Master the advanced concepts of PL/SQL for professional-level certification and learn the new capabilities of Oracle Database 12cAbout This BookLearn advanced application development features of Oracle Database 12c and prepare for the 1Z0-146 examinationBuild robust and secure applications in Oracle PL/SQL using the best practicesPacked with feature demonstrations and illustrations that will help you learn and understand the enhanced capabilities of Oracle Database 12cWho This Book Is ForThis book is for Oracle developers responsible for database management. Readers are expected to have basic knowledge of Oracle Database and the fundamentals of PL/SQL programming. Certification aspirants can use this book to prepare for 1Z0-146 examination in order to be an Oracle Certified Professional in Advanced PL/SQL.What You Will LearnLearn and understand the key SQL and PL/SQL features of Oracle Database 12cUnderstand the new Multitenant architecture and Database In-Memory option of Oracle Database 12cKnow more about the advanced concepts of the Oracle PL/SQL language such as external procedures, securing data using Virtual Private Database (VPD), SecureFiles, and PL/SQL code tracing and profilingImplement Virtual Private Databases to prevent unauthorized data accessTrace, analyze, profile, and debug PL/SQL code while developing database applicationsIntegrate the new application development features of Oracle Database 12c with the current conceptsDiscover techniques to analyze and maintain PL/SQL codeGet acquainted with the best practices of writing PL/SQL code and develop secure applicationsIn DetailOracle Database is one of the most popular databases and allows users to make efficient use of their resources and to enhance service levels while reducing the IT costs incurred. Oracle Database is sometimes compared with Microsoft SQL Server, however, Oracle Database clearly supersedes SQL server in terms of high availability and addressing planned and unplanned downtime. Oracle PL/SQL provides a rich platform for application developers to code and build scalable database applications and introduces multiple new features and enhancements to improve development experience.Advanced Oracle PL/SQL Developer's Guide, Second Edition is a handy technical reference for seasoned professionals in the database development space. This book starts with a refresher of fundamental concepts of PL/SQL, such as anonymous block, subprograms, and exceptions, and prepares you for the upcoming advanced concepts. The next chapter introduces you to the new features of Oracle Database 12c, not limited to PL/SQL. In this chapter, you will understand some of the most talked about features such as Multitenant and Database In-Memory. Moving forward, each chapter introduces advanced concepts with the help of demonstrations, and provides you with the latest update from Oracle Database 12c context. This helps you to visualize the pre- and post-applications of a feature over the database releases. By the end of this book, you will have become an expert in PL/SQL programming and will be able to implement advanced concepts of PL/SQL for efficient management of Oracle Database.Style and approach The book follows the structure of the Oracle Certification examination but doesn't restrict itself to the exam objectives. Advanced concepts have been explained in an easy-to-understand style, supported with feature demonstrations and case illustrations.

Enter the era of medical research using mobile devices with the help of this guide on ResearchKit!About This BookCreate a simple clinical research app using most aspects of ResearchKitBuild a simple survey with various data types with the results printed on the screen.A step-by-step guide introducing Apple's ResearchKit and techniques to incorporate it into various apps.Who This Book Is ForThis book is aimed at medical researchers with basic iOS coding knowledge and iOS developers looking to create clinical research apps.What You Will LearnLearn to create customized consent formGet introduced to two backend services: a simple backend server using Sinatra and Sage BridgeBuild a custom task (a conditional survey example) and a navigable taskGet an Overview of ResearchKit's open source repository and App CoreInteraction with the hardware of the device including the gyro and the motion sensorsLearn the basics of this revolutionary technologyGet introduced to the barebones app and learn to write your first codeIn DetailResearchKit is an open source software development framework from Apple that lets you easily create mobile applications for clinical research studies. ResearchKit provides you the ability to orchestrate the administration of tasks and recording of the results. ResearchKit provides tasks in order to perform informed consent, active tasks, and surveys.Starting with the basics of the ResearchKit framework, this books walks you through the steps of creating iOS applications that could serve as the basis of a clinical research mobile app.This book will introduce readers to ResearchKit and how to turn your iPhone into into a clinical research tool. The book will start off by installing and building the research framework in line with the researcher's needs; during this, the reader will learn to embed ResearchKit in the application and create a small task.After this, the book will go a little deeper into creating modules for surveys, consents, and so on. The book will also cover the various aspects of privacy and security with regard to participant data, and how to build dashboards for visualizing medical data and results in line with the researcher's requirements: data backends, JSON serialization and deserialization, and so on.Readers will be able to fully utilize ResearchKit for medical research, will be able to get more and more patients to participate in their surveys, and will gain insights from the surveys using the dashboards created.Style and approachA hands-on guide with ample screenshots for you to follow and learn about ResearchKit. Each topic is explained sequentially and placed in context so that you can get a better understanding of every step in the process of creating clinical research apps.

