Allusive Aftershock


Book Description

What happens when a major earthquake changes your entire world, and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving your life? Three times! Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because ... well, he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, I can’t quite figure out, but when he saves me from being trampled by my horse, I start to understand him a little better, and maybe I'd like to get to know him better. But, Max—my best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-my-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know-it-yet—hates Courtland with a passion. I want to know why except neither one of them wants to talk about it. When Max leaves me stranded in his parents' wine cave with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake, I begin to question my loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark, damp cellar only fuel my emotions with more conflict. But do I really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction, and mayhem surround me? A Young Adult Novel about friendship, betrayal, and love.




The Pop Star and the Sheriff - A Christmas Charm


Book Description

Claire Angelo is a pop star with a haunted past, returning to the small town of Heartstrings in northern California after a decade away. Back for her grandmother's funeral, Claire is faced with not just the memories of a tragedy that once sent her fleeing from the town and her old flame, Sheriff Cameron Sparks, but also the realization that her heart might still belong in this quaint, snowy town. Cameron thought he had put their shared history behind him, but Claire's presence reignites long-buried feelings. Determined to seize this second chance at love, Cameron must navigate the complexities of their intertwined pasts while facing the challenges of their present-day lives. Will they be able to rekindle the flame that once burned brightly between them, or will their contrasting worlds tear them apart once more? As Cameron and Claire navigate old feelings and new beginnings, they are drawn into the magic of a Christmas Charm—a romantic legend Claire's grandmother shared with her when she was a child. Will the charm work its festive magic and bring the two lovers together once more on a snowy Christmas Eve? With heartwarming moments, tender romance, and the enchanting lure of holiday traditions, "The Pop Star and the Sheriff - A Christmas Charm" is a touching tale of love, loss, and second chances set against the backdrop of a charming small town's Christmas season.




Broken Wide Open


Book Description

At four years old, Grace Davidson lost her father in a bizarre accident, so unsettling that her mother never liked to talk about it. Her father had been her rock, her hero, her everything. Now, years later, she's all grown up and has married her new hero, until she discovers his betrayal with her best friend. As revenge, Grace takes off, alone, for the honeymoon she was supposed to have with her now, ex-husband... To an exotic resort, miles from home... Leo D'Amoré was just a man Grace met while enjoying a little un-honeymoon retaliation against her husband of all of three hours. They became friends. No last names, no promises, commitments, or ties. Yet even after she returns home, she can't get him out of her head. Too bad she'll never see him again. Starting over in a new town after finding her dream job, Grace suddenly runs in to Leo in the last place she expects. But is he the man she believes him to be? She thought so, until everything becomes broken wide open. Including her heart. A feel-good story that will take you from the darkest depths to the highest of highs as the past collides with the present. Buy Broken Wide Open now and start reading this highly emotional story today!




Beautifully Used


Book Description

Sex with no strings. That’s the way I like it. Brodie That may sound heartless to you, but don’t judge a man until you’ve walked in his shoes. And believe me; you don’t want to tread in mine. I have a past. I’m not proud of it, but I haven’t cared … until Gabrielle entered back into my life. Gabrielle The first time I met him, I learned the hard way what type of guy Brodie was. His crude seduction attempt earned him a slap to his face, and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to another encounter with the cad. I had enough problems of my own to deal with, but unfortunately, my best friend is marrying his brother, and now Brodie and I will be forced to spend time together whether I liked it or not. When things in that small, quiet town of Turtle Lake turn dark and dangerous, Brodie and I only have each other to turn to for solace. But will we be capable of overcoming our aversion to one another while coping with our troubled pasts and dealing with the current dangers surrounding us? Or is our hostility just skating the fine line between love and hate? Beautifully Used is book 2 in the Beaumont Brothers series and can be read as a stand-alone. Buy your copy today!




Refrain: Blood Courtesans - Neriza: A Vampire Blood Courtesan Romance


Book Description

One fateful night changed my life forever and brought secrets to light I never could have imagined, leaving me parentless, penniless, and caring for an ailing sister. My father was not the man I thought I knew, and his greed and sickness have left me with virtually nothing to use to care for my sister and get her the treatments she needs to maybe one day walk again. And now, we might lose our house, as well. Luckily, an ad in the paper helps me regain some hope. I have something to barter with that not many courtesans have, after all, and it just might be enough to earn what’s needed to secure my future as a successful Blood Courtesan. My first client turns out to be the man of my dreams, the sexy-as-sin vampire rock star I’ve lusted after since I was a teen, but he wants nothing to do with me or what I have to offer. My father’s misdeeds continue to haunt me and I’m left with only one option: I need to make the talented and headstrong Lyric Rivers desire me, or lose everything. Maybe even my life. The Blood Courtesans Series, where vampires are real, rich, powerful--and hungry. Blood is bought and sold like fine wine, and the best blood goes to the highest bidder. It's not supposed to be about love ... until it is.




