2758 Book(s) Related to tale of two cities book 2

For twelve centuries, the exiled vampire king waited for the prophecy foretold to restore his fallen power. But never expected the girl destined to save him to be the reincarnation of the wife he lost.

Anastasia has spent 18 years of her life beneath her grandmother's watchful eye, hidden from a world she never knew wanted her dead. Sheltered. Obedient. Ordinary – or so she believed.

And the illness slowly stealing her life is not just a disease. It is an awakening.

The man she has quietly loved from afar – the impossibly perfect, untouchable Mr. William – is not who she thought he was either.

He is older than memory. A king without a kingdom. A vampire betrayed by his own brother, stripped of his power, and exiled from the ancient realm of Umbralord centuries ago.

And Anastasia is the one prophecy foretold would restore what was

She knows what she is to him:

A prophecy. A key. A sacrifice.

Anastasia knows there is no escaping destiny . So she makes him an offer.

For six months. He was to date her. Love her. Not out of duty or pity, but as if she truly belonged to him.

What neither of them knows is that the heavens have always been cruel. She was the nemesis placed into his perfect life from the beginning.

Because Anastasia is the reincarnation of the mate William lost twelve centuries ago – the same woman whose death ignited a war that nearly destroyed an entire kingdom.

And this time, fate is not letting go.

~ARJUN KASHYAP, 28 years Old, Co Owner of K&K CORPORATION, a multi billionaire company of India, A new emerging face among the herd of top Businessman of the World.

A VIRGIN BEAST. No one can double cross him. Who hates women around him But loose his Beastly heart to a Broken BEAUTY whom he loves to call JAAN (Life)..

PASHIKA SINHA, a 22 years old, A struggling and broken BEAUTY who is fighting with the Cruelty and the double standard of the world, unknowingly created a havoc in BEAST's life.

ARJUN: "You are Mine and I am Yours JAAN"

PASHIKA: "I am no one to you so stay away from me, You BEAST"

For ARJUN, it's Love at first sight but for PASHIKA, its Hate at first sight.

Two different souls from two different world clashed and their unconditional love with unexpected twists and turns reveals hidden truth and so many secrets from the past.

A complete roller coaster ride of BEAUTY and the BEAST.

....

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense. A TRACE OF HOPE is the final book in the Keri Locke series, bringing the series to a dramatic conclusion.In A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, is closer than she’s ever been to finding her daughter. Finally, she gets a fresh lead—and this time, she will do whatever it takes to bring her home alive.At the same time, a new, urgent case is assigned to Keri: an 18 year old girl has gone missing after being hazed by her sorority. As the race is on to find her, Keri plunges deep into the world of pristine college campuses, and comes to realize that all is not what it seems.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF HOPE is book #5 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

With alison still pregnant, anxiety rises in the pack knowing Valerie’s mother still lurks plotting her attack. Valerie recovering from the loss of her mate runs in to an unlikely match made by the moon goddess to help her heal and overcome her insecurities to face her mother in her battle for revenge after her mate is taken by the evil witches hand.

“ARRIVAL is riveting, unexpected, and firmly rooted in strong psychological profiles backed with thriller and sci-fi elements: what more could readers wish for? (Just the quick publication of Book Two, Arrival.)”--Midwest Book ReviewFrom #1 worldwide bestselling fantasy author Morgan Rice comes a long-anticipated science fiction series. SETI has received a signal from an alien civilization. Is there time to save the world?In the aftermath of SETI’s receiving the signal, 13 year old Kevin realizes: he is the only one who can save the world. But is there time? What must he do?And what do the aliens plan next?“Action-packed …. Rice’s writing is solid and the premise intriguing.”–Publishers Weekly, re A Quest of Heroes“A superior fantasy… A recommended winner for any who enjoy epic fantasy writing fueled by powerful, believable young adult protagonists.”–Midwest Book Review, re Rise of the Dragons“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as THE INHERITANCE CYCLE by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.”–The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)Book #3 in the series will be available soon.Also available are Morgan Rice’s many series in the fantasy genre, including A QUEST OF HEROES (BOOK #1 IN THE SORCERER’S RING), a free download with over 1,300 five star reviews!

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, follows a fresh lead for her abducted daughter. It leads to a violent confrontation with The Collector—which, in turn, offers more clues that may, after all this time, reunite her with her daughter.Yet at the same time, Keri is assigned a new case, one with a frantic ticking clock. A teenage girl has gone missing in Los Angeles, a girl from a good family was who duped into drugs and abducted into a sex trafficking ring. Keri is hot on her trail—but the trail is moving fast, with the girl being constantly moved and with her abductors’ single, nefarious goal: to cross her over the border with Mexico.In an epic, breathtaking, cat and mouse chase that takes them through the seedy underworld of trafficking, Keri and Ray will be pushed to their limits to save the girl—and her own daughter—before it is all too late.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF VICE is book #3 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #4 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

High-school misfit Julian fell in over his head into a relationship doomed for dysfunction. When the love of your life turns out to be a polyamorous vampire, eternity together is bound to be a messy rollercoaster, but even after all the trauma and heartbreak, this one of a kind devil still holds his heart. If only Luc shared his devotion... He certainly shares his obsession.

