A portrait of the Irish-American experience in the 1940s and 1950s, by the National Book Award-winning authorOn a dim winter afternoon, a young Irish immigrant opens the gas taps in his Brooklyn tenement. He is determined to prove—to the subway bosses who have recently fired him, to his badgering, pregnant wife—"that the hours of his life belong to himself alone." In the aftermath of the fire that follows, Sister St. Savior, an aging nun, a Little Sister of the Sick Poor, appears, unbidden, to direct the way forward for his widow and his unborn child. In Catholic Brooklyn, in the early part of the twentieth century, decorum, superstition, and shame collude to erase the man's brief existence, and yet his suicide, although never spoken of, reverberates through many lives—testing the limits and the demands of love and sacrifice, of forgiveness and forgetfulness, even through multiple generations. Rendered with remarkable lucidity and...

It’s been ten years since Molly last set foot on her birth planet, and this isn’t how she’d imagined her homecoming. The sky is full of an invading fleet, one powerful enough to threaten the entire galaxy. The new family she has come to rely on—her crew of alien misfits and runaways—are scattered in three directions. As they struggle to reunite, events beyond their control seem to be driving more than just them apart: the universe itself may be torn asunder if the bond between these unlikely heroes is broken.

Romance stars Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret prove in this collection of stories that love is the most magical during Christmas..."I Will" by Lisa KleypasTo be reinstated into his father's will, Andrew, Lord Drake, must court a respectable woman-his friend's spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. After he blackmails Caroline into helping him, the charade begins-but is it really a charade once love takes hold of their hearts...?"Deck the Halls With Love" by Lorraine HeathAlistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, devastated Lady Meredith Hargreaves when he proposed to another. But when he becomes free to pursue her, it's too late for she's on her way to the altar..... As Christmas approaches, Chetwyn vows to lure Lady Meredith back into his arms."No Groom at the Inn" by Megan FramptonJames Archer detests his mother's matchmaking ways. When...

Forget what you thought you knew about the universe and enter the fantastic world of master storyteller Alan Dean Foster . . . OPERATOR ASSISTED CALLS ARE CHARGED AT A HIGHER RATE. Mr. Parkworthy had a score to settle with the telephone company, and he was a man used to getting his own way. But he should have remembered that it is not polite to be rude to a lady . . . especially when the lady is Ma Bell.THE METROGNOME. Charlie Dimsdale was only a little man in the company that ran New York City's subways . . . until some odd little denizens of the city's subterranean tunnels showed him who was really in charge!THE TESSELATED TETRAHEXAHEDRAL YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS. Country people in America are a fair but mighty independent bunch. So when some government scientists rudely demanded that the Shattucks turn over the UFO that crashed on their Texas ranch, the Shattucks became a bit obstinate. Besides, the shining little spacecraft looked real cute hanging on the barn with the Christmas decorations.COLLECTIBLE. When young Pearl's life was collapsing around her, she could always find comfort in her extensive collection of dragon memorabilia -- but some youngsters are more fragile than others, and dragons can be deadly.Plus eleven more stories!**

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful — too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Ben and Aaron Cooper's life had never been one of ease. Deserted by their mother and raised by a drunken father, they fought to survive on the Kansas farm where their father worked. Life deals them a horrendous twist when they are kidnapped by an alien trader and sold. Ben, the oldest by sixteen months, convinces the aliens who enslave them that he and Aaron will die if they are separated. It is the only way he can think of to keep them together and protect his younger brother.The next fifteen years prove to be the most challenging of their lives. They do what they have to in order to survive. They are convinced their time has come to an end when the freighter they are on is attacked by a species known for their lust for blood and killing.Evetta and Hanine Marquette are Marastin Dow; a species whose leaders thrive on living in the old ways where only the strongest, most ruthless are allowed to live. The life expectancy for most Marastin Dow is short, especially on one of the...

Snail and Prince Aspen are unlikely companions. Snail is a midwife's apprentice; Aspen is a prince held hostage to prevent a war. Due to a series of misunderstandings, the two find themselves on the run, having adventure after mishap after scary, fast-paced escape. When they reach Aspen's kingdom, they learn to their horror that their actions have divided the country and plunged it into violence. Every minute counts: it is time for Snail and Aspen to figure out a way to stop the building war—together. The Hostage Prince is a fast-paced, funny, exciting fantasy novel for young readers, both male and female. And who better to start tweens on their journey than Jane Yolen ("America's Hans Christian Andersen"—Time) and her son, Adam Stemple!

An Intensely Romantic Journey of Faith, Love, and HopePlease note that book #1, This Time Forever by Rachel Ann Nunes, is currently available for free download on Amazon.Mickelle Hansen has found a dream come true in handsome widower Damon Wolfe—but finding a happy ending to her fairy tale might not be all that easy.Damon Wolfe is considerate, kind, active in the gospel, and even wealthy—everything Mickelle Hansen could possibly want in a husband. His wonderful children, Tanner and Belle, are icing on the cake. But could Mickelle be getting involved too soon after her husband's death? Her teenage son Bryan definitely thinks so.A near tragedy causes Mickelle to reevaluate her relationship with Damon. Despite all he has to offer, Damon cannot guarantee her the one thing she desires most. By walking away is she saving herself pain . . . or losing the kind of love that comes only once in a lifetime?Charming Colton Scofield is also fighting for Mickelle's attention. He is there when...

From Publishers WeeklySmith delivers yet another delightful installment to his Scotland Street series. This time out, he focuses mostly on the irrepressible Bertie Pollock, a precocious six-year-old whose mummy, Irene, forces him to play a saxophone, converse in Italian, do yoga and see Dr. Hugo Fairbairn, a psychotherapist who looks a lot like Bertie's baby brother, Ulysses. As Bertie struggles to accommodate his nutty mummy and new brother, another crisis explodes for artist Angus Lordie, whose beloved dog, Cyril, has been thrown in the pound for biting someone. Cyril is innocent, and Angus, with Bertie's assistance, sets out to rescue Cyril before he's put down. Subplots abound, and Smith details with dependable whimsical flair the romantic progress of Scotland Street familiars Matthew, Pat and Bruce. Series fans know what to expect, and they get it by the truckload. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Library JournalThis fourth installment—following Love over Scotland—in New York Times best-selling author McCall Smith's (www.mccallsmith.com) "44 Scotland Street" series centers on a group of Edinburgh denizens' quirky and intriguing antics as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old boy. The book can stand alone, though listeners would benefit from meeting the characters earlier in the series. Actor/narrator Robert Ian Mackenzie's (_Freddy and Fredericka_) voice and delivery are wonderful; however, he could have done a better job distinguishing among the numerous characters. For mystery and audio collections in public libraries, especially those with previous McCall Smith titles.—Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., NJ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.