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The Light and the Dark
by Andrew Bromfield Mikhail ShishkinThe only author to win all three major Russian literary prizes (including the Russian Booker Prize), Mikhail Shishkin is one of the most acclaimed contemporary Russian literary figures. The Guardian said of Shishkin's writing: "richly textured and innovative. . . arguably Russia's greatest living novelist." The Wall Street Journal raved that "Shishkin has created a bewitching potion of reality and fantasy, of history and fable, and of lonely need and joyful consolation. An exquisite novel... His sovereignty is over the invisible and the timeless. Mr. Shishkin traces this sad story with great beauty and finesse." In The Light and the Dark Shishkin has created an evocative love story of two young lovers, Vladimir, a solider flighting the Boxer Rebellion, and Alexandra. Known fondly to each other as Vovka and Sashka, the two young lovers sustain their love by writing passionate letters to each other. But as their correspondence continues, it becomes clear that the couple's separation is chronological as well as geographical--that their extraordinary romance is actually created out of, as well as kept alive by, their yearning epistolary exchange, which defies not only space but time. With this contrapuntal literary testament to the delirious, transcendent power of love, Mikhail Shishkin--the most celebrated Russian author of his generation--has created a masterpiece of modern fiction.From the Hardcover edition.
The Light at Wyndcliff: The Governess Of Penwythe Hall, The Thief Of Lanwyn Manor, The Light At Wyndcliff (The Cornwall Novels #3)
by Sarah E. LaddIn the small Cornish village of Pevlyn, secrets are as treacherous as the rocky English shores.Cornwall, England, 1820Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man now reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father&’s death and her mother&’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks.Liam Twethewey is a mere two and twenty when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans of opening a china clay pit to employ the estate&’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his newfound authority.Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truth from deception, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.This latest Regency romance from Sarah E. Ladd evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, and Winston Graham.&“An expertly woven tale of secrets, danger, and heartfelt romance. A riveting and deeply emotional read.&” —Mimi Matthews, USA TODAY bestselling author
The Light at the Bottom of the World (Light at the Bottom of the World #1)
by London ShahIn the last days of thetwenty-first century, sea creatures swim through the ruins of London. Trappedin the abyss, humankind wavers between fear and hope-fear of what lurks in thedepths around them, and hope that they might one day find a way back to thesurface.When sixteen-year-oldsubmersible racer Leyla McQueen is chosen to participate in the city's prestigious annual marathon, she sees an opportunity to save her father, whohas been arrested on false charges. The Prime Minister promises the championwhatever their heart desires. But the race takes an unexpected turn, forcingLeyla to make an impossible choice.Now she must braveunfathomable waters and defy a corrupt government determined to keep itssecrets, all the while dealing with a guarded, hotheaded companion she neverasked for in the first place. If Leyla fails to discover the truths at theheart of her world, or falls prey to her own fears, she risks capture-or worse.And her father will be lost to her forever.
The Light in Hidden Places
by Sharon CameronOne knock at the door, and Stefania has a choice to make...It is 1943, and for four years, sixteen-year-old Stefania has been working for the Diamant family in their grocery store in Przemsyl, Poland, singing her way into their lives and hearts. She has even made a promise to one of their sons, Izio -- a betrothal they must keep secret since she is Catholic and the Diamants are Jewish. <p><p> But everything changes when the German army invades Przemsyl. The Diamants are forced into the ghetto, and Stefania is alone in an occupied city, the only one left to care for Helena, her six-year-old sister. And then comes the knock at the door. Izio's brother Max has jumped from the train headed to a death camp. Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide Max, and eventually twelve more Jews. Then they must wait, every day, for the next knock at the door, the one that will mean death. When the knock finally comes, it is two Nazi officers, requisitioning Stefania's house for the German army. <p> With two Nazis below, thirteen hidden Jews above, and a little sister by her side, Stefania has one more excruciating choice to make.
The Light in the Darkness
by Ellen FisherIn Ellen Fisher's charming novel of romance and redemption in colonial Virginia, a tormented widower rediscovers his passion for life with a most unlikely bride. Edward Greyson is one of the most eligible bachelors in the New World--and he couldn't care less. Haunted by the death of his wife, scornful of female wiles, and completely contemptuous of any attempt to bring happiness into his life, the brooding rogue known as Grey hardly considers himself a catch. And yet, if only to put an end to his sister's incessant nagging, Grey chooses a new bride after all, albeit one who confounds the expectations of polite society: an ignorant, unkempt, timid young tavern wench. No one knows better than Jennifer Wilton that she isn't a suitable match for an aristocrat like Grey. And though she can't begin to explain Grey's stormy temperament, one thing is sure: Whatever his intentions, the astonishingly handsome stranger saved her from a life of drudgery and cruelty. To repay his kindness, Jenny vows to transform herself into a ravishing, accomplished beauty, the kind of wife who would make him proud--and the kind of woman with whom he might just fall in love. Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from other Loveswept titles.