“Your girlfriend’s pretty cynical, now isn’t she?” Luc speaks into my ear, leaning casually on my shoulder. I blush bright red, and his smile grows all the broader.
He takes both our hands and leads us off across the dance floor, and the crowd parts for him like he’s the King of England - the bouncers steering away anyone that tries to block us.
“Holy shit. You really are the owner?!” Heather drunkenly shouts, as we make our way up the stairs and into that VIP booth.
“My club and my right to lay claim to anyone who catches my eye,” Luc drawls, and I shoot him a look, shifting my weight to get in between him and Heather.
“Look, you can’t just… I mean, thanks for the drinks, but she is not going to…” God I sound like an idiot, and staring straight in Luc’s eyes I feel more than a little intimidated, especially because he is not intimidated by me whatsoever. He’s smiling like I’ve just gifted him a shiny new present. I turn to tell Heather we should go, and Luc catches my arm.
“I wasn’t trying to steal away your date,” he laughs. “I invited the both of you here, now didn’t I?” He pushes a hand through Heather’s hair, turning boldly to face her dreamy eyed gawking. “You ever had a three way?”

I find myself making a hard decision one that I never thought to have to make. I look over at my two sons beaten and broken, pleading to take my punishment. I smile saying, "It's OK boys. Don't be sad for me, know that I will always know how you are doing." Naikono screamed and cried while Kino's silent tears pleading. "I love you, keep each other safe. I will see you again in this body or another I will find you," I said to them as they were dragged off. I was left with the Fates of Time who were my Judges, Juries, and Executioners. I fucked up bad and got caught doing it too. One of the sad things is I don't even remember what I did. The Fates took my memories of the crime to ensure that the atrocities committed would never happen again. I sit there looking at them waiting for my sentencing. "For your crimes you sill spend 2500 yrs in oblivion after which you will spend the next millennia being reborn to unfortunate souls who are not destine to live. Finally you will be given the chance to live a peaceful life that is if you can keep yourself safe," the fate of the future said."I will take your punishment on one condition, that if outside forces beyond what is meant for the time of which I am in interfere with me or my children, should I have them, I can revert to my original self without repercussions to me or my children.” The fates stepped aside to consider this. They knew who I was and what I was capable of so ignoring my offer wouldn't work out for them. Stepping forward they said, " We accept your condition". Than my world went dark.

"Eyes up here," he said.

My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody.

I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps.

The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner.

The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance.

I soon found myself lost in his arms.

When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes.

The ballroom fell silent.

Was he about to kiss me?


Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household.

Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost.

At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments.

They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun.

Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life.

But things are about to drastically change for her...

Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way.

What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie?

What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom?

I was once known as "The Divine Hand," the youngest Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery in history.

I didn't just perform surgeries, I invented them. However, after a high-profile operation on my own mentor went tragically wrong, leaving him in a vegetative state, my mother made me swear a blood oath.

“Your hands bring both life and ruin. Never touch a scalpel again, or the guilt will consume you forever.”

I traded my surgical scrubs for a floral apron. I married Lucian, a famous business tycoon my mother had selected.

For five years, I spent my days in the kitchen, meticulously preparing meals that were precisely calibrated medicinal formulas that cured his heart murmur and made him the top-performing executive in the city.

However, on our fifth anniversary, Lucian didn't bring flowers or gifts. Instead, he threw the divorce papers on my face with Leslie, the glamorous "Star Surgeon" of the year, by his side, her hands wrapped around his arms like she owned him.

Lucian sneered, "Lesley operates on kings and CEOs. You? You can't even look at a drop of blood without fainting. You’re a liability to my social standing."

“Sign the papers and I'll give you two hundred dollars every month as your monthly allowance. Considering your lifestyle, that's more than you ever need.” He mocked.

I stared at the divorce papers in my hands. This was what he was paying me for being a submissive wife.

"I’ll sign," I said, "and I’ll let you keep the house and the stocks. But only if Lesley can correctly identify the three hidden toxins I’ve neutralized in your body over the last five years using only the meals you mocked me for cooking.”

“If she’s the 'genius' you claim, surely she can diagnose the man she's sleeping with.”

Love saved him once.
This time, it may destroy them all.

Twenty-three days have passed since Ardan vanished into the storm—and returned as something heaven could no longer name. Blackthorn Academy pretends to be normal again. Classes resumed. Laughter echoed in the halls. The east wing remains sealed, and everyone avoids asking why.

But Anil knows.

Peace is only what exists before something stronger arrives.

Cael clings quietly to the love Anil chose, even while sensing the sky has changed. Lucien watches from the shadows, wings restless, warning them that fallen angels don’t disappear—they evolve.

And then it begins.

Not with thunder.
Not with flames.
But with a silver-shadowed feather at Anil’s door.

Not a threat.
Not a message.
A promise.

Ardan does not want to love her anymore.
He wants to rewrite the story he was forced to live.

He is no longer bound by fate.
No longer weakened by heartbreak.
And no longer willing to let destiny choose for him.

He is stronger now—and he is not alone.

Because angels fall…
But sometimes, they rise into something far more dangerous.

And when he returns—
nothing holy will be holy anymore.

They took everything from me. Now I’m taking it back.
After five years in a coma, I woke up to my own son trying to kill me—poisoned cake, served with a smile. My husband? He watched me bleed… then carried his mistress home in his arms.
They called me desperate. Pathetic. A woman who’d do anything for love.
They were right. Once.
But the woman who walks out of that hospital isn’t the one they put in. I’m holding a secret they never saw coming—one that will bring the untouchable Richard to his knees.
He refused to sign the divorce papers. Fine. I’ll make him beg to set me free.
They chose the wrong wife to destroy.

Jothea Alvandra once had a secret relationship with her professor. But when Marcus University uncovered their forbidden affair, the professor was immediately dismissed. Heartbroken and resentful, Jothea lost the only man she had ever loved—and he vanished without a trace.

