iain banks the bridge

Evelyn terikat dalam pernikahan kontrak dengan Ethan–pangeran dingin yang misterius dan terbuang dari garis tahta. Awalnya, semua hanya soal kesepakatan: politik, perlindungan, dan kekuasaan. Namun istana Salaryn bukan tempat untuk kesepakatan sederhana. Intrik, pengkhianatan, dan organisasi gelap mengintai di setiap sudut. Bersama Ethan, Evelyn harus menapaki jalan penuh darah yang bisa menelan keluarga, masa depan, bahkan hidup mereka sendiri. Di tengah permainan berbahaya itu, Evelyn menemukan sesuatu yang tak pernah ia rencanakan: cinta yang tumbuh di balik dinginnya tatapan sang pangeran. Cinta yang bisa jadi kekuatan… atau justru kelemahan terbesar mereka. *** Evelyn never chose this world. After a twist of fate, she awakens inside the kingdom of Salaryn–trapped within a tale of betrayal, poisoned thrones, and blood–stained crowns. To survive, she must step into the cruel game of nobles and shadows. Beside her stands Ethan, the fallen heir whose name alone sparks fear and loyalty. What began as a reluctant partnership slowly forges into a bond unshaken by conspiracies, political wars, and vengeance from both the living and the dead. But in Salaryn, every love is tested by betrayal, and every destiny demands a price. Together, Ethan and Evelyn must face the bridge of destiny–where one misstep could cost them not only the throne, but their very lives. A stranger trapped in a cursed kingdom. A fallen heir drowning in blood. Together, they defy destiny. Two broken souls, finding love in a kingdom that wants them destroyed.

Giuliana was born in Siena, Italy. At the age of 4 her father gave her a box of markers. She immediately began to doodle stories on the house walls. After a few weeks of repainting they finally gave her paper as well. She has not stopped writing since. She calls home Whidbey Island where she settled in 2001, after globetrotting and teaching Italian in exotic places as far as Japan. She holds a Classic Italian Literature and Philosophy degree with a minor in English still laced with a Chianti-infused accent. She speaks fluent Spanish, has forgotten most of her French and holds tightly to her Japanese, mostly by eating sushi every chance she gets. She shares a yellow cottage on the island with her husband, 2 children and 2 cats, a vegetable garden and a fig tree named Federico. Every residual free minute of her life is spent working on Book Three. www.giulianasica.com In this compelling and hauntingly vivid novel, Porzia Amard, an epicurean globetrotter, has left her French-Italian roots and her beloved wine-making family behind in Tuscany to pursue her journalistic studies in the USA, eventually settling in Florida; Pensacola, to be exact, where hurricanes abound. And it is on the forceful tail end of one such hurricane that her life suddenly takes a mystical turn and the story begins. When she unexpectedly inherits the legacy of unusual powers at her beloved grandmother’s deathbed, she embarks on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery. From the winding hills of Tuscany to the perilous landscape of South Australia and salt-scented beaches of western Florida, Porzia abandons the straightforward path after a past life regression introduces a distant soul mate, revealing a love so intense it has resisted the tarnishing of time. Porzia loves food, but would rather eat than cook. Her minimalistic choices of friends give us an insight on her aberration for large crowds while her selective palate, often used in her mouthwatering culinary and gem-wine-searching escapades tell us she won’t compromise. Stubborn, beautiful yet goofy she doesn’t believe herself capable of accepting the legacy of powers her paternal grandmother has bestowed upon her. Her colorful, yet genuinely blunt comments give us vivid description of her morals, ethics, dreams and hopes and make her irresistible to the eyes of one special man. Narrated in vibrant prose, infused with mouthwatering aromas of delicious recipes paired with inebriating wines Porzia’s life intertwines with mystical characters. She finds herself embroiled in a world of esoteric secrets and swept in a heated passion with famed off-road racer Gabe Miller. This unique and extraordinary novel is an irresistible recipe for lovers of romance, wine, and the mystical realm. This book promises freedom from earthly boundaries; it blurs the lines between safety and the unconventional; between love and fear, between us and the gods.

"Fake realities will create fake humans." - Philip K. Dick. A group of college students get mysteriously trapped in a virtual world being reborn without memories of their previous lives. After regaining his memories as Mado, Jaden Inferno embarks on a grand journey in the massive world of Lacrima. While venturing through the Realm, Jaden discovers new secrets, and unfolds new mysteries as he reunites with his former classmates, and faces new foes along the way. ********DESCLAIMER******** This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. • New chapter every week. • WARNING: Some scenes contains strong language. ● SABERTOOTH. All Rights Reserved

Detective Brady Lindstrom deals in death, and not just because he's a homicide cop with the slaughter of a century to solve. Ten years ago, vampires murdered his lover. Ever since, he's looked over his shoulder, ready for vampires to strike again. Or maybe just the one he loved.<br><br>Exhausted and angry about the needless deaths he has to investigate, Brady worries the killers he's looking for aren't even human. Those fears are compounded by an unexpected visitor, the battered and nearly broken Cole Singer, the lover he'd long ago given up for dead.<br><br>When Cole offers to trade information on the killers in exchange for sanctuary, Brady realizes he doesn't have a choice. It isn't about justice. He simply can't turn his back on the face of the only man he's ever loved. Even if he's a vampire.

