~A~
Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul - Karen Abbott
Step into the perfumed parlors of the Everleigh Club, the most famous brothel in American history – and the catalyst for a culture war that rocked the nation. Operating in Chicago’s notorious Levee district at the dawn of the last century, the Club’s proprietors, two aristocratic sisters named Minna and Ada Everleigh, welcomed moguls and actors, senators and athletes, foreign dignitaries and literary icons, into their stately double mansion, where thirty stunning Everleigh “butterflies” awaited their arrival. Courtesans named Doll, Suzy Poon Tang, and Brick Top devoured raw meat to the delight of Prince Henry of Prussia and recited poetry for Theodore Dreiser. Whereas lesser madams pocketed most of a harlot’s earnings and kept a “whipper” on staff to mete out discipline, the Everleighs made sure their girls dined on gourmet food, were examined by an honest physician, and even tutored in the literature of Balzac.
Not everyone appreciated the sisters’ attempts to elevate the industry. Rival Levee madams hatched numerous schemes to ruin the Everleighs, including an attempt to frame them for the death of department store heir Marshall Field, Jr. But the sisters’ most daunting foes were the Progressive Era reformers, who sent the entire country into a frenzy with lurid tales of “white slavery”——the allegedly rampant practice of kidnapping young girls and forcing them into brothels. This furor shaped America’s sexual culture and had repercussions all the way to the White House, including the formation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
With a cast of characters that includes Jack Johnson, John Barrymore, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., William Howard Taft, “Hinky Dink” Kenna, and Al Capone, Sin in the Second City is Karen Abbott’s colorful, nuanced portrait of the iconic Everleigh sisters, their world-famous Club, and the perennial clash between our nation’s hedonistic impulses and Puritanical roots. Culminating in a dramatic last stand between brothel keepers and crusading reformers, Sin in the Second City offers a vivid snapshot of America’s journey from Victorian-era propriety to twentieth-century modernity.
Step into the perfumed parlors of the Everleigh Club, the most famous brothel in American history – and the catalyst for a culture war that rocked the nation. Operating in Chicago’s notorious Levee district at the dawn of the last century, the Club’s proprietors, two aristocratic sisters named Minna and Ada Everleigh, welcomed moguls and actors, senators and athletes, foreign dignitaries and literary icons, into their stately double mansion, where thirty stunning Everleigh “butterflies” awaited their arrival. Courtesans named Doll, Suzy Poon Tang, and Brick Top devoured raw meat to the delight of Prince Henry of Prussia and recited poetry for Theodore Dreiser. Whereas lesser madams pocketed most of a harlot’s earnings and kept a “whipper” on staff to mete out discipline, the Everleighs made sure their girls dined on gourmet food, were examined by an honest physician, and even tutored in the literature of Balzac.
Not everyone appreciated the sisters’ attempts to elevate the industry. Rival Levee madams hatched numerous schemes to ruin the Everleighs, including an attempt to frame them for the death of department store heir Marshall Field, Jr. But the sisters’ most daunting foes were the Progressive Era reformers, who sent the entire country into a frenzy with lurid tales of “white slavery”——the allegedly rampant practice of kidnapping young girls and forcing them into brothels. This furor shaped America’s sexual culture and had repercussions all the way to the White House, including the formation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
With a cast of characters that includes Jack Johnson, John Barrymore, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., William Howard Taft, “Hinky Dink” Kenna, and Al Capone, Sin in the Second City is Karen Abbott’s colorful, nuanced portrait of the iconic Everleigh sisters, their world-famous Club, and the perennial clash between our nation’s hedonistic impulses and Puritanical roots. Culminating in a dramatic last stand between brothel keepers and crusading reformers, Sin in the Second City offers a vivid snapshot of America’s journey from Victorian-era propriety to twentieth-century modernity.
Does My Head Look Big in This? - Randa Abdel-Fattah
Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full-time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.
Can she handle the taunts of "towel head," the prejudice of her classmates, and still attract the cutest boy in school? Brilliantly funny and poignant, Randa Abdel-Fattah's debut novel will strike a chord in all teenage readers, no matter what their beliefs.
Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full-time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.
Can she handle the taunts of "towel head," the prejudice of her classmates, and still attract the cutest boy in school? Brilliantly funny and poignant, Randa Abdel-Fattah's debut novel will strike a chord in all teenage readers, no matter what their beliefs.
Intimate Enemies - Shana Abe
Lauren MacRae is only a woman. But her father's death has left her the leader of the Clan MacRae. Now it is up to her to defend her beloved Isle of Shot from the invading Northmen, even if it means going to her clan's sworn enemy, the powerful English overlord, Arion du Morgan, for help. But Arion's raven hair, green eyes, and smoldering sensuality soon make Lauren forget just why she turned to him—as he awakens within her a wayward desire.
