- Table View
- List View
Speculative Satire in Contemporary Literature and Film: Rant Against the Regime (Routledge Studies in Speculative Fiction)
by Kirk CombeSince 1980, when neoliberal and neoconservative forces began their hostile takeover of western culture, a new type of political satire has emerged that works to unmask and deter those toxic doctrines. Literary and cultural critic Kirk Combe calls this new form of satire the Rant. The Rant is grim, highly imaginative, and complex in its blending of genres. It mixes facets of satire, science fiction, and monster tale to produce widely consumed spectacles—major studio movies, popular television/streaming series, bestselling novels—designed to disturb and to provoke. The Rant targets what Combe calls the Regime. Simply put, the Regime is the sum of the dangerous social, economic, and political orthodoxies spurred on by neoliberal and neoconservative polity. Such practices include free-market capitalism, corporatism, militarism, religiosity, imperialism, racism, patriarchy, and so on. In the Rant, then, we have a unique and wholly contemporary genre of political expression and protest: speculative satire.
Speechless
by Hannah HarringtonEveryone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secretUntil now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast-and nearly got someone killed.Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence-to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way-people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.
Speechless
by Hannah HarringtonEveryone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secretUntil now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast-and nearly got someone killed.Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence-to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way-people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.
Speechless
by Sandy Rideout Yvonne CollinsLibby McIssac is known for two things: catching bridal bouquets (her record's an even dozen) and having a way with words. Since the former isn't really something that looks good on a résumé, it's helpful to have parlayed the latter into a new career as a political speechwriter. But just as she's making sure her boss looks as if she knows something about...well, anything, Libby's world is turned upside down.Enter a handsome British consultant-a bit on the cagey side, perhaps-who upsets the delicate chain of command around the office and somehow always gets what he wants. Including Libby?When a media leak of a big-time scandal sends everyone into a tailspin, Libby fears she may get caught in the cross fire. Cue the fake alliances, the secrets, the sex, the subterfuge, the hidden friendships: it's all there.Welcome to the world of politics, where perception is everything, nothing is as it seems and the last thing you want is to be left speechless.
Speechless (Speechless #1)
by Kim FieldingTravis Miller has a machining job, a cat named Elwood, and a pathetic love life. The one bright spot in his existence is the handsome guitar player he sometimes passes on his way home from work. But when he finally gathers the courage to speak to the man, Travis learns that former novelist Drew Clifton suffers from aphasia: Drew can understand everything Travis says, but he is unable to speak or write. The two lonely men form a friendship that soon blossoms into romance. But communication is only one of their challenges--there's also Travis's inexperience with love and his precarious financial situation. If words are the bridge between two people, what will keep them together? Third Place (Tie): Best LGBT Cover
Speechless (The Thriller Shorts #1)
by Robert BrowneDiscover heart-racing intrigue in this Thriller Short of romantic suspense.Originally published in LOVE IS MURDER (2013),edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown.In this compelling Thriller Short, bestselling author Robert Browne lures us in with fears we all hold in common, then holds us captive with some uncommon twists. A love-hate mother-daughter relationship is further complicated when a high-handed mother feeds her daughter’s fear of infidelity and exploits her uncertainty in her choice in men. David, in particular. The daughter trusts David, but is that wise? Resolved to determine the truth, the daughter follows David on a business trip and sees and hears far more than she ever wanted. His drop-dead gorgeous associate is now dead, and David is convicted of killing her. But is he guilty?Don’t miss any of these Thriller Shorts from Love Is Murder:Diamond Drop by Roxanne St. ClaireCold Moonlight by Carla NeggersPoisoned by Beverly BartonSpeechless by Robert BrowneLockdown by Andrea KaneSpider’s Tango by William SimonNight Heat by Laura GriffinB.A.D. Mission by Sherrilyn KenyonDeadly Fixation by Dianna LoveHot Note by Patricia RosemoorLast Shot by Jon Land & Jeff AyersGrave Danger by Heather GrahamWithout Mercy by Mariah StewartEven Steven by D.P. LyleDying to Score by Cindy GerardThe Number of Man by J.T. EllisonHard Drive by Bill FloydAfter Hours by William BernhardtBlood In, Blood Out by Brenda NovakWed to Death by Vicki HinzeThe Honeymoon by Julie KennerExecution Dock by James MacomberIn Atlantis by Alexandra SokoloffBreak Even by Pamela CallowDirty Down Low by Debra WebbBroken Hallelujah by Toni McGee CauseyHolding Mercy by Lori ArmstrongVacation Interrupted by Allison BrennanI Heard a Romantic Story by Lee Child