While desperately searching for him, she meets the new sub-professor for their calculus class, Professor Ismael Mondalla. Still haunted by the past, Jothea has no interest in the subject—or in him. Yet, fate seems determined to intertwine their lives.

Always arriving late and testing his patience, Jothea never expected their constant clashes to evolve into something deeper. As they begin to uncover each other's hidden stories, secrets from the past resurface—revealing a connection she never saw coming.

Will Jothea risk falling into the same trap twice, or will love mean something entirely different this time around?

"What does love mean? I'll make you feel it the next time you try to slap me."

Joana Henshaw believed she had found true love, but when her husband, Clinton Gates, suddenly became cold, her entire world fell apart. Clinton, who had once shown her affection, now viewed her as merely a business deal and blamed her for his twin sister's untimely death. Joana put up with his hatred for three years in the hopes of rekindling their love. Clinton's thoughtless delivery of her divorce papers, however, was the last straw. Joana chose to leave the Gates family's wealth and prestige behind when all of her requests were ignored. She was carrying a small secret in her womb, but no one knew. She reappeared as a well-known designer years later. Everyone wanted it, and Clinton was no different. Clinton Gates, however, never anticipated missing Joana, but his suspicions increased as her absence became intolerable. Why did he think about her all the time? Why did she appear unaffected by their split? And why did he feel that he had made a grave error in spite of everything?

The war between Nordmar and Myrthana had raged for years. Now, it was over.
Myrthana had lost. Ayla had seen it coming—perhaps even welcomed it.
But she never expected her own brother, the newly crowned King of Myrthana, to trade her away like a mere bargaining chip. To hand her over to King Rhobart of Nordmar—a man as ruthless and unyielding as the frozen land he ruled.
Yet, when she arrives in Nordmar, Ayla quickly realizes that not everything is as it seems. Rhobart may be furious at her presence, but he is not the monster she imagined. And when a new threat rises, forcing them on a perilous journey across the harsh, unforgiving kingdom, Ayla begins to see the man beneath the crown.
But can two sworn enemies survive the dangers ahead without losing themselves—or each other?

After a hot weekend with a mysterious woman, Damien Chan did not expect to get a frightened phone call from her, begging him to save-what? who? The call is cut before she says it. The next thing he knows, he's become obsessed with finding her and saving her from the man that had led to their first meeting. But he never expected to find her in his cousin Dale Carson's house... as his wife! She finds out her nightmares are actually memories of her past life... the life of a murderer. Could she truly be the deranged Ellsa Jabari who'd almost added her own sister Ellie to the list of people she's killed? Amnesia can be a real bitch!

Loving him will cost them everything…

Not loving him will cost more.

Derek has one goal: survive high school without drawing too much attention or pissing off his pack’s alpha.

As the youngest son of the alpha, his life is governed by lycan hierarchy, tradition, and politics. With no signs of awakening a lycan spirit, his only value is what he can do for the pack’s image. He knows he’s only ever one misstep away from exile… or worse.

Then, he finds a boy trapped in a locker on orientation day, and everything changes.

Derek shouldn’t want Nikolias. He’s off-limits. A risk Derek can’t afford.

So why does it feel like he’s the only thing worth fighting for?

Nikolias has just lost everything: his parents, his home, and any sense of peace. Sent back to the town his family left years ago to live with his prejudiced and controlling uncle, who wants nothing to do with anything—or anyone—not human, he’s trying to do everything in his power to get out quickly.

But then he meets Derek again, and all of his plans vanish in the soft, yearning flecks of gold in Derek’s green-hazel eyes. He’s drawn to Derek in a way that’s impossible to deny, and he thinks Derek feels the same way, despite the danger their relationship holds for him.

As Moonshadow's politics turn deadly, Derek and Nikolai are caught in the crossfire of a war that had started long before they were born, and their bond becomes a threat and a lifeline that neither can afford to sever.

Because the heart wants what it wants….

And it never asks permission.

TW: Graphic Violence, Suicide Ideation, Suicide Attempt, Child Abuse, Cult-Like Behavior

Elliot, a shy bookworm and constant target for bullies, finds themselves trapped on the abandoned field after school—again. But this time, the star football captain, Jamie, appears like a hero, driving the bullies away. As Jamie stands protectively by their side, two worlds collide: the quiet, introverted world of Elliot and the loud, popular world of Jamie.

Despite their differences, a spark ignites between them. But navigating their feelings isn’t easy. With jealous teammates, judgmental classmates, and Elliot’s own insecurities standing in their way, their budding romance faces countless challenges. Can love bridge the gap between their two worlds, or will the pressure tear them apart?

My fiancé and I held twenty-one weddings. I put on my wedding dress twenty-one times, only to crawl out of pools of blood each time.

Car accidents. Shootings. Explosions. Fires.

Everyone said I was cursed, that I was bad luck for my husband.

I was the only fool who believed they were accidents.

Until the twenty-second time.

That day, covered in blood, I escaped from an ambush back to headquarters and heard him say coldly over the walkie-talkie, "She won't die. Save Valerie first."

It turned out all the accidents were personally arranged by him.

He didn't love me—he just owed my parents a debt he could never repay.

So he staged disaster after disaster to get out of marrying me.

At the twenty-second wedding, I didn't wait for him to cancel.

This time, I was the one who called it off.

He owned her heart and soul. She gave everything to the man she loved.
Radleigh Montemayor is a notorious playboy and a fucker. Any self-restraint to suppress the feeling and resist the temptation, but she cannot do it.
She gave everything because she loved him.