Like Lauren, Arion risks the mutiny of his soldiers by forming this risky alliance. But he was brought up to believe that the Isle of Shot belongs not to the Clan MacRae, but to England—and he will defend it to his dying breath. Once, when they were children, Arion saved Lauren from a tortuous fate. Now, the copper-haired beauty has somehow found a way to banish the emptiness in his soul. And as they join forces to fight for the land they both love, he will risk everything—even his very life—to claim what is his.
Lauren MacRae is only a woman. But her father's death has left her the leader of the Clan MacRae. Now it is up to her to defend her beloved Isle of Shot from the invading Northmen, even if it means going to her clan's sworn enemy, the powerful English overlord, Arion du Morgan, for help. But Arion's raven hair, green eyes, and smoldering sensuality soon make Lauren forget just why she turned to him—as he awakens within her a wayward desire.
Like Lauren, Arion risks the mutiny of his soldiers by forming this risky alliance. But he was brought up to believe that the Isle of Shot belongs not to the Clan MacRae, but to England—and he will defend it to his dying breath. Once, when they were children, Arion saved Lauren from a tortuous fate. Now, the copper-haired beauty has somehow found a way to banish the emptiness in his soul. And as they join forces to fight for the land they both love, he will risk everything—even his very life—to claim what is his.
The Last Mermaid - Shana Abe
Shana Abe has entranced countless readers with her passion-filled novels of adventure, intrigue, and romance. Now the author of The Secret Swan delivers a gift from the sea: three hauntingly beautiful tales connected by a legend, a locket, and a love beyond time.
531 a.d.: The tiny island of Kell is said to be enchanted, inhabited by an extraordinary creature who comforts shipwrecked sailors passing into the next world. Prince Aedan of the Isles believes in no such nonsense until he awakens on Kell itself and meets the sensuous siren who rescued him from the sea.
1721: Ronan MacMhuirich, Earl of Kell, is the target of an unlikely assassin: Leila, a mysterious woman from an exotic land. But his irresistibly beautiful would-be slayer is in just as much danger as Ronan when she falls for this man with a magic of his own.
2004: What do you do when you inherit a Scottish island you never knew existed and find yourself pursued by a handsome stranger who wants to buy it from you? That's what happens to Ruri Kell when she accepts Iain MacInness' invitation to visit her birthright, and listens to a proposition as sinfully tempting as everything else about him.
Three seductive love stories, three passionate couples, all linked by one of the most romantic myths of all.
Shana Abe has entranced countless readers with her passion-filled novels of adventure, intrigue, and romance. Now the author of The Secret Swan delivers a gift from the sea: three hauntingly beautiful tales connected by a legend, a locket, and a love beyond time.
531 a.d.: The tiny island of Kell is said to be enchanted, inhabited by an extraordinary creature who comforts shipwrecked sailors passing into the next world. Prince Aedan of the Isles believes in no such nonsense until he awakens on Kell itself and meets the sensuous siren who rescued him from the sea.
1721: Ronan MacMhuirich, Earl of Kell, is the target of an unlikely assassin: Leila, a mysterious woman from an exotic land. But his irresistibly beautiful would-be slayer is in just as much danger as Ronan when she falls for this man with a magic of his own.
2004: What do you do when you inherit a Scottish island you never knew existed and find yourself pursued by a handsome stranger who wants to buy it from you? That's what happens to Ruri Kell when she accepts Iain MacInness' invitation to visit her birthright, and listens to a proposition as sinfully tempting as everything else about him.
Three seductive love stories, three passionate couples, all linked by one of the most romantic myths of all.
The Promise of Rain - Shana Abe
Lord Roland Strathmore has been ordered by the king to find and capture Lady Kyla Warwick, a noblewoman running from rumors of scandal and murder. One of England's fiercest warriors, Strathmore is torn between his loyalty to the king and his pledge to the elusive woman he has never met. Strathmore was once betrothed to the fiery Lady Kyla--until her family's fall from grace halted plans for their union.When Kyla is seized by Strathmore, she vows to seek vengeance against the man she considers a traitor. But she's surprised when her hatred for her newfound enemy is matched by a powerful attraction--a temptation at odds with her desire to reclaim her freedom. Fueled by his own unspoken passion, Strathmore is willing to risk everything to help his beautiful captive discover the truth about her shocking past--even if only the most desperate act will save her from further ruin...or perhaps even death.
Lord Roland Strathmore has been ordered by the king to find and capture Lady Kyla Warwick, a noblewoman running from rumors of scandal and murder. One of England's fiercest warriors, Strathmore is torn between his loyalty to the king and his pledge to the elusive woman he has never met. Strathmore was once betrothed to the fiery Lady Kyla--until her family's fall from grace halted plans for their union.When Kyla is seized by Strathmore, she vows to seek vengeance against the man she considers a traitor. But she's surprised when her hatred for her newfound enemy is matched by a powerful attraction--a temptation at odds with her desire to reclaim her freedom. Fueled by his own unspoken passion, Strathmore is willing to risk everything to help his beautiful captive discover the truth about her shocking past--even if only the most desperate act will save her from further ruin...or perhaps even death.
