I want to be a completely different kind of teenager. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to make that happen. When my bubbly, outgoing best friend suggests a Junior Year Wish List of goals, bookish me reluctantly agrees. Now I have barely ten months to meet all five goals that will transform me from a bookworm to a butterfly.Most seventeen year olds don't have bucket lists, but me, Katie O'Connell does--a Wish List actually. Because I long to be someone new, the kind of girl you take notice of and remember. Someone who isn't just a part of the background. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to make that happen, but my outspoken best friend does: a Junior Year Wish List of goals, starting with earning a role in the senior play, and my bookish self reluctantly agrees. Now I have barely ten months to meet all five goals that will transform me from a bookworm to a butterfly. Wish List in hand, I’m going to need to pull my motley crew of dramatic friends closer for support to launch my Junior Year with a fresh (somewhat anxious) attitude. That is, until the boy who was my first childhood friend, the boy who disappeared right before my tenth birthday, shows up on the first day of school throwing my quiet life into an emotional tailspin. His surprise reappearance will start my junior year with more questions than answers. Why did he leave? Where has he been all this time? Can friendships last after a seven-year break? Is achieving my Wish List even possible now? Most importantly, will he be the one to make Wish Number Five a reality?

Kiya and the God of Chaos is set in Ancient Egypt in an alternative universe where the immortal gods are real. The heroine is a beautiful Theban temple dancer named Kiya. She has the rare ability to sense the presence of gods and becomes involved in an epic struggle with Seth, the God of Chaos, with whom she has an unexpected connection.Kiya and the God of Chaos is set in Ancient Egypt in an alternative universe where the immortal gods are real. The heroine is a beautiful Theban temple dancer named Kiya. She has the rare ability to sense the presence of gods and becomes involved in an epic struggle with Seth, the God of Chaos, with whom she has an unexpected connection.Kiya’s travels take her the length of Egypt. She also crosses the sea to the Minotaur’s maze in Crete and visits the Molloch gold mine in Nubia. Although born a poor peasant girl, she rises to a position of power and privilege. But she learns that money does not bring happiness as she finds love but loses it again. During the course of the book, Kiya matures from a young girl to a brave and compassionate woman, who is instrumental in saving Egypt in the final battle with Seth.Among the memorable characters are Laylos – Kiya’s sharp-tongued aunt; Urshu - the malicious dance master; Ramala – Kiya’s beautiful but fragile mother; Massui – the evil nome lord; Dennu – who turns from a sulky youth to a man of power; Hathor – jealous of Anubis’s love for Kiya and Anubis himself – torn between his human and animal essences.

A myth describing the origin of the land crab found in the southern slopes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, India. Retold in a humorous vein for increased pleasure of the readers.A folk tale and myth which explains the origin of the land crab found in Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, India. It is retold in a lighter vein to enhance readers' experience. The story revolves around a Jackal, a Crow and the uncommon Land Crab. This story is part of folklore and mytholology of the Khasi ethnic race which include the Khynriam, Pnar, Vaar, Bhooi, Maharam and Lyngngam ethnic groups.

We all remember the internet sensation where a photograph of a dress was posted, and across the country we found that some people saw a white dress with gold trim and others saw a blue dress with black trim. There is a similar phenomenon going on in our country right now between the Trump supporters, the “Golds,” and the non-supporters, the “Blues.” This essay attempts to represent both sides.We all remember the internet sensation where a photograph of a dress was posted, and across the country we found that some people saw a white dress with gold trim and others saw a blue dress with black trim. Gazing on the same object we clearly saw what we saw and were baffled that someone else saw it differently. What made the blue gold dress an especially interesting optical illusion was that our biological makeup prevented us from seeing the object through the lens of the other group no matter how long we stared at it. There is a similar phenomenon going on in our country right now between the Trump supporters, the “Golds,” and the non-supporters, the “Blues.” This essay attempts to represent both sides of the story so that we may listen to one another and together begin to clean up this terrible mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.