LOVE, SEX, and all of her, but Radleigh Montemayor is dangerously playful.

She belongs to one man, but another sets her heart ablaze.
Éloise Moreau is trapped in a gilded cage, married to a man who sees her as nothing more than a possession, a pawn to display and punish as he pleases. In a world where power is everything, she has learned to endure, to survive, to never step out of line.
Until him.
Damien arrives like a storm, dark, enigmatic, and dangerously gentle. Where her husband is cold, Damien is warm. Where her husband controls, Damien unravels her. And when he kisses her, Éloise discovers something she never thought possible.
Desire. Longing. A dangerous ache.
But the walls around her are unyielding, and giving in to Damien is playing with fire. Because in her world, love is a weakness. And weaknesses are punished.
Yet, as the shadows close in, she must ask herself, will she risk everything for the taste of freedom, or will she let herself be caged forever?

"TRIGGER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT R18+ CONTENT INCLUDING DETAILED SEXUAL SCENES, BULLYING, EMOTIONAL AND TOUCHES OF PHYSICAL ABUSE, VIOLENCE, AND A POSSESSIVE, DOTING LOVE INTEREST. READERS SENSITIVE TO DARK THEMES, TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS, OR EXCESSIVE DOMINATION SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION. THIS IS A DARK ROMANCE INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY."

Because he is forced to marry a woman of his grandfather's choice, he makes his wife's life a living hell. After the death of the family patriarch, he has the chance to be with the woman he loves. However, in his path is the wife he despises so much. He ends up killing her to be with his mistress, and is betrayed by her, who only wants the empire left by his family. Waking up in a second life on his wedding day, after all the evil he has done in the past, will he be able to obtain forgiveness from his wife? Warning: Contains sensitive content.

I’m the old man of the group and no matter how much they value me, I will never be a part of them, Knight of the queen or not. I am the expendable one, the one that shouldn’t be here, and the one that shouldn’t be alive. By all accounts, I should have died 13 years ago. A question I always ask myself, every time my eyes open: why am I still alive? Why did the gods let that old priestess find me so many moons ago and bring me back from the dead? Why did they allow me to live?
I still wonder what my role is in this story and believe me there is more to this story than any of us know. I can feel it, see it unfolding, almost taste it. The last three years have just been a prelude to something bigger, something yet unseen and unknown. Lamia and Mathias may be the main characters, but we all had a role, an important part to play. Unfortunately, the script of our lives had been hidden away or maybe it just hasn’t been written yet.


Sent on a quest by his beloved Queen Lamia; Hunji finds himself back at the beginning. The place where his old life ended - left for dead, and where the goddess granted him a second chance.

On the hunt for a witch, Hunji must face his past - A past that left him broken.
When the goddess breathed new life into him, he took an oath to serve her. Now that promise is being tested.
He can survive his past but it's the future that threatens to turn his world upside down.
That and the little witch who he was sent to find, protect and bring home - is hellbent on throwing a curve ball at every plan he had.

Riley
New name, new look, new life. I've been careful to keep my past at bay. The last thing I needed was the stranger with those calm discerning eyes to cross my path. I must avoid him at all costs, even if he haunts my dreams and sends waves of heat across my skin. My focus is survival, not lust. Not even if he ignited a longing I'd never thought possible.

Draven
A mission. Find the missing girls and bring the perpetrator to justice. The retributive kind. I've grown used to the shadows but I am drawn to her light. Moth to a flame, the only way to quell my curiosity is to satiate it. But not too much. Not completely.

TEASER:
You want me, don’t you?” A simple question that warranted a simple answer.
“Should I have had you checked for a head injury?” he scoffed, a swift blow that knocked the wind out of my lungs and I realised I had been holding my breath. My lips parted, and my chest heaved, working overtime to replenish my body’s oxygen from those few moments of starvation.
Steeling my spine, I stepped forward, invading his space, oblivious to the eyes that were thrown our way. Or was I imagining that? Draven didn’t budge, a perfectly shaped brow elevated as he considered my movement with little interest. There wasn’t a single flicker of emotion to cross his features, not even that Godforsaken misleading smile made an appearance.
“Then you’ve no reason to threaten any man I may find interesting.” I breathed the words slowly, erotically.

At Holy Oak High, being the Top Flyer isn't just a crown.
It’s a ticket to the upper class.
Girls would pay any price to stand at the top of that pyramid.
But I didn't understand that the spotlight hid a man-eating abyss until I had to put on that blood-stained uniform.
Listen. Do you hear that scratching sound coming from inside the locker?

I thought I’d found my forever.

Kael was supposed to be my fated mate — my safe place. Instead, he shattered me, ripped away my trust, and left me bleeding in the woods like I was nothing.

Running was the only choice left.

But I didn’t run into freedom. I ran straight into a rival pack, straight into a cage, and straight into the path of two Alphas who couldn’t be more different — one cold and commanding, the other wild and dangerously warm.

They should have killed me. Instead, they’re fighting over me.

And the worst part? My heart is fighting too.
In a world where loyalty is a weapon and love is a battlefield, I’ll have to decide who I am — a victim of betrayal, a pawn in their war… or the Luna who changes everything.

I was Alessandro Romano's wife in name only—the mafia godfather of Belluno City.
We had the most extravagant wedding this city had ever seen: three thousand guests, flowers lining every street. Everything except a legal marriage certificate.
Over three years, he promised to sign the papers twenty-two times. He canceled every single one.
He would buy two identical necklaces, hanging one around my neck and the other around his mistress's, trading a night spent comforting her for a dismissive apology to me.
After the twenty-one broken promise, I stopped waiting.
I packed my bags and left for the one city he vowed never to enter.
What I didn't know: after I left, the man who ruled the underworld completely lost control.

