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Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Computing and Systems: AdComSys 2024 (Algorithms for Intelligent Systems)
by Weiping Ding Shouvik Chakraborty Maumita ChakrabortyThis book gathers selected research papers presented at AdComSys 2024 (International Conference on Advanced Computing and Systems), held during 26–27 June 2024 in Kolkata, India, in hybrid mode. This book presents a collection of state-of-the-art research work in cloud computing, parallel computing, green computing, evolutionary computing, human-centric computing, quantum computing, fuzzy systems, machine learning, deep learning, generative models, NLP, big data, IoT, 5G and beyond 5G, Industry 4.0, blockchain authentication, cryptocurrency, encryption techniques, cybernetics, and crypt analysis.
American Politics Film Festival: Understanding US Politics through Film
by Thomas E.Cronin Michael A.GenoveseThis is an innovative and inspirational examination of films and documentaries that helps us explain the evolution of, struggles of, and aspirations of the American experiment. This book sorts politics into categories and then identifies films, TV shows, and documentaries that illuminate various aspects of that category. For each chapter, the authors list and discuss an impressive variety of films, documentaries, and television shows. This accessible book is designed for course use and general readers interested in how American politics and history has been portrayed in media.
Language Policy in Taiwan in the 21st Century: Development from Monolingualism to Multilingualism (Language Policy #38)
by Der-Hwa Victoria Rau Chen-Cheng ChunThis book provides insiders' views of how Taiwan's monolingual language policy has evolved into multilingual language policies since its peaceful transition to a democratic society in the late 20th century. From three major perspectives, it examines the conflicts and compromises of monolingual and multilingual ideologies, challenges and approaches in language management, and actual language practice in families and communities in the transformation process in the last three decades. The book intends to theorize Taiwan's multilingual experience and introduce it to the international scholarly community, who are more familiar with the monolingual development on the other side of the Taiwan Strait and less aware of the multilingual development in Taiwan. It is an eye-opening book for language planning and policy students, language educators, public policymakers, and all those with a stake in multilingualism.
A First Course in Statistical Learning: With Data Examples and Python Code (Statistics and Computing)
by Johannes LedererThis textbook introduces the fundamental concepts and methods of statistical learning. It uses Python and provides a unique approach by blending theory, data examples, software code, and exercises from beginning to end for a profound yet practical introduction to statistical learning. The book consists of three parts: The first one presents data in the framework of probability theory, exploratory data analysis, and unsupervised learning. The second part on inferential data analysis covers linear and logistic regression and regularization. The last part studies machine learning with a focus on support-vector machines and deep learning. Each chapter is based on a dataset, which can be downloaded from the book's homepage. In addition, the book has the following features: A careful selection of topics ensures rapid progress. An opening question at the beginning of each chapter leads the reader through the topic. Expositions are rigorous yet based on elementary mathematics. More than two hundred exercises help digest the material. A crisp discussion section at the end of each chapter summarizes the key concepts and highlights practical implications. Numerous suggestions for further reading guide the reader in finding additional information. This book is for everyone who wants to understand and apply concepts and methods of statistical learning. Typical readers are graduate and advanced undergraduate students in data-intensive fields such as computer science, biology, psychology, business, and engineering, and graduates preparing for their job interviews.
Hacking Voice-Controllable Devices
by Sergio Esposito Giampaolo Bella Daniele Sgandurra Daniel O’KeeffeVoice-controllable devices allow hands-free interactions, offering a modern user experience and helping impaired users. However, the voice channel that enables this interaction is also one of their main weaknesses. Higher usability often comes with higher security and privacy risks. As Voice-Controllable Devices are no exception to this, a plethora of new attacks have been carried out against them in recent years. In this book, several attacks are analysed against the voice channel available in the literature; it then devises a bespoke kill chain to facilitate the classification of attack steps and future research. Additionally, the work analyses the design of the notorious Alexa vs Alexa attack, which turned Echo Dot devices against themselves in 2022. Finally, the present volume explores measures against all these attacks and raise important questions about their suitability for user needs. Topics and features: Discusses timely security and privacy challenges in IoT devices, with an emphasis on voice-controllable devices Provides a framework for assessing and studying attacks against the voice channel Addresses practical attacks successfully carried out against real devices, showing that an impactful attack need not be complex Explores advanced safeguards from a new perspective, questioning whether research is proceeding in the right direction This powerful volume—containing tips, tricks, and techniques used by ethical hackers to breach the voice channel—serves as the perfect guide for researchers conducting security and privacy research on IoT. It also provides food for thought for graduate students and enthusiasts of these subjects who do not shy away from the mathematics behind the world of machine learning.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
by Holly Jackson#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of the multimillion-copy bestselling A Good Girl&’s Guide to Murder series and Five Survive comes a gripping mystery thriller following one teen&’s search for the truth about her mother&’s shocking disappearance—and even more shocking reappearance—during the filming of a true crime documentary.A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEARLights. Camera. Lies. Eighteen-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom&’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on. But the case is dredged up from the past when the Price family agrees to a true crime documentary. Bel can&’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again. Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn&’t sure it&’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And—could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . . From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl&’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.
