Stella is a Star, sent by a Council of Elders to live on Earth and protect the planet from the Darkness, a terrifying evil that would suck the good from every living thing and leave the planet empty and desolate. She has until her twenty-fifth birthday before the Protectorship becomes hers and Earth is left solely her responsibility. Stella’s fate goes on fast forward as she struggles to balance the rest of high school with the duties of protecting humanity from the deadliest kind of evil. With her parents and Seth, the boy intended to be her Counterpart, by her side she faces down demons and fallen angels in an effort to protect the last inhabited planet in the universe. But evil is not her only enemy. She also fights her future as she tries to decide if she’s willing to give up her human relationships, especially that of her best friend Tristan, in order to save humanity.

The darklings will hunt once again. The secret hour when time freezes arrives every night at midnight in Bixby, Oklahoma. It's a dangerous time, when five teenagers are the only humans awake and dark creatures crawl out of the shadows, but at least the midnight hour is regular and predictable. Until suddenly, the blue time comes . . . in the middle of the day. The noise of school stops. Cheerleaders are frozen in midair, teachers brought to a standstill. Everything is the haunted blue color of the midnight hour. The Midnighters can't understand what's happening, but as they scramble for answers, they discover that the walls between the secret hour and real time are crumbling. Soon the dark creatures will have a chance to feed after centuries of waiting, unless these five teenagers can find a way to stop them. A desperate race against time, a mind-blowing mystery of paranormal logic, a tale of ancient evil and spine-chilling sacrifice: blue noon is the exhilarating third volume in the Midnighters series by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE THIRD KITTEN Uncle Wiggily Longears, the nice old gentleman rabbit, came walking slowly up the front path that led to his hollow-stump bungalow. He was limping a little on his red, white and blue striped barber-pole rheumatism crutch that Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, the muskrat lady housekeeper, had gnawed for him out of a corn-stalk. “Well, I’m glad to be home again,” said the rabbit uncle, sitting down on the front porch to rest a minute. And just then the door in the hollow stump opened, and Nurse Jane, looking out, said: “Oh, here he is now, Mrs. Purr.” With that a cat lady came to the door and she said: “Oh, Uncle Wiggily! I thought you never would come back. Did you find her?” “Find who?” asked the rabbit gentleman. “I was not looking for any one. I have just been down to Lincoln Park to see some squirrels who live in a hollow tree. They are second cousins to Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, the squirrels who live in our woods. I had a nice visit with them.” “Then you didn’t find Wuzzo, my third little lost kitten, did you?” asked Mrs. Purr, the cat mother. “What! Is Wuzzo still lost?” asked the bunny uncle, in great surprise. “I thought she had come home.” “No, she hasn’t,” said Mrs. Purr. “You know you found my other kittens, Fuzzo and Muzzo, for me, but Wuzzo, the third little kitten, is still lost. She has been away all night, and I came over here the first thing this morning to see if you would not kindly go look for her. But you had already left and I have been waiting here ever since for you to come back.” “Yes, I stayed longer with the park squirrels than I meant to,” said Uncle Wiggily. “But now I am back I will start off and try to find Wuzzo. It’s too bad your three little kittens ran away.” They had, you know, as I told you in the two stories before this one. The three little kittens ate cherry pie with their new mittens on. And they soiled their mittens. Then they were so afraid their mother, Mrs. Purr, would scold them that they all ran away. But Mrs. Purr was a kind cat, and would not have scolded at all. And when she found her little kittens were gone she asked Uncle Wiggily to find them. “And you did find the first two, Fuzzo and Muzzo,” said the cat lady. “So I am sure you can find the third one, Wuzzo.” “I hope I can,” Uncle Wiggily said. “I remember now I started off to find her, but my rheumatism hurt me so I had to come back to my bungalow. Then I forgot all about Wuzzo. But I’m all right now, and I’ll start off.” So away over the fields and through the woods went Uncle Wiggily, looking for the third little lost kitten. When he had found the two others he had helped them wash the pie-juice off their mittens, so they were nice and clean. And then the kittens were not afraid to go home. Uncle Wiggily looked all over for the third little kitten, under bushes, up in trees (for cats climb trees, you know), and even behind big rocks Uncle Wiggily looked....

A 'traditional style' childrens story about a very timid spider and his friendsA 'traditional style' childrens story about a very timid spider and his friends.

