Written for young adults, the Urban Underground series confronts issues that are of great importance to teens, such as friendship, loyalty, drugs, gangs, abuse, urban blight, bullies, and self-esteem to name a few. More than entertainment, these books can be a powerful learning and coping tool when a struggling reader connects with credible characters and a compelling storyline. The highly readable style and mature topics will appeal to young adult readers of both sexes and encourage them to finish each eBook. Cesar Chavez HS Series - Local homeless man, Griff Slocum, has been found dead. Murdered. Rod and Clay, Chavez High seniors, fall under suspicion--as well as a few other school bullies including Humberto Gomez, who suddenly has money to throw around. Ernesto is on the case because he can’t let the police handle things--Griff was someone he saw frequently, and he feels that he must help. And after all, it was Ernesto who witnessed Rod harassing Griff. Rod’s student ID was found near the body--a dark cloud of suspicion hangs over his head. Rod’s parents retain a lawyer, Ernesto’s uncle, to help their son. Humberto Gomez, Rod’s cousin, Rick Alanzar, Humberto’s best friend, and Clay Aguirre are also implicated. It turns out that Griff traded baseball cards. Some were valuable. Very valuable. Lacey Serrano, a freshman bully and Humberto’s girlfriend, is suddenly getting lavish gifts. Humberto is questioned. Did Griff possess something to die for?

High-Low, supernatural teen fiction--Apartment 4A follows a struggling teen, Bree, who has to take care of herself in a less than ideal situation. Bree is an orpan living with her aunt who is suffering from dimentia. She also has a dodgy brother that drinks too much. She has no one to count on but herself, until she starts hearing noises from a nearby empty apartment. Written at a 2.0 reading level, each book contains approximately 2500 words. Books are not sold separately. Bree knew her boss was dealing drugs. But she needed the job. Her brother only came home to steal. And her aunt was ill. “Just one last job,” Bree thought.

The Lockwood Lions’ crosstown rivals, the Grovehill Giants, seem to have it all. Or do they? When the cheer squad and the ballers get together, it always gets intense. But there are two sides to every story—whose side are you on? Each novel in the flip is approximately 30,000 words–170 pages. The ladies of Savvy Girl—Skylar, Ariel, Vanessa, Victoria, and Yaris—have their ups and downs. But they won’t let their drama interfere with the state title. The ballers of Fresh Guy—Ford, Ryder, Emerson, Stone, and Hagen—are tough athletes and grand showboaters. But can they take it to the Dome? Scream Loud: Vanessa House has a lot on her mind. She’s not perfect like her shy half-sister Victoria. Plus living with her father and his new wife in a cushy lifestyle makes her feel guilty about the struggles her mom and siblings have to endure. Hooking up with a wild friend, she gets out of control. Quiet Strength: After GHH loses their star kicker to the rival high school, Emerson thinks that he’s the best guy to take ER Stone’s place. But the coach won’t give him any play time because the season has already started. Emerson has another reason for wanting to make the team. Her name is Vanessa House.

“From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord deliver us.” – Anonymous monk, Noirmoutier, France, 9th century AD Beginning in 789AD, the Vikings raided monasteries, sacked cities and invaded western Europe. They looted and enslaved their enemies. But that is only part of their story. In long boats they discovered Iceland and America (both by accident) and also sailed up the Seine to Paris (which they sacked). They settled from Newfoundland to Russia, founded Dublin and fought battles as far afield as the Caspian Sea. A thousand years after their demise, traces of the Vikings remain all the way from North America to Istanbul. They traded walruses with Inuits, brought Russian furs to Western Europe and took European slaves to Constantinople. Their graves contain Arab silver, Byzantine silks and Frankish weapons. In this accessible book, the whole narrative of the Viking story is examined from the eighth to the eleventh centuries. Arranged thematically, Vikings: A History of the Norse People examines the Norsemen from exploration to religion to trade to settlement to weaponry to kingdoms to their demise and legacy. But today questions remain: what prompted the first Viking raids? What stopped their expansion? And how much of the tales of murder, rape and pillage is myth? Illustrated with more than 200 photographs, maps and artworks, Vikings: A History of the Norse People is an expertly written account of a people who have long captured the popular imagination.

