Search results for ""astra publishing""

Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.It was not his war.The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives—even the Emperor himself—against Imperial orders.But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe starts down a path that can only end in fire. He flees his father and a future as a torturer only to be left stranded on a strange, backwater world.Forced to fight as a gladiator and navigate the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, Hadrian must fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an e

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The fifth book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.The Los Angeles Firestorm killed over a hundred thousand people, set in revenge against necromancer Eric Carter for defying the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. Carter feels every drop of that blood on his hands. But now there's a new problem. Too many ghosts in one spot and the barrier separating them from the living cracks. And when they cross it, they feed off all the life they can get hold of. People die. L.A. suddenly has a lot more ghosts.But it's not just one or two ghosts breaking through: it's dozens. Another mage is pulling them through the cracks and turning them into deadly weapons. Eric follows a trail that takes him through the world of the Chinese Triads, old associates, old crimes. And a past that he thought he was done with.Carter needs to find out how to get things under control, because if more ghosts break through, there's going to be even more blood on his hands.

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SFWA Grand Master Cherryh returns to the Hugo-award winning Alliance-Union Universe with a thrilling entry in her far-reaching sci-fi saga.For years, the stations of the Hinder Stars, those old stations closest to Sol, have lagged behind the great megastations of the Beyond, like Pell and Cyteen. But new opportunities and fears arise when Alpha station receives news of an incoming ship with no identification. The denizens of Alpha wait anxiously for news about the outsiders, each with their own suspicions about the ship and its origins. Ross and Fallon, crew members of the Galway, believe the unidentified ship belongs to Pell and has come to investigate another massive ship docked at Alpha, The Rights of Man. Though Rights is under the command of the Earth Company, it is not quite perfected—and its true purpose is shrouded in mystery. James Robert Neihart, captain of Finity's End—a huge faster-than-light ship flown by one of the Merchanter Families—has heard whispers of The Rights of Man and wonders at its design and purpose, especially as Sol struggles to rival the progress of the Farther Stars. Now docked at Alpha, he must convince the crews that there is more to The Rights of Man than meets the eye. Because the reasons behind the creation of The Rights of Man, and its true plans, could change everything—not just for Sol, but for the Hinder Stars and the Beyond itself.

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SFWA Grand Master C. J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher return to the Hugo-award winning Alliance-Union Universe with a thrilling entry in her far-reaching sci-fi saga.For years, the stations of the Hinder Stars, those old stations closest to Sol, have lagged behind the great megastations of the Beyond, like Pell and Cyteen. But new opportunities and fears arise when Alpha station, the oldest of them all, receives news of a huge incoming faster-than-light ship with no identification. The denizens of Alpha wait anxiously for news about the outsiders, each with their own suspicions about the ship and its motivations. Ross and Fallan, crew members of the Galway, believe the unidentified ship belongs to Pell and has come to investigate another massive ship docked at Alpha, The Rights of Man. Though Rights is under the command of the Earth Company, it is not quite perfected—and its true purpose is shrouded in mystery. James Robert Neihart, the captain of the strange ship—finally identified as one of the two largest ships of the Beyond, the Merchanter vessel Finity's End—has heard whispers of The Rights of Man and wonders at its design and purpose, especially as Sol has struggled to rival the progress of the Farther Stars. Now docked at Alpha, he must convince the crews that there is more to The Rights of Man than meets the eye. Because the reasons behind the creation of The Rights of Man, and its true plans, could change everything—not just for Sol, but for the Hinder Stars and the Beyond itself.

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Set in the New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard, this short novel continues the saga that inspired a generation of fantasistsPride often goes before a fall, but sometimes that prideful fall is so catastrophic that it changes history itself.Among the immortal Sithi of Osten Ard, none are more beloved and admired than the two sons of the ruling family, steady Hakatri and his proud and fiery younger brother Ineluki -- Ineluki, who will one day become the undead Storm King. The younger brother makes a bold, terrible oath that he will destroy deadly Hidohebhi, a terrifying monster, but instead drags his brother with him into a disaster that threatens not just their family but all the Sithi -- and perhaps all of humankind as well.Set a thousand years before the events of Williams's The Dragonbone Chair, the tale of Ineluki's tragic boast and what it brings is told by Pamon Kes, Hakatri's faithful servant. Kes is not one of the Sithi but a member of the enslaved Changeling race, and his loyalty has never before been tested. Now he must face the terrible black dragon at his master's side, then see his own life changed forever in a mere instant by Ineluki's rash, selfish promise.