The Light of Winter
by Jana DenardoDr. Gareth Evans and his medical doctor partner, Warun Jones, are having trouble making time for each other between end of term craziness for Gareth and holiday-related injuries pouring into the hospital for Warun. Gareth has planned what he hopes will be the perfect recipe for relieving the tension and bringing them back together. While Warun wants Gareth to partake in Plygain, a traditional dawn service of hymn singing for Christmas, Gareth plans to take Warun to Bryn Celli Ddu and introduce him to the Druid ritual of Alban Arthan, the celebration of the winter solstice.A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
The Lighter Side of Life and Death
by C. K. Kelly MartinAcclaimed YA author C. K. Kelly Martin offers a sexy, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this romantic feel-good love story that celebrates friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances. Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends--the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true, and the future looks golden. Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake, and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if that means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive twenty-three-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry ... until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world.
The Lighthorseman
by Marjorie JonesIn The Lighthorseman, Dale Winters rode in the great charge at Beersheba in the final months of The Great War and has never forgiven himself for surviving. His younger brother did not. As a result, guilt-ridden, Dale gives up the passion in his life—horses. If his brother could no longer ride the animals he loved so much, then neither would he. A shattered man, Dale returns to his home in Western Australia. Emily Castle, late of Arizona, inherited one-half of the Castle Winters Sheep Station in Western Australia when her Uncle Charles passed away. For years, through his letters, her uncle had regaled Emily with tales of the exploits of the boys he had fostered. With a heart full of hope and happiness, she moves to her new home and an inevitable meeting with the amazing and adventurous Dale Winters. But the man who comes home from the war is not the one she envisioned in her dreams. Broken promises and a vow made to a dead man have stolen away his joy of life. Then Emily wagers her share of the station, and herself, on a horse race and becomes unable to ride. Will Dale learn, before it's too late, that some promises are meant to be broken? In The Flyer, Paul Campbell has fought the Turks, the Germans, and the occasional rogue crocodile, and as a confirmed bachelor, veteran of the Great War, and jack-of-all-trades in the rough country of Western Australia, he is free to live the rest of his life in peace. He has only one goal: to make life easier on the residents of the Outback by flying medicine, supplies, and the rare letter to those who live in Australia's sprawling interior. That is, until a new doctor lands on his doorstep begging for a gentle hand and a warm kiss—even if she doesn't know it yet. Helen Stanwood left the relative comfort of her San Francisco home with a mission: to forget the pain of her former existence by devoting herself to helping those in need. But when she arrives in Australia she is faced with the realization that she can't run away from herself, her past, or Paul.
The Lighthouse
by Mary SchramskiI've never been close with my father...Even though I'm his only child. We were both held together by my mother, the warm, dancing flame attracting the quiet moths. Dad was always on the other side of the sun; I could never reach him.Now Mom's gone. It's Christmas. And my unapproachable father is chasing a wild, crazy, impossible dream. He's putting everything he has into restoring an old, abandoned lighthouse that Mom loved.Yet, after a while, something about restoring the landmark started to make sense. Because in the glow of that beacon, a wife and mother was not gone, but instead was showing her two most treasured people the way toward peace.
