Game Of Crones

She knows she’s powerful. But is she enough? Claire Emerson has turned her back on destiny. After failing to master her unpredictable elemental magic, it’s clear to her she doesn't belong—and her fellow Crones agree. But just as she leaves her magical life behind, she learns that one of the Crones has turned the others over to the mages and Morok, the dark god they serve. Knowing Morok can use the Crones’ magic to reclaim his own powers, she has no choice but to go after them—alone. Tracking down and confronting the traitor is the easy part. Getting past the mages who hold the Crones captive is going to be a little more difficult… especially when Morok opens a portal to another world that threatens everything Claire holds dear. Can Claire unleash her full powers in time to save her companions—and the world?

With great powers come great repercussions In the aftermath of her victory over the dark god Morok, Claire Emerson is ready for some well-earned peace and quiet, and for some healing time with her protector, Lucan. But tranquility evaporates when an ancient god arrives on her doorstep demanding sanctuary–and blaming Claire. Claire’s final battle with Morok tore apart the very fabric that separated the worlds, and now the Between is devouring the Otherworld, leaving the gods no choice but to flee to Earth. The chaos that follows them turns Claire’s entire world upside down. Again. Repairing the damage she caused while keeping a bunch of unruly deities in line won’t be easy, but she’s up to the challenge–until she learns that one of the deities is Morok, whose defeat wasn’t as complete as she believed. Now, with her magick spread increasingly thin, Claire has no choice but to again fight a war she thought she’d already won. And this time, Morok isn’t alone–but neither is she. As alliances form and new enemies emerge, will Claire’s struggle to restore balance be enough to save the world? Or will it plunge them all into utter annihilation?

She's running out of time. And so is the world. Claire Emerson is up against the clock. After learning on her sixtieth birthday that she’s one of four Crones destined to save the world, she’s been desperately trying to acquire the lifetime of magic she missed out on. But the mages who are out to destroy everything she loves aren’t waiting, and when one of the other Crones ends up on Claire’s doorstep—wounded and unconscious—Claire knows she’s out of time. Leaving the safety of her house, she goes in search of the remaining Crones… only to find them under siege by the mages and the nearly indestructible monster they control. And without control over her powerful elemental magic, she has no idea how to rescue them. Can Claire harness her powers in time to help her fellow Crones defeat the mages—or will her efforts bring even greater disaster?

She thought she’d won—but the war has only just started. When Claire Emerson imprisoned Morok in the Camlann fragment of the world, it should have been the end of the dark god—and of the war between him and the Crones. But when Lucan, her protector, is accidentally trapped along with the god, Claire is determined to rescue him. She’ll have to travel through the treacherous god realm—alone—to get to him. And that’s just the first hurdle. The bigger problem? The magick of an ancient Crone is hidden in the fragment, and if Morok discovers it, he’ll have enough power to break free and carry out his plan to destroy Claire’s entire world and all that she loves. Can Claire save Lucan and find the Crone magic before Morok does? Or will she have to choose between the shifter she’s come to love and the power she never asked for in the first place?

She wanted purpose. She got dark magick and war. Claire Emerson is adrift. After a lifetime as a wife, mother, and grandma, she never saw divorce or loneliness coming and is desperate for some sense of purpose. But when her sixtieth birthday brings a snarky gargoyle, an annoyingly sexy wolf shifter, and an unknown magical calling, she thinks she's losing the only thing she has left: her sanity. Refusing to believe she's the powerful defender of humankind her so-called protectors claim, Claire attempts a return to her safe life... only to have her powers ignite when she's attacked by dark supernatural creatures. And without the training she was supposed to have received, she has no idea how she'll defeat sinister mages plotting her demise. Can Claire overcome creaky joints and major hot flashes in time to save the world - and her own life?

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER A powerful memoir about how one woman resurrects her life and career in the glamorous but sexist wine industry. Natalie MacLean, a bestselling wine writer, is shocked when her husband of twenty years, a high-powered CEO, demands a divorce. Then an online mob of rivals comes for her career. Wavering between despair and determination, she must fight for her son, rebuild her career, and salvage her self-worth using her superpowers: heart, humour, and an uncanny ability to pair wine and food. Natalie questions her insider role in the slick marketing that encourages women to drink too much while she battles the wine world’s veiled misogyny. Facing the worst vintage of her life, she reconnects with the vineyards that once brought her joy, the friends who sustain her, and her own belief in second chances. This true coming-of-middle-age story is about transforming your life and finding love along the way.

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman, a journalist for many years, collects here her recent essays exploring motherhood as an older mom, her life as a reader, her relationships with her parents, friendship, and other topics that will resonate with a large audience. Her voice is wry and relatable, her takes often surprising. Meet the Woman Behind the Books… In this collection of new and previously published essays, New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman offers her take on a woman's life across the decades. Her childhood and school years, her newspaper career, her experiences as a novelist—Lippman finds universal touchstones in an unusual life that has as many twists as her award-winning crime fiction. Essays include: · Men Explain The Wire to Me · Game of Crones · My Life as a Villainess · My Father’s Bar · The 31st Stocking These candid essays offer long-time readers insight into the experiences that helped Lippman become one of the most successful crime novelists of her generation.

Whether played on the exotic felt tabletop in a palatial casino, or on the rough-hewn bar in a tavern's smoky din, the game of Gwent is never a dull one! With cards that feature fantastic art that only adds to the strategic thrill of crushing one's opponent, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game offers a singular gaming experience. Now, Dark Horse is proud to present each cards' gorgeous artwork in a stunning hardbound volume. Celebrate wondrous artistry and cutthroat gameplay with The Gwent Gallery: Art of the Witcher Card Game!