Modern Fiction

The second American Civil War is over, and the country has united again, but not without huge loss of life. The United States Army is low on numbers, and the civilian population has suffered a massive die-off. Jack Berenger is now part of the newly formed American Military, taking his Air Assault Battalion to war against the Chinese invasion of America! Everything is on the line in this civilizational conflict, including the nuclear missile sites captured by the PLA. Can Jack and the American Military succeed against the Chinese invasion forces? The future of America hangs in the balance!

Desperate to escape their high-pressure life in Los Angeles, the Finch family moves to rural Oregon. But it doesn’t take long to learn that “small town” is not code for “stress-free.” As the new owners of Applegate's one and only general store, the Finches find that the simple life’s anything but simple when your little store is the town's only grocery store, gas station, hardware store, fire station, and occasional dentist’s office.

Second edition of the riveting thriller, centring on the explosive truth behind the now widely accepted belief that the policies of the late Chairman Mao accounted for the death of fifty million of his countrymen. In the late 1970s a document indicting Mao was prepared, but kept under wraps by its authors for fear of creating turmoil in China and consequent international crisis. In 1978, a defector from mainland China is pursued to Hong Kong, bringing with him a copy of this extraordinary document. When Larry Fenton, a Western journalist, comes into possession of the document, he becomes a ...

American McKenna Manning is thrilled to start her new job as a nanny to an aristocratic family in London. Not only will she get to explore a new country, but she hopes to find a missing piece of herself while on English soil. What she never expected was to get a crush on her employer's brother, the dashing Viscount Brookstone. Of course, when one is rescued by a gorgeous man with a deep voice and British accent, McKenna knows she doesn't stand a chance. As she unpeels the layers behind the serious and scowling viscount, she begins to find her herself - and feelings for Phillip, too.

On the surface, the world glitters with all things only money can buy. My thoughts should be on the danger lurking beneath the surface. The money and power come from places and dealings the world pretends don't exist. I'm here at this debutante ball as a representative of the new Sparrow underworld. The clock is ticking as alliances are formed and enemies eliminated. There isn't time to be distracted, and yet I catch a glimpse of the stunning woman across the room.

The final and most personal work from Pulitzer Prize - winning author and historian Will Durant - discovered 32 years after his death - is a message of insight for everyone who has sought meaning in life or the council of a wise friend in navigating life's journey. From 1968 to 1978, Will Durant made four public allusions to the existence of Fallen Leaves. One, in 1975, hinted at its contents: "a not very serious book that answers the questions of what I think about government, life, death, and God."

Jared craved an ordinary life. Clock in, do paperwork, clock out. He gave up magic, joined the Meta Marshal Service, and just wanted to be left alone. Until a routine prisoner transport went awry and blew up his entire existence. That was when he found Cassie down on her knees in the wreckage, asking him for help. And he knew in that instant: Magic just wouldn't leave him alone. Now he's on a hunt for an escaped convict and a powerful ancient artifact with the potential to ruin their world for good.

When Callie rents a beach cottage in Whitstable, she doesn't expect for its owner to be glamorous influencer Vanessa Lowe. Vanessa has it all. A beautiful home, a loyal husband, three perfect children, and a growing number of adoring online fans. Callie has long admired her world from afar. But when Vanessa invites her in, the closer Callie looks, the more she suspects that there's more to Vanessa than meets the eye. So when Vanessa's son disappears, Callie must question everything she knows.

It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on. I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, the search for true friends is more important than ever. In this short book, famous Roman politician and philosopher Cicero offers a compelling guide to finding, keeping, and appreciating friends. With wit and wisdom, Cicero teaches not only how to build friendships but also why they must be a key part of our lives. For, as Cicero says, life without friends is not worth living.

More than 1,500 years after his disappearance into the mists of Avalon, King Arthur has returned. This time, he's prepared to rule the Camelot of a new millennium: New York City. Handsome, charismatic Arthur Penn is running for mayor on a platform of common sense, humor, and knightly virtues. His advisors include a gifted 10-year-old named Merlin; Percival, an immortal accountant; and Gwen, a lovely young woman with no end of problems.