Dreaming Down the Track: Awakenings in Aboriginal Cinema
by William LempertWhat can Aboriginal filmmaking reveal about Indigenous presence and futures? The product of years of embedded fieldwork within Indigenous film crews in Northwestern Australia, Dreaming Down the Track delves deeply into Aboriginal cinema as a transformative community process. It follows the social lives of projects throughout their production cycles, from planning and editing to screening, broadcasting, and after-images. Across its narrative sweep, this ethnography engages the film career of Kukatja elder Mark Moora to demonstrate the impact of filmmaking on how Aboriginal futures are collectively imagined and called forth. William Lempert highlights a series of awakenings through which Moora ultimately came to view cinema as a process for catalyzing his family&’s return to their home country of Mangkayi. This biographical media journey paints an intimate portrait of the inspiring possibilities and sobering limitations of Indigenous envisioning within settler states. Lempert traces how Moora&’s life and films convey a multiplicity of Aboriginal experiences across time and space, from colonial contact to contemporary life in communities like Balgo, including the continued governmental attempts to undermine them. Amid ongoing negotiations to establish the first treaties between Indigenous nations and Australian states, Dreaming Down the Track illustrates what is at stake in how Aboriginal–State relations are represented and understood, both within communities and for the broader public. Lempert stays true to Moora&’s insight that film can preserve community stories for generations to come, toward the aim of enacting sovereign futures.
Strategisches Marketing: Grundlagen, Maßnahmen und Umsetzung
by Klaus VollertDieses Lehrbuch gibt einen umfassenden Überblick zum strategischen Marketing, das in einer Zeit des dynamischen Wandels innerhalb und außerhalb des Unternehmens immer erfolgskritischer wird. Von der Umweltanalyse und -prognose, der Zielformulierung, der Strategieformulierung auf Gesamtunternehmens-, Geschäftsfeld-, Kundengruppen- und Instrumentalebene bis hin zur Implementierung der Marketingstrategien erläutert der Autor alle wichtigen Aspekte für die Umsetzung in der Unternehmenspraxis. In allen Themenbereichen werden der digitale Wandel und weitere aktuelle und situative Aspekte berücksichtigt wie Künstliche Intelligenz, Industrie 4.0 sowie Marken-, Distributions- und Preispolitik. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei immer das Ziel des Komparativen Konkurrenzvorteils, der dazu beiträgt, das langfristige, erfolgreiche und nachhaltige Wirtschaften von Unternehmen zu gewährleisten.
Computational Intelligence in Engineering Science: First International Conference, ICCIES 2025, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, July 23–25, 2025, Proceedings, Part IV (Communications in Computer and Information Science #2587)
by Tzung-Pei Hong Ngoc Thanh Nguyen Yannis Manolopoulos Van Huy Pham Trong Dao Tran Nhien An Le Khac Phu Tran TinThis four-volume set constitutes the refereed proceedings of the First International Conference on on Computational Intelligence in Engineering Science, ICCIES 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during July 23–25, 2025. The 115 full papers presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 210 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Part I: Machine Learning; Wireless Networks (6G)Part II: Computer Vision; Natural Language ProcessingPart III: Intelligent Systems; Internet of ThingsPart IV: Machine Learning; Control Systems
Groundwater Quality Under Agricultural Activities—Cases from China and South Africa (Professional Practice in Earth Sciences)
by Peiyue Li Vetrimurugan ElumalaiThis insightful book, based on the investigation results of a collaboration project between China and South Africa supported by NSFC and NRF, offers a detailed exploration of the impacts of agricultural activities on groundwater quality. It provides an in-depth understanding of the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater, the assessment of groundwater quality, and the intricacies of groundwater pollution. The book further delves into the effects of land use and land cover changes on groundwater pollution, presenting a comprehensive overview of human activities and their impacts on water resources. The book also presents a meticulous health risk assessment of groundwater contaminants, providing valuable insights for a range of readers, from public health officials to environmental scientists and policymakers. It outlines robust strategies for groundwater quality protection and management. The discussion on the hydrochemical evolution of groundwater contributes to a more holistic understanding of groundwater systems. This book is an essential resource for researchers, students, professionals in environmental science, hydrology, water resource management, policymakers, and public health officials. Its blend of theoretical knowledge and practical solutions serves as a guide for those aiming to protect and improve groundwater quality in the face of agricultural activities and climate change.
