James Patterson's hilarious story of perseverance and courage shows everyone's favorite troublemaker, Rafe Khatchadorian, the star of the Middle School series, learning to become a leader at long last. After a rough summer, Rafe is heading back to the dreaded Hills Village Middle School, the site of the very worst years of his life. And as if that's not bad enough, he's learned that he's going to be held back a year unless he can prove himself on an outdoor survival excursion--complete with dangerous white-water rafting, dizzying rock climbing, and fanatical counselors. Rafe and the rest of the pack of "delinquent" trainees are forced to cooperate as they prepare for the final test: a solo excursion in the deep woods. Can Rafe come out of the experience in one piece? And if he does, he go home as the same insecure kid?

Mystery novelist Harriet Vane knew all about poisons, and when her former lover died in the manner prescribed in one of her books, a jury of her peers had a hangman's noose in mind. But Lord Peter Wimsey was determined to find her innocent.

The moving, uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life.

Bestselling author John Connolly's first collection of short fiction, Nocturnes, now features five additional stories -- never-before published for an American audience -- in a dark, daring, utterly haunting anthology of lost lovers and missing children, predatory demons, and vengeful ghosts. In "The New Daughter," a father comes to suspect that a burial mound on his land hides something very ancient, and very much alive; in "The Underbury Witches," two London detectives find themselves battling a particularly female evil in a town culled of its menfolk. And finally, private detective Charlie Parker returns in the long novella "The Reflecting Eye," in which the photograph of an unknown girl turns up in the mailbox of an abandoned house once occupied by an infamous killer. This discovery forces Parker to confront the possibility that the house is not as empty as it appears, and that something has been waiting in the darkness for its chance to kill again.

Can he make her fall in love with him… again? When Pagan Moore proved worthy of Death’s devotion, he was given the gift of getting to keep her. But Dank was never promised that Pagan would keep him. When a soul is created, so is its mate. In every lifetime those souls find each other. They complete the other’s destiny. It’s time for Pagan’s soul to choose if she truly wants an eternity at Death’s side or if she wants the mate created just for her. Dank didn’t think he had to worry about her choice. He knew where her heart belonged. Until he realized that every kiss, every touch, every moment of their time together would be washed from her memories. He would have to win her heart all over again and prove to her soul that he was where she belonged. If only her soul’s mate wasn’t right there standing in his way.

Isabelle Ballantine has been fighting for independence since she was old enough to walk. Now that she's finally out from under her father's shadow, she won't let anyone stand in her way. It's tough living on her own, working in a bar and keeping her true identity a secret, but things start to look up when a sexy new stranger walks into her life. After working side by side for weeks, Izzy can't figure out why he won't make a move. . . To cinch the deal of a lifetime, Adam Marcellus agrees to help Izzy's eccentric father convince his daughter to move home. He'd assumed Izzy would be another spoiled rich princess, but he's surprised to discover his feelings for her are stronger than anything he's ever experienced. When a deranged stalker targets her, Adam finds himself fighting not only an unknown threat--but an unexpected attraction to the one woman he can't have. . .

One week. No future. No past. No more. Alexandria Collins has one week to live carefree—no ghosts of her past or pressures of her future haunting her. Reinventing herself as "Charli," she is knocked off her feet by a sexy, mysterious man who brings her pleasure like she never imagined. With her heart at stake, she forgets that decisions made in the dark of night reappear in the bright light of day. "Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.” Lennox "Nox" Demetri is wealthy, confident, and decisive—he knows what he wants. From the first time he sees Charli at an exclusive resort, he knows he wants her. Although he is usually the one to make the rules, together they agree on one: One week. No more. When betrayal comes from those closest to Alexandria, she must decide how far she is willing to go to survive. Choices are not always easy, especially when they involve the heart, body, and soul. After all, Infidelity is a business, and some rules are meant to be broken. "Is it really cheating if you're doing it to yourself?" From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants, and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, this new epic dark romance will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next. Have you been Aleatha'd? BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