I don't have friends, and I'm yet to develop the need for them. After what happened last year, I learned friends can stab you in the back, and I've never fully recovered from it.

The last year taught me a bitter lesson- never trust anyone. Not even friends because they will do anything to destroy you, even when you did absolutely nothing wrong to them.

Ora Marshal is a nineteen-year-old history university student. Her first day doesn't go as planned after seeing the man that she thought she would never see again. Her history professor, whom she has a crush on. His attitude had changed to a cold manner towards her after the incident that happened the previous year. The past events catch up with her and the fear that she has to endure. They are both hurting on the inside. Can Ora handle the semester in his class? Can they work through it? Will she be able to tell him the truth about the incident? What happens when he returns her feelings? Can they heal each other?

In a realm where shadows dance with light in an eternal duel, Lyra, a young and enchanting shadow mage, unearths a tantalizing secret hidden within her: the rare ability to communicate with shadow dragons—ancient, seductive creatures thought to be long extinct. Her heart races when she encounters Nyx, the brooding king of the shadow dragons, with scales like obsidian and eyes that smolder with ancient fire. Their souls intertwine in a blaze of raw chemistry, igniting a passion that sizzles through their very beings.

As the world around them simmers with political intrigue and forbidden magic, Lyra feels the heat radiating from Nyx, drawing her in. “You possess a power I’ve never encountered,” he whispers, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine, igniting an ache deep within her core. “But tell me, can you handle the darkness within me?”

“Maybe I want to embrace it,” Lyra replies, her breath hitching as she inches closer, her hearts whispering promises of nightfall passion. “Show me the depth of your shadows, and I’ll reveal the light that can coexist with them.”

Their connection deepens as they delve into the secrets threatening both their kinds, but the air between them thickens with unspoken desire. In the heat of their pursuit, they steal moments away from the chaos—a shared gaze laced with longing, a brush of fingertips that ignites fire beneath their skin.

6 worlds work together to save each other.
J. Risk’s Realms Books span 6 different series with common characters and an ongoing, suspense-filled plot. Meet many powerful characters from other realms that will steal your heart and have you cheering for them.

The Alterealm Series :
Book 1 - The Huntress
Book 2 - The Seer
Book 3 - The Empath
Book 4 - The Witch
Book 5 - The Chronos
Book 6- The Warrior
Book 7- The Telepath
Book 8- The Healer
Book 9 - The Kinetic
Book 10- Concealed
Book 11 - Unveiled
Book 12- Undone
Book 13 - Dark Moon
Book 14 - First Eclipse

"I want to move to Rivers End. I feel like I already have friends there." Dani Collins, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Blue Spruce Lodge series The MacAllisters of Rivers End boxed set includes books #1–4If you love heartwarming, sweet and sexy contemporary small town romance, then come home to Rivers End and fall in love with the MacAllisters and the Murphys. They just want to settle down and lead normal lives in their small Vancouver Island town, but romance blossoms in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them...Silver Bells (Isaac MacAllister + Jenna Murphy, Beginnings)Big River Lodge owner Isaac MacAllister has no time for romance. He’s got enough on his plate with a spritely kindergartener to raise and a business to run. But he doesn’t bargain on the appearance of the irresistible Jenna Murphy. Jenna just wants to escape work and family for a while. In Silver Bells, will she let one sexy dad and his sweet daughter Sara derail her plans for her holiday… and her life?Tipsy (Shannon MacAllister + Lucas Heyes)Shannon MacAllister wants to ring in the new year with someone who is nothing like her ex. She gets her wish. Too bad Lucas Heyes, world-class kisser, is a family traitor who lost her trust five years ago. Lucas wants to mend fences with the MacAllisters and start afresh in Rivers End. In Tipsy, will this dark horse convince Shannon to open her heart and risk trying again?Reindeer Games (Eli Murphy + Ginger Lewis)If wandering homeless in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve isn’t rock bottom, it sure feels like it to Jenna’s estranged brother Eli Murphy. So when Ginger Lewis rescues him, he finds himself fantasizing about a future he doesn’t deserve. But the last thing Ginger needs is a mysterious bad boy with a criminal jawline. Before the Reindeer Games are over, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be spilled.Wedding Bells (Isaac MacAllister + Jenna Murphy, Happily Ever After)In Wedding Bells, Isaac MacAllister is this close to making Jenna Murphy his, forever. Then his ex—Sara’s mother—rolls into town, bringing unfinished business with her. Sidelined by the drama, Jenna knows she should strike out on her own. But how can she, when she already sees Isaac and Sara as family? While all the Rivers End stories can be read as standalones, you may want to read this series in order to preserve any plot surprises and get the full picture of how the characters lives weave together! The following is the suggested reading order:The MacAllisters of Rivers End#1 - Silver Bells (Isaac + Jenna, Beginnings)#2 - Tipsy (Shannon + Lucas)#3 - Reindeer Games (Ginger + Eli)#4 - Wedding Bells (Isaac + Jenna, Happily Ever After)#5 – Elfed (Lindsay + Noah)

Two women have gone missing in two weeks: the first, found dead, was slashed and dumped in a back alley in Boston. The second was discovered by a child in a Swan Boat Ride. As fear intensifies, Hunter, the head of the FBI Behavioral Unit, calls his star criminal profiler, Tracy Wrenn, to help on the case. Even though she had plans to become engaged that evening, Tracy quickly cancels her plans and rushes to Boston to help. A beautiful, young professor of criminal psychology, Tracy has become renowned for her success at cracking cases no one else can. With her unusual insights and unique point of view, she is relentless at probing the inner minds of murderers. When a third woman goes missing, and when Tracy finds herself in danger, everything intensifies. In a shocking turn of events, Tracy finds out more not only about the killer, but about herself--and learns that nothing is what is seems.Book #2 in The Killing Game will be released soon.