Speed (44 Chapters #2)
by BB EastonWith Netflix adapting BB's 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN into a new series, you're going to want the full story behind her outrageous adventures. Because BB Easton had so much fun writing her bestselling, award-winning memoir, she decided to give each of her four men his own steamy standalone. SPEED is Harley's book--a gritty, '90s-era love triangle overflowing with dark humor, intense heat, and tangible teen angst. It is based on a true story. Ronald "Knight" McKnight was Obsessive. Possessive. Downright psychopathic. But that didn't stop me from falling in love with him...or falling apart when he joined the Marines. When he left, Knight told me to "find someone better," but I didn't.I found Harley instead.Harley James was a fun, flirty, tattooed mechanic whose face was as angelic as his secrets were sinful. He taught me how to live again. How to laugh again. But would he teach me how to love again?Over Knight's dead body. "Raw, scorching, and totally addictive, Speed is an adrenaline-fueled ride that captures the dangerous heights and consuming depths of teenage love." --Jamie Shaw, author of Mayhem
Speed Bumps
by Ken CasperStar NASCAR driver Gabby O'Farrell can't believe her mother is harping at her again. How many times does she have to say it? She's "not" going to help run the family's corporation. She's "not" shopping for a husband of the right pedigree. And there's "no way" she's ever going to give up racing! Who cares what the other macho, hothead drivers are saying about her? Gabby knows team owner Vaughn Steiner has got her back. And since they started sharing kisses and strategy in equal measure, she's determined to go all the way. . . to win the coveted NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship. But now that she's growing close to Vaughn's adorable daughter, is she ready for the mommy track, too?
Speed Dating
by Nancy WarrenDylan Hargreave thinks I'm an actress paid to pose as his girlfriend at a North Carolina society wedding. How did this happen to me, of all people? Kendall Clarke, award-winning actuary, the veritable shining star of number crunchers who, just hours ago, learned her responsible fiancé (sorry, ex-fiancé) called off our wedding because he'd gotten one of my colleagues pregnant. What are the odds? Don't tell me you've never heard of Dylan Hargreave. Celebrity NASCAR driver? People magazine's Sexiest Man of the Year? Those eyes. That smile... Forget sensible! I've assessed the risk...and I'm taking it! I usually keep the brakes on, but as of now I'm taking a vacation. From me.
Speed Dating (Harlequin Nascar Ser.)
by Nancy WarrenDylan Hargreave thinks I'm an actress paid to pose as his girlfriendat a North Carolina society wedding. How did this happen to me,of all people? Kendall Clarke, award-winning actuary, the veritableshining star of number crunchers who, just hours ago, learned herresponsible fiancé (sorry, ex-fiancé) called off our wedding becausehe'd gotten one of my colleagues pregnant. What are the odds?Don't tell me you've never heard of Dylan Hargreave. CelebrityNASCAR driver? People magazine's Sexiest Man of the Year?Those eyes. That smile...Forget sensible! I've assessed the risk...and I'm taking it! I usuallykeep the brakes on, but as of now I'm taking a vacation. From me.
Speed Dating the Boss (Cowboys and Angels #1)
by Sue BrownCowboys and Angels: Book OneWill a mix of privilege and blue collar be a recipe for love… or disaster? Dan’s pretty satisfied with his job at the working-class bar Cowboys and Angels. He enjoys his simple life, his apartment, and his cat, but he could do without the fights that break out in the bar, his boss’s meddling daughter, Ariel… oh, and a brutal, unrequited crush on his straight alpha boss, Gideon. When Dan’s friend prepares to tie the knot, everyone insists that Dan needs a date for the wedding. Before he can protest, Ariel arranges a gay speed-dating event at the bar with Gideon as a participant. The unforeseen revelation that Gideon is bisexual raises Dan’s hopes, especially when Gideon announces that he wants to accompany Dan to the wedding. Could Gideon really be interested in Dan? When Dan needs someone most, Gideon offers his unconditional support, and with genuine commitment, he shows Dan the kind of man he really is. Teaming up to save the wedding from a hungover groom and intolerant parents, can Gideon convince Dan they’re the best match since beer and pizza?
