Unwanted by her biological parents, Angel was placed in a foster home where she was raped and beaten. The sexual and physical abuse she experienced there made it difficult for her to become a normal kid. Even when Ron, her foster father, was found guilty for one count of indecent liberties of a minor, sexual assault, and one count of sodomy, it was still hard for Angel to adjust when she was back with her birth mother. Her large family lived in a one-bedroom shack. Life was different after she was molested, and Angel did not come back the same child that her mother Gloria had known before. Gloria just could not connect with her daughter; therefore, she sent her away.

More stories of magic and mayhem! A Magical Club participates in their school's Culture Festival, and things get a little out of hand. Then, an unemployed witch is offered a contract with a pair of mischievous demons! And when a broke student exchanges his appetite for a date with the girl he likes, the unforeseen consequences soon have him begging to break the bargain.

Demystify one of the most disruptive modern technologies and gain a deeper understanding of distributed ledgers, consensus protocols, smart contracts, DApps, cryptocurrencies, and more. Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format. Key Features Study new blockchains, including Polkadot, Solana, and Avalanche blockchain, along with recent developments in security, scalability, and privacy Explore key cryptocurrencies and distributed ledgers such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, Hyperledger Fabric, Corda, and Quorum Get to grips with Solidity, Web3, NFTs, DeFi, and smart contract development Book Description Blockchain is the backbone of cryptocurrencies, it has had a massive impact in many sectors, including finance, supply chains, healthcare, government, and media. It's also being used for cutting edge technologies such as AI and IoT. This new edition is thoroughly revised to offer a practical approach to using Ethereum, Hyperledger, Fabric, and Corda with step-by-step tutorials and real-world use-cases to help you understand everything you need to know about blockchain development and implementation. With new chapters on Decentralized Finance and solving privacy, identity, and security issues, as well as bonus online content exploring alternative blockchains, this is an unmissable read for everyone who wants to gain a deep understanding of blockchain. The book doesn't shy away from advanced topics and practical expertise, such as decentralized application (DApp) development using smart contracts and oracles, and emerging trends in the blockchain space. Throughout the book, you'll explore blockchain solutions beyond cryptocurrencies, such as the IoT with blockchain, enterprise blockchains, and tokenization, and gain insight into the future scope of this fascinating and disruptive technology. By the end of this blockchain book, you will have gained a thorough comprehension of the various facets of blockchain and understand the potential of this technology in diverse real-world scenarios. What you will learn Grasp the mechanisms behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies Understand cryptography and its usage in blockchain Become familiar with the theoretical foundations of smart contracts and blockchain consensus Develop DApps using Solidity, Remix, Truffle, and Ganache Solve issues relating to privacy, identity, scalability, and security in enterprise blockchains Dive into the architecture of Ethereum 2.0 Delve into emerging trends like DeFi, NFTs, and Metaverse Explore various applications, research topics, and future directions of blockchain Who this book is for This book is for blockchain enthusiasts from all backgrounds, including software developers and programmers who want to learn how to build DApps, business executives and managers who want to explore the benefits and challenges of leveraging blockchain in different industries, and system architects and solution designers who want insight into blockchain architecture, consensus mechanisms, and security considerations. It is also a useful reference guide for blockchain development professionals who want to build fast and highly secure transactional applications. Basic knowledge in any programming language will come in handy.

In order to become the battle shrine maiden to defeat the raging god Yusemi, the living god Koharu has been raised in Isshinden Temple. She was promised that she may leave the temple once she became a fully-fledged god. However, she runs away, wanting to see boys. She encounters Yajuro, a serious boy who practices kendo, and his cousin Haruchika. Along with Yatsutose, who came to search for Koharu, they fight Yusemi. Koharu finds out who her enemies are, as well as the secret of her birth. She eventually finds out who she really needs to destroy, the true enemies.

This volume suggests a novel treatment of context in the analysis of everyday interaction. On a theoretical level, it advocates a switch of focus from 'context' as a preestablished, monolithic category which constringes co-participants' verbal and nonverbal behaviour, to an active notion of 'contextualization': in order to make oneself understood, participants have to establish and maintain those shared contextual frames which in turn are relevant to the local interpretation of their verbal and nonverbal activities. On an empirical level, the volume contains exemplary analyses that show how participants employ 'contextualization cues' of prosodic (rhythm, intonation, tempo, etc.) or nonverbal (gaze, gesture, etc.) nature in order to 'achieve context'.The volume is also an appraisal of the theory of contextualization developed by John Gumperz. In their contributions, researchers from various schools of research, such as conversation analysis, micro-ethnography, phonetics/phonology and metapragmatics, relate their work to this theory.

