Thin Air

      Michelle Paver
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In 1935, young medic Stephen Pearce travels to India to join an expedition with his brother, Kits. The elite team of five will climb Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain and one of mountaineering's biggest killers. No one has scaled it before, and they are, quite literally, following in the footsteps of one of the most famous mountain disasters of all time - the 1907 Lyell Expedition. Five men lost their lives back then, overcome by the atrocious weather, misfortune and 'mountain sickness' at such high altitudes. Lyell became a classic British hero when he published his memoir, Bloody, But Unbowed, which regaled his heroism in the face of extreme odds. It is this book that will guide this new group to get to the very top. As the team prepare for the epic climb, Pearce's unease about the expedition deepens. The only other survivor of the 1907 expedition, Charles Tennant, warns him off. He hints of dark things ahead and tells Pearce that, while five men lost their lives on the mountain, only four were laid to rest. But Pearce is determined to go ahead and complete something that he has dreamed of his entire life. As they get higher and higher, and the oxygen levels drop, he starts to see dark things out of the corners of his eyes. As macabre mementoes of the earlier climbers turn up on the trail, Stephen starts to suspect that Charles Lyell's account of the tragedy was perhaps not the full story...

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    Haunting Blackie

      Laurann Dohner
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Eve’s mission is to rescue cyborgs from termination centers on Earth. In exchange, she and her sisters will go with them when they flee the planet. She is blindsided by the overwhelming attraction that draws her to one of them. He’s handsome, sexy, and she wants him, craves his touch as she has no other. She must send him to freedom but she makes him promise to wait for her. Blackie cannot forget the courageous woman who saved him. He never learned whether she died during the rebellion or just changed her mind about leaving with him but he holds her within his lonely heart. He exists to serve the Cyborg Council and to protect the new world cyborgs have created. But that all changes when he discovers the woman who haunts his dreams is alive and the cyborg leaders left her behind to die. He’ll never lose her again and he’ll fight his own kind to avenge her and keep her by his side.

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    Clarissa, Or, the History of a Young Lady

      Samuel Richardson
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Pressured by her unscrupulous family to marry a wealthy man she detests, the young Clarissa Harlowe is tricked into fleeing with the witty and debonair Robert Lovelace and places herself under his protection. Lovelace, however, proves himself to be an untrustworthy rake whose vague promises of marriage are accompanied by unwelcome and increasingly brutal sexual advances. And yet, Clarissa finds his charm alluring, her scrupulous sense of virtue tinged with unconfessed desire. Told through a complex series of interweaving letters, "Clarissa" is a richly ambiguous study of a fatally attracted couple and a work of astonishing power and immediacy. A huge success when it first appeared in 1747, and translated into French and German, it remains one of the greatest of all European novels. Its rich ambiguities - our sense of Clarissa's scrupulous virtue tinged with intimations of her capacity for self-deception in matters of sex; the wicked and amusing faces of Lovelace, who must be easily the most charming villain in English literature - give the story extraordinary psychological momentum. .

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    Black Cross

      Greg Iles
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It is January 1944 — and as Allied troops prepare for D-day, Nazi scientists develop a toxic nerve gas that will repel and wipe out any invasion force. To salvage the planned assault, two vastly different but equally determined men are sent to infiltrate the secret concentration camp where the poison gas is being perfected on human subjects. Their only objective: destroy all traces of the gas and the men who created it — no matter how many lives may be lost...including their own. Stunning....From the very first page, Greg Iles takes his readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride, juxtaposing tension-filled action scenes, horrifying depictions of savage cruelty, and heart-stopping descriptions of sacrifice and bravery. A remarkable story from a remarkable writer.” — Booklist

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    Eustace and Hilda

      L. P. Hartley
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The three books gathered together as Eustace and Hilda explore a brother and sister’s lifelong relationship. Hilda, the older child, is both self-sacrificing and domineering, as puritanical as she is gorgeous; Eustace is a gentle, dreamy, pleasure-loving boy: the two siblings could hardly be more different, but they are also deeply devoted. And yet as Eustace and Hilda grow up and seek to go their separate ways in a world of power and position, money and love, their relationship is marked by increasing pain. L. P. Hartley’s much-loved novel, the magnum opus of one of twentieth-century England’s best writers, is a complex and spellbinding work: a comedy of upper-class manners; a study in the subtlest nuances of feeling; a poignant reckoning with the ironies of character and fate. Above all, it is about two people who cannot live together or apart, about the ties that bind—and break.

