Tags:adult
Empress in Disguise
To save her family, one girl will sacrifice her very identity.Living in poverty in the shadow of the Forbidden City, Daiyu never imagined that the life of the emperor would impact her own. But a chance meeting with a girl who looks exactly like her changes everything. Daiyu's family is offered enough money to support them for life if she only agrees to take the stranger's place at the emperor's selection for new consorts. In order to pull off the ruse, Daiyu must abandon everything she ever knew and become a completely different person, a person she despises. And if she fails, if she is discovered, she will be guilty of treason and put to death.Daiyu cannot allow her family to suffer if it is within her power to save them, so she strikes the deadly bargain. But living within the Forbidden City is even more dangerous than she imagined...In this incredible retelling of The Princess and the Pauper, based on true events, authors Zoey Gong and Amanda Roberts bring to life the opulent and dangerous world of imperial consorts trapped within the great red walls of the Forbidden City.
Empress in Danger
She thought that fate was finished with her. But it was only beginning…After being banished to a remote abbey, Daiyu thinks the machinations of the inner court can no longer hurt her. But she is wrong. A ghost from the past emerges and threatens everything Daiyu has worked so hard to build for herself.From the opulence of the inner court and the right hand of the emperor, Daiyu finds herself back at the beginning, back outside the imposing red walls of the Forbidden City. Daiyu discovers that she has the power to choose her future, but both futures carry a risk she is not sure she has the strength to face.But underneath it all is a love so powerful, Daiyu cannot walk away.The future of a dynasty rests with her…
To Kill a Kingdom
AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERThis action-packed YA debut pits a deadly siren princess and a siren-hunting human prince against each other as they fight to protect their kingdoms.Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most--a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen and or remain a human forever. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby--it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good--But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
Into The Crooked Place
Desperate times call for desperate magic . . .Magic rules the city of Creije Capital and Tavia Syn knows just how many tricks she needs up her sleeve to survive. Selling dark magic on the streets for her kingpin, she keeps clear of other crooks, counting the days until her debt is paid and she can flee her criminal life.But then, one day, with her freedom in sight, Tavia uncovers a sinister plot that threatens to destroy the realm she calls home. Desperate to put an end to her kingpin's plan, Tavia forms an unlikely alliance with three crooks even more deadly than her: Wesley, the kingpin's prodigy and most renewed criminal in the realmKaram, an underground fighter with a penchant for killing first and forgetting to ask questionsAnd Saxony, a Crafter in hiding who will stop at nothing to avenge her family With the reluctant saviours assembled, they embark on a quest to put an end to the dark magic before it's too late. But even if they can take down the kingpin and save the realm, the one thing they can't do is trust each other.
Princess of Souls
Return to the world of TikTok sensation, TO KILL A KINGDOM for a dark and romantic fantasy adventure!In this Rapunzel-inspired fantasy, a young witch, groomed to steal souls for an immortal king, meets the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.For sixteen years, Selestra has been trapped in her tower on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother's place as the King's Witch, who foretells deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Outrunning your fate earns a wish and the chance to steal the King's immortality. But die and your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.A soldier in the King's army, Nox is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but, driven by revenge, he is determined to steal the King's immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra.Yet when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, their fates become entwined, and death seeks to take both their souls. Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them.'Princess of Souls sucked me in from the very first sentence.' Tricia Levenseller, author of The Shadows Between Us'Glistening with dark magic.' Chloe Gong, author of These Violent Delights'A decadently dark tale of witches, fate and defying death.' Ciannon Smart, author of Witches Steeped in GoldBe prepared for a feast of storytelling, featuring breathtaking journeys, nail-biting battles and powerful magic.
City of Spells (sequel to Into the Crooked Place)
From the author of TO KILL A KINGDOM and INTO THE CROOKED PLACE comes the second in a spectacular fantasy duology, in a world thriving with black magic.Threats are like promises. Don't make ones you can't keep. With Wesley as their prisoner, Dante Ashwood and Zekia tear through the streets of Uskhanya, conquering cities at a time with their army of Crafters and enthralled citizens. As Wesley realises the truth of his power and Zekia tries to lure him to darkness, he must fight against the deadly magic that invades his mind and find a way back to his friends before it's too late.Meanwhile, as the cities fall, Tavia, Saxony and Karam prepare for a fight unlike any other. With tensions running high and battles at every turn, they must unite an army of Crafters, crooks and even politicians if they truly want to take down Ashwood once and for all.But things are never simple: with dark magic circling and old secrets clawing from the grave, the unlikely friends have to decide just how far they'll go to do what's right and if they're willing to sacrifice everything to win - including each other.
