Two teenage girls attending an alternative high school for problem students find that their disintegrating family lives have pushed them to the edge.

Just beyond the reach of the Twelve Kingdoms, avarice, violence, strategy, and revenge clash around a survivor who could upset the balance of power all across the map . . . Once Ivariel thought elephants were fairy tales to amuse children. But her ice-encased childhood in Dasnaria’s imperial seraglio was lacking in freedom and justice. With a new name and an assumed identity as a warrior priestess of Danu, the woman once called Princess Jenna is now a fraud and a fugitive. But as she learns the ways of the beasts and hones new uses for her dancer’s strength, she moves one day further from the memory of her brutal husband. Safe in hot, healing Nyambura, Ivariel holds a good man at arm’s length and trains for the day she’ll be hunted again. She knows it’s coming. She’s not truly safe, not when her mind clouds with killing rage at unpredictable moments. Not when patient Ochieng’s dreams of a family frighten her to her bones. But it still comes as a shock to Ivariel when long-peaceful Nyambura comes under attack. Until her new people look to their warrior priestess and her elephants to lead them . . .

Her song is death. His offer is life. Disappear into this twisty tale of a ruthless heir and the sheltered, gifted orphan he chooses as both his wife and his greatest weapon against a growing list of enemies. Siofra has lived her entire life in isolation, terrified of her unrestrained dark magic. Then the unthinkable happens, and she and her brother are imprisoned for murder. Before the law can deliver their punishment, the siblings are rescued by a mysterious benefactor, whisked away to a glamorous manor in the far north, where everyone treats them like a prince and princess. Shadowfen Hall, and the surrounding forest, keeps a wall between Desemir and his rivals. His lack of heir leaves him vulnerable, but to marry within his peerage would ignite the very coup he needs to avoid. Siofra and Desemir’s needs conveniently intersect. She needs protection for herself and her brother. He needs a wife and children to secure his legacy. If it all seems too good to be true, it is. Because everyone knows darkness can only be soothed, not contained. __ The Melody and the Master is a marriage of convenience dark fantasy romance tale set in the Kingdom of the White Sea universe, with hints of Beauty and the Beast and Jane Eyre. It is the first story in the Darkwood Cycle of The Book of All Things. The next two novels in the trilogy, The Hand and the Heart and The Wulf and the Witchling, feature characters introduced in this novel. The Book of All Things is a series of fantasy romance tales set in the vibrant, epic world first introduced by USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah M. Cradit in the Kingdom of the White Sea trilogy. For content advisories, please visit sarahmcradit.com.

The author, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, explores his life, the lessons that he has learned, how he has worked to achieve his childhood dreams, and the effect of his diagnosis on him and his family.

Natasha Maina Gladys is a two colored wolf from the Malakari pack in the kingdom of Zambele. Rumored to be cursed and unwanted by her mate, the Alpha, Natasha's life took an entirely different turn from how she had always dreamt of it. At least, that was until the arrival of the Lycan king... * I was abruptly pulled and I found it was the King. His eyes were bloodshot, getting darker than I had seen them the first time. He pulled me outside into the now hot sun and straight towards the black BMW parked alongside other cars. "Wait," I called as I halted and refused to move. I wasn't about to suffer another wave of pain from rejection. Or abuse. No, this time, I would be doing the rejection. "We can do this here. You don't have to take me with you," I said. He puckered his brows, a disturbing look crossing his face. I pulled my hand from his hold, and his gaze dropped to the action. "What...." "The rejection," I instantly cut him off. "What rejection?" he asked, covering the little distance between us. "I, Natasha Gladys, reject you, King..." I paused, realizing that I didn't know his name. I knew the name of the former king, but not this one. "Uh-huh, can you please tell me your full name?" I mumbled shyly, glancing up at him. * Follow Natasha along as she embarks on a journey of healing and discovers just what it means to open herself up and slowly become the Heart of A Lycan King.

The House of Crimson & Clover continues in the second volume, Shattered. Ana can’t run from the darkness inside of her. Ana’s shattered heart is divided between the St. Andrews brothers. One light. One dark. Finn’s kind heart offers a selfless love she doesn’t deserve as Jon’s embrace of darkness swiftly turns to cruelty. The delicate line between love and hate casts a dark pall over their tense household, rooted in the dangerous, deadly secret that binds all three together—forever. It’s long been time for her to return home to New Orleans. For Finn’s sake. For Jon’s. Even for her own. But hope keeps her in the arms of one man, and the crosshairs of another. And now there’s nothing, nothing that can stop the catastrophic landslide her choice has put in motion. The House of Crimson and Clover Series This is the recommended reading order for the series. Volume I: The Storm and the Darkness Volume II: Shattered Volume III: The Illusions of Eventide Volume IV: Bound Volume V: Midnight Dynasty Volume VI: Asunder Volume VII: Empire of Shadows Volume VIII: Myths of Midwinter Volume IX: The Hinterland Veil Volume X: The Secrets Amongst the Cypress Volume XI: Within the Garden of Twilight Volume XII: House of Dusk, House of Dawn The Saga of Crimson & Clover A sprawling dynasty. An ancient bloodline. A world of magic and mayhem. Welcome to the Saga of Crimson & Clover, where all series within are linked but can be equally enjoyed on their own. For content warnings, please visit sarahmcradit.com.

