Many teenagers struggle to find their identity, but for Taliesin Weaver, that struggle has become life or death--and not just for him. Tal, as he prefers to be called, believes in reincarnation, and with good reason. When he turned twelve, his mind was nearly shattered by a flood of memories, memories of his past lives, hundreds of them. Somehow, Tal managed to pull himself together and even to make good use of the lessons learned and skills developed in those previous lives. He even had the ability to work magic--literally--and there was no denying that was cool. No, his life wasn't perfect, but he was managing.

Now, four years later, his best friend, Stan, has begun to suspect his secret, and Stan isn't the only one. Suddenly, Tal is under attack from a mysterious enemy and under the protection of an equally mysterious friend whose agenda Tal can't quite figure out. An apparition predicts his death. A shapeshifter disguised as Stan attacks him. An old adversary starts acting like a friend. He and some other students get hurled into Annwn (the Otherworld), face Morgan Le Fay, and only just barely get back alive--and that’s just during the first month of school!

By now Tal knows he is not the only one who can work magic and certainly not the only one who can remember the past. He realizes there is something that he is not remembering, something that could save his life or end it, some reason for the attacks on him that, as they escalate, threaten not only him but everyone he loves as well. In an effort to save them, he will have to risk not only his life, but even his soul.

I'm Natasha. Friends call me Tash. The world calls me loser.
No one knows I possess a deadly magic.

It was supposed to be a simple surveillance job, just like the zillion others I had run for my tough-guy benefactor, Tobias. An hour into it, I'm sitting with a dead body after barely surviving a warlock's rampage.

I thought things couldn't get any worse, but what did I know? Running point for Tobias or being witness to a murder was the least of my worries. Now I've been blackmailed into working with sexy paranormal cop Ian, and I must help him find what the warlock is up to before he destroys whatever is left of our world.

Piece of cake, right? Sure, if you ignored the dark magic I was born with. I just might save the world from a warlock's evil plans, but can I save it from the darkness that lies within me?

EVERY MAN WANTS HER. MOST WANT TO KILL HER. GOOD LUCK TO THEM…

Instinctual is the second beautifully-written book in Auryn Hadley’s action-packed epic fantasy series chronicling the rise of the Iliri, a species bred by humans to be fierce protectors. Sal is the rarest of them, a full-blooded female iliri who will fight tooth, nail, blades, pikes, and shields to protect her dearest friends—also her comrades-in-arms and sometimes lovers-- and to free her people.

Now that Sal has won her place in the Black Blades, an elite special ops unit within the army of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens, she’s struggling to find answers about how to fit in with her new family. That’s a challenging assignment; it’s an all-male family of seven of the fiercest warriors in existence, all of them iliri with superpowers kept secret from humans.

Sal’s Black Blade commander and lover, Blaec, does his best to guide her, with the full understanding that she will eclipse him and that he must prepare her to do so. But his struggle is the opposite of Sal’s: he is only half iliri, and all-too-human. The salvation of the iliri race and the Conglomerate depends on his ability to walk in both worlds, and to guide Sal. His best advice: “Listen to your instincts more and everything will work out. Our entire culture can be summed up pretty easily. We do what is natural.”

For the matriarchal iliri, what is natural is that Sal is the undisputed leader of her pack. She makes everyone better; she especially makes everyone fight better. But why? When asked, they struggle to come up with a better answer than “She smells really good.” It’s an iliri thing.

Here’s another iliri thing that’s going to take a while for the humans to get used to: females were bred to be seductive; they possess the ability to make all males desire them, but they choose their men—typically at least two men. Though they may have as many as three or four in their harem.

Now, in this sequel to Hadley’s BloodLust, the secret is out.The world knows the Black Blades aren't human. And their largely independent unit must learn to fight alongside humans as the Conglomerate faces threats from the Emperor of Terric, who wants to exterminate the entire iliri species and is moving to conquer every country between his own and the Conglomerate. To stop him, the Conglomerate must rely on its best unit, composed of soldiers many consider less than human; and the Blades must rely on soldiers they were bred to regard as prey. It’s complicated.

But always exciting, as well as sexy, and action-packed. Women readers will thrill to the reverse harem idea that pushes the boundaries of epic fantasy in this groundbreaking series that may remind some of Avatar without the scary beasts; or even Game Of Thrones, but happier, with more color—and starring a dazzling female protagonist. Fans of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern will find Sal’s planet Ogun a thrilling destination for their next fantasy fix.

