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Hollow (Book 1 in the Crown of Hearts & Chaos Series) (Not for Online)
The new dark Romantasy from the bestselling authors of Zodiac Academy, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is a heady cocktail of Summoners, seduction and spirits, set to get your heart racing and feet kicking. "The twisted sisters have done it again! This darkly captivating fantasy romance is a must read. The twists and turns left me speechless, and I could never predict what was coming next. Five amazing stars." - Jaymin Eve, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Don't listen to the whispers of the woods.
Don't trust the man cloaked in shadow.
Don't earn the wrath of the scattered spirits.
Don't go out after dark. The Great Hunt begins once every fifty years and only the Champions willing to face death to shatter the curse dare to enter. The Champions...and me. I'm no warrior, no swordsmith, and certainly no Fae, but the forest is my only hope. To enter those trees is to walk willingly to my demise. But I need the boon the forest will grant the winner and I'm willing to risk it all for a chance at claiming it. I just never expected to face him beneath those trees. The beast who strikes fear into the desperate people of all lands. The monster who commands the legion of Hollows and makes our plight a thousand times worse. The Hollows are empty of all things but none are so heartless as him. Prince Bane intends to be the death of me. But I have an oath to fulfil before I'll let him have me. And I'll do whatever it takes to achieve it. I am Ferris Creed and I'm going to unite the lost spirits who once bound the wandering trees in place, return the scattered amulets to the core of its corruption, and use the winner's boon to change my fate. Come wretchedness or torment, through trickery and deception, I will get what I came here for. And no one will stand in my way. Not even Prince Bane. *** Hollow is a dark Romantasy from the bestselling authors of Zodiac Academy, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It is a heady cocktail of Summoners, seduction and spirits, set to get your heart racing and feet kicking. There will be a ruinous, black hearted love interest, a rebellious, ruthless FMC, plot twists, cliff hangers, dark humour and a healthy seasoning of make-you-blush spice. It is not for the faint of heart. All those who enter the forest are bound by its terms - will you walk willingly into the dark? *** -
Witch in the Tower
"Not merely a modern classic but one for the ages. . . . Utterly spellbinding." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Gorgeous illustrations are the star of this fantastical adventure about hidden magic, growing up, and braving the unknown to find yourself. Everything is changing for Carmela. Her older sister, Franca, has new, mean friends, and Carmela is feeling lost and lonely. So she decides to go for a walk--to walk until she can't anymore, then walk a bit more. Her walking takes her to a strange tower, and what she finds there will transform her life forever. In this companion to The Queen in the Cave, her authorial debut, renowned illustrator Júlia Sardà ventures into a mesmerizing world where mermaid grease washes away envy, a giant's hair helps you face bullies, a circular library holds all your secrets, and a dome of crystal prisms opens a view to the cosmos. Dreamlike and filled with whimsy, the artist's kaleidoscopic patterns, decorative borders, glowing colors, and layered, elaborately detailed imagery will bewitch young readers as readily as the title character does Carmela--and beckon them to return for many a visit. -
Good and Evil and Other Stories
INTERNATIONAL BESTELLER - A haunting, unforgettable collection of tales by Samanta Schweblin, winner of the 2022 National Book Award for Translated Literature and three-time Booker Prize finalist. "Nobody understands the balance of light and darkness of the human mind as well as Samanta Schweblin. She is a master of the edge, of the contour, the suggestion. The most brilliant writer of short stories writing today, she now delivers her most haunting, fierce and provocative book."--Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive "Schweblin creates characters whose lifelines reach some of the most extraordinary questions ever articulated in our literature." --Karen Russell, author of The Antidote and Swamplandia! "In Samanta Schweblin's hands a single story becomes a theory of just about everything. You can hear all the atoms of the universe bouncing around. Remarkably taut, clear, precise, and yet capable of capturing the extent of our human messiness, these stories are perfect for the times we dwell inside." --Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin The characters of Good and Evil find themselves at a point of no return, dazzled by the glare of impending tragedy. Vulnerable and profoundly human, they become trapped in the instant in which the uncanny has lurched into their lives. Some are transformed, some are isolated, others waver between guilt or tenderness. All of them are riven by uncertainty. Schweblin's prose uses tension and truth to construct a literary universe in which the monsters of everyday life come so close to us that we can almost feel their breath. Her writing provokes awe and disquiet, a state of alarm that at the same time transports us to a hypnotic world as recognizable as it is strange. -
Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress
The first major biography of Jeannette Rankin, a groundbreaking suffragist, activist, and the first American woman to hold federal office.