Develop games for iOS and Android using Cocos2d with the aid of over 70 step-by-step recipesAbout This BookLearn to efficiently use Cocos2d to develop cross-platform games, and have them work on iOS as well as AndroidGet acquainted with industry-wide professional tools such as Glyph Designer, Texture Packer, and Physics Editor, as well as using the Swift/ Sprite builder implementation of Cocos2dUse the easy-to-follow recipes to develop as well as deploy games to the Playstore and the App StoreWho This Book Is ForThis book is for intermediate game developers and especially the ones who are generally curious to find out what’s new in Cocos2d v 3.3.What You Will LearnBuild custom sprites with custom animations for the gameBuild interactivity into your game by adding gestures and touch interactionsUnderstand AI enemy programming and path finding to make games more excitingAdd physics to your game to make it more lively and interactiveGet familiar with the Swift and Sprite builder implementations along with Objective-C programmingPerform hassle-free deployment of games built in iOS onto AndroidAdd effects and particle systems to make the game more colorfulIn DetailCocos2d is the world’s leading game development framework for developing iOS games. With the introduction of Swift and Spritebuilder, it has become easier than ever to develop the games of your dreams without much effort. With Cocos2d, you can also deploy the game on Android, thereby maximizing profit and reducing development and porting costs.The book starts off with a detailed look at how to implement sprites and animations into your game to make it livelier. You will then learn to add scenes to the game such as the gameplay scene and options scene and create menus and buttons in these scenes, as well as creating transitions between them. From there on, you will get an understanding of how to program user interactions such as tapping, holding, and swiping. You’ll then add accelerometer inputs and physics to the scene, and make objects respond back to the inputs. A game is practically incomplete without audio being added, so this will be covered next.The next section will include ways to add Artificial Intelligence to enemies in the game, allowing them to patrol, chase, and shoot in a projectile manner. You will then learn to use NSUserDefault to save and load game progress, and create and access files using JSON, Plist, and XML files for custom storage and retrieval of data. Then you will learn to add dynamic lighting to your game and will use industry-wide tools such as Texture Packer, Glyph Designer, Physics Editor, Particle Designer, and Sprite Illuminator to create more visually appealing and performance-optimized games.Towards the end of the book, we dive into Apple’s latest programming language—Swift, highlighting the major differences between Objective C and Swift. The book culminates with taking your existing game developed for iOS and porting it to Android, showing you how to install the Android Xcode plugin as well.Style and approachThe book is written in an extremely lucid and step-by-step manner; it can be understood easily by anyone. The topics included are broken down into individual chapters so you can refer to the specific chapter to get answers on the subject you are interested in.

