The Language of Flowers
Vanessa Diffenbaugh
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness. Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more.
Something to Declare
Julian Barnes
Anyone who loves France (or just feels strongly about it), or has succumbed to the spell of Julian Barnes's previous books, will be enraptured by this collection of essays on the country and its culture. Barnes's appreciation extends from France's vanishing peasantry to its hyper-literate pop singers, from the gleeful iconoclasm of "nouvelle vague" cinema to the orgy of drugs and suffering that is the Tour de France. Above all, Barnes is an unparalleled connoisseur of French writing and writers. Here are the prolific and priapic Simenon, Baudelaire, Sand and Sartre, and several dazzling excursions on the prickly genius of Flaubert. Lively yet discriminating in its enthusiasm, seemingly infinite in its range of reference, and written in prose as stylish as "haute couture, "Something to Declare is an unadulterated joy. "From the Trade Paperback edition."
Idle
Fisher Amelie
Stop. Leave me to my devices and go away. Just get off my back already, all right? You don't know me, don't know my situation. You don't know the town I live in, the people I live with, the friends I own. Don't hold me to your standards. Stop expecting the best from me. I've never been given the tools to be her. So let me alone. Life's easy when nothing expects so little of you. Easy is what I crave. Easy is what I do best. Let the world weep. What good could I possibly do them anyhow? Follow my lead and close your eyes. It's effortless. Stop asking about me. I'm okay with being no one, a nobody. I'm comfortable with this stagnant life.There's nothing I stand to lose. I've taken no risks. Life can't be changed by simply doing nothing. Can it? I’m Lily Hahn and this is the story of how I went from a life of hollow nothing to a life of exhaustive agony and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
The Miss America Family
Julianna Baggott
Pixie Kitchy was once Miss New Jersey. Now she's married to a dentist, an ex-quarterback in turtled golf pants. Her ten-year-old daughter, Mitzie, wears Bo-peep pincurls and twirls baton. Her sixteen-year-old son, Ezra, the person who knows her best, is caught up in his fling with the podiatrist's daughter. And Pixie is consumed by the past. She confides, "I was a housewife, and I became dangerous. Sometimes it's the only way possible to regain footing in the world." In this high-wire mixture of absurdity and pathos, hilarity and darkness, one American family finds out that there is no such thing as the perfect American family, and, for better or for worse, they come together and start anew.
Lost and Found
Elle Casey
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers book 1 of 3 in the contemporary romance LOVE IN NEW YORK series. Sometimes engagement rings can get lost and then found. Sometimes people can too. All it takes is a heavy-duty dose of karma and the magic of Manhattan to make it all come together. Leah is a financially destitute new age hippy. James is a wealthy surgeon with a trust fund. She's awkward, he's poised. She's completely crazy, he's way too sane. People might say they have nothing in common, but they'd be wrong. They both live in Manhattan, they both have no idea how to change a baby diaper, and they're both lost … until they find one another. LOVE IN NEW YORK SERIES READING ORDER Love in New York: Book 1 (Lost and Found) Love in New York: Book 2 (Cabin Fever) Love in New York: Book 3 (Mister Fixit) About this series: I’d never been to New York City before, but I knew I would love it and wanted to write a story that was set in the most exciting city in the world. So I hopped on a plane with my friend Susan and spent 5 whirlwind days there, soaking up the culture, seeing the sights and nailing down the scenes that would eventually end up in this series. Those of you familiar with New York City know what I’m talking about when I say you just can’t beat Russ and Daughters’ bagels, Central Park, Times Square, Brooklyn, and Yonnah Schimmels’ knishes.
Lethal Seduction
Jackie Collins
On the heels of her sensational New York Times bestseller Dangerous Kiss, comes anothertantalizing Jackie Collins treat: Lethal Seduction. Madison Castelli, the beautiful, street-smart heroine of Jackie Collins's L.A. Connections series, returns in Lethal Seduction, an edgy novel full of danger, passion and suspense.Madison is having problems — her ex-live-in lover who walked out on her is trying to walk back in. Her new lover is giving her a hard time. And her father turns out to be a man with deadly secrets.Set between the high-powered world of New York and the manic excitement of Las Vegas, Lethal Seduction is packed with all the intrigue and glamour fans have come to expect from Jackie Collins. This deliciously uninhibited tale of cover-ups, deception and mob involvement finds Jackie Collins at the height of her creative powers as the diverse cast of characters in Lethal...
Legends
Deborah Smith
New York Times bestselling author Deborah Smith evokes the stunning beauty of Scotland in this spin on the clan wars--as a sexy CEO finds himself abducted by a brazen beauty determined to save her village.Elgiva MacRoth descends from a long line of bold Scots willing to fight for their heritage. When her picturesque town comes under siege by a corporate raider, she devises a daring plan to stop billionaire Douglas Kincaid. But kidnapping a man off the rooftop of his penthouse and holding him hostage proves far less complicated than saving herself from his intoxicating sensual assault.The stunning beauty with her golden eyes and fighting spirit make captivity feel like a fantasy. The desire heating up is enough to make them both forget the battle, and surrender to something far more pleasurable. But Douglas has his own dreams for this lovely spot of Scottish land. And he has a proposal that he hopes will convince Elgiva to give up her hard line and...