Young men with too much money and not enough sense in Cold War Berlin.A short collection of stories set in 1980's Berlin before the wall came down. Quirky, funny, thought provoking by turns, Ewan Alexander Lawrie's book tells how it might well have been, without falling foul of libel laws.

A big city physical trainer must move back to her hometown to care for her teenage younger brother. There she finds unwanted complications in a good-looking neighbor with a troubled history.Only the news that her father is on his deathbed could bring Los Angeles physical trainer Erica Carmichael back to the town she'd wanted to forget and the parent who'd made her childhood a nightmare with his drunken rages. Her plans for a brief trip home to bid him a wary farewell are quickly complicated, however, by her discovery she's now guardian of her teenage brother. She's well and truly stuck. It might be some consolation that the man next door is handsome and attractive, but Erica doesn't trust her growing feelings for the fellow. He's too good to be true. Sporting goods store owner Brennan Swift is saddened by the passing of his neighbor, a mentor to him in more ways than one. Now Brennan feels responsible for the disposition of his friend's orphaned youngest son. Unfortunately, this involves dealing with the prickly Erica. Brennan is dismayed by his instant attraction to her. He can't afford an involvement. He particularly can't get involved with a woman who doesn't believe in the possibility of a man's redemption - for Brennan has his own dark history.

In Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends, Apple White and Raven Queen faced off in a hexciting battle between destiny and choice. Here is the story within their story: The Tale of Two Sisters, the spellbinding tale found in the basement of Ever After High. Get the full fairytelling in this exclusive short story by Newbery Honor author Shannon Hale!

Lily Owens, ed. Illustrated edition of 159 cherished tales that have enchanted readers for generations. Includes "The Ugly Duckling", "The Emperor's New Clothes", "Snow Queen", all uncut with beautiful illustrations.

Vince, a single father, is diagnosed with terminal cancer when he already has far too much to worry about. He debates how to use his remaining time. He knows he needs to spend more time with his son, but he also finds room for romance with his longtime partner, Angela. Together they take a journey of love and faith that teaches them the true meaning of grace amidst turmoil.Join over 90,000 readers worldwide and get swept away with Vince and Angela in CHASING CHARLIE, a must-read for romantics of all kinds!C. M. Newman's debut novel has been the #1 best seller on Kindle's Religious Romance, Christian Inspirational Romance, and Christian Fiction lists.Chasing Charlie has also been the #5 best-seller in the free Amazon Kindle store.Vince Glasser, an overworked federal agent and single father with a troubled past, already has enough on his plate when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He deals with it the only way he knows how--by fighting the illness with everything he has in him. Along his path toward a certain end, he mends relations with his estranged brother, reexamines his faith, prepares his son to live life without his parents, and finally finds room for romance with his longtime partner, Angela Hawkins.Angela finds herself falling in love not only with Vince, but also with his young son, Charlie. In caring for both of them, she sees that despite decades-old mistakes that have left her in a pattern of empty relationships, she can still find redemption and have the family she's always wanted. But a nagging feeling tells her that death isn't the only thing that threatens to tear her new family from her grasp.Amidst the struggles of a family with an expiration date, between the medicine and the meltdowns, Angela and Vince learn the true meaning of grace. See what other readers are talking about as you witness Vince and Angela find each other - and God - just in time.