Create fully-featured and highly functional iOS apps by writing tests firstAbout This BookLearn test-driven principles to help you build apps with fewer bugs and better designsBecome more efficient while working with Swift to move on to your next project faster!Learn how to incorporate all of the principles of test-driven development (TDD) in to your daily programming workflowWho This Book Is ForIf debugging iOS apps is a nerve-racking task for you and you are looking for a fix, this book is for you.What You Will LearnImplement TDD in swift application developmentGet to know the fundamentals, life cycle, and benefits of TDDExplore the tools and frameworks to effectively use TDDDevelop models and controllers driven by testsConstruct the network layer using stubsUse functional tests to ensure the app works as plannedAutomate and streamline the building, analysing, testing, and archiving of your iOS appsIn DetailTest-driven development (TDD) is a proven way to find software bugs early. Writing tests before your code improves the structure and maintainability of your app.Test-driven iOS Development with Swift will help you understand the process of TDD and how it impacts your applications written in Swift. Through practical, real-world examples, you’ll start seeing how to implement TDD in context. We will begin with an overview of your TDD workflow and then deep-dive into unit testing concepts and code cycles. We will showcase the workings of functional tests, which will help you improve the user interface. Finally, you will learn about automating deployments and continuous integration to run an environment.Style and approachThis is an easy-to-follow example-driven tutorial, packed with lots of tips and tricks that explore TDD bit-by-bit in the process of making an iOS application.

Learn the fundamentals of Cython to extend the legacy of your applicationsAbout This BookLearn how to extend C applications with pure Python codeGet more from Python – you’ll not only learn Cython, you’ll also unlock a greater understanding of how to harness PythonPacked with tips and tricks that make Cython look easy, dive into this accessible programming guide and find out what happens when you bring C and Python together!Who This Book Is ForThis book is for developers who are familiar with the basics of C and Python programming and wish to learn Cython programming to extend their applications.What You Will LearnReuse Python logging in CMake an IRC bot out of your C applicationExtend an application so you have a web server for rest callsPractice Cython against your C++ codeDiscover tricks to work with Python ConfigParser in CCreate Python bindings for native librariesFind out about threading and concurrency related to GILExpand Terminal Multiplexer Tmux with CythonIn DetailCython is a hybrid programming language used to write C extensions for Python language. Combining the practicality of Python and speed and ease of the C language it’s an exciting language worth learning if you want to build fast applications with ease.This new edition of Learning Cython Programming shows you how to get started, taking you through the fundamentals so you can begin to experience its unique powers.You’ll find out how to get set up, before exploring the relationship between Python and Cython. You’ll also look at debugging Cython, before moving on to C++ constructs, Caveat on C++ usage, Python threading and GIL in Cython. Finally, you’ll learn object initialization and compile time, and gain a deeper insight into Python 3, which will help you not only become a confident Cython developer, but a much more fluent Python developer too.Style and approachThis practical and a fast-paced guide gives you all the information you need to start programming using Cython.

Master Puppet for configuration management of your systems in an enterprise deploymentAbout This BookThis book is an advanced guide to using and deploying Puppet 4 in your organization with a special focus on issues faced in larger enterprise deploymentsFrom an experienced author, learn to deal with scaling, performance, and multiple developers with the help of real-world examplesThis is the most up-to-date guide on Puppet, and covers the advanced concepts of Puppet 4Who This Book Is ForThis book is for those who have intermediate knowledge of Puppet and are looking to deploy it in their environment. Some idea how to write simple modules for configuration management with Puppet is a prerequisite for this book.What You Will LearnScale out your Puppet infrastructure using proxying techniquesAutomate your code promotion workflow using Git and r10kSolve real-world problems using public modules from the Puppet ForgeUse Hiera to separate the data of your configuration from the code of your configurationWrite your own custom facts in RubyExtend Puppet with your own custom facts, modules, and typesUse exported resources to orchestrate change between machinesDebug a puppetserver using Java techniquesIn DetailPuppet is a configuration management system and a language. It was written for and by system administrators to manage large numbers of systems efficiently and prevent configuration drifts.Mastering Puppet deals with the issues faced when scaling out Puppet to handle large numbers of nodes. It will show you how to fit Puppet into your enterprise and allow many developers to work on your Puppet code simultaneously. In addition, you will learn to write custom facts and roll your own modules to solve problems. Next, popular options for performing reporting and orchestration tasks will be introduced in this book. Moving over to troubleshooting techniques, which will be very useful. The concepts presented are useful to any size organization.By the end of the book, you will know how to deal with problems of scale and exceptions in your code, automate workflows, and support multiple developers working simultaneously.Style and approachThis book is a step-wise guide packed with examples to help you configure complex systems in Puppet.

