New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness. Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age 13 she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate—a life and a role that she has never challenged ... until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister—and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

An action-packed new Isekai LitRPG Series from the bestselling author of Reborn as a Demonic Tree! Power up and become an unbeatable final boss.Damien Nightshade, a discarded royal masquerading as a Professor in one of the continent's greatest magic academies, is considered a mid-level boss—one fated to die in every playthrough. Now, I have transmigrated into his body. A game-like world has become my reality, and instead of being its hero, I'm cursed to die a pitiful death as a fated villain. But why should I accept life as a third-rate villain when I can strive to become the unbeatable final boss?Don't miss the start of this new Isekai LitRPG Series from Xkarnation, the bestselling author behind Reborn as a Demonic Tree.

Master the System. Survive a vast and unfamiliar ocean. Henry is a freshly graduated marine biologist about to make the discovery of a lifetime when he's struck by lightning. Thankfully, that isn't the end for him. He wakes up alive and healthy. And he has... tentacles. ...What? Follow Henry, a small Trickster Octopus trying to survive in a vast and unfamiliar ocean. He must navigate dangerous and mysterious waters, contend with magic-enhanced marine life, and find civilization—all while armed only with his wits, the ability to temporarily copy skills, and the tools of a bored and forgotten System. Subnautica meets Chrysalis and other monster reincarnation classics in this light-hearted and often hilarious isekai LitRPG Adventure set in the great blue sea.

Master the System. Survive a vast and unfamiliar ocean. Henry is a freshly graduated marine biologist about to make the discovery of a lifetime when he's struck by lightning. Thankfully, that isn't the end for him. He wakes up alive and healthy. And he has... tentacles. ...What? Follow Henry, a small Trickster Octopus trying to survive in a vast and unfamiliar ocean. He must navigate dangerous and mysterious waters, contend with magic-enhanced marine life, and find civilization—all while armed only with his wits, the ability to temporarily copy skills, and the tools of a bored and forgotten System. Subnautica meets Chrysalis and other monster reincarnation classics in this light-hearted and often hilarious isekai LitRPG Adventure set in the great blue sea.

For centuries, the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. Each year they are seen by millions of visitors, and they have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones. But their role is even more important than that—legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave, the Tower will crumble into dust and great harm will befall the kingdom. The responsibility for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass falls to one man: the Ravenmaster. The current holder of the position is Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, and in this fascinating, entertaining and touching book he memorably describes the ravens’ formidable intelligence, their idiosyncrasies and their occasionally wicked sense of humour. The Ravenmaster is a compelling, inspiring and irreverent story that will delight and surprise anyone with an interest in British history or animal behaviour.  

The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power. What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . . Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day. Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.

“America’s funniest science writer” ( Washington Post ) explores the irresistibly strange universe of life without gravity in this New York Times bestseller. The best-selling author of Stiff and Bonk explores the irresistibly strange universe of space travel and life without gravity. From the Space Shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule, Mary Roach takes us on the surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

A global exploration of the many writing systems that are on the verge of vanishing, and the stories and cultures they carry with them.If something is important, we write it down. Yet 85% of the world's writing systems are on the verge of vanishing - not granted official status, not taught in schools, discouraged and dismissed.When a culture is forced to abandon its traditional script, everything it has written for hundreds of years - sacred texts, poems, personal correspondence, legal documents, the collective experience, wisdom and identity of a people - is lost.This Atlas is about those writing systems, and the people who are trying to save them. From the ancient holy alphabets of the Middle East, now used only by tiny sects, to newly created African alphabets designed to keep cultural traditions alive in the twenty-first from a Sudanese script based on the ownership marks traditionally branded into camels, to a secret system used in one corner of China exclusively by women to record the songs and stories of their inner this unique book profiles dozens of scripts and the cultures they encapsulate, offering glimpses of worlds unknown to us - and ways of saving them from vanishing entirely.

Never trust a dragon – even Jonathan knows that. With his peaceful life as a scholar far behind him and his ever-growing mountain of debt to the Department of Taxation hanging over him, Jonathan can’t afford to play it safe. If he wants to get his castle back, he’ll need to take a few risks. At least he’s not facing danger alone. Whether it’s his faithful butler, a former paladin, a shapeshifter who might have gotten stuck, a land-loving merman, a wandering werewolf, a huntress in disguise, or a raccoon who can remodel the landscape, Jonathan will have plenty of company as he runs (or is dragged) headlong into danger. And he’ll need every bit of help he can get if he wants to make it through their next mission alive. For once, Jonathan isn’t the one being rescued. Nope. He and the others have been asked to brave the perils of a legendary dragon’s labyrinth to help another vampire prove that love really does conquer all. Or maybe it doesn’t when the ‘all’ includes elementals, zombies, and only the gods know what else. After all, nothing says probable death like a dragon with a smile. Oh well. Jonathan might not be a fan of probable death… but he’ll take it over certain death any day of the week.

A vampire noble’s work is never done – just ask Jonathan. Once upon a time, Jonathan lived a life as a scholar. He had his own wonderful castle with a wonderful library. Well, the library had been wonderful. The castle had kind of been a wreck. Still, it had been his castle, and he’d liked it. Alas, a run in with the Blood Alliance Department of Taxation left him without a castle and with little to his name except some fuzzy bunny slippers and a dressing gown. Yet with the help of his faithful servant Miles, Jonathan was able to join an intrepid group of adventurers. With their help, he would earn his fortune and get his castle back! At least, that was the plan. Their first mission was rather more dangerous than he’d like. It involved numerous near-death experiences, eldritch horrors, and the spirit of a long-dead vampire emperor. On the upside, they got paid. Of course, one mission won’t be enough, and there’s nothing scarier than vampire tax collectors. If Jonathan wants to get his castle back, he’ll have to go on more missions. Tougher missions. Scarier missions. Missions that make him question the sanity of dwarf architecture. And their newest mission is a doozy. But if he and the others can survive sea monsters, ancient evils, and an unlikely pair of allies, they might just strike it rich. With the help of his loyal butler, a wandering werewolf, a merman who enjoys dry land, a shape-shifter who can’t change back to her original form, and a former paladin who has managed to survive four accusations of heresy, Jonathan might just stand a chance. One way or another, Jonathan is getting his castle back.

It’s not easy being a vampire – just ask Jonathan. As the 32nd Lord of Bloodhaven, Jonathan is a vampire noble. Alas, he’s a noble in name only. Forget gold, diamonds, and bountiful estates. All he has to his name are one cosy – some would say dilapidated – castle and a reputation as a fine scholar specialising in ancient lore. Of course, given the horrible ends both his father and grandfather met in pursuit of fame and fortune, it’s probably for the best that he enjoys the quiet life. Sadly, his quiet life is about to meet a horrible end of its own. Think tax collectors are bad? How about… vampire tax collectors? After a run in with the Blood Alliance Department of Taxation leaves Jonathan with nothing except a dressing gown and a pair of bunny slippers, he has no choice but to leave his quiet life behind. He needs a lot of money, and he needs it now. But at least he can rely on his faithful servants for help, right? Wrong. The only servant he’s got left is his old but faithful butler, Miles. To get his castle and his stuff back, Jonathan and Miles have to take some risks, but the gods aren’t going to make it easy for them. After all, these are the same gods who took at least three tries to get the world mostly right, and they have some wonderful surprises up their sleeve. If Jonathan can survive werewolves, bandits, and eldritch monstrosities, he might just stand a chance. Sure, he’s more familiar with a book than a sword, but he’ll make it work. Somehow. Maybe. Probably not. It’s not easy being a vampire, but Jonathan is going to give it his best shot.