A collection of micro-fiction and flash fiction with a food-related theme. From a screaming salad to other-worldly sweets, from humor to mystery, this is a plateful of tasty tidbits.Featuring gripping Independent authors from around the world, FUSION is the first collection of short works published by Breakwater Harbor Books. Contributing heart-pumping tales of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Crime are seven stories that will thrill and rivet you. Authors from across a wide variety of genres, Dee Harrison, Ivan Amberlake, Claire C. Riley, Scott J. Toney, Mindy Haig, Cara Goldthorpe and C.M.T. Stibbe. The Sliver of Abilon – A Mirrorsmith Tale – 'and you thought it was safe to look in the mirror?'Diary of the Gone - Without a girlfriend, bullied by the Principal’s son, and haunted by the dead, Callum Blackwell thinks his life can’t get any worse. But he’s wrong.Life Ever After. Nina's Story: Part one. – When the dead begin to rise, it's time to put your differences aside and run!NovaFall – When the Meteor falls, the essences will come, forging flesh and planetary souls as one.Cybilla. – To claim his Muse, one man must find the gate between the mortal and the immortal worlds.Capturing Perfection – An artist's tale of love, loss and beauty in Renaissance MilanUntil The Ninth Hour – Until a man loses his daughter to a serial killer, until he loses his best friend, until he is down on his luck, Darryl Williams must put all thoughts of retaliation out of his mind.An excerpt from Dee Harrison’s The Sliver of Abilon – A Mirrorsmith Tale Junah Venmark, Master Mirrorsmith, exited the wayportal directly into the seaweed stench of Abilon. The foul odour tickled the back of his throat and he gagged on a rise of bile. Mirrorsmith Guild protocol demanded that he preview his destination before he arrived but it could not prepare him for an assault on his other senses. He vomited onto the trackway, just thankful that there was no-one to witness his most pitiful entrance ever. He loathed the smell of mouldy greens – it stirred up too many reminders of his wretched childhood in the back alleys of Varna, largest city on his homeworld of Vargo – but this was kabbige soup intensified tenfold. When his heaving subsided, Junah sank down onto his rump, trying to ignore the early evening dew which was soaking into his leggings. He pulled a kerchief from his belt-purse, to wipe the spittle from his lips, and cursed this ill-favoured world. Sissik, his wail, chittered and scurried around him like a silver-furred cyclone, mewing her distress. Junah winced when she skipped onto his tender stomach, the better to peer into his face with her large, prosimian eyes. He ran a finger down her spine and she slowly relaxed beneath his touch. Junah ill? She sent. No, I’m fine, Little One he reassured her. He grimaced. The smell caught me out, that’s all. Sissik wrinkled her own nose. Nasty, nasty stink, she concurred. Junah delved into his purse a further time and extracted a couple of lozenges from a packet. A few chews later and he could smell nothing. “Next time I’ll take ‘em before I get here,” he promised out loud. “Not that there’ll be a next time!” Junah clambered to his feet and peeled the sodden fabric from his buttocks. Sissik took her accustomed place on his shoulders, hiding beneath his long, dark hair and curled around his neck like a fur collar. Wails were native to all the worlds of the Regium, even the undeveloped ones like Abilon. Some wails, the silver-furred ones like Sissik, were prized for their ability to generate the acoustic frequencies that Mirrorsmiths depended upon. Others, the plumper, browner ones, made good eating. Whenever Sissik irritated him, which was often, Junah threatened to dye her coat russet. Now, however, she was quiescent, understanding that it was time for work.

14-year-old Rita Morse is the kind of girl that the teen-hating Shadow Regime hates. She won't put up with crap that isn’t fair. After she toilet-papers a video game store in retaliation for a ban on teens, the Regime, an army of immortals secretly trying to oppress teens all over the world, adds her to their list of threats. That’s not good, because the Regime’s enemies always disappear.Fourteen year-old Rita Morse is the kind of girl that the teen-hating Shadow Regime hates. She won't put up with crap that isn’t fair. Like the ban on teens her own cousin, Jerry, put up at his video game store. After she toilet-papers the place to get back at him, the Regime, an army of immortals working to oppress teens all over the world, adds her to their list of threats. That’s not good. Turns out that banning kids from stores is the least of their evil.Because the Regime’s enemies always disappear.Now Rita’s in the biggest trouble of her life. She’s being stalked by shadow people. Threatened. Even nearly kidnapped. The Regime's not the only danger: they control countless humans around the world--including her cousin. There’s nowhere to turn.Rita must learn the Shadow Regime’s reason for their war on teens—and her—or she won't make it through her first week of high school.

What happens when all elements come together one fateful night to create Halloween's "Perfect Storm?"Veronica Parker wishes that she could be like every normal sixteen year old, but normal is the one thing she can never be. Aside from the herd of cats that follow Ronnie everywhere she goes, she can also see and communicate with the ghosts of the dead, which would be hard enough without her foster family thinking she was crazy. When a strange man that may be stalking Ronnie tells her that she is a necromancer, and part of a secret society of supernatural beings, she thinks he's as crazy as she is...but deep down, she knows he's telling the truth. When she is abducted in the middle of the night and brought before the Council, they tell her that a necromancer is trying to raise an army of the undead, and they think she's the one responsible! But the Council is about to find out how wrong they are...and it may be too late to stop the real monster. Ages 14+