The Lighthouse Bookshop: the contemporary romance of the summer
by Sharon GoslingAt the heart of a tiny community in a remote village just inland from the Aberdeenshire coast stands an unexpected lighthouse. Built two centuries ago by an eccentric landowner, it has become home to the only bookshop for miles around. Rachel is an incomer to the village. She arrived five years ago and found a place she could call home. So when the owner of the Lighthouse Bookshop dies suddenly, she steps in to take care of the place, trying to help it survive the next stage of its life. But when she discovers a secret in the lighthouse, long kept hidden, she realises there is more to the history of the place than she could ever imagine. Can she uncover the truth about the lighthouse&’s first owner? And can she protect the secret history of the place?Praise for Sharon Gosling's first novel, The House Beneath the Cliffs:&‘A wonderfully wise and beautifully written story about finding the courage to start over … I loved it!&’ Isabelle Broom'A compelling read with a dramatic sense of place and a caring community at its heart' Heidi Swain, author of A Taste of Home &‘A gorgeously remote and romantic great escape, brimming with foodie passion, friendship and heart&’ Laura Kemp, author of A Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness 'A magical story set in Scotland...An inspiring book of second chances' Woman's Own 'A story to make you long to visit our glorious coastlines' Prima'With a romance that gently simmers, a plot that flows as fast as the North Sea tides, and some gentle reminders of the need to protect our oceans, The House Beneath the Cliffs provides the perfect holiday getaway' Lancashire Post 'Thrilling & romantic' The People's Friend &‘An inspiring book of second chances' Woman 'Packed full of warmth' Cumbria Life
The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay: A Novel (Moonglow Cove #3)
by Lori WildeLori Wilde returns to Moonglow Cove, Texas, with a heartwarming novel about two estranged sisters who must come together after they receive a bizarre inheritance from their grandmother.It was an inheritance neither sister expected—a lighthouse in Moonglow Cove, left to them by a grandmother they never knew! Harper and Flannery weren’t exactly best friends either. For years, Flannery had held down the home front, taking care of their sick mother and raising a daughter, while Harper sent nothing but checks. And after their mother’s funeral the two sisters had an argument that left them not speaking for six years—why, Harper didn’t even know she has a niece!But life has a way of changing when you least expect it. And the sisters discover their grandmother’s will has a stipulation: the two of them must live there, work out their issues... and compete in baking challenges with a hundred-year-old sourdough starter. If either of them gives up, or fails to keep the starter alive, they lose the lighthouse. Will they be able to come together and see their grandmother’s wish come true? Or will these two sisters forever be estranged?
The Lightkeeper
by Susan WiggsOnce, the sea took everything he loved...Jesse Morgan is a man hiding from the pain of his past, a man who has vowed never to give his heart again. Keeper of a remote lighthouse along a rocky and dangerous coast, he has locked himself away from everything but his bitter memories.Now, the sea has given him a second chance.A beautiful stranger washes ashore, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Penniless and pregnant, Mary Dare is a woman who carries painful memories of her own.With laughter, hope and joy, Mary and her child bring light into the dark corners of Jesse's world. But when their friendship turns to passion and passion becomes love, secrets from the past threaten to take it all away.
The Lightkeeper's Ball: The Lightkeeper's Daughter, The Lightkeeper's Bride, The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel #3)
by Colleen CobleAt the elegant Mercy Falls masquerade ball, Olivia's hidden identity will be revealed.It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred--those considered the wealthiest and most distinguished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests upon the Stewart daughters marrying well.Olivia's sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation's wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor's fiancé. Using her family's long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor's death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be.When Mercy Falls holds a charity masquerade ball to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets--and truths long hidden--will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he finds her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing--not money, family, or romance--will ever compare to God's unconditional love?
The Lightkeeper's Bride: The Lightkeeper's Daughter, The Lightkeeper's Bride, The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel #2)
by Colleen CobleWhen Katie answers the call of duty, she awakens the call of her heart. Katie Russell loves working as a telephone operator in Mercy Falls, California. But since childhood she has been expected to marry well. Her family presses for an engagement to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster and though he doesn't stir her heart, their engagement promises a secure financial future. Working the phone lines one evening, Katie overhears a chilling exchange between her friend Eliza and a familiar male voice. Katie soon learns that Eliza has disappeared, and the crime may be linked to another investigation by handsome new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Katie and Will soon form an alliance. An alliance that slowly blossoms into something more. Despite the danger surrounding her, Katie is powerfully drawn to Will. But she is not at liberty to marry for love. And though society forbids their growing affection, Katie can't help but notice Will's sense of peace. It's a peace that rests on his trust in God--a trust that Katie has never had to depend on, with her future so clearly mapped out before her. But the more Katie uncovers of the mystery, the more she discovers about herself, her past, and the brilliant future that could be hers if only she has the courage to trust in God and follow where her heart so fearlessly leads.