Noah, usually inseparable from his father, had spent the entire week insisting that only I take him camping. His declared mission: mastering "real survival skills"—a not-so-subtle jab at his dad's preference for cushy glamping.
Liam played along, hamming it up as he swung our son goodbye. But beneath the teasing jealousy, something felt off. He packed the trunk too fast. Checked the gas without being asked. Almost assembly-line efficiency.
And that line about a last-minute client flying in from Chicago? Didn't sound like bad luck. Sounded like an excuse.
All week, he never pushed back. Just quietly, almost eagerly, waited for us to leave.
I figured he wanted the house to himself: scotch, cigars, silence.
Then the call came—and I got it.
He hadn’t cleared the house for peace and quiet.
He’d cleared it for her.

Book 8.5: Mercerian Tales: Honour Thy Ancestors Driven from their ancestral home by the Humans, the Orcs are forced to eke out an existence until one hunter dares to defy tradition. They had one sacred rule. Never, under any circumstances, go into the mud hut  Unlike other young Orcs, Urgon sees it as a challenge, and he's prepared to risk everything to unlock its secrets. Shrouded in mystery, what's inside reveals a hidden past of his people, leading him to question all that he thought he knew.  Urgon's father sacrificed himself for the future of the tribe—will he now do the same?  Mercerian Tales: Honour Thy Ancestors delves into the rich history of the Orcs of the Black Arrow by following the rise to power of their greatest chieftain, Urgon. Although best read between books eight and nine of the Heir to the Crown series, this book can also be read as a stand-alone tale.   Reach into the past to discover the future as you begin Honour Thy Ancestors today!

With her husband feeling more like a distant roommate, Nikki, an ex-college soccer player, knows there's more out there for her but scared to leave the comfort of her normal, usual, secure life. One night, during a massive storm, lightening strikes as a new player, Shane, joins her team. The second their eyes meet, time stops. She knows this person has always lived in her heart and soul. What is this feeling? It's illogical, it's fantasy, it's supported by all of the physical evidence you could throw in front of her. What the hell even is a soul mate, anyways? There's only one way to find out without actually having to interact with the dark haired stranger in real life...inviting him to dream with her. Will he join her?

“One of the best thrillers I have read this year.”--Books and Movie Reviews (re Any Means Necessary)In the much-anticipated debut of a new series by #1 bestseller Jack Mars, when elite Delta Force soldier Luke Stone, 29, joins a secretive government agency, he is dispatched on the mission of a lifetime: a whirlwind race across Europe and the Mid-East to save the President’s daughter before she is beheaded by terrorists.In PRIMARY TARGET (Book #1), we see the forging of one of the world’s toughest—and most lethal—soldiers: Luke Stone. A 29 year old veteran who has seen enough battle to last a lifetime, Luke is tapped by the Special Response Team, a secretive new FBI agency (led by his mentor Don Morris) to tackle the most high-stake terrorism operations in the world.Luke, still haunted by his wartime past and newly married to an expecting Becca, is dispatched on a mission to Iraq, with his new partner Ed Newsam, to bring in a rogue American contractor. But what begins as a routine mission mushrooms into something much, much bigger.When the President’s teenage daughter, kidnapped in Europe, is ransomed by terrorists, Luke may be the only one in the world who can save her before it is too late.PRIMARY TARGET is an un-putdownable military thriller, a wild action ride that will leave you turning pages late into the night. It marks the long-anticipated debut of a riveting new series by #1 bestseller Jack Mars, dubbed “one of the best thriller authors” out there.“Thriller writing at its best.”--Midwest Book Review (re Any Means Necessary)Also available is Jack Mars’ #1 bestselling LUKE STONE THRILLER series (7 books), which begins with Any Means Necessary (Book #1), a free download with over 800 five star reviews!

“When you think that life cannot get better, Blake Pierce comes up with another masterpiece of thriller and mystery! This book is full of twists and the end brings a surprising revelation. I strongly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that enjoys a very well written thriller.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Almost Gone) LEFT TO DIE is book #1 in a new FBI thriller series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. FBI special agent Adele Sharp is a German-and-French raised American with triple citizenship—and an invaluable asset in bringing criminals to justice as they cross American and European borders.When a serial killer case spanning three U.S. states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt.Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, LEFT TO DIE will have you turning pages late into the night.Books #2 and #3 in the series – LEFT TO RUN and LEFT TO HIDE – are also available for preorder!

