Books with author J. Richardson

Sebastian Smith has long been ashamed of his drunken father and poor upbringing. But his luck finally changes when he’s chosen to train as a Dragon Rider at the prestigious Dragon Academy. Thrust into a world where he doesn’t fit in, Seb finds the connection with his dragon more powerful than he ever imagined. Soon, he’s doing all he can to succeed and not embarrass his new dragon partner, Thea. High-born Agathea Flamma intends to bring honor to her family by following in her brothers’ footsteps and taking her rightful place as a Dragon Rider. If she does not succeed, her only other option is marriage, and Thea will not accept failure. She’s not thrilled with her awkward, scruffy partner, Seb, but their dragon has chosen, and now the unlikely duo must learn to work as a team. When Seb hears rumors that an old danger is reemerging, he and Thea begin to investigate. Armed only with their determination and the dragon they both ride, Thea and Seb may be the only defense against the Darkening that threatens to sweep the land. Together, they will have to learn to work together to save their kingdom…or watch it fall and along with it their own dreams.

The battle for Torvald begins.As the young heir of a noble house fallen into decay, Bower has reluctantly shouldered the mantle he was born with—that of Torvald’s rightful king. It is his destiny to throw off the shackles of King Enric and lead his people to freedom, or so he’s been told. With the help of the wild and untamed Dragon Rider Saffron, he hopes to unite his downtrodden people. It will take an uneasy alliance with a rogue band of Dragon Riders and their charismatic leader, Ryland, to challenge the Dark Mage king, but distrust threatens to tear apart the force that he’s risked everything to build. Now, on the eve of battle, Bower will have to fulfill a mystical prophecy and become the leader he was born to be, or risk his future kingdom falling apart. Surrounded on all sides by deadly foes, he must face not only the evil king, but his deep doubts about himself.

She sacrificed her freedom to save the kingdom from a tyrannical ruler—and may have doomed them all.No sooner has Narissea successfully recovered the Stone Crown and used its power to fend off Inyene, the evil Metal Queen, she discovers the crown can’t be removed. And it’s consuming her mind with its poisonous whispers. Irrational commands and uncharacteristic rage burst forth before she considers their impact. Unwittingly dragons across the land are enslaved by forced obedience to her every word. Not even her own dragon, Ymmen, is spared from the Crown’s powers. But it’s the voices that drive Narissea toward madness. Voices of the world’s dragons that never cease thundering through her skull—until one breaks through the rest: urging her to take up the throne as High Queen and destroy. In desperation, Narissea seeks Torvald’s scholar king to help unravel the mysteries of the crown’s creation and crush its growing control over her. With her dragon, Ymmen, and her friends, Abioye and Montfre by her side, she can resist…for now. But the Stone Crown has a will of its own—and it will use whatever means necessary to accomplish its evil goal.Now Narissea must find a way to destroy the crown.Before it destroys her.This novel contains violence.

Upon Dragon's Breath Trilogy. Dragons of Wild In a time of darkness, unlikely heroes will rise. The once-peaceful kingdom of Torvald has been ravaged by evil magic, forcing Riders to forget their dragons and their noble beasts to flee to the wilds. Now, anyone who dares to speak of dragons is deemed insane and put to death. Into this dark and twisted land, Saffron was born sixteen years ago. Blessed with the gift of dragon affinity, she has been forced into a life of exile, secretly dreaming of a normal life and the family she lost. Scholarly and reclusive, Bower is the son of a noble house on the brink of destruction. His mission is to fulfill a mysterious prophecy and save his kingdom from the rule of the evil King Enric, but all he wants is to be left alone. When he meets Saffron, Bower gains a powerful ally—but her magic is too wild to control. Their friendship might just have the power to change the course of history, but when the Dark Mage King Enric makes Saffron a tempting offer, their alliance will be shaken to the core. Dragons of Kings The battle for Torvald begins. As the young heir of a noble house fallen into decay, Bower has reluctantly shouldered the mantle he was born with—that of Torvald’s rightful king. It is his destiny to throw off the shackles of King Enric and lead his people to freedom, or so he’s been told. With the help of the wild and untamed Dragon Rider Saffron, he hopes to unite his downtrodden people. It will take an uneasy alliance with a rogue band of Dragon Riders and their charismatic leader, Ryland, to challenge the Dark Mage king, but distrust threatens to tear apart the force that he’s risked everything to build. Now, on the eve of battle, Bower will have to fulfill a mystical prophecy and become the leader he was born to be, or risk his future kingdom falling apart. Surrounded on all sides by deadly foes, he must face not only the evil king, but his deep doubts about himself. Dragons of DarkSaffron’s resolve will be tested as the fate of a kingdom hangs in the balance. Young Dragon Rider Saffron and her faithful comrade, the rightful king Bower, have survived their first battle, but the war for Torvald is far from over. She warns the scholarly prince they must take action and adapt for the sake of their people, while their enemy—and her relative—King Enric waits in the wings. The powerful mage knows orphaned Saffron wishes for a family above all, and his offer to make her his heir may be too tempting to refuse. As both dragons and Riders struggle to return to the ways of old, from before the land fell into darkness, the evil king undermines their every move with spies and sabotage. Bower knows their efforts are doomed without a final assault against the palace, but Saffron has doubts. Risking everything in a single attack isn’t what concerns her—it’s what victory may mean. She knows she must overcome her Maddox nature to save her people. Toppling the ruthless Enric means an end to one deadly threat, but will she be able to resist the temptation to use her wild magic to seize power for herself?