Discover the power of Drools 6 and Business Rules for developing complex scenarios in your applications About This Book Implement and model different rules using the DRL full syntax Model complex business decisions and domain models in order to automate and improve your operational decisions with the Drools framework A practical, fast-paced, hands-on guide to help you use the different components provided by the Drools Rule Engine Who This Book Is For This book is for Java developers and architects who need to have a deep understanding of how to create or integrate your applications with the Drools Rules Framework. The book assumes that you know the Java language well and also have experience with some widely used frameworks, such as Spring. You should also know the basics of Maven-based applications. What You Will Learn Automate your application’s decisions, such as promotion applying, discount policies, fraud detection, and more. Quickly get started with writing your first rules using the DRL full syntax. Discover the power of the new syntax components of the rule language. Define inferences in your business rules to simplify complex decisions. Write decision tables, templates,domain-specific languages, and scorecards, and learn how to map them to the Drools framework. Harness the full operational power of Drools through all of its configuration points. Use Drools configurations and architectures for different environments and scenarios. In Detail Mastering JBoss Drools 6 will provide you with the knowledge to develop applications involving complex scenarios. You will learn how to use KIE modules to create and execute Business Rules, and how the PHREAK algorithm internally works to drive the Rule Engine decisions. This book will also cover the relationship between Drools and jBPM, which allows you to enrich your applications by using Business Processes. You will be briefly introduced to the concept of complex event processing (Drools CEP) where you will learn how to aggregate and correlate your data based on temporal conditions. You will also learn how to define rules using domain-specific languages, such as spreadsheets, database entries, PMML, and more. Towards the end, this book will take you through the integration of Drools with the Spring and Camel frameworks for more complex applications. Style and approach Approached from a developer’s perspective, the book teaches you all the advanced concepts of Business Rules applicable examples with helpful screenshots, diagrams, tutorials, and examples.

Master the skills required to steer cross-platform applications from drawing board to app store(s) using Xamarin About This Book Develop your Xamarin development skills with this comprehensive guide on various patterns and features so you can create elegant and high-quality applications Create adaptive user interfaces on separate platforms without compromising the user experience and platform identity Implement application lifecycle management concepts to manage and finalize cross-platform projects and efficiently collaborate with others Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for those who want to take their entry–level Xamarin mobile development skills to the next level to become the go-to person within their organization. To fully understand the patterns and concepts described, you should possess a reasonable level of knowledge about the core elements of Xamarin and cross-platform application development with it. What You Will Learn Configure your environment for cross-platform projects with Xamarin Gain memory management skills to avoid memory leaks and premature code cycles while decreasing the memory print of your applications Employ asynchronous and parallel patterns to execute non-interactive and non-blocking processes Create and use SQLite databases for offline scenarios Integrate network resources with cross-platform applications Design and implement eye-catching and reusable UI components without compromising nativity in mobile applications Manage the application lifecycle of cross-platform development projects Distribute Xamarin applications through public or private channels In Detail The main goal of this book is to equip you with the required know-how to successfully analyze, develop, and manage Xamarin cross-platform projects using the most efficient, robust, and scalable implementation patterns. This book starts with general topics such as memory management, asynchronous programming, local storage, and networking, and later moves onto platform-specific features. During this transition, you will learn about key tools to leverage the patterns described, as well as advanced implementation strategies and features. The book also presents User Interface design and implementation concepts on Android and iOS platforms from a Xamarin and cross-platform perspective, with the goal to create a consistent but native UI experience. Finally, we show you the toolset for application lifecycle management to help you prepare the development pipeline to manage and see cross-platform projects through to public or private release. Style and approach This is a comprehensive guide on various Xamarin features and patterns. Each topic is explained and demonstrated with code samples, which are revised in each section in an iterative manner and analyzed with available diagnostic tools to demonstrate the benefits of different patterns.