A Rose in Winter - Shana Abe
Solange and Damon are childhood soulmates separated by the political machinations of two men, each of whom have their own agenda in controlling the fate of Solange. Her father is determined to wed her off to his enemy, the Earl of Redmond, to broker peace. Redmond, however, wants her for a much darker purpose.
Forced to pretend an aversion to the man she loves, Solange is finally reunited with Damon in the most unexpected of ways. She is now a widow, a haunting version of the girl he once knew, and seems to be hiding something that Damon cannot discover. All he knows is that she is determined to flee the estate of her dead husband, and he is helplessly drawn with her on the journey.
Along the way each rediscovers the flame that once united them, slowly, reluctantly, until once again they admit their love for each other. All cannot be well, however, until the secret of Solange's past is uncovered and banished.
Solange and Damon are childhood soulmates separated by the political machinations of two men, each of whom have their own agenda in controlling the fate of Solange. Her father is determined to wed her off to his enemy, the Earl of Redmond, to broker peace. Redmond, however, wants her for a much darker purpose.
Forced to pretend an aversion to the man she loves, Solange is finally reunited with Damon in the most unexpected of ways. She is now a widow, a haunting version of the girl he once knew, and seems to be hiding something that Damon cannot discover. All he knows is that she is determined to flee the estate of her dead husband, and he is helplessly drawn with her on the journey.
Along the way each rediscovers the flame that once united them, slowly, reluctantly, until once again they admit their love for each other. All cannot be well, however, until the secret of Solange's past is uncovered and banished.
The Secret Swan - Shana Abe
At fifteen Lady Amiranth St. Clare became the bride of Tristan Geraint. She thought all of her dreams had come true -- until she learned on her wedding day that Tristan had married her only for her bloodline.
A week later Tristan deserted her for the glories of battle. Heartbroken, Amiranth felt she'd been abandoned, not knowing that Tristan had become a prisoner of war -- nor that he would one day return to the life he didn't know he wanted until it was taken away.
Eight long years pass before Tristan finally comes home. A beautiful woman greets him in the garden, claiming to be Amiranth's cousin. Yet somehow she seems hauntingly familiar, with an ethereal radiance that stirs him deep within his heart. Is she really his wife, grown into a lady of breathtaking beauty -- or another woman who has awakened within him a passion he has never known?
To discover the truth, Tristan must reveal the secrets of what happened those years he was away -- and find the love that was closer than he ever imagined....
At fifteen Lady Amiranth St. Clare became the bride of Tristan Geraint. She thought all of her dreams had come true -- until she learned on her wedding day that Tristan had married her only for her bloodline.
A week later Tristan deserted her for the glories of battle. Heartbroken, Amiranth felt she'd been abandoned, not knowing that Tristan had become a prisoner of war -- nor that he would one day return to the life he didn't know he wanted until it was taken away.
Eight long years pass before Tristan finally comes home. A beautiful woman greets him in the garden, claiming to be Amiranth's cousin. Yet somehow she seems hauntingly familiar, with an ethereal radiance that stirs him deep within his heart. Is she really his wife, grown into a lady of breathtaking beauty -- or another woman who has awakened within him a passion he has never known?
To discover the truth, Tristan must reveal the secrets of what happened those years he was away -- and find the love that was closer than he ever imagined....
The Truelove Bride - Shana Abe
A notoriously fierce soldier, Marcus Kincardine wears his clan's tartan as a symbol of his heritage—and a reminder of the curse that haunts his kin. To rid them of this evil, the legend says, Marcus must wed a fabled warrior maiden with hair like an angel's halo, eyes the color of the rarest heather, and an extraordinary gift that makes her more formidable than any army. But first he must win the most desperate battle of his life...the one for her mind, her body, and her heart.
Lady Avalon d'Farouche can't deny she bears the telltale marks of the Kincardine legend, nor can she disown the strange, mystical intuition that allows her to see things others cannot. Yet Avalon believes she alone holds the key to her destiny—a future in which no man will own her. So when Marcus Kincardine seizes her for his own purposes, she never expects him to ignite a fiery passion within her. Still, she refuses to sacrifice her soul and fulfill the legend by surrendering to desire. But how long can she deny him...and how long will he let her?
A notoriously fierce soldier, Marcus Kincardine wears his clan's tartan as a symbol of his heritage—and a reminder of the curse that haunts his kin. To rid them of this evil, the legend says, Marcus must wed a fabled warrior maiden with hair like an angel's halo, eyes the color of the rarest heather, and an extraordinary gift that makes her more formidable than any army. But first he must win the most desperate battle of his life...the one for her mind, her body, and her heart.