Poisoned Blade
Kate Elliott
In this thrilling sequel to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's captivating young adult debut, a girl immersed in high-stakes competition holds the fate of a kingdom in her hands.Now a Challenger, Jessamy is moving up the ranks of the Fives—the complex athletic contest favored by the lowliest Commoners and the loftiest Patrons alike. Pitted against far more formidable adversaries, success is Jes's only option, as her prize money is essential to keeping her hidden family alive. She leaps at the chance to tour the countryside and face more competitors, but then a fatal attack on her traveling party puts Jes at the center of the war that Lord Kalliarkos—the prince she still loves—is fighting against their country's enemies. With a sinister overlord watching her every move and Kal's life on the line, Jes must now become more than a Fives champion.... She must become a warrior.
Little Peach
Peggy Kern
A riveting and powerful story of a runaway girl lured into prostitution in New York City, perfect for fans of Ellen Hopkins and Patricia McCormick.What do you do if you're in trouble? When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: She is alone and out of options.Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels. But Devon is not who he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution, where he becomes her "Daddy" and she is his "Little Peach." It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond...
Avenging Angel
Cynthia Eden
"Cynthia's on my must-buy list." —New York Times bestselling author Angie FoxEarthly DelightsWith a messed up family background and a tendency to grow claws and fangs, Tanner Chance isn't exactly the boy next door. But he's a decent cop, and he keeps himself on the side of the good guys. Convenient, because when he rescues a survivor of a horrific shifter attack he finds himself instantly smitten—with an honest-to-goodness angel, as innocent as she is irresistible.Marna may be angelic, but she's not stupid or weak. She can take care of herself. Tanner is more temptation than protection anyway. Or so she thinks, until someone wearing her face starts taking out some of New Orleans's more unsavory paranormals. With police and predators both gunning for her blood, Marna has no choice but to trust Tanner. . .even though what's sparking between them is hotter than anything holy.Praise for Cynthia Eden's novels"A wickedly unique voice in...
Gifted
Peter David
The X-Men have evolved. Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the team with the express purpose of “astonishing” the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started? As demand for the "mutant cure" reaches near-riot levels, the X-Men go head-to-head with the enigmatic Ord, with an unexpected ally - and some unexpected adversaries - tipping the scales! Experience the blockbuster re-imagining of the X-Men like never before in this prose adaptation!
Breaking the Ice (Juniper Falls)
Julie Cross
Haley Stevenson seems like she’s got it all together. But below the surface, she’s struggling. Summer school might be her last chance to get it together, not a chance to angst over boys. In fact, she’s sworn them off altogether. Fletcher Scott is happy to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls, but suddenly he wants more: more time on the ice, and more time with his infuriatingly perfect study partner, Haley.
Before Evil
Alex Kava
“Alex Kava is a master. Her heroine, Special Agent Maggie O’Dell is one of the classic characters of the thriller genre.” --Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author International bestseller Alex Kava delivers a stunning prequel to her critically acclaimed Maggie O’Dell series. From her small Quantico office, Special Agent Maggie O'Dell has profiled serial killers using Poloraids, faxed copies and scraps of evidence provided by homicide detectives from across the country. She's gained a reputation for successfully profiling killers and solving crimes without ever stepping foot at a real crime scene. Then comes Albert Stucky, and nothing will ever be the same. Stucky is a sadistic madman who enjoys his twisted games as much as he enjoys the kill. Pieces of victims start showing up in takeout containers, strategically left for unsuspecting bystanders to find. Sometimes the body is dumped near by. Others are never found. Maggie is tasked with profiling the murders. Despite all her skills and talents nothing has prepared for this. For the first time in her career she’s seeing the gruesome crime scenes firsthand, because this madman has chosen the backwoods of Virginia as his killing grounds. When Stucky discovers an attractive female FBI agent is part of the task force to stop him, he begins to taunt Maggie. He leaves notes and bits and pieces as if they were clues for a morbid scavenger hunt. Each step of the way he’s daring Maggie to catch him if she can, all the while planning to make her his next prey. Let the chase begin. Praise for Alex Kava’s Maggie O’Dell novels “Kava adds a human touch to the HEART-THUMPING CHASE.”–Publishers Weekly “The Maggie O’Dell thrillers KEEP GETTING BETTER with each installment.” —The Omaha World Herald “Kava creates thoroughly AUTHENTIC, three-dimensional personalities.” –The Boston Globe “Tension, suspense, MASTERFUL TWISTS . . . Alex Kava’s writing has it all.” –Crimespace “A pro, Kava writes as coolly and adroitly as O'Dell profiles. SUPREMELY PACED.” –The Lincoln Journal Star “The writing is taut and polished, and the plot is well-woven. The forensic background is METICULOULY RESEARCHED.” –Crime Fiction Lover (UK) “Maggie is GUTSY AND APPEALING as an FBI agent facing constant danger.” –Library Journal “Kava does her FORENSIC HOMEWORK.” –Bookreporter.com “When somebody with the reputation of Lee Child refers to your protagonist as ‘Reacher’s long-lost twin,’ you MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.” —BookPage **