In a desolate future where Earth is divided into zones of despair and privilege, Doctor Marcus Jarret has a life most can only dream of in the elite crystal zone. But when Anja, the woman he loves, vanishes, Marcus is thrust into the unstable yellow zone, a territory teeming with secrets. Accompanied by Finch, a watchful Associate Advocate, Marcus stumbles upon a horrifying truth—plans to wipe out entire zones and their desperate inhabitants. With the fate of humanity hanging by a thread, they must unravel a conspiracy led by the enigmatic Leader and make agonising sacrifices. Narrated by the Last Advocate, an unborn entity observing humanity’s final gambit, this gripping tale reveals shocking truths about our past, present, and a perilous future. Can Marcus and Finch defy fate and prevent a cataclysm before time runs out?

A preadolescent boy is caught in Castro's Revolution and struggles with trading a Cuban Huck Finn childhood for the price of liberty after fleeing with his family to New Jersey via Mejico. The boy reminisces about his roots in the barrio. He chronicles spirited narratives that range from stealing a rowboat and being nearly capsized by a Russian tanker, to befriending an old fisherman who tells him a haunting tale, to being bullied by a neighborhood thug, to cockfights gone bad, and to being nearly mauled by a wild boar. He witnesses the plight of captives taken near his home during the Bay of Pigs invasion, and tries to navigate the complexities of growing up in a machismo, homophobic culture. The U.S. Blockade of Cuba during the Missile Crisis unexpectedly disrupts the family's egress. They endure the next several months in isolation. As a new expatriate, the boy lands in Mejico. He eventually arrives at freedom in blue-collar, New Jersey neighborhood. He endures the many ordeals of being an immigrant in an at-times intolerant culture and struggles to adjust to American life. But he perseveres. He scratches his way from a Green Card to American citizen, then to becoming a highly respected professor of medicine at two major medical schools in the United States. He eventually returns to the island in search of his roots, of the mango tree and of the boyhood for which he so dearly longed. He doesn't succeed altogether. But he doesn't lose hope.

It's Dyngus Day in Buffalo, New York where identical twin sisters Lilah and Laylah Larceny (pronounced LAR -SEN-EE) are celebrating their favorite ethnic festival as they are getting ready to retire from their 30-year careers as makeover queens. The twins are similar, with some differences: One twin believes in ghosts and the other in Aliens from outer space. Unbeknownst to Lilah, her newly adopted pet cat, whom she calls Dyngus is a bit of both. One day as Lilah is watching a YouTube video, she comes up with an unusual idea about how she can retire comfortably abroad for free! But her sister Laylah who has always been competitive with her sister on the down low discovers her plan and takes off for Scandinavia without her! Travel to Norway with the Larceny twins and find out how Lilah's unusual plan unfolds!

Esteban's journey of resilience and transformation unfolds with unexpected twists and turns in "Love's Irony." From an affair with Aja to his adventures in Las Cruces and Kochi, his path is marked by profound change and unforeseen challenges. After his expulsion from Mexico, Esteban seeks solace in bustling Kochi, India, immersing himself in his duties and encountering intriguing individuals. Despite grappling with illness and loneliness, he finds moments of joy and fulfillment, especially within the hospital corridors where he bonds with Aja, the head nurse. Their romance is complicated by Aja's commitment to her faith, leading to their eventual separation. Egged on by Jesus, Esteban's journey takes him to Macau, where a twist of fate brings both triumph and deportation. Through these tumultuous experiences, Esteban navigates the complexities of love's irony, a journey that continues to captivate and surprise.

Neill McKee takes us on an entertaining journey through the developing world from 1970 to 2012. His memoir is filled with compelling dialog, humorous and poignant incidents, thoughts on world development, vivid descriptions of people and places he visited and worked in, and over 200 images (ebook and hardcover in color), all of which bring readers into his "University of the World." The story starts when he becomes a "one-man film crew," documenting the lives of Canadian CUSO volunteers working in Asia and Africa as teachers, medical doctors, nurses, engineers, agriculturalists, foresters, technicians, and a biologist. He learns the craft of filmmaking and meets and marries Elizabeth "on the hoof." The story is enlivened throughout by their challenges and adventures together, and Elizabeth's growing artistic talent and creations.

A wrongfully accused Tejano ranch hand is hunted by the Texas Rangers for murder. He evades the Rangers and becomes the most wanted man in Texas in 1915. He is nicknamed the Ghost for his ability to avoid capture and expose the Texas Rangers corruption. He becomes a folk hero to the oppressed Tejanos.

In June 1970, my life was working as I’d hoped. At twenty-six, when my son Jim was born with a severe cleft lip and palate, my world turned upside down. Doctors took charge of my son’s medical needs. I felt side-lined, pressured to cope silently and without support. I recoiled when I saw my ten-day-old infant’s battered face after the first surgery. Feedings were traumatic, and I feared Jim would fail to thrive. Emotions I’d never felt before – disappointment, guilt, helplessness, self-loathing, resentment -- overwhelmed me. I shrank from the inevitable stares and insensitive comments. I worried that I had caused Jim’s cleft. My husband was consumed by medical training, so I was on my own for Jim’s medical appointments and hospitalizations. A surgeon dismissed my concerns and efforts. I yearned to be the mother my son needed but could not imagine ever being a positive force in his life....