A Gypsy's Kiss


Book Description

A GYPSY'S KISS is a SILVER MEDAL WINNER in the Readers' Favorite Awards - Supernatural Romance Category An entertaining story of first love that is filled with sufficient mystery and drama to keep you turning the pages. A Gypsy's Kiss is a paranormal story that has its own flavor and characters with great interaction. Breena Cassidy is cursed with what could be one of the worst supernatural abilities imaginable, she has never had the luxury of falling in love. Hell, she’s never even held a guy’s hand. At only twenty-two years old, she’s just about given up on the whole love thing. After all, when you can see twelve hours of someone’s future by a simple touch, and they, in turn, can see what you see, well… relationships are sort of out of the question. Her gigs performing psychic readings at parties, and the occasional one-on-one private appointment are just about Breena’s only connection with people. No matter how much she might wish otherwise. Hawk Covington's hard body and skill have earned him a starting position on the Pioneer’s college hockey team. But it’s not his talent with a hockey stick that’s the most remarkable. His gorgeous two-colored eyes not only draw the attention of every female on campus, they also allow him to track people and objects. But when he suddenly finds himself stalked by a stranger, he seeks out the help of the rumored, “campus gypsy” for help. Despite his vow to stay single and play as many college women as he can while the fun lasts, Hawk can’t ignore his attraction to the lovely and spirited Breena. And she can’t get the hunky star hockey player out of her mind once a single touch of his hand reveals something utterly strange. Surrounded by mystery, they realize that fate has brought them together for a reason, but can they stay alive long enough to recognize the depth of their feelings for one another? ☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Stars "Susan Griscom has created a great supernatural romance in A Gypsy's Kiss. The main characters are well developed, especially Breena as she struggles to cope with her 'gift.' She is resourceful, though, and knows how to handle herself. Hawk is a good match for her and the chemistry between them is great. The plot line for both of them is a novel way to keep the two of them apart and ramp up the tension. I think this book will do very well because it is easy to get into and the characters are relatable. A good start to the series, and I look forward to reading more from this author." Readers' Favorite Book Reviews Buy A Gypsy's Kiss Today and start reading this stand-alone supernatural gem.




Aftershock


Book Description

Accused by the tabloid press of setting out to 'shock', controversial artworks are vigorously defended by art critics, who frequently downplay their disturbing emotional impact. This is the first book to subject contemporary art to a rigorous ethical exploration. It argues that, in favouring conceptual rather than emotional reactions, commentators actually fail to engage with the work they promote. Scrutinising notorious works by artists including Damien Hirst, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Richard Billingham, Marc Quinn, Sally Mann, Marcus Harvey, Hans Bellmer, Paul McCarthy, Tierney Gearon, and Tracey Emin, "Aftershock" insists on the importance of visceral, emotional and 'ethical' responses. Far from clouding our judgement, Cashell argues, shame, outrage or revulsion are the very emotions that such works set out to evoke. While also questioning the catch-all notion of 'transgression', this illuminating and controversial book neither jumps indiscriminately to the defence of shocking artworks nor dismisses them out of hand.




Aftershocks


Book Description

Aftershocks is a collection of essays, review essays, book reviews and occasional pieces that covers the period from 1996-2018. The connecting thread of Aftershocks is the cultural and social transformations wrought by the series of 'shocks' that have occurred since the beginning of the new millennium: terrorism after 9/11, the triumph of capital, the impact of the digital revolution and the fluidity of identity. The collection explores how writers, artists, and society at large seem to be caught up in a series of aftershocks: no sooner has one wave hit than another is upon us.




In the Shadow of Catastrophe


Book Description

These essays by eminent European intellectual and cultural historian Anson Rabinbach address the writings of key figures in twentieth-century German philosophy. Rabinbach explores their ideas in relation to the two world wars and the horrors facing Europe at that time. Analyzing the work of Benjamin and Bloch, he suggests their indebtedness to the traditions of Jewish messianism. In a discussion of Hugo Ball's little-known Critique of the German Intelligentsia, Rabinbach reveals the curious intellectual career of the Dadaist and antiwar activist turned-nationalist and anti-Semite. His examination of Heidegger's "Letter on Humanism" and Jaspers's The Question of German Guilt illuminates the complex and often obscure political referents of these texts. Turning to Horkheimer and Adorno's Dialectic of Enlightenment, Rabinbach offers an arresting new interpretation of this central text of the critical theory of the Frankfurt School. Subtly and persuasively argued, his book will become an indispensable reference point for all concerned with twentieth-century German history and thought. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1997. These essays by eminent European intellectual and cultural historian Anson Rabinbach address the writings of key figures in twentieth-century German philosophy. Rabinbach explores their ideas in relation to the two world wars and the horrors facing Europe




The New Middle Kingdom


Book Description

Examining the influential accounts of Westerners at the center of early US cultural development abroad, Johnson conceives a romance of free trade with China as a quest narrative of national accomplishment in a global marketplace. Drawing from a richly descriptive cross-cultural archive, the book presents key moments in early relations among the twenty-first century's superpowers through memoirs, biographies, epistolary journals, magazines, book reviews, fiction and poetry by Melville, Twain, Whitman, and others, travel narratives, and treaties, as well as maps and engraved illustrations. Paying close attention to figurative language, generic forms, and the social dynamics of print cultural production and circulation, Johnson shows how authors, editors, and printers appealed to multiple overlapping audiences in China, in the United States, and throughout the world.