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From the international bestselling author of Powerless , comes a sizzling and heart-racing new story set in the Kingdom of Ilya. Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Fourth Wing . Adena and Paedyn have always been inseparable. Fate brought them together when they were young, but friendship ensured they'd always protect each other and the home they built in the slums of Loot. But now Paedyn – an Ordinary – has been selected for The Purging Trials , which means almost certain death. Now alone in Loot, Adena must fend for herself. After attempting to steal, it's a mysterious man from the market who comes to her rescue. Mak 's shadowy past and secretive power set him apart from the other low-level Elites of Loot. And as the pair team up to see their loved ones before the Trials begin, the quest tests their loyalty, their love, and their lives... Follow Lauren Roberts on TikTok and Instagram @LaurenRobertsLibrary RETURN TO ILYA WITH THIS UNMISSABLE COMPANION TO THE #1 INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING POWERLESS TRILOGY. Praise for Powerless: 'Nothing short of epic' Rosie Talbot, bestselling author of Sixteen Souls 'A thrilling fantasy with the most delicious slow-burn romance' M.A. Kuzniar, bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood '[A] titillating debut' Publishers Weekly 'A masterpiece' Goodreads Reader Review 'Everyone needs to read it' TikTok Review 'The BEST book I've read' NetGalley Reader Review 'A sizzling slice of fantasy romance' Booksellers Review.
"Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros. Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don't bond to "fragile" humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die. Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music! Performed by Khaya Fraites, Gabriel Michael, Torian Brackett, Taylor Coan, LaMont Ridgell, Robb Moreira, Laura C. Harris, David Cui Cui, Scott McCormick, Troy Allan, Jessica Lauren Ball, Lydia Kraniotis, Matthew Pauli, Henry W. Kramer, Alejandro Ruiz, Nazia Chaudhry, Amanda Forstrom, Marni Penning, Carolyn Kashner, Nora Achrati, Rayner Gabriel, Ryan Carlo Dalusung, Earl Fisher, Patrick Boylan, Christopher Graybill, Megan Hastie, Nanette Savard, James J. Johnson, Megan Poppy, Ryan Haugen, Sarah Ruth Thomas, Yenni Ann Godinez, Ken Jackson, Jonathan David Bullock, Nickolette Kong, Sam Intrater, Jillian Levine-Sisson, Tyler Hychuk, Wyn Delano, Mike Carnes, Danny Gavigan, Eric Messner, Kay Eluvian, James Konicek, Christopher Walker, Terence Aselford, Steve Wannall and Yasmin Tuazon."
"Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don't bond to "fragile" humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die. Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music! Performed by Khaya Fraites, Gabriel Michael, LaMont Ridgell, Taylor Coan, Torian Brackett, Rob McFadyen, Laura C. Harris, Jessica Lauren Ball, Robb Moreira, Megan Poppy, James Konicek, David Cui Cui, Crystal Lee, James J. Johnson, Henry W. Kramer, Nazia Chaudhry, Mike Carnes, Marni Penning, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Amanda Forstrom, Christopher Graybill, Ryan Haugen, Sarah Ruth Dawson, James Lewis, Yasmin Tuazon, Alejandro Ruiz, Nickolette Kong, Tyler Hyrchuk, Matthew Pauli, Yenni Ann, Danny Gavigan, Earl Fisher, Kay Elluvian, Steve Wannall, Megan Hastie, Wyn Delano, Christopher Walker, Eric Messner, Scott McCormick and Terence Aselford.
This program includes a bonus conversation between the author and narrator. "Narrator Kathleen McInerney exudes beach-read energy in this entertaining audiobook." — AudioFile on The Homewreckers Book your summer escape with a "mesmerizing mix of mystery and romance" ( Publishers Weekly, starred) from the New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Newcomer. Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . . Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as "the Saint." If you grew up coming here, you were "a Saint." If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were "an Ain't." Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn't rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss's son. Now, she's the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair. Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew's warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.