Speed Trap
by J. M. SnyderWhen Mark Peters is stopped for speeding, patrol officer Lt. W.V. Tench lets him off with just a warning. The only problem is that now Mark can't get the sexy cop out of his mind. When his friends jokingly suggest he drive around until he gets pulled over again, Mark thinks that's a great idea.Except it's a different cop this time. And this one isn't as taken in with Mark's disarming grin as Lt. Tench claimed to be.With his friends snickering beside him, Mark just wants to drive off and try his luck again. How many tickets will he have to rack up just to meet the man of his dreams?
Speed Trap
by Patricia DavidsUSA Today–Bestselling Author: A Kansas sheriff saves a baby’s life, but she’s unsure whether to view the boy’s father with sympathy or suspicion . . .The fatal crash was no accident. The killer’s only mistake was leaving behind a survivor . . . a four-month-old boy. For his sake—and for his murdered mother’s—Sheriff Mandy Scott will see justice served. And she already has her prime suspect: the boy’s father, Garrett Bowen.Yet despite the evidence against him, something about the reclusive rancher makes Mandy question his guilt. Nothing is as it seems as crime starts spiraling out of control in Timber Wells. If Mandy lets herself trust Garrett, will he shield her from danger, or send her racing into another lethal trap?
Speed of Light
by Amber KizerMeridian Sozu is a Fenestra, an angel infused human, destined to transition souls into the next world. Together with Tens Valdes, her soulmate and Protector, they've made a home in Indiana, making sure the dead safely enter the light and aren't stolen by the Dark, known as the Nocti. Upon rescuing Juliet Ambrose from her terrible childhood, Juliet has become vulnerable without her Protector and grasps at any hope to find her parents, even when it's offered by a proven Nocti, Ms. Asura. Juliet is now faced with the horrible choice between uncovering her past and having a future.Meanwhile, time may be running out for the hundreds of thousands preparing for the festivities surrounding the Indianapolis 500 car race. As centuries of secrets are revealed, the battles will pit Light versus Dark. Not all with survive as Meridian, Tens, and Julie join forces to try to thwart a potential tragedy.
Spell Bound
by Emma WeylinA cursed Viking must lose his heart or lose his soul in a thousand-year-old game started by the Norse gods. As passion sparks and love blooms, the gods decide to change the rules. Book 1 in Emma Weylin's Love Cursed series is a red-hot romance that will leave you spellbound!Clover has a peculiar effect on men--they turn into homicidal lunatics. She decides to swear off men and gives up her dream of the perfect boring suburban life. She hadn't counted on finding a very large, very yummy Viking in her favorite part of the library courtyard. Clover finds she has to trust this Viking, because she's in danger from gangsters hunting her to collect on her brother's debts.Rune is a thousand-year-old Viking trying to escape from a curse. He must fall in love with the woman the gods choose for him or suffer eternity in Norse Hel. Nine times he's tried and nine times he's failed. This is his last attempt. Resigned to his doom, he vows to save Clover from the gods' petty games before his death. As the last round of the gods' game begins, Rune discovers there are worse things than losing his soul.Content Notes: Paranormal, Fantasy, Elves, Fairies, Fae, Sidhe, Gods and Goddesses, Vikings, Warriors, Sexy
Spell Bound
by F.T. LukensMagic rivals. A deadly secret. An inconvenient crush. What could possibly go wrong? A perfect LGBT+ romantic fantasy for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Margaret Rogerson and Adam Silvera! Edison Rooker is determined to gain access to the magical world. Problem is, he doesn&’t have magic. But he does have a plan: get a job as apprentice to powerful sorceress Antonia Hex. He also has an illegal Spell Binder device, which he must keep hidden from the Magical Consortium, at all costs . . . With his new job, Edison is given a new name – Rook – which he happily accepts. He&’s less happy about working alongside Sun, the grumpy but annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia&’s big rival. When the Consortium gets wind of Rook&’s Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. Rook turns to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. The two must team up to save Antonia . . . or face losing their magic forever. Funny, subversive, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F. T. Lukens. Look out for So This is Ever After and In Deeper Waters.