Oh, and by the way: This is a complete novel, not a cliffhanger. Also--because of the exotic sexual instincts of the illiri, it may not be suitable for humans under 18.

USA Today bestselling series. 

An enemy unleashed. An interstellar peace in jeopardy. Can a disgraced soldier be humanity’s savior?

A string of terrorist attacks explode across Galactic Union Space. The culprit: the Korvenite Liberation Front. Their target: humankind. If left unchecked, the Korvenites’ vendetta will bring the Union--and humanity—to their knees.

The elite Star Brigade unit once produced some of the Union’s finest soldiers. And amongst Star Brigade’s roster, Captain Habraum Nwosu was the best. Was—until one catastrophic battle annihilated both his team and Star Brigade’s reputation.

Now Nwosu has fled his post, disgraced and broken.

Against a foe as merciless as the Korvenites, Star Brigade needs to be at its best. But with a dwindling roster and Habraum Nwosu’s absence, the Brigade’s best might not be enough. And this time, failure is not an option.

Star Brigade: Resurgent is a rollercoaster of thrilling space opera. If you like your military sci-fi with complex characters and rip-roaring action, then you’ll love the first installment of the Star Brigade series from C.C. Ekeke.

Buy Star Brigade: Resurgent and start your intergalactic adventure today!

Gothel is a witch. Punished for the actions of her mother, her choice is simple: either she stands guard over Princess Rapunzel—or she dies. But just because a choice is easy doesn’t mean it’s pleasant. Protecting Rapunzel means watching as the princess lays trapped in a tower, bedridden by hair that is so long and heavy it’s slowly driving her insane. Gothel’s life has become one of imprisonment and solitude as well—until a prince and his handsome squire appear at the tower.

Only one object can cut Rapunzel’s hair and end the curse: a pair of magical shears. But the shears are guarded by the most terrifying witches in the land, who also happen to be Gothel’s aunts. As Gothel and the prince’s squire, Raj Talmund, work to form a plan, she finds herself more and more drawn to the mysterious young man from the Outerlands. Unfortunately, his destiny is far more dangerous than she wants to admit: to save a princess, he must kill the witch who's been forced to guard her.

THE WITCH'S TOWER is the first in an inspired new series of fairy-tale retellings from award-winning fantasy author Tamara Grantham.

Supercharged action and creativity you won't be able to put down.


Working for the rebel leader, Jergle, Seruke has acted as a spy, hit man, and messenger in the struggle for control over Durthia. As the rebels march to war he discovers crucial information that may doom the rebels.


He hastens to warn them, but finds himself face to face with the treacherous King Kuronas. In order to save himself he must decide to either save his family or the rebellion.


As he faces his decision, the king sends his fiercest warriors after Seruke.


Rebellion is the first book in the gripping Rebellion Trilogy.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon

Among the seven spellbinding pieces there is “The Custom of the Army,” which begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes “The Space Between,” where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. In “A Plague of Zombies,” Lord John unexpectedly becomes military governor of Jamaica when the original governor is gnawed by what probably wasn’t a giant rat. “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” is the moving story of Roger MacKenzie’s parents during World War II. In “Virgins,” Jamie Fraser, aged nineteen, and Ian Murray, aged twenty, become mercenaries in France, no matter that neither has yet bedded a lass or killed a man. But they’re trying. . . . “A Fugitive Green” is the story of Lord John’s elder brother, Hal, and a seventeen-year-old rare book dealer with a sideline in theft, forgery, and blackmail. And finally, in “Besieged,” Lord John learns that his mother is in Havana—and that the British Navy is on their way to lay siege to the city.

Filling in mesmerizing chapters in the lives of characters readers have followed over the course of thousands of pages, Gabaldon’s genius is on full display throughout this must-have collection.

“Gabaldon is in fine form . . . weaving together characters’ lives, connecting plot points, and showing tantalizing glimpses of the larger Outlander world, of which this reader can never get enough.”—Historical Novels Review

★★★★★ "right up there with Hunger Games”
 

I’ve reached my expiration date. 
Not that it matters. We’re all going to die.

To sixteen-year-old Micka, all words have flavours. Her emotions come with such force that she can’t help but carve them into her skin. The night she decides to kill herself, she meets Runner -- a mysterious stranger who makes her question everything she’s learned about the end of the world.