Jackie Lau, author of the "full of heart" (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) The Stand-Up Groomsman , returns with a charming rom-com about a young woman's desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother...only to find that maybe mother does know best. Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that. Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents' friends. You'd think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he's just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they're forced together at Emily's sister's wedding, it's obvious he thinks he's too good for her. But now that Emily is her family's last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There's only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom's meddling. He reluctantly agrees. Unfortunately, lying isn't enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they'll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark's not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn't so ugly after all...
From the award-winning author of Take a Chance on Greece, comes a brand new romance for fans of You've Got Mail 'I absolutely adored this book. The characters were just so likeable and I found myself rooting for them both ... a perfect, funny, romantic story' Holly Martin One typo. Two complete strangers. Ten thousand miles between them... Amy and Cameron have never met. But when Amy receives an email meant for Cameron, their lives entwine in ways they could never have imagined. Cameron lives a life of adventure as he navigates an expedition around Antarctica whilst Amy's life is firmly on solid ground in Edinburgh. As their connection grows, Amy finds herself asking; is it possible to fall in love with someone you've never met? Readers love The Typo 'I'm completely charmed by this novel: it was a sweet, romantic, inspired and fun read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A delightful tale of serendipity and self-discovery' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The humor in this is absolutely brilliant. I was laughing out loud so often' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An uplifting story with many relatable themes' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The characters were interesting and the story charming. Well worth reading and thoroughly recommended' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The banter was perfect and the plot was very well thought out' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An absolutely delightful read that allows us to take a few minutes and enjoy the universe's bigger plan for us' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What a different kind of story. I loved it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This was just great. It has a random mix of emails, work conversations, music and animals that are woven together beautifully and absolutely grabbed my attention' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
Acclaimed author of Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic in her YA debut: a sharp yet sweet rivals-to-romance romp through Kuala Lumpur—perfect for fans of Emiko Jean, Abigail Hing Wen, and Kat Cho. Agnes Chan never expected to be the punchline of her own life . . . But how else do you explain getting accidentally run over and seeing a lifetime of careful preparation, endless training, and all your hopes of a track scholarship to college destroyed in a split second? Not to mention the only witness to your humiliation being your #1 archnemesis, Royce Taslim. So, when Agnes finds a new answer to her scholarship predicament in the form of an international stand-up comedy contest for teens, the last person she expects to be up against is also the last person she wants to see: Royce. Because for years Royce has represented everything Agnes loathes: extreme privilege, popularity, and physical perfection (ok maybe she doesn't hate that part so much). Behind the scenes, though, Royce's flawless façade fades away, revealing someone Agnes never expected—someone who shows her that perhaps the best parts of life are the ones you aren't prepared for—and as the competition heats up, so do things between these two rivals. But will the pressure to win be too much for them to handle—or will Agnes (and Royce) get the last laugh?.
Two people desperate for answers wade through smoke and mirrors within the Alien world of Harmony in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle. His name is Joshua Knight. Once a respected explorer, he's now called the Tarnished Knight by the press. He took the fall for a disaster in the Underworld, destroying his career. The devastating event occurred in the newly discovered sector known as Glass House—a maze of crystal that is rumored to conceal powerful Alien antiquities. The rest of the Hollister Expedition team disappeared and are presumed dead. Whatever happened down in the tunnels scrambled Joshua's psychic senses and his memories, but he's determined to reveal the truth. Labeled delusional and paranoid, he retreated to an abandoned mansion in the desert, a house filled with mirrors. Now a recluse, Joshua spends his days trying to unlock the secrets in the looking glasses that cover the walls. He knows he is running out of time. Talented, ambitious crystal artist Molly Griffin is shocked to learn that the Tarnished Knight has been located. She drops everything and heads for the mansion to talk to Joshua, confident she can help him regain control of his shattered senses. She has no choice—he is the key to finding her sister, Leona, a member of the vanished expedition team. Joshua reluctantly allows Molly to stay one night, but there are two rules: she must not go down into the basement, andshe must not uncover the mirrors that have been draped. But her only hope for finding her sister is to break the rules. ...
Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton for a nineteenth century spin on The Hangover in USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday's laugh-out-loud Earls Trip Even an earl needs his ride-or-dies, and Archibald Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt, counts himself lucky to have two. The annual trip that Archie takes with his BFFs Simon and Effie holds a sacred spot in their calendars. This year Archie is especially eager to get away until an urgent letter arrives from an old family friend, begging him to help prevent a ruinous scandal. Suddenly the trip has become earls-plus-girls, as Archie's childhood pals, Clementine and Olive Morgan, are rescued en route to Gretna Green. This . . . complicates matters. The fully grown Clementine, while as frank and refreshing as he remembers, is also different to the wild, windswept girl he knew. This Clem is complex and surprising-and adamantly opposed to marriage. Which, for reasons Archie dare not examine too closely, he finds increasingly vexing. Then Clem makes him an indecent and quite delightful proposal, asking him to show her the pleasures of the marriage bed before she settles into spinsterhood. And what kind of gentleman would he be to refuse a lady?.
Ophelia Simmons is back home at the Paradise, the former brothel where her romance-author mother raised seven daughters, contemplating her next career move and dodging Great Aunt Bernie's matchmaking attempts. She is about to meet her match in Jake Brennan, the ruggedly handsome owner of a local winery where Aunt Bernie convinces her to take a job for the summer. At first Ophelia and Jake's personalities clash, but soon enough sparks start flying. Meanwhile, older sister Tertia Simmons also returns home to look for a new job. Tertia never thought she'd work for, let alone fall for, Noah Sullivan—the boy who once taunted her when they were kids. But when he offers her the job of her dreams in his new café, Tertia finds herself torn between her head and her heart. As the sisters navigate the ups and downs of love and career with the help of their outrageous great aunt and the rest of the close-knit family, they learn that love can be found in the most unexpected of places—including their own hometown.
An act of terror. A summer of change . . . Following the death of her beloved husband, Kezia Cooper Hobson decides to leave her home in San Francisco and move to a luxury penthouse in Manhattan, where she'll be closer to her two adult daughters. As she watches the 4th July firework display from her terrace, Kezia is shocked to see smoke and flames pouring from famous landmarks across New York City. Her neighbour, the famous movie star Sam Stewart, is also aware of the crisis, and watches in horror as the terrifying drama unfolds. Determined to offer their assistance, Kezia and Sam hasten to the site and swiftly become involved in the rescue effort. Shocked and traumatized by the events they experience, Kezia and Sam bond in the days and weeks that follow one of the worst nights the country has ever known. What follows is a summer of healing and change, and the discovery that it's never too late for dreams to be born again . . . Never Too Late is a stirring drama about the power of human connection and embracing brave change, from the billion copy bestseller, Danielle Steel.
These childhood best friends swore they’d never speak again. But a surprise summer reunion changes everything when it gives them the chance to turn up the heat. Effie Olsen thought she’d never live on the tiny Maine island where she grew up, but she’s returning from sixteen years as a professional chef in far-flung countries for one summer and one summer only. Her hometown boasts one of the best restaurants in the US, and lucky for her, Brown Butter needs a sous chef. Effie's eager for a chance at redemption after her last job went up in flames, but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past. Until, that is, she runs into Ernie Callahan, her onetime best friend who now works in the very same restaurant. Early morning swims and late-night games of truth or dare with Ernie remind her of what she’s been missing while traveling the world. He knows her better than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that his smile lights her up brighter than the lighthouses dotting the craggy coastline. But their restaurant has a secret that’s bursting at the seams, and if Effie doesn’t keep it, her job will vanish into the foggy Maine air. As summer draws to a close, her dream job and the perfect guy are both within reach. Her salty seaside hometown might be the key to Effie’s sweet ending...if she can learn to let her heart lead the way in time.