When young feminist screenwriter Skylar Jones moves to Hollywood to advance her career, she doesn’t expect to fit in with the Hollywood it-crowd. But when she falls in love with billionaire movie star film producer and alpha male wolf shifter Zack Rider and blasts to the top of the Hollywood food chain, Sky must drop her unfair preconceptions and rediscover her inner confidence.Series description:When young feminist screenwriter Skylar Jones moves to Hollywood to advance her career, she doesn’t expect to fit in with the Hollywood it-crowd. But when she falls in love with billionaire movie star film producer and alpha male wolf shifter Zack Rider and blasts to the top of the Hollywood food chain, Sky must drop her unfair preconceptions and rediscover her inner confidence, or else risk going mad from the relentless persistence of the Hollywood paparazzi.Book 1:After being forced to write yet another stupid demeaning typical Hollywood screenplay, Skylar wants nothing more than to hide away in her tiny LA apartment and forget the world around her. Her best friend Maya has other plans, though, and convinces her to go out to an after party for one of Zach Rider's latest films. Convinced she won't have a good time, her night takes a surprising turn for the better when Zack Rider sets eyes on her, and invites her to escape the party together, alone.

A book of poetry by Irish poet/novelist Des Greene.Romance and lyricism are always near the surface in these works. Modern life has almost lost connection with nature but the links are not stretched to the limit in the Irish mind. Love of countryside and sea are strong undercurrents even to personal emotional traumas. The words ride on the waves or over the hills, singing to nature."Why does she have to be Romilly Montague? Any other name on the planet. She’d be just as pretty and cute and clever—just as perfect—but she wouldn’t be Romilly Montague. Then I’d have a chance with her.”Romilly longs for the freedom to live her own life ... but her dad is Alan Montague, hot contender for the job of Governor. And the bigger he gets, the more protective of Romilly her parents become.Could Julian Capulet’s luck be worse? As if being born into the most conservative family in Verona wasn't bad enough, the girl of his dreams is the daughter of his father's biggest adversary in the upcoming election. His embarrassing family—especially his troublemaking younger brother—seem set to totally ruin his chances with Romilly.For Romilly and Julian it’s never been truer that you can choose your friends but not your family. Will this story end in woe—or can there be a happily ever after for this modern-day Juliet and Romeo?From Amazon bestselling author S.D. Wasley comes a retelling of the timeless tale of Romeo & Juliet.

Faith has grand plans of a life on track however, as she prepares to start her PhD. Her life seems in order until she unexpectedly is denied entrance into the Universities of her choice. Heartbroken and angry, Faith finds herself on an airplane to Australia with her hopes and dreams in shambles. Upon arrival, Faith settles in and meets a strapping cowboy who she can hardly resist.~ Love, Forgiveness & Horseshoes ~Faith has grand plans of a life on track however, as she prepares to start her PhD. Her life seems in order until she unexpectedly is denied entrance into the Universities of her choice. Heartbroken and angry, Faith finds herself on an airplane to Australia with her hopes and dreams in shambles. Upon arrival, Faith settles in and meets a strapping cowboy who she can hardly resist. Follow Faith’s journey as she attempts to embrace her new life in the outback. Will she rediscover love in the process?~ The Cowboy's Love ~Kristen has the life and career she has always dreamed about. Her world is turned upside down when she finds out the worst news imaginable. Kristen decides to take a break from life and accompany her friend to a working dude ranch. While there, she reconnects with an old flame that has reinvented himself into a sexy cowboy. Follow Kristen’s journey as she decides if old love should be left in the past or given a chance to rekindle in the future.~ Escape to Vegas ~Hollie is a loving mother and wife who has been living a simple life since high school. She gave up her early twenties to have a family and support her husband with his new business. Hollie has no regrets until her seemingly simple life is shattered when her husband ask for a divorce, citing his love for another women. With her world shattered she reaches out to her best friends. Her friends are just as heartbroken at the news and in a bid to cheer her up, they decide to take her to Las Vegas to decompress. Hollie reluctantly agrees to go but doesn’t plan to go to wild on the trip. While on the trip Hollie eventually starts to let go of her deep seeded inhibitions and lives in the moment. The group of friends quickly find themselves in the midst of sex, parties and a good time. The journey turns into a saga of self-discovery for Hollie, as she questions her life choices and starts to regain the lost vigor of her early women hood. Upon Hollie’s return home from the trip she learns that not all things that happen in Vegas stay in Vegas.

