Showing results by narrator "Heather Costa" in All Categories

I'm on a strange planet surrounded by blue aliens and women who clearly have Stockholm syndrome. I'm not content to pump out alien babies and have dinner cooking for my guy after he returns from a long day of hunting and gathering. Independence is great until my solitary exploration leads me right into the hands of a savage, horned alien who barely speaks but has no intention of letting me go. The worst part? His survival skills are actually kind of turning me on. 

Alex is screwed. She's due at the fae Court of Enchantment in less than 24 hours, but she's not even close to being ready. Her job is hanging by a fraying thread. There's a new vampire master in town. And several of her werewolf friends have been captured by the Paranatural Task Force. She's their best chance for release before the full moon reveals their secret, but the Lord of Enchantment is not someone you keep waiting - even when he happens to be your grandfather. All Alex can do is call in a favor, hope to hell she can survive the plots of the fae court, and hightail it home....

The paranatural community isn't done with Alex. She's been summoned to the fae court, and she's got her hands full trying to prepare. But her date with the fae will have to wait. There's been a death at the gallery, and the man she hoped would be a part of her future is the prime suspect. Bitter enemies pull her into the middle of a paranatural war for territory that has her dodging police, swords, teeth, and claws - not to mention the truth. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she uncovers, and the less certain she is about the innocence of the one man she wanted to trust.  

Politics are a deadly game, and things are heating up. As winter sets in, my mates and I are in a careful dance as we try to avoid the Council's suspicions and gain acceptance into the rebellion. Every secret we uncover is more deadly than the last, as the truth of the Council is brought to light. It's not just the Council we have to watch - the rebellion is hiding secrets of their own, and the challenges they set may be enough to break our family to pieces. Will we be able to make it through the trials whole, or will we go up in a Blaze of Wrath?

No one asked me if this was what I wanted. To be a harbinger of change. To motivate those around me to join a rebellion. To become a symbol of hope and rebirth in a war that's not my own. Yet, the duty has been thrust upon me, and it's not one I can refuse. Challenged from all sides, I'm forced to make increasingly harder choices as I learn to trust my gut and the powers that burn within me. As my past and my future collide, Damien, Ryder, Theo, Killian, Hiro, and I are all pushed to step up and take on responsibilities that none of us have prepared for.

The things of nightmares haunt my dreams. Secrets lurk around every corner. The world I've entered isn't all it seems, but as a newcomer, questioning the Council isn't the safest move. Not when my guys are so entrenched in a world that I find dangerous. As Theo, Hiro, Ryder, Killian, Damien, and I try to find out how we fit together, we must also decide where we stand among the politics, class, and half-truths. 

My nightmares have started closing in. Now I'm just trying to survive them. When my past comes back to haunt me, I find myself relying on the men I've come to care so much about. With their help, and the help of my best friend, I'm trying to navigate the threats - old and new. When I'm summoned to go before the Council, I have no idea what to expect. Thrust into a world of politics and status I'm not sure I agree with, my unease grows as I struggle to find my place.  

Turning 18 and getting accepted into college brings me everything I need to escape from the nightmares of my past but I never could have imagined my nightmares - and dreams - were just beginning. Finding myself thrown into a world of fantasy, politics, friendships, and rules that are nearly impossible to understand, I feel like I'm drowning in a world of shifters I never knew existed. As I struggle to find my place and prevent my nightmares from tearing me apart, I find myself surrounded by an unusual group of sexy men.

A year ago, I thought my whole world had ended. My family was dead. The life that I knew had been changed forever. Now I know that was just the beginning. I faced down the devil who destroyed my family, and I f--king lost. I've become the thing I hate most in this world, and there is no turning back. Even a contract with a demon couldn't save me from the creature that now inhabits my body. 

I can't say my parents never warned me about vampires. I just never believed them. Not - that is - until six months ago when vampires broke into my home and killed my family. Thanks to all the skills my parents taught me, I managed to escape but I couldn't save them. Two vampires down and the rest of the world to go. My bid for revenge is going to have to wait, though, because until I turn 18, I'm being placed in the loving care of Elizabeth and Jonathan McKnight - godparents I didn't even know existed.