Margaret Laurence is a smart and witty girl with a sharp tongue, cheerful personality and stubborn attitude. She is kind, friendly and is not afraid of getting into troubles or creating them. She doesn’t back down from a challenge and never lost a fight, regardless if it’s verbal, mental or physical. But that was all in the past. Somewhere along the line, she lost that spark in her and became a regular average girl. She convinced herself to stay quiet, move on with her life and not bother about unnecessary things. That’s the Margaret Laurence of Golden Dawn University today. An unexpected friendship with the silent, sleepy and the infamous, Arthur Bridge added bit of color to her otherwise mundane life. But just when things seem to fall in place, Arthur is falsely accused, and Margaret is forced to confront many things she chose to ignore. But she didn’t wish to sit aside anymore. She is intent on proving Arthur’s innocence, even if it meant going against the whole university. As the spark inside her is once again reignited, Margaret is not afraid of stirring up a whole lot of troubles and pissing off many more people who are not to be messed with. Read on as Margaret teaches harsh lessons to students and teachers alike; while using her brilliance to outsmart her opponents, play mind games with the biggest masterminds and scheme against the sly old foxed. Old conspiracies are solved and hidden plots are exposed. And all the while she helps create seven mysteries of the university along with a few bored old men. Follow Margaret’s adventures as she shakes the century old university to its foundations with all sorts of disturbances.

An expedition to search for the unknown suddenly turned into pools of blood and festive night for the scientists. Discover as to how the remaining survivors of the tragedy unfold the truth by going back to that monstrous place. Cross the Bridge to Delphilia with Veronica.

An asteroid storm of apocalyptic proportions is headed for Earth. A mysterious group within the government called the Arcadian’s led by Colonel Cruikshank knows the storm is coming. This corrupt shadow government has taken extreme measures to keep the storm secret while building underground cities to protect the few and the fortunate. Cruikshank’s goal is that after the storm passes his survivors will emerge from the protected cities as a more perfect humanity. He is determined to create his Utopian society, no matter what it takes. Rick Munday is a husband, father, and struggling Astrophysicist who needs his research grant approved. When Cruikshank learns that Rick’s grant proposal predicts the asteroid storm, Cruikshank drugs and kidnaps Rick, securing him in the underground city of New Arcadia. On his quest to escape the Arcadian’s and reach his family, Rick, and friends he meets on his journey use high-tech hacking skills to warn the world of the coming disaster, expose the underground cities, and save thousands more souls. Captain Kobalt, Cruikshank’s enforcer chases Rick and his friends across America in an epic adventure leading to a climactic conflict between Rick and Kobalt. Asteroids–Bridge to Nowhere is a fast-paced near-future dystopian adventure. Watch out! Tribulation will get you out there….

Ever since she opened her eye to the world, she had been given one rule she must live by, which is to be perfect, without a single flaw and if she does not keep to this rule, she would face dire consequences. Genevieve the rightful heiress to Phantasia Inc. one of the biggest and globally dominating companies in the world has been forced to live by this rule since birth but what happens when she meets the mysterious and cold-hearted Dane and they become rivals? ...... "What is love?". He asked with phlegmatic modulation and aspect as he glanced away from me. I couldn't answer his question immediately because I never expect such a question from him. " Love is a strong feeling of genuine affection which makes one value another person's interest and wellbeing as a top priority over their own regardless of circumstance". I replied when I finally regained my composure. "Where does it come from?". " It...it comes from the brain but it will always remain a matter of the heart". I replied almost hesitantly. Unexpectedly he turned toward me, staring straight into my eye, still with an emotionless profile. "If I choose to open your head or heart in search of this love...... would I find it". He inquired boldly. I felt the chills run down my spine, for a moment I was frightened and I couldn't breathe, I held my breath, it was until he gazed away from me that I could finally exhale. l thought of taking his words for humor to put me at ease but I couldn't shake off the lethal feeling I got from his voice and overall aspect he was never the kind of person to smile, to say he was joking would be crazy. " Love is an emotion just like pain and hate it can't be seen". There was silence between us for a while until he broke the silence. "Something that can't be seen or grasped physically does not exist.........if one has lived long enough they'll realize that just like pain and hate, love is a deception people have to fill up their vanity because in the end that is all they can ever do".

The kingdom of Abel is one of the most prosperous country in the Enchanted World ... Their king is a respected successful man in the whole country leading thousands of wars into a pride. He marries a very beautiful young maiden out of love and trust. The maiden become the kingdom's most precious treasure as the Queen of Abel being the main figure for all women in the country. In the year of 2000 The Kingdom's princess is born as the heir and involuntary become the most beloved princess in the kingdom of Abel. It is a peaceful and harmonious moment for the kingdom. _______________________________________________________________ One day , the king leave his wife and daughter for a war between Abel and Elmer at a far away land . The queen beg for her husband to not go as she predicted that something will go wrong... Unfortunately , the prediction was right and the king died in the war ... at the same time the castle is in chaos . Assassins invade the castle and kill all the royal guards and the royal family . Even after everything are destroyed , the princess manage to survive! Her personal butler escape the palace bringing her out of the castle. They live outside of the kingom and are living a happy live .......... soooo ..... happily ever after? or there is some secret that did not unraveled yet... will the princess never know the secret behind her power ... or will she? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read to find out what actually happen!!

Set in a fantasy world where the truth and lies are blended under one divine throne. One boy must act as the the key to save humanity from endless destruction. Come along with Sebas and his journey as he tries to solve the mystery of the world he resides in and the world of old. Witness epic and fast pace action, large scale calamities, and foes where no normal human can comprehend. Witness how Sebas overcome the divine throne and take back control over human history. Welcome, to the Bridge Between Worlds.