His message is terrifying: It wasn’t some mysterious disease that killed ten billion people. We did this. Humanity sleepwalked into climate disaster and ecocide, just to butcher and rape until blood stained the seas.
Micka is sure Runner is lying. Her instincts urge her to stay far away from him. But he makes her an offer she finds hard to resist. There are only two rules she must follow:

Kill.
Survive.

Because the final wars were never meant to end.

________________
Available books in the 1/2986 Series:
Book 1: CUT
Book 2: FOG
Book 3: ICE
Book 4: coming soon
________________
More praise for the series:

★★★★★ "This author is amazing - non-stop, can't put it down writing."
★★★★★ "intense and unexpected."
★★★★★ "Tore my heart out."
★★★★★ "The strong female character is extremely rare and fresh."
★★★★★ "WOW!! Incredible!! Visceral!! One of the best books I've read in the genre."
★★★★★ “shockingly plausible”
★★★★★ "A MUST READ!"
★★★★★ "brutal, honest, heart-wrenching and beautiful.”
★★★★★ "a more grown up and realistic Hunger Games."
★★★★★ "It is darn near impossible to willingly put it down once begun."
_________

Award-winning author Annelie Wendeberg delivers a gritty dystopian series that brims with fast-paced action and suspense. Based in climate science, Micka’s world gives a terrifying glimpse into our possible future.

Warning: Contains violence and other content which may be triggering to readers.

A sassy, badass pirate captain with a spark of magic

Captain Nereyda leads her band of pirates as they seek out grand adventures and loot vulnerable merchant ships. However, when they attempt an overly ambitious raid, Nereyda and her crew are captured by the ambitious Commander Erhan, an officer of the Cambisian Empire.

Her crew is hauled off to slave away deep within the Imperial mines, and Nereyda herself is pressed into service aboard a Cambisian naval vessel. While serving her sentence, a storm shipwrecks Nereyda on an unknown island in the Shattered Sea. As she explores it, she stumbles into some ancient ruins and finds…something. Whatever it is, it wakes abilities that Nereyda didn’t know she had.

These new powers, though, prove difficult to tame. Can Nereyda learn to control her new abilities, outwit Erhan, and rescue her crew before their sentence breaks them?

Pirates of the Caribbean meets Throne of Glass in this pirate fantasy adventure by K Hanson!

Get your copy to join the adventure today!

A new series about mind readers from a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

Everyone thinks I’m a genius.

Everyone is wrong.

Sure, I finished Harvard at eighteen and now make crazy money at a hedge fund. But that’s not because I’m unusually smart or hard-working.

It’s because I cheat.

You see, I have a unique ability. I can go outside time into my own personal version of reality—the place I call “the Quiet”—where I can explore my surroundings while the rest of the world stands still.

I thought I was the only one who could do this—until I met her.

My name is Darren, and this is how I became entangled with all the Russians and learned that I’m a Reader.

Princess of Sky, Earth, Fire and Water

The Princess of Nature Series, Book One

In 1772, Lady Aisling inherits an army of men and a fleet of merchant ships.
But her greatest legacy is her new powers -- the ability to control sky, earth, fire and water.

Thrust into a new world, she is now part of a secret society, serving as ambassador to kings and courts around the globe.

Hurled onto distant shores, she meets her greatest challenge - a warrior prince whose love is so fierce that it threatens to destroy both their lives.

Together, they face ruthless enemies and royal intrigue, fighting for their very survival, and a chance for enduring love.

If you like fantasy, action-adventure and romance, you'll love this novel by Cassandra Finnerty.

Return to the sprawling universe of the Galactic Commons, as humans, artificial intelligence, aliens, and some beings yet undiscovered explore what it means to be a community in this exciting third adventure in the acclaimed and multi-award-nominated science fiction Wayfarers series, brimming with heartwarming characters and dazzling space adventure.

Hundreds of years ago, the last humans on Earth boarded the Exodus Fleet in search of a new home among the stars. After centuries spent wandering empty space, their descendants were eventually accepted by the well-established species that govern the Milky Way.

But that was long ago. Today, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the birthplace of many, yet a place few outsiders have ever visited. While the Exodans take great pride in their original community and traditions, their culture has been influenced by others beyond their bulkheads. As many Exodans leave for alien cities or terrestrial colonies, those who remain are left to ponder their own lives and futures: What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination? Why remain in space when there are habitable worlds available to live? What is the price of sustaining their carefully balanced way of life—and is it worth saving at all?

