The thrills take to the seas in the latest breakneck-speed adventure from ace storyteller Gordon Korman. Aiden and Meg Falconer are on the hunt for the one man who might be able to free their parents from jail. The hitch? There are plenty of other people on the hunt for THEM, including the FBI and an eerie, hairless killer. After one close call too many, the Falconers find themselves stowed away on a ship -- but the chase doesn't end there. Instead, it moves to close quarters, where every step, every breath, could get them caught.

A compelling novel of revenge told with wit and skill.Ned Maddstone has the world at his feet. He is handsome, talented and about to go to Cambridge, after which he is expected to follow his father into politics. But an unfortunate confrontation with a boy in his school results in a prank that goes badly wrong and suddenly he's incarcerated - without chance of release. So begins a year long process of torment and hopelessness, which will destroy his very identity, until almost nothing remains of him but this unquenchable desire for revenge. Inspired by the Count of Monte Cristo, Fry's psychological thriller is written with the pace, wit and shrewd insight that we have come to expect from one of our finest novelists.

The Barnes & Noble Review With the debut of his first young-adult novel, science fiction writer Terry Pratchett invites readers ages 12 and up to visit Discworld -- an imaginary land well known to Pratchett's adult following. At the heart of this tale is a slightly twisted take on the old Pied Piper theme, a talking, thinking cat named Maurice, and a supporting cast of equally talented rats who bear such comical names as Big Savings, Nourishing, and Dangerous Beans. Maurice and the rats have teamed up with a young lad named Keith to implement a clever moneymaking scheme. Upon entering a town, the rats make a general nuisance of themselves -- stealing food and widdling on things -- until the townsfolk become desperate to get rid of them. Then Maurice and Keith appear on the scene and offer to save the day by ridding the town of its infestation for a small fee. It seems like a surefire plan until the group arrives in the town of Bad Blintz and gets hooked up with Malicia, a young girl with a vivid imagination and a knack for finding trouble. When it's discovered that Bad Blintz already has a rat problem -- one that a couple of shifty-eyed rat catchers claim to have under control -- things turn deadly. For lurking beneath the town's streets is an obstacle course of mangling rattraps and noxious poisons. And beyond that is a monster so powerful and ugly, even Malicia couldn't imagine it. As Maurice and the rats battle for their very survival, a number of provocative themes surface: life after death, good versus evil, and the sacrifice of the few for the many. But be forewarned -- those in search of lighter fare in these troubled times may not find what they are looking for in Pratchett's vision Despite plenty of razor-sharp wit and lighthearted moments, this tale has an underbelly as dark as the tunnels beneath Bad Blintz. Though The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is deeply witty and engaging, some readers may find parts of the story -- descriptions of how some of the rats die and how others eat their dead -- rather intense. (Beth Amos)

Set in Brooklyn, this gripping mystery begins when attractive, level-headed Sylvia Gellburg suddenly loses her ability to walk. The only clue to her mysterious ailment lies in her obsession with news accounts from Germany.