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The thirteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series continues the reimagined adventures of Sherlock Holmes in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian England.The threat of Moriarty is gone—but so is Sherlock Holmes. Even as they mourn the loss of their colleague, psychic Nan Killian, medium Sarah Lyon-White, and Elemental Masters John and Mary Watson must be vigilant, for members of Moriarty’s network are still at large. And their troubles are far from over: in a matter of weeks, two headless bodies of young brides wash up in major waterways. A couple who fears for their own recently-wedded daughter hires the group to investigate, but with each new body, the mystery only deepens. The more bodies emerge, the more the gang suspects that there is dangerous magic at work, and that Moriarty’s associates are somehow involved. But as they race against the clock to uncover the killer, it will take all their talents, Magic, and Psychic Powers—and perhaps some help from a dearly departed friend—to bring the murderer to justice.

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The second book in the action-packed Peacekeeper series, a continuation of Tanya Huff's military sci-fi Confederation series following Torin KerrGunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. No one who’d ever served with her could imagine any circumstance that would see her walking away from the Corps. But that was before Torin learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting…before she’d been declared dead and had spent time in a prison that shouldn’t exist…before she’d learned about the “plastic” beings who were really behind the war between the Confederation and the Others. That was when Torin left the military for good.Yet she couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr drew together an elite corps of friends and allies—some ex-Marines, some civilians with unique skills—and together they prepared to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. But after their first major mission, it became obvious that covert operations were not going to be enough.Although the war is over, the fight goes on and the Justice Department finds its regular Wardens unable to deal with violence and the people trained to use it. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr has a solution: Strike Teams made up of ex-military personnel, small enough to maneuver quickly, able to work together if necessary. Justice has no choice but to implement her idea and Torin puts her team of independent contractors back into uniform. It isn’t war, it is policing, but it often looks much the same.When the scientists doing a preliminary archaeological dig on a Class Two planet are taken hostage, Torin’s team is sent to free them. The problem of innocents in the line of fire is further complicated by the fact that the mercenaries holding them are a mix of Confederation and Primacy forces, and are looking for a weapon able to destroy the plastic aliens who’d started and maintained the war.If Torin weren’t already torn by wanting that weapon in play, she also has to contend with the politics of peace that have added members of the Primacy—former enemies—to her team. Before they confront the mercenaries, Torin will have to sift through shifting loyalties as she discovers that the line between“us” and “them” is anything but straight.

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The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy—three groundbreaking, Lambda Award-winning novels that established Mercedes Lackey as a fantasy tour-de-force and her Kingdom of Valdemar as a place millions of readers return to again and again. This Lambda Award-winning trilogy tells the story of Vanyel, persecuted and abused son of a Valdemaran noble, who finds acceptance at Haven when he is Chosen by the Companion Yfandes. Companions like Yfandes are magical horse-like beings with the power to communicate and bond with their Chosen, and trigger the potential for psychic abilities—and magic. But Vanyel discovers other things about himself at Haven as well…. He discovers love in an unexpected place, and loses it, and nearly his own life. With Yfandes and his aunt, Herald Savil, he will travel to the home of the mysterious Hawkbrothers in search of healing and training, and will grow from a troubled and heartbroken Trainee to become the most powerful Herald-Mage in the history of Valdemar—and the one hope for Valdemar against an implacable foe bent on eradicating magic from the Kingdom entirely

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The third book in the smart, snarky, and action-packed Heroine series completes the "Heroic Trio" as Bea Tanaka joins her sister, Evie, and diva Aveda Jupiter in their quest to free San Francisco from its demon portal problemIf there's one thing Beatrice Tanaka never wanted to be, it's normal. But somehow, her life has unfolded as a series of "should haves." Her powers of emotional projection should have made her one of the most formidable superheroes of all time. And she should have been allowed to join her older sister Evie as a full-fledged protector of San Francisco, pulverizing the city's plethora of demon threats. But Evie and her superheroing partner, Aveda Jupiter, insist on seeing Bea as the impulsive, tempestuous teenager she used to be--even though she's now a responsible adult. And that means Bea is currently living a thoroughly normal life. She works as a bookstore lackey, hangs out with best friends Sam Fujikawa and Leah Kim, and calms her workplace's more difficult customers. Sure, she's not technically supposed to be playing with people's mental states. But given the mundanity of her existence, who can blame her? When a mysterious being starts communicating with Bea, hinting at an evil that's about to overtake the city, she seizes the opportunity, hoping to turn her "should haves" into the fabulous heroic life she's always wanted. But gaining that life may mean sacrificing everything--and everyone--she holds dear...