Lady Avalon d'Farouche can't deny she bears the telltale marks of the Kincardine legend, nor can she disown the strange, mystical intuition that allows her to see things others cannot. Yet Avalon believes she alone holds the key to her destiny—a future in which no man will own her. So when Marcus Kincardine seizes her for his own purposes, she never expects him to ignite a fiery passion within her. Still, she refuses to sacrifice her soul and fulfill the legend by surrendering to desire. But how long can she deny him...and how long will he let her?
My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir - Samantha Abeel
Have you ever had trouble figuring out a tip at a restaurant? Or following directions to a new place? For Samantha Abeel, who has a math-related learning disability called dyscalculia, each of these seemingly simple acts can feel next to impossible.
In her beautiful and haunting memoir, Samantha Abeel describes in evocative detail how her life was affected by her learning disability before and after she was diagnosed. In seventh grade, she began to suffer anxiety attacks as she struggled with the pressures of junior high, from balancing schoolwork, to remembering locker combinations, to explaining her difficulties with math to new teachers who couldn't understand why a "good" student like Samantha wasn't excelling. Though signs of a learning disability were there all her life, she was not diagnosed until she was thirteen years old. My Thirteenth Winter, Samantha Abeel's honest, hopeful autobiography, is an inspiring story of courage and strength.
Have you ever had trouble figuring out a tip at a restaurant? Or following directions to a new place? For Samantha Abeel, who has a math-related learning disability called dyscalculia, each of these seemingly simple acts can feel next to impossible.
In her beautiful and haunting memoir, Samantha Abeel describes in evocative detail how her life was affected by her learning disability before and after she was diagnosed. In seventh grade, she began to suffer anxiety attacks as she struggled with the pressures of junior high, from balancing schoolwork, to remembering locker combinations, to explaining her difficulties with math to new teachers who couldn't understand why a "good" student like Samantha wasn't excelling. Though signs of a learning disability were there all her life, she was not diagnosed until she was thirteen years old. My Thirteenth Winter, Samantha Abeel's honest, hopeful autobiography, is an inspiring story of courage and strength.
Go and Come Back - Joan Abelove
Alicia lives much as her Isabo ancestors have lived for centuries in the Amazon jungle of Peru. She is astonished when "two old white ladies" arrive on the river and announce through their boatman, the girl's mother's brother's wife's brother, that they want to settle in Poincushmana for a time, to study. They are anthropologists (and actually in their twenties), but to Alicia and the others they are stingy, too skinny, sexually naive, and strangers. It is a baby girl (more valuable in the village than a boy!) who helps bridge the gap -- a child whom young Alicia adopts to save her from her brutish Peruvian trader father. In the end, the time Alicia, Joanna, and Margarita share is hardly enough. Their story, vividly shown, is unique to its setting. It could happen nowhere else on earth.
Alicia lives much as her Isabo ancestors have lived for centuries in the Amazon jungle of Peru. She is astonished when "two old white ladies" arrive on the river and announce through their boatman, the girl's mother's brother's wife's brother, that they want to settle in Poincushmana for a time, to study. They are anthropologists (and actually in their twenties), but to Alicia and the others they are stingy, too skinny, sexually naive, and strangers. It is a baby girl (more valuable in the village than a boy!) who helps bridge the gap -- a child whom young Alicia adopts to save her from her brutish Peruvian trader father. In the end, the time Alicia, Joanna, and Margarita share is hardly enough. Their story, vividly shown, is unique to its setting. It could happen nowhere else on earth.
Saying It Out Loud - Joan Abelove
Her mother's room was white. White and soundless. The memory of it haunts Mindy long after she's driven away from the white room, away from the woman who was once so full of words and is now so empty.
Empty - like her house when Mindy returns to it, alone. She's supposed to begin filling her out her college applications, but is stopped by the questions they pose, questions like: If you could invite any well-known person, past or present, to dinner, who would it be and why? My mother, she thinks. Because I can never, ever invite her to dinner to discuss anything. And because while I could, I didn't want to. I didn't think she had anything to say that I wanted to hear.
Mindy's story brims with words she wants to hear. They come not from her father, but from her best friend, Gail, Gail's little brother, Andrew, and Bobby, a new classmate. Mindy wants to tell her mother about Bobby. "He dresses like a hood, all in black. He's from New York City and he's not Jewish. (Don't tell Dad that part.)" Her remote father, she realizes, can only see the child she once was, the one who at age three would run to the door yelling, "My daddy, my daddy, my daddy!" He cannot talk to the sixteen-year-old young woman she has become. He never speaks about her mother lying speechless in that white room. For her own sake, Mindy must find her life elsewhere. This is the story of how she does.
Her mother's room was white. White and soundless. The memory of it haunts Mindy long after she's driven away from the white room, away from the woman who was once so full of words and is now so empty.
Empty - like her house when Mindy returns to it, alone. She's supposed to begin filling her out her college applications, but is stopped by the questions they pose, questions like: If you could invite any well-known person, past or present, to dinner, who would it be and why? My mother, she thinks. Because I can never, ever invite her to dinner to discuss anything. And because while I could, I didn't want to. I didn't think she had anything to say that I wanted to hear.
