Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad, was originally a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine in 1899. It is a story within a story, following a character named Charlie Marlow, who recounts his adventure to a group of men onboard an anchored ship. The story told is of his early life as a ferry boat captain. Although his job was to transport ivory downriver, Charlie develops an interest in investing an ivory procurement agent, Kurtz, who is employed by the government. Preceded by his reputation as a brilliant emissary of progress, Kurtz has now established himself as a god among the natives in “one of the darkest places on earth.” Marlow suspects something else of Kurtz: he has gone mad. A reflection on corruptive European colonialism and a journey into the nightmare psyche of one of the corrupted, Heart of Darkness is considered one of the most influential works ever written.

A work of literary suspense that deconstructs the story of a serial killer on death row, told primarily through the eyes of the women in his life. Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn’t end like this, not for him. Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.

Before he led Ravka’s Second Army, before he created the Fold, and long before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy burdened by an extraordinary power. Eryk and his mother, Lena, have spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind. Feared by those who wish to destroy them and hunted by those who would exploit their gifts, they must hide their true abilities wherever they go. But sometimes deadly secrets have a way of revealing themselves… Discover the start of a grand and sinister destiny in this must-have graphic novel prequel to the bestselling series and international Netflix sensation Shadow and Bone from spectacular new talent Dani Pendergast and #1 New York Times bestseller Leigh Bardugo.

The Devils of Vitality always hit their mark. Rabbit Trace is a musical prodigy with a secret. Ever since an event that took place a year ago, he gets terrible stage fright before every performance. With a famous mother who's dedicated her entire life to her craft, and the weight of her expectations heavy on his shoulders, Rabbit is only one panic attack away from crumbling. He knows it'll be easier to escape if he stops running from the memory of that night, but he's stubborn and doesn't want to remember something so horrible his mind thought fit to erase it for him. Monotony has helped him make it through, and he's settled into a dull routine that keeps his mind occupied, the worst of the attacks limited to just before performances. That is until one of the infamous Devils of Vitality suddenly takes notice and decides to invade his life, whether he reciprocates or not. Baikal Void has many titles. Each of them comes with a responsibility attached to it. Future Dominus, head of the Vitality Brumal Mafia, is just one of them. He's always known he'd one day have to take the crown, he just never realized it'd be so soon. With his father dying and the inevitable changing of power looming, Baikal struggles to keep his deranged nature under control as he grapples with the upcoming loss. Then one night he's dragged to a recital for his university and sees him for the first time. After one glance he knows he's found his saving grace in Rabbit, the reserved musician who looks like he's battling demons of his own. Just like that, he's got a new title to add to the list. He's going to be the owner of one little ethereal bunny. Rabbit doesn't understand Baikal's sudden and intense interest, or why the Brumal Prince has gone out of his way to collect enough dirt on his mom to force his hand. Blackmailed into a relationship of sorts, Rabbit fights against Baikal's constant advances and his own tumultuous feelings. Everything Baikal inflicts on him is wrong and twisted, and yet the longer he's made to endure, the more codependent Rabbit finds himself becoming. Baikal promises freedom from the predetermined fate he's always been a slave to, but only if he gives himself over to him completely. And if he doesn't do so willingly? A devil is always prepared to take what they want, and Baikal Void is no exception.

A Devil of Vitality always draws first blood. Berga Obsidian is only good for one thing. As the Butcher of the Brumal mafia, Berga spends his days between the university and his lab, constantly caught up in one experiment or another. Everyone knows his name, and everyone fears him, but very few get close enough to learn who he really is. Even fewer actually want to. He's spent his entire life trying to make up for a mistake made as a child and is haunted by literal ghosts of the past dressed in pink tulle. Locking himself away periodically to protect himself and those around him has become second nature, that is until one mix-up with a Royal changes everything. Madden Odell can do no wrong. He comes from a prestigious and powerful family and is best friends with the Imperial Prince. By day, he trains at the military academy, keeping up appearances, and by night he runs the illegal street races down at the Docks. He's never wanted for anything for longer than a minute before it's his, that is until Berga strolls in and shakes up his world. Technically, they've known each other for years, but they've never been close. One night of rough and twisted debauchery and suddenly Madden is desperate to change that. By any means necessary. But Berga is far from what he seems, with an unexpected past trauma and a strong fear of abandonment. The two of them also come from different sides of the same coin. Berga is part of the Satellite, a group created to protect the head of the mafia, whereas Madden's position with the prince means he stands with the Imperial family. Even if they can somehow work through their differences and learn to rely on one another, will their leaders ever allow their relationship to strengthen? Or will the two of them have to choose? The life they've always known, or each other? Trigger Warning: This is a stand-alone dark romance which means there are many themes that some might find disturbing. Some of these include, but are not limited to, dub-con, violence, a mad scientist who doesn't cater to those squeamish, and explicit sexual content not suitable for all readers. Please be sure to read the Author's Note for a complete list of warnings! HEA guaranteed! Though this book takes place on the same planet as the previous in the series, each of these is a stand-alone.