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    The Compleat Traveller in Black

      John Brunner
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This is a collection of stories of the Traveller in Black. It is set in a world where chaos rules. One man - the man with many names, but one nature - is charged with creating order out of the warring forces of nature. Contents: Imprint of Chaos (1960) Break the Door of Hell (1966) The Wager Lost by Winning (1970) The Things That Are Gods (1979) Dread Empire (1971)

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    The Jewel in the Skull

      Michael Moorcock
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Fantasy legend Michael Moorcock won hundreds of thousands of readers with his vast and imaginative multiverse, in which Law and Chaos wage war through endless alternative universes, struggling over the fundamental rules of existence. Moorcock's heroes of the multiverse have been lauded as some of the most influential characters in fantasy. Among the Eternal Champions, Dorian Hawkmoon is one of the most loved. In the far future, Hawkmoon is pulled unwillingly into a war that will eventually pit him against the ruthless Baron Meliadus and the armies of the Dark Empire. Antique cities, scientific sorcery, and crystalline machines serve as a backdrop to this high adventure. Dorian Hawkmoon, the last Duke of Koln, swore to destroy the Dark Empire of Granbretan. But after his defeat and capture at the hands of the vast forces of the Empire. Hawkmoon becomes a puppet co-opted by his arch nemesis to infiltrate the last stronghold of rebellion against Granbretan, the small but powerful city of Kamarang. He's been implanted with a black jewel, through whose power the Dark Empire can control his every decision. But in the city of Kamarang, Hawkmoon discovers the power inside him to overcome any control, and his vengeance against the Dark Empire is filled with an unrelenting fury.

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    Brightness Reef

      David Brin
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David Brin's Uplift novels--Sundiver, Hugo award winner The Uplift War, and Hugo and Nebula winner Startide Rising--are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction tales ever written.  Now David Brin returns to this future universe for a new Uplift trilogy, packed with adventure, passion and wit. The planet Jijo is forbidden to settlers, its ecology protected by guardians of the Five Galaxies.  But over the centuries it has been resettled, populated by refugees of six intelligent races.  Together they have woven a new society in the wilderness, drawn together by their fear of Judgment Day, when the Five Galaxies will discover their illegal colony.  Then a strange starship arrives on Jijo.  Does it bring the long-dreaded judgment, or worse--a band of criminals willing to destroy the six races of Jijo in order to cover their own crimes?

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    The Guardians: Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King

      William Joyce
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This boxed set of the first three Guardians books is the perfect companion to the Rise of the Guardians movie! Of course you know the Guardians. You’ve known them since before you can remember and you’ll know them till your memories are like twilight: Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the others. But where did they come from? How did they become beloved and worthy of holidays? And what nefarious evildoer prompts them to band together and protect the children of the world? Answers are revealed and imaginations unfurl in this this treasure trove of a boxed set. Both a standalone collectible and the ideal complement to the mesmerizing Dreamworks Animation movie Rise of the Guardians, this set includes the first three titles in the Guardians chapter book series: Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth’s Core!, and Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies.

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    Stunning

      Sara Shepard
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Now a hit ABC Family TV show, Sara Shepard’s #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series continues with Stunning. In the eleventh novel, A is still out there, lurking in the shadows and digging up the liars’ latest secrets. . . Emily’s reconnecting with an old flame, one baby step at a time. But is she headed toward true love or another bundle of heartache? Spencer’s learning about the highs and lows of campus life on a trip to Princeton. Aria’s seeing a whole new side to Noel’s dad—and it could drive a wedge between her and Noel. And, for better or worse, Hanna’s getting in touch with her inner A. Secret by secret, lie by lie, the girls get tangled in A’s dangerous web. Soon A will have enough ammunition to pull the trigger and end the pretty little liars, once and for all….