Analyze data network like a professional by mastering Wireshark - From 0 to 1337 About This Book Master Wireshark and train it as your network sniffer Impress your peers and get yourself pronounced as a network doctor Understand Wireshark and its numerous features with the aid of this fast-paced book packed with numerous screenshots, and become a pro at resolving network anomalies Who This Book Is For Are you curious to know what’s going on in a networkDo you get frustrated when you are unable to detect the cause of problems in your networksThis is where the book comes into play. Mastering Wireshark is for developers or network enthusiasts who are interested in understanding the internal workings of networks and have prior knowledge of using Wireshark, but are not aware about all of its functionalities. What You Will Learn Install Wireshark and understand its GUI and all the functionalities of it Create and use different filters Analyze different layers of network protocols and know the amount of packets that flow through the network Decrypt encrypted wireless traffic Use Wireshark as a diagnostic tool and also for network security analysis to keep track of malware Troubleshoot all the network anomalies with help of Wireshark Resolve latencies and bottleneck issues in the network In Detail Wireshark is a popular and powerful tool used to analyze the amount of bits and bytes that are flowing through a network. Wireshark deals with the second to seventh layer of network protocols, and the analysis made is presented in a human readable form. Mastering Wireshark will help you raise your knowledge to an expert level. At the start of the book, you will be taught how to install Wireshark, and will be introduced to its interface so you understand all its functionalities. Moving forward, you will discover different ways to create and use capture and display filters. Halfway through the book, you’ll be mastering the features of Wireshark, analyzing different layers of the network protocol, looking for any anomalies. As you reach to the end of the book, you will be taught how to use Wireshark for network security analysis and configure it for troubleshooting purposes. Style and approach Every chapter in this book is explained to you in an easy way accompanied by real-life examples and screenshots of the interface, making it easy for you to become an expert at using Wireshark.

Build your own cloud based Database as a Service using OpenStack Trove About This Book Familiarize yourself with the concept of Database as a Service and make your existing system scalable and efficient with OpenStack Trove Minimize the administrative tasks and complexities of managing your cloud infrastructure This is a fast-paced guide to datastore management on the OpenStack platform using OpenStack Trove Who This Book Is For If you are a DBA / system administrator / architect, or a student who wants to build a Database as a Service based on OpenStack, this book is for you. You should have a basic knowledge of OpenStack components, RDBMS/NoSQL, IaaS, and cloud computing. What You Will Learn Get to grips with the basics of OpenStack and the prerequisites to install Trove Understand the expectations of DBaaS and how Trove can help you achieve them Set up a basic installation of DevStack (Development Stack) in a virtual box Install Trove and utilize its configuration groups to manage and tune databases Use Image builder to create guest images for Trove Utilize Trove to provision your first database instance Back up and restore your databases with the help of Trove In Detail OpenStack has become an extremely popular solution to build public and private clouds with. Database as a Service (DBaaS) enables the delivery of more agile database services at lower costs. Some other benefits of DBaaS are secure database deployments and compliance to standards and best practices. Trove is a DBaaS built on OpenStack and is becoming more popular by the day. Since Trove is one of the most recent projects of OpenStack, DBAs and system administrators can find it difficult to set up and run a DBaaS using OpenStack Trove. This book helps DBAs make that step. We start by introducing you to the concepts of DBaaS and how is it implemented using OpenStack Trove. Following this, we look at implementing OpenStack and deploying Trove. Moving on, you will learn to create guest images to be used with Trove. We then look at how to provision databases in self-service mode, and how to perform administration tasks such as backup and recovery, and fine-tuning databases. At the end of the book, we will examine some advanced features of Trove such as replication. Style and approach This fast-paced, step-by-step guide introduces you to DBaaS, OpenStack Trove, and its components, leading you through building your own Cloud-based DBaaS. Using the DevStack deployment method, you will spend less time on installing OpenStack so you can devote more time to learning how to provision and manage databases in a DBaaS environment.

