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Armstrong's Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management
by Michael ArmstrongArmstrong's Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management is a complete guide to integrating HR strategies with wider organizational goals and objectives approaches to achieve sustained competitive advantage. Supported by key learning summaries, source reviews and practical real-life examples from organizations including UNICEF and General Motors (GM), it provides coverage of HRM strategies in key areas of the function such as employee engagement, talent management and learning and development, as well as strategic HRM approaches in an international context. This fully revised seventh edition of Armstrong's Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management contains new chapters on evidence-based strategic HRM, employee wellbeing strategies and HR analytics, as well as additional case studies and updated wider content to reflect the latest research and thinking. It remains an indispensable resource for both professionals and those studying HR qualifications, including undergraduate and masters degrees and the CIPD's advanced level qualifications. Online supporting resources include lecture slides and comprehensive handbooks for lecturers and students which include self-assessment questions, case study exercises, and a glossary and literature review.
Accounting and Finance for Managers
by Matt Bamber and Simon ParryAccounting and Finance for Managers rebukes the myth that in order to excel in accounting and finance you need to be great at mathematics. Split into two broad sections which focus on financial accounting and management accounts, this textbook uses clear, accessible language that will appeal to students from a variety of academic backgrounds.Taking a uniquely practical approach that focuses on the financial aspects of business decisions, the textbook covers all the core topics of accounting and finance, including basic bookkeeping, financial analysis, business planning, cash-flow analysis and investment decisions. Now in its third edition, Accounting and Finance for Managers contains updates on new accounting standards and regulations, as well as featuring up-to-date real-world examples of real options, value chain analysis and competitive advantage analysis. This textbook features 'traditional' accounting practices in detail, but also covers topics with a strategic focus to ensure students learn to think in broader strategic terms. Written for an international audience using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) terminology with supporting resources including additional exercise questions, curated further reading and lecture slides for each chapter.
Financial Technology
by Niels PedersenWith the continued success of fintech (financial technology) businesses around the world, financial services are becoming increasingly de-centralized, personalized, and automated. This new textbook strikes a balance between academic depth and commercial relevance in examining the advantages and challenges of these changes through the lens of various analytical frameworks. Financial Technology demystifies key technologies, such as blockchains, Internet of Things, AI, machine learning, and algorithmic data analysis, in a clear and accessible style suitable for readers with no technological background. Real-world case studies from a variety of international organizations including HSBC, ING, Amex, AIG, IBM, Tandem and Monzo, bridge the gap between theory and practice and contextualize learning in terms of real businesses, from large incumbents to smaller start-ups. With coverage of robo-advisors, mobile-only banks, open banking and risk and regulation, this book also explores a range of analytical frameworks to critically examine new technologies and emerging business models. Financial Technology enables readers to understand the fintech movement in the context of recent financial history, examine the key drivers of change and form insights about the financial system in a forward-looking and global manner. Online resources include PowerPoint slides for lecturers, video lectures, a literature review and blog posts to cover industry developments.
E-Commerce Website Optimization
by Dan Croxen-John and Johann van TonderConversion rate optimization (CRO) is a complex field and one that is rapidly evolving. It's about understanding people and their behaviour, not simply website visits. E-commerce Website Optimization provides an all-encompassing guide, explaining the how and why, before focusing on techniques and tools to increase the percentage of visitors who buy from the site, and subsequently the amount that these visitors spend when they buy. Grounded in best-practice theory and research, it brings together usability, analytics and persuasion to offer a detailed, step-by-step guide to improve conversion rates, increase ROI from online marketing campaigns, generate higher levels of repeat business and increase the e-commerce value of websites. In the fast-moving world of e-commerce, this fully revised second edition includes updates on test metrics, prioritization and personalization, as well as a new chapter on persuasive copywriting. Alongside updated case studies and newly recommended tools, E-commerce Website Optimization is an invaluable book for those seeking to implement a data-driven ethos for their organization's e-commerce programme, for everyone from chief digital officers and heads of online sales, to entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Understanding Digital Marketing
by Damian RyanThe world of digital media is constantly changing, as technologies continue to transform the way we interact and communicate on a global scale. In this climate, Understanding Digital Marketing provides a practical, no-nonsense guide to digital marketing, from strategy and digital transformation to best-practice basics and trends. Clear, informative and packed with case studies and examples, it gives an essential grounding in SEO, email marketing, social media, content marketing, performance marketing and much more.This fifth edition of the bestselling Understanding Digital Marketing is fully updated to reflect the latest global developments in the industry. Complete with first-hand accounts of what success in digital marketing looks like, this book is an essential resource for practitioners and students alike. It is now required reading for more than 100 universities and colleges, and has received endorsements from Harvard University, Hult Business School and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