The leap from an extra to a leading lady can't be that difficult. Can it? Kelly Ferguson believes it's more of a skip than a leap and is determined to show her co-workers her destiny lies beyond secretarial work in Manchester. The start - extra work in an opera.Kelly’s life is, in her own words, boring. As a child, she envisaged setting the world on fire, be famous. One day she reads an advertisement: Local extras needed to take part as slaves in the forthcoming production of Verdi’s Aida at the Opera House. The sounds of paparazzi cameras clicking, popping champagne corks, shouts to her on red carpet events, these treats, and more, beckoned. Kelly’s ticket to riches was how she saw the advertisement. She would be discovered; her kismet, a star on Broadway. Is Kelly’s life destined to rocket into a new stratosphere? Read: A Night in the Life of an Extra to find out.

After a gang of sadistic, mutated thugs kidnaps a psychiatrist, Ethan is forced to chase after them. His hunt leads him through Crown City’s ancient crypts in a race against time. But what Ethan will find in the darkness is a danger he has never faced before, one that displays the worst part of the city’s underworld—the devils dwelling in the shadows.Ethan Daniels is The Guardian, the vigilante who haunts the nightmares of every criminal in Crown City. After a gang of sadistic, mutated thugs kidnaps a psychiatrist, Ethan is forced to chase after them. His hunt leads him through Crown City’s ancient crypts in a race against time. But what Ethan will find in the darkness is a danger he has never faced before, one that displays the worst part of the city’s underworld—the devils dwelling in the shadows. ---Set between the first two novels in the Dark Guardian Series, Dark Guardian & Dark Guardian: A New Dawn, this standalone, short piece story elaborates on some of Ethan Daniel’s struggles as The Guardian as he attempts to thwart the dark forces that have ruled over Crown City for so long. At the behest of readers, I hope to start to publish many of Ethan's shorter adventures and battles set between the series' novels.

Hard Times by Charles Dickens. Hard Times - For These Times (commonly known as Hard Times) is the tenth novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. The book surveys English society and satirises the social and economic conditions of the era. Hard Times is unusual in several respects. It is by far the shortest of Dickens' novels, barely a quarter of the length of those written immediately before and after it. Also, unlike all but one of his other novels, Hard Times has neither a preface nor illustrations. Moreover, it is his only novel not to have scenes set in London. Instead the story is set in the fictitious Victorian industrial Coketown, a generic Northern English mill-town, in some ways similar to Manchester, though smaller. Coketown may be partially based on 19th-century Preston.

Stevenson's brooding historical romance demonstrates his most abiding theme-the elemental struggle between good and evil-as it unfolds against a hauntingly beautiful Scottish landscape, amid the fierce loyalties and violent enmities that characterized Scottish history. When two brothers attempt to split their loyalties between the warring factions of the 1745 Jacobite rising, one family finds itself tragically divided.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER "[A]n extraordinary book, a work of staggering virtuosity. With its publication, a giant world of literature has just grown twice as tall."--Newsday From Ralph Ellison--author of the classic novel of African-American experience, Invisible Man--the long-awaited second novel. Here is the master of American vernacular--the rhythms of jazz and gospel and ordinary speech--at the height of his powers, telling a powerful, evocative tale of a prodigal of the twentieth century. "Tell me what happened while there's still time," demands the dying Senator Adam Sunraider to the itinerate Negro preacher whom he calls Daddy Hickman. As a young man, Sunraider was Bliss, an orphan taken in by Hickman and raised to be a preacher like himself. Bliss's history encompasses the joys of young southern boyhood; bucolic days as a filmmaker, lovemaking in a field in the Oklahoma sun. And behind it all lies a mystery: how did this chosen child become the man who would deny everything to achieve his goals? Brilliantly crafted, moving, wise, Juneteenth is the work of an American master. From the Trade Paperback edition.