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense: CAUSE TO FEAR (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 4).When a body turns up floating beneath the frozen Charles River, the Boston Police summons its most brilliant and controversial homicide detective—Avery Black—to close the case. It doesn’t take Avery long, however, to realize that this is no isolated murder: it is the work of a serial killer.Other bodies begin to turn up, all of them sharing one thing in common: all are trapped in ice. Is it all a coincidence—or the signature of a particularly deranged killer?As the media converges and Avery suffers pressure from her bosses, she struggles to crack the inexplicable case, too bizarre even for her brilliant mind. At the same time she tries to keep her own depression at bay, as her personal life spirals to a new low. And she does it all while trying to enter the mind of a psychotic and elusive killer.What she will find will shock even her, and make her realizes that nothing is what it seems—and that the worst darkness may sometimes be closest to us.A psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO FEAR is book #4 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #5 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.Homicide Detective Avery Black has been through hell. Once a top criminal defense attorney, she fell from grace when she managed to get a brilliant Harvard professor off—only to watch him kill again. She lost her husband and her daughter, and her life fell apart around her.Trying to redeem herself, Avery has turned to the other side of the law. Working her way up the ranks, she has reached Homicide Detective, to the scorn of her fellow officers, who still remember what she did, and who will always hate her.Yet even they cannot deny Avery’s brilliant mind, and when a disturbing serial killer strikes fear into the heart of Boston, killing girls from elite colleges, it is Avery that they turn to. It is Avery’s chance to prove herself, to finally find the redemption she craves. And yet, as she is soon to find out, Avery has come up against a killer as brilliant and daring as she.In this game of psychological cat and mouse, women are dying with mysterious clues, and the stakes could not be higher. A frantic race against time leads Avery through a series of shocking and unexpected twists—culminating in climax that even Avery could not imagine. A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO KILL marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #2 in the Avery Black series will be available soon.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense—the AVERY BLACK SERIES—which continues here with CAUSE TO DREAD (Book #6), also a standalone novel. The series begins with CAUSE TO KILL (Book #1)—a free download with over 200 five star reviews!A woman turns up dead in her own apartment, locked in her closet, her body crawling with poisonous spiders, and the Boston police are stumped. As all of their leads collapse, they are dreading the killer will strike again. Desperate, the police have no choice but to turn to Boston’s most brilliant and controversial homicide detective—Avery Black. Now retired, Avery, in a low point in her own life, reluctantly agrees to help with the case. But when other bodies start turning up, murdered in grotesque and unusual ways, Avery can’t help but wonder: is there a serial killer on the loose?With the intense media pressure and the stress of having a new, inexperienced partner, Avery is pushed to her limit as she struggles to crack the bizarre cases—and to keep herself from falling into the abyss. Avery finds herself falling deeper and deeper into the twisted mind of the killer, who holds more secrets than Avery could imagine.The most riveting and shocking book of the series, a psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO DREAD will leave you turning pages late into the night. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

On the night Kaelani turns eighteen, she doesn’t just find her wolf.
She finds her mates.
Two Alphas.
Two future Kings.
Two men powerful enough to command entire packs with a single word.
And they both claim her.
Kieran is fire — dominant, possessive, dangerous when provoked.
Liam is control — calm, strategic, and just as deadly.
But Kaelani isn’t some weak Luna waiting to be chosen.
She is a hybrid with ancient magic running through her veins.
A future High Priestess.
And the center of a curse cast lifetimes ago by a jealous witch who wanted them destroyed.
Now the bond between them burns hotter than ever — fierce, intoxicating, impossible to ignore.
As desire clashes with power, and war brews beneath the surface of pack politics, Kaelani must survive more than jealous rivals and ruthless enemies.
She must survive loving two Alphas who would burn the world down for her.
Because fate tied their souls together.
But fate never promised it would be gentle.

The Second Season of the Flower Romance Series!
The Baker & The Bear, The Waitress & The Werewolf, The Secretary & The Succubus, The Librarian & the Lion, and finally The Millionaire & The Mermaid!

At a young age, Catalena learned to love Ezekiel Montenegro. She was desperate, and she chased him.

She achieved the love she sought from him.

But one night, she made a mistake that destroyed all she had worked so hard to get an Ezekiel Montenegro.

The mistakes she committed were the beginning of her misery with him.

“This novel succeeds—right from the start…. A superior fantasy…It begins, as it should, with one protagonist’s struggles and moves neatly into a wider circle….”–Midwest Book Review (re Rise of the Dragons)“Filled with non-stop action, this novel is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover….Rice is setting up for an amazing series to rival series such as Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness, with her strong female protagonist making waves in her world and building the confidence of young women in ours.”–The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (re Rise of the Dragons)From #1 bestselling author Morgan Rice, a USA Today bestseller and critically-acclaimed author of the fantasy series The Sorcerer’s Ring (over 3,000 five-star reviews) and the teen fantasy series The Vampire Journals (over 1,500 five-star reviews) comes a groundbreaking new series and genre, where fantasy meets mystery.SHADOWSEER: LONDON (Book One) tells the story of Kaia, 17, an orphan coming of age in the Victorian London of the 1850s. Kaia yearns to escape her horrific orphanage, to discover who her parents were, and to understand why she can sense shadows when others cannot. Yet the streets of London are as brutal as the orphanage, and for Kaia, there is no easy way out.When Kaia, arrested, faces an even worse punishment, Detective Pinsley, 45, notices a strange marking on her arm and thinks she might be the key in solving a peculiar, mysterious case. Bodies are turning up dead in London, and Pinsley wonders whether it’s the work of a deranged serial killer, or of something….else. The methods of murder seem impossible, as does the murderer’s ability to escape death.Kaia is given a choice: help solve the case, or be shipped off to Bedlam, the notorious insane asylum.Unlikely partners, each mistrusting the other, Kaia and Pinsley embark to scour the dark corners and cobblestone streets of 19th century London in search of clues.Yet what they find may shock and horrify even them.Dark fantasy meets mystery in SHADOWSEER, a page-turning, atmospheric thriller packed with authentic period detail, with twists and cliffhangers that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Kaia, a broken hero, will capture your heart as she struggles to claw her way up from the depths, and to solve unsolvable crimes. Fans of books such as Spellbreaker, The Dresden Files, Mortal Instruments and Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde will find much to love in SHADOWSEER, satisfying fantasy fans who appreciate mystery and suspense, and mystery lovers who want something new, a clean hybrid that will appeal to both adult and young adult readers. Get ready to be transported to another world—and to fall in love with characters you will never forget.“Morgan Rice proves herself again to be an extremely talented storyteller….This would appeal to a wide range of audiences, including younger fans. It ended with an unexpected cliffhanger that leaves you shocked.”–The Romance Reviews (re the paranormal series Loved)“The beginnings of something remarkable are there.”–San Francisco Book Review (re the young adult fantasy A Quest of Heroes) SHADOWSEER: PARIS (Book #2), SHADOWSEER: MUNICH (Book #3), SHADOWSEER: ROME (Book #4) and SHADOWSEER: ATHENS (Book #5) are also available.