Who will be next? Though former FBI Special Agent Sloane Burbank once survived a life-threatening injury in the line of duty, she now uses her specialized skills as an independent consultant. But when one of her closest childhood friends mysteriously disappears, Sloane takes the case—even though her ex-lover Derek Parker is the FBI agent in charge. Special Agent Derek Parker has no time to spare for a dead-end case—especially since it would mean working with a woman he never expected to see again. But as more women disappear and others turn up brutally murdered, he and Sloane come to the sickening realization that these random crimes are linked to the same crazed killer, a fiend with a mind so psychotic, so twisted, that it will take everything Sloane has to capture him—even as she becomes his latest target.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood introduces the beloved Clayborne family in this passionate novel. The four Clayborne brothers were a rough gang of street urchins—until they found an abandoned baby girl in a New York City alley, named her Mary Rose, and headed to Blue Belle, Montana, to raise her to be a lady. They became a family—held together by loyalty and love if not blood—when suddenly a stranger threatened to tear them apart... Lord Harrison Stanford MacDonald brandishes a six-shooter and a swagger, but he soon proves to be a gentleman to the core. The brothers have taught him frontier survival, while Mary Rose has touched his heart with a deep and desperate passion. But soon, a shattering secret will challenge everything Mary Rose believes about herself, her life, and her newfound love. **Amazon.com Review Mary Rose Clayborne is as well-protected by her four adoptive brothers as any woman in Blue Belle, Montana could be--until Lord Harrison Stanford MacDonald comes to town and she finds herself falling in love. How can Mary Rose keep her family together and learn to accept Harrison's questionable past? This story of love and adventure in the Old West will keep you turning the pages. From Publishers Weekly In 1879, British lawyer Harrison MacDonald is on a mission to find the long-lost daughter of his employer, the powerful industrialist Lord Elliott. His search takes him from London to the majestic mountains of Montana, where he finds Mary Rose Clayborne, a breathtaking beauty with four tough brothers. Harrison infiltrates the family by playing on Mary Rose's generosity, but instead of uncovering whoever kidnapped Mary Rose as an infant, he finds a loud and argumentative, though warm and caring, family. Harrison fights his growing desire for Mary Rose but fails, and soon the two are married. When Harrison confesses the truth behind his charade, the bride feels betrayed by her new husband, but follows him to England to meet her father and to snare the real kidnapper. Even Garwood's more loyal fans may be dissatisfied with her lifeless narrative and slow pacing here, as well as with the endless parade of new secondary characters. The only saving grace is the outrageous behavior of the heroine and her siblings, as wild as the Old West in which they live. Doubleday Book Club main selection. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Nigerian civil war of the late 1960s was one of the first occasions when Western consciences were awakened and deeply affronted by the level of the suffering and the scale of the atrocity being played out in the African Continent. This book which marked Frederick Forsyth's transition from journalist to author is a record of one of the most brutal conflicts the Third World has ever suffered, it has become a classic of modern war reporting. But it is more than that. It voices one man's outrage not only at the extremes of human violence, but also at the duplicity and self-interest of the Western Governments - most notably, the British, who tacitly accepted or actively aided that violence. The combination of the dramatic events and the shocking exposures combined with the author's forthright and perceptive style makes The Biafra Story as compelling a read today as when it was first written.

THE FIRST BODY IS A MYSTERY. She's young. She's beautiful. And her corpse, laid out in the office of Boston medical examiner Kat Novak, betrays no secrets - except for a matchbook clutched in one stiff hand, seven numbers scrawled inside. THE NEXT BODY IS A WARNING. When a second victim is discovered, Kat begins to fear that a serial killer is stalking the streets. The police are sceptical. The mayor won't listen. And Kat's chief suspect is one of the town's most prominent citizens. THE FINAL BODY . . . MIGHT BE HERS. With the death toll rising, Kat races to expose a deadly predator who is closer than she ever dreamt. And every move she makes could be her very last.

Rune August embraces her life in New York City in 1894. She has lived again and again through many different time periods but has never found tranquility until she walked into St. Agnes Home for Orphans. In her heart, she believes she has found a place she can call home. She will do everything she can to give the children in the orphanage a better life. When a developer sets his sights on the property she and the children call home, she doesn’t hesitate to fight back - and win. But that win comes at a terrible price... her life… casting her once again into the shadows. Refusing to leave the children unprotected, she watches over and protects them in a different form… as the beloved statue in their center garden. But her time as the children’s guardian angel draws to a close when the orphanage is renovated. Rune finds herself packed away and sold. Her new home is now far away from the familiar streets of New York and the children she loves. Sergei Vasiliev and his best friend and bodyguard, Dimitri Mihailov, run one of the most powerful computer software development companies in the world. Both men carry deep scars from their life on the streets and from living in the world of the ultra-rich. Sergei knows men want him for his power and women want him for his money. Dimitri knows that some men and women would do anything to gain the secrets their company is developing. Their lives change when Sergei purchases a statue for their home outside of Moscow. There is something about the statue of the young woman that touches an unexpected need deep inside both of them. An impulsive purchase and a simple wish will change their lives forever. For anyone who touches Rune learns that love and hope are what makes the world a better place. Can she warm the hearts of two bitter, scarred men before the last petal falls from the Christmas rose that grows in the garden that has become her new home or will she be forever frozen, destined to only love them from afar?