A manhunt can involve helicopters, hounds and hundreds of military or police personnel, but it can also turn on the evidence of one broken spider’s web. Manhunts today might involve the technology of infrared cameras and surveillance devices such as powerful satellite technology, but they may also rely on examining the width, depth, tread and intervals of footprints, or observing minute changes in the natural environment. From searching for high-value enemy targets such as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein to finding soldiers caught behind enemy lines, from escaped prisoners and serial killers to a missing child, SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Manhunt explores just how the military and police forces track people down. Including many case studies of high-value targets, suspected criminals and fugitives from justice, and with extensive background on the different techniques in tracking used, from traditional Native American trackers’ skills to the latest high-tech methods, Manhunt brings together the history and science of tracking. Illustrated with 150 maps and photographs, SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Manhunt is an authoritative examination of tracking from footprints to forensics and a must for anyone interested in the latest military practices, true crime and survival skills.

Small arms have developed hugely since the introduction of the machine gun in the 1870s. Magazine-fed rifles, submachine guns, automatic pistols and, later, assault rifles and personal defence weapons have changed the face of infantry warfare, offering a range of weaponry designed for both the specialist and novice. The World’s Greatest Small Arms features 52 weapons from the late 19th century to the present day. The book includes the best-known weapons from throughout the modern era, from the Gatling gun, SMLE rifle and Luger pistol, to the Uzi, FN MAG and the M110 sniper rifle. Great iconic weapons, such as the Colt M1911 pistol, Bren Gun, MP5 submachine gun, and Steyr AUG rifle are featured, as well as timeless classics still in use today: the M2 Browning 50 cal, AK-47 and M16 rifle. Each weapon is illustrated with a colour profile artwork and photographs, along with a description of the weapon’s development and history, key features and a full specifications box. Including more than 200 artworks and photographs, The World’s Greatest Small Arms is a colourful guide for the military historian.

Charles Dickens’ timeless story is brought to life in this vibrant new version by the award-winning playwright Neil Duffield. Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year! Well, it is for everyone except the miserable Scrooge. He prefers to spend Christmas all alone in his large house, instead of celebrating with mistletoe and merriment. Bah, humbug! But one cold, dark Christmas Eve Scrooge is surprised by the ghost of Marley, his former business partner. Marley warns Scrooge that he will be called upon by three spirits – each will take him on a mysterious and magical journey to show him the error of his ways… Can Scrooge discover the true wonder and meaning of Christmas before it’s too late?

In any military operation throughout history, few 24-hour periods have been as crucial as that of 6th June 1944. With the aid of specially commissioned maps, D-Day: The First 24 Hours series gives the dramatic history of the first 24 hours of the Normandy landings, and explains in detail the events that occurred in each landing zone. In this second volume of the series, the book describes the airborne landings by paratroopers and glider troops that secured the flanks of the Allied beachheads, including such famous encounters as Pegasus Bridge and Ste Mère Eglise, as well as the more secret operations carried out by the SAS, SOE and Maquis. With colour and black & white photographs and specially commissioned maps, the book is a guide to key events in the first 24 hours of the D-Day landings that saw the Allies successfully achieve a foothold in Northern Europe.

You can train all you like, but when it comes to the crunch, do you have the mental endurance to see yourself through combat situations, being held hostage or finding yourself at the mercy of the elements? SAS and Elite Forces Handbook: Mental Endurance examines what it takes to be as mentally fit as a special forces soldier. It is equally important to focus on diet, rest patterns and mental discipline as it is to concentrate on push-ups, sit-ups and other physical exercises. Using simple steps, the book shows the reader how they can build up their endurance over a matter of weeks and months, and how their quality of life will benefit. SAS and Elite Forces Handbook: Mental Endurance demonstrates how you can gain the psychological edge over your opponent. Whether you are competing in unarmed combat sports, running a marathon or just looking to get ahead, the book will have helpful and practical advice for you. Exercises such as positive thinking and visualisations and memory games are explored as ways of dealing with solitude, depression, anger management and torture when in crisis situations. Using 300 instructive artworks, SAS and Elite Forces Handbook: Mental Endurance shows you how special forces units such as the SAS and Delta Force stretch themselves mentally.

