The first book in the New York Times bestselling epic fantasy trilogy by award-winning author Laini Taylor Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Once upon a time there was a war . . . and a young American who thought of himself as the Quiet American and the Ugly American, and who wished to be neither, who wanted instead to be the Wise American, or the Good American, but who eventually came to witness himself as the Real American and finally as simply the Fucking American. That’s me. This is the story of Skip Sands—spy-in-training, engaged in Psychological Operations against the Vietcong—and the disasters that befall him thanks to his famous uncle, a war hero known in intelligence circles simply as the Colonel. This is also the story of the Houston brothers, Bill and James, young men who drift out of the Arizona desert into a war in which the line between disinformation and delusion has blurred away. In its vision of human folly, and its gritty, sympathetic portraits of men and women desperate for an end to their loneliness, whether in sex or death or by the grace of God, this is a story like nothing in our literature. Tree of Smoke is Denis Johnson’s first full-length novel in nine years, and his most gripping, beautiful, and powerful work to date. Tree of Smoke is the 2007 National Book Award Winner for Fiction.

Smoke and Mirrors is a fast-paced journey through history revealing the secrets that have been hidden behind a web of lies and deceit over the last 2,000 years. A nonfiction book from an emerging author and international expert unveils the hidden reasons behind the U.S. Federal Reserve bank bailouts between 2007 - 2010, as well as dramatic details concerning major historical events impacting lives today. Author S. Jason Cunningham takes the reader on a fast paced journey through history exposing alternate theories, based on historical fact, revealing hidden secrets and ultimately exposing a matrix of deceit leading our world towards a future world war. The author taps into her 18-year career in high-profile international relations, business and conflict resolution within the Middle East and North Africa region exposing inside information to reveal the truths that are hidden behind the smoke and mirrors. Discover fact from fiction concerning some of the most profound events in mankind's history and set your soul free. Smoke and Mirrors takes you back into the past millenniums of history up to present day, and encourages us to re-examine our most firmly held social, economic, political and religious beliefs. This book exposes secret societies and elite oligarchies and truly "connects the dots" of history with astonishing and shocking, yet truly believable, conclusions. From Julius Caesar to John F. Kennedy to the Rothschild dynasty - from the Roman Empire to the Holy Roman Catholic Church to the NATO alliance - from Nero's devaluation of the Roman Denarius to FDR's mandate that all Americans turn in their gold to the 16 Trillion U.S. Dollars in recent bank bailouts by the Federal Reserve Bank - from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to the assassination of Lincoln to the murder of Muammar Gaddafi, Smoke and Mirrors lays the historical ground work, does the analysis, and then reveals the shocking truths so long hidden by powerful people and their story tellers throughout history.

The Princess Trials meets The Hunger Games in this new dystopian romance series by Young Adult author Megan O'Russell. One will betray her. One will save her. One will destroy her world. The Princess Trials meets The Hunger Games in this new paranormal dystopia. Do the work, steal the goods, keep her sister alive―a simple plan Lanni has been clinging to. With the city burning around her and vampires hiding in the shadows, making it until morning is the best she can hope for. But order in the city is crumbling, and the thin safety that’s kept Lanni alive won’t be enough to protect her family. The people who live in the glittering glass domes―lording over the city, safe from the dangers of the outside world―have grown tired of the factory filth marring their perfect apocalypse. When the new reign of chaos threatens her sister, Lanni faces a horrible choice―accept the fate she was born to, or join the enemy she’s sworn to destroy. Praise for Heart of Smoke “A worthy successor to The Hunger Games!” – Amazon Reviewer “The pacing reminded me of early Brandon Sanderson novels. Highly recommend!” – Amazon Reviewer “Powerful, raw, and eye-opening.” – Amazon Reviewer *** Heart of Smoke is a young adult, paranormal romance series that weaves vampires and werewolves into a dystopian society, creating a post-apocalyptic, end of the world adventure. Whether you’re in the mood for love triangles, a friends to lovers twist, or just crave young adult fiction books that feature girls in STEM, Heart of Smoke is an apocalyptic sci-fi YA fans will love. With runaways, orphans, and science fiction feats of genetic engineering that will change your view of the apocalypse, this is a series you’ll be dying to binge! This complete series of vampire novels is also available in paperback. *** Heart of Smoke is perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Victoria Aveyard, Stephenie Meyer, Heidi Catherine, K. A. Riley, Kyla Stone, Kortney Keisel, and Marissa Meyer.

"An inventive paranormal gambit, a compelling lead character, and a plot that twists and turns through to the last page." -Claudia Gray, New York Times best-selling author of the Evernight series "Intelligent, sharp-edged and action packed." -Alan Lawrence Sitomer, author of The Hoopster and Caged Warrior John "Smoke" Conlan is serving time for two murders-but he wasn't the one who murdered his English teacher, and he never intended to kill the only other witness to the crime. A dangerous juvenile rehabilitation center in Denver, Colorado, known as the Y, is Smoke's new home and the only one he believes he deserves. But, unlike his fellow inmates, Smoke is not in constant imprisonment. After a near death experience leaves him with the ability to shed his physical body at will, Smoke is able to travel freely outside the concrete walls of the Y, gathering information for himself and his fellow inmates while they're asleep in their beds. Convinced his future is only as bright as the fluorescent lights in his cell, Smoke doesn't care that the "threads" that bind his soul to his body are wearing thin-that one day he may not make it back in time. That is, until he meets Pink, a tough, resourceful girl who is sees him for who he truly is and wants to help him clear his name. Now Smoke is on a journey to redemption he never thought possible. With Pink's help, Smoke may be able to reveal the true killer, but the closer they get to the truth, the more deadly their search becomes. The web of lies, deceit, and corruption that put Smoke behind bars is more tangled than they could have ever imagined. With both of their lives on the line, Smoke will have to decide how much he's willing to risk, and if he can envision a future worth fighting for.

North Carolina is home to the longest continuous barbecue tradition on the North American mainland. Now available for the first time in paperback, Holy Smoke is a passionate exploration of the lore, recipes, traditions, and people who have helped shape North Carolina's signature slow-food dish. A new preface by the authors examines the latest news, good and bad, from the world of Tar Heel barbecue, and their updated guide to relevant writing, films, and websites is an essential. They trace the origins of North Carolina 'cue and the emergence of the heated rivalry between Eastern and Piedmont styles. They provide detailed instructions for cooking barbecue at home, along with recipes for the traditional array of side dishes that should accompany it. The final section of the book presents some of the people who cook barbecue for a living, recording firsthand what experts say about the past and future of North Carolina barbecue. Filled with historic and contemporary photographs showing centuries of North Carolina's "barbeculture," as the authors call it, Holy Smoke is one of a kind, offering a comprehensive exploration of the Tar Heel barbecue tradition.

What was the soul? Christians agreed that it was the immortal core of each human being. Yet there was no agreement on where the soul was, what it was, or how it could be joined to the body. The Smoke of the Soul explores the anxieties and excitement generated by the mysterious zone where matter met spirit, and where human life met eternity.