leader of an antimonarchy movement, Nikolas Donovan. Fleeing to Paris to escape the rumors, he is pursued by a special agent from the kingdom. However, after she sneaks into his apartment to capture him, Nikolas is surprised by who he sees. The assailant is a fearless, beautiful young woman...one who he has seen before!

Edward, cousin to Steven, the true king of Travia, has attempted to usurp the crown and the two armies are at war. Jed Stone, a simple farmhand, conscripted into Steven's army, is severely wounded in the first indecisive battle. But two bowmen, Kit and Thomas, nurse him back to health and a loose friendship develops between them. In the north of the country, Steven's ally, the First Lord Dragar, is murdered, leaving his young son to raise the army needed to help the struggling king. At first, things seem straightforward, but a plot of cunning and deceit is slowly revealed and the shocking outcome is destined to shatter the young lord’s faith in all he knows and understands. An arrogant young lord, Geoffrey Averly, has set his mind on marrying the beautiful seventeen-year-old Lady Mirel Haflan, whose father was killed in the disastrous battle. Her brother, the new and cruel-minded Lord Marcus Haflan, agrees to the union which her father would have deplored. Rather than face her dire fate, Mirel and her maid flee, in search of an invalidation of the contract from the rebel king, Edward. But Geoffrey sets a vast reward for anyone returning the two women - and they fall into the hands of the three bowmen, Kit, Thomas and Jed. Edward decides to seek allies of his own from across the sea, but covetous eyes already watch the unfolding saga, with plans that do not bode well for the future . . .

From beloved, RITA-award-winning author Kennedy Ryan comes the gripping, passionate finale of the All the King's Men duology. Though surrender is what Maxim Cade demanded of Lennix Hunter's body and heart, she had other plans. They were fast-burning fascination and combustible chemistry, the son of an oil baron and the Apache daughter at war with his family, but she trusted him, and he turned out to be a thief who stole her love. Still, if what they had was a lie, why had it felt so real? Now, the man she swore to hate is about to have it all, and he wants Lennix at his side. But when the two of them are forced to face the unthinkable, their rocky foundation is tested, as is the invisible thread that seems to wind their fates together. As they navigate a treacherous political landscape in their quest for justice, Maxim and Lennix soon learn that power is a game, and they are merely the pawns and players. Facing insurmountable odds, will they win the world, or will they lose it all?

Fireman Charlie Costa knows all about duty and saving lives. But when he learns he is a prince who must marry to secure his country, he's shocked! He doesn't want to be king, or to marry Princess Jazmine…no matter how beautiful she is. Charlie's rough manners and bad-boy charm don't deceive Princess Jazmine for a minute. He might fool others into believing he's a rebel, but she knows the real Charlie: generous, strong and a man who's truly fit to be king.

She'll do whatever it takes to rebuild this country?even if it means marrying! Princess Jazmine of Hellenia has been ordered to marry a man she's never seen before for the good of the nation. Her intended is the crown prince, who was only discovered a few days ago and who only just found out that he’s royalty. From the moment he arrived, his handsomeness took Jazmine's breath away. But to be the bride of this wild, sharp-gazed man? Fortunately, when she trips over her the high heels she’s so unused to, the hand up he offers her is warm and kind…

Necros, the most rebellious of the vampir kings, has carried a burning hatred for the one who forced him into this undead existence centuries ago. Abused, betrayed, cheated, he trusts none of any species, especially Guin, a dethroned mortal queen who appears out of nowhere and feeds his paranoia, and his darkest fantasies. At best she attempts to control him, at worst she tries to kill him. For some reason he does not understand, Necros is compelled to let her live. But he believes she is manipulative, and a liar; Guin sees him as brutal, stubborn, impossible! Encounters turn ugly as violence, bitterness and haunting memories drive both of them. Guin has her own agendas, and the more she struggles to actualize them, the further away her goals recede. A few vampirii endeavor to build a bridge between the two combatants, but others with sinister plans are bent on hindering a truce. This downward-spiralling dynamic reels towards a dire conclusion that neither Necros nor Guin seem able to halt. Savagery of the Rebel King—Vol 4 in the exciting Thrones of Blood series—is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride in a plot that twists and turns and threatens to spin out of control. Readers will be glued to their seats!

It is generally accepted in the West that Buddhism is a ‘peaceful’ religion. The Western public tends to assume that the doctrinal rejection of violence in Buddhism would make Buddhist pacifists, and often expects Buddhist societies or individual Asian Buddhists to conform to the modern Western standards of ‘peaceful’ behavior. This stereotype – which may well be termed ‘positive Orientalism,’ since it is based on assumption that an ‘Oriental’ religion would be more faithful to its original non-violent teachings than Western Christianity – has been periodically challenged by enthusiastic acquiescence by monastic Buddhism to the most brutal sorts of warfare. This volume demolishes this stereotype, and produces instead a coherent, nuanced account on the modern Buddhist attitudes towards violence and warfare, which take into consideration both doctrinal logic of Buddhism and the socio-political situation in Asian Buddhist societies. The chapters in this book offer a deeper analysis of ‘Buddhist militarism’ and Buddhist attitudes towards violence than previous volumes, grounded in an awareness of Buddhist doctrines and the recent history of nationalism, as well as the role Buddhism plays in constructions of national identity. The international team of contributors includes scholars from Thailand, Japan, and Korea.

