Books with author A. Elizabeth

RONE Awards FinalistRaven Awards: Finalist/Best CoverLady Willow Douglas holds the power of persuasion and can charm men with her appearance as well as her words. But when her skill doesn't work on Sir Conrad Lochwood, he becomes a thorn in her side. The autumn festival is about to start, and all the eligible, rich, single noblemen are arriving. She has decided to find a husband, but unfortunately her father has other plans. He's hired Sir Conrad to keep her away from all the men until his return.When a visiting earl's prize ruby is stolen, Willow steps in without hesitation to use her skills to figure out which of the guests is the thief. But with Sir Conrad constantly looking over her shoulder and dragging her away from everyone, she finds it difficult to accomplish anything. She is a member of the queen's secret group of strong women and feels the need to find and return the ruby to help the earl out of a terrible predicament that involves the king.Can a strong woman who is determined to catch a thief accomplish her task before a dashing knight steals her heart away?

Resilience is the seed of emotional strength!Passion ignites and the sparks fly when a border lord and a noblewoman skilled at the forge are brought together under unusual circumstances. Lady Winter has always been curious since childhood and even though she is a noblewoman, she has learned from the best blacksmith to be skilled at the forge. While at her sister's wedding in Ravenscar, she decides to stay and help the blacksmith who trained her. His eyesight is failing and although he was once the best blacksmith in all England, now he is doomed without Winter's help. The late lord Ravenscar made a deal with Sir Martin de Grey of Northumberland. The blacksmith is to forge a sword from the finest Damascus steel. But to insure that Lord de Grey collects on his deal, he's taken the blacksmith's son in exchange.Sir Martin de Grey arrives in Ravenscar to collect his sword. He needs it to go up against his enemy - Clan Dunbar in an age-old feud. Martin's brother is imprisoned and he will do anything to save him. But when he discovers his sword is not ready and the man he made the deal with is dead, he takes drastic measures. He brings the blacksmith and his daughter to Castle Heaton to finish forging the sword. While there, he finds himself immensely attracted to the beautiful commoner's daughter. Winter finds herself in a predicament. Sir Martin de Grey has mistaken her for the blacksmith's daughter since she was working in the forge. Now, to tell him the truth would risk her friend never seeing his son again. Sparks will fly when the truth is revealed and circumstances turn lovers against each other. But with passion hotter than the fires of the forge between Winter and Martin, can something that started as lust turn into an undying love between them?

A fiery lady, a devilish smuggler, and a cargo nations would kill for...Gemma Harrington leads a wild, unconventional life among con men and smugglers. She can ride and shoot as well as any man, but she wants to escape the world she's caught in for something better. Then a mysterious gentleman shows up with a daring proposal. If Gemma helps him infiltrate a smuggling ring, he'll take her anywhere his ship can sail. Captivated, she agrees to his dangerous plan.With slightly shady ancestors and a far away upbringing, Logan Hartley isn't the typical hero, and that makes him an excellent spy. Logan had to fight for everything he ever wanted: his own ship, his place in Zodiac, and the approval of his peers. Now he wants Gemma--but he has to stay alive long enough to win her.As Gemma and Logan follow the trail of a strange criminal, they become targets in a much deadlier game when they uncover a secret that governments would kill for. To expose the truth, they will defy convention and break the rules. And they have to act fast, because their enemies are much closer than they imagine...The fourth novel in the Secrets of the Zodiac, a series of full-length historical romance novels, features darker, sexier storylines, complex characters, and international intrigue, set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life?Paks will face the spider-minions of the Webmistress Achrya, orcs and the corrupted men who serve blood mage Liart, Master of Torments. She will also earn the gratitude of elves and of her Duke. And through conflict she will learn she has powers of her own and a destiny. To become a gods-chosen Paladin of Gird, and a target for the ultimate torture.

Vivid storytelling and authentic dialogue bring American history to life and place readers in the shoes of real people who experienced some of the most pivotal moments of the American Revolution. Unrest was growing in the thirteen colonies but Massachusetts was a hotbed of revolt, especially in light of the Boston Tea Party. The British king and Parliament were considering various ways to quell the rebellion, leading to the Intolerable Acts. The colonists hold the First and Second Continental Congresses, war breaks out, and the Declaration of Independence is written. Readers dive into this history and make choices throughout that affect the outcome of the story. Scenarios are developed and lead up to choices, which the readers take to control the direction of the character and story. This format creates a unique and powerful experience for readers as they face the challenges and decisions that real people encountered.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERNovember 1958: the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Into the rarefied atmosphere of wealth and tradition comes the most unlikely of horses—a drab white former plow horse named Snowman—and his rider, Harry de Leyer. They were the longest of all longshots—and their win was the stuff of legend. Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a bleak winter afternoon between the slats of a rickety truck bound for the slaughterhouse. He recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up horse and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry’s modest farm on Long Island, the horse thrived. But the recent Dutch immigrant and his growing family needed money, and Harry was always on the lookout for the perfect thoroughbred to train for the show-jumping circuit—so he reluctantly sold Snowman to a farm a few miles down the road. But Snowman had other ideas about what Harry needed. When he turned up back at Harry’s barn, dragging an old tire and a broken fence board, Harry knew that he had misjudged the horse. And so he set about teaching this shaggy, easygoing horse how to fly. One show at a time, against extraordinary odds and some of the most expensive thoroughbreds alive, the pair climbed to the very top of the sport of show jumping. Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo, based on the insight and recollections of “the Flying Dutchman” himself. Their story captured the heart of Cold War–era America—a story of unstoppable hope, inconceivable dreams, and the chance to have it all. Elizabeth Letts’s message is simple: Never give up, even when the obstacles seem sky-high. There is something extraordinary in all of us.

