When Lucas Warbuck receives a book from a prophet, it opens up a world of secrets, schemes and trickery… and holds a special message. Suddenly the kingdom of Darkotika is scrambling. Who is this boy who looks so…well, ordinary? An average boy would never dream of such possibilities. How on earth did this happen? Lucas Warbuck… summoned? Will he ever find out? And what if he does?When just-about-twelve year old Lucas Warbuck receives a book from a prophet, it opens up a world of secrets, schemes and trickery… and holds a special message that he doesn’t even bother to read. Suddenly the kingdom of Darkotika is scrambling. Who is this boy who looks so…well, ordinary? The average Middling would never dream about kingdoms in realms of darkness or light… and possibilities. Somehow Lucas sees things others do not; not that they couldn’t… they just didn’t. His life may not be so average after all! So when Darkotika’s spies with long-nosed telescopic lenses come snooping around the town of Target for him… and an unsuspecting kid is snatched right out of his seat at the movie theater. Well, you can see where we’re headed! How on earth did this happen? Lucas Warbuck… summoned? Will he ever find out? And what if he does?

"Dear Soldier," he wrote, "My dad was a soldier. He's in heaven now. I found this $20 in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family." This, delightful children's story is written by British singer/songwriter Jonathan Taylor. The book is inspired by the true story of Myles Eckbert, a boy of just 8 years of age from Ohio, USA.Ryan is a Gold Star Kid. His father, a British serving soldier, is tragically killed during the Battle of Telic, Iraq: but happiness will return. His dreams bring him hope as he sets off on a series of magical adventures and discovers the secret of the Dream Bond he soon discovers!There is no room for hate within this work; racism and Islamophobia are skilfully tackled along with many other contemporary issues that face our children today. This book encourages all to focus on our common shared humanity and not our differences. It does not glorify war, nor does it focus on unspeakable tragedies that occur. It seeks only to inform children’s understanding of the consequences of it. To honour our fallen and to never forget them. This is a story that every parent will want to share. This wonderful and enlightening children’s story, suitable for both parents and children alike, is inspired by the true accounts of Myles Eckert, a boy of just 8 years of age from Ohio, USA.

This is a limited distribution re-publication the original release of the e-book later released with the alternate title "Ethereal Pixie-rings of Mercy" with original artwork by Keith Draws.When hyper-intelligent mathematician David is forced to confront his own mortality, his coveted manuscript on the ‘Proof of absence paradox’ threatens to die with him. Desperate to salvage his life’s work, he realizes that his exceptional mentee and protégé, Naila, could hold the key to the salvation of his manuscript and theorem—but their strained relationship may not allow for that. Consumed by doubt and plunged into a bewildering darkness, David is offered a glimpse into a vast interconnectedness, the likes of which outstretch his human comprehension and challenge his theorem. As nature, faith and science intertwine, David gains insights which transport him far beyond his original manuscript.

Five children discover their destiny; they must find a way to save the world. Guided by their uncle, trapped in a doll, they explore a vast dream world where they have special powers. In it, the Dream Fighters must stop Sarlak and the Gorgons' plan in order to protect the real world and the people they love.Read the tantalizing tale that started it all. The origin story of The Dream Fighters. The fantasy adventure loved by children and adults alike.Five cousins make a shocking discovery. They share a dream, and in it, they have special powers. Only hours before they were just normal kids playing video games in the basement. Now they wield the same powers they used in those games, only there are no save points or restarts. This time, everything counts and there are no second chances. Haley can leap across the room, Braden can move objects with his mind, Jack moves at super speed, and Jillian can make anything she wants appear before her eyes. Dazzled by this finding, they go on to realize they belong to an age-old order, The Dream Fighters, and it is their turn to save the world. In order to protect the real world, they must stop an invasion by the evil Sarlak and his army of Gorgons. With only their uncle, himself trapped in Jillian's doll, as a guide, they must master their new found powers and stop this attack before it starts.Along the way, they will discover their specific powers and understand how to use them, as well as control their fear and learn to work together, even when they really don't want to. Sarlak will use sinister traps and trickery to defeat them. The Dream Fighters must somehow find a way to save the day. Whose power will lead them to victory? Which one of them will fall under Sarlak's spell? This first book in the Dream Fighter Chronicles tells the story of how it all began for these future heroes.Discovery! is an action-packed and entertaining adventure for children from 8 to 88, offering readers young and old a chance to imagine the endless possibilities in the dream world. Intended to read like a video game, it will capture the imagination of all readers, pulling them into its magical world and leaving them on the edge of their seat.

