Books with author Livia Blackburne

Kyra walks a precarious line. Though she’s captured James and thwarted his schemes, she’s keenly aware that she remains an outsider in the Palace. Her past taints everything she hopes for, including her budding relationship with Tristam, whose highborn pedigree could not be more different from her own.As Kyra struggles to find her footing, new dangers arise. An unfamiliar Demon Rider clan crosses the mountains, threatening not just Kyra but those she holds most dear. Meanwhile, power struggles within the Council highlight Forge’s class divisions. As injustice after injustice are brought to light, Kyra wonders if she’s chosen the wrong side. The assassin James, though imprisoned in the dungeon, still seems to wield power. And Kyra finds herself drawn back to him.Then there’s the secret she dares not tell, the truth of her heritage that tempts and frightens her at the same time. Kyra’s Demon Rider blood calls to her, but does she dare awaken it? As enemies stalk Forge from within and without, Kyra must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie, what she’ll fight for, and how far she’ll go to save those she loves.

James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out—if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison. Poison Dance is approximately 14,000 words long, or 54 printed pages. The paperback version of Poison Dance also includes two deleted scenes and two behind-the-scenes articles from the author on writing James's character. Excerpt: He handed her a stiletto the length of her hand and molded her fingers around the handle. Her hands were slender and her nails were delicately rounded, though her palms were calloused. The two of them stood in the cramped space between his bed and the window, holding the blade between them.“You can wear this dagger under your sleeves. Then, when you get your chance . . .” James guided the knife toward his own throat. “Go for the neck—the blood vessels and the windpipe. You’ll have to be close for that. Quick.”He lowered the stiletto until its tip grazed his neck just above his collarbone. Her eyes widened, and she looked to his face.He smiled and tightened his hands around her wrist. “Never let your guard down. Never trust anyone, and never leave yourself vulnerable.”“What if I’d surprised you just now? I could have been sent by someone to kill you.”“You wouldn’t have.”She arched her eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have killed you?”“You wouldn’t have surprised me.” He continued. “You have to be aware. If someone is this close to you, holding a weapon, you need to be on your guard. I’m watching your eyes, your shoulders. I’m aware of how you’re standing, where your balance is. If you tighten your muscles to strike, I’ll feel it in your arm. You should be doing the same with me.”Her eyes were cautious as she took in what he said. And he watched her look down, taking in his arms, the angle of his chest. Her gaze went inward and her lips fell slightly open as she tried to get a feel for his balance. Standing as close as they were, he could smell a light perfume on her skin.Thalia seemed to remember herself. She disengaged her wrist and backed away.“What makes a lass like you into a killer?” he asked.She shot him an annoyed look, and the tension left the room. “I didn’t hire you to delve into my past.”“Are you sure you want to do this? It changes you, you know, your first kill.”A smile touched her lips, a hint of a challenge. “You’re quite determined to have me think this over. Do you regret your first kill?”It was an interesting question, and he gave it some thought. “No,” he finally said. “I regret not having done it sooner.”“Who was it?” She tilted her head in anticipation of a tale. “Some Red Shield?”“My father.” He smiled when her eyes widened. “I’ll make you a deal. You can keep your secrets, and I’ll keep mine.”“Fair enough.” In another moment, she was all business again. “So if I want to cut his throat, I have to get in close to him.”“It’s the only way. You can’t beat him in a fair fight.”She turned away. “I know I’m not as strong as a man.”He shrugged. “And you never will be. But I killed grown men before I came of age. If you can’t rely on strength, you rely on stealth. Surprise is your strongest asset, so make sure the first time kills.” He paused. “If you kill him while he’s alone, you might be able to escape. If there are others with him, you won’t. Either way, you’re just as likely to die from this venture as your mark. You know that, right?”“I do.”Her voice was level, but he thought he caught a flash of despair in her eyes. What secrets was she holding that would drive her to do this? But that was her business.

When Liliya is chosen to serve the elusive God of Time, she sees a chance to forget the war-torn horrors of her past. She finds her new life at the temple to be filled with mysteries, from a globe that displays the future to a handsome young palanquin bearer who makes her smile. But though life is easier amongst the gods, it is also fraught with danger. And soon the threads of time ensnare Liliya in a web she may not escape.Lord of Time is a short story of 4000 words, or roughly 16 printed pages.

The mission was a failure. Even though Zivah and Dineas discovered a secret that could bring down the empire, their information is useless without proof. Now, with their cover blown and their quest abandoned, their only remaining hope is to get home before Ampara brings the full might of its armies against their peoples.As Shidadi and Dara alike prepare for war, Zivah and Dineas grapple with the toll of their time in the capital. After fighting alongside the Amparans against his own kin, can Dineas convince the Shidadi-and himself-where his loyalties lie? After betraying her healer's vows in Sehmar City, can Zivah find a way to redeem herself-especially when the Dara ask her to do the unthinkable? And after reluctantly falling in love, what will the two do with their lingering feelings, now that the Dineas from Sehmar City is gone forever? Time is running out for all of them, but especially Zivah whose plague symptoms surface once again. Now, she must decide how she'll define the life she has left.Together, healer and warrior must find the courage to save their people, expose the truth, and face the devastating consequences headed their way.

From New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Julia Kuo, here is I Dream of Popo. This delicate, emotionally rich picture book celebrates a special connection that crosses time zones and oceans as Popo and her granddaughter hold each other in their hearts forever. I dream with Popo as she rocks me in her arms.I wave at Popo before I board my flight.I talk to Popo from across the sea.I tell Popo about my adventures.When a young girl and her family emigrate from Taiwan to America, she leaves behind her beloved popo, her grandmother. She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong.

Office Pool is a coming of age story of an underachieving ink pen named Arthur "Arty" Bickerson. As his unique journey is chronicled as he navigates the ups and downs of "The Office" and it's complexities. Arty experiences new success, love, peer jealousy, classism, along with high expectations and self doubt. Office Pool is a fictional world with many layers. With humans set as the backdrop, these common everyday writing utensils deal with universally relatable issues and themes.

A healer who cannot be healed . . . When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it's only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she's destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art-until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. A soldier shattered by war . . . Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he'll do anything to free them from Amparan rule-even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self. Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn't be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts. This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes.

The Office Pool II Extraction sequel picks up right where we left Arty & company in the first book Office Pool Orientation. Now past the introductory phase of the office penciltics in this small world, young Arty and his pals find themselves suddenly called upon to rescue Stanley. As they set off on this search and rescue mission as to the whereabouts of their beloved community mentor Stan Sharply. It is later discovered that a very large group of previously abducted utensils thought to be long dried out, at the hands off the dreaded underlord King Glitter Smear, are found alive. With an already near impossible mission of locating and extracting Stanley, the plan quickly escalates into a larger scale plot to extract a long written off community. Once in the dark foreign abode of the lower desktop, the young utensils quickly find out surprising things about each other, their own past, their growing present difficulties, and the fate of their very near future...with a surprising twist of coarse.