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*36:00:00* The clock activates so suddenly in my mind, my head involuntarily jerks a bit to the side. The fog vanishes, dissipated in an instant as though it never was. Memories come slotting into place, their edges sharp enough to leave furrows, and suddenly I know. I know exactly who I am. My name is Lia Johansen, and I was named for a prisoner of war. She lived in the Tiersten Internment Colony for two years, and when they negotiated the return of the prisoners, I was given her memories and sent back in her place. And I am a genetically engineered human bomb. Lia Johansen was created for only one purpose: to slip onto the strategically placed New Sol Space Station and explode. But her mission goes to hell when her clock malfunctions, freezing her countdown with just two minutes to go. With no Plan B, no memories of her past, and no identity besides a name stolen from a dead POW, Lia has no idea what to do next. Her life gets even more complicated when she meets Michael Sorenson, the real Lia’s childhood best friend. Drawn to Michael and his family against her better judgment, Lia starts learning what it means to live and love, and to be human. It is only when her countdown clock begins sporadically losing time that she realizes even duds can still blow up. If she wants any chance at a future, she must find a way to unlock the secrets of her past and stop her clock. But as Lia digs into her origins, she begins to suspect there’s far more to her mission and to this war, than meets the eye. With the fate of not just a space station but an entire empire hanging in the balance, Lia races to find the truth before her time—literally—runs out.

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A fiery spirit dances from the pages of the Great Book. She brings the aroma of scorched sand and ozone. She has a story to tell.... The Book of Phoenix is a unique work of magical futurism. A prequel to the highly acclaimed, World Fantasy Award-winning novel, Who Fears Death, it features the rise of another of Nnedi Okorafor’s powerful, memorable, superhuman women. Phoenix was grown and raised among other genetic experiments in New York’s Tower 7. She is an “accelerated woman”—only two years old but with the body and mind of an adult, Phoenix’s abilities far exceed those of a normal human. Still innocent and inexperienced in the ways of the world, she is content living in her room speed reading e-books, running on her treadmill, and basking in the love of Saeed, another biologically altered human of Tower 7. Then one evening, Saeed witnesses something so terrible that he takes his own life. Devastated by his death and Tower 7’s refusal to answer her questions, Phoenix finally begins to realize that her home is really her prison, and she becomes desperate to escape. But Phoenix’s escape, and her destruction of Tower 7, is just the beginning of her story. Before her story ends, Phoenix will travel from the United States to Africa and back, changing the entire course of humanity’s future.

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Now in paperback, the New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard returns in the third Last King of Osten Ard novel, as threats to the kingdom loom...The High Throne of Erkynland is tottering, its royal family divided and diminished. Queen Miriamele has been caught up in a brutal rebellion in the south and thought to have died in a fiery attack. Her grandson Morgan, heir to the throne, has been captured by one of Utuk’ku’s soldiers in the ruins of an abandoned city. Miriamele’s husband, King Simon, is overwhelmed by grief and hopelessness, unaware that many of these terrible things have been caused by Pasevalles, a murderous traitor inside Simon’s own court at the Hayholt. Meanwhile, a deadly army of Norns led by the ageless, vengeful Queen Utuk’ku, has swept into Erkynland and thrown down the fortress of Naglimund, slaughtering the inhabitants and digging up the ancient grave of Ruyan the Navigator. Utuk’ku plans to use the Navigator’s fabled armor to call up the spirit of Hakatri, the evil Storm King’s brother. Even the Sithi, fairy-kin to the Norns, are helpless to stop Utuk’ku’s triumph as her armies simultaneously march on the Hayholt and force their way into the forbidden, ogre-guarded valley of Tanakirú—the Narrowdark—where a secret waits that might bring Simon’s people and their Sithi allies salvation—or doom.

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With his critically acclaimed military science fiction debut series, Dave Bara launched readers on a star-spanning journey of discovery, diplomacy, and danger. The Lightship H.M.S. Impulse is gone, sacrificed in a battle against First Empire ships. And though the fragile galactic alliance has survived the unexpected invasion, the Union forces might not prove victorious against a full onslaught by this legendary enemy. For Peter Cochrane, serving as an officer aboard his world’s flagship, H.M.S. Starbound is a dream come true. Tasked with investigating a mysterious space station in a rediscovered star system, Peter and Starbound face a surprise attack by unknown forces and suffer terrible losses. But there is no time to grieve or even regroup as Peter is thrust into a new crisis, a potential civil war on the Union world of Carinthia. Caught between his rank in the navy and his status as a royal heir, Peter is put on trial for the loss of Impulse, used as a political pawn as Carinthia stands on the brink of a devastating conflict. Peter escapes but faces the prospect of interstellar war when he learns of a possible alliance between the First Empire and Carinthia, a coalition which could tear the Union apart!