A series of short, single voice plays by writers based in the North West of England. These powerful, contemporary monologues share the struggles, courage, conflicts and joys of different characters facing difficult decisions in their lives. Developed through consultation with young people, they offer a range of authentic, memorable voices to stimulate discussion and participatory drama work. ‘First Date’ by Anne-Marie O’Connor: Sometimes friendship comes with a heavy price tag. ‘Getting it Right’ by Peter Spafford: Luke can't choose between his shirts, let alone his parents. ‘Results Day’ by Aelish Michael: Karly’s mum thinks she’s an angel, but what if she flaps her wings? ‘Close to Home’ by Mary Cooper: Jay’s little sister is pregnant and he’s livid – who’s he going to punish? ‘Weighed Down’ by Carla Monvid-Jenkinson and Mary Cooper: When Claire’s dad left, she thought that he was all she would lose. ‘Giggsy’s Legs’ by Michael Harvey: Do you choose everything you are or does it choose you?

Welcome! Come on in! Take part in the project launch of ArtWorks, the new back to work initiative created and run by your friend and ours, the one, the only, the most fantastic… Vince Fine! And so begins the project launch from hell… Exploring issues of how society views those living on benefits, the ‘creative industries’ and what we should value in life, this dark comedy (running in real time) charts the fall from grace of the central comedic hero, Vince Fine, as he watches everything he’s ever dreamed of slip from his fingers. Includes some audience participation and interaction.

Sweetwater Canyon Book 5?–?A New Year’s Novelette (32 pages plus 20 pages of “sneak peek of Book 3) The Sweetwater Canyon musicians celebrate Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) in Scotland with Rachel’s father, Gavin Cullen. Since his wife’s death eight years ago, Gavin has never completely been the same. Clearing the cobwebs of the past year in order to begin anew is a tradition with special meaning at the family bed and breakfast inn. When a young, homeless stranger is invited inside he is met with caution by some members of the band. Will he be a source of division or will he help to free the Cullen’s from the past?

As Beatrice’s wedding day approaches, murder finds a way to make her pressed for time.? Beatrice and Wyatt’s days are spent planning their cozy, chapel wedding. Both widowed, they mean to keep their wedding an intimate, family affair. But everyone in Dappled Hills still wants to celebrate the happy couple. Beatrice and Wyatt find themselves at dinners, picnics, and barbeques in their honor. When one of the festivities goes deadly wrong, Beatrice must try to unveil the killer before making her vows.

When everything you count on for your existence fails, could you survive? Within days of a series of monster solar storms slamming into earth, electrical grids fail and everything in the northern hemisphere with a computer chip ceases functioning. Electricity can’t be completely restored for at least a decade, and the result that everything modern life depends on to function is gone. There is no way to pump gas or water. Cell towers are wiped out, along with satellites. Airplanes and most vehicles will not operate. Communication is practically impossible. People cannot access life-saving prescription drugs or food. Police, fire services, and the military are overwhelmed, and hospitals can’t cope. There’s no one to come to the rescue, and as mass panic ensues, people begin dying. Fear and violence escalate until society collapses. An unlikely hero emerges. Chaco is a well-educated freedom fighter on a death list in El Salvador. Having fled to the United States, he is in hiding by working for a wealthy couple as their handyman and gardener. Following the disaster, he reveals his true identity, and convinces his employers and their neighbors to follow him over brutal mountain passes to a self-sufficient commune nearly 800 miles away. But only a few will survive. Readers' reviews:? "So exciting couldn't put down!" "Great adventure into the potential unknown world of the future." "Very entertaining read!" If you liked this book, check out Peggy's fantasy fairy tale,? The Splendid and Extraordinary Life of Beautimus Potamus? as well! ? About the Author Peggy A. Wheeler is a writer of fantastical fiction. Her debut novel, THE RAVEN'S DAUGHTER is published by Dragon Moon Press in Canada. Peggy studied English and Creative Writing at the U.C.L.A., where she was the only undergraduate chosen to study with Robert Pinsky, former Poet Laureate of the United States. Peggy has led adult poetry and fiction writing critique groups and workshops in both Colorado and California. ?