After making a diplomatic pact with humankind and the other leaders of the Elder Races, Pia Cuelebre, mate to Dragos Cuelebre, Lord of the Wyr, reluctantly heads to Hollywood to spend a week with the Light Fae Queen, Tatiana, before the busy Masque season hits New York in December. Dragos has never let the lack of an invitation stop him from doing anything he wanted. Unwilling to let his mate make the trip without him, he travels to southern California in secret to be with her. But when an ancient enemy launches a shattering assault against the Light Fae, Dragos and Pia must intercede. The destruction threatens to spread and strike a mortal blow against all of the magically gifted, both human and Elder Race alike. Working with the Light Fae to neutralize the danger, Dragos and Pia find their deepest vulnerabilities challenged and their most closely held secrets threatened with exposure. PIA DOES HOLLYWOOD is the second part of a three-story series about Pia, Dragos, and and their son, Liam. Each story stands alone, but fans might want to read all three: DRAGOS GOES TO WASHINGTON, PIA DOES HOLLYWOOD, and LIAM TAKES MANHATTAN.

Here’s what I know about the realm of possibility— it is always expanding, it is never what you think it is. Everything around us was once deemed impossible. From the airplane overhead to the phones in our pockets to the choir girl putting her arm around the metalhead. As hard as it is for us to see sometimes, we all exist within the realm of possibility. Most of the limits are of our own world’s devising. And yet, every day we each do so many things that were once impossible to us. Enter The Realm of Possibility and meet a boy whose girlfriend is in love with Holden Caulfield; a girl who loves the boy who wears all black; a boy with the perfect body; and a girl who writes love songs for a girl she can’t have. These are just a few of the captivating characters readers will get to know in this intensely heartfelt new novel about those ever-changing moments of love and heartbreak that go hand-in-hand with high school. David Levithan plumbs the depths of teenage emotion to create an amazing array of voices that readers won’t forget. So, enter their lives and prepare to welcome the realm of possibility open to us all. Love, joy, and these stories will linger. From the Hardcover edition.

It seems no mother of a newborn has ever been more hilarious, more honest, or more touching than Ann Lamott is in OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS. A single parent whose baby's father is out of the picture, Lamott struggles not only to support her little family by her wits and her writing, but to stay sober at the same time. Faith in God helps; so does her loyal band of helpers, from her childless best friend Pammy to her mother and "Aunt Dudu" to the folks at the La Leche League hotline. And between colic, wheat-free diets, and the triumph of solid food, Lamott learns that blessings and losses come together, and that as our capacity for joy increases, so does our capacity for grief. "An enormous triumph . . . Charming . . . Powerful . . . A gracious book, with dozens of lovingly drawn characters and a deep, infectious religiosity throughout. It is also funny." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Smart, funny and comforting . . . Lamott has a conversational style that perfectly conveys her friendly, self-deprecating humor." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review From the Trade Paperback edition.

Winner of six Nebula and two Hugo awards for her fiction, Connie Willis is acclaimed for her gifted imagination and bold invention. Here are eleven of her finest stories, surprising tales in which the impossible becomes real, the real becomes impossible, and strangeness lurks at every turn. The end of the world comes not with a bang but a series of whimpers over many years in "The Last of the Winnebagos." The terror of pain and dying gives birth to a startling truth about the nature of the stars, a principle known as the "Schwarzschild Radius." In "Spice Pogrom," an outrageous colony in outer space becomes the setting for a screwball comedy of bizarre complications, mistaken identities, far-too-friendly aliens--and even true love.  From the Paperback edition.

Sophos, under the guidance of yet another tutor, practices his swordplay and strategizes escape scenarios should his father's villa come under attack. How would he save his mother? His sisters? Himself? Could he reach the horses in time? Where would he go? But nothing prepares him for the day armed men, silent as thieves, swarm the villa courtyard ready to kill, to capture, to kidnap. Sophos, the heir to the throne of Sounis, disappears without a trace. In Attolia, Eugenides, the new and unlikely king, has never stopped wondering what happened to Sophos. Nor has the Queen of Eddis. They send spies. They pay informants. They appeal to the gods. But as time goes by, it becomes less and less certain that they will ever see their friend alive again. Across the small peninsula battles are fought, bribes are offered, and conspiracies are set in motion. Darkening the horizon, the Mede Empire threatens, always, from across the sea. And Sophos, anonymous and alone, bides his time. Sophos, drawing on his memories of Gen, Pol, the Magus and Eddis, sets out on an adventure that will change all of their lives forever.