Spell Bound
by Ru EmersonYoung Prince Conrad had never seen such a beautiful maiden. Her name was Sofia, and she was magic. Bewitching, beguiling, bewildering... It was as if she had cast a spell on him. But was it true love that captured his heart? Or a dark, powerful sorcery as tempting and inescapable as evil itself? The answer would soon be revealed... at the stroke of midnight. *** Ru Emerson, the acclaimed author of THE TALES OF NEDAO, has woven a stunning tapestry of dark magic and dangerous romance. A brilliantly haunting fairy tale you will never forget...
Spell Bound (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #1)
by Jacob Z. FloresThe Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge: Book OneMason Blackmoor just can't compete with his brothers, much less his father. They represent the epitome of black magic, strong, dark, and wicked, and though Mason tries to live up to his respected lineage, most of the spells he casts go awry. To make matters worse, his active power has yet to kick in. While his brothers wield lightning and harness the cold, Mason sits on the sidelines, waiting for the moment when he can finally enter the magical game. When a dead body is discovered on the football field of his high school, Mason meets Drake Carpenter, the new kid in town. Drake's confident demeanor and quick wit rub Mason the wrong way. Drake is far too self-assured for someone without an ounce of magical blood in his body, and Mason aims to teach him a lesson--like turn him into a roach. And if he's lucky, maybe this time Mason won't be the one turned into an insect. Not surprisingly, the dislike is mutual, and Drake does nothing to dispel Mason's suspicion that the sexy boy with a southern drawl is somehow connected to the murder. If only Mason didn't find himself inexplicably spell bound whenever they are together, they might actually find out what danger hides in the shadows.
Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld, Book #12)
by Kelley ArmstrongKelley Armstrong returns with an exciting new follow-up to her national bestselling book Waking the Witch.Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would help a young girl. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Spell Bound gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope and others, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.From the Hardcover edition.
Spell Cat (The Aloysius Tales #1)
by Tara LainAn Aloysius Tale <P><P>When Killian Barth, history professor, meets Blaine Genneau, quantum physicist, they ignite their own big bang. But Killian can’t pursue a physics professor—or a human. As the most powerful male witch in ten generations, Killian must bolster his dying race by reproducing—despite the fact that he’s gay. <P><P>Even a fling with Blaine is out of the question, because Killian has been told sex with humans drains his power. But if that’s true, why can young human Jimmy Janx dissolve spoons with the power of his mind? If Killian can sort through the lies he’s been fed, he’ll still face his biggest obstacle—convincing rational scientist Blaine to believe in magic. <P><P>With his ancient and powerful cat familiar, Aloysius, on his shoulder, Killian brings the lightning against deceit and greed to save Blaine from danger and prove love is the greatest power of them all.
Spell Fall (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #4)
by Jacob Z. FloresThe Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge: Book FourLove and trust made them soul mates, but destiny might have other plans. Ever since Drake Carpenter fell in love with warlock Mason Blackmoor, his life has been one supernatural battle after another, but Drake doesn’t mind… much. To be with Mason and experience the magical connection they share, Drake would face entire hordes of vampyren, shifters, or fae—and he has. Luckily Drake is immune to magic, though no one can explain his natural ability to negate almost any enchantment. With Drake’s own family gone, Mason is all he has. So why is Drake experiencing disturbing dreams about Mason that terrify him? A new threat looms on the horizon, and a revelation about Drake’s identity and the true origin of his bond with Mason shatters everything Drake believes. If Drake, Mason, and all of magic are to survive the coming Spell Fall, the most destructive curse in sorcery, Drake must deal with the truth and fight his way back to Mason—because their enemies are gaining strength, and they intend to reach the boy Drake loves first.