Legends are nothing more than stories to entertain, right? Edward Aagaard is about to find out from his friend's letters that there may be more to legends than mere frightening stories. Originally released in 2014 in the anthology Tales of Mystery, Suspense and Terror and currently available as a free download.GENRE: Children’s Adventure (An Unofficial Minecraft Book for Kids Ages 9 - 12 (Preteen)Mysterious creatures of fire burn down Alex’s village, causing her great personal loss. With sorrow in her heart and no home to turn to, she and the other surviving villagers make their way to a little town. Alex is greeted by the Dojo master, and given a place to stay. It is here that she trains in the art of archery, but more importantly, it is here that she makes friends with Steve, a boy about her age who is training in swordsmanship. Soon they were best friends, and going on innumerable adventures together. But throughout these adventures Alex felt as if the same force that had led to her village burning was following her in the shape of a man with white eyes.Who was this mysterious character? And why was he always creating so much chaos? Steve and Alex might not have the answers to all the questions just yet, but one thing is for sure: no one is safe while this white eyed man roams free.Will Alex and Steve be able to stop him?

A devastating story of five children who are abandoned and are forced to survive the treacherous obstacles of the wilderness.Five children are going an a trip to visit their relatives on the other side of the country. It seems like a totally normal one before their aeroplane unexpectedly crashes into the mountain side. The five are forced to battle the treacherous obstacles of the wilderness while waiting to be rescued.

“Minutiae” is a collection of short stories written by Ariadne Burke. These stories focus on the details of relationships and the emotions of different characters, from grieving parents to an abandoned child.“Minutiae” consists of three flash fiction stories that focus on a greater emotional understanding of humans in multiple different situations. But Ariadne never gives an on-the-nose description of a situation, and instead writes about the details of a conflict — the anxiety of a bipolar man checking out at a grocery store, the baby socks that a grieving father hides away, and the stuffed cat of an orphaned child. By not describing a situation, Ariadne forces the audience to truly analyze the characters and read into what they say and feel, reaching a deeper level of emotion that they might not normally come upon. This collection aims to show that people are always more layered than they seem, and that humans always mean more than they say.

The ice is a cold mistress. As the league’s most eligible goalie, Max Fournier has access to his fair share of willing puck bunnies, but right now he’s more interested in bringing home another championship than a one-night stand. A romantic at heart, Max believes in love; he’s just not great at relationships. So when he finally meets a nice girl who’s not blinded by his celebrity, he’s feeling the heat—and the pressure to save her from herself. Between working two jobs and raising her sister’s kids, Julianne Bradley doesn’t have time for sports—or men. All she knows about Max is that he’s the sexiest customer to ever grace her gas-station counter. And he sees past her tired eyes and makes Jules yearn for things she can’t have: a glamorous fling, a passionate lover, and the time to enjoy both. Max makes her feel like Cinderella, even though Jules has enough baggage to crush a glass slipper. Luckily, he’s no prince—only a fierce competitor determined to win her heart.

Vicki Loom works as a janitor in a large office building. It’s a lonely job made bearable by the company of her cantankerous old coworker, Tom. She dreams of a better life in the arms of a sensual lover, but has little hope with her line of work and hefty appearance. All that changes when a flier floats her way about an open secretary job in the upper echelons of the office building. She is interviewed for the job by the CEO of the company and finds herself the object of his lust-fueled needs. Her mind tells her it can’t be true, but her body aches for her lustful dream to become reality. ** Billionaire Seeking Bride #1 is a stand alone, steamy romance with no cliffhanger. **

Young FBI agent Chevie Savano arrives back in modern-day London after a time-trip to the Victorian age, to find the present very different from the one she left. Europe is being run by a Facsist movement known as the Boxites, who control their territory through intimidation and terror. Chevie's memories come back to her in fragments, and just as she is learning about the WARP program from Professor Charles Smart, inventor of the time machine, he is killed by secret service police. Now they are after Chevie, too, but she escapes--into the past. She finds Riley, who is being pursued by futuristic soldiers, and saves him. Working together again, it is up to Chevie and Riley to find the enigmatic Colonel Clayton Box, who is intent on escalating his power, and stop him before he can launch missiles at the capitals of Europe.

It should have been the perfect New Year's Eve date. But when Gemma Forester gets called to bail her older brother out of trouble, she comes face to face with some of her own. Aaron Hendricks never forgot his best friend's little sister, but ten years wasn't enough to prepare him for the woman she's become. Will a chance meeting allow them to overcome the past? Once Upon A New Year's Eve is a novelette of approximately 8,500 words. “Meet cute” is a term used to describe a situation in which a future romantic couple meets for the first time. Meet Cute Romance is a series of romantic shorts celebrating the possibilities of that first meeting.

ISABEL DALHOUSIE - Book 8 Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective.  Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small. In this latest installment of the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series, our inquisitive heroine helps a new friend discover the identity of her father. Isabel and her fiancé know who they are and where they come from. But not everybody is so fortunate. Jane Cooper, a visiting Australian philosopher on sabbatical in Edinburgh, has more questions than answers. Adopted at birth, Jane is trying to find her biological father, but all she knows about him is that he was a student in Edinburgh years ago. When she asks for Isabel’s help in this seemingly impossible search . . . well, of course Isabel obliges. But Isabel also manages to find time for her own concerns: her young son, Charlie, already walking and talking; her housekeeper, Grace, whose spiritualist has lately been doubling as a financial advisor; her niece Cat’s latest relationship; and the pressing question of when and how Isabel and Jamie should finally get married. Should the forgotten affairs of youth be left in the past, or can the memories help us understand the present? In her inimitable way, Isabel leads us to a new understanding of the meaning of family. From the Hardcover edition.

