"The fundamental inanity of existence has already pierced my heart, and I know now that only cakes have any savor." In a tiny room under the Parisian rooftops, a precocious student concocts a rather unusual plan for a simple task: suicide. A dizzying array of desserts--pastries, chocolates, cookies, custards and more--are the instruments of her demise. A Sweet Death is the macabre and humorous record of a young woman's eccentric progression. A rumination on life, literature, philosophy, fashion, love, and--most importantly--food. By turns sumptuous, horrific and hopeful, Claude Tardat's novel is an original and compelling exploration of what it means to be alive.

Shug Akins is a lonely, overweight thirteen-year-old boy. His mother, Glenda, is the one person who loves him -- she calls him Sweet Mister and attempts to boost his confidence and give him hope for his future. Shuggie's purported father, Red, is a brutal man with a short fuse who mocks and despises the boy. Into this small-town Ozarks mix comes Jimmy Vin Pearce, with his shiny green T-bird and his smart city clothes. When he and Glenda begin a torrid affair, a series of violent events is inevitably set in motion. The outcome will break your heart. "This is Daniel Woodrell's third book set in the Ozarks and, like the other two, Give Us a Kiss and Tomato Red, it peels back the layers from lives already made bare by poverty and petty crime."-Otto Penzler, Penzler Pick, 2001

There is an epidemic sweeping the country. It kills more people than any other disease or any war. Obesity and diabetes are changing the way we look and how our bodies function. We are poisoning our cells so that they cannot communicate with each other effectively. The statistics are well known, and they are only getting worse. So what is really going on? It boils down to something called "insulin resistance." Your body has between 50-100 trillion cells in it. These cells respond to insulin in a variety of ways that are necessary for a healthy, functioning body. When insulin resistance develops, the normal amounts of insulin are not enough. Why does this happen? The membrane, or outer skin, of each cell in our body-no matter what type of cell-are TOILing, that is, the cell membranes are: T-toxic, O-oxidized, I-inflamed, and L-less optimal mitochondrial function The cause of this is an addiction to sugar and processed food. Licking Sweet Death is an indispensible guide to regaining your health and licking your addiction to foods that are poisoning your body for good. Author Hugo Rodier, M.D., is an adjunct professor at the University of Utah College of Health. As a medical doctor, he was inspired to write Licking Sweet Death by his many patients in need of relief from chronic diseases. Several other books, non-fiction and fiction, are in the works. Publisher's website: http: //www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/LickingSweetDeath.html Author's website: www.hugorodier.com

“Then I felt his body leaning over mine and his fingers holding my nostrils shut. I could not breathe. My teeth were clenched. His fingers remained sealing my nose, when suddenly my mouth and jaw opened up and I gasped for air. Startled, he released his grip on my nose and left the room, leaving me paralyzed, naked, and curled up on the floor.” A few years ago, Ana Christina was left for dead. Despite the horrific circumstances, it was a blessing in disguise - the Lord delivered her from the hands of her perpetrator. “Ana Christina shares in such a vulnerable way that she takes her readers on a journey. Her incredible path leaves one with the realization that the human soul is unconquerable. Her honest, open way of revealing herself literally gives her readers the permission and courage to get real with themselves, experiencing a journey of self discovery, self disclosure and eventually the uncovering of self immortality.” - Jeffery Olsen, Author of KNOWING and WHERE ARE YOU?

A lyrical story of star-crossed love perfect for readers of The Hate U Give, by National Ambassador for Children’s Literature Jacqueline Woodson--now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, and including a new preface by the author Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he's in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he's going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don't exactly fit in there. So it's a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock, and after that they know they fit together--even though she's Jewish and he's black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that's not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way. Jacqueline Woodson's work has been called “moving and resonant” (Wall Street Journal) and “gorgeous” (Vanity Fair). If You Come Softly is a powerful story of interracial love that leaves readers wondering "why" and "if only . . ."

Norton weaves realistic professional procedure and unexpected emotional jolts into the otherwise erotic flavor of Key West, creating a debut that will seriously contend for all the "Best First" awards.-author Jeremiah Healy P. K. Norton introduces a new heroine to mystery fans! Everybody loves Chef Garcia's key lime coconut petit fours. Some even say they're to die for. When four guests die at a wedding at the Beaux R�ves Hotel, the famous petit fours are blamed. Insurance investigator Amy Lynch flies from Boston to Key West to prepare for a wrongful death suit, her first trip to the island since her fianc� died there three years ago. Amy's investigation is beset with problems from the get-go. The hotel management is pushing for a quick settlement regardless of fault. The local police are calling the event a tragic accident. Most potential witnesses are missing, deceased or unhelpful. The ghost of Amy's fianc� haunts her as she fends off pressures from all sides and copes with uncertainties concerning her new relationship. She encounters death at every turn. The health inspector who monitored the hotel kitchen dies in an auto accident; the reporter who covered the incident for the local paper turns up drowned; even a homeless woman Amy befriends is found dead. And deceased wildlife crosses her path more than once. As she forges on in the face of these obstacles, Amy wonders if Key West is the tropical paradise of the travel brochures or a petri dish of death.