The only thing more lethal than his need for revenge, is the woman who's tasked with bringing him down. Adrian Croft dreams of quitting the shady business he stands to inherit, of settling down, and of raising a family free from a life of crime. But when tragedy strikes, this fanciful dream is destroyed. All he wants now is revenge. His anger, however, threatens to cloud his judgment, making it harder for him to recognize danger when it approaches in the form of a beautiful woman. Trained for covert operations as part of a secret government program, Samantha Carmichael's mission is to give British law enforcement a reason to prosecute the most powerful man in the country. But when common sense and duty begin to blur, can she remain steadfast in her goal, or will her loyalties shift as she gradually loses her heart to the one man she cannot afford to love? -One series, one couple, and the brutal challenges they must face- If you like What Angels Fear, Silent in the Grave, and Murder on Black Swan Lake, you'll devour Sophie Barnes' thrilling new series. Buy A Vengeful King Rises and start this adventure today!

"Returning to Ashok K. Banker's brilliant #ownvoices, epic fantasy world of the Burnt Empire first introduced in Upon a Burning Throne, A Dark Queen Rises features Krushni and Karni, two women on quests to protect the innocent and bring down tyrants"--

An orphaned girl's path is determined, her destiny tied to a mistreated boy who will one day win her allegiance. Raised by his tyrannical father, Adrian Croft is prepared for the day when he will take over a criminal enterprise passed down through generations. And take his position as King of Portman Square. If only he can endure. Saved from her cruel existence at Saint Christopher's home for foundling children, Samantha Carmichael is awarded a new life at Clearview Manor. Both a blessing and a curse. For which she will one day pay the price. This short story companion to The House of Croft series shows how the Nightingale Project came about and how Adrian and Samantha's childhoods have shaped them. It also includes the first three chapters from A Vengeful King Rises.

The first in a YA political fantasy duology about a fierce princess determined to bring lasting peace to her kingdom regardless of the cost to her heart—from C.J. Redwine, the author of the Defiance series and the New York Times bestselling Ravenspire series. Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, And I Darken, and Ash Princess. Princess Charis Willowthorn is the dutiful sword of Calera. Raised to be ruthless and cunning, her only goal is to hold her war-torn kingdom together long enough to find a path toward peace with their ancient foe Montevallo, even if the cost is her own heart. When violence erupts in the castle itself, nearly killing the queen, Charis must assume her mother’s duties and manage both the war and her kingdom. But as an unseen enemy begins sinking Calera’s ships, Charis realizes a threat much greater than Montevallo is coming for her people. So she forms a plan. By day, she is Calera’s formidable princess intent on forging an alliance with Montevallo. By night, she disguises herself as a smuggler and roams the sea with a trusted group of loyalists, hunting for their new enemies. And through it all, there's the one boy she can't have—who guards her life, but steals her heart. But her enemies are much closer than Charis realizes, and her heart isn’t the only thing she has left to lose.

King of the Rising is the searing conclusion to an unflinching and powerful Caribbean-inspired fantasy series about colonialism, resilience, and defiance. A revolution has swept through the islands of Hans Lollik and former slave Loren Jannik has been chosen to lead the survivors in a bid to free the islands forever. But the rebels are running out of food, weapons, and options. And as the Fjern inch closer to reclaiming Hans Lollik with every battle, Loren is faced with a choice that could shift the course of the revolution in their favor -- or doom it to failure. Praise for Islands of Blood and Storm: "A powerful look at colonialism, oppression, and rebellion, and all that it can cost the individuals involved." —Library Journal (starred review) "The book's absorbing setting, captivating lead, and relevant themes of race and class complement each other with alternating delicacy and savagery."—NPR Books "King of the Rising puts readers firmly into the minds of Callender’s unforgettable characters as it answers a spine-tingling set of questions: At the end of the war, who will survive and who will rule?” —BookPage Islands of Blood and Storm Queen of the Conquered King of the Rising

The Rise and Fall of the Sewer King A crime drama depicting the activities of a crime syndicate in Northern New Jesey. Ciro Brigante, a young man brought up in the sewers of Palermo Sicily becomes king of the street urchins who live underground in the sewers of Palermo. Coming to America he joins an Italian criminal gang in Northern New Jersey (a Mafia strong-hold in the United States). Ciro rises to dominance as a Capo. His rise and fall depicts the tragedy of a life of crime.

I was six cycles old when I was taken. The soldiers came with ugly gaping mouths that screamed and yelled and drooled. They raped and murdered my father, my mother, my older brother and my sister. I was taken and given as a gift to the Crown Prince of Zetaria a monstrous, twisted man of strange tastes and some persuasions. But for the Kings Vizier, Anubis I would have been destined for a life of misery and depravity until the Prince tired of me. Anubis seized me from the Crown Princes clutches before the man could so much as breathe on me, claiming me as tribute for an enchantment worked in battle. The old mage raised me as the son he would never have. On that day my life changed forever.

She’ll cut down anyone daring enough to threaten what she holds dear… Charged with murder, Adrian awaits the trial that will seal his fate. Escape seems impossible with his enemies actively trying to end his existence. But if he were to avoid the inevitable, he'd set his mind to one goal: hunting down his devious wife - the woman who orchestrated his capture. On the run from the law, Samantha plots her husband's rescue. Letting him hang isn't an option. Not if she's to correct the misunderstanding between them and fight for the future she knows they can have together. But with time running out, how will she ever succeed in saving the only love she's ever known?

He’ll never forgive her deception, or the hold she still has on his heart… Adrian Croft’s worst fear has been realized. His wife, the sweet woman who swept past his every defense, is a cunning spy working against him. Forced to play a dangerous game where one wrong move could see him destroyed, he must unravel her secrets while hunting a far more sinister threat. Samantha knew her decision to marry her target would come at a price. Now, having lost her husband’s trust and affection, she’ll do whatever it takes to win it all back – abandon past loyalties, spill her secrets, and catch a killer. But will it be enough to undo the damage? -One series, one couple, and the brutal challenges they must face- If you like What Angels Fear, Silent in the Grave, and Murder on Black Swan Lake, you’ll devour Sophie Barnes’ thrilling new series. Buy A Tainted Heart Bleeds and continue this action-packed adventure today!

This cultural history of Ancient Sparta chronicles the rise of its legendary military power and offers revealing insight into the people behind the myths. The Spartans of ancient Greece are typically portrayed as macho heroes: noble, laconic, totally fearless, and impervious to pain. And indeed, they often lived up to this image. But life was not as simple as this image suggests. In truth, ancient Sparta was a city of contrasts. We might admire their physical toughness, but Spartans also systematically abused their children. They gave rights to female citizens that were unmatched in Europe until the modern era, meanwhile subjecting their conquered subject peoples to a murderous reign of terror. Though idealized by the Athenian contemporaries of Socrates, Sparta was almost devoid of intellectual achievement. In this revealing history of Spartan society, Philip Matyszak chronicles the rise of the city from a Peloponnesian village to the military superpower of Greece. Above all, Matyszak investigates the role of the Spartan hoplite, the archetypal Greek warrior who was feared throughout Greece in his own day and has since become a legend. The reader is shown the man behind the myth; who he was, who he thought he was, and the environment which produced him.