She's no damsel in distress, and he's certainly not wearing shining armour. But one knight can change everything... Daisy Hastings has always thought she was born in the wrong era. So when she bags a summer job at the Tower of London helping to run their Knight school, it feels like a step in the right direction. Theodore 'Teddy' Fairfax is a loose cannon. A disgraced distant relative of the royal family, he's tall, dark and now (begrudgingly) helping with the Tower of London's summer programme – and there's nowhere he'd like to be less. When Teddy's oath to be an obstruction almost gets Daisy fired, she declares war. But as the two cross swords, they start to discover they both need a little rescuing... And that maybe, just maybe, love can bloom, even on a battlefield... Readers are falling hard for Love at First Knight! 'I LOVED this book!' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I was in love from page one.' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'So cute!' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I finished the book in a single sitting. Couldn't put it down!' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This helped heal my own nerdy anxious heart. I'll cherish this read forever.' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'There was so much to love about it; if this book was made into a movie, I'd watch it.' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia “[A] delightfully tropey rom-com . . . This is a sweet confection.”— Publishers Weekly Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, the very existence of Greco’s Deli is suddenly in jeopardy. She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm that is about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in). With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée . . . and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people, they might both get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, she reluctantly agrees. And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is, until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiancée, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, but she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between a blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
Her dream holiday is his everyday life. His dream holiday is her normal life. What happens when they collide? Ally and her dad, Geoff, run the family business, a creative retreat, from their home Hollyhock Cottage in picturesque Kittiwake Cove. They give their guests their dream break, but Ally hankers after glamourous city living, fancy restaurants and art galleries. Ally's survival strategy is to escape out of season, take a break abroad and pretend to be the person she always imagined she would be. She meets Logan while she's away and he turns out to be exactly the kind of distraction she's looking for. With her spirits restored, Ally returns home, picks up the reins again and sets her sights on another successful season, but when Logan unexpectedly arrives on the scene, she soon realises she's in for a summer that's going to be far from straightforward... A story about bringing a holiday home – and what happens when what goes on on holiday comes back to bite you... Your favourite authors love Heidi Swain's books: 'A summer delight!' SARAH MORGAN 'A delightfully sunny read with added intrigue and secrets' BELLA OSBORNE 'A ray of reading sunshine!' LAURA KEMP 'A lovely, sweet, summery read' MILLY JOHNSON 'An absolutely gorgeous summer tale of love and secrets' RACHAEL LUCAS.
In the lush, rolling hills of Lone Oaks, Kentucky, the good life is measured in sips of aged bourbon and the thrill of the world's most famous horse race: the Kentucky Derby ... When news of her grandfather's stroke sends Jo Beth Ellis back to the family farm, she finds it in danger of foreclosure. Lone Oaks Crossing is in rough shape, but Jo has big plans—she'll use her expertise as a Derby-winning horse trainer to reinvent the property as a healing retreat. But renovating while trying to keep her independent grandfather in check is a huge job for one woman—and even more challenging when she receives her first client, the unruly fourteen-year-old Cheyenne, who is determined to do anything but cooperate. Jo is at the end of her rope when neighbor Brooks Moore offers her a deal she can't possibly refuse ... Jo may have sworn to leave the gambling and vicious competition of horse racing behind her, but training Brooks's gorgeous thoroughbred is a challenge she can't resist, especially when sulky Cheyenne takes a shine to him—and when Brooks is sinking an outrageous amount of money into rehabbing the farm, and even rolling up his sleeves to help. With a troubled teen's spirit and her grandfather's faith in her on the line, Jo steps into a tentative partnership with the undeniably attractive Brooks. Against all odds, she dreams of winning a trifecta—a champion horse, a happy family, and a forever love.
"The perfect alchemy of romance, humor and quirky originality."— Sophie Cousens , New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year and The Good Part "A sincere and sincerely funny romance."—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property's resident real-life ghost if she's to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes . Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she'd like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if "cleansing" the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who's she to say no? Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn't the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that's had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s. Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen's strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she's beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself. “Sarah Adler nails the ultimate rom-com alchemy.”—Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake.