When death is the perfect deception, betrayal must be the greatest gift. "Superbly written fantasy novel!" - Goodreads review In a secret world of giants, Wisps, War Crows, and ancient magic, Nicolas Bennett discovers he is the heir to the throne of a fantastical Kingdom. Nicolas is prophesied to become one of the greatest of all Dragon Nightfalls—but only if he can kill the recently awakened Overlord Dragon, Arnyek Tolvaj. Known as the Shadow Thief, Arnyek Tolvaj is the doom of Telluric Grand and a looming threat to Relic, the City with Seven Gates. Joined by three new friends, Nicolas sets out on a dangerous journey, determined to accomplish the impossible. And when he finally comes face to face with the Shadow Thief, Nicolas truly understands the private agony of what it means to be a savior. About the Author Steven L. Lovett is a long-time student of T.H. White, a sentimentalist of C.S. Lewis, and an unabashed fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. (He says he, too, will have "made it" as a novelist when everyone begins referring to him as S.L. Lovett.) A professor by day and a writer by night (or by weekends or any other free time), Steven lives with his wife, their daughter, and their family dogs on a quiet, wooded street in a small town in eastern Kansas. Readers' reviews "I absolutely fell in love with Telluric Grand and all of its characters. This is so well written, I could feel the fog and smell the food." "You can see similarities to other fantasy series (I would call it kind of a mix between Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia), but it is definitely it's own world, with creatures unlike any I've ever read about. " "You can definitely see influences here from Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and even Harry Potter. So if you enjoy any of those books, this one will probably hold your attention as well."

A classic of Danish children's literature, translated into over a dozen languages.. Winner Best Children's Book and PEN award The Norse Gods have been fighting an endless war with the Giants and now they’re growing weak and losing their powers, so the God of Thunder, Thor, travels to earth to find help. He asks Erik, an ordinary teenage boy, to go on a secret mission to Asgard and the Land of the Giants. Once in the Land of the Gods, Erik has to train to gain the skills to outwit and outrun the Giants. Together with Thor’s daughter, Trud, Erik ventures to the Land of the Giants to search for magic apples - the only thing which can revive the dying Gods. But time is running out. Can they rescue the Goddess and prevent Ragnarok, the End of the World? Reviews "Erik and the Gods: Journey to Valhalla is an exciting retelling of Norse myths and legends that many of us have most likely heard of at some point in our lives. The author brings old myths and legends vividly to life with his story and whisks readers off on a magical adventure into the epic world of Norse mythology where adventure abounds. I was positively surprised by this novel, because it has the feel of an epic adventure due to the author's way of writing about the various Gods and their deeds in a marvellous way. The author effortlessly evokes a sense of an adventure and makes sure that his readers are having a good time." **** -?Seregil of Rhiminee "When the great hammer-wielding Thor whisks Erik off to Asgard, the boy finds himself in a new (and very ancient) world preparing to embark on a perilous quest. It will be an action-packed journey on a mythological scale, with Gods and giants, with monsters and magical knives, with dragons and wolves and serpents, with treachery and heroism. Olsen's breathless new adventure is filled with the old stories, which it conjures back into life an exciting and original introduction to one of the greatest of all mythological universes." --Daniel Hahn, Oxford Companion to Children's Literature "Famous myths and legends burst into life again when 13-year-old Erik is enlisted to help out the Norse gods, now fallen on hard times. His adventures that follow are in the same epic league as Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings , but delivered with a lighter touch as Erik brings in his own modern perspective to all he sees and hears now going on around him. Packing each chapter with incident and extraordinary detail concerning everyday life in Valhalla, the ancient home of the gods, Lars-Henrik Olsen provides readers of all ages with an unfailingly good-humoured feast for the imagination. Published thirty years ago in Danish, this wonderfully entertaining story, the first of four involving Erik, richly deserves a wider audience today." --Nicholas Tucker, Rough Guide to Children s Books "Lars-Henrik Olsen s epic novel of Erik s adventures with the Viking gods is a main reason why the powerful tales of Norse mythology continue to be shared by generations of Danes. When, as a young teenager, I first encountered Erik and the Gods, I discovered what would become a lifelong passion for fantasy and, not least, reading. I am delighted that this novel has been translated into English for the first time and will be available to a whole new generation of readers." --Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen, UCL Scandinavian Studies Lars-Henrik Olsen is a Danish author. His writing spans both children's, youth and adult books. He has written over 70 books including non-fiction about animals and nature, Nordic mythology and several historical novels. His books have been translated into a total of 13 different languages and sold millions of copies. He also helped found the Panda Club for the World Wildlife Fund. His novel? Erik and the Gods: Journey to Valhalla ?(Erik Menneskeson) was awarded The Danish Children's Book Award in 1986. A film is now being made of the book in Denmark.