Whispers of war become a battle cry in this epic series finale.Invasion is imminent. Skirmishes have erupted all across Alveria’s borders, but the lingering effects of the sickness have left the dragon guard weakened. Unprepared for a strike at the heart of the kingdom, difficult alliances must now be made to protect them all.Circumstances at the Akademy are no better. Kaelan Younger’s attempts to learn more about her renegade father and the Terra dragon fighting for the enemy are complicated by tapestries that refuse to reveal their secrets. And when the queen’s efforts to stop the war involve Prince Lasaro, Kaelan is forced to confront the growing feelings she has for her dragon.Their only hope to stem the tide of war is to find the long-forgotten Standing Stones and harness its ancient power. It is there that Kaelan and Lasaro’s love will face the greatest test.And one will make the ultimate sacrifice.

In this resource-rich book and teacher’s prompting guide, you’ll find:- All the planning and instructional tools you need to teach guided reading well, from pre-A to fluent, organized around Richardson’s proven Assess-Decide-Guide framework. - Prompts, discussion starters, teaching points, word lists, intervention suggestions, and more to support all students, including dual language learners and struggling readers. - 29 comprehension modules that cover essential strategies―monitoring, retelling, inferring, summarizing, and many others. - Plus an online resource bank with dozens of downloadable assessment and record-keeping forms, Richardson’s all-new, stage-specific lesson plan templates.- More than 40 short videos showing Jan modeling key parts of guided reading lessons for every stage.- A handy flip-chart guide with prompts, discussion starters, and teaching points for use during guided reading to inform your next step forward.

Okay, so officially, I’ve resigned from the Dark Witch Court as one of the witches who clean up paranormal problems no one else wants to handle. Specifically, I deal with the demons that escape from the Veil—the invisible layer that protects our world from the Netherworld.But when I’m called in to investigate a series of human deaths at a local New York restaurant while between jobs, I’m in no position to turn down the cash. So, I unofficially take the gig. I quickly discover there’s a new player in town—one who’s been gone for hundreds of years and is now killing innocents with a magical virus.I hate to admit it, but even as badass as I am, I’m seriously out-magicked. If I can’t find the culprits behind the magical virus, more innocent people will die. It’s time for me to put on my big girl pants and show the Court just what kind of Dark witch I am—a very bad one.Hexes & Flames is a fast-paced urban fantasy adventure with a kick-butt heroine and plenty of action, suspense and humor. Grab your copy today.The Dark Files series:Spells & Ashes (The Dark Files Book 1)Charms & Demons (The Dark Files Book 2) Hexes & Flames (The Dark Files Book 3)Curses & Blood (The Dark Files Book 4)

This perennial favorite is now available in a beautiful hardcover edition! Known for her distinctive intertwining of word and image, artist and author Jan Richardson (Night Visions, In the Sanctuary of Women) returns to the rhythms of the sacred year, offering a compelling book of reflections, prayers, poetry, and art that invites us to notice the presence of God in each season. From the "Cave of the Heart" in Advent through the "Daily Way" of Ordinary Time, In Wisdom's Path serves as a companion in our search for the sacred. Richardson's evocative full-color artwork appears throughout.

Saffron’s resolve will be tested as the fate of a kingdom hangs in the balance.Young Dragon Rider Saffron and her faithful comrade the rightful king Bower have survived their first battle, but the war for Torvald is far from over. She warns the scholarly prince that they must take action and adapt for the sake of their people, while their enemy—and her relative—King Enric waits in the wings. The powerful mage knows orphaned Saffron wishes for a family above all, and his offer to make her his heir may be too tempting to refuse.As both dragons and Riders struggle to return to the ways of old, from before the land fell into darkness, the evil king undermines their every move with spies and sabotage. Bower knows their efforts are doomed without a final assault against the palace, but Saffron has doubts. Risking everything in a single attack isn’t what concerns her—it’s what victory may mean. She knows she must overcome her Maddox nature to save her people. Toppling the ruthless Enric means an end to one deadly threat, but will she be able to resist the temptation to use her wild magic to seize power for herself?

The Darkening has risen...Agathea Flamma and Sebastian Smith now face an overwhelming enemy. The rapid spread of the Darkening, a threat arising from the mists of legend, looms over the entire land. With both their families torn apart by the conflict and betrayal lurking around every corner, one mistake could doom the kingdom. They'll have to decide where to put their faith: blood ties or newfound friends? After the destruction of the Dragon Academy, it’s up to Thea and Seb to gather their loyal comrades—and forge uneasy new alliances—to quell the ancient menace and face the evil Lord Vincent. With civil war raging, the Dragon Riders must race against time to find the legendary Dragon Stone, the only tool they have to fight against the endless darkness that threatens to swallow them all.*Dragon Trials (Return of the Darkening Book One) is FREE until 17th July!*