The Queen Underneath

"A delicious novel full of wonderfully unexpected twists and turns where you can't help but root for plucky thief Gemma and fish-out-of-water prince Tollan. If you love court intrigues, political backstabbings, romance, and heartbreak, then read this book!" - Rin Chupeco In a city on the brink of war, it isn't a king that the people need to save them—but a thief queen from Under. Yigris is a world divided—where aristocrats in Above rule from grand palaces, and thieves, sex workers, and assassins reign in the shadowy tunnels of Under. When the leaders of Above and Under are both murdered on the same night, the fissure between the two opposite worlds grows and suspicion threatens to break the tenuous peace. Gemma, a former orphan-thief and new queen of Under, and Tollan, heir to the Above throne, must salvage a truce to rescue the city. But they soon discover that the conflict is far bigger than two murders, as the city falls into an enchanted sleep and a cage of deadly brambles slowly ensnares the streets, buildings, and tunnels of both districts. With the fate of Yigris at stake, only Gemma and Tollan have the power to prevent another civil war from tearing their world apart forever.

In 1952, Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne and became the Sovereign Head of the Armed Forces. In the sixty years of her reign so far, there have been thousands of conscripts and regular service personnel who have served under her Colours all over the globe. This book is not just about war, but the everyday lives of those who serve on land, sea and in the air. Service men and women recall their experiences from the years after the Second World War to the Falklands War in 1982, through to modern military service at the end of a millennium and into the first years of the twenty-first century. From life in barracks at home and overseas, in a variety of hot and not-so-hot spots, to being on the frontline in major conflicts worldwide, from Kenya to Afghanistan. Male and female service personnel talk candidly about their experiences, offering a unique glimpse into a world in which they often risk their lives at a moment's notice. Their stories are often laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes deeply moving and always inspiring. Under the Queen's Colours is both a celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and a salute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve her.

More than a decade after leaving Colorado to escape his past, Isaiah Greene returns and builds a life in Denver as a special education teacher. But coming home revives memories of the racist, homophobic violence that destroyed his youthful first love. When Isaiah meets Ben Woods, the mentor of one of his students, the lightning-quick attraction grows into something deeper. Raised by a bitter and abusive grandmother, Ben is a recovering addict who has made a family with his construction worker boss, Hershel, and Hershel's husband, Daniel-drag queen ManDonna. Adding Isaiah to his life gives Ben a glimpse of a future he'd never dreamed possible for himself.Isaiah and Ben are survivors, and the revelation that they've both suffered traumatic childhoods forms a bond between them. But when guilt and the secrets of the past threaten to end their relationship, Ben and Isaiah embark on journeys of self-discovery.Though their path will be difficult at times, humor and love find a way to bring light to the darkness.

For fans of BookTok #sadbooks comes an emotional love story that will break your heart and mend it at the same time. Time is a luxury we don't all have... Emery Matterson's life has been broken for a while. First, she lost her twin sister—the other half of her heart—to an incurable autoimmune disease. Then her father left. Now Emery has been diagnosed with the same disease that killed her sister, and her mother is falling apart. Unable to live under the same roof anymore, the only option for Emery is to move in with a father she hasn't seen in ten years and try to start over. Enter Kaiden Monroe, the brooding athlete who has baggage of his own. Kaiden makes Emery feel normal. Hated. Cared for. Loathed. And...loved. Somewhere along the way, Emery finds solace in the guy with the sad eyes. But everything happens in stages. And nothing good ever lasts. From fan-favorite author B. Celeste comes a raw, real, and unforgettable story of love and loss between two young people grappling with the harsh reality of invisible disease.

"Presents the history of women's underwear while also revealing the intimate role lingerie plays in defining women's bodies, sexuality, gender identity, and body image."--Amazon.com.

"Everyone says they want the glamorous life, until they find out what it takes to get it"--Cover.