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The first major volume to explore one of China's most influential yet little known dynasties which brings to life one of China's forgotten empires and its unique culture.
Journey through the splendor and the excesses of the Gilded Age "Every aspect of life in the Gilded Age took on deeper, transcendent meaning intended to prove the greatness of America: residences beautified their surroundings; works of art uplifted and were shared with the public; clothing exhibited evidence of breeding; jewelry testified to cultured taste and wealth; dinners demonstrated sophisticated palates; and balls rivaled those of European courts in their refinement. The message was unmistakable: the United States had arrived culturally, and Caroline Astor and her circle were intent on leading the nation to unimagined heights of glory."—From A Season of Splendor Take a dazzling journey through the Gilded Age, the period from roughly the 1870s to 1914, when bluebloods from older, established families met the nouveau riche headlong—railway barons, steel magnates, and Wall Street speculators—and forged an uneasy and glittering new society in New York City. The best of the best were Caroline Astor's 400 families, and she shaped and ruled this high society with steel. A Season of Splendor is a panoramic sweep across this sumptuous landscape, presenting the families, the wealth, the balls, the clothing, and the mansions in vivid detail—as well as the shocking end of the era with the sinking of the Titanic.
Although the period of active life of San Francisco has been a short one, as historical periods go, it has been crowded with incident. Enough of the latter could be found to present a vivid picture of the career of the metropolis of the Pacific coast, but in this work something more has been attempted than a mere recital of occurrences. It has been the purpose of the author to trace the causes of the growth of the City, and to describe the manifold activities of its citizens. This is volume one out of two of one of the most thrilling and detailed histories of San Francisco.
The world gathers on a precipice over chaos: In the West, the God-Emperor Cardolyn Tyier broods over his vast conquests and plots the subjugation of all other kingdoms. To the South, the Kalvonder plutocracy continues their bloody entertainments, too invested in small schemes, transient vices and petty ascensions to notice one of their own has a far grander design. From the East, a legion of paladins embarks on a crusade of holy conquest against the secluded Northlands, intent on supplanting the land’s sovereign deity and crushing it beneath their pantheon. But these are children’s squabbles, for a forgotten evil hides behind these conflicts, amassing power and guiding humanity toward the precipice. The world has had many names for it, but men always called it the Muntalabacs: Dread Lords. The Avenar know one has resurfaced. They can feel his quiet footsteps resounding across the world and heralding the renewed conflict between their families. The Avenar are spent, though, and will need whatever help they can find, be it from eccentrics, outcasts or madmen
A "romp through the Shakespeare authorship question, exploring how doubting that William Shakespeare wrote the plays attributed to him became an act of blasphemy--and who the Bard might really be"--
Dragonfire Elixir is the second digital bundle in The Dragonfire Novels: The Complete Series and includes three books that feature the battle between the Pyr, dragon shifters pledged to defend the treasures of the earth, and the evil Slayers, dragon shifters bent on destroying both the Pyr and the humans they protect. These three books feature the Pyr's mission to destroy the DragonÕs Blood Elixir which gives the Slayers the power to raise the dead. In Winter Kiss, Delaney Shea who has been forcefed the Elixir is determined to destroy its source alone, no matter the cost to himself. On the eve of his suicide mission, he feels the spark of his firestorm and seduces Ginger Sinclair to leave a legacy for the future. But Ginger isn't so easily abandoned, even for her own safety—she follows Delaney and becomes part of the mission to destroy the Elixir's source, and save Delaney for herself and their son. In Whisper Kiss, Niall Talbot has vowed to hunt down and eliminate the remaining shadow dragons, then is targeted by the Slayers himself. When his firestorm ignites and his mate—the feisty tattoo artist and dragon enthusiast Rox Kincaid—is at risk, Niall will do anything to defend her—even abandon his own assumptions when opposites attract. In Darkfire Kiss, Rafferty Powell is bent on the destruction of the Slayer Magnus, since the two old foes have exchanged challenge coins and vowed to battle to the death. He doesn't expect his destined mate to step between them, but reporter Melissa Smith will take any risk to get the real story—even enter the dragon's den, fight fire with fire, and fall in love with the greatest romantic of the Pyr. Will it be enough to save them both from Magnus' vengeance? *** The Dragonfire Series of Paranormal Romances Each Dragonfire Novel is a complete romance, but you would probably prefer to read them in order to follow the story of the Dragon's Tail Wars, the final battle for supremacy between the Pyr and the evil Slayers. The series is complete with fourteen stories. 1. Kiss of Fire (Quinn and Sara) 2. Kiss of Fury (Donovan and Alex) 3. Kiss of Fate (Erik and Eileen) 4. Winter Kiss (Delaney and Ginger) 5. Harmonia's Kiss (a short story about the Dragon's Tooth Warriors) 6. Whisper Kiss (Niall and Rox) 7. Darkfire Kiss (Rafferty and Melissa) 8. Flashfire (Lorenzo and Cassie) 9. Ember's Kiss (Brandon and Liz) 10. Kiss of Danger (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Alexander and Katina) 11. Kiss of Darkness (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Damien and Petra) 12. Kiss of Destiny (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Thad and Aura) 13. Serpent's Kiss (Thorolf and Chandra) 14. Firestorm Forever (Sloane and Sam, plus Drake and Veronica, and Marcus and Jac. Yes, this book has THREE firestorms and is the big finish.) The three Dragon Legion novellas are also available in a bundle called The Dragon Legion Collection. There is a world guide in the works called Here Be Dragons: A Dragonfire Companion. *** The stories of the Pyr continue in the DragonFate novels, a paranormal romance series featuring dragon shifter heroes and heroines who have their own powers. This series is in progress: 1. the prequel, Maeve's Book of Beasts 2. Dragon's Kiss 3. Dragon's Heart 4. Dragon's Mate 5. Dragon's Wolf (May 2022) *** Keywords: dragon, dragon shifter romance, destined mate, action adventure, urban fantasy romance, dragonfire, romantic comedy, outsider, opposites attract, blacksmith, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Donna Grant, Thea Harrison, Jennifer Ashley, Christine Feehan, Lara Adrian, G. A. Aiken