One woman’s journey to self-discovery in the Gilded Age could destroy everything she’s ever known. “May's historical fiction picks apart the delicate facade of American gentility in upper-class, well-heeled families on the wild West Coast at the end of the nineteenth century.” - Lisa Lickel, author and blogger, Living our Faith Out Loud Vivian, the daughter, for whom the last decade of the 19th century leads her down a dark path of uncovering family lies to create a brighter future for herself. Jake, the son and heir, whose search for a father figure results in a journey of sin and redemption. Larissa, the family matriarch, whose obsession with Nob Hill's rigid social codes hides the shameful secrets of her past. In this 4-book box set: Book 1: The Specter: Vivian Alderdice is not your typical Gilded Age debutante. In the midst of her glamorous life of parties and balls, her grandmother dies. A woman shows up at the funeral claiming the woman she knew was not Penelope Alderdice, Nob Hill socialite and wife of the city’s biggest shipping tycoon but Grace Carlyle, an artist in search of adventure in a small coastal town named Waxwood. Is the intruder a crank or, as Vivian’s mother claims, “confused”? Or is she telling the truth? Vivian’s determination to find out takes her into the life of the woman she thought she knew, uncovering family lies kept hidden for over forty years. Book 2: False Fathers: At nineteen, Vivian’s brother Jake has a huge burden on his shoulders. His mother expects him to take his place as the new head of the family, but Jake hardly has the qualities of a patriarch. When the family goes to Waxwood for the summer, Jake befriends an older, illusive man prepared to teach him all he needs to know about Gilded Age manhood. But is his mentor all he claims to be? Or is he a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Will Jake discover the true meaning of Gilded Age masculinity or will he redefine it? Book 3: Pathfinding Women: Vivian Alderdice is now twenty-six, unmarried, and has no prospective suitors. Her brother’s tragic plight the year before left the family on shaky ground in Nob Hill society. Their social position depends on Vivian capturing the heart of a wealthy Canadian bachelor determined to become a member of their exclusive society. But to win him, she and her mother must spend the summer in Waxwood. When a young man she meets on the train brings skeletons of the past out of the closet, Vivian finds herself torn between fulfilling her social obligations or embarking on a journey to uncover more family lies. Will Vivian’s summer unravel truths that might destroy the Alderdices forever? Or will she unearth a more authentic version of herself as the new century approaches? Book 4: Dandelions: For Vivian Alderdice, the twentieth century begins with a new start. Now a working woman and progressive reformer, she's forsaken the elegance of Nob Hill for the more modest Waxwood. She’s laid Penelope Alderdice’s specter to rest at last. But Vivian’s peaceful existence is thrown into turmoil when the man who ruined her brother’s life appears like another specter she must exorcise. At first, Vivian hates him with a passion. But when she sees how his own undiscovered past has destroyed him, leaving him helpless in the hands of a cousin who hates him worse than she does, she finds herself wanting to help. Is it his journey Vivian will discover in the dark forest of guilt and betrayal or her own? Come dive into this series that reveals the destiny of one woman during one of America’s most turbulent times today!

Book Two in the adult fantasy romance adventure series from award-winning, bestselling author Jeffe Kennedy. Follows the prequel novella, The Long Night of the Crystalline Moon, in the Under a Winter Sky romantic fantasy holiday anthology and Book One of Heirs of Magic, The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince. A Lonely Road Stella has always been one to count her blessings. Empath, sorceress, shapeshifter, and healer, she’s grateful for the gifts the goddess of shadows has bestowed upon her. Yes, she’s sensitive to emotions and can’t bear to be in large crowds for long. And yes, that means she’ll never be able to take a lover, as she’s unable to withstand physical contact with anyone but her twin brother. Certainly now that he’s found his true love, she feels more alone than ever. None of it haunts her, however, more than the vision of the lonely tower where her life path ends. An Unrequited Love Jakral Konyngrr is a man of simple tastes: good whiskey, some coin in his pocket, and a fine blade in his hand. Though he’s no prince, not a shapeshifter, and not blessed with any magic, he’s happy in his skin. And yet he seems doomed to live the life of a hero from a tragic ballad, because the only woman he’s ever wanted barely knows he’s alive. As much as Jak longs for Stella, he’s resigned himself to being forever in the background. At least he can guard her back. A Quest to Stop a Monster But now Jak and Stella have been thrown together—along with a mismatched group of shifters, warriors, and sorceress friends—chasing and attempting to avert magic rifts that release monsters into their world. Worse, the strange intelligence behind the bizarre and deadly attacks seems to have developed a fascination for Stella. Battling for their lives and the good of the realm, they must fight—and perhaps love—together to alter the course of the future before it’s too late.

He, her dream lover, had appeared in her world when she was most ignorant, bringing her a new life, a new life, but it was also he who had given her the most pain in her life.She was willing to give up her life for him. She lost her memory to save him. For his child, she almost lost her life.Love was like a calamity. It trapped him, she trapped her.The two of them supported each other in the long river. They loved each other and hurt each other.Separation would not be eternal.The eternal separation was a declaration of pain.And what caused them to meet again was only a joke made by life.He and her child.A child that was intimately related to each other had become the crux of their relationship.Whether they could finally be together was another joke fate played on them."Who knows?"