A Circular Economy Handbook
by Catherine WeetmanWINNER: 2018 Les Plumes des Achats & Supply Chain - The Committee Special Prize As we learn more about the climate and biodiversity crisis, it is clear that how we make and consume things is a major part of the problem. Extraction and processing of materials, fuels and food makes up about half of global greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress. Many modern businesses deplete resources, destroy ecosystems and dump waste and pollution at every stage - harming human health along the way. Governments, businesses and think-tanks see the circular economy as the way forward. Now in its second edition, A Circular Economy Handbook is a guided tour through the concepts and the practicalities. A unique framework systematically explores the range of circular interventions, including product and supply chain design, material choice and supporting business models. How does it really work for business? What circular approaches are emerging in food, fashion, consumer technology, packaging and other sectors? How do these reduce risk, improve resilience and build profitable, future-fit organizations? With over 300 real examples from around the world, this is a must-read for businesses, students and policymakers. This new edition has been extensively updated to include the latest trends, thinking, research and solutions, with a new chapter on packaging and 30 new company snapshots.
Brand Storytelling
by Miri RodriguezDespite understanding essential storytelling techniques, brands continue to explain how their product or service can help the customer, rather than showcasing how the customer's life has changed as a result of them. Brand Storytelling gets back to the heart of brand loyalty, consumer behaviour and engagement as a business strategy: using storytelling to trigger the emotions that humans are driven by. It provides a step by step guide to assess, dismantle and rebuild a brand story, shifting the brand from a 'hero' to 'sidekick' mentality, and positioning the customer as a key influencer to motivate the audience. Written by the award-winning storyteller Miri Rodriguez at Microsoft, Brand Storytelling is a clear, actionable guide that goes beyond content strategy, simplifying where to begin, how to benchmark success and ensuring a consistent brand voice throughout every department. Inspiring with interviews, advice and case studies from leading brands like Expedia, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Adobe and Google, it clarifies why machine-learning, AI and automation only tell one side of the story. Aligning an emotive connection with the customer's personal values, experiences and aspirations will enable brand leaders, employees and influencers to celebrate and strengthen brand engagement for long-term growth, rather than trying to win it.
Armstrong's Handbook of Reward Management Practice
by Michael Armstrong and Duncan BrownArmstrong's Handbook of Reward Management Practice is the definitive guide to understanding, developing and implementing effective reward strategies. It covers all the essential aspects of improving organizational, team and individual performance through reward processes, including financial and non-financial rewards, job evaluation, grade and pay structures, rewarding specific employee groups and ethical considerations. This revised and updated sixth edition incorporates the latest research and developments and contains updated coverage of equal pay and the gender pay gap, employee benefits and total reward and a new chapter on employee financial wellbeing.As with all of Armstrong's texts, Armstrong's Handbook of Reward Management Practice bridges the gap between academic and practitioner and is ideally suited to both HR professionals and those studying for HR qualifications, including master's degrees and the CIPD's intermediate and advanced level qualifications. Tips and checklists and can be found throughout, alongside case studies from organizations including General Motors, the UK National Health Service and Tesco. Online supporting resources include lecture slides and comprehensive handbooks for lecturers and students, which include learning summaries, discussion questions and exercises, literature reviews and glossaries.
Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice
by Michael Armstrong and Stephen TaylorArmstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice is the bestselling and definitive resource for HRM students and professionals, which helps readers to understand and implement HR in relation to the needs of the business. It covers in-depth all of the areas essential to the HR function such as employment law, employee relations, learning and development, performance management and reward, as well as the HR skills needed to ensure professional success, including leadership, managing conflict, interviewing and using statistics. Illustrated throughout in full colour and with a range of pedagogical features to consolidate learning (e.g. source review boxes, key learning points, summaries and case studies from international organizations such as IBM, HSBC and Johnson and Johnson), this fully updated 15th edition includes new chapters on the HRM role of line managers, evidence-based HRM, e-HRM and the gender pay gap, further case studies and updated content covering the latest research and developments.Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice is aligned with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) profession map and standards and is suited to both professionals and students of both undergraduate degrees and the CIPD's level 5 and 7 professional qualifications. Online supporting resources include comprehensive handbooks for lecturers and students, lecture slides, all figures and tables, toolkits, and a literature review, glossary and bibliography.