When Keith Rosen runs away from his Florida home—inexplicably taking along a motherless baby—his mother is perplexed, terrified, and ultimately takes off on her own journey to find him. The story of a divorced woman, her disillusioned teenage son, and the events that change their lives in ways both simple and extraordinary, Turtle Moon follows their path, in a suspenseful, beautifully written story that confirms once again the exquisite talent of Alice Hoffman.A

A gritty, smart thriller from a literary superstar A killer has Seattle on edge. The serial murderer has been dubbed “the Indian Killer” because he scalps his victims and adorns their bodies with owl feathers. As the city consumes itself in a nightmare frenzy of racial tension, a possible suspect emerges: John Smith. An Indian raised by whites, John is lost between cultures. He fights for a sense of belonging that may never be his—but has his alienation made him angry enough to kill? Alexie traces John Smith’s rage with scathing wit and masterly suspense. In the electrifying Indian Killer, a national bestseller and New York Times Notable Book, Sherman Alexie delivers both a scintillating thriller and a searing parable of race, identity, and violence.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

THE BATTLE CONTINUES. The struggle of good versus evil continues as Bobby Pendragon follows Saint Dane to the territory of Zadaa. Saint Dane's influence has fueled the fire of discontent between two warring tribes: the Rokador and the Batu. This is also the territory where the Traveler Loor lives as a member of the Batu. Together she and Bobby must work to thwart Saint Dane's efforts to destroy Zadaa. But as Bobby pursues Saint Dane, he begins to notice changes in himself. He is no longer a flip kid looking for excitement. He is a young man beginning to see this quest as more than a series of adventures. He is also learning that as a Traveler, he has powers no normal human should have.

Harry Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two.DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court.Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation.Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.

It is 1969 and James Bond is about to go solo, recklessly motivated by revenge. A seasoned veteran of the service, 007 is sent to single-handedly stop a civil war in the small West African nation of Zanzarim. Aided by a beautiful accomplice and hindered by the local militia, he undergoes a scarring experience which compels him to ignore M's orders in pursuit of his own brand of justice. Bond's renegade action leads him to Washington, D.C., where he discovers a web of intrigue and witnesses fresh horrors. Even if Bond succeeds in exacting his revenge, a man with two faces will come to stalk his every waking moment.

He needs a woman to rescue him from his past. She needs a man to save her from the horrible things she’s done. Together, they might save each other...or get themselves killed. Billionaire Tavish MacCraig survived Afghanistan as a POW. Despite being back home and working at his family’s worldwide renowned art gallery, Tavish feels shattered. Wracked by PTSD, Tavish’s days are bleak; his nights, living nightmares: and his heart, an empty shell. And no one can understand the torture and pain eating at his soul. No one but painter Laetitia Galen. Laetitia fled hell on earth when she was sixteen…at a very high price. She’s recently found peace and doesn’t want to disturb the false safety her small world gives her by falling for Tavish or accepting his gallery offer of an exclusive contract. Yet, she can’t resist the powerful and sizzling attraction that ignites between them. But there is a man plotting a long-awaited revenge against Laetitia, and he will do whatever it takes to make her—and, incidentally, Tavish—pay for what she’s done. Before he kills them. Tavish and Laetitia will discover falling in love is life's greatest risk! Suspenseful and steamy, UNPREDICTABLE LOVE by USA Today bestselling author Cristiane Serruya is a thrilling contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Nora Roberts, Barbara Freethy, and Maya Banks!

Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy.  He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure.  But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul.  Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms.  It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister.  And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.  With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer. 

First in a two volume collection of short stories by the acclaimed author of ‘Empire of the Sun’, ‘Crash’ and ‘Super-Cannes’. The new edition is introduced by Adam Thirwell. With eighteen novels over four decades – from ‘The Drowned World’ in 1962 to his final novel ‘Kingdom Come’ in 2006 – J.G. Ballard is known as one of Britain’s most celebrated and original novelists. However, during his long career he was also a prolific writer of short stories; in fact, many people consider that he is at his best in the short-story format. These highly influential stories have appeared in magazines such as New Worlds, Amazing Stories and Interzone, and in several separate collections, including ‘The Terminal Beach’, ‘The Venus Hunters’, ‘Vermilion Sands’, ‘Low-Flying Aircraft’ and ‘Myths of the Near Future’. Set out in the original order of publication and frequently the point of conception for ideas he further developed in his novels, these stories provide an unprecedented opportunity to see the imagination of one of Britain’s greatest writers at work. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Robert Macfarlane, Iain Sinclair, James Lever and Ali Smith) and brand-new cover designs from the artist Stanley Donwood.