What if your best friend were working with your worst enemy? All is not well in Bridges. The Four Families accuse each other of spying while Red Dog attacks escalate. Aristocratic jewel merchant Dame Anastasia Louis, styling herself "The Queen of Diamonds," hires her long-time friend, private eye Jacqueline Spadros, to collect from her debtors so she can leave the city. But Jacqui can't leave David Bryce's kidnapping and the murders of her teenage informants unpunished. Convinced that her mortal enemy, the madman "Black Jack" Diamond, was complicit in the crimes, she pursues ways to prove it. The scoundrel and his crew, however, seem to be one step ahead: the terrifying man in white is seen outside David's home, forged letters are appearing across the city, and merchants in the Spadros quadrant report threats from a man who fits his description.? ? Jacqui is warned of a plot against her life. Those who try to warn Jacqui are murdered, and evidence emerges that Jacqui's mother is next on the list.? With time running out, Jacqui is forced to make a horrifying choice. Someone will surely die. Will it be Jacqui, or her mother?

From New York Times best selling author Patricia Loofbourrow ... The one secret which could destroy everything ... Could you betray your people to buy your freedom? After financial disaster and the zeppelin bombing, the city of Bridges is reeling. Three of the four Families are implicated, and an inquest is called to investigate. After her failure to prove Jack Diamond's guilt in David Bryce's kidnapping and the deaths of her friends, private eye and mobster's moll Jacqueline Spadros has had enough. While she and her former lover Joseph Kerr try to learn who killed their family friend, they also begin making plans to leave the city. Her tormentors, however, are just getting started. As their web of lies and forgery draws ever tighter, Jacqui begins to see how deep the conspiracy against her and the Spadros Family really goes. When she's called as a witness in the inquest, the secrets Jacqui has kept over the years come back to cause her serious trouble. Will she be able to escape Bridges? Or will she be forced to face the terrible consequences of her lies and trickery once and for all? Scroll up, order your copy, and continue the adventure! Note: This is part 3 of a 13-part serial steampunk noir novel, the Red Dog Conspiracy. While it's not mandatory to have read The Jacq of Spades (part 1) and The Queen of Diamonds (part 2), it's highly recommended that you do so before venturing forth. Warning : language, alcohol/smoking, sexual content, infidelity, and attempted rape.

Ramona Dorokhova is twenty-eight, not an actual bartender, and plans to tell her boss the truth. How hard can it be to tell a man you haven’t seen since childhood that?you’ve come across an ocean to marry him? Owen Chandler wants for nothing, fulfills women’s fantasies, and desires his newest employee. When a snow storm plus no electricity leads to sharing a bed, why not use the situation to his advantage? Except her history intertwines with his, what both believe isn’t true, and their one night of passion may have deadly consequences.

A perfect life…or the perfect lie? Leighton Wright loves her children, strives to remain the perfect wife, and hides any discord behind a practiced smile. There’s no room in her life for messing up or messing around. Cole Vaughn is ten years younger, her daughter’s teacher, and an unexpected temptation. Surrendering to the forbidden will lead them both toward an uncertain future. Will the decision to break a vow result in the beginning of a new life…or the end of her own?

Ashley Stone’s new job leaped from dream to nightmare faster than you can say “small town murder.” Swept into an unimaginable vortex of international intrigue and global terrorism, Ashley has to somehow untangle the motives of a clearly insane mastermind. This is, of course, assuming she can subdue her own demon… a secret so breathtaking she can barely acknowledge it. Dashing Ned Stevens fell hard for Ashley. This former one hit wonder, boy band member finally met the woman of his dreams… but her inner demons may tear them apart. To make matters worse, has his blind adoration made him unable to protect her from the sinister forces descending upon the once tranquil Crossroads? Abductions, unbridled mayhem, and of course, vicious murder… cruel elements combine to tear Ashley and Ned’s pristine love apart. Can they reclaim their safe haven?