Invitation to the Life Span
by Kathleen Stassen BergerNow with all digital content in Macmillan Learning's breakthrough platform, Achieve, Kathleen Stassen Berger’s bestselling Invitation to the Life Span connects students to the field of developmental psychology in an engaging, accessible, culturally inclusive way, and does so with just 15 concise chapters and an epilogue—just the right length for a single term. But in that brief presentation, students will encounter an extraordinary range of research breakthroughs, theories, practices, and stories, all conveyed in Berger’s signature narrative voice.
The new edition includes coverage in exceptionally fast-moving areas such as brain development, psychopathology, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people of all ages, while taking advantage of innovative new tools for media-centered teaching and learning.
With Achieve, our most powerful learning option is also our most affordable. Achieve brings all of the best aspects of the text and digital resources together in one place. Built on best practices in research in psychology and learning science, Achieve provides students with robust tools to succeed in their life-span development course, while giving instructors insights into their students' understanding and performance.
The Practice of Creative Writing
by Heather SellersWhen it comes to writing, The Practice of Creative Writing has a simple message: you can do this, and it’s worthwhile to try. Designed for students in the introductory course, The Practice of Creative Writing teaches writers how to trust their own voice, experiment with form, and develop a writing process that allows them to spend more productive time at the desk. Rather than locking into one genre early, writers are encouraged to work among and in between genres and to focus on creating a writing practice that privileges close observation, patience, and techniques of pattern, energy, and shape.
Heather Sellers, who writes in multiple genres herself, has developed a lively, welcoming, student-centered approach that teaches creative concentration, close reading, and generating pages. She provides opportunities to be playful and to experiment at the same time that she teaches students the importance of discipline, form, and craft. Heather Sellers is a certified online instructor, and The Practice of Creative Writing is designed to be used in traditional face-to-face classrooms or in online education.
Each chapter begins with objectives for that module. Prompts and writing practices are carefully sequenced. Every chapter ends with both genre-specific writing projects alongside hybrid and experimental prompts. The readings included in this new edition invite students to experience an even wider range of innovative and new literatures. A new chapter on creative ways to approach revision as a shaping practice engaged throughout the writing process helps students work harder on their writing.
A Pocket Style Manual
by Diana Hacker and Nancy SommersBe prepared for whatever college writing throws at you with the step-by-step advice of the Pocket Style Manual. These tips can be applied to writing in any course to help you succeed.
A Writer’s Reference with Exercises
by Diana Hacker and Nancy SommersA Writer’s Reference has offered clear and quick answers to tough questions for millions of college writers. With a groundbreaking tabbed, lay-flat format and a first-of-its-kind directness, it helped a generation of students engage in their own writing and meet the challenges of the composition course. As we celebrate the 10th edition, we invite you to see our latest innovation--our latest answer to the question we have been asking for 35 years: How can we help? We help with superior content developed by experienced authors and shaped by faculty and student advisers. And we help with Achieve, a first-of-its-kind suite of digital tools paired with content you trust.
Tangled Up in Luck
by Merrill WyattWhen seventh grade enemies research a missing set of jewels for a class project, they realize that the answers to the unsolved case might be much closer to home than they thought in this fun-filled mystery for fans of The Book Scavenger and Lemons.If you told Sloane Osburn and Amelia Miller-Poe that they&’d be hiding in their town cemetery from an evil mastermind, they would have been hard-pressed to believe you. If you also told them that person was intent on beating them to a cache of long-lost jewels using nothing more than a slingshot and wicked aim, they&’d have been sure you got your facts wrong. Finally, if you told them they&’d be doing all of this as friends…well, they would have been sure you needed medical attention. Whether through serendipity (really, really good luck) or zemblanity (really, really bad luck), someone tricked their teacher into using their seventh-grade class to investigate the mystery of their town&’s long-missing treasure. From there, things have escalated. Quickly. Now, the girls are stuck hiding behind a gravestone, dodging acorns (who knew acorns could be so threatening?), and just a few clues short of those jewels. It&’s up to these enemies-turned-partners to uncover centuries-old clues to find the treasure at the end of this book before the mysterious person on their trail can get to it first…
Prepped
by Bethany MangleFor fans of Jeff Zentner and Katie Henry comes a thrilling and funny debut about a teen raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.Always be ready for the worst day of your life. This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes survivalist training over class trips or senior prom. They&’re even arranging Becca&’s marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their community. Roy is a nice guy, but he&’s so enthusiastic about prepping that Becca doesn&’t have the heart to tell him she&’s planning to leave as soon as she can earn a full ride to a college far, far away. Then a devastating accident rocks Becca&’s family and pushes the entire community, including Becca&’s usually cynical little sister, deeper into the doomsday ideology. With her getaway plans thrown into jeopardy, the only person Becca can turn to is Roy, who reveals that he&’s not nearly as clueless as he&’s been pretending to be. When Roy proposes they run away together, Becca will have to risk everything—including her heart—for a chance to hope for the best instead of planning for the worst.