Technological Advances and Trends in Cheese Making
by Syed Mansha RafiqThis book provides a comprehensive overview of the cheese making process, from the roles of various starter cultures and coagulants through to the advanced cheese ripening process. The focus will be on technological advances in the manufacturing process, with attention devoted to varieties of stretch, hybrid, whey, vegan and dry milk cheeses. Other varieties discussed include low-fat and low-sodium cheese. Presenting the latest innovations regarding methods of preparation and modification, as well as packaging and preservation, this text is an essential guide to novel technologies in the cheese making process. Pertinent to this discussion will be considerations of quality and functionality, and the use of approaches such as infrared spectroscopy and electronic nose to assess these aspects. Novel cheese making methods including precision fermentation have also been discussed. A discussion of the history of cheese making also provides a rich entryway into the industry&’s contemporary iterations. For researchers and those with an interest in the cheese making industry, Technological Advances and Trends in Cheese Making will elucidate relevant methods and expand perspectives.
Two-dimensional Two-product Cubic Systems Vol. X: Crossing-linear and Self-quadratic Product Vector Fields
by Albert C. LuoThis book is the tenth of 15 related monographs, discusses product-cubic nonlinear systems with two crossing-linear and self-quadratic products vector fields and the dynamic behaviors and singularity are presented through the first integral manifolds. The equilibrium and flow singularity and bifurcations discussed in this volume are for the appearing and switching bifurcations. The double-saddle equilibriums described are the appearing bifurcations for saddle source and saddle-sink, and for a network of saddles, sink and source. The infinite-equilibriums for the switching bifurcations are also presented, specifically: · Inflection-saddle infinite-equilibriums, · Hyperbolic (hyperbolic-secant)-sink and source infinite-equilibriums · Up-down and down-up saddle infinite-equilibriums, · Inflection-source (sink) infinite-equilibriums.
Dissertations and Theses From Start to Finish: Psychology and Related Fields
by Debora J. Bell Dr. Sharon L. Foster Dr. John D. ConeDissertations and Theses From Start to Finish, now updated and revised to reflect changes to the APA's Publication Manual, Seventh Edition! For over twenty-five years, Cone and Foster's useful book has guided student writers through the practical, logistical, and emotional struggles that come with writing dissertations and theses. It offers guidance to students through all the essential steps, including: Defining topics; Selecting faculty advisors; Scheduling time to work on the project, and; Conducting, analyzing, writing, presenting, and publishing research. This third edition of this bestselling work follows new guidelines from APA's Publication Manual, Seventh Edition, and includes questions to help steer research, checklists, diagrams, and sample research papers. It also reflects the most recent advances in online research and includes fully updated online resources. Each chapter begins with an Advance Organizer that offers an at-a-glance summary of chapter content and applicability for different types of readers. Chapters also include significantly expanded To Do and Supplemental Resource lists, as well as helpful suggestions for dealing with common &“traps&” that recur throughout the writing process. The authors also consider the variety of roles faculty advisors play, and of variations in the thesis and dissertation process and requirements across institutions of higher learning.
Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success
by Shawn StevensonShawn Stevenson is a health expert with a background in biology and kinesiology who has helped thousands of people worldwide to improve their health, through his private work as well as his #1 Nutrition and Fitness podcast on iTunes. In his work, Shawn brings a well-rounded perspective to the perennial question: how can we feel better? In investigating complex health issues such as weight loss, chronic fatigue and hormone imbalance, Shawn realised that many health problems start with one criminally overlooked aspect of our routine - sleep. In Sleep Smarter Shawn explores the little-known and even less-appreciated facts about sleep's influence on every part of our life. Backed by the latest scientific research and packed with personal anecdotes and tips from leaders in the field of sleep research, this book depicts the dangers of insufficient sleep - from weight retention to memory loss to bad sex to increased risk of disease. In his clear, personable and relatable style Shawn offers 21 simple, immediately applicable ways for readers to take their well-being into their own hands and improve their sleep now
Angewandte Ethik der Wissenschaft – Technik – Wirtschaft – Medien: Ein Lehr-, Lern- und Übungsbuch für die Hochschule
by Alexander BramlDieses Buch bietet eine knappe und verständliche Einführung in die theoretischen Grundlagen der Ethik und gleichzeitig in ihre wichtigsten praktischen Felder Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft, Technik und Medien. Konkrete Bezüge zu Fragen unseres Lebens und Alltags werden anhand aktueller und relevanter Fragestellungen erarbeitet. Literaturhinweise zu jedem Kapitel laden zum Weiterlesen, Anschlussfragen an die Anwendungsfelder zum Diskutieren und Weiterdenken ein.
The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues
by Beth LincolnInstant New York Times bestseller!Shenanigan Swift is headed to Paris, where new mysteries await in the hilarious