Mindy's story brims with words she wants to hear. They come not from her father, but from her best friend, Gail, Gail's little brother, Andrew, and Bobby, a new classmate. Mindy wants to tell her mother about Bobby. "He dresses like a hood, all in black. He's from New York City and he's not Jewish. (Don't tell Dad that part.)" Her remote father, she realizes, can only see the child she once was, the one who at age three would run to the door yelling, "My daddy, my daddy, my daddy!" He cannot talk to the sixteen-year-old young woman she has become. He never speaks about her mother lying speechless in that white room. For her own sake, Mindy must find her life elsewhere. This is the story of how she does.
Down the Rabbit Hole - Peter Abrahams
Welcome to Echo Falls, home of a thousand secrets.
Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. And getting them back will mean getting tangled up in a murder investigation as complicated as the mysteries solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes. With soccer practice, schoolwork, and the lead role in her town's production of Alice in Wonderland, Ingrid is swamped. But as things in Echo Falls keep getting curiouser and curiouser, Ingrid realizes she must solve the murder on her own -- before it's too late!
Welcome to Echo Falls, home of a thousand secrets.
Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. And getting them back will mean getting tangled up in a murder investigation as complicated as the mysteries solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes. With soccer practice, schoolwork, and the lead role in her town's production of Alice in Wonderland, Ingrid is swamped. But as things in Echo Falls keep getting curiouser and curiouser, Ingrid realizes she must solve the murder on her own -- before it's too late!
Behind the Curtain - Peter Abrahams
In Echo Falls you never know what's coming next -- and everyone has a secret. Things are amiss at 99 Maple Lane: Ingrid's dad's job is in jeopardy, but he won't explain why. Ingrid's brother, Ty, is getting buff -- really buff -- but when Ty starts getting moody, Ingrid wonders if there's more to his physical fitness than lifting weights. Meanwhile, Ingrid's beloved soccer coach is replaced by an icy newcomer named Julia LeCaine, who seems a little too savvy to be in it for the postgame pizza. True to her hero, Sherlock Holmes, Ingrid begins fishing around to find out who's really pulling the strings in Echo Falls. But one morning, while en route to the dreaded MathFest, Ingrid is kidnapped and locked in the trunk of a car. Even if she escapes, will anyone believe her story?
In this sequel to Down the Rabbit Hole a clever young girl learns that mysterious forces are at work in her town -- and exposing them could put her life in jeopardy.
In Echo Falls you never know what's coming next -- and everyone has a secret. Things are amiss at 99 Maple Lane: Ingrid's dad's job is in jeopardy, but he won't explain why. Ingrid's brother, Ty, is getting buff -- really buff -- but when Ty starts getting moody, Ingrid wonders if there's more to his physical fitness than lifting weights. Meanwhile, Ingrid's beloved soccer coach is replaced by an icy newcomer named Julia LeCaine, who seems a little too savvy to be in it for the postgame pizza. True to her hero, Sherlock Holmes, Ingrid begins fishing around to find out who's really pulling the strings in Echo Falls. But one morning, while en route to the dreaded MathFest, Ingrid is kidnapped and locked in the trunk of a car. Even if she escapes, will anyone believe her story?
In this sequel to Down the Rabbit Hole a clever young girl learns that mysterious forces are at work in her town -- and exposing them could put her life in jeopardy.
Into the Dark - Peter Abrahams
In Echo Falls, secrets buried in the past don't always stay there.
An idyllic day of snowshoeing on Grampy's land with Joey Strade turns out to be less than idyllic when thirteen-year-old super sleuth Ingrid Levin-Hill stumbles upon a body lying in the snow. This discovery sends the town of Echo Falls into a tailspin in which secrets long hidden are revealed and Grampy gets sent to jail. While Ingrid works to clear Grampy's name and uncover what really happened to the man in the snow, she discovers even more secrets she wishes she never knew. Just like the character Gretel, whom Ingid is playing in the Prescott Players' production of Hansel and Gretel, Ingrid must go deep into the darkness to find the truth.
In the third book in the Edgar Award–nominated and national bestselling Echo Falls series, Peter Abrahams's talent for building suspense shines as Ingrid embarks on her most harrowing adventure yet.
In Echo Falls, secrets buried in the past don't always stay there.
An idyllic day of snowshoeing on Grampy's land with Joey Strade turns out to be less than idyllic when thirteen-year-old super sleuth Ingrid Levin-Hill stumbles upon a body lying in the snow. This discovery sends the town of Echo Falls into a tailspin in which secrets long hidden are revealed and Grampy gets sent to jail. While Ingrid works to clear Grampy's name and uncover what really happened to the man in the snow, she discovers even more secrets she wishes she never knew. Just like the character Gretel, whom Ingid is playing in the Prescott Players' production of Hansel and Gretel, Ingrid must go deep into the darkness to find the truth.