Spell of the Highlander (Highlander #7)
by Karen Marie MoningPowerful. Sensual. Seductive. He is all that is shamelessly erotic in a man. In her sexiest Highlander novel yet, New York Times bestselling author Karen Moning stirs up a sizzling brew of ancient mystery and modern passion as she brings together a devilishly handsome Celtic warrior trapped in time . . . and the woman who's about to pay the ultimate price for freeing him. Age-old secrets haunt them. Deadly danger and irresistible desire shadow their every move. It's a relationship for the ages. And all that separates them is a mere thirteen hundred years. . . . Jessi St. James has got to get a life. Too many hours studying ancient artifacts has given the hardworking archaeology student a bad case of sex on the brain. So she figures she must be dreaming when she spies a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the silvery glass of an ancient mirror. But when a split-second decision saves her from a terrifying attempt on her life, Jessi suddenly finds herself confronting six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male. Heir to the arcane magic of his Druid ancestors, eleven centuries ago Cian MacKeltar was trapped inside the Dark Glass, one of four coveted Unseelie Hallows, objects of unspeakable power. When the Dark Glass is stolen, an ancient enemy will stop at nothing to reclaim it, destroying everything in his path-including the one woman who may just hold the key to breaking the ninth-century Highlander's dark spell. For Jessi, the muscle-bound sex god in the mirror is not only tantalizingly real, he's offering his protection-from exactly what, Jessi doesn't know. And all he wants in exchange is the exquisite pleasure of sharing her bed. Yet even as Cian's insatiable hunger begins to work its dark magic on Jessi, his ancient enemy is about to obtain the final and most dangerous of the Unseelie Hallows-and the ninth-century Highlander must stop him from getting it. Nothing less than the very fabric of the universe and two passionately entwined lives are at stake-as Cian and Jessi fight to claim the kind of love that comes along but once in an ice age. . . .From the Hardcover edition.
Spellbinder: A Love Story with Magical Interruptions
by Melanie RawnThere is magic in the big city…literally. New York City has a small, and by preference discrete, population of witches and wizards who live and love and go dancing just like everyone else. Holly McClure is one of them, a successful writer who tries to ignore her heritage, except when the local Magistrate needs her special gift in his coven. Holly is far more interested in Evan Lachlan, the handsome federal marshal who works with her best friend, assistant district attorney Susannah Wingfield.But trouble is coming to the City in the form of a black coven run by a murderous psychopath, and deputy marshals and ADAs are powerless to deal with that kind of crime. The danger to Holly is extreme, for her special gift is the power of her blood to strengthen and bind any spell, for good or for evil. Holly's passionate love affair will be derailed by those who want to drain her for their own purposes. In the end it will be magic against magic, and Holly McClure will have to risk all for life and love.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Spellbinder: Night World; Daughters Of Darkness; Spellbinder; Dark Angel; The Chosen; Soulmate; Huntress; Black Dawn; Witchlight (Night World #3)
by L. J. SmithThe third book in L.J. Smith's beloved Night World series is now available as a special collector's edition!Her name is Blaise and she's irresistible to boys. Her dark, smoldering beauty is an invitation to jealousy and madness. And now she's ready for the kill. Eric Ross is the perfect catch, a star athlete who wants to be a vet. But her cousin Thea, is determined to protect this particular human boy from the girl who was born to destroy men. Blaise's black magic is powerful. The only way Thea can fight back is to use her own white magic, to bewitch Eric herself as a bluff. But soon Thea finds herself getting too close to Eric, feeling forbidden emotions, breaking Night World laws. Falling in love. As Halloween and the Night of the Witch draw closer, can Thea save Eric--and herself--from Blaise's vengeance?
Spellbound
by Crystal J. Johnson Felicity VaughnGemma inherited more than she can handle thanks to the hot inhabitants of her hotel . . .When Gemma Fox inherits the storied Reynard Hotel from her great-aunt, she’s totally unprepared for the responsibility. It’s not the bills or the renovations or the repairs piling up. Or her family’s complete lack of confidence in her ability to manage the hotel. It’s that she’s not alone.Bound to the hotel are two spirits, Archer and Soren Hyde. Brooding, handsome, immortal—they’ve been haunting the Reynard for generations. And Gemma is now their custodian.As Gemma fights to keep the hotel from going under, she also finds herself fighting a growing attraction to the brothers. Each offers her something different: Archer is impish, fun, sexy, and just the distraction she needs. Soren’s arrogant, passionate, sinfully attractive, and driving her crazy. In turn, they each want something from her—one wants freedom, the other wants her heart.It turns out that Archer and Soren are holding back a secret that might finally see them no longer spellbound. And when the truth comes out about who—and what—they are, their imperfect triangle shatters. With her life and her happiness on the line, and pressure mounting on all sides, Gemma is forced to make a decision that could change everything—for eternity.