After growing up dirt poor in a seedy Chicago neighborhood, Matt Tremont seemingly has it all now—brains, brawn, and billions. And most importantly, Noah, his five-year-old son, the one good outcome of a disastrous relationship that destroyed his last ounce of trust. The only thing he’s lacking is the perfect nanny for his son. And Ariana Jones is absolute perfection. Utterly enchanting. Completely fascinating. And totally off limits. Like a match made in heaven, this is Ari's dream job. Swallowed up in the foster care system after losing her brother and mother, Ari has always dreamed of family. She showers five-year-old Noah with all the love she’s kept bottled up inside. Love she could also offer to her gorgeous billionaire boss—if only he weren’t the very last man she could ever hope to have. But when sizzling sparks of attraction turn into a forbidden, sinfully hot night of pleasure, will Ari’s love be enough to make Matt forget the past and love fearlessly?

The second in the incredible new Rules of Scoundrels series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean. Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross. Like any good scientist, Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion—the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting... and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts—and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

"I believe it was the old Egyptians – a very wise people, probably indeed much wiser than we know for in the leisure of their ample centuries they had time to think out things – who declared that each individual personality is made up of six or seven different elements, although the Bible only allows us three, namely body soul and spirit..." Wanting to learn if he can communicate with deceased loved ones, adventurer and trader Allan Quatermain seeks a meeting with the feared Zulu witch-doctor Zikali. He tells Allan he must seek out a great white sorceress who rules a hidden kingdom far to the north, and he charges Allan to take a message to her. En route, Quatermain encounters emigrant Scotsmen, cannibals, witch doctors, the beautiful Inez, and of course the mysterious She, or Ayesha. Although third in order of publication, this book is first in the chronology of the adventures of She.

When ex-Special Ops bad-ass Mace walks into Needle's Kiss tattoo parlour, he never expected to find the girl who would turn his life upside down. Hard as nails Scarlett has been unlucky in love: she’s been burnt, chewed up and spat out. Reluctant to have another relationship, can she keep her wits about her when hot-as-sin Mace walks into her tattoo parlor? Or will he break her down and leave his mark within her ink? What starts out as a little fun, turns into something so much more. Can Scarlett look beyond Mace's devastating past or will his demons come back to haunt them both? Content warning: contains steamy, anywhere-goes sex, an alcohol induced embarrassing night out and two headstrong lovers taken on a whirlwind of crazy.

When Nikolai Balenescu and his brother stop by a small, out of the way planet called Jayron to deliver some goods, they have no idea what’s in store for them. Nikolai is immediately attacked by a fierce, gorgeous little prince named Jagger, who takes the Lycan shifter away in chains. Nikolai allows himself to be disarmed because he instantly recognizes the prince as his mate, and he’s willing to play along until he can figure out why his ship was attacked and how he’s now going to save his prince from his fearsome Lycan family who will be coming for him, intent on revenge. Meanwhile, Prince Jagger decides he’ll take the gorgeous Lycan as his love slave and puts him in chains. At first Nikolai is angry, but soon decides that being a love slave to his beautiful mate is an idea he’s only too happy to go along with.

Noah Kincaid arrives ready to roll up his sleeves and revitalize his new purchase, but he's going to need some help. An ad in the local paper brings and improbably candidate his way. "Pastor's assistant" is not a phrase that springs to mind when Noah meets brassy, beautiful Ellie Baldwin. With her colorful clothes and even more colorful past, Ellie needs a respectable job so she can regain custody of her children. Noah can't help but admire her spunk and determination, and she may just be the breath of fresh air he needs. The unlikely duo may come from two different worlds, but they have more in common than anyone would have expected. And in Virgin River lasting happiness is never out of the question.

**Return to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s sensual and painfully beautiful Guild Hunter world in her new novel of sacrifice, loyalty, and the choices of love that can shatter the heart.** In the wake of a brutal war, the archangel Raphael and his hunter consort, Elena, are dealing with the treacherously shifting tides of archangelic politics and the people of a battered but not broken city. The last thing their city needs is more death, especially a death that bears the eerie signature of an insane enemy archangel who cannot— * should not*—be walking the streets. This hunt must be undertaken with stealth and without alerting their people. It must be handled by those who can become shadows themselves… Ash is a gifted tracker and a woman cursed with the ability to sense the secrets of anyone she touches. But there’s one man she knows all too well without a single instant of skin contact: Janvier, the dangerously sexy Cajun vampire who has fascinated and infuriated her for years. Now, as they track down a merciless killer, their cat-and-mouse game of flirtation and provocation has turned into a profound one of the heart. And this time, it is Ash’s secret, dark and terrible, that threatens to destroy them both.

