In Cranbury-on-Sea Aunt Maria rules with a rod of sweetness far tougher than iron and deadlier than poison. Strange and awful things keep happening in Cranbury. Why are all the men apparently gray-suited zombies? Why do all the children—if you ever see them—behave like clones? And what has happened to Mig's brother, Chris? Could gentle, civilized Aunt Maria, with her talk and daily tea parties, possibly have anything to do with it?Diana Wynne Jones once again has created a fantastic, magical world. Her brilliant storytelling and wonderful sense of humor totally involve the reader in the lives of a lovable young heroine and a villainess readers will love to hate.

Deep in the sun-drenched desert, priestess Ginger-Sun carries the power of shape mages. And whispers abound: Is she descended from the beloved Sunset Goddess, or are her nighttime rituals filled with wickedness? Ginger herself is uncertain, until a stranger is left for dead at her feet. Thence her magic begins to burn. Fate makes Ginger the stranger's wife and therefore a target for those who would murder this man to crown another--and force her magic into twisted ferocity. For unless Ginger masters her dark powers, violence will rein in Taka Mal--and in her soul.

Trapped in her hotel by powerful magic, half-Navajo Stormwalker Janet Begay must find a way out in this novella from the author of Wild Wolf... Running a little hotel in the southwestern town of Magellan, Janet is used to the occasional problem that requires a plumber or an electrician. But what begins with a leaky faucet in room number 6 leads to a terrifying warning: * You are doomed.* Soon a powerful hex traps Janet in the hotel with her friends and her lover, Mick, a biker with the power to shift into a dragon--and the power to calm the raging storm magic inside her. While the close quarters stir a passion between them, they must focus their energy on the impending dangers from outside the hotel--and the ones within... Double Hexed previously appeared in *Hexed (anthology).* Includes previews for Jennifer Ashley's Wild Wolf and Rules for a Proper Governess Praise for the Stormwalker Novels "Action packed...Dynamic characters, magic, and intrigue."--Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestselling author "An electrifying read--hot, thrilling, tremendous fun."--Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author "The life-and-death tension and steamy sex scenes are nicely drawn, and fans of both paranormal romance and urban fantasy will enjoy James's intoxicating blend of the two."--Publishers Weekly Jennifer Ashley, aka Allyson James, is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and winner of a Romance Writers of America RITA Award. She's penned more than forty-five novels and a dozen or so novellas in historical romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. She now lives in the Southwest with her husband and cats, spends most of her time in the wonderful world of her stories, and also enjoys hiking, music, and building dollhouses and dollhouse miniatures. **From the Author Welcome back to the Stormwalker series, which has garnered three RITA nominations, and several RT BookReviews award nominations and wins, including awards for best urban fantasy and best urban fantasy protagonist. More about the series, including character sketches, a glossary, blurbs, excerpts, and videos at allysonjames.com/stormwalker.html "Double Hexed" is a novella about Janet, Mick, Coyote, and friends, which first appeared in the collection Hexed. About the Author Award-winning author Allyson James is a pseudonym for Jennifer Ashley. Allyson writes the Stormwalker series, Shareem series, the Mortals series, and the Dragon series, along with a handful of standalone books and novellas. As Allyson, she has won several RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Awards, the Passionate Plume award for erotic romance, and the Prism award for best paranormal romance for The Dragon Master. More about Allyson's books can be found on the website: allysonjames.com

Frank Compton used to be an agent for the security forces of Earth, but that was a piece of cake compared to what he's had to deal with working for the aliens who run the Quadrail, an interstellar transportation system connecting a dozen civilizations across the galaxy. He's been trying to end the domination of an alien lifeform called the Modhri. This enormously powerful creature wants to rule the galaxy by controlling the thoughts of all its citizens. It does so by having parts of itself 'infect' others on contact, and act as agents for it without them being aware they're being manipulated. When Frank and his assistant Bayta journey to investigate a connection between the Modhri and the Filiaelians, they come up against a conspiracy on the Quadrail. Passengers are being murdered.but something besides murder haunts the Quadrail. A plot is brewing that even the Modhri fears. And once again, Frank and Bayta may be the only ones who can stop it.

Exiled from her palace by a bloody coup, an empress travels the dangerous wilds of her kingdom in search of enlightenment—and righteous vengeanceThe empress Tathea is awakened by the sounds of insurrection. The army, the aristocracy, and the royal guard have all turned against her husband, and stained the palace with his blood. Were she an ordinary ruler, she might follow him to the grave, but Tathea is a child of the wild lands. She comes from the desert, so to the desert she flees. Across the kingdom she travels, searching for shelter, friendship, and an explanation for the tragedy that destroyed her old life. As she fights to stay alive, she finds a book whose message might tip the scales in the battle between good and evil, changing the world forever. If her life is to have meaning, Tathea will have to spread the word.

The first book in a brand new trilogy from the author of the Farseer, Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies. When the two-hundred year war between the kingdoms of Vania and Landsing ended the Landsingers were left in triumphant possession of Vania's rich coal and coast territories. When young King Troven assumed the throne of Vania thirty years later, he was determined to restore her greatness, not through waging another assault upon their traditional enemies, but by looking in the opposite direction and colonising the wild plains and steppes to their east. Over the next twenty years, cavalry forces manage to subdue the rolling plains formerly wasted on nomadic herders and tribesmen. Troven's campaign restores the pride of the Varnian military and to reward them, Troven creates a new nobility that is extremely loyal to their monarch. Beyond the grasslands lies the current frontier of Varnia, the heavily forested Barrier Mountains, home to enigmatic Specks: a dappled, forest dwelling people, unable to tolerate the heat and full sunlight of the plains. The new settlers find the Specks slightly dim-witted and overly placid, and yet strangely difficult to control. There are tales that they are 'blood-drinkers' and their nature worship of ancestral trees has presented difficulties for those who wish to harvest the forest's exotic timber. They also harbour strange diseases, ones that cause the Specks little more than a week or two of discomfort but which frequently kills those settlers and soldiers who fall victim to it. For that reason, prolonged contact, and especially intimate contact with the Specks is judged both fool-hardy and disgusting. Nevare Gerar is the second son of one of King Troven's new lords. Following in his father's footsteps, a commission as a cavalry officer at the frontier and an advantageous marriage await him, once he has completed his training at the King's Cavalry Academy.

Tempest Keye’s life is just beginning.Growing up in a religious cult, Tempest could only dream of the world outside. Once free, Tempest is determined to live her life to the fullest, and to check off each item on her bucket list. First on her agenda – to meet an honest-to-goodness vampire. It’s just a shame the one she finds doesn’t understand how the whole Dark Ones thing is supposed to work. Luckily for him, she’s patient.Merrick Simon’s life is coming to an end. One of the legendary Four Horsemen, Merrick has saved the mortals and immortals alike from peril. Facing the most dangerous mission of his life, Merrick is forced to rely on a sexy, maddening woman who insists she’s his Beloved. Like he has time for that.Both need more time…The closer they come to finding the truth, the more dangers lurk in the shadows. Worse, Merrick finds himself falling for Tempest’s quirky take on life. Together, they fight for the one thing that matters most – their happily ever after.

For one thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the Furies--elementals of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Metal. But now, the unity of the Alerians hangs in precarious balance. The First Lord of Alera has fallen in his efforts to protect his people from the vicious attacks of their enemies. Now, the fate of the Alerians lies in the hands of Tavi, a young man who must use all of his courage and resourcefulness to save his people--and himself.