In the third book in the Edgar Award–nominated and national bestselling Echo Falls series, Peter Abrahams's talent for building suspense shines as Ingrid embarks on her most harrowing adventure yet.
Demon Seed - Desiree Acuna
Only a sacrifice will appease the overlord that has banished him from the only world he knows. And yet almost from the moment he captures Colette, Nuri is captivated and can think of nothing but possessing her himself.
Only a sacrifice will appease the overlord that has banished him from the only world he knows. And yet almost from the moment he captures Colette, Nuri is captivated and can think of nothing but possessing her himself.
Lost Souls - Desiree Acuna
Miranda was just looking for a place to lay her weary head. She hadn't expected to step into hell.
Miranda was just looking for a place to lay her weary head. She hadn't expected to step into hell.
Saving Dove - C.S. Adler
Things are difficult for twelve-year-old Jan and her mother after her father's death, and when it turns out that her beloved horse needs an operation, Jan reluctantly gets money from an elderly woman whom she has befriended.
Things are difficult for twelve-year-old Jan and her mother after her father's death, and when it turns out that her beloved horse needs an operation, Jan reluctantly gets money from an elderly woman whom she has befriended.
Overdue for Pleasure - Shelley Aikens
Mandy is content with her job as a librarian, her longtime boyfriend, Martin, and the lovely home they share. So what if their sex life is vanilla? She's not the wild type anyway.
But when she wakes up one morning—unsatisfied—from an erotic dream starring her favorite movie star, Mandy starts to crave sexual adventure in real life. Too bad Martin won't oblige, because it's not Tuesday or Friday. Then Mandy finds out what Martin's been doing the other days of the week—or rather, who. And suddenly she needs to prove to herself that she's not boring in bed.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of smoking-hot men willing to help her on her sensual quest: a nameless library patron who could be Brad Pitt's twin, a coworker she suddenly sees in a different light, and the neighbor who usually rubs her the wrong way wants to show her he can rub her the oh-so-right way, too! Lucky for Mandy, her lovers are more than willing to share...
Mandy is content with her job as a librarian, her longtime boyfriend, Martin, and the lovely home they share. So what if their sex life is vanilla? She's not the wild type anyway.
But when she wakes up one morning—unsatisfied—from an erotic dream starring her favorite movie star, Mandy starts to crave sexual adventure in real life. Too bad Martin won't oblige, because it's not Tuesday or Friday. Then Mandy finds out what Martin's been doing the other days of the week—or rather, who. And suddenly she needs to prove to herself that she's not boring in bed.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of smoking-hot men willing to help her on her sensual quest: a nameless library patron who could be Brad Pitt's twin, a coworker she suddenly sees in a different light, and the neighbor who usually rubs her the wrong way wants to show her he can rub her the oh-so-right way, too! Lucky for Mandy, her lovers are more than willing to share...
Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?
Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?
Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.
My Name is Mina - David Almond
Mina loves the night. While everyone else is in a deep slumber, she gazes out the window, witness to the moon's silvery light. In the stillness, she can even hear her own heart beating. This is when Mina feels that anything is possible, that her imagination is set free.
A blank notebook lies on the table. It has been there for what seems like forever. Mina has proclaimed in the past that she will use it as a journal, and one night, at last, she begins to do just that. As she writes, Mina makes discoveries both trivial and profound about herself and her world, her thoughts and her dreams.
Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work. My Name is Mina is not only a pleasure to read, it is an intimate and enlightening look at a character whose open mind and heart have much to teach us about life, love, and the mysteries that surround us.
Mina loves the night. While everyone else is in a deep slumber, she gazes out the window, witness to the moon's silvery light. In the stillness, she can even hear her own heart beating. This is when Mina feels that anything is possible, that her imagination is set free.
A blank notebook lies on the table. It has been there for what seems like forever. Mina has proclaimed in the past that she will use it as a journal, and one night, at last, she begins to do just that. As she writes, Mina makes discoveries both trivial and profound about herself and her world, her thoughts and her dreams.
Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work. My Name is Mina is not only a pleasure to read, it is an intimate and enlightening look at a character whose open mind and heart have much to teach us about life, love, and the mysteries that surround us.
Skellig - David Almond
Man, bird, or angel? Who or what is Skellig?
Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. It was all going to be wonderful. But now his baby sister's ill, his parents are frantic, and Dr. Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then one day he steps into the crumbling garage.
What is this thing beneath the spiderwebs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never seen before? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend Mina. Together they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever.
Told in lyrical prose, Skellig is a mystery, an adventure, and a family story, in which Michael learns about nature, poetry, and the healing power of love.
Man, bird, or angel? Who or what is Skellig?
Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. It was all going to be wonderful. But now his baby sister's ill, his parents are frantic, and Dr. Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then one day he steps into the crumbling garage.