The Human-Covenant war rages on as the alien juggernaut sweeps inexorably toward its final goal: destruction of all human life! Halo has been destroyed, and the threat it posed to sentient life, neutralized. But victory has come at a terrible cost for the UNSC. Thousands of valiant soldiers fell in the battle to prevent the alien construct from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Now, everything depends on the Spartan known as the “Master Chief.” Yet even with the aid of the artificial intelligence Cortana, the Master Chief will be hard-pressed to rescue survivors and evade the Covenant ships patrolling the remains of Halo in debris-strewn space. Ahead lies a dangerous voyage home, through a gauntlet of Covenant forces. For the sake of all, the Master Chief and his war-torn squad must not only survive, but take the fight to the enemy with a decisive first strike. This novel is based on a Mature-rated video game. Bungie, Halo, Xbox, the Microsoft Game Studios logo and the Xbox Logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. © 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

"I stared in horror at what confronted me. The likeness was uncanny. It had the same long, brown hair and hazel eyes as my own, but the ghoulish grin was hideous. Numb with shock, I stood there, my mind reeling with confusion and panic. It took every last reserve of self-control, to contain the frightened screams that I felt bubbling inside. My mouth agape, I could not take my eyes from the ugly f"I stared in horror at what confronted me. The likeness was uncanny. It had the same long, brown hair and hazel eyes as my own, but the ghoulish grin was hideous. Numb with shock, I stood there, my mind reeling with confusion and panic. It took every last reserve of self-control, to contain the frightened screams that I felt bubbling inside. My mouth agape, I could not take my eyes from the ugly figure that had been shoved into the back of my locker..." This extract begins the story of "Julia Jones - The Teenage Years". Book One, 'Falling Apart' continues on from the suspenseful and best selling "Julia Jones' Diary" series but is even more gripping and exciting than ever before. Julia is now a typical teenage girl but has abruptly and unexpectedly been thrown into turmoil by the forced relocation of her family back to their old home in the city. She attempts to come to terms with her dilemma by reconnecting with her old friend, Millie Spencer and also the love of her life, Blake Jansen. However, on arrival at her old house, she soon learns that circumstances have changed dramatically during the time she was away and the days that follow seem to unravel in a series of escalating drama and events. Although Julia tries to maintain control, her life seems to snowball towards an all consuming disaster which she appears powerless to prevent. Julia finds that her choices surrounding love, friends, wild parties and rebellious teenage behavior tend to result in dire consequences and repercussions of the worst kind. What is the cause of Julia's misery and how does she deal with the challenges in her path? This is a book filled with unexpected plot twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. For die-hard Julia Jones' fans as well as those who are new to the series, this book will not disappoint. Don't miss out on the suspenseful journey of Julia Jones, complete with romance, drama, friendship issues and much, much more. This fabulous book for teenage girls contains all the elements of an exciting story that girls of all ages will enjoy.

It Was Always You, a Gaming The System short Friends discover their feelings are more than that but timing has never been on their side. When Jeremy, her brother’s best friend, came back into her life, Michaela cursed the fact that she was in a relationship with someone else. But now that she’s free, he’s dating her roommate. This is a contemporary romance novella with a happy ending. The characters exist in the same world as Brenna Aubrey’s bestselling Gaming The System series, but you don’t need to have read any of those books to enjoy this story.

