The Tarnished Garden

In this enchanting follow-up to The Gilded Girl, Maeve and Izzy O'Donnell must adjust to a new life together at the Manhattan School for Magic—but when Maeve's magic goes rogue and their school is in danger, they'll need to lean on one another to make things right. The Manhattan School for Magic is the newest kindling school in New York, but Maeve O’Donnell knows she doesn't deserve her place there. Though her sister, Izzy, is one of the school's founders and a hero to those who can now kindle, Maeve can't control her magic and she lives in fear of anyone—especially Izzy—finding out. When Maeve’s worst fears come true and her magic goes rogue, it damages not only the new school but Izzy’s reputation as well. While trying to repair what she’s broken, Maeve discovers a mysterious garden in the tenement neighborhood of the Tarnish, a hidden place where her magic actually works. As her magic and confidence grow, she befriends the others for whom the garden is a haven: a litter of talking kittens (house dragons, of course) who need Maeve’s help to find their missing mother. But someone else is searching for the kittens, too, someone who doesn’t care how many magical sites they have to destroy to stop magic’s expansion. And Maeve’s unstable magic might be the only way to save her sister’s school from being snuffed out next. The Tarnished Garden is a sparkling middle-grade novel from Alyssa Colman.

Heartfelt, fast-paced, and utterly absorbing, The Gilded Girl is Alyssa Colman’s sparkling debut novel about determination, spirit, and the magic of friendship. Any child can spark magic, but only the elite are allowed to kindle it. Those denied access to the secrets of the kindling ritual will see their magic snuffed out before their thirteenth birthday. Miss Posterity’s Academy for Practical Magic is the best kindling school in New York City—and wealthy twelve-year-old Emma Harris is accustomed to the best. But when her father dies, leaving her penniless, Emma is reduced to working off her debts to Miss Posterity alongside Izzy, a daring servant girl who refuses to let her magic be snuffed out, even if society dictates she must. Emma and Izzy reluctantly form a pact: If Izzy teaches Emma how to survive as a servant, Emma will reveal to Izzy what she knows about magic. Along the way, they encounter quizzes that literally pop, shy libraries, and talking cats (that is, house dragons). But when another student’s kindling goes horribly wrong, revealing the fiery dangers of magic, Emma and Izzy must set aside their differences or risk their magic being snuffed out forever.

Her high school graduation just days away, Gabriel Landry is blissfully happy - until rich cannery owner Octavious Tate waylays her near a secluded pond and shatters her innocence, forever. Pregnant and desolate, Gabriel agrees to a shocking plan that will allow Octavious' frigid wife, Gladys, to claim the baby as her own. But nothing can prepare Gabriel for the terrible moment when Gladys takes her baby away. Drifting in a world of gloom, Gabriel is only comforted by chance glimpses of her son, until a hunting party brings handsome Creole millionaire Pierre Dumas to the bayou. Falling desperately in love, Gabriel will not heed the voice warning her that their joy may bring her more grief than she can bear.

The Secret Life of Miss Phyllida Hurst Having survived the scandal of her birth with courage and determination, the beautiful Phyllida has reached a precarious balance within the ton. And in just one moment Ashe Herriard, Viscount Clere, blows her world and her carefully made plans to pieces. Brought up in vibrant Calcutta, Ashe is disdainful of polite London society, but something about Phyllida intrigues him. There's a mystery surrounding her. A promise of secrets and a hint of scandal—more than enough to entice him!

Freedom comes at a cost... Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet-graceful, demure...and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman's gilded cage. Her escape triggered a backlash, and now no one's safe, least of all the other pets. But she's trapped, unable to get back to Penn-the boy she loves-or help the girls who need her. Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she's lucky, she'll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives of everyone she's tried to save... The Perfected series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 Perfected Book #2 Tarnished Book #3 Unraveled

Johnny's escape from an extremely abusive and oppressive environment leaves him, as well as those around him, riddled with questions and concerns regarding his behavior. As he attempts to embrace his future, he is plagued by several horrifying symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His new life is inclusive of an extremely supportive and constructive environment; however, the boy must first face his demons before he can heal and take full advantage of the new gifts that have been graciously offered. Facing his demons, however, proves to be an overwhelming and confusing process regardless of the support. Although the young man has removed himself from physical adversity, his mental clarity diminishes as the story is told. The inability to distinguish past from present and delusion from reality leaves Johnny in a dangerously chaotic state of mind as those around him scramble to find answers and remain supportive. The story takes place in the state of Louisiana, with a small farm near Lake Charles being the primary location. The reader will be taken on a gut-wrenching journey which addresses severe child abuse, poverty, mental dysfunction, and a young man's undying perseverance as he attempts to achieve some form of normality.

Three women's lives converge around the century-old mystery of a shipwreck. There's Sophia, a reclusive author who retreated from the world after a tragic loss, Claire, a young journalist who's reluctantly returned to her home town, and Josephine, a passenger from the ill-fated ship. As they discover the truth about lost love and buried secrets, each woman finds hope, healing, and strength to face the future.

DEFIANCE IS TREASON. TREASON IS DEATH. A siege is laid against the last resistance to the Senate’s rule. As the battle rages, a commander, a soldier, and a rebel will decide how far they are willing to go for victory. THE COMMANDER Marcus is forced to choose between destroying the rebel forces and liberating his legion. He must face the true cost of being a leader. And an oppressor. THE SOLDIER Agrippa sets his sights on glory to fill the deepening void within him. He discovers that the price of fame might not just be paid in blood, it might be paid by his heart. THE REBEL Silvara joins the rebel forces to fight against the legions who would see her family dead. While she dreams of being a warrior, she finds her sharpest weapon is seduction. But to defeat the Empire, she’ll have to betray the young man who now has her heart. Inspired by the harsh world of ancient Rome, readers are obsessed with this martial tale of fiery romance, friendship, and enmity. Told from three points of view, TARNISHED EMPIRE is filled with twists you’ll never see coming but will keep you turning the pages all night. TARNISHED EMPIRE is set in the world of Danielle L. Jensen’s DARK SHORES. But readers new to the world can begin here.