Books published by publisher Z.Z. Lakehouse

It is always darkest before the dawn. Harmonia has certainly found this to be true. She has faced more than any one person, goddess or mortal, should ever have to face. She has lost her soul mate time after time, lies and deceit have surrounded her and in fact, she has even been misled about her very identity. Yet she has always emerged with strength and grace. But now she will face the unthinkable. Her daughter has been taken and Harmonia will risk everything to get her back. In this epic series finale, all will be revealed. The only question remaining is…Who will be left standing?Critics say: The Book Holdup says: "And here we are...at the end of a wonderful series! As a reader, this is always a scary moment. How will the author handle these beloved characters, what adventures lay ahead, and most importantly...how will it end? Now that's I've finished this book, I can breath again. All is right with the world. Ms. Cole has written another great book!!"Helen on Goodreads says: "THIS SERIES IS A DEFINITE MUST READ THAT WILL NOT ONLY KEEP YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT WITH ACTION, BUT IT'S CHARACTERS WILL WORK THEIR WAY INTO YOUR HEART, AND MAKE A HOME THERE. A+++++"Shari on Goodreads says: "Ms Cole's gift of imagery is impeccable, writing such incredible, vivid images that I feel as though I too have trekked through thousands of adventures, right alongside Harmonia and Cadmus. There has not been a series in sometime that I have become so invested in the characters, and while I'm sad to see their story end, I loved every moment."Branwen on Goodreads says: "If you havn't read this series I seriously urge you to do so, it is absolutely spectacular! But you should probably get them all at once because let me tell you that Courtney Cole's writing is addicting!" My Tattered Bonds is preceded by Every Last Kiss (book one), Fated (book two) and With My Last Breath (book three). It is followed by a bonus Bloodstone Saga novella, House of Thebes. My Tattered Bonds contains a preview of Courtney Cole's exciting upcoming new series, The Moonstone Saga. About the author: Courtney Cole, a novelist who lives near Lake Michigan, has lived and breathed mythology as she has written The Bloodstone Saga. She has enjoyed it so much that she is planning a spin-off series, The Moonstone Saga. The first book, Soul Kissed, will be available December 1, 2011.

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring. Until this year. And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes. 2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. 5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference? But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl. My heart just might be crazy. ***Dante's Girl is the first in The Paradise Diaries. It is followed by Mia's Heart.

Money can’t buy happiness… even in a world that begins with a Tiffany teething ring. Sydney Ross has it made. As the 17-year old daughter of Illinois senator Randall Ross and socialite Jillian Ross, Sydney was born with perfect teeth and a killer trust-fund. Everything about her life is idyllic…the life of a princess. The Ross’ are richer than God and twice as beautiful, the picture-perfect All-American Family. Except that it is all a lie. After a positive pregnancy test, Sydney’s life unravels in the space of just one breath. Life as she knows it is over and survival itself begins to look questionable as life and death literally hang in the balance with each sordid twist that she is dealt. After the shocking climax, Sydney is brought to her knees with one seething question: Who in the world can she trust when no one is who they seem to be?Caution: This book is not set in a Mayberry kind of world nor is it a simple book about teen pregnancy. Princess is somewhat twisted and edgy. You might need to fan yourself during some parts and a box of tissues during others. It contains love, suspense, heartache and loss. Oh- and some adult themes and language, too. About the author: Courtney Cole is a novelist who lives near Lake Michigan with her family (aka Zoo), pet iPad and favorite cashmere socks. Princess is her first venture into the contemporary fiction genre. She usually hangs out in paranormal worlds, as evidenced by her Bloodstone and Moonstone Sagas.

All she ever wanted was a chance to settle down in one place.Thistle Nettlebottom knows her life isn't exactly normal. She travels the country with her secretive mother and bestselling author grandmother in a pink RV going from book signings to crazy research trips. She's never been to public school or had a boyfriend, but she can pick a lock and hotwire a car. One day the phone rings and they set a course to a tiny town that's not on any maps. Suddenly, Thistle finds her whole life changing.She's finally found the home she's been searching for.Thistle soon realizes that Desire isn't like other towns and she's not like other girls. The family she trusted has lied to her about everything her entire life and the things she doesn't know about herself could cost her everything. Her legacy as one of the most powerful witches the town has ever seen has made her enemies that have been waiting patiently for a chance to destroy her. Thistle needs to learn to use her powers to protect herself before they succeed.Be careful what you wish for.Thistle has a power unique even among the magic wielding witches of Desire. She can wish things into existence. At first she enjoys the freedom of having everything her heart desires, but she soon realizes that her power comes at a terrible price. She's losing her grip on her sanity at a time when she can't afford any weakness. Her enemies are closing in quickly, but she might not have the strength to save herself.