Lloyd Gibson has a secret, and he used it to steal everything under the sun. But when he stole from the wrong people, his world unraveled, forcing him back to his hometown of Calgary. Living in an abandoned warehouse, he takes odd jobs as a private investigator to make ends meet. Constantly dealing with the paranoid delusional, his life soon becomes boring, before a genuine case drops into his lap. When he meets Mireya Delgado, Lloyd finds himself embroiled in an eighty-year conspiracy, with a mysterious agent hounding his steps. When the case leads to an actual supervillain, hellbent on revenge, he realizes he may be in over his head. However, Lloyd has a power of his own, and it might be the key to ending the fiery rampage. Walk in the shadows. Enter the Noctis. Will Lloyd prevail, or will the flames of vengeance consume him?

In The Single Ingredient Diet, Randy Rolfe takes an up-to-date look at the gaslighting which is going on by food processors, chemical companies, and regulators to rob us of our health. And she shows us how to liberate ourselves from its numbing effects and actively prevent the debilitating chronic diseases which are caused by the ultraprocessed food in the typical modern Western diet. In her twenties she developed a revolutionary and amazingly simple eating pattern which has kept her healthy well into her seventies. And in this book she shows us how it works to ensure that we are doing the best we can to support a long, healthy life. The Single Ingredient Diet invites us to transform our relationship with food in just 21 days. We seem obsessed today with conflicts between low-fat and low-carb, meat-eating and vegan, raw and cooked. But these conflicts are just a smoke screen hiding the most important conflict, which is between real foods, which nourish and heal, and non-foods, which sicken and kill. By learning how to use only instantly recognizable foods which require no labels and foods which list only one ingredient, we can enjoy every meal from now on, free of confusion, doubt, worry, and regret. When we take up this 21 day challenge, we can look forward to happier meals, happier health, and a happier life.

The story opens with the early morning rape of a young American woman, who, along with her husband, has come as a volunteer teacher to a small country in southern Africa. The rapist is captured by the husband and is subsequently arrested and held for trial. Because the Ministry of Justice sees the incident as sensitive, oversight of the case is assigned to an American expatriate lawyer employed there. The ensuing story follows not only the volunteers' lives as they cope with the aftermath of the attack and the Ministry of Justice's involvement in the matter, but also a growing unease on the part of characters concerning who they are and where they belong. Questions of culture and identity impact the action and outcome of the story.

"Kasia's Story" retells the final twenty years of the life of an elderly widow, Katarzyna Weiglowa, tried for heresy in Reformation Poland in the early sixteenth century. After the death of her husband, Kasia continues searching to answer the question they had begun exploring together: whether the God they find in their hearts is the same God they encounter in their church. The book is written in a parallel narrative featuring the complex life and political intrigues of Poland's Queen, Bona Sforza, who as a child knew Leonardo da Vinci. The times are turbulent and complex. The Church's response to the Reformation and the presence of Jews in Poland carries them far from Christ's call for compassion. All of Europe is now aflame with brilliant new ideas, and equally with the fires of repression: times not that different from ours. Deeply researched in Poland and through the literature, "Kasia's Story" is, in the mold of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, a deep dive into times which though long past, cast an instructive shadow into ours.

The Narcissist is a cosy crime novel with a gritty edge. When a famous actress is found dead from a gunshot wound in a small town, suspicion falls on her family and friends and it is revealed that there is more than one person who may have wanted Vanessa dead. As the characters close ranks and secrets are revealed, the book builds to a dramatic, action-packed conclusion.

When the head of an ancient Samaritan family is injured, it throws the family into turmoil. There isn’t enough money to pay the hefty Roman taxes. The daughter, Chana, is taken as compensation and forced into slavery inside a cruel centurion’s home. As a slave, Chana witnesses the miracles of Yeshua. They give her hope as she stands up to the abuses of the centurion’s children and survives unspeakable atrocities. Unaware of her family’s presence in Jerusalem, the holy city brings nothing but horror when Chana witnesses the crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. While struggling to overcome her traumas Naftili, Chana’s brother, is taken as a slave to the same house as Chana. Their fate to live a life as slaves seems impossible to overcome until they are rescued by dragons sent from God. But all is not easy as their faith journey continues. They will encounter obstacles designed to prevent them from becoming Dragon Disciples, faithful followers who spread and protect the Word of God.

When author Barry Finlay undertook climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at age sixty, little did he know the lessons he learned scaling that summit would translate to overcoming any of life’s challenges. In an inspiring how-to guide drawing upon both Finlay’s experience and the inspiring stories of eight other ordinary people doing extraordinary things, Just Keep Climbing details the tools anyone can use to reach seemingly impossible goals and become the best version of themselves. From the seventy-year-old, record-breaking sprinter and the competitive bodybuilder to those confronting addiction or a devastating medical diagnosis, each story is raw, emotional, and uplifting. Most importantly, each personal account assures us that while everyone faces their own version of Kilimanjaro, we have the power to prevail over adversity, pursue our passions, master our demons, and transform not only our own lives but the lives of others. Outlining the five Ps of overcoming challenges and sprinkled throughout with motivating quotes, Just Keep Climbing will inspire readers to find the joy in perseverance, success in the face of difficulty, and provide tools for the climb, whether the mountain is literal or figurative.