In the final book in this gripping, romantic fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Robin McKinley, Kristin Cashore, and Shannon Hale, the band of rebels reach their climactic confrontation with the king. Just one year ago, Neryn had nothing but a canny skill she barely understood and a faint dream that the legendary rebel base of Shadowfell might be real. Now she is the rebels’ secret weapon, and their greatest hope for survival in the fast-approaching ambush of King Keldec at Summerfort. The fate of Alban itself is in her hands. But confidence is stretching thinner by the day when word of another Caller reaches the rebels: a Caller at Keldec’s side with all of Neryn’s power and none of her benevolence or hard-earned control. As the days before the battle drop quickly away, Neryn must find a way to uncover—and exploit—her opponent’s weaknesses. At stake lies freedom for the people of Alban, a life free from hiding for the Good Folk—and a chance for Flint and Neryn to finally be together.

Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson continues her charming young middle grade series starring Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit and sunshine. Ryan Hart loves her family and friends. She's looking forward to summer vacation, spending time with loved ones, and her first trip to sleepaway camp! But when an unexpected camper shows up, Ryan finds it's hard to share your best friend and harder to be a friend to someone who isn't a good friend to you. She's also waiting for her new sister to be born -- and hoping the baby doesn't ruin everything. The Hart family is experiencing a lot of changes, and Ryan needs to grow her patience in many ways, find ways to share the love, meet new challenges, and grow into the leader her mom and dad named her to be. This summer and the start of fifth grade just might give Ryan the chance to show how she grows and glows! Acclaim for Ways to Make Sunshine: A New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year | A Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year | A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year | A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year | A WORLD Magazine Best Book of the Year | An Amazon Best Book of the Year

Truth is more dangerous than fiction...in this exhilarating upper YA fantasy that will capture fans of Shadow and Bone and Dark Water Daughter In ancient times, the Elder Wrights breathed their magic into the fabric of the seven seas. Now what was once an ocean of plenty is slowly becoming a sea of death, and the Talin—a race of hidden mages—are beginning to starve. And for the first time ever, one of their own has no magic. Ostracized by her own people, Nieve is certain that the old stories hide a missing piece of the puzzle. It’s just a matter of unlocking the secret. But when a stranger comes sailing into their harbor, Nieve’s world is suddenly blown wide open. Now she’s sailing on the seven seas—with a too-charming, swashbuckling pirate, a group of strange misfits, and a woman who claims to be one of the Elder Wrights. It’s like Nieve is living one of the stories she’s always loved...only now, she’s weaving a legend of her own. Except that the old tales don’t mention those journeys that end in tragedy, a king’s calculated interference, or a world poised on the tides of death. And they certainly don’t mention mutineers with a talent for stealing a girl’s heart...and lying all the while.

Huo Niannian, who was twenty years old, suddenly found out that she had brain cancer. Her only wish was to find her family. On the way to find her family, due to an accidental indulgence, she had coincidentally spent the night with the Imperial Group's CEO, Gu Tingshen. She thought it was a one-night stand, but the jade pendant she had been wearing since she was young was taken away by him. When she went to ask him for the jade pendant, he took the opportunity to ask her to be his wife. From then on, the two of them continued to tangle with each other, and Huo Niannian's life began to be completely reversed ... Not only had she received the money for the treatment, she had even turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Under his protection, support, and encouragement, she had led a completely different life ... ***

In this sequel to Rabbit, Run, John Updike resumes the spiritual quest of his anxious Everyman, Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom. Ten years have passed; the impulsive former athlete has become a paunchy thirty-six-year-old conservative, and Eisenhower’s becalmed America has become 1969’s lurid turmoil of technology, fantasy, drugs, and violence. Rabbit is abandoned by his family, his home invaded by a runaway and a radical, his past reduced to a ruined inner landscape; still he clings to semblances of decency and responsibility, and yearns to belong and to believe.