All Gwendolynne Chan needs is to get through final year. As the top student in the magical familiars stream, she is on track to be awarded Dux of the entire school- as long as the unbearably pretentious Harrisford Briggs doesn't beat her to it. His father, the Chief Financial Officer of Magecorp, expects him to come out on top of the year. But Harrisford can't help but notice his father has been acting odd. And there are mysterious surges of excess magic. When these magical surges begin causing chaos, Gwen and Harrisford get reluctantly involved, putting both of their academic careers at risk. Along with Gwen's snarky cat familiar, they must team up to diagnose the problem. But as the two rivals fight their burgeoning feelings, they realize magic isn't the only thing surging.

 

Detroit, 1927: A city where glittering wealth conceals a graveyard of secrets. Marjorie Lennox is the youngest daughter of a powerful automotive dynasty. Artistic, impulsive, and always out of step, she has long been dismissed by her controlling father and self-absorbed siblings. But when she applies to an exclusive arts program funded by an elusive benefactor, Marjorie sees a chance to redefine herself. The building is grand. The participants are gifted. The program is uncomfortably restrictive. Doors lock at odd hours. Strange sounds echo through the halls amid whispers that women are disappearing. And the handsome benefactor begins to unnerve her. As Marjorie's sense of self begins to slip, so does the truth. What happens to women who don't fit neatly into a gilded frame?

 

When Hop awakens in a labyrinth, he has no memory of his life or how he got here. He does not recognize the mysterious girl trapped with him. And he certainly cannot identify the shadowy figure stalking him, whispering terrible things. But there is one thing he is certain of. He must escape. The only way out is through The Bone Door. But it lies behind a series of locked doors hidden across an array of strange realms. To open the way, Hop must complete impossible tasks before his time runs out. As Hop travels deeper into the maze, he discovers that he and his companions are more connected to this place and its horrors than he could ever imagine. Unless Hop is able to unravel the mystery of the labyrinth, and his own role within it, any hope of escape will be lost forever.

 

A land filled with magic and dragons and wizards and warriors.
Thousands of people live and work within its borders, fearful of their enemies and loyal to their king. The classic fantasy world of The Malicarn has been brought to life on the big screen in a series of epic movies, almost entirely populated by characters in total belief that their sham fantasy lives are real. A fan-favorite actor finds himself doubting the studio's work, but the world of The Malicarn has an almost unstoppable momentum, and bringing freedom to a population who already believe themselves to be free won’t be as easy as he thinks. All the world’s a stage. Meet the players. The Truman Show meets Game of Thrones in this epic tale of a studio-owned fantasy world. 

by Scott Davis

 

During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II. Told in harrowing detail, the witnesses reveal the brutal reality of combat against a fanatical enemy and the heavy toll it took on their post-war lives. From retirement facilities, veteran’s hospitals, and modest homes across the country, the last witnesses open up about the war, determined to leave an honest account for future generations. For many of the veterans, this is the first and final time telling their stories. This is a rare, unvarnished look at the Pacific War, in the words of those who were there. These are the stories that could not be told- until now.

by Kelsey Barnard Clark

 

Learn to grill, smoke, and cook anything outside with this mouthwatering cookbook that shares fundamental techniques plus 101 Southern-inspired recipes from James Beard semifinalist and Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark. Roasting food outdoors over an open flame is simple, honest cooking, but its flavors- charred, smoked, toasted, blackened, grilled- can’t be replicated. The Flavor of Fire teaches the fundamentals of grilling and smoking. From choosing the right equipment for your needs to cooking any cut of meat to perfection, Kelsey helps you conquer the basics and feel empowered to be creative rather than beholden to a recipe. 

What happens when intelligent machines aren’t just in our pockets but are also driving our cars, making our decisions, folding our laundry, and educating our kids? To find out, award-winning journalist Joanna Stern surrendered her life to artificial intelligence for one year. Your colleague might be using ChatGPT to write emails at work, but Joanna used AI tools and robots to do household chores, manage her health, and transport her family on vacation. If there was a decision to make or a task to do, she let AI go first. After a year of living as a human lab rat, Joanna deliv­ers one of the clearest- and funniest- pictures yet of what’s really happening and what it means for you.

 

Join Dr. Ashley Oliphant as she reveals the secret calculus that the best beachcombers in the world are constantly working in their brains as they decide when and where to plan their next hunt. This is not just another identification guide that offers species names and descriptions. Instead, this book is a practical field manual that puts the reader on the beach with one of the most well-known beachcombers in the country. Oliphant reveals the insider knowledge that so many veteran collectors want to keep hidden from newcomers to the hobby, including where to hunt and how to read the tides, moon phases, wind directions, wave heights, and seasonal fluctuations that have such a dramatic impact on beachcombing success.