Betrayal has forced us on the run. Evading the very man I considered my family, the organization I once considered good. In hiding, I need to master my new power and find peace with my bonded guardian--or risk exposure. But my heart can't accept the events that led us here. I need answers. Closure. An olive branch is offered and another trap is sprung. While my relationships grow stronger by the day, new tensions arise and ghosts of my past appear. But can anyone be trusted? I'm Kit Davenport and I didn't see that one coming.

After a century of longing, the instinct for survival unites a betrayed woman and a cursed man in this seductive Carpathian novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.Ivory Malinov’s only brethren are the wolves. Abandoned by her family, and cast out by everyone she held dear, Ivory has lived centuries without love. She has sustained her sanity by preparing for one purpose—to destroy her greatest enemy. Then she picks up the scent of a man. Her salvation. Her lifemate. The curse of all Carpathian women.Branded a criminal, Razvan is a dragonseeker borne of a great Carpathian lineage, only to be raised as its most despised captive enemy. Escaping from imprisonment, Razvan now seeks the dawn to end his terrible existence. Instead he has found his deliverance in Ivory, the Dark Slayer. In spirit, in flesh and blood, in love, and in war, Ivory and Razvan are made for each other. For as long as they dare to live.INCLUDES BONUS CONTENT!

*"We're all cursed—every single one of us."* Lana Peri isn't afraid of telling anyone exactly what she thinks, even if it gets her into trouble—which it usually does. But the thing is, she can't lie. Her unfiltered honesty doesn’t exactly make her many friends, although it does get her kicked out of class regularly. Lana knows the truth will eventually be her undoing. If only she’d known it would begin today. It’s meant to be a night Lana and her best friends will never forget. And it is... for all the wrong reasons. Lana witnesses not just one, but two violent crimes committed by the same person. Except she can't say a word. Not if she wants to protect her friends. Lana’s silence will implicate her and inadvertently cover for *him*. But it’s not like she has a choice. *He* is powerful. Connected. Untouchable. And a friend of Joey Harrison—the guy Lana is uncharacteristically drawn to the moment they meet. Joey’s also the only one who is told the truth. *His* lies will ruin her. Her silence will keep them safe. The truth won’t save any of them.

As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn't fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ--a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit--Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons...

Round the Fire Stories shows Arthur Conan Doyle at his finest. These seventeen tales of suspense, murder, ghosts, unsolved crimes and inexplicable happenings were written to be read 'round the fire' on a winter's night. With intriguing titles such as 'The Pot of Caviare', 'The Brazilian Cat' and 'The Brown Hand', the stories are utterly compelling and are guaranteed to entertain and exhilarate.

Double-crossed again, B is confused, enraged and broken. But the battle isn’t over. The end is nigh, but there are plenty of horrors to come. And who will survive? The Zombies? The humans? Or worse…? ‘Zachary…’ Dr Oystein murmurs. ‘No,’ Owl Man replies. ‘There has been enough bloodshed. I know there must be more before this is through, but let’s not kill those we can afford to spare. You and I are monsters, but we have to draw the line somewhere. Let’s draw it here.’ Dr Oystein looks troubled, but he nods reluctantly. Owl Man turns to the girl again. ‘Leave your walkie-talkie,’ he says. ‘Return to County Hall. Tell Mr Dowling that you found me with Becky Smith and Dr Oystein. Tell him it’s over. The outcome has been decided, since we have what Becky stole from him.’

Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of wedding planning, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend, Gabriel, are coming along smoothly. That is, until she turns a fatally wounded teenage acquaintance, and the Council pronounces her responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst. Jane’s kitchen barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased grandma Ruthie has declared war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake she can’t even eat seems downright relaxing in comparison. Tensions inside the house are growing . . . and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that, at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of. . . . “A chuckle-inducing, southern-fried version of Stephanie Plum. ” — Booklist