What is this thing beneath the spiderwebs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never seen before? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend Mina. Together they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever.
Told in lyrical prose, Skellig is a mystery, an adventure, and a family story, in which Michael learns about nature, poetry, and the healing power of love.
Brazen Heart - Rosalyn Alsobrook
WAS HE A HERO OR THE DEVIL HIMSELF?
Young Emily Felcher had left New Orleans to seek her grandmother in Galveston. What she found along the way, however, was trouble with a capital T. Trusting the wrong people, Emily found herself in the clutches of a greedy Texas bordello owner! With no one to turn to, she threw herself on the mercy of her first "customer" - - - the dashing Randall Gipson. This demon of a man soon lured her into the heat of his own daring embrace, and his provocative kisses sweetly tempted her . . . until she pondered giving up the very virtue she's been trying to protect!
WAS SHE AN INNOCENT OR A JEZEBEL?
Shipping tycoon Randall Gipson had just about enough of this charade! The fetching young thing who tormented his deepest desires was clearly a lady for hire. Why elsed was she in the company of a known madam! The lovely Emily claimed she was an innocent in need of help, but once Randall gave her shelter, he found her golden eyes and luscious curves too tempting to resist. He'd just have to seduce this reluctant young wench until she let him help himself to her sweet passion and her . . . Brazen Heart.
WAS HE A HERO OR THE DEVIL HIMSELF?
Young Emily Felcher had left New Orleans to seek her grandmother in Galveston. What she found along the way, however, was trouble with a capital T. Trusting the wrong people, Emily found herself in the clutches of a greedy Texas bordello owner! With no one to turn to, she threw herself on the mercy of her first "customer" - - - the dashing Randall Gipson. This demon of a man soon lured her into the heat of his own daring embrace, and his provocative kisses sweetly tempted her . . . until she pondered giving up the very virtue she's been trying to protect!
WAS SHE AN INNOCENT OR A JEZEBEL?
Shipping tycoon Randall Gipson had just about enough of this charade! The fetching young thing who tormented his deepest desires was clearly a lady for hire. Why elsed was she in the company of a known madam! The lovely Emily claimed she was an innocent in need of help, but once Randall gave her shelter, he found her golden eyes and luscious curves too tempting to resist. He'd just have to seduce this reluctant young wench until she let him help himself to her sweet passion and her . . . Brazen Heart.
The Blood of Flowers - Anita Amirrezvani
In the fabled city of Isfahan, in seventeenth-century Persia, a young woman confronts a dismal fate: Her beloved father has died and left her without a dowry. Forced to work as a servant in the home of her uncle, a rich rug designer in the court of the Shah, the young woman blossoms as a brilliant designer of carpets. But while her talent flourishes, her prospects for a happy marriage grow dim, and she finds herself faced with a daunting decision--to forsake her own dignity or to risk everything in an effort to maintain it.
Both a sweeping love story and a luminous portrait of a city, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS is the mesmerizing historical novel of an ill-fated young woman whose gift as a rug designer transforms her life. Illuminated with glorious detail of Persian rug-making, and brilliantly bringing to life the sights sounds and life of 17th-century Isfahan, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS has captured readers' imaginations everywhere as a timeless tale of one woman's struggle to live a life of her choosing.
In the fabled city of Isfahan, in seventeenth-century Persia, a young woman confronts a dismal fate: Her beloved father has died and left her without a dowry. Forced to work as a servant in the home of her uncle, a rich rug designer in the court of the Shah, the young woman blossoms as a brilliant designer of carpets. But while her talent flourishes, her prospects for a happy marriage grow dim, and she finds herself faced with a daunting decision--to forsake her own dignity or to risk everything in an effort to maintain it.
Both a sweeping love story and a luminous portrait of a city, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS is the mesmerizing historical novel of an ill-fated young woman whose gift as a rug designer transforms her life. Illuminated with glorious detail of Persian rug-making, and brilliantly bringing to life the sights sounds and life of 17th-century Isfahan, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS has captured readers' imaginations everywhere as a timeless tale of one woman's struggle to live a life of her choosing.
My Lady Compelled - Shirl Anders
This story finds Lady Gabriella St. John purchased from a shameful "wives sale" by her long-ago admirer and now ex-spy, Lord Drummond Penhurst, the Duke of Kitteridge. Lord Kitteridge intends to command and seduce his newly purchased lady away from her too strict English morals. In their first sortie together Drummond extorts three writhing climaxes from his, at first, reluctant lady. But Gabriella is lost because Drummond paid thousands of pounds for her and now he literally owns her!
Erotic passions battle amidst adventure when Gabriella's husband returns trying to steal her back. Old secrets are revealed and launch the Archangels into a new mission to save Gabriella. Will the lady find the courage to risk it all for the passion of the man that she has always desired?