The midnight shadows of Renaissance Venice conceal intrigue, romance...and murder. "Combines historical context with lush sensuality and nuanced wit." — Publisher's Weekly Bianca Salva's love of science has led her to defy the conventions of her day and illicitly practice medicine among the poor of Venice. She's managed to keep her pass time a secret—until she is discovered over the lifeless body of a young courtesan, by the last person she'd ever want to see. Ian Foscari, Conte d'Aosto, is known for being rich, handsome...and heartless. Finding Bianca over the dead body, he concludes she's the murderer. Yet for reasons he cannot explain, her protests move him. He offers to give her one week to prove her innocence, but she'll have to move into his house and be his prisoner. Her other option: the authorities and certain death. Bianca has no choice but to agree to his maddening terms. She's furious at having to cede her hard won freedom, and unprepared for the effect of his presence on her, for the longings he awakes in parts of her body she's only studied in books. As Bianca struggles to focus on finding the killer, Ian fights his own battle between the undeniable attraction he feels for her and the painful scars of his past. When their mutual attraction blazes to life, they are both dazzled by it's force. Passion burns through their reserves, teaching them both to trust again. Love again. But this fragile alliance is soon tested. Lured into a web of scheming and betrayal, Bianca and Ian find themselves in a race against the clock to save their lives, their hearts, and the city of Venice itself. "Jaffe...develops a sensual, exciting, and amusing tale, richly embellished with details of Renaissance life." — Library Journal "Jaffe's characters are intriguing, and the plot's many twists and turns are wonderfully entertaining." — Booklist
For one woman, he will risk more than his life... Rafferty Powell has exchanged challenge coins with his arch-nemesis Magnus Montmorency, and their next battle will be their last. But Rafferty never expected to meet a woman whose desire for Magnus' downfall matches his own—and whose presence sparks Rafferty's long-awaited firestorm. Since facing her own mortality, investigative reporter Melissa Smith has resolved to live without fear. She's determined to make the seemingly untouchable Magnus pay for his role in ending her friend's life — no matter the price to herself. When her quest entwines with Rafferty's, Melissa finds herself risking more than she ever thought possible. Because the heat between them unleashes the darkfire—an awesome force of Pyr legend, one that won't be sated until everything they know has been tested and remade. "Deborah Cooke's Dragonfire novels are impossible to put down. DARKFIRE KISS is no exception. I dare any reader to skim any part of this terrific story!"—Romance Reviews Today *** The Dragonfire Series of Paranormal Romances Each Dragonfire Novel is a complete romance, but you would probably prefer to read them in order to follow the story of the Dragon's Tail Wars, the final battle for supremacy between the Pyr and the evil Slayers. The series is complete with fourteen stories. 1. Kiss of Fire (Quinn and Sara) 2. Kiss of Fury (Donovan and Alex) 3. Kiss of Fate (Erik and Eileen) 4. Winter Kiss (Delaney and Ginger) 5. Harmonia's Kiss (a short story about the Dragon's Tooth Warriors) 6. Whisper Kiss (Niall and Rox) 7. Darkfire Kiss (Rafferty and Melissa) 8. Flashfire (Lorenzo and Cassie) 9. Ember's Kiss (Brandon and Liz) 10. Kiss of Danger (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Alexander and Katina) 11. Kiss of Darkness (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Damien and Petra) 12. Kiss of Destiny (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Thad and Aura) 13. Serpent's Kiss (Thorolf and Chandra) 14. Firestorm Forever (Sloane and Sam, plus Drake and Veronica, and Marcus and Jac. Yes, this book has THREE firestorms and is the big finish.) The three Dragon Legion novellas are also available in a bundle called The Dragon Legion Collection. There is a world guide called Here Be Dragons: A Dragonfire Companion. The Dragonfire books are also available in three boxed sets of three books each: 1. Dragonfire Quest (Kiss of Fire, Kiss of Fury and Kiss of Fate) 2. Dragonfire Elixir (Winter Kiss, Whisper Kiss and Darkfire Kiss) 3. Dragonfire Reunion (Flashfire, Ember's Kiss, Harmonia's Kiss, Kiss of Danger, Kiss of Destiny and Kiss of Darkness) 4. Dragonfire Triumph (Serpent's Kiss, Firestorm Forever) *** The stories of the Pyr continue in the DragonFate novels, a paranormal romance series featuring dragon shifter heroes and heroines who have their own powers. This series is in progress: 1. the prequel, Maeve's Book of Beasts 2. Dragon's Kiss 3. Dragon's Heart 4. Dragon's Mate 5. Dragon's Wolf (May 2022) *** Keywords: dragon, dragon shifter romance, enemies to lovers, mistaken identity, protector, guardian, destined mate, action adventure, urban fantasy romance, dragonfire, romantic comedy, scars, outsider, loner, cancer survivor, Wales, Welsh hero, Merlin, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Donna Grant, Thea Harrison, Jennifer Ashley, Christine Feehan, Lara Adrian, G. A. Aiken