The Swallows' Flight
by Hilary McKay&“A triumph.&” —Philip Pullman, bestselling author of the His Dark Materials saga Four young lives across Europe are forever changed in the dawn of World War II in this &“stirring and unforgettable&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) novel from award-winning author Hilary McKay.In England, Ruby has no friends because of the speckled blotches on her face that kids say look like dirt. And Kate is sickly all the time, her older siblings each taking turns looking after her. Ruby and Kate&’s first meeting is nearly disastrous, but the two lonely girls soon strike up a friendship. Their connection becomes all the more important when England joins the war against Germany and the blitz begins overhead. In Germany, Erik and Hans are best friends filled with plans for their future: Erik taking over their beloved local zoo, and Hans serving pastries right outside the gates. They never expected to be forced to join the national service, training as pilots and tasked with hurting people. And in London a mistreated dog roams the streets looking for handouts, and for a friend. All of these lives will cross in the most surprising ways in this heart-rending tale of war and compassion, and hope that can be found in even the most unexpected friendships, brought to life by award-winning author Hilary McKay.
The Accidental Apprentice
by Amanda FoodyA New York Times bestseller! A boy who accidentally bonds with a magical Beast must set off on an adventure in the mysterious Woods in this &“wholesome, delightful&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), and cheeky middle grade fantasy debut—perfect for fans of Nevermoor and How to Train Your Dragon.The last thing Barclay Thorne ever wanted was an adventure. Thankfully, as an apprentice to the town&’s mushroom farmer, Barclay need only work hard and follow the rules to one day become the head mushroom farmer himself. No danger required. But then Barclay accidentally breaks his town&’s most sacred rule: never ever EVER stray into the Woods, for within the Woods lurk vicious magical Beasts. To Barclay&’s horror, he faces a fate far worse than being eaten: he unwittingly bonds with a Beast and is run out of town by an angry mob. Determined to break this bond and return home, Barclay journeys to find the mysterious town of Lore Keepers, people who have also bonded with Beasts and share their powers. But after making new friends, entering a dangerous apprenticeship exam, and even facing the legendary Beast of the Woods, Barclay must make a difficult choice: return to the home and rules he&’s always known, or embrace the adventure awaiting him. This paperback edition includes a brand new, highly-illustrated map of the Woods.
A Rush of Wings
by Laura E. WeymouthFor fans of Serpent & Dove and A House of Salt and Sorrows comes a darkly atmospheric and romantic fantasy about an untrained witch who must unlock her power to free her brothers from a terrible curse and save her home.
Rowenna Winthrop has always known there’s magic within her. But though she hears voices on the wind and possesses unusual talents, her mother Mairead believes Rowenna lacks discipline, and refuses to teach her the craft that keeps their Scottish village safe. And when Mairead dies a sinister death, it seems Rowenna’s only chance to grow into her power has died with her. Then, on a fateful, storm-tossed night, Rowenna rescues a handsome stranger named Gawen from a shipwreck, and her mother miraculously returns from the dead. Or so it appears. The resurrected Mairead is nothing like the old one.
To hide her new monstrous nature, she turns Rowenna’s brothers and Gawen into swans and robs Rowenna of her voice. Forced to flee, Rowenna travels to the city of Inverness to find a way to break the curse. But monsters take many forms, and in Inverness, Rowenna is soon caught in a web of strangers who want to use her raw magic for their own gain. If she wishes to save herself and the people she loves most, Rowenna will have to take her fate into her own hands and unlock the power that has evaded her for so long.