Born on a Montana ranch in 1880, Jeannette Rankin knew how to ride a horse, make a fire, and read the sky for weather. But most of all, she knew how to talk to people, how to convince them of her vision for America. It was this rare skill that led her, in 1916, to become the first woman ever elected to the House of Representatives. As her first act, Rankin introduced the legislation that would become the 19th Amendment. Throughout her two terms in 1916 and 1940, she continued to introduce and pass legislation benefiting unions, protecting workers, and increasing aid for children in poverty. In 1941, she stood tall as the sole anti-war voice in Congress during WWII, advocating for pacifism in the face of tragedy and stating that you can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake. A suffragist, feminist, peace activist, workers' rights advocate, progressive, and Republican, Rankin remained ever true to her beliefs--no matter the price she had to pay personally. Yet, despite the momentous steps she made for women in politics, overcoming the boys club of capitalists and career politicians who never wanted to see a woman in Congress, Jeannette Rankin's story has been largely forgotten. In Winning the Earthquake, Lorissa Rinehart deftly uncovers the compelling history behind this singular American hero, bringing her story back to life.
"Few members of Congress have ever stood more alone while being true to a higher honor and loyalty."
--President John F. Kennedy on Jeannette Rankin -
Night Watch: Poems
From the award-winning poet at the height of his career, a book of personal and American experiences, both beautiful and troubling, touching on the generative cycle of loss and renewal Following on his exquisite Stones, Kevin Young's new collection, written over the span of sixteen years, shapes stories of loss and legacy, inspired in part by other lives. After starting in the bayous of his family's Louisiana, Young journeys to further states of mind in "All Souls," evoking "The whale / who finds the shore / & our poor prayers." Another central sequence, "The Two-Headed Nightingale," is spoken by Millie-Christine McCoy, the famous conjoined African American "Carolina Twins." Born into enslavement, stolen, and then displayed by P. T. Barnum and others, the twins later toured the world as free women, their alto and soprano voices harmonizing their own way. Young's poem explores their evolving philosophical selfhood and pluralities: "As one we sang, /we spake-- / She was the body / I the soul / Without one / Perishes the whole."
In "Darkling," a cycle of poems inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, Young expands and embroiders the circles of Hell, drawing a cosmology of both loneliness and accompaniment, where "the dead don't know / what to do / with themselves." Young writes of grief and hope as familiar yet surprising states: "It's like a language, / loss--," he writes, "learnt only / by living--there--." Evoking the history of poetry, from the darkling thrush to the darkling plain, Young is defiant and playful on the way through purgatory to a kind of paradise. When he goes, he warns, "don't dare sing Amazing Grace"--that "National / Anthem of Suffering." Instead, he suggests, "When I Fly Away, / Don't dare hold no vigil . . . Just burn the whole / Town on down."
This collection will stand as one of Young's best--his voice shaping sorrow with music, wisdom, heartache, and wit. -
Skeleton in the Closet
Twelve-year-old Mizzy wants to prove to the world that she can solve mysteries just like Sherlock Holmes, despite a reputation for tall tales. A charming new mystery series for middle-grade readers, starring a girl with Down syndrome. Twelve-year-old Mizzy dreams of being a detective and she won't let anything stand in her way -- not her reputation for tall tales, or her embarrassing fear of escalators, and definitely not her Down syndrome. Dumped for the summer with cousins who've outgrown her, Mizzy feels even more sidelined than usual. But when she discovers Great Aunt Jane's diaries in a locked wardrobe in their spare room, and realizes her aunt didn't just die in her sleep but under suspicious circumstances, everything changes. What's more . . . someone in the family appears to have been involved. Under the guise of a family tree project for school, and armed with a brand-new set of Pip-Squeaks markers, Mizzy grabs the chance to prove herself to her cousins -- and the world. -
Dusk
"Arnott has an astonishing facility with language, and his prose imbues the Tasmanian wilderness with an extraordinary, immanent beauty . . . Starkly beautiful and deeply felt." --James Bradley, The Guardian "Arresting . . . Readers will be utterly captivated by this atmospheric tale of danger and survival." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
For fans of North Woods and The Vaster Wilds, Dusk is a propulsive, moody, and atmospheric take on the Western. In the distant highlands, a puma named Dusk is killing shepherds. Down in the lowlands, twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined. And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal. From the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of The Rain Heron, Dusk is a masterful, mythical tale of loss, redemption, and survival. -