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Now in hardcover, the twelfth installment of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling Toby Daye urban fantasy series!Things are not okay.In the aftermath of Amandine's latest betrayal, October "Toby" Daye's fragile self-made family is on the verge of coming apart at the seams. Jazz can't sleep, Sylvester doesn't want to see her, and worst of all, Tybalt has withdrawn from her entirely, retreating into the Court of Cats as he tries to recover from his abduction. Toby is floundering, unable to help the people she loves most heal. She needs a distraction. She needs a quest.What she doesn't need is the abduction of her estranged human daughter, Gillian. What she doesn't need is to be accused of kidnapping her own child by her ex-boyfriend and his new wife, who seems to be harboring secrets of her own. There's no question of whether she'll take the case. The only question is whether she's emotionally prepared to survive it.Signs of Faerie's involvement are everywhere, and it's going to take all Toby's nerve and all her allies to get her through this web of old secrets, older hatreds, and new deceits. If she can't find Gillian before time runs out, her own child will pay the price. Two questions remain: Who in Faerie remembered Gillian existed? And what do they stand to gain? No matter how this ends, Toby's life will never be the same.

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R.I.P. = Reanimated, Infernal, and Pretty damn dangerous Struggling actress Esther Diamond, whose year got off to a rough start (what with incarceration, unemployment, and mystical death curses), finally catches a break when she lands an acting job.She's hired to reprise her guest role as prostitute Jilly C-Note on The Dirty Thirty, a TV crime drama about depravity and corruption in the New York Police Department. Esther's ex-sometime boyfriend, NYPD's Detective Connor Lopez, hates that show with undying passion -- especially after Esther convinces her narcissistic co-star to shadow Lopez on the job, in order to add verisimilitude to his performance as a morally bankrupt cop.But Esther's fellow thespian is her best bet for keeping an eye on Lopez 24/7—and, more to the point, on Lopez's new partner, Detective Quinn. Esther and her friend Max, a 350-year-old mage whose day job is protecting the city from Evil, suspect Quinn of being involved in the latest mystical mayhem to menace Manhattan...Corpses suddenly aren't staying quite as dead as they should.While Max and Esther try to determine what Quinn's role is in the supernatural reanimation of the deceased downtown, a dangerous foe with deadly intent changes everyone's dinner plans one cold winter night...

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Final novel in EC Blake's dystopian fantasy trilogy, The Masks of AygrimaThe Masks of Aygrima is set in a land where people are forced to wear spell-imbued Masks that reveal any traitorous thoughts they have about their ruler, the Autarch. Mara Holdfast is a young woman gifted with the ability to see and use all the colors of magic. Two other people share this talent: the Autarch, who draws upon the very life-force of his subjects to fuel his existence and retain his control over the kingdom; and the legendary Lady of Pain and Fire, the only person who has ever truly challenged the Autarch’s despotic reign. After a devastating battle that takes a dreadful toll on both the rebel unMasked Army and the forces of Prince Chell, their ally from across the sea, Mara and her fellow survivors have no one to turn to for help but the Lady of Pain and Fire. As the Lady leads them to her haven beyond the mountain borders of the kingdom, Mara feels that she has found the one person who truly understands her, a mentor who can teach her to control and use her power for the greater good. Together, they may be able to at last free Agryma from the Autarch’s rule. Living within the Lady’s castle, cut off from her friends in the village far below, Mara immerses herself in her training. Still, she can’t entirely escape from hearing dark hints about the Lady, rumors that the Lady may, in her own way, be as ruthless as the Autarch himself. Yet it is not until they begin their campaign against the Autarch that Mara discovers where the real danger lies. Driven by the Lady’s thirst for revenge, will Mara and all her friends fall victim in a duel to the death between two masters of magic?

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Now in paperback, the first book in the Faraman Prophecy epic fantasy series introduces a world of military might and magical Talents on the brink of destruction--and two unlikely heroes may be its only saviors.Seventeen-year-old Kerida Nast has always wanted a career in the military, just like the rest of her family. So when her Talent is discovered, and she knows she'll have to spend the rest of her life as a psychic for the Halls of Law, Ker isn't happy about it. Anyone entering the Halls must give up all personal connection with the outside world, losing their family and friends permanently. But just as Kerida is beginning to reconcile herself to her new role, the Faraman Polity is invaded by strangers from Halia, who begin a systematic campaign of destruction against the Halls, killing every last Talent they can find.Kerida manages to escape, falling in with Tel Cursar, a young soldier fleeing the battle, which saw the deaths of the royal family. Having no obvious heir to the throne, no new ruler to rally behind, the military leaders will be divided, unable to act quickly enough to save the empire. And with the Halls being burned to the ground, and the Talents slaughtered, the Rule of Law will be shattered.