The Curse Workers
by Holly BlackFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the &“dangerously, darkly gorgeous&” (Cassandra Clare) Curse Workers trilogy, now together in one beautiful bind-up!Cassel Sharpe comes from a family of curse workers, people who have the power to change emotions, memories, and luck with the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they&’re also all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists, but not Cassel. He doesn&’t have magic, so he&’s an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family—except for the small detail that he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He&’s noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two older brothers, who are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he&’s an unwitting pawn in a huge con game, he must unravel his past, and his memories. To find the truth, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.This magical bind-up includes:White CatRed GloveBlack Heart
Our Violent Ends
by Chloe GongShanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”
The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution. After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on a mission. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.
Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure. Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all.
Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.
Vespertine
by Margaret RogersonFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.
The dead of Loraille do not rest. Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it.
With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself. As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.
Blood Like Magic
by Liselle SamburyA rich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family's magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love—she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him .After years of waiting for her Calling—a trial every witch must pass in order to come into their powers—the one thing Voya Thomas didn’t expect was to fail. When Voya’s ancestor gives her an unprecedented second chance to complete her Calling, she agrees—and then is horrified when her task is to kill her first love. And this time, failure means every Thomas witch will be stripped of their magic. Voya is determined to save her family’s magic no matter the cost. The problem is, Voya has never been in love, so for her to succeed, she’ll first have to find the perfect guy—and fast. Fortunately, a genetic matchmaking program has just hit the market. Her plan is to join the program, fall in love, and complete her task before the deadline. What she doesn’t count on is being paired with the infuriating Luc—how can she fall in love with a guy who seemingly wants nothing to do with her? With mounting pressure from her family, Voya is caught between her morality and her duty to her bloodline. If she wants to save their heritage and Luc, she’ll have to find something her ancestor wants more than blood. And in witchcraft, blood is everything.
In Deeper Waters
by F.T. Lukens&“A frothy confection of sea-foam, young love, and derring-do.&” —NPR From the New York Times bestselling author of So This Is Ever After, a young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman&’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family&’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel. Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean. That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…
Welcome to Dweeb Club
by Betsy UhrigFor fans of Gordon Korman comes a hilarious, heartfelt middle grade adventure about a school club whose members stumble across video footage of themselves from five years in the future.What if a school club changed your life forever? In the second week of seventh grade, Jason Sloan signs up for the brand-new HAIR Club. He and his friends have no idea what it&’s about, but since they&’re the first to sign up they figure they&’ll be in charge in no time. The club turns out to be super weird: using fancy new equipment donated by a mysterious benefactor, the members are supposed to monitor school security footage. Their first assignment: find out what is stealing the cafeteria&’s croutons. Instead of the expected dark cafeteria, the computers show the club members something else entirely: actual footage of themselves as high school seniors, five years in the future! What on earth could be happening? Is it some kind of time warp, or alternate reality? Or is it just an un-funny prank? As they scramble to solve the mystery, they can&’t help but notice something else—none of them like what they see five years from now. Is there any way to change the future—and their fates? Figuring out who you are and who you want to become has never been funnier in this laugh-out-loud romp through the perils of middle school—and beyond.
Vampires, Hearts & Other Dead Things
by Margie FustonAn ALA Morris Award Finalist! In this &“equal parts heartbreaking and joyful&” (School Library Journal) debut YA novel that&’s The Coldest Girl in Coldtown meets They Both Die at the End, a teen girl takes a trip to New Orleans with her estranged best friend to find a vampire to save her dying father.Victoria and her dad have shared a love of the undead since the first vampire revealed his existence on live TV. Public fear soon drove the vampires back into hiding, yet Victoria and her father still dream about finding a vampire together. But when her dad is diagnosed with terminal cancer, it&’s clear that&’s not going to happen. Instead, Victoria vows to find a vampire herself—so that she can become one and then save her father. Armed with research, speculations, and desperation—and helped by her estranged best friend, Henry—Victoria travels to New Orleans in search of a miracle. There she meets Nicholas, a mysterious young man who might give her what she desires. But first, he needs Victoria to prove she loves life enough to live forever. She agrees to complete a series of challenges, from scarfing sugar-drenched beignets to singing with a jazz band, all to show she has what it takes to be immortal. But truly living while her father is dying feels like a betrayal. Victoria must figure out how to experience joy and grief at once, trusting all the while that Nicholas will hold up his end of the bargain…because the alternative is too impossible to imagine.