Sweetener
From the author of A Good Happy Girl, a lesbian screwball comedy following two exes who turn to online dating after their dramatic split--only to end up seeing the same woman In Sweetener, recently separated wives, both named Rebecca, can't seem to disentangle their lives. Lonely and depressed, Rebecca is scraping by as a part-time cashier at an organic grocery store. Despite having less than ten dollars in her bank account, she lists herself as a sugar mama on a lesbian hookup app. Enter Charlotte, a charismatic artist who, unbeknownst to Rebecca, is also dating her wife. Meanwhile, the other Rebecca, a newly sober doctoral student, has renewed her efforts to foster a child. The catch? Because the Rebeccas are still legally married, she needs her wife to attend parenting classes with her as part of the approval process. Neither of them asks whether this means they're getting back together, but the idea alone sends Charlotte into a tailspin. As Charlotte navigates her desire for each Rebecca--or her desire for attention--her world becomes more and more Gumby-like and surreal. It doesn't help that she's been wearing a fake pregnancy belly to all of her dates, and only one of the Rebeccas knows it isn't real. Sumptuous, sticky, and slightly absurd, Sweetener brings together three women fixated on the fantasy of motherhood, and trying to figure out what kind of mother, partner, or sugar mama they want to be. -
Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Leadership insights from one of history's most influential voices.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated more than 55 years ago, yet his words continue to inspire millions of people, young and old--from all races and backgrounds. During his remarkable life, he embodies bold and compassionate leadership and achieved a level of influence few thought possible for a Black man born in Atlanta just before the Great Depression.
Now, aspiring leaders can reflect on some of Dr. King's most impactful speeches and integrate his lessons into their modern leadership journeys. Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, offers his own insights and experiences on each passage on how themes like "The Beloved Community", "Economic Justice", and "Two Americas" played a central role in his own leadership development and why the visionary ideas of Dr. King espoused are so important for leaders to understand and apply today.
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Resurrectionist: A Tale of Gothic Horror
A young Victorian woman unwittingly unleashes a monster into being in this gothic tale of medical mystery and sinister suspense, perfect for fans of DON'T LET THE FOREST IN and BELLADONNA.
Death is just the beginning.
When seventeen-year-old Dilly Rothbart finds her recently deceased father's hidden journal, her entire world is upended--for what she finds within are the steps to bring a dead soul back to life. Intent on finishing her father's work and establishing herself as the greatest scientist in history, Dilly plunges into a medical underworld of corpse-stealing, grave-robbing, and even murder. And when her twin sister steps in the way of her studies, she'll do whatever is necessary to secure the recognition she deserves. This twisty, atmospheric, Frankensteinian tale is about a group of ambitious young scientists who descend into corruption when a breakthrough discovery grants them the power of gods. -
Practical Guide to Magic in Nature
This stunningly illustrated book is a reference guide for magical correspondences found in nature. It is an unmissable resource for understanding and utilising the properties of over 500 natural items, from herbs and crystals to animals, elements, woods, and more. An experienced spellcaster, Jessica Lahoud wants to empower everyone with the ability to integrate these tools into their practice, harnessing the natural energies around us. A Practical Guide to Magic in Nature is a road map to unlocking the enchantment of the natural world. This extensive reference guide sets out to uncover the magical correspondences of more than 500 crystals, plants, animals, the elements and heavenly bodies. Use this guide to discover your innate magic and how you fit into the world of magic surrounding you.Explore the mystical properties of crystals and their extraordinary ability to emanate energy. Discover the age-old wisdom of plants and their profound capacity for healing, the spiritual messages conveyed by the animal kingdom that reveal their role as messengers of the spirit world and learn about the power of planets and stars as they align to influence our collective destiny. -
Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane
In bestselling author Lindy West's most ambitious book yet, she takes readers along on an uproarious cross-country road trip as she unpacks her last few tumultuous years, rediscovers herself, and reinvents her marriage in the process. Through Shrill, the book and then the Hulu series, Lindy West became an inspiration. To this day she is stopped on the street and hailed as a beacon of empowerment by women who felt badly for not conforming to the categories deemed acceptable--thin, straight, compliant. But behind the scenes, Lindy never felt like she was the self-actualized woman fans made her out to be. When she found herself in the throes of a deep depression, with her marriage and sense of self-worth hanging in the balance, she knew she needed to make a change. In ADULT BRACES, Lindy shares the story of her rock bottom, and of the solo cross-country road trip she took to claw her way out of it. With her trademark candor and sense of humor, she examines her post-Shrill emotional implosion, her shifting feelings about traditional marriage, and her search for her long-lost self. She also tracks the highs and lows of her journey, from eye-opening natural wonders and kitschy roadside attractions to lackluster excursions and campground epiphanies. The result is an engaging and laugh-out-loud narrative of becoming as Lindy transforms from a passenger into the active navigator of her own life. -
Book of Azrael: Deluxe Limited Edition
A viral Booktok hit for fans of Sarah H. Parker, Jasmine Mas, Penn Cole, and Kerri Maniscalco, The Book of Azrael is the first in the internationally beloved, slowburn, high-stakes epic romantasy featuring a villainous shapeshifter heroine and a tortured God King in a steamy, monstrous world. ***DELUXE LIMITED EDITION with stenciled edges, a beautiful foil-stamped hardcover, exclusive design with full-color illustrated endpapers, 4-color character art insert, and an EXCLUSIVE BONUS SCENE!*** Where there are gods, there are also monsters... A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her. In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago. Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between. -
Island of Last Things
A SOARING, PROPULSIVE, AND UNFORGETTABLE novel about two zookeepers at the last zoo in the world
Camille has always preferred animals to people. The wild has nearly disappeared, but as a zookeeper at the last zoo in the world, on Alcatraz Island, she spends her days caring for playful chimpanzees, gentle tree frogs, and a restless jaguar. Outside, resistance groups and brutal cartels fight to shape the world's future, but Camille is safe within her routines. That is, until a new zookeeper, Sailor, arrives from Paris. From their first meeting, Camille is drawn to Sailor, who seems to see something in Camille that no one has before. They bond over their shared passions and dream up ways to improve their lives. When Sailor whispers the story of an idyllic, secret sanctuary where wild animals roam free, Camille begins to imagine a new kind of life with Sailor by her side. Sailor knows all too well the dangers beyond Alcatraz, but she increasingly chafes at the zoo's rigid rules. She hatches a reckless plan to smuggle one of the most prized animals off the island to freedom, and invites Camille to join her. The consequences if they fail would be catastrophic, and Sailor's contacts at the sanctuary go dark just as the threats from the cartels grow more extreme. Camille must decide if she's ready to risk everything for the promise of a better world. Propulsive and fiercely hopeful, with a heart-stopping final twist, The Island of Last Things is an elegy for a disappearing world and a gorgeous vision for the future.
"Sometimes a new author will sidle up and whisper in your ear, and sometimes she'll grab you by the neck. Emma Sloley is in the latter camp." ―REBECCA MAKKAI -
Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders
A brush with death. An ancestral haunting. A century of family secrets. Sarah Aziza's searing, genre-bending memoir traces three generations of diasporic Palestinians from Gaza to the Midwest to New York City--and back "You were dead, Sarah, you were dead." In October 2019, Sarah Aziza, daughter and granddaughter of Gazan refugees, is narrowly saved after being hospitalized for an eating disorder. The doctors revive her body, but it is no simple thing to return to the land of the living. Aziza's crisis is a rupture that brings both her ancestral and personal past into vivid presence. The hauntings begin in the hospital cafeteria, when a mysterious incident summons the familiar voice of her deceased Palestinian grandmother. In the months following, as she responds to a series of ghostly dreams, Aziza unearths family secrets that reveal the ways her own trauma and anorexia echo generations of violent Palestinian displacement and erasure--and how her fight to recover builds on a century of defiant survival and love. As she moves towards this legacy, Aziza learns to resist the forces of colonization, denial, and patriarchy both within and outside her. Weaving timelines, languages, geographies, and genres, The Hollow Half probes the contradictions and contingencies that create "nation" and "history." Blazing with honesty, urgency, and poetry, this stunning debut memoir is a fearless call to imagine both the self and the world anew.