The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Lone City trilogy, which began with The Jewel, a book BCCB said "will have fans of Oliver's Delirium, Cass's The Selection, and DeStefano's Wither breathless." For too long, Violet and the people of the outer circles of the Lone City have lived in service of the royalty of the Jewel. But now, the secret society known as the Black Key is preparing to seize power. While Violet knows she is at the center of this rebellion, she has a more personal stake in it—for her sister, Hazel, has been taken by the Duchess of the Lake. Now, after fighting so hard to escape the Jewel, Violet must do everything in her power to return not only to save Hazel, but the future of the Lone City.

New York Times bestselling author Amy Ewing delivers a dark and riveting tale that "will have fans of Oliver’s Delirium, Cass’s The Selection, and DeStefano’s Wither breathless.”* The Jewel has many meanings: wealth, beauty, royalty. But for Violet, the Jewel has always meant servitude. Born and raised in the Marsh, Violet is destined for the Jewel. She is trained as a surrogate for the elite and is bought by the Duchess of the Lake at auction. And she quickly learns that beneath the Jewel’s glittering façade lies the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life. Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life...all while fighting for her survival. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess’s control. A forbidden love sparks. But their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom. *BCCB

Millennial paradise is shattered by brutal betrayal and murder, but more than blood stains the marble halls of the Alanthian Palace. A fallen angel bound for a thousand years breaks free with plans of his own. When royal cousins Josiah and Peter discover the truth, Josiah, the heir, must flee, Peter is left behind. Caught in a web of supernatural danger and intrigue, the two Princes plot revolution as their kingdom plunges into rebellion and war.Far from home, young refugees, Davianna and Astrid, receive a dangerous artifact, lost for a millennium. Charged with keeping it safe, when wicked forces attack their camp, the girls run for their lives. The fate of Millennial Earth lies in the left pocket of a frightened girl. Lives and hearts collide in epic adventure, as the royals and the refugees battle evil and evade all who covet-The Black Key."

This book explores the relations among blackness, antiblackness, and Black people within the discourse of the blackness of black. This critical discourse developed during the last two decades as scholars explored what Saidiya Hartman describes as the afterlife of slavery. Hartman’s concept, which argues for a troubling continuity between the status of enslaved and emancipated Black people, is the pivot between discursive tributaries and trajectories. Tributaries of the discourse of the blackness of black comprise five foundational concepts: Frantz Fanon’s “phobogenic blackness,” Orlando Patterson’s “social death,” Cedric Robinson’s “racial capitalism and the black radical tradition,” and Hortense Spillers’ “flesh.” The book traces three trajectories within the afterlife of slavery: Frank Wilderson’s “ Afropessimism,” Fred Moten’s “generative blackness,” and Calvin Warren’s “black nihilism.” This ensemble of concepts enable us to understand what is at state in how we understand the relations among blackness, antiblackness, and Black people.

Norman Castor isn't your average love-deprived witch. He's quirky, shy, and can count his successful spells and satisfying relstionships on one hand. But why do both have to be so...complicated? They say love and magic don't mix, but who says he can't use one to acquire the other? Norman will do whatever it takes to master both-even if it means breaking the greatest magical taboo in the world: summoning a demon.Caliban is a demon prince born to ascend a throne he never wanted. As a result, Cal struggles to find an identity for himself outside his family's nefarious political schemes. Against his will, Cal is forced to enter the Inferni Kai'ba-a winner-takes-all demon battle royale that will decide the next king of Hell. As Cal is summoned to represent his family in the tournament, he finds himself face-to-face with a handsome blonde witch named Norman...who happens to be his soulmate.In a world where magic is power and demons are feared, Black Key Incubus follows the story of Norman and Caliban as they confront the supernatural forces that threaten to tear them apart. But will their love be strong enough to make it out of the Inferni Kai'ba alive?

In Songs in the Key of Black Life, acclaimed cultural critic Mark Anthony Neal turns his attention to Rhythm and Blues. He argues that R&B-often dismissed as just a bunch of love songs, yet the second most popular genre in terms of sales-can tell us much about the dynamic joys, apprehensions, tensions, and contradictions of contemporary black life, if we listen closely. With a voice as heartfelt and compelling as the best music, Neal guides us through the work of classic and contemporary artists ranging from Marvin Gaye to Macy Gray. In the first section of the book, Rhythm, he uses the music of Meshell N'degeocello, Patti Labelle, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, and others as guideposts to the major concerns of contemporary black life-issues such as gender, feminist politics, political activism, black masculinity, celebrity, and the fluidity of racial and sexual identity. The second part of the book, Blues, uses the improvisational rhythms of black music as a metaphor to examine currents in black life including the public dispute between Cornel West and Harvard President Lawrence Summers and the firing of BET's talk-show host Tavis Smiley. Songs in the Key of Black Life is a remarkable contribution to the study of black popular music, and valuable reading for anyone interested in how race is lived in America.

A smart, small book for any manager’s pocket. In every manager’s career there are moments where decisions need to be made in order to achieve success and this smart, nicely packaged little book can be there to help each time. The trick to succeeding in these moments is to identify each of these situations ahead of time and understand how to act and what to do to reduce the chances of failure. That is exactly what The Little Black Book for Managers has done. The authors have listed a whole host of situations most managers face, based on thousands of personal experiences, and have mapped out how to deal with each situation. The book contains specific examples of words and phrases that can be used as well as illustrations and exercises to analyse your current performance. It is short on waffle and high on practical wisdom. It is designed to be dipped in and out of – reached for whenever a situation arises. This is a practical support tool for managers at all levels, from shop-floor supervisor to main board director. The Little Black Book for Managers explains how to deal with scenarios such as; Having a lack of confidence to deal with other people in the way that is needed Times when you have to assert your authority more Allocating critical work. Who to choose? Needing to get extra effort from the team when under pressure Incentivising Delegation Having to deal with under-performers Personality clashes between work colleagues Managing a meeting with senior leaders