After experiencing a personal tragedy, Detective Rachel Ryder packs up and leaves Chicago for small town Georgia. She soon finds out that like the big city, small towns have big crimes. Breaking into the good ol' boy network isn't as easy as she thought. The chief and mayor would rather hide crimes than solve them, but that doesn't work for Rachel. When a city councilman is found dead, it's tagged a suicide, but Rachel knows better. Determined to find a killer her entire department, including her partner, don't think exists, What Rachel finds is more than a murder. She finds small town politics are as corrupt as the big city, and that wealthy moms can be sex traffickers too. She digs deeper and discovers the mayor's wife brings girls in to sleep with elected officials, and anyone else interested. When Rachel learns the murder is the mayor's daughter, she hits the ground running. This is the first in an 8 book series and has received multiple #1 bestseller tags on Amazon.

From the conflict in 1830’s Zululand to a staged robbery in the Gold Fields of Australia in 1859, a developing mystery requires the wit and intellect of Victorian private detectives Findo Gask and Erroll Rait. When Major Gask is reunited with Mary Mitchell, she brings worrying news of an old acquaintance, Jane Malan, whose husband Andrew has been receiving coded threats linking him to the theft of gold. They are in grave danger. When Andrew is murdered, Gask and Rait must race against time to unmask the killer. How was Andrew Malan involved in the gold robbery? And who are the real criminals behind the scheme? Can Gask and Rait solve the case before more lose their lives? To do so they must stay one step ahead of a dangerous secret society, Die Broederskap, and its threatening interference. With vivid period detail and a superb, labyrinthine plot The Case of the Wandering Corpse is a stylish, gripping and enthralling read. This is a novel so rich in historical detail and colour, the reader will feel immersed in the Victorian age.

As MARK JENKINS and his younger brother BRIAN play video games in their father’s doomsday bunker, the power suddenly goes out. It is May 24, 2022, when most of the United States, Northern Mexico, the southern half of Canada, Cuba, Belize, and the Caribbean islands see three bright lights spanning from the East to West coasts. The one in the east appears first, followed by the west, then the third between the two. At that moment, the world takes a quantum leap backward as three nuclear warheads explode two hundred miles into space over the United States within minutes of each other. This is designed to create a super electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and cripple the US. The Northwestern Hemisphere is immediately thrown back to the Stone Age, all at the hands of Iran and North Korea, and there are no police or emergency services to come to the aid of its people. Mark and his family are horrified to see a plane has crashed near their town and realize the bunker may be needed for its original purpose rather than a games room. Mark and his neighbor JACK PRICE ride their bikes in the direction of the crash to help out and are stunned to see the widespread devastation. Jack is concerned that an EMP has occurred and is worried about how his parents will get home from their jobs at Denver General Hospital. Looking to the north, the young men can see the carnage ahead and .....

The Adventures of Sir Locke the Gnome is an anthology of six mysteries in the spirit of Sherlock Holmes. Join Sir Locke and his best friend Latswin Gilshire as they solve mysteries throughout Aethrofell, a land full of men, women, dragons, dwarves, elves, orcs, ogres, giants, and of course gnomes. If you enjoy role playing sword & sorcery games and quick-paced mysteries, chances are you’ll love the adventures of Sir Locke the Gnome.

As Parul grows older, she becomes increasingly unhappy and resentful with her lot in life. Mohini struggles with their relationship as well, never sure whether to treat Parul as a sister or a servant. When Parul has a passionate, secret affair with Rahim, a radical Muslim, the careful order the Sens have maintained is thrown into chaos. Parul must decide where her loyalties lie when Rahim asks her to betray the Sens and endanger a young American man who is staying with them and to whom Mohini is attracted. Parul's choice will shock the family and determine everyone's future. Follow the powerful and emotional story of two young women, Parul and Mohini, as they navigate their complex relationships and the strict societal expectations placed upon them. As tensions rise and secrets are revealed, one woman is faced with a heart-wrenching choice that will determine the fate of those around her. This beautifully written and deeply intimate exploration of love, loyalty, and identity will leave you questioning the norms and expectations placed upon us and the power of our own choices.

In her book, author Johanna Crawford shares her 12 years of extraordinary, hands-on experience in supporting women and provides the reader with a pragmatic and compassionate perspective on the steps needed to effectively go from surviving to thriving. Many authors deal with the emotional aspects of abuse, but few present a roadmap for women to regain their financial self-sufficiency to change their lives and those of their families. Through an interactive, collaborative approach, It Takes a Woman offers space and methods for readers to explore their dreams and define specific, actionable steps and goals to regain power over their lives.