Lizzy Wenk's authoritative guide John Muir Trail describes the 212-mile trail, running from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mt. Whitney. It provides all necessary planning information, including up-to-date details on wilderness and permit regulations, food resupplies, trailhead amenities, and travel from nearby cities. Useful essentials are updated GPS coordinates and maps for prominent campsites (along with an updated list of sites along the trail), trail junctions, bear boxes, and other points of interest. The trail descriptions also include natural and human history to provide a workout for both body and mind -- a must-have for any Muir Trail enthusiast. Note that the text includes the southbound trail description, while the full guide with the northbound description is available as a separate ebook product.

America is the greatest democracy in the world . . . isn't it? Author Elizabeth Rusch examines some of the more problematic aspects of our government but, more importantly, offers ways for young people to fix them. The political landscape has never been so tumultuous: issues with the electoral college, gerrymandering, voter suppression, and a lack of representation in the polls and in our leadership have led to Americans of all ages asking, How did we get here? The power to change lies with the citizens of this great country—especially teens! Rather than pointing fingers at people and political parties, You Call This Democracy? looks at flaws in the system—and offers a real way out of the mess we are in. Each chapter breaks down a different problem plaguing American democracy, exploring how it’s undemocratic, offering possible solutions (with examples of real-life teens who have already started working toward them), and suggesting ways to effect change—starting NOW!

Some rules were made to be broken. As a certified stand-up bro, Nick Maguire knows that some things in life are sacred: Do not skip ab workouts. Never back down from spicy foods. And always accept the outcome of Rock, Paper, Scissors. For these are the revered doctrines of The Bro Code, rules of conduct that have been passed down through the ages from bro to bro. Heading into his senior year, Cassidy High’s star soccer player has his priorities straight and intends to spend his time playing sports, hanging out, and living by the code. But when his best bro Carter’s sister Eliza returns from studying overseas, the awkward, academic girl Nick remembers is different. Carter might be Nick’s bro, but Eliza becomes his whole world―and choosing between them is unimaginable. Ultimately, Nick needs to decide if being with the girl of his dreams is worth breaking The Bro Code’s most important rule of all: never date your best bro’s sister . . . because he simply can’t have both.

What are best friends for? Murder, maybe. Zoe and Cara were as close as friends could be—until Zoe moved away in fourth grade. Miserable without Zoe, Cara grew into an unhappy sixteen-year-old, tormented by the popular girls and nursing a hopeless crush. Then one day Cara returns home from a miserable day at school to find Zoe sitting on her bed. Shocked and delighted, Cara agrees to hide Zoe from troubles at home and the two resume their friendship as though no time has passed. Zoe even helps Cara get up the courage to stand up for herself and talk to her crush. But when one of the popular girls winds up dead, Cara begins to suspect that Zoe is responsible, and her questions only feed Zoe’s anger. As Cara searches for answers, she is forced to confront a deadly truth….

Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist!The gripping true story of the only women to fly in combat in World War II—from Elizabeth Wein, award-winning author of Code Name VerityThis nonfiction book is an excellent choice for accelerated tween readers in grades 7 to 8, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.In the early years of World War II, Josef Stalin issued an order that made the Soviet Union the first country in the world to allow female pilots to fly in combat. Led by Marina Raskova, these three regiments, including the 588th Night Bomber Regiment—nicknamed the “night witches”—faced intense pressure and obstacles both in the sky and on the ground. Some of these young women perished in flames. Many of them were in their teens when they went to war.This is the story of Raskova’s three regiments, women who enlisted and were deployed on the front lines of battle as navigators, pilots, and mechanics. It is the story of a thousand young women who wanted to take flight to defend their country, and the woman who brought them together in the sky.Packed with black-and-white photographs, fascinating sidebars, and thoroughly researched details, A Thousand Sisters is the inspiring true story of a group of women who set out to change the world, and the sisterhood they formed even amid the destruction of war.