Nina Restieri was a wife, a mom of four young kids, and a successful entrepreneur. Despite having what most people would consider “it all”, happiness eluded her. She beat herself up daily for not being grateful. But as she looked around, she realized most of the moms she knew shared that same sense of sadness, stress, and feeling of being overwhelmed, all while working hard to keep up the “perfect mom” appearance. 

An old crone has a prophecy for Cam. Travel to the Diamond Kingdom and prepare to sacrifice yourself. Sounds like a suicide mission to him, but what else is he going to do? Everyone he loves is in grave danger, and he might be the only one who can save them. What he doesn't expect was to find any people still alive. It's been over 20 years since anyone was last seen coming out of Diamond. A long time for a small group of people to survive. And now they're looking at him for help. How can he say no? Especially to a princess who's already suffered so much.

Roark wasn't content with the way the world worked, so he made himself king and set about changing it. In the process, he acquired enemies who would stoop to anything, even attacking his daughter, to destroy him. They'll have to kill him first. However, he's just one man against an unknown enemy. Until he ends up with unexpected help in Casey, a woman who can slip into shadows with an ease that is uncanny - but more frightening is how well she fits into his life. A king might not be able to win her heart, but what if she got to know the man? 

New Earth isn't a kind or gentle place, so Gunner isn't entirely surprised when a freak windstorm leaves him blinded in a strange place. At least he's not alone. Sofia might have been banished, but she enjoys the freedom of living by her own wits and rules. When a handsome stranger shows up needing help, she agrees if he'll give her the one thing she's always wanted: a child. Before Gunner can make good on his end of the bargain, a calamity sends them fleeing right into danger. 

Oriana dreams of escaping her life of ruthless cruelty from the people who now rule over those who remain. With no telling whom the plague will strike next, Oriana draws strength from ancient tales of her enemy and transforms herself from victim to warrior with the help of a mysterious and powerful dagger given to her by a kind and dying boy. Years later, during her enemy's betrothal ritual, Ezra, a boy she has never before seen, selects her as his mate. Whisked away to a seemingly perfect world, Oriana discovers sinister secrets at every turn.

For 18 years, I was able to see the dead, so I pretty much managed to deal with a lot of unusual things in the world. I even learned to accept my strange, if not slightly annoying, "I see dead people" ability. But the one thing that tipped me over the edge? I can't drink coffee in the afterlife. Not even a sip. I know what you're thinking. Surely things can't get any worse than that? Well...I also have a rival apprentice who despises me, a quarterback ghost who won't leave me the hell alone, a sexy angel determined to take me out on a date, and a silly little crush on my new boss.

Abram Cross didn't want the life of crime that fate had dealt him, but what other choice did he have when his mother spent every penny on drugs instead of buying food for him and his younger brother? While Abe is no longer a professional thief, he's still living on the wrong side of the law as a member of the Savage Kings MC. He never claimed to be a good guy; but after Abe meets Mercy Daniels, he's starting to wish he was a better man.   

December Thorne's life had never been better. Oberon Academy was her home, its students and faculty, her family. With her best friend Shaela and her boyfriend Easton by her side, she felt like nothing could bring her down. Except for one thing - the loss of her mentor. Crispin Jonas took over that role, pushing December to practice things beyond the standard Oberon Academy lessons on being a good Sylphid. His lessons revolved around her other half - her dark side. Devastated after taking a life, December had a choice to make.

In a world where dark faeries have stepped in to save the planet from humanity's mistakes, 17-year-old December Thorne is nothing but a shadow. Shunned by her peers, bullied at school, and paid a little too much attention by her sleazy foster father, she lives in constant fear and perpetual solitude. Until the day everything changes. Offered a scholarship to the prestigious Oberon Academy, December finds herself living in a whole new world.

Discussions about inequality often focus on achievement gaps. But opportunity is about more than just test scores. Opportunity gaps are a function of not just what students know, but who they know. This book explores the central role that relationships play in young people's lives and provides guidance for a path forward. Exploring the latest tools, data, and real-world examples, this book provides evidence-based guidance for educators looking to level the playing field and expert analysis on how policymakers and entrepreneurs can help.