Six-year-old Karen breaks her wrist while showing off her roller-skating expertise and then creates a little excitement by getting everybody to sign her cast.

A poor and naïve boxer loved a girl very deeply. The girl and his father took advantage of this and exploited him ruthlessly to ruin him and his poor mother.The Decipherment is centered on Isabelle Aimery – a young and successful Parisian cryptologist. Isabelle lost her parents at the age of 10. They were both archeologists. From an early age, she was very fond of numbers and codes. She had created a whole world of her own filled with numbers, formulae and codes – and she gets a chance to actually see that world.One day, after dozing in a deep sleep, Isabelle wakes up finding herself in something that resembles her mind. She discovers things that look like her memories, dreams and thought . . . and she later finds out this it is her mind she is trapped in. In fact, it is her consciousness that merges with the subconscious state of her mind. She discovers and the beautiful yet deep realms of her mind as she goes through each of her memories, thoughts and dreams – the components of the subconscious mind. But the it all comes spiraling down. Before her subconscious is destroyed taking along her consciousness into the ruins with it, Isabelle must find a way to escape and get back to her life – to reality.But how will she do that when she is stuck in her own mind? The Decipherment explores many of the powers of the human mind, along with the aspects that rule our memories, dreams, ideas and cognition.

Nessa Joanne Mulholland, aka Marilyn Monroe's No. 1 teenage fan, is up for the ride of her life when she meets Hollywood actress Holly Isles on board a cruise ship headed for Paris from NYC. Nothing will ever be the same again!Nessa Joanne Mulholland, aka Marilyn Monroe's No. 1 teenage fan, is used to moving house. This time, however, she's relocating in movie-star style--crossing the Atlantic on board the Majestic, headed for Paris from New York City. And it really would be in movie-star style if it wasn't for the fact that she's bringing her cringe-fest professor dad along for the ride (Dad's specialization: human mating rituals--need Nessa say more?). Oh yeah, and sharing a cabin that's five decks below sea level and next to the engine room. Still, at least Holly Isles is on board. Yes, really, that Holly Isles--star of stage and screen. Suddenly, things are looking up. Looking a little Marilyn, in fact, because events are strangely mirroring Nessa's favorite movie of all time, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.Watch!As Holly Isles, world-famous actress, confides in Nessa over mocktails.Listen!As Nessa coaches Holly in the amazing "Nessa's Lesson's in Love"--the ultimate man-catching rules to finding true and lasting lurv.See!Nessa fall for Holly's too-cute nephew, Marc. . . andCover your eyes!As it all goes terribly, horribly, embarrassingly wrong.There's no doubting it. This is going to be one pitchy crossing.

A renowned and respect diplomat is sent on a peace mission not knowing that his mission is just a cover for a surprise attack. Upon his return, he works to undermine the administration that sent him on the mission and to regain his reputation and self-respect.A highly respected diplomat is sent on a mission to negotiate a peace treaty with an alien confederation that has been at war with his Earth-centric Alliance for decades. The first council of the Alliance used the distraction of the peace conference to plan and execute a surprise attack on the alien confederation without telling the diplomat. Humiliated, but considered a hero by the populace, the diplomat returns to his work in the administration but immediately starts to undermine his superiors in order to obtain the peace that he was originally sent to establish and regain his reputation. He must try to do this while subjected to constant surveillance, intimidation, and assassination attempts.

Global and bizarre anomalies have appeared connecting our world to the barrens of Purgatory. Despite this known fact, folklore has mentioned fragments in time where mortals have been able to traverse through buildings made of stone and granite. Passing through without caution nor resistance, onto territory flooded with creatures brutish and perpetually lost as they too, traverse back to our realm.Belinda is the most beautiful damsel in all of aristocratic England, and as she heads to an afternoon tea party she feels confident that every man she encounters will worship the ground she walks on. What this fluffy belle cannot foresee is that one gent’s desire for her will turn into a scandalous obsession destined to keep gossipmongers talking for years. Nor can she predict the full scale war that will break out between her army of guardian fairies and a gnome who is hell bent on destroying her esteemed reputation.