A Storm Of Shadows And Pearls

Shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has friends in high places—and in low, dark, scary ones. And in this must-have collection of short stories, you’ll meet new faces and catch up with old acquaintances—in all their forms... Includes the new stories... “Silver” “Roses in Winter” “Redemption” “Hollow” …and reader favorites “Fairy Gifts” “Gray” “Seeing Eye” “Alpha and Omega” “The Star of David” “In Red, with Pearls” “One of the best urban fantasy anthologies I’ve ever read.”—The BiblioSanctum

One of the most popular storytellers of all time, V.C. Andrews (Flowers in the Attic, My Sweet Audrina) continues an engrossing saga of psychological suspense with this second book of the Landry Family series—soon to be a Lifetime movie! Fate has whisked Ruby away from a simple life in the Louisiana Bayou but her new riches bring more treachery than happiness in this unputdownable and darkly evocative novel. Even a year removed from living in the bayou, Ruby still wonders at the splendor of her family’s New Orleans mansion. She rejoices in the love of the father she had never known, even as true happiness remains as elusive as swamp mist. Her stepmother sneers at her backwater upbringing, and while discovering she has a twin sister should be a cause for joy, Gisselle has greeted Ruby with nothing but a bitter heart. When Ruby’s father chooses an idyllic boarding school for his daughters’ senior years, a fresh start with Gisselle seems possible. But Ruby’s kind isn’t welcome at Greenwood, and the legendarily strict headmistress plots with her stepmother to make life miserable. Worse, with her twin on a mission to break every school rule, Ruby is left to suffer the humiliating punishments. So when a terrible tragedy leaves Ruby alone in a world that never really wanted her, only her Cajun strength can give her daring escape plan any hope of success. The weather on the bayou was nothing compared to the storm about to tear through her family.

An unusual book with a lasting charm, with a broad focus ranging from observations on the natural environment to the early settlement of Upper Canada.

Utopia is a work of fiction and socio-political satire by Thomas More published in 1516 in Latin. The book is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island society and its religious, social and political customs. Many aspects of More's description of Utopia are reminiscent of life in monasteries.

What would you do to protect everyone you love? Anything. Everything. Whatever it takes. The final battle is here. With the star elves marching on Pernula, the Oncoming Storm and her friends must gather their allies and make one last stand. But it won't be easy. Their enemies have legions of soldiers, chemical weapons, and a powerful magic spell on their side. Not to mention a dragon. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat will be costly, and should they fail, everyone they love will suffer. For most of her life, the Oncoming Storm has only opened her cold black heart to very few people. But now, after all her adventures and everything she has been through, she has found friends and family all across the world whom she would do anything to protect. The only problem is that in war, people are bound to die and get hurt. Fear gnaws at her soul, because even with her considerable powers, the Oncoming Storm knows that she might not be enough to protect everyone she loves. Every weapon will count, every ally will be vital, every skill will be used, and every single card will be played before the end. But will it be enough? And who will be left standing when the streets are running red with blood? Because the war will end. One way or another. But not everyone will be there to see a new world born...