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring. Until this year. And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things: 1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes. 2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac. 3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish. 4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. 5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them. Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference? But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl. My heart just might be crazy.

It is always darkest before the dawn. Harmonia has certainly found this to be true. She has faced more than any one person, goddess or mortal, should ever have to face. She has lost her soul mate time after time, lies and deceit have surrounded her and in fact, she has even been misled about her very identity. Yet she has always emerged with strength and grace. But now she will face the unthinkable. Her daughter has been taken and Harmonia will risk everything to get her back. In this epic series finale, all will be revealed. The only question remaining is…Who will be left standing?

While dinosaurs walked the Earth for 165 million years, the world of dinosaurs still fascinates and amazes us because there is so much mysteries surrounding them. No one truly knows how they lived or what the world was like with dinosaurs roaming about but we do know that it was a dangerous time to be born.Scientists dug up fossils, study them and reconstructed how dinosaurs may have looked, but that is only half of the story. Experts used to think that dinosaurs, like many modern-day reptiles, did not care for their young. Paleontologists have uncovered evidence that has changed opinions about this idea. Today paleontologists believe that most dinosaurs cared for their young. Does this mean that dinosaurs had hearts? They definitely had brains. There were fossils unearthed that may prove some dinosaurs had hearts but again they are mere deductions. This book is about Kiri, a Dracorex who lived at the end of the Cretaceous period. It is the period when the world was changing. It is the period that marks the end of the dinosaurs. Kiri was no ordinary dinosaur. He was born into a family of plant-eaters but yet he did not look like one, nor did he look like his kind. Branded a misfit by the other plant-eating dinosaurs, Kiri had one special gift, which he has yet to understand its uses. It lives inside of him, constantly beating against his chest reminding him of its existence. In this fictional adventure story, all other dinosaurs did not have "hearts". With the help of his friends and his wise old grandfather, Kiri experiences a life full of adventure and challenges while slowly getting to know the thing beating against his chest. Kiri's heart would one day lead him to his true life's path. There is still a lot we can learn from the world of dinosaurs. Kiri's life adventures may teach us not to neglect the other important function of the "heart"; to listen to it and to give it a chance to speak. Then maybe we realize that the dinosaur world was not as bad as or different from the world we live in now - full of chaos and violence. However, apart from the brain, Man was given a special gift called the "heart". Unlike dinosaurs, we could choose whether to listen to it or keep it shut.

Kiri’s life journey at the herd continues with new friends and new adventures. In this book, Kiri’s life path introduced him to another intriguing mammal. Different from Mia, this mammal is more versatile and capable of doing things that dinosaurs could not dreamed of. Both Kiri and this new mammal had more things in common than Kiri expected. For one, they both had a heart. Through this mammal, Kiri learned more about the heart. Though it intrigues him, Kiri was not yet aware of its powers. Slowly, Kiri began to feel and understand its uses and the things it can do. His heart never stopped beating, always reminding him of its existence. All he needed to do was to listen to it.In the recent past, Kiri’s heart has showed compassion and love. It did not discriminate others based on colour or appearance. It did not harbour hatred towards the other dinosaurs in the herd that had ridiculed him. But it did recognise danger. Kiri’s next adventure would teach him another aspect of the heart that he needed in order to serve his true calling – courage. Furthermore, the threat of Genggan still looms over the herd. Courage was what he needed to make the right choice and to defeat Genggan. Kiri doesn’t know it yet, but listening to his heart would bring him closer to his true life’s path.Kiri’s physical appearance was also changing. He was beginning to look more like a meat-eater or maybe some other dinosaur species that they had not seen before. This constantly made him feel like an outcast among the herd of plant-eating dinosaurs. All the dinosaurs at the herd had noticed those changes including grandpa pachy. Towards the end of this book, more is revealed by grandpa pachy about what he thinks is happening with Kiri and the world around them. Voices in the wind, ripples in the water and vibrations on the ground were telling grandpa pachy of the inevitable fate awaiting the dinosaurs. Grandpa pachy always knew that Kiri had a special life purpose; a bigger purpose that is related to the changes in the world around them. However, grandpa pachy does not know how exactly Kiri fits in. In the simple minds of dinosaurs, choices were limited and few – to eat or be eaten, good or evil. Grandpa pachy would never know which side Kiri would choose to be on. Only time would tell. The Creator has His reasons. And the world was just beginning to find out.