Audrey was sixteen when we were supposed to run away and leave everything behind—her family who she resented and the luxurious lifestyle she had always known since she was born. But before I could claim her body, I decided to bring her back, and that was when death came after me.

Nonetheless, I survived and reclaimed myself. I became a man above anyone else. I became a billionaire.

After eight years, I saw Audrey again. She came into my company for an interview—an executive assistant interview. But no matter how I tell myself that I should move on from the agony she caused me, and make her pay and suffer for what she did, I still want to own her and claim her.

Today was the first day back at school. While most of the asshats who attended Liston High Private School actually went in for the first day, I was stuck scrubbing the toilets of the Hallow mansion.

And regardless of what my brother says I look like, I am not a scholarship kid. I'm Dainy Hallow and the guy with the Goku hair wiping puke off the pebbled bathroom floor is my older brother Aiden.

Last night as is customary to do the night before school starts, we had a huge ass party.

Our initial plan was to go to school, skip last period, get home and clear out the evidence before our parents arrived back the following day.

Let's just say that plan went to shit fast when Aiden called mom. He asked her to pick up the suit he ordered from G&G for the cancer benefit we were hosting next month. A simple question followed by an unexpected answer.

Apparently, my brother and I were misinformed with regards to my parents return. My parents were actually arriving today in less than three hours.

Two hours and four injuries later, the beer bottles are gone. The bathrooms now sanitized, and beds clothed in fresh unused linen.

The rest of the house is tidy but not clean. My brother and I aren't dumb, we've been doing this for five years.

Unlike most siblings, Aiden and I don't bicker all the time.

*MATURE READERS ONLY * DARK ROMANCE *
"What shall I do now that I have seized my prey?" He questions me, voice sonorous and husky whilst he inhales sharply nose buried into the flesh of my neck savouring the scent of his female. Canines descend eager to sink, unhesitant for a bite.
"Should I devour it?"He whispers into my ear whilst the tip of his hot tongue tastes the flavour of my inflamed skin. I quiver beneath him encaged under his muscular being.
"I am starving my female and you look absolutely... succulent."He moans, tongue stroking his plump lower lip as an uncontrollable need sets him on fire from within.


HIM - Deimos was neither man nor wolf. He was a God, the Alpha of Alphas. They say he possesses no soul, for his eyes retain coldness that no heat can melt, his heart unyielding and emotionless occupying profound scars from his battles guarded by high walls. He is ruthless, instilling fear within others and striving off it. He did not understand the meaning of love nor mates until he laid eyes on his moon blessed.
HER - Destined for greatness she fought tooth and claw to survive. Her past, her arduous war. The first female Alpha to have ever been born on her pack lands. Having no place she battled for her birthright, for her reign. She did not know that her fight did e not cease that night she triumphed. She did not know that her greatest bloodshed would be with her mate. Deimos.
He would fight against his heart and she would fight with her soul.

My name is Maya Wilson. I'm seventeen, I have 100K TikTok followers, and I just watched my dad destroy our family for a twenty-five-year-old homewrecker named Ashley.

"Ashley makes me feel alive again," he said, dismissing seventeen years of marriage like a bad business deal.

"We'll be one happy family," she smiled, standing in our kitchen like she already owned it.

That's when I knew: Mom needed my protection.

What followed was a war fought with laptops and lies, fake pregnancies and real heartbreak. A battle between a broken housewife discovering her strength, a teenage girl wielding digital weapons, and a woman who thought she could manipulate her way to victory.

Six months later, Mom would be accepting awards. Ashley would be gone. And Dad?

Dad would be begging for forgiveness he'd never get.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.” --Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone) From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense: CAUSE TO HIDE (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 3).Bodies are being found in the outskirts of Boston, their corpses burned beyond recognition, as the police realize a new serial killer is roaming the streets. As the media converges and the pressure is upped, the Boston Police Department must turn to its most brilliant—and controversial—homicide detective: Avery Black.Avery, still trying to pick up the pieces of her own life—her budding relationship with Ramirez, her reconciliation with Rose—suddenly finds herself thrown into the most challenging case of her career. With scant evidence to follow, she must enter the mind of a psychotic killer, try to understand his obsession with fire, and what clues that offers into his personality. Her trail leads her deep into Boston’s worst neighborhoods, to confrontations with its worst psychopaths—and finally, to a twist she could never possibly imagine.In a game of psychological cat and mouse, a frantic race against time, Avery is led too deep into the maze of a killer’s mind, and to places darker than she’d ever wish to see.A psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, CAUSE TO HIDE is book #3 of a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #4 in the Avery Black series will be available soon. “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side, so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)