A poor young girl escaping an abusive father finds herself thrust into a quest to stop two warring countries from destroying each other. In the midst of a twisted plot mined with lies and deceit, even those who Shian loves must betray her. Before Shian can be free of a destiny that she never wanted, the daughter of Rahadel must face the threat of an evil more powerful than the great High Lords of mighty Citadel… herself. Created to infuse itself into her very soul and corrupt to the core of darkness itself, Shian must decide if she will accept or deny the gift and the curse of the Talisman Box!

Jaimie N. Schock's best-selling LGBTQ fantasy series in one box set for the first time! The seven novels in the series follow multiple protagonists as they navigate a world torn apart by magic. Contains the stories: The Pyre Starter: Dakota tries to end his life -- only to be saved by his friend, Terrell, who then drags him into a world of intrigue. Powerful magic users are pulling the planet into a violent war, and evil forces seek to take the talismans possessed by Dakota and his newfound family. Dakota soon finds himself in over his head -- with love and with fighting for all their lives. The Fired Gun: Dakota has a job to do. He kills other magic users that pose a threat to society. Along the way, he must balance being a father, having a love life, and dealing with the dwindling network of in-the-know people that surround him. When a man with a vendetta and a secret mission puts Dakota in his sights, everyone around him could suffer for his mistakes. The Circus Crown: Dakota takes his teen daughter Kenna on dangerous missions in an attempt to prevent a war between talisman users. But an encounter with mutated monstrosities reveals a new and powerful enemy, whose plans are as secretive as they are terrifying. When Dakota goes missing, Kenna must locate him at any cost. Frantic, she travels across the country and kills anyone who gets in the way. The Queen's Pain: Kenna runs the town of New Somerset and is responsible for its protection. She will defend it with her life in order to keep its citizens -- including her father Dakota -- safe from harm. But the appearance of a deformed animal puts everything at risk. Soon, the mountains surrounding the town are overrun with bloodthirsty creatures. As Kenna fights them, she begins to suspect it’s a losing battle. The Crystal Call: Dakota must track down his daughter Kenna, who has gone missing during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. But when he finds her, he is left reeling. Kenna has been chosen to save the world from talismans, and she intends to depart on a dangerous journey to accomplish the task. Moreover, she has no plan to include Dakota. The Magic Pact: Kenna and Yuuki go on a long mission to track down Moíra. They intend to make her pay for creating the mutations and especially torturing Dakota. Meanwhile, Dakota and Terrell set up shop in their little fortress. But peace and quiet are interrupted by the reappearance of an enraged Odessa, who demands to know where Kenna can be found. The Burning Key: Cameron is a marijuana grower who becomes entangled in a series of explosions. He takes not one but two lovers: his boss, Ezra, and a dealer named Nicky. The trio and some friends are forced to travel into the unregulated lands of what was once the U.S. They come upon mutated forests and conclude that magic is the only thing that can eliminate them. The group must find a powerful person to help.

Phonics for Pupils with Special Educational Needs is a complete, structured, multisensory programme for teaching reading and spelling, making it fun and accessible for all. This fantastic seven-part resource offers a refreshingly simple approach to the teaching of phonics, alongside activities to develop auditory and visual perceptual skills. Specifically designed to meet the needs of pupils of any age with special educational needs, the books break down phonics into manageable core elements and provide a huge wealth of resources to support teachers in teaching reading and spelling. Book 1: Building Basics introduces basic sounds and explores their relationship with letters. It focuses on sounds and letters where there is a simple 1:1 correspondence between the two, and explores the sounds in simple words that follow the pattern of vowel-consonant or consonant-vowel-consonant. Sounds are grouped into seven sets, with each set containing more than 50 engaging activities, including: sound story, dynamic blending, reading race, spot the word and spelling challenge. Thorough guidance is provided on how to deliver each activity, as well as a lesson planner template, handy word lists and posters for teachers and teaching assistants to use to support learning. Each book in the series gradually builds on children’s understanding of sounds and letters and provides scaffolded support for children to learn about every sound in the English language. Offering tried and tested material which can be photocopied for each use, this is an invaluable resource to simplify phonics teaching for teachers and teaching assistants and provide fun new ways of learning phonics for all children. This book is accompanied by a companion resource, 'Phonics for Pupils with Complex SEND ', to be used alongside the Phonics for Pupils with Special Educational Needs programme. The activities from Books 1-6 of the programme are adapted to be accessible for non-verbal pupils, including AAC users, and those with physical disabilities.

I knew nothing about talismans. Heck, I knew nothing about magic in general, let alone anything about monsters or aliens or an ancient civilization that still exists today to protect us all. I thought I was normal. I knew nothing, nothing except that I was just an average teenage kid trying my best to make it through school. Homework, bullies, teachers who were out to get me: those were the problems I was dealing with. I thought I was normal... I should have known better. Now that my grandfather is gone, it is my turn to answer the calling. To deal with the secret world of monsters and Alcovians. Of talismans and magic. Of death. My family legacy. My inheritance. Oh, how I wish I was normal. At least bullies don’t try to dip you in buffalo sauce and eat you for dinner.

Players assume roles of would-be rulers of land of Talisman. They journey to a perilous region to find the Crown of Command, and use its magic to cast spell upon rivals, forcing other players out of game.

Set during Hitler's siege of Leningrad, Elise Blackwell's beautiful debut novel is the deeply moving story of one man's confrontation with his own morality. A scientist, but a man of powerful personal appetites, unexpectedly finds himself with a choice that is informed too much by his private hungers. The danger he faces is betraying not only the woman he loves but also the principles he holds most dear.

Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine Stephen King teams up with long-time friend and award-winning author Richard Chizmar for the first time in this original, chilling novella that revisits the mysterious town of Castle Rock. There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong—if time-rusted—iron bolts and zig-zag up the precarious cliffside. Then one day when Gwendy gets to the top of Castle View, after catching her breath and hearing the shouts of kids on the playground below, a stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small, neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat… The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told—until now.

Passions collide against a backdrop of danger as Randi Austin and Detective Michael Santera race to stop a series of brutal murders in Miami. Their quest takes them into the uncharted territory of the supernatural, and face-to-face with an evil entity whose Hunger may cost them not only their lives but their souls.