In the first book, Kiri had a reason to be happy. He had found his first new friend at the herd. Kiri and Begi became good friends, spending lots of time together with Mia lurking around, quietly watching them. Mia was a mammal that lived on the trees, catching bugs and lizards as her prey. She lived by herself and so it was for her own survival that she became very cautious of her surroundings. She came across as a cold and aloof creature but yet Kiri had a certain fondness towards her. He hoped that she could be their friend too. However, Kiri has not yet understood the power of the living thing constantly beating inside his chest. It could fill him with joy and other times, make him restless and uncomfortable. He did not know it was something called the heart and he did not know what it could do. His compassionate heart speaks to him and through it, Kiri would continue to spread his love and kindness to all creatures regardless of how they look. This book would show how Kiri's tender heart made him took the first step in doing something that he had never done before.Grandpa pachy was the closest family Kiri ever had. An old and wise pachy, grandpa pachy watched Kiri grow and noticed the changes in Kiri, especially Kiri's physical appearance that was looking more like a meat-eater. This caused the other dinosaurs in the herd to grow more suspicious of Kiri. Grandpa pachy was a spiritual dinosaur and conscious of the changes happening in the world around him. He knew something about Kiri that the other dinosaurs didn't. Yet he was not entirely certain and meditates to find the answers. In this book, a little bit more is known about what grandpa pachy saw in Kiri. Also in this book, it was revealed that Genggan and the herd had actually crossed paths in the past. Kiri would not forget his encounter with Genggan, the Basilisk in that underground cave. Kiri must tell grandpa pachy about it before Genggan strikes. Would grandpa pachy and the rest of the herd believe him? Could they trust him? Finally, at the end of this book, Kiri would meet for the first time, another new species that would play a major part in his journey towards his true calling.

Kiri and Masuk agreed on a plan to defeat the evil Genggan. They made it to the underground cave only to find that he was not there! The period for Genggan to shed its skin was over and it had left the underground cave in search for food. Kiri’s beating heart immediately sensed danger facing the herd at the valley below. Genggan must already be there, striking terror at the herd of plant-eating dinosaurs. Kiri and Masuk raced their way back down to the valley with the herd. Would they make it back on time to stop Genggan? Kiri knew that he must face and defeat Genggan. The claw-shaped spine was the only weapon that might work on the magical serpent and it was now hung around Masuk’s neck. Kiri accepted the reality that he could not defeat Genggan all by himself. He was not big and strong enough yet. He had not even reached the age of a full-grown adult dinosaur. So he had to place his trust on Masuk, the Man who was nimble and agile than him. Can Kiri trusts him? His beating chest told him to trust Man and hope for the best. There was still much Kiri needed to learn from this experience.Kiri’s heart never stopped beating but only to skip a beat every time he saw Mia. He had grown fond of her and a strange feeling starts to develop inside his heart. It was growing like wildflowers and he had no control over; a feeling of something that he could not yet understand. However, Kiri knew that he would someday have to let her go. There was no future for a mammal such as Mia, among a herd of plant-eating dinosaurs. Mia must go back to her kind and expand their species. This caused a strange discomfort in his beating heart. He would very much prefer to keep Mia with him all his life but that would be a selfish thing to do. His heart was split in the middle. What would be his decision? Would he do the right thing - let her go and accept the pain of missing her? Or would he do the selfish thing of keeping her close to him in his life as a magical creature that was filled with big responsibilities and dangers.On the other hand, Mia had secretly developed emotions for Kiri too. But she knew that they were both very different creatures. Day after day, her feelings for him grew steadily. Many times, she was touched by his kind and compassionate heart. She started noticing the physical transformation Kiri was going through and she was not quite sure what to make of it. She knew that Kiri would be faced with big responsibilities and sacrifices in his life. She wished she could help him but it was simply something that was out of her ordinary world. The world of a magical creature was not something she had any clue about. Would Mia ever be able to accept her feelings for Kiri that was also growing in her heart?