In this collection of twelve dark, unerring and surprising short stories, John Boyne explores the extremities of the human condition in all its brilliance and brutality. The secrets we keep and the ways in which they shape us, the impossibility of shared loss, the lengths we will go to in order to protect our families and the distance we will run to protect ourselves. Drawing on a host of enthralling characters – a farmer, a cuckold and a teenager exploring his sexuality; good parents, bad parents, writers and soldiers; a student, a rent boy and a hitman – Boyne examines the hopeful and the damaged without prejudice or judgement. This, his first collection of short stories, is some of John Boyne’s finest writing to date. It includes ‘Rest Day’ which won the 2015 Writing.ie Short Story of the Year award in Ireland.

Mastyr Seth craves his shifter bodyguard, Lorelei, but with her close connection to the enemy, how can he ever trust her? He’s lived a solitary life and needs no one… Mastyr Vampire Seth craves Lorelei, his new bodyguard, but he has a hands-off policy with those under his command. However, the sexy glint in her eye, as well as her wolf-shifter ways, keeps him in a fevered state. He’s lived a life of enforced solitude as Mastyr of Walvashorr Realm, but when the enemy arrives, ready to invade his land, he must rely on his bodyguard more than he ever dreamed possible. So much proximity breaks through his resistance and he takes the woman, marking her in a shocking shifter way that overturns his careful, analytical world. But when her connection to the enemy puts his realm in danger, how can he embrace a serious relationship with her? She’s loved him from the first moment she saw him… Lorelei guards Seth night after night, her heart on fire. She’s loved him from the time she snuck into his workout room and watched him go through his rigid exercise routine. Now serving as his bodyguard, she wants to take her relationship with the Mastyr of Walvashorr to the next level, but Seth holds back. That he desires her comes through in his wicked mossy scent, which in turn ignites her inner wolf. When he finally gives in to his own cravings and makes his move, she shows him how hot shifter-love can be. But will she ever be more than just his bodyguard?

A wonderful middle-grade novel narrated by Kenny, 9, about his middle-class black family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. When Kenny's 13-year-old brother, Byron, gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up. And they happen to be in Birmingham when Grandma's church is blown up.

Charles Bukowski was one of America's best-known writers abnd one of its most influential and imitated poets. Although he published over 45 books of poetry, hundreds of his poems were kept by him and his publisher for posthumous publication, This is the first collection of these unique poems, which Bukowski considered to be among his best work.

If you are a fan of The Keatyn Chronicles, you will love reconnecting with your favorite characters as adults. In reality TV form, this series follows the lives and loves of those who work at Captive Films. Hot, successful, playboy Riley Johnson, whose business success far exceeds his success in love. Movie star, Keatyn Douglas, whose epic love story has spawned a series of books and movies. And Dawson Johnson, who joins Captive with a tragic past. Expect lots of drama, sex, and tabloid-worthy events. Released in serial format much like a TV series, the first season contains 6 episodes. If you prefer to read it all at once, all episodes are available as Captive Films: Season One. Season 1 Episode 3 This series is meant for readers 18+.

Emery You want to know my secrets? What lies beneath the pretty? The scars I can’t let anyone see? The scars tied to my secrets? On the outside I appear normal. Some might even say perfect. They say that I’m a pretty girl. They say I should be happy. They say that I have nothing to be angry about. That I’m popular. A cheerleader. That I’m perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. But all they see is what’s on the outside. On the inside I’m raw, open, bleeding. Scars that can’t seem to heal the wounds. Carrying dark secrets about who I really am. How afraid I am to tell the truth. And it’s slowly killing me. Ryler Tattoos. Piercing. Scars. The guy who can’t speak. Gothic freak. Mute. Punk. I’ve heard it all. They say that I’m probably dangerous. They say people should stay away from me. They say. They say. They say. But who are they anyway? To decide what I am. They don’t know what’s hidden beneath the scars. Beneath the piercings and tattoos. The secrets I keep hidden beneath the silence. Maybe if they knew, they wouldn’t fear me so much. Then again, maybe they’d fear me more. Unbeautiful: A Novella Series (Part One)