The Sands Of The Two Queens

The Sands of the Two Queens is a novel set in Yemen in 1993. It is the story of a group of expatriates - Americans, British and Irish - who work at an oil and gas production facility in the desert near the ancient city of Marib. The facility and producing fields are located in the midst of bedouin territory. The bedouins are loyal only to their tribes and recognize no government from any country. They are constantly at odds with the central government in Sana'a who try to control their activities. The bedouins have been smugglers since time began and when the government tries to interfere with their smuggling operations the bedouin tribes fight back. The expatriate oil and gas workers are caught in the middle and are used by the bedouins as bargaining chips to obtain concessions from the government.. Bedouins hijack the oil company vehicles, disrupt the operations and even kidnap the expats to hold for ransom. The irony is the bedouins do not hate the expats. In fact many bedouins are actually are employed by the company. They treat the expats as guests while they are in custody. They look upon the expats and the production facility as a gift from Allah. The expats are their friends and were sent here by Allah, the merciful, the benevolent, to be used by the bedouin tribes as is their wish.

This novel of female friendship in the midst of war is “The Things They Carried for women in Iraq” (The Boston Globe). Nineteen-year-old Kate Brady joined the army to bring honor to her family and to the Middle East. Instead, she finds herself in a forgotten corner of the Iraq desert in 2003, guarding a makeshift American prison. There, Kate meets Naema Jassim, an Iraqi medical student whose father and little brother have been detained in the camp. Kate and Naema promise to help each other, but the war soon strains their intentions. Like any soldier, Kate must face the daily threats of combat duty, but as a woman, she is in equal danger from the predatory men in her unit. Naema suffers bombs, starvation, and the loss of her home and family. As the two women struggle to survive and hold on to the people they love, each comes to have a drastic and unforeseeable effect on the other’s life. From the author of Wolf Season and The Lonely Soldier, and informed by numerous interviews with those who were there, Sand Queen is a “heartbreaking, vivid story of the particular difficulties of being not just a soldier, but a female soldier” (Bustle).

“National Velvet with monsters and a big helping of palace intrigue, Race the Sands is monstrous (literally), heartwarming, and empowering in equal measure. An incredibly fun and inspiring read.” – Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale In this epic standalone fantasy, the acclaimed author of the Queens of Renthia series introduces an imaginative new world in which a pair of strong and determined women risk their lives battling injustice, corruption, and deadly enemies in their quest to become monster racing champions. Life, death, and rebirth—in Becar, who you are in this life will determine your next life. Yet there is hope—you can change your destiny with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and are doomed to be a kehok for the rest of time. Unless you can win the Races. After a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider, Tamra became a professional trainer. Then a tragic accident shattered her confidence, damaged her reputation, and left her nearly broke. Now, she needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok . . . and a rider willing to trust her. Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she needs a first-rate trainer. Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win—if he can be tamed. But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races—and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special.

The breathtaking sequel to Sarah Henning's The Princess Will Save You--a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE CROWN... After a thousand years of political stability, the realm of The Sand and Sky is up for grabs. Four kingdoms, four rulers vying for the ultimate prize, sovereignty over the entire continent: A ruthless old king spinning webs, whose schemes encompass generations. A widowed queen whose only credo is all kings must die. A runaway queen whose unexpected return upends everyone’s plans. And a prince-in-waiting determined to wait no more. Standing against them are a dispossessed princess and her stable boy love with a surprising claim of his own. Their only hope in the face of unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds is the power of true love... The Kingdoms of Sand & Sky Trilogy Book 1: The Princess Will Save You Book 2: The Queen Will Betray You Book 3: The King Will Kill You Praise for The Princess Will Save You “Full of inconceivable wit, daring adventure, and cunning political machinations...It’s as if Sarah Henning looked into my soul that yearned for a book like The Princess Bride and said—as you wish. And yes, this is a kissing book.”—Ashley Poston, author of Heart of Iron “A breakneck fantasy adventure.... Swoony romance, sword fights, a great cast of characters and some clever parallels to a story about another princess who won’t be made a bride makes The Princess Will Save You a strong contender for my favorite novel of the year.”—Emily Hall Schroen, Main Street Books, St. Charles, Missouri At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

1335 B.C. Egypt is failing. Allies are leaving. War is inevitable. The power struggle for the throne should have ended long ago, yet it rages onward, shrouded in conspiracy and murder. Pharaoh Akhenaten's plan to regain power from the priesthood of Amun is done, but his religious zeal has stripped the economy and the people’s morale. Whisperings of rebellion fill the streets as enemies close in on Egypt’s borders, leaving Nefertiti to fend off political wolves as she attempts to stabilize the nation and keep her crown. Secrets in the Sand is the second volume of Lauren Lee Merewether's debut series, The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles, a resurrection of an erased time following the five kings of Egypt who were lost to history for over three millennia. The story continues in book three, Scarab in the Storm.