The High Priestess - 1: Damen Aetos. Mob boss. Madman. And soon to be my husband. He doesn’t care that I’m a virgin. Doesn’t care about my beauty. Nothing matters to him but my last name. By marrying me, the Madman ensures that a centuries-old bargain will be met. The fact that he gets me -- gets to do anything to me that he wants -- is just icing on the cake for him. But I have secrets too, lurking beneath my pretty surface. Secrets, lies, and a power greater than either of us can imagine. The question is, when The High Priestess comes calling, how will he respond? Provoke – 2: I meet her in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle towards my sworn enemy. Our eyes catch from across the room. And monster that I am, I know I have to have her. Not just because she is precious to my sworn enemy… but also because her wide blue eyes tell me things. That she’s afraid of me. That she’s even more afraid of my enemy. That she’ll do almost anything to escape him. I seize on her fear. I abduct her, while she’s screaming and fighting me. And that’s when our story begins. Punish – 3: Stolen and abducted… yet in the same stroke, saved. On one hand, I escaped certain death at the hands of people who have already hurt me. On the other, now I’m trapped with him. The rival of my abuser, who is every bit as terrifying. Dark and sinfully handsome, he wants me. He wants me to turn my back on the religion that has raised me. He wants me to spread my legs for him and him alone. He wants to punish me. He wants to teach me to like his lessons. Or else he’ll kill my little sister and turn me over to the men who controlled me before. Either way, I will have to make sacrifices. Sacrifices that have lasting consequences. I walk on the knife’s edge between falling prey again and completely losing myself. And if I’m not careful, I may end up worse than dead... Possess – 4: There is something blooming between my captor and I, hot and wet and fragile. Lust. Obsession. Maybe it’s even love. But there are still secrets that stand between us, looming large over whatever happiness we might find together. Dangerous secrets. Things worth killing over. If I reveal my secret to Dryas, he very well might die to protect me. The last thing I want is to confront those that hurt me without him at my side. But I might not get a choice, if Dryas has his way... Protect – 5: I wake up in the wreckage, ready to fight for Rue. Only she is gone, stolen away by my archenemy. I start to see red. No one touches my girl and expects to live. The deck is stacked against us. Emotions are running high. There is one thing that no one else realizes, though. Rue is mine, and I will get her back if it is the last f*cking thing I do.

There is something blooming between my captor and I, hot and wet and fragile. Lust. Obsession. Maybe it’s even love. But there are still secrets that stand between us, looming large over whatever happiness we might find together. Dangerous secrets. Things worth killing over. If I reveal my secret to Dryas, he very well might die to protect me. The last thing I want is to confront those that hurt me without him at my side. But I might not get a choice, if Dryas has his way...

The unputdownable second half of New York Times bestselling author G.A. Aiken’s wildly funny, hot and unmistakably kick ass Dragon Kin series. The Dragon Who Loved Me Rhona the Fearless must fight alongside uncivilized male Northland dragons who think a female is only good for breeding. But only fools would try to stop her from doing what she does best—destroying the enemies of her kind. So the smartest thing wily barbarian Vigholf the Abhorrent can do is stay out of her way . . . How to Drive a Dragon Crazy Izzy thought she was finished with the one dragon she’d have done anything for: Éibhear the Blue, a big, gorgeous, blue-haired beast who wants to protect her from danger. That’s fine with her, because while she’s trying to fulfill a ridiculous quest for a pushy god, she’ll draw the overconfident warlord in and rekindle his smoldering fires . . . Light My Fire Celyn the Charming has direct orders from his queen to protect Elina Shestakova of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight. Gods! That endless name! Worse still, this unforgiving female is completely unimpressed by Celyn. How is that even possible? Especially when he is just so damn charming? Feel the Burn Gaius Domitus, the one-eyed rebel dragon king, must fight off half of his ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order in his lands. But he never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman. Kachka may be beautiful and fierce, but the feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. Though she may have a thing for his eyepatch . . . Bring the Heat Aidan the Divine is also a delight, cheerful, charming, and a royal warrior who is extremely handsome with a very large and well-hidden hoard of gold. And yet, Branwen the Awful—a low-born, no less—either tells him to shut up or, worse, ignores him completely. But if they’re going to win the war, they’re going to have to fight side by side . . . Dragon on Top Ghleanna the Decimator knows no fear, no pain, and no mercy. She does, however, know acute embarrassment! Especially after getting dumped by a bastard dragon in front of her own troops. All she wants to do is sulk in her cave but Her Majesty has ordered her to escort Bram the Merciful through dangerous territories—not exactly the best use of her military training. Then again . . . Bram is quite easy on the eyes . . . Praise for the Dragon Kin Series “Aiken’s patented mix of bloodthirsty action, crazy scenarios and hilarious dialogue have made this series a truly unique pleasure.”—RT Book Reviews, 4½ Stars “A chest thumping, mead-hall rocking, enemy slaying brawl of a good book.” —All Things Urban Fantasy “Laugh-out-loud funny—I loved it!” —New York Times bestselling author Thea Harrison