A young apprentice, a lifelong spacer with young children, a planet-raised traveler, an alien academic, a caretaker for the dead, and an Archivist whose mission is to ensure no one’s story is forgotten, wrestle with these profound universal questions. The answers may seem small on the galactic scale, but to these individuals, it could mean everything.

Seeking companionship, the lonely First Shifter gave some wolves souls and minds.

Disappointed with his creation, he disappeared, leaving humanity vulnerable to animals who could hide among them.

Some chose coexistence; others chose violence.

Thousands of years later, none of that matters to stubborn Mina. With her Rite of Passage coming up, she’s more concerned about convincing the skeptical wolves of her clan she’s worthy of respect than interspecies politics.

The world is not a place of peace, even for werewolves who don’t want to fight.

Some in her clan believe Mina is the culmination of a prophecy related to the First Shifter. Others worry she’s a dangerous element who might bring them back to the dark days of wolf-on-wolf bloodshed.

But Mina only wants to protect her friends and family.

When enemies threaten her Rite of Passage, Mina realizes that werewolves can’t hide from the rest of the world, and she can’t dodge her responsibilities.

The ultimate strength of the wolf is the pack.

But what happens when one wolf might be a risk to her pack?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “One of the year’s strongest fantasy novels” (NPR), an imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted.

NEBULA AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • NPR • Time • Tordotcom • Popsugar • Vox • Vulture • Paste • Bustle • Library Journal

With the Nebula Award–winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.

“A perfect tale . . . with the vastness of Tolkien and the empathy and joy in daily life of Le Guin.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Gorgeous, complex, and magical . . . This is the kind of book that one might wish to inhabit forever.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

They took her world. They took her family. They said it was for the greater good. They lied.

From husband and wife writing team, Carol Marrs Phipps and Tom Phipps, WHAM is an imaginative and original dystopian fantasy where technology and magic stand side by side.

“Rarely have I seen fantasy and science fiction married so successfully.”

When Children and Family Assistance police drag her mom, her dad and her beautiful sister out the door into the night and beat her senseless, Tess Greenwood finds herself alone, her every move watched by the hidden World Alliance. Almost blind after her beating, she flees to the forbidden Broadstreet compound and a troll named Maxi.

So begins Tess's journey from quiet teen at home to fierce young woman, determined to get back her family any way she can. Even if she must travel time itself.

But time is one thing she has little of. Those arrested in the night seldom live for long, and beautiful young women are destined to become toys for the elite.

Frantic, Tess tries to pull herself together to save her loved ones and her world... and the clock is ticking.

Get your copy and enter the world of the Timewalkers.

"At first, I thought this was your typical dystopian story, but I quickly learned it is so much more. Layer upon layer was peeled back as I read, revealing themes of corruption, power, and greed as well as familial love and loyalty that spans the ages.”

New release sale--$0.99 for a limited time with the complete box set!

Now available in a brand new omnibus edition. With over 200 five-star reviews, the five-book Last Sanctuary series is a near-future post-apocalyptic survival thriller featuring 1300+ pages of edge-of-your-seat action adventure, complex characters, and electrifying twists.

"Stone writes a thriller as gripping as any Vince Flynn or Brad Thor novel. A thoroughly riveting read from beginning to end." -Amazon reviewer

A hijacked ship. A deadly pandemic unleashed. The fate of mankind hangs in the balance...

In a near future devastated by famine, disease, and overcrowding, the stakes for survival could not be higher. The United States balances on the cusp of collapse--and civil war.

When terrorists hijack a lavish cruise ship, wealthy Amelia Black is forced into hiding with Gabriel Rivera, an enigmatic stranger with a dangerous secret. Despite their overwhelming differences--and the killers hunting them--the pair must form an unlikely alliance to battle a new, catastrophic threat: a genetically engineered, world-ending bio-weapon with direct ties to the ship.

What starts out as a single, terrifying incident will soon evolve into a race to save mankind from an extinction-level event...

When the end comes for you, when there are no more rules and survival at all costs threatens to tear apart the moral fabric of the world, how far will you go to survive?