Sharply observed and brilliantly plotted, Stars and Bars is an uproarious portrait of culture clash deep in the heart of the American South, by one of contemporary literature’s most imaginative novelists. A recent transfer to Manhattan has inspired art assessor Henderson Dores to shed his British reserve and aspire to the impulsive and breezy nature of Americans. But when Loomis Gage, an eccentric millionaire, invites him to appraise his small collection of Impressionist paintings, Dores's plans quite literally go south. Stranded at a remote mansion in the Georgia countryside, Dores is received by the bizarre Gage family with Anglophobic slurs, nausea-inducing food, ludicrous death threats, and a menacing face off with competing art dealers. By the time he manages to sneak back to New York City–sporting only a cardboard box–Henderson Dores realizes he is fast on the way to becoming a naturalized citizen. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Under the rule of a usurper king, the realm of Skala has suffered famine, plague, and invasion. But now the time for the rightful heir has come, a return to the tradition of warrior queens. And the Lightbearer’s prophecy is to be upheld at last: so long as a daughter of the royal line defends and rules, Skala will never be subjugated. Now a mystical fire has burned away the male body known as Prince Tobin, revealing Princess Tamír, a girl on the verge of womanhood–and a queen ready to claim her birthright after a life in disguise under the protection of wizards and witches. But will her people, her army–and the friends she was forced to deceive–accept her? Worse, will the crown’s rival heir, friend to Tobin, turn foe to Tamír, igniting civil war in a fierce battle for Skala? From the Paperback edition.

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick presents a gripping yet poignant novel about a 12-year-old boy and his dog who become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina. Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl--both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.

The award-winning novel about being out, being proud, and being ready for something else . . . now in paperback. Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write. And, oh yeah, he's gay. He's been out since 8th grade, and he isn't teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that's important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time. So when he transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret -- not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate break down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben . . . who doesn't even know that love is possible. This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate feeling different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself.

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to? Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising. From the Hardcover edition.

Karen's excited to be spending spring break at a resort in the Caribbean. But when she tries to befriend Sandy, the only other seven-year-old there, she's discouraged. Sandy participates in only the quietest activities and seems to reject Karen's attempts at friendship. But when she learns why Sandy seems so standoffish, Karen works hard to prove that she can be understanding. And in the end, she learns a lot about what friendship really means.

On the Fourth of July, just as fireworks are about to go off in Aurora, Minnesota, Cork O’Connor and his new bride Rainy Bisonette listen to a desperate voicemail left by Rainy's son, Peter. The message is garbled and full of static, but they hear Peter confess to the murder of someone named Rodriguez. When they try to contact him, they discover that his phone has gone dead. The following morning, Cork and Rainy fly to Coronado County in southern Arizona, where Peter has been working as a counselor in a well-known drug rehab center. When they arrive, they learn that Peter was fired six months earlier and hasn’t been heard from since. So they head to the little desert town of Sulfur Springs where Peter has been receiving his mail. But no one in Sulfur Springs seems to know him. They do, however, recognize the name Rodriguez. Carlos Rodriguez is the head of a cartel that controls everything illegal crossing the border from Mexico into Coronado County. As they gather scraps of information about Peter, Cork and Rainy are warned that there is a war going on along the border. “Trust no one in Coronado County,” is a refrain they hear again and again. And to Cork, Arizona is alien country. The relentless heat and absence of water, tall trees, and cool forests feel nightmarish to him, as does his growing sense that Rainy might know more about what's going on than she's willing to admit. And if he can't trust Rainy, who can he trust?