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The twelfth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a richly-detailed alternate 20th-century EnglandChristmas is a very special time of year. It is special for Psychic Nan Killian and Medium Sarah Lyon-White and their ward Suki, who are determined to celebrate it properly. It is special for their friends, Doctor John Watson, and his wife Mary, both Elemental Masters, who have found great delight in the season seeing it through young Suki’s eyes. It is also special to others...for very different reasons. For Christmas Eve is also hallowed to dark forces, powers older than mankind, powers that come awake on this long, cold night. Powers best left alone. Powers that could shake the foundations of London and beyond. It begins slowly. Women disappearing in the dark of night, women only missed by those of their own kind. The whispers only begin when they start to reappear—because when they do, they are no longer sane. And when Nan and Sarah and the Watsons are called on to examine these victims, they discover that it was no ordinary horror of the streets that drove them mad. But then, the shadows reach for other victims—girls of good, even exalted families, who vanish from concerts, lectures, and evening balls. And it will take the combined forces of Magic, Psychic Powers, and the world's greatest detective to stop the darkness before it can conquer all.

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Stephen Leigh's epic trilogy of vast empires and dangerous politics, compiled in one thrilling volumeNeweden is a world whose gods are death and fate, and it’s here that the Hoorka have arisen: a guild of assassins, whose single law is that the victim must always retain a tiny but finite chance of escape. If the victim can survive until dawn, they may go free. But the rich and powerful don’t care to have their will thwarted, and so the Hoorka must deal with the consequences of their own ethics. Gyll, the leader of the Hoorka, also has dreams of taking the guild offworld into the growing society of the Alliance, which is trying to reconstruct a shattered, worlds-spanning empire. Is that dream a genuine possibility, or will exposure to other cultures doom the Hoorka entirely? Gyll must confront internal struggles within his own people, the dangerous politics of Neweden, and the twinned threat and promise of the Alliance. The Hag of Death dances around them, mockingly. Can the Hoorka survive to see the dawn of their own success, an Assassins’ Dawn?

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The debut novel from the acclaimed illustrator--a high fantasy adventure featuring dragons and deadly politics.Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she hopes for a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. But the war goes badly, and the needs of the Dragonry dash her hopes. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon—one of the rare and mythical High Dragons—makes an appearance in her quiet valley. The Summer Dragon is an omen of change, but no one knows for certain what kind of change he augurs. Political factions vie to control the implied message, each to further their own agendas.And so Maia is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors—thralls of the enemy—and a faceless creature drawn from her fears. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she uncovers secrets that challenge her understanding of her world and of herself.

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Sci-fi action meets steamy paranormal romance in Gini Koch’s Alien novels, as Katherine “Kitty” Katt faces off against aliens, conspiracies, and deadly secrets. • “Futuristic high-jinks and gripping adventure.” —RT Reviews Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini have learned the ins and outs of Washington politics, not to mention how to prevail in intergalactic war and foil dangerous plots. So when the newly elected Representative from New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District dies under mysterious circumstances while at the Centaurion Embassy, it’s up to Kitty and the rest of the Diplomatic Corps to stop the killer, before the rest of the U.S. House of Representatives become casualties, particularly the replacement Representative for New Mexico’s 2nd District—Jeff Martini. Alien in the House is the thrilling seventh installment of the Alien series.

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Sci-fi action meets steamy paranormal romance in Gini Koch’s Alien novels, as Katherine “Kitty” Katt faces off against aliens, conspiracies, and deadly secrets. • “Futuristic high-jinks and gripping adventure.” —RT Reviews Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt had just finished a day on jury duty. When she stepped out of the Pueblo Caliente courthouse, all she was thinking about was the work she had to get caught up on. Then her attention was caught by a fight between a couple that looked like it was about to turn ugly. But ugly didn't even begin to cover it when the "man" suddenly transformed into a huge, winged monster right out of a grade Z science fiction movie and went on a deadly killing spree. In hindsight, Kitty realized she probably should have panicked and run screaming the way everyone around her was doing. Instead she sprinted into action to take down the alien. In the middle of all the screeching and the ensuing chaos, a hunk in an Armani suit suddenly appeared beside her, introduced himself as Jeff Martini with "the agency," and then insisted on leading her to a nearby limo to talk to his "boss." And that was how Kitty's new life among the aliens began...Touched by an Alien is the thrilling first installment of the Alien novels.