AJ Ashe isn't your typical seventeen-year-old vampire—as if there is such a thing! She's stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend—whom she's still totally in love with, by the way—is now her stepbrother. A former classmate—who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire—is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

The grand finale to Miles's spectacular adventures Miles Wednesday is suddenly at the wheel of a great voyage. Determined to recover the stolen Tiger's Egg and free the trapped soul within, Miles sets off with his Song Angel friend, Little, and the wisecracking blind explorer Baltinglass of Araby across sea and desert to the home of Miles's aunt Nura, who may be their only hope in releasing the stone's true power. Their travels are riddled with thrills and near catastrophes, but most threatening is a dark Sleep Angel who's descended from the Realm to seize the Egg or forfeit Miles's life. Will Miles crack the secrets of the Egg and stand up to the Realm before he faces grave dangerAnd, above all, will he ever be able to bring back his father?

Mulgrew Middle School Summer Trip to ParisMadame Chavotte: French Teacher and Chaperone. Built like a tank, with only one eyebrow.Charlotte McGrath: Vault of European Information.In Command of All Details.Bonnie Roberts: Astral Traveler and Channeler of Messages from the Universe.Janet Graham: Obsessed with All That Is French. Insists on pronouncing own name Jah-nay.Lewis Pilsky: Computer God. Walking Pillar of Geekdom. Bud and Chaz: The Football Guys. Heads suspiciously jar shaped.Tim: Last name unknown. To everyone's knowledge, has never spoken.And, of course . . .Lily B.: Self-Appointed Official Diarist of the Trip and Writer Extraordinaire.

Rebecca "Becks" Mansfield has a boyfriend who sets her on the edge, a job catering to the whims of a cartoon vampire, and she's shortly to be a bridesmaid in the fairy-tale wedding from hell. How could this have happened to the brilliant, brash-talking, rising star of marketingHer three best friends tell her she's "date lazy," settling for the men who require the least effort. Maybe Becks isn't trying hard enough, but the "one" she's looking for isn't the perfect man—it's the perfect job.Of course, you can't always get what you want—a fact that's about to become crystal clear to Becks Mansfield. But sometimes you get what you need.

Moving from the Allied zones of postwar Germany to New York City, an astonishing novel of grief and anger, memory and survival witnessed through the experiences of "displaced persons" struggling to remake their lives in the decades after World War II In May 1945, Pavel Mandl, a Polish Jew recently liberated from a concentration camp, lands near a displaced persons camp in the British occupation zone of newly defeated Germany. Alone, possessing nothing but a map, a few tins of food, a toothbrush, and his identity papers, he must scrape together a new life in a chaotic community of refugees, civilians, and soldiers. Gifted with a talent for black-market trading, Pavel soon procures clothing, false documents, and a modest house, where he installs himself and a pair of fellow refugees—Fela, a young widow who fled Poland for Russia at the outset of the war, and Chaim, a resourceful teenage boy whose smuggling skills have brought him to the Western zones. The trio soon form a makeshift family, searching for surviving relatives, railing against their circumscribed existence, and dreaming of visas to America.Fifteen years later, haunted by decisions they made as "DPs," Pavel and Fela are married and living in Queens with their young son and daughter, and Chaim has recently emigrated from Israel with his wife, Sima. Pavel opens a small tailoring shop with his scheming brother-in-law while Fela struggles to establish peace in a loosely traditional household; Chaim and Sima adapt cheerfully to American life and its promise of freedom from a brutal past. Their lives are no longer dominated by the need to endure, fight, hide, or escape. Instead, they grapple with past trauma in everyday moments: taking the children to the municipal pool, shopping for liquor, arguing with landlords.For decades, Pavel, Fela, and Chaim battle over memory and identity on the sly, within private groups of survivors. But as the Iron Curtain falls in the 1990s, American society starts to embrace the tragedy as a cultural commodity, and survivor politics go public. Clever and stubborn, tyrannical and generous, Pavel, Fela, and Chaim articulate the self-conscious strivings of an immigrant community determined to write its own history, on its own terms.In Displaced Persons, Ghita Schwarz reveals the interior despairs and joys of immigrants shaped by war—ordinary men and women who have lived through cataclysmic times—and illuminates changing cultural understandings of trauma and remembrance.