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    Med Ship Man

      Murray Leinster
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His work was healing the sick-but this planet was already dead! Calhoun regarded the communicator with something like exasperation as his taped voice repeated a standard approach-call for the twentieth time. But no answer came, which had become irritating a long time ago. This was a new Med Service sector for Calhoun. He'd been assigned to another man's tour of duty because the other man had been taken down with romance. He'd gotten married, which ruled him out for Med Ship duty. So now Calhoun listened to his own voice endlessly repeating a call that should have been answered immediately.

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    Prelude

      Kassandra Alvarado
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An average New Yorker stumbles upon a world he never knew existed.Zac Quinn's life has been touched by the darkside in more ways than one. His search for the truth about his brother's disappearance leads him to cross paths with a mysterious woman with a curse of her own. She is the sole remnant of a nearly defunct organization who hunted creatures of the night.

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    Crossroads (Crossroads Academy #1)

      J.J. Bonds
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When Katia enrolled at Crossroads Academy she knew things weren’t exactly going to be easy. The sole heir to the worlds’ most powerful vampire, her presence was bound to cause a stir. But nothing could have prepared her for this. Whispers follow everywhere she goes. So does trouble.Nothing at Crossroads is what it seems and Katia’s secrets may be the darkest of them all.When Katia enrolled at Crossroads Academy she knew things weren’t exactly going to be easy. The sole heir to the worlds’ most powerful vampire, her presence was bound to cause a stir. But nothing could have prepared her for this. Whispers follow everywhere she goes. So does trouble.Bodies start turning up in nearby Rutland and Katia is sucked into a twisted web of danger and deceit. Haunted by nightmares she can’t explain and a thirst for blood that is never sated, Katia will do whatever it takes to keep her past buried.Nothing at Crossroads is what it seems and Katia’s secrets may be the darkest of them all.

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    Nature Girl

      Carl Hiaasen
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In his latest New York Times bestseller, Hiaasen introduces impassioned, possibly bipolar, self-proclaimed queen of lost causes Honey Santana, who schemes to help rid the world of irresponsibility, indifference, and dinnertime sales calls.

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    BlueK Dynasty: The 1st Seven Days

      M. O. McLeod
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Kurma and Santino lives will be changed dramatically.Santino is transformed into a carnivorous Phantom who feeds on humans.Kurma is transformed into a Raptor, a blue-winged creature that feeds on Phantoms.Both must come to terms with their new identity, and quickly. Only one species can come out on top.During the first seven days will Santino stand in Kurma's way and dominate over all?Two new species, Raptors and Phantoms, have been released upon the Mega-City of Alexandria and only one of them can come out on top of the food chain.Santino, an outgoing, handsome eighteen year old, is transformed into a flesh eating Phantom, who feeds on humans...decreasing the human population—one person at a time.In response to the new species that is now rampant and rapidly taking over Alexandria, Kurma, an insecure yet ambitious seventeen year old, is transformed into a Raptor, a blue winged creature that feeds on Phantoms. In the first seven days while Santino does the dirty work of eliminating the human species, Kurma is intent on building a race of Raptors that will have complete domination over the city of Alexandria.Kurma's old life is over and she has the opportunity to be someone that she never dared to dream about. Is Kurma overcompensating or will her ambitious attitude take her to the top? Will Santino stand in her way or simply be a mere stepping stone?

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    Killerwatt

      Sharon Woods Hopkins
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Banker Rhetta McCarter’s ongoing battles usually involve mortgage loans, federal lending regulations, threats of bulges on her butt, and her closet-drinking husband. But after one of her mortgage clients dies in a mysterious car accident, she stumbles upon evidence of a terrorist plot to wipe out the entire Midwest power grid. No one believes her—not the FBI, local law enforcement, or her husband.Banker Rhetta McCarter’s ongoing battles usually involve mortgage loans, federal lending regulations, threats of bulges on her butt, and her closet-drinking husband. But after one of her mortgage clients dies in a mysterious car accident, she stumbles upon evidence of a terrorist plot to wipe out the entire Midwest power grid. No one believes her—not the FBI, local law enforcement, or her husband. Rhetta convinces her assistant, and loan officer, Woody, a former Marine, to help her stop the attack. Problems mount and time begins running out, leaving Rhetta alone to stop the bad guys. Can she do it? Praise for Killerwatt: “Oh, I love Rhetta McCarter! She's hilarious, smart, savvy, tenacious, loving—and just the teensiest bit stubborn. (Good thing, or her hometown would be in serious trouble.) “Killerwatt” is a high-voltage, high-speed adventure—with humor, heart, and a frighteningly realistic story!” Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Macavity and Agatha-winning author “Feisty amateur sleuth Rhetta McCarter takes us along on a thrilling ride in her '79 Camaro as she tries to stop a terrorist plot that could mean lights out for the country...and for Rhetta! An exciting, fast-paced thriller from a promising debut author.” Sharon Potts, award-winning author of In Their Blood and Someone's Watching