Born a slave, the Roman Stoic philosopher Epictetus (c. 55-135 AD) taught that mental freedom is supreme, since it can liberate one anywhere, even in a prison. In How to Be Free, A. A. Long - one of the world's leading authorities on Stoicism and a pioneer in its remarkable contemporary revival - provides a superb new edition of Epictetus's celebrated guide to the Stoic philosophy of life (the Encheiridion) along with a selection of related reflections in his Discourses.

Death. Betrayal. Destruction. This was Alaya's destiny, written in the stars on the night she was born. She should have been killed because of it. She wasn't. The once crown prince of the highest throne in Sundolia is now the high king, and all of his advisors agree on one thing: He should have destroyed that dangerous Dragon woman when he had the chance. He didn't. Now war spreads like a wildfire from the southern kingdom. The empire is burning. The day of prophecy is arriving.

A greater emphasis on situations than characters (this numbs the audience's connection to the characters, so that when characters experience misfortune, the audience still finds it laughable) A struggle of young lovers to overcome difficulty, often presented by elders Separation and re-unification Deception among characters (especially mistaken identity) A clever servant Disputes between characters, often within a family Multiple, intertwining plots. Use of all styles of comedy (slapstick, puns, dry humour, earthy humour, witty banter, practical jokes) Pastoral element (courtly people living an idealized, rural life), originally an element of Pastoral Romance, exploited by Shakespeare for his comic plots and often parodied therein for humorous effects Happy Ending.

When 17-year-old Laurel Harper decides to go live with her estranged father and step-family, she's unaware of the fact that her fate was already sealed the day she was born. She is now exactly where some higher power wants her to be. But it's not until she meets the proud and mysterious Sam Laurens that she feels something strange is going on. And when she learns the dark truth about her own future, a sinister secret that will change everything as soon as she turns 19, she wants to run and hide, but soon realizes that there is no hiding from fate.

"It takes an entire lifetime to learn how to die", wrote the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca (c. 4 BC-65 AD). He counseled readers to "study death always", and took his own advice, returning to the subject again and again in all his writings, yet he never treated it in a complete work. How to Die gathers in one volume, for the first time, Seneca's remarkable meditations on death and dying. Edited and translated by James S. Romm, How to Die reveals a provocative thinker who speaks with a startling frankness about the need to accept death or even, under certain conditions, to seek it out.

2025 Winner Firebird Book Awards - 1st Place Urban Fantasy 2025 Winner Firebird Book Awards - 2nd Place Cross Genre "Featuring the supernatural, witches, mages, sorcerers, vampires, and even werewolves, this book spins a fantastic tale about a world unknowingly teetering on the edge of chaos" --Michael V, OnlineBookClub "I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a great adventure/mystery, and an escape from the everyday!" --Augusta W, Reedsy Discovery Some people attract trouble; others seek it out. Finn isn’t sure which one he is. Once a knight in the military arm of the ...

Embark on a transformative auditory journey with “The Orchid: The Secret Code of Modern Goddesses,” where the serene whispers of self-discovery meet the echoes of empowerment.

Murder in the 19th century was rare. But murder as sensation and entertainment became ubiquitous, with cold-blooded killings transformed into novels, broadsides, ballads, opera, and melodrama - even into puppet shows and performing-dog acts. Detective fiction and the new police force developed in parallel, each imitating the other - the founders of Scotland Yard gave rise to Dickens's Inspector Bucket, the first fictional police detective, who in turn influenced Sherlock Holmes and, ultimately, even P. D. James and Patricia Cornwell.

Canadian Jordan Haines is on vacation in the Caribbean. After the summer he's had, a couple months of fun in the sun is just what the doctor ordered. What he didn't count on was meeting a beautiful woman on a private beach - or falling hard. Crown Princess Astrid of San Majoria seems to lead a charmed life. Just like everyone, there's tragedy in her past, but she lives in a palace, has aides to do everything - and paparazzi hounding her private moments. Her sanctuary on her family's beach is broken one day when a tired windsurfer takes refuge in her cove - and works his way into her heart.