The bestselling author of Labor Day returns with a spellbinding novel about friendship, family secrets, and the strange twists of fate that shape our livesThe Good DaughtersThey were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike.Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations. Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness.Different in nearly every way, Ruth and Dana share a need to make sense of who they are and to find their places in a world in which neither has ever truly felt she belonged. They also share a love for Dana's wild and beautiful older brother, Ray, who will leave an indelible mark on both their hearts.Told in the alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, The Good Daughters follows these "birthday sisters" as they make their way from the 1950s to the present. Master storyteller Joyce Maynard chronicles the unlikely ways the two women's lives parallel and intersect—from childhood and adolescence to first loves, first sex, marriage, and parenthood; from the deaths of parents to divorce, the loss of home, and the loss of a beloved partner—until past secrets and forgotten memories unexpectedly come to light, forcing them to reevaluate themselves and each other.Moving from rural New Hampshire to a remote island in British Columbia to the '70s Boston art-school scene, The Good Daughters is an unforgettable story about the ties of home and family, the devastating force of love, the healing power of forgiveness, and the desire to know who we are.

Sidney Sheldon returns with a tale of two equally determined people headed on a collision course. One the governor of a small southern state, Oliver Russell is a man with a strategy to win the White House. The other is the beautiful and ambitious Leslie Stewart, a woman intent on seeing him lose everything. Soon they will both discover that even the best laid plans can go dangerously astray--with deadly consequences.

Handpicked by the NSA to track down and identify the ten known witnesses to the recent crash of a weather balloon, Robert Bellamy searches for clues in Rome, Budapest, and Texas.

Our newest ambassador to an Iron Curtain country, Mary Ashley has been marked for death by the world's most proficient assassin. Only two people can offer her help. And one of them wants to kill her.

Frozen woodchucks are attacking the galaxy! But they're no match for Jimmy and his crew of space travelers . . . or are they?Meet our heroes:Jimmy Weathers An average fifth grader living in New York City who never suspected that the fate of the world would be resting squarely on his ten-year-old shoulders.William H. Taft VJimmy's best friend—the great-great-great-great-nephew of the fattest man who was ever president.Janice Claytooth A ten-year-old rocket scientist whose bestselling book Light Speed and You has sold only one copy on earth but millions throughout the galaxy.Imogene Weathers A feisty two-year-old inventor with a penchant for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.Will this unlikely quartet discover the mastermind behind the frozen woodchuck attacks before it's too late?

The country is at war, terrorists strike at random, widespread rationing is in effect, and the power grid is down. But thirteen-year-old Sky Brightman is remarkably untouched by it all. She lives off the grid on sixty acres of rural New Mexico ranch land with chores to do and horses to ride and no television or internet to bring disturbing news into her family's adobe house. Sky's schoolmates think she's a little weird. Then a string of mysterious arrests begins, and her new friend, Kareem, becomes a target. Sky is finally forced to confront the world in all its complexity. Summoning her considerable courage and ingenuity, she takes a stand against injustice. With humor, hope, and fierce determination, she proves that even a child can change the world.