A sharply hilarious and ultimately heartfelt novel about a former teen superstar who grudgingly agrees to a reboot of the show that made her (in)famous, from the author of Reasonable Adults. Twenty years after Ocean Views went off the air, the beloved TV show about teenage romance and angst is back. No one is more surprised than its former star, Agnes "Ness" Larkin, that she's agreed to step back into the role of Aubrey Grant. After her father/manager took off with her earnings, Ness ran away from the spotlight in shame. But maybe it's time to stare her past, and her castmates, in their discreetly Botoxed faces. That enthusiasm lasts until the first table read, which, in co-star Coco's words, is "like a high school reunion without the dim lighting or booze." Ness assumed her old fling Hayes Beaumont would be too busy doing Big Hollywood Things to take part, but there he is, seated beside her, exuding pheromones and success. En route to the deluxe Bahamas resort where they're to start filming, the cast gets stranded by a storm. Stuck on a tiny island with a paltry cache of food and quite possibly the most useless survival group in history, Ness tries to reconcile her youthful dreams with where she's ended up—figuratively and literally. The producers wanted drama on and off-screen, and they're going to get it, but where will Ness be when it's all over?.
"Abraham Chang's novel, packed with pop culture, is wonderfully alive. This is a beautifully tender and funny examination of love, of identity, of making your way in a world that is getting bigger and smaller at the same time." —Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Nothing To See Here Young Wang has received plenty of wisdom from his beloved uncle: don't take life too seriously, get out on the road when you can, and everyone gets just seven great loves in their life—so don't blow it. This last one sticks with Young as he is an obsessive cataloger of his life: movies watched, favorite albums . . . all filtered through Chinese numerology and superstition. He finds meaning in almost everything, for which his two best friends endlessly tease him. But then, at the end of 1995, when Young is at New York University, he meets Erena. She's brilliant, charismatic, quick-witted, and crassly funny. They fall in love and, for Young, it feels so real that he's thrilled and terrified. As Young and Erena's relationship blossoms, we get flashbacks to Young's first five loves. That means Erena is "number six." Was his uncle wrong—is she the one and only? Or are they fated for failure to make room for Young's final, seventh love? A love letter to Western pop culture, Eastern traditions, and being a first-generation New Yorker, Abraham Chang's dazzling debut reminds us that luck only gets us so far when it comes to matters of the heart. A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.
Judy I. Lin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Magic Steeped in Poison , weaves a dreamy gothic romance worthy of the heavens in Song of the Six Realms . Xue, a talented young musician, has no past and probably no future. Orphaned at a young age, her kindly poet uncle took her in and arranged for an apprenticeship at one of the most esteemed entertainment houses in the kingdom. She doesn’t remember much from before entering the House of Flowing Water, and when her uncle is suddenly killed in a bandit attack, she is devastated to lose her last connection to a life outside of her indenture contract. With no family and no patron, Xue is facing the possibility of a lifetime of servitude playing the qin for nobles that praise her talent with one breath and sneer at her lowly social status with the next. Then one night she is unexpectedly called to the garden to put on a private performance for the enigmatic Duke Meng. The young man is strangely kind and awkward for nobility, and surprises Xue further with an irresistible offer: serve as a musician in residence at his manor for one year, and he’ll set her free of her indenture. But the Duke’s motives become increasingly more suspect when he and Xue barely survive an attack by a nightmarish monster, and when he whisks her away to his estate, she discovers he’s not just some country noble: He’s the Duke of Dreams, one of the divine rulers of the Celestial Realm. There she learns the Six Realms are on the brink of disaster, and incursions by demonic beasts are growing more frequent. The Duke needs Xue’s help to unlock memories from her past that could hold the answers to how to stop the impending war… but first Xue will need to survive being the target of every monster and deity in the Six Realms.