This story finds Lady Gabriella St. John purchased from a shameful "wives sale" by her long-ago admirer and now ex-spy, Lord Drummond Penhurst, the Duke of Kitteridge. Lord Kitteridge intends to command and seduce his newly purchased lady away from her too strict English morals. In their first sortie together Drummond extorts three writhing climaxes from his, at first, reluctant lady. But Gabriella is lost because Drummond paid thousands of pounds for her and now he literally owns her!
Erotic passions battle amidst adventure when Gabriella's husband returns trying to steal her back. Old secrets are revealed and launch the Archangels into a new mission to save Gabriella. Will the lady find the courage to risk it all for the passion of the man that she has always desired?
Fever 1793 - Laurie Halse Anderson
It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight—the fight to stay alive.
It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight—the fight to stay alive.
Music - Neil Ardley
Ardley introduces types of musical instruments in a scintillating blend that spans ancient to modern. Interesting historical asides and highlights about famous musicians contrast with the precisely labeled parts of the numerous illustrated instruments. The double-page spreads display an array of full-color photos, sketches, and explanatory text. Holds wide appeal for research and browsing.
Ardley introduces types of musical instruments in a scintillating blend that spans ancient to modern. Interesting historical asides and highlights about famous musicians contrast with the precisely labeled parts of the numerous illustrated instruments. The double-page spreads display an array of full-color photos, sketches, and explanatory text. Holds wide appeal for research and browsing.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus the Corduroy Kid - Simon Armitage
From one of the most important British poets at work today comes a brilliant new collection that meditates on human battles past and present, on youth and age, on monsters and underdogs, on the life of nations and the individual heart.
In Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus the Corduroy Kid, we meet a writer who speaks naturally, and with frankness and restraint, for his culture. Armitage witnesses the pathos of women at work in the mock-Tudor Merrie England coffeehouses and gives us a backstage take on the world of Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger. He makes a gift to the reader of the sympathy and misery and grit buried in his nation’s collective consciousness: in the distant battle depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry and in the daily lives and petty crimes of ordinary people. In poems that are sometimes lyrical, sometimes brash and comic, and full of living voices, the extraordinary and the mythic grow out of the ordinary, and figures of diminishment and tragedy shine forth as mysterious, uncelebrated exemplars. Armitage tells us ruefully that “the future was a beautiful place, once,” and with a steady eye out for the odd mystery or joyous scrap of experience, examines our complex present instead.
From one of the most important British poets at work today comes a brilliant new collection that meditates on human battles past and present, on youth and age, on monsters and underdogs, on the life of nations and the individual heart.
In Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus the Corduroy Kid, we meet a writer who speaks naturally, and with frankness and restraint, for his culture. Armitage witnesses the pathos of women at work in the mock-Tudor Merrie England coffeehouses and gives us a backstage take on the world of Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger. He makes a gift to the reader of the sympathy and misery and grit buried in his nation’s collective consciousness: in the distant battle depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry and in the daily lives and petty crimes of ordinary people. In poems that are sometimes lyrical, sometimes brash and comic, and full of living voices, the extraordinary and the mythic grow out of the ordinary, and figures of diminishment and tragedy shine forth as mysterious, uncelebrated exemplars. Armitage tells us ruefully that “the future was a beautiful place, once,” and with a steady eye out for the odd mystery or joyous scrap of experience, examines our complex present instead.
The Book Without Words - Avi
In the dark of winter in the town of Fulworth, an old man named Thorston has devoted his life to the illegal practice of alchemy in the quest to uncover the Great Secret: of making gold, and of immortality. Yet just as he is on the brink of a discovery, he keels over, nearly dead.
Thorston's servant, Sybil, and his talking raven, Odo, are filled with dread: will they be thrown out into the streets to fend for themselves? Their only hope is to discover the alchemist's secret and learn to make gold. And according to their master's last garbled words, the secret has something to do with a green-eyed child, the mysterious Book Without Words, and three sweet-smelling stones in the foul muck at the bottom of a cauldron...
From Avi, the 2003 Newbery Award-winning author of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead," comes the story of Thorston, an alchemist who works to concoct a potion that will enable him to live forever--and keep dying and rising from the dead as a result.
In the dark of winter in the town of Fulworth, an old man named Thorston has devoted his life to the illegal practice of alchemy in the quest to uncover the Great Secret: of making gold, and of immortality. Yet just as he is on the brink of a discovery, he keels over, nearly dead.
Thorston's servant, Sybil, and his talking raven, Odo, are filled with dread: will they be thrown out into the streets to fend for themselves? Their only hope is to discover the alchemist's secret and learn to make gold. And according to their master's last garbled words, the secret has something to do with a green-eyed child, the mysterious Book Without Words, and three sweet-smelling stones in the foul muck at the bottom of a cauldron...
From Avi, the 2003 Newbery Award-winning author of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead," comes the story of Thorston, an alchemist who works to concoct a potion that will enable him to live forever--and keep dying and rising from the dead as a result.
