Conquering Fate Takes Sacrifice. Victoria of Ourtown believes two things: that the bright, wandering star in the heavens is an abandoned spacecraft which brought her ancestors to this world and that destiny and the will of gods are nonsense. Vic used to scoff at stories of wizards too, until she acquired their powers. Once a warrior, now a secret wizard, she just wants to live an ordinary life and find a way to atone for the mistakes she's made. Ashel of Narath knows that the wandering star is the god who created humanity, but this difference of opinion doesn't stop him from loving Vic. All that keeps them apart is a thousand miles and a tragic loss. Lornk Korng needs Vic and Ashel to execute his plans for conquest. The fact both want him dead is but a trifling snag in his schemes. Of far greater concern are the world's alien inhabitants and an ancient enemy whose victory could wipe out humankind. As plots and counterplots clash across time, Vic and Ashel must choose their...

The Case of the Lost Mermaid is the sixth book in the Wolflock Cases teen fantasy mystery series.Wolflock owes his life to a mermaid he may have accidentally doomed. The only way to save her is to find the mythical mermaid city of Sinalta without delaying the ship. But the cards of Faleen and Bleen have foretold disaster in his fate. Is their interference to save his life or do they have sinister intentions? To make matters worse, he has to make a choice: repay his debt by delaying the ship or leave the mermaid to perish in the icy sea.Unfortunately, if he can't solve the case in two days, he may no longer be able to choose.

"The Tattoo Murder" is the story of a U-S Army combat veteran who became a police officer back in his home town after he'd seen enough injustice in the world. A different kind of cop, Det. John Potenza travels to the tune of his own drum, the waves which he loves to surf, the women who occupy his life and the music which drives him. All this is secondary to getting it right when it comes to justice. An Italian-American who knows his way around the kitchen, the fit and trim with comic book hero good looks catches the eye of almost every woman he meets. If he were British he'd probably be in "her Majesty's Secret Service" with a Double-O in his name. Many of the characters in the book are derived from Bob Brill's own past and acquaintances and friends and while the book is a work of fiction, the people are real – well sort of.

Roxanna is the new young Queen of Oreias, a kingdom being invaded by its much stronger neighbor, the Kalarian Empire. In a last-ditch effort to save her realm, she flees her castle to join her army. On the way, she is stopped by a mysterious outlaw. He is a good military leader, and can bring the downcast Achlysians, Oreias's old allies, into the war. But he is unwilling to fight. If only she could convince him to help her, so she could save her nation.Vasilis is the leader of the Lystra Gang, a group of Achlysians who make a point of stealing from the Kalarians, after Achlys fell years ago. Vasilis feels Oreias is a lost cause, and he is too careless to lead the forces that can liberate either his nation, or Roxanna's. But he soon develops feelings for her. If only he could learn to pay better attention.Roxanna likes to be in control, but she can't direct Oreias's fate. Vasilis wants to help, but he knows detail isn't his strong point. Will they learn to trust...

The Great War changed everything for Lady Harriet Cunningham. Instead of being presented at eighteen, she trained to be a nurse and shared forbidden kisses with her colleagues. But now in 1923, at the age of 24, Harriet is facing spinsterhood. It's not such a ghastly prospect to her, but as the daughter of the Earl of Creoch, there's a certain expectation that she must meet. So, in a last attempt to find a match for their daughter to see her safe and secure, they send her to her aunt and uncle in New York.Only when she gets there, she and her cousin, a man who, like her, suffers from the weight of expectation from his father, decide on one last hoorah as a memory to hold close to their heart in their later life. But when they arrive at the speakeasy hidden beneath a small bookstore, Harriet finds herself entranced by the singer. No matter how hard she wants to please her family and do her duty, she finds that there's something about the woman that she can't stay...

One of Oprah Magazine's Most Anticipated Books of 2021From an award-winning storyteller comes a stunning debut novel about a New Mexican family's extraordinary year of love and sacrifice.It's Holy Week in the small town of Las Penas, New Mexico, and thirty-three-year-old unemployed Amadeo Padilla has been given the part of Jesus in the Good Friday procession. He is preparing feverishly for this role when his fifteen-year-old daughter Angel shows up pregnant on his doorstep and disrupts his plans for personal redemption. With weeks to go until her due date, tough, ebullient Angel has fled her mother's house, setting her life on a startling new path.Vivid, tender, funny, and beautifully rendered, The Five Wounds spans the baby's first year as five generations of the Padilla family converge: Amadeo's mother, Yolanda, reeling from a recent discovery; Angel's mother, Marissa, whom Angel isn't speaking to; and disapproving Tíve,...

When her siblings start to go missing, a girl must confront the dark thing that lives in the forest—and the growing darkness in herself—in this debut YA contemporary fantasy for fans of Wilder Girls.

When Glory Bishop is offered a new life by a seemingly altruistic Chicago socialite, there may be more than good intentions at play. Against the advice of trusted friends and family, Glory chooses the protection of Malcom Porter, her adoring, much older bad-boy-turned-minister fiancé. Thrust into a gilded world of wealth, society, and privilege, Glory struggles to overcome the guilt of loving her new life. The whirlwind of 1980s designer clothing, penthouse views, and first-class travel is a far cry from her former existence. With this new reality comes unexpected complications and temptations. As she struggles to remain true to herself and her fiancé, Glory wonders if she will ever truly feel at home in this new world. Follow Glory Bishop in her search for freedom and independence as she strives to be her own savior.

When a mysterious man saved Raven after an incident at the strip club she worked at, the last thing she expected was to be plunged into the dangerous world of organized crime. Unfortunately, her new life with Lazarus was filled with nothing but lies and empty promises. How could a man that vowed to love her, hurt and betray her so much? It didn't matter how hard she tried, Lazarus always manipulated the outcome. Raven was a prisoner of her own life, until finally one day, her path led her to Damon in the most unexpected way. However, as Raven and Damon got closer, things only got more complicated and dangerous. Nothing was as it seemed and Lazarus made sure to still control every outcome. Will Damon be able to save Raven from the shackles of her life or will Lazarus once more get his way?

It's up to two rescue husky puppies to convince their owners it's never too late for a second leash on love.When Nate Porter left Helen, Alaska, to become a firefighter with the Forest Service, he claimed it was because he craved adventure. The truth was, he couldn't stand to hang around, pining for a girl the town's century-old feud meant he could never have. But Nate got over Lydia Lipin years ago, or so he thought until he learns that an old rival has come sniffing around. The solution—a trip home with his rescue puppies to prove to himself he completely extinguished that old flame.Lydia Lipin has always been satisfied being the "good" Lipin daughter—dutiful, practical, and always putting others before herself. But that role begins to chafe as Nate's return ignites old memories. No one in town knew about their secret friendship or those forbidden kisses they stole the summer after graduation. Suddenly, Nate and his puppies are everywhere, and...