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HELP WANTED:Position open for goal-oriented professional. Must be willing to work in zero gravity. MAY THE WORK-FORCE BE WITH YOU.In this all-new, original anthology, today's top sf talents tackle tomorrow's jobs-in space and beyond. Each story in this intriguing collection begins with a Want Ad-and ends up revealing a space-age working world of headhunters, applicants, bosses, and employees. So punch the timeclock-and get to work...It's not just a job. It's the future.

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Where can young readers experience boundless imagination? In the sandbox, of course, as they follow Adele on her discovery of a barefoot king, a cloud of fluffy chicks, and a dessert island (YUM!). With this wild playground adventure, it’s easy to see why star French cartoonist Claude Ponti is one of the world’s most beloved children’s book authors.

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In the midst of a family dinner with her scolding parents, Maya receives an unexpected invitation to dine with the Queen. Suddenly, her messy manners are put to the ultimate test and she begins to improvise her very own set of rules, with uproarious results. Filled with humor and exquisitely imagined detail, this book by Eisner Award-winner Rutu Modan is bound to turn every child into a voracious reader.

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This cursive handwriting practice pad, developed with handwriting experts Zaner-Bloser, combines Hidden Pictures® puzzles and activities with digital video tutorials that correspond to each page to make learning cursive easy and fun. While many schools no longer teach cursive, it is still an important life skill valued by parents.Highlights brings Fun with a Purpose® into learning cursive with this 80-page, full-color pad. It has easy-to-follow instructions and special QR codes on the pages which can be scanned with a mobile device to watch animated handwriting tutorials. The pad's horizontal format provides plenty of writing space for both left-handed and right-handed kids, and also has convenient tear-off pages.

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Get ready for first grade and keep learning skills sharp all summer with this innovative activity-rich curriculum-based workbook. Organized week-by-week and aligned with state standards, kids will love the puzzles that make skills-practice fun plus the bonus pull-out Hidden Pictures progress poster, fun reward stickers, award certificate and the extra activities that they can take outdoors.Expertly crafted to combat "summer slide", The Big Fun Summer Learning Workbook (K&1) will give kids a head start on their upcoming school year. This book provides the right balance of review to keep skills sharp and a preview of what's to come, and features a wealth of Fun with a Purpose® puzzle-based activities. The book also includes ideas for simple ways to extend the learning through fun outdoor activities.Includes:Alphabet practiceSight wordsVowels and consonantsColorsShapesNumbersAdditionSubtractionSequencingSciencePLUS -- a bonus pull-out progress poster, reward stickers, and a Certificate of Achievement!Winner, Family Choice AwardWinner, PAL (Play Advances Language) AwardNational Parenting Seal of ApprovalWinner, Teachers' Choice AwardPAL (Play Advances Language) Top Ten Pick

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A child of the Harlem Renaissance and an artistic collaborator of Langston Hughes, Roy DeCarava is an unsung hero of Black history. Convinced that the lives of ordinary Black people deserved to be immortalised and documented in photos, Roy celebrated Black people through his art, a process that the incomparable author Gary Golio and illustrator E. B. Lewis capture in this beautiful picture book. “Life is how you look at it.” And for Black photographer Roy DeCarava, life in his neighbourhood was beautiful. Follow Roy through 1940s Harlem, as he takes out his camera, pops in a roll of film, and opens his eyes to the beauty all around him. There’s a little boy drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Snap! A young man at the bus stop with a baby in his arms. Snap! Kids playing in an open fire hydrant. Snap! Looking at them all, Roy sees beauty everywhere in Harlem, and so do the people who look at his photos. This deeply researched picture book also includes additional information on DeCarava, a list of places to view his photos, a bibliography, and photos.

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Get whisked away with Heather Whirl, Weather Girl, and her magical umbrella as she explores extreme weather and climate science in this new STEM chapter book series perfect for young readers ages 6 9. Heather Whirl is fascinated by the weather! With eyes that change colour in response to rain or wind or heat, Heather would like nothing more than to be a meteorologist or a climate scientist when she grows up. When Heather turns eight, her eccentric great-grandmother gives her a family heirloom an umbrella with the power to teleport her to areas experiencing wild weather conditions. Heather's umbrella has a built-in magical doppler that alerts her to wild weather happening somewhere. In the blink of an eye, Heather travels to the middle of a superstorm! Heather observes and learns about the weather, but also lends a helping hand and documents her adventures with her friend Edward and animal companions Fog the dog and a lizard named Blizzard. Her journal entries, notes from her helpers, definitions, and activities provide additional information for the curious reader.