The Lightkeeper's Curse (Lighthouse Mysteries)
by Cassie MilesWith the darkness closing in around themThey&’ll risk everything to bring a killer to light Rookie FBI agent Skylar Gambel and police detective Jake Armstrong both had their lives shaped by the Lightkeeper Murders. Now, twenty years later, a new serial killer called the Shadowkeeper has emerged from foggy obscurity. Are the deaths the work of a new murderer, simply an evolved one…or a curse? Skylar is determined to crack the case, even as she fights her hidden phobias and her attraction to Jake. But when she is kidnapped along with the killer&’s next victim, Jake vows to silence the violent slayer once and for all.From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.Discover more action-packed stories in the Lighthouse Mysteries series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order: Book 1: Fugitive HarborBook 2: The Lightkeeper's Curse
The Lightkeeper's Daughter: The Lightkeeper's Daughter, The Lightkeeper's Bride, The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel #1)
by Colleen CobleWith the lies of the past behind her, Addie finds love . . . and discovers her true Father.<P> Addie Sullivan leads a quiet life in a northern California lighthouse. She mourns the death of her father and endures her mother's bitterness, until the night a storm brings an injured stranger and a dark secret to her home. The man insists she is not who she thinks she is, but rather "Julia Eaton"--the child long lost and feared dead by her wealthy family. Seizing the chance to be reunited with the Eatons, Addie leaves her lighthouse home but decides to keep her true identity a secret until they can unravel the mystery.<P> Addie loves the Eatons' palatial home tucked away among the California redwood forests. She feels secure with the jovial family, adores the young boy who is her charge as governess, and finds romance with his father John, a young widower. But sinister shadows overtake Addie's joy. As dusty rooms and secret compartments give up their clues about her past, Addie finds a faith and a love she could never have guessed. To embrace this new world of promise is to risk her life; but to run away is to risk losing the greatest love she's ever known.
The Lightkeeper's Woman
by Mary BurtonTheir Grand Passion Had Burned Too Brightly To SurviveBut faced with wedding another, Alanna Patterson was determined to reignite any smoldering embers of desire Caleb Pitt might still harbor for her. Would her brawny captain, now a solitary lighthouse keeper, rescue her from a sea of regrets? Or had tragedy both public and private sunk any hopes for a lasting love?Caleb Pitt had once believed love was eternal as the sea, for Alanna Patterson had promised him forever. But despite her vow, she'd left him to drown in disgrace. Now, years later, she'd reappeared on a storm-tossed wave, beautiful as a siren...and just as seductive!
The Lightkeeper: A 19th Century Historical Romance (Swept Away #1)
by Susan Wiggs“A classic beauty-and-the-beast love story that will stay in your heart long after you’ve turned the last page.” —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times–bestselling authorOnce, the sea took everything he loved . . . Jesse Morgan is a man hiding from the pain of his past, a man who has vowed never to give his heart again. Keeper of a remote lighthouse along a rocky and dangerous coast, he has locked himself away from everything but his bitter memories.Now, the sea has given him a second chance.A beautiful stranger washes ashore, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Penniless and pregnant, Mary Dare is a woman who carries painful memories of her own.With laughter, hope and joy, Mary and her child bring light into the dark corners of Jesse’s world. But when their friendship turns to passion and passion becomes love, secrets from the past threaten to take it all away.“With mythic styling, Wiggs creates a tempest-tossed, illiterate, pregnant young Irishwoman, Mary Dare, who will teach Jesse that life is for friendship, forgiveness and compassion.” —Publishers Weekly
The Lightning Bottles
by Marissa StapleyThe author of New York Times bestseller and Reese&’s Book Club pick Lucky returns with a spellbinding story of rock &’n&’ roll and star-crossed love—about grunge-era musician Jane Pyre&’s journey to find out what really happened to her husband and partner in music, who abruptly disappeared years earlier.He was the troubled face of rock &’n&’ roll…until he suddenly disappeared without a trace. Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock n&’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she&’s perhaps the most hated—and least understood—woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart—even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world. But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band&’s meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn&’t anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door—a Lightning Bottles superfan—who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah still alive, he&’s also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find them right away. A cross-continent road trip about two misunderstood outsiders brought together by their shared love of music, The Lightning Bottles is both a love letter to the 90s and a searing portrait of the cost of fame.
The Lightning Bottles: An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking page-turner
by Marissa StapleyHe was the troubled face of rock 'n' roll . . . until he disappeared without a trace.Jane Pyre was once part of the famous rock 'n' roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she's the most hated - and least understood - woman in music. She was never as popular as her bandmate (and soulmate) Elijah Hart, despite writing the songs that catapulted them to fame.But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band's rise to fame came crashing down, public hatred of Jane has risen to new levels and all she wants is to retreat. The last thing she expects is for the teenage girl next door - a Lightning Bottles super fan - to claim that Elijah is still alive. Or that he's been leaving secret messages for Jane . . .