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    The Merchant of Venice (Dover Thrift Editions)

      William Shakespeare
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The Merchant of Venice is an intriguing drama of love, greed, and revenge. At its heart, the play contrasts the characters of the maddened and vengeful Shylock, a Venetian moneylender, with the gracious, level-headed Portia, a wealthy young woman besieged by suitors. At the play's climax, Shylock insists on the enforcement of a binding contract that will cost the life of the merchant Antonio — inciting Portia to mount a memorable defense. In this richly plotted drama, Shylock, whom Shakespeare endowed with all of the depth and vitality of his greatest characters, is not alone in his villainy. In scene after scene, a large cast of ambitious and scheming characters demonstrates that honesty is a quality often strained where matters of love and money are concerned. The gravity and suspense of the play's central plot, together with its romance, have made *The Merchant of Venice* a favorite of audiences, and one of the most studied and performed of Shakespeare's plays. It is reprinted here from an authoritative text, complete with explanatory footnotes. **

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    Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas

      Maya Angelou
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In this third self-contained volume of her autobiography, which began with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou moves into the adult world, and the white world as well, as she marries, enters show business, and tours Europe and Africa in Porgy and Bess. As the book opens, Maya, in order to support herself and her young son, gets a job in a record shop run by a white woman. Suspicious of almost any kindness shown her, she is particularly confused by the special attentions of a young white customer. Soon the relationship grows into love and then marriage, and Maya believes a permanent relationship is finally possible. But it is not to be, and she is again forced to look for work. This time she finds a job as a dancer in a sleazy San Francisco bar. Her remarkable talent, however, soon brings her attention of a different kind, and before long she is singing in one of the most popular nightclubs on the coast. From there, she is called to New York to join the cast of Porgy and Bess, which is just about to begin another tour abroad. The troupe's joyous and dramatic adventure through Italy, France, Greece, Yugoslavia, and Egypt becomes the centerpiece of Singin' and Swingin'. This remarkable portrayal of one of the most exciting and talented casts ever put together, and of the encounters between these larger-than-life personalities and audiences who had rarely seen black people before, makes a hilarious and poignant story. The excitement of the journey -- full of camaraderie, love affairs, and memorable personalities -- is dampened only by Maya's nagging guilt that she has once again abandoned the person she loves most in life, her son. Back home, and driven close to suicide by her guilt and concern, she takes her son with her to Hawaii, where she discovers that devotion and love, in spite of forced absence, have the power to heal and sustain. As always, Maya Angelou's writing is charged with that remarkable sense of life and love and unique celebration of the human condition that have won her such a loyal following. From the Hardcover edition.

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    Consumed by Fire

      Anne Stuart
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Evangeline Morrissey remembers the last time she saw her husband: it was during their honeymoon, right before he stole her grandmother’s earrings and abandoned her. Now, five years later, the enigmatic man who’d broken her heart and destroyed her trust is back. But she’s not the same naive young woman who fell for him so easily. Marrying Evangeline and letting her think he was nothing but a common thief had been James Bishop’s plan all along. As an assassin for the Committee, a covert agency dedicated to stamping out international crime, he had no business even thinking about marriage. But it was the only way to protect Evangeline after she’d unwittingly wandered into his operation against a group of human traffickers, placing herself in grave danger. And now that James’s vigilant watch over Evangeline’s life has revealed to his enemies that she’s his one true weakness, he must set out to have, to hold, and—above all—to protect his bride.

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