*Rated PG-13 for mild language and moderate violence.*

Praise for The Last Sanctuary series:
"A ship, social classes, deep players, pirates and shoot 'em ups. Does not get any better than this. Would have given this book 10 stars if possible." -Amazon reviewer

"This series has everything I love: complex characters with realistic motivations, heart-stopping action and suspense, and insights into the human heart." -Amazon reviewer

"Incredibly complex, flawed characters separate this work of sci-fi from all others I've read. Highly recommend!" -Goodreads reviewer

"A lot of action, violence, and drama wrapped up in a great story. Riveting focus and great detail." -Amazon reviewer

"I didn't turn on Netflix the entire 3 days I read this book!" -Amazon reviewer

"Really gripping, as in can't put it down gripping." -Amazon reviewer

"If you read one novel this year, make it this one." -Shaun L. Griffiths, author of the Changing Times trilogy

"Read this series for an exciting, page-turning dystopian tale!" -Becky Fleetwood, author of Chroma

"A little science fiction, a little romance, and a whole lot of action!"-Amazon reviewer

"A great suspenseful read with compelling characters and a page-turning plot."-Amazon reviewer

"Fully fleshed-out characters I fell in love with." -Goodreads reviewer

"I started the book and didn't breathe until I was finished! So good." -Goodreads reviewer

"The suspense, action and complex relationships keep you on the edge of your seat!" -Amazon reviewer

"Full of twists, turns, and unexpected surprises." -Amazon reviewer

"Don't blink! It's that good!" -Amazon reviewer

"Kept me on my toes! Fantastic read!" -Goodreads reviewer

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*
*2018 GOOD READS CHOICE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION CATEGORY*

A super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intentions—#1 New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab returns with the thrilling follow-up to Vicious.

Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Great partnerships, now soured on the vine.

But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought—and will use her new-found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other.

With Marcella's rise, new enmities create opportunity--and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.

Entertainment Weekly's 27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now

“Readers won't be able to put down this dark and riveting tale of power and revenge.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred

Praise for Vicious

“Schwab's characters feel vital and real, never reduced to simple archetypes...In a genre that tends toward the flippant or pretentious, this is a rare superhero novel as epic and gripping as any classic comic. Schwab's tale of betrayal, self-hatred, and survival will resonate with superhero fans as well as readers who have never heard of Charles Xavier or Victor von Doom.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"V. E. Schwab's Vicious is the superhero novel I've been waiting for: fresh, merciless, and yes, vicious. Wow."—Mira Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout

Villians
#1 Vicious
#2 Vengeful
"Warm Up" (short story)

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

“Lying is not simply about telling a plausible story, it’s about being able to tell what someone will want to believe”

To outsiders, the Fourth Country is an unforgiving place. Under the leadership of ruthless women, powerful families regularly wage brutal campaigns against one another to increase their land and wealth, and men live in a state of complete subjugation.

Lexana, heiress to the Farwan family, is sent to the Academy, an elite institution where the daughters of powerful families learn and refine techniques to maintain and gain power. There, she finds herself attracted to Jaxen, one of the teachers who defies convention and goes about unveiled. His apparent disregard for what is expected of him leaves her both uneasy and fascinated.

Then the impossible comes to pass, and disaster befalls the Farwan family. Lexa must leave the Academy to find her mother and help restore her family to power. Jaxen insists upon accompanying her, arguing that she cannot survive without his help. Lexa can’t be certain that she can trust Jaxen, but he is right; she needs his help if she is to succeed.

Jael Furyck was born to fight.
Now she’s found something to fight for.

She was Brekka’s greatest warrior, but without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn; a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions.

Eadmund was broken, tortured by the death of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter had a dream about Jael, he jumped at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy. But neither Jael nor Eadmund want a marriage designed by kings and gods.

They will fight against it, desperate to reclaim their old lives and their freedom... until they each find something worth fighting for. Winter’s Fury is the first book in The Furyck Saga: a sweeping epic fantasy series of swords and sorcery, love and betrayal, warring kingdoms and an ancient prophecy that knows the fate of them all.

Winter’s Fury is the first book in the enthralling epic fantasy series, The Furyck Saga. Swords and sorcery, love and betrayal, warring kingdoms and an ancient prophecy - if you’re a fan of Game of Thrones or The Last Kingdom, you’re going to love this!

Come and start the journey today...

Also in this series:
The Burning Sea
Night of the Shadow Moon
Hallow Wood
The Furyck Saga: Books 1-3
 

What readers are saying:

‘This series was recommended because I read Game of Thrones... I was not disappointed! I love her writing style and the story itself is fantastic!!! On to book 2!’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

’Absolutely spellbinding read... the entire saga!’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

’If you only read one new series this year, I recommend this one, it’s superb!’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Note: This book contains adult themes and mature content