The Lightning Bottles: An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking page-turner
by Marissa Stapley'I absolutely loved this book and found myself drawn in and unable to put it down from page one! I can see this being a great pick for anyone who loved Daisy Jones and The Six' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I seriously loved this book! It brought together two of my great loves in life, music and books... The characters were out of this world! I felt all of the emotions... What a wonderful story' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐He was the troubled face of rock 'n' roll . . . until he disappeared without a trace...Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock 'n' roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she's perhaps the most hated-and least understood-woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart - even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world.But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band's meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn't anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door-a Lightning Bottles superfan-who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah still alive, he's also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find them right away...Combining a mystery, a love story and a coming of age, this unforgettable novel is perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Idea of You and Songs in Ursa Major - and will have you hooked from the very first page! Everyone loves The Lightning Bottles: 'If you enjoy rock n roll love stories and Daisy Jones and The Six you will really like this book. I absolutely could not put it down!... A great summer read' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Wow - I absolutely loved this... 5 stars!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I wish I could give this book 10 stars! From the very start of Elijah and Jane's relationship, I was absolutely hooked' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'WOW. I could not put this book down. I loved the grunge, rock & roll, music feel of this book... I read this book in 2 days' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A book that you can't put down!!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Wow, this was such a great book! I loved both Jane and Elijah and thought their love story was inspiring' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Lightning Keeper: A Novel
by Starling LawrenceThis is the story of an unlikely love at the dawn of the electric age in America. In 1914, Toma Pekocevic is a penniless immigrant in New York recently escaped from the bloody politics of the Balkans that has claimed most of his family. He is also a gifted inventor who designs a revolutionary water turbine while working with Harriet Bigelow, scion of a proud Connecticut iron-making dynasty now fallen on hard times. Their attraction is immediate and overwhelming, but every circumstance is against them. Toma's invention is all he has after losing Harriet to a wealthy politician, but he is determined to win her back, setting the stage for a confrontation that could change not only his life but the course of scientific progress.
The Lightning Tree
by Emily WoofFrom the author of The Whole Wide Beauty: “Transcendent. What unfolds is a story not just of young love but of how to cope when it is lost and shattered” (Financial Times).United Kingdom circa the 1980s—Ursula and Jerry find themselves surrounded by hip hairdos and dominating parents. The future looks bleak if they do not change their lives dramatically. Both are itching to escape their current lives and engage with the wider world.Ursula’s work as a teacher takes her far away to India to instruct disabled children, while Jerry accepts a scholarship to Magdalen College—but only to “highlight the absurdity of privilege.”Their written exchanges are deep, political, and full of irony. All the while, Jerry stays committed to Ursula in mind but not in body, questioning their relationship and the nature of their love.“Woof . . . succeeds in conveying ‘the infinity of moments’ that make up a lifetime.” —The New Yorker“An unusual but convincing love story that charts the often-distant lives of her two distinctive and appealing characters, written with wit and a lyrical flourish.” —The Daily Mail“Engaging . . . In precise, lyrical prose, Woof creates empathy for her characters’ struggles and desires.” —Kirkus Reviews“Woof is a storyteller and you can tell this from the first few pages.” —The Times (London)“Woof finds humor and poignancy in the gulf between how things are and how they ought to be.” —The Observer“[A] quixotic, forceful voice . . . [An] indubitable talent.” —The Guardian
The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania Ser. #1)
by Tj KluneOnce upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City Of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King's Wizard, Morgan of Shadows. When Sam's fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds. At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle--Knight Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed. Naturally, it all goes to hell when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can't control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan's boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have. Or so he thinks.
The Lights of Prague
by Nicole JarvisFor readers of VE Schwab and The Witcher, science and magic clash in atmospheric gaslight-era Prague.In the quiet streets of Prague all manner of mysterious creatures lurk in the shadows. Unbeknownst to its citizens, their only hope against the tide of predators are the dauntless lamplighters – secret elite of monster hunters whose light staves off the darkness each night. Domek Myska leads a life teeming with fraught encounters with the worst kind of evil: pijavice, bloodthirsty and soulless vampiric creatures. Despite this, Domek finds solace in his moments spent in the company of his friend, the clever and beautiful Lady Ora Fischerová - a widow with secrets of her own. When Domek finds himself stalked by the spirit of the White Lady - a ghost who haunts the baroque halls of Prague castle – he stumbles across the sentient essence of a will-o&’-the-wisp captured in a mysterious container. Now, as its bearer, Domek wields its power, but the wisp, known for leading travellers to their deaths, will not be so easily controlled. After discovering a conspiracy amongst the pijavice that could see them unleash terror on the daylight world, Domek finds himself in a race against those who aim to twist alchemical science for their own dangerous gain.