The Night Hunt
THE NEW DARK FANTASY ROMANCE NOVEL FROM ALEXANDRA CHRISTO, AUTHOR OF TIKTOK SENSATION, TO KILL A KINGDOM.Enter a world of gods, mortals and monsters . . .Atia is an immortal trickster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she thinks herself safe from the wrath of the unpredictable Gods.Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment from the Gods for a past crime he can't remember.Atia would never dream of working with a servant of the gods, but when she breaks a sacred law, Silas offers her a deal: he'll help her avenge her family and take on the Gods. In return, she must help him break the curse that binds him and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Tricia Levenseller and Leigh Bardugo, this is a thrilling fast-paced fantasy with breath-taking romance.
Princess of Souls
From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes Princess of Souls, a Rapunzel-inspired YA fantasy romance about a teen witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied. For sixteen years, Selestra has been trapped in her tower on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother’s place as the King's Witch, who foretells deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Outrunning your fate earns a wish and the chance to steal the King’s immortality. But die and your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.A soldier in the King's army, Nox is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but, driven by revenge, he is determined to steal the King’s immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra.Yet when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, their fates become entwined, and death seeks to take both their souls. Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them.
The Night Hunt
From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes The Night Hunt, a dark fantasy romance about a monstrous girl who feeds on fear and the Gods-cursed boy who falls in love with her.Atia is a monster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the unpredictable Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment for a past he can’t remember. Stripped of his true name, he yearns to recover his identity.Atia would never dream of allying with someone like him, but when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal: he’ll help avenge her family and take on the Gods who now hunt her, if she helps him break his curse and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.
City of Spells
City of Spells, the follow-up to Alexandra Christo's gritty YA fantasy, Into the Crooked Place, finds the world on the brink of war and four unlikely allies facing sacrifices they had never imagined.After the loss of Wesley and the horrifying reveal that Zekia is helping the Kingpin of her own free will, Tavia, Saxony, and Karam flee to Saxony's home to rebuild their rebellion. Meanwhile, trapped in the Kingpin's darkness, Wesley must fight against the deadly magic that invades his mind and find a way back to his friends before it's too late.As the Kingpin's dark magic spreads and his army conquers Creije, these four unlikely friends have to decide just how far they’ll go—and how much they are willing to sacrifice—to win. Praise for Into the Crooked Place:"With its gangland details, creative magical caste system and surprisingly brutal characters, Into the Crooked Place is very much its own thing. And that thing will likely be a story you can’t put down." —Culturess
Penguin Readers Level 7: Originals (ELT Graded Reader)
Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series. Please note that the eBook edition does NOT include access to the audio edition and digital book. Written for learners of English as a foreign language, each title includes carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Originals, a Level 7 Reader, is B2 in the CEFR framework. The longer text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing future perfect simple, mixed conditionals, past perfect continuous, mixed conditionals, more complex passive forms and modals for deduction in the past.Being an original thinker can change the world. Learn how to recognise a great idea, to speak up for yourself, to choose the right time to act, and to manage fear and doubt by standing out from the crowd.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteRegister to access online resources including tests, worksheets and answer keys. Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock a digital book and audio edition (not available with the eBook).
True Luna
"I, Logan Carter, Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, reject you, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack." I could feel my heart breaking. Leon was howling inside me, and I could feel his pain. "I, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack, accept your rejection." When Emma turns 18, she is surprised that her mate is the Alpha of her pack. But her elation was short-lived when he rejected her for a stronger she-wolf. That she-wolf hates Emma and wants to get rid of her. Emma’s problems don’t end there. She realizes that she possesses unusual powers, making her an exceptional wolf. As a result, she becomes a target for dangerous people who are determined to exploit her abilities. Emma is faced with the difficult decision of how to handle these challenges. Will her mate have second thoughts about rejecting her? Will he be able to protect her from the people who threaten her?