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Wind Power (Eureka! The Biography of an Idea) Blow, wind, blow! The newest addition to the nonfiction Eureka! series is a “biography” of wind power, which is green energy that can help the planet. People have harnessed the power of the wind for thousands of years, to travel by sailboat, to cool homes, to grind grain into flour, and even to make music. But when someone hooked a windmill to a generator, wind went electric, unlocking the secret to a clean, renewable energy source! Wind Power is an entertaining and informative look at the development of an idea with huge benefits for a greener future. This STEAM nonfiction title is part of the Eureka! series, with each book focusing on one ground-breaking, world-changing discovery that millions of people use every single day.

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Wildflowers: TOON Level 2 (TOON Books) “Where the other wild things are…An older sister to Sendak’s work, maybe taking place on the next island over from Max’s wild rumpus.”―The New York Times Book Review A celebration of the magical bonds that unite children! When her two big sisters embark on an adventure to explore a mysterious island, the youngest one doesn’t want to be left behind. What shines through from this funny story’s gut-wrenchingly scary beginning (“There was a terrible plane crash!”) to its sweet and satisfying ending is LINIERS’s admiration for the imaginative powers of childhood. Wildflowers is available in two sizes: TOON Level 2 for beginning readers (6” x 9”) and a larger Special Gift Edition perfect for story time (7.25” x 11”).

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Will Owen be left high and dry? Owen should have listened but instead he's now squirming: he's just gotta go! Luckily for him, Mom and grandpa are there to offer advice and show him silly tricks that can help flush the urge away. FRANK VIVA, the acclaimed designer and author of A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse and Young Frank, Architect, doesn't mind getting his feet wet as he dives into what can be a scary topic for children and turns it into a hilarious and liberating romp.

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This lyrical middle-grade novel-in-verse celebrates the power of story and of finding one’s individual voice. Keet knows the only good thing about moving away from her Alabama home is that she'll live near her beloved grandfather. When Keet starts school, it's even worse than she expected, as the kids tease her about her southern accent. Now Keet, who can "talk the whiskers off a catfish," doesn't want to open her mouth. While fishing with her grandfather, she learns the art of listening and gradually, she makes her first new friend. But just as she's beginning to settle in, her grandfather has a stroke, and even though he's still nearby, he suddenly feels ever-so-far-away. Keet is determined to reel him back to her by telling him stories; in the process she finds her voice and her grandfather again.

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Doodlers, daydreamers, journal-keepers, and bug-lovers alike will be inspired again and again by this utterly unique notebook. On each page of this playful notebook, a narrative unfolds featuring a bug having fun with a few of the lines—some roll them up, some eat them, some tangle them. In the tiny, adorable illustrations, each bug’s story showcases its typical behaviour. Creator Zhu Yingchun is beloved around the world for his inquisitive approach to storytelling and his clever designs that highlight the distinctive beauty in nature. In the company of these entertainingly drawn bugs, your own creativity will be unleashed as you write or draw.

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Is this jug really magical? In Mexican American comedian Jesus Trejo's debut picture book, little Jesús makes a big, funny mistake as he works alongside his landscaper papá, but father and son find a heartwarming solution. Little Jesús is excited to spend a Saturday with his landscaper Papá at the "family business." He loves Papá's cool truck and all the tools he gets to use. Papá even puts him in charge of the magical water jug, which is also a clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday will be done. It's a big job, and Jesús wants to do it right. But he just can't help giving water to an array of thirsty animals-a dog in a sweater, some very old cats, and a flock of peacocks. Before he knows it, the magical water jug is empty -but the workday's not over yet! Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all? This mischievous tale of a very young comedian's life lesson will warm hearts and have class clowns, practical jokers, and all high-spirited kids nodding in sympathy.

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"A collection of folktales at their absolute best" (Elizabeth Bird, SLJ.com) about a legendary scoundrel, brought to new life through Renate Raecke's lively retelling and Jonas Lauströer's expressive illustrations.Reynard the Fox has been a staple trickster character of European literature since at least the Middle Ages. The tales of his schemes have been told many times, and he always manages to win readers' sympathies. Reynard is a rascal, a ne'er-do-well. While we may suffer from his pranks, at the same time we smile at the shrewd thinking through which he escapes hopeless situations. In this expertly retold version, the classic tales of Reynard's exploits find a new life. They speak to us now as much as ever, for who among us doesn't know a Reynard-like figure in our lives?

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In the fourth miniature picture book in the Hippo Park Pals series, Herbert makes climbs to the top of the jungle gym and makes a heroic rescue when Teddy falls! In the fourth book of the Hippo Park Pals, Herbert climbs to the top of the jungle gym for the first time. Of course, he has to look where he places his feet and balance each step of the way. Step! Pull! Step! Pull! Try not to wobble! He's got it! And when Teddy (his stuffed bear) falls, Herbert imagines being a helicopter and making a heroic save! Rilla Alexander's hippo siblings, Fiona and Herbert, are adorable and kind! Her colors and the social emotional messages in these precious books meet kids exactly where they are.

