Books with author Matt Richardson

The greatest enemy is the one within.Prince Kai Afkarr-Younger hides a dangerous secret—he’s been infected with the Nightmare Plague. Exhausted from battle and illness, he must force himself to stay awake or risk spawning yet another monster attack on the already beleaguered city; an impossible undertaking without the strength of his tamer.Mari Asadottier will do whatever it takes to keep Kai’s infection secret from Alveria’s scheming Council. Without the power she offers through their bond, he’ll never make it through the coronation ceremony in his weakened condition. And without the strong leadership only Kai can provide, Bellsor will devolve into pandemonium.But their efforts to protect Bellsor are hampered when Kai collapses shortly after being crowned, spawning the deadliest monster of all. Driven to defeat what he’s created, Kai nearly loses himself in a rogue animalistic frenzy. Only Mari’s persistence brings him back from the brink, and sets him upon the path to discovering Chaos’s nightmarish plan to destroy the Sources of Magic.If they want any hope of defeating Chaos and protecting magic, Kai and Mari must hunt down and save the Primal Sources of Magic before they are gone forever—and Chaos reigns supreme.Queen of the Dragons' Ava Richardson invites you to immerse yourself in a dragon-filled world with epic magic, fearless heroes and, at its heart, the deep bond between dragon and rider.This novel contains violence.

It’s an all-or-nothing fight for the kingdom.The plague has been eradicated and the remaining nightmare monsters have fled Alveria—for now. With the Source of Fire now in their possession, Mari Asadottir and King Kai must remain vigilant during the royal ball held to honor their official bonding and graduation to Akademy initiates. For there are enemies all around.With the Head Councilor trying to steal power, Kai must prove to his people that he can wisely and effectively rule. Deception is at work from every side, and Chaos will use anyone to achieve his aim. Including a spy placed in their midst.When the Source of Fire goes missing, the betrayal cuts deep. But Mari and Kai can’t waste time licking their wounds while the fate of all magic hangs in the balance. Information from the captured spy leads them deep into the heart of enemy territory, seeking out the remaining Sources before Mari’s unique creation magic is destroyed forever.But when word reaches them of an attack on the Akademy’s mountain fortress, Mari and Kai become embroiled in a horrific battle that threatens to bring them to their knees. Now, dragon and tamer must give it their all or witness the end of Alveria’s magic and the universe as they know it.Queen of the Dragons' Ava Richardson invites you to immerse yourself in a dragon-filled world with epic magic, fearless heroes and, at its heart, the deep bond between dragon and rider.

Are you ready for your next magical adventure? Okay, so I’m in trouble. Big trouble. I’m broke. Worse, my boyfriend of five years just dumped me. What do I do? I move in with my three eccentric aunts in their family home, Davenport House. Sounds exciting, only this massive farmhouse likes to eat men. If I were a regular human, I would have run out screaming like a banshee. As a witch—I do absolutely nothing. Hey, maybe they deserved it?I’m back in Hollow Cove, the flamboyant paranormal community, where nymphs, werewolves, trolls, shifters, witches, and other paranormals live comfortable lives—and away from prying human eyes. As I settle into my new life, I decide to accept my aunts’ proposal and join the family business—the business of protecting our town and killing anything that would want to harm it.But I’ve been away from the paranormal world for quite some time, and my magical abilities are a little bit rusty—heck, they’re practically invisible. Things soon spiral down the crapper when people in our community start dropping like flies. And when demons start showing up in Hollow Cove, it’s up to me, to take care of them. Permanently.This is going to be awesome. I just know it.Get ready for this heart-pounding and laugh out loud magical adventure!Shadow Witch is the first novel in The Witches of Hollow Cove series. If you like fast-paced urban fantasy adventure with a kick-butt heroine and plenty of action, suspense, and humor, you’ll love Shadow Witch.

In a kingdom that has fallen into chaos, one young woman—and her dragon—are thrust into the role of bringing balance to the land.From the moment Dayie washed ashore as an infant, everyone in her tiny village treated her as… different. She didn’t belong, no matter how hard she tried. So when a vicious, invasive plant called Deadweed overruns her village, she’s blamed and sold to the Dragon Traders for fear of her powers and the mystery surrounding her origin. After years of service to the ruthless Dragon Traders, Dayie wants her freedom. To repay her debt, Dayie steals a dragon egg. But she winds up with far more than she bargained for when her egg hatches before she can get it to them. Now she must hide her hotheaded young dragon Zarr or risk losing him: either to the Dragon Traders or the Deadweed that’s creeping ever southward.When the Dragon Traders travel further south to evade capture and Deadweed attacks, Dayie meets a mysterious Dragon Rider named Akeem, who tells her magic is behind the spread of the Deadweed, and that she’s been bonded with Zarr—for life. Now Dayie faces a choice: give up her dragon for her freedom or take her place with Zarr in the Training Hall of Dagban. There, she may have the chance to avenge her parents’ deaths and solve the mystery of ever-spreading Deadweed.Dayie’s destiny awaits, if she’s brave enough to follow it…This novel contains violence

Their power is in the strength of their bond. But deceit threatens to break it.It’s official. Kaelan Younger has finally been accepted as a dragon tamer at the Akademy. Yet even as she begins to learn the extent of her powers, a mysterious illness stalks the dragons and threatens Prince Lasaro.More than her bond with the prince is endangered when Kaelan seeks help from a most unlikely source. As a result, the lies to cover her deception mount. But with the enemy’s armies gathering at Alveria’s borders, Kaelan will do whatever it takes to save those she has sworn to protect—even if it means sacrificing herself.Now Kaelan and Lasaro must find a way to heal the dragons and harness the depth of their connection in order to stop the treachery from within.If not, a once great nation will fall.This novel contains some sexual content and violence.

In this convenient flip-chart guide, you can easily find prompts, discussion starters, and teaching points to use when you want students to process more effectively, think more deeply, and express their ideas more thoughtfully. The self-standing guide with sturdy pages makes it convenient to use while working with small groups. Instantly, you can use these tools as starting points for in-depth inquiry based on behaviors you’re noticing in students. There are also recommendations on how to revise them as necessary to meet every reader’s needs.

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?

'PROOF THAT THE SPY GENRE IS FLOURISHING IN THE 21ST CENTURY' Guardian'I know for certain that there is a mole somewhere within the intelligence services . . . His codename is Nobody . . .' Solomon Vine is a spy on a fast track to the top. But when a prisoner is shot in unexplained circumstances on his watch, only suspension and exile beckon. Three months later, MI6's Head of Station in Istanbul is violently abducted from his home. With the Service in lockdown, uncertain of who can be trusted, thoughts turn to the missing man's oldest friend: Solomon Vine. On the run and determined to clear his name, Vine tries to uncover the truth. But his investigation soon reveals that there's much more at stake than the life of a single spy...'Compelling, intense and sharply authentic' James Swallow, bestselling author of Nomad 'A supremely confident debut' Daily Mail 'Authentic, mysterious, fraught with deception, betrayal, and uncertain allegiances' Jason Matthews, author of Red Sparrow 'Such a smart, pacey, twisty thriller. Tremendous!' C.J. Tudor, author of The Chalk Man