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In this powerful parable that explores the impact of paying it forward, a young girl named Mai inspires a chain of events that brings good things back to her.

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"[A] well-reasoned and eye-opening treatise . . . [Kohei Saito makes] a provocative and visionary proposal." —Publishers Weekly, (starred review)"Saito’s clarity of thought, plethora of evidence, and conversational, gentle, yet urgent tone . . . are sure to win over open-minded readers who understand the dire nature of our global. . . . A cogently structured anti-capitalist approach to the climate crisis." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Why, in our affluent society, do so many people live in poverty, without access to health care, working multiple jobs and are nevertheless unable to make ends meet, with no future prospects, while the planet is burning?In his international bestseller, Kohei Saito argues that while unfettered capitalism is often blamed for inequality and climate change, subsequent calls for “sustainable growth” and a “Green New Deal” are a dangerous compromise. Capitalism creates artificial scarcity by pursuing profit based on the value of products rather than their usefulness and by putting perpetual growth above all else. It is therefore impossible to reverse climate change in a capitalist society—more: the system that caused the problem in the first place cannot be an integral part of the solution. Instead, Saito advocates for degrowth and deceleration, which he conceives as the slowing of economic activity through the democratic reform of labor and production. In practical terms, he argues for: the end of mass production and mass consumption decarbonization through shorter working hours the prioritization of essential labor over corporate profits By returning to a system of social ownership, he argues, we can restore abundance and focus on those activities that are essential for human life, effectively reversing climate change and saving the planet.

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The latest 3 book bundle of the best-selling Hidden Pictures series that contains hundreds of scenes and more than 4,000 hidden objects in trademark black-and-white puzzles (with picture prompts). This series has sold over two million copies! With illustrations of outdoor adventures, deep-sea discoveries, animal parties, and other funny farm activities, each black-and-white puzzle in this selection of books is carefully designed to engage and entertain children while honing their concentration skills and attention to detail. Sure to please every puzzler, each book features a popular and enticing theme, showcasing the most recognized and popular Highlights puzzles for kids of all ages.

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ALSC Notable Children's BookA wonderful introduction to one of the most beautiful connections between mathematics and the natural world–the Fibonacci sequence–through a series of stunning nature photographs.Discover the biggest mathematical mystery in nature—Fibonacci numbers! Named after a famous mathematician, the number pattern is simple and starts with: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13. Each number in the sequence comes from adding the two numbers before it. What's the mystery? The pattern crops up in the most unexpected places. You'll find it in the disk of a sunflower, the skin of a pineapple, and the spiral of a nautilus shell.This book brings math alive, celebrates science, and will inspire kids to see nature through new eyes.

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Florence Beatrice Bea Price loved music from a young age. When she wasn't practicing on the piano, she tapped her feet, drummed her fingers and whistled. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, she was surrounded by Negro spirituals, classical music, Juba dance rhythms, and folk songs and even had the chance to play piano with John William Blind Boone. But as a young Black girl living in the South, Bea wasn't offered the same chances as white children. Not allowed to perform in public, Bea's first recital was in her living room. But Bea was not deterred. She studied hard, rose to the top of her class and was accepted to the New England Conservatory of Musicone of two Black studentsand majored in both music and composition. Bea never forgot her roots and wove all kinds of musical genres into her musical compositions and spirituals.

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Tying into the popular Makers Movement, Makers Make it Work is a series of fun easy-to-read stories that focus on problem-solving and hands-on action. With bright, eye-catching art and explanatory sidebars with additional information on the topic, these books show kids how to use their hands, their heads, their creativity, and their problem-solving skills to overcome every challenge facing them. Last year, Gabe's mom grew way too many zucchinis. This year, Gabe and his sister have a secret plan to take control of the garden. They have to stop the zucchini madness! With the Makers Make It Work series, any kid can be a Maker! Each book also includes an activity for young makers to try themselves. (Topic: Gardening)

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This exuberant picture book demonstrates key math concepts to children as ten math-loving chicks make a new friend. As the Arithmechicks slide down the slide, swing on the swings, and play hide-and-seek, they don't realize that a lonely mouse is copying them, longing to join in. However, when their basketball becomes stuck, the chicks discover that a two-inch-tall new friend is exactly what they need. In this heartwarming story, there are many ways to add up ten cheerful chicks--but a new friend is what makes them cheer. The book includes a helpful glossary that defines the eight arithmetic strategies the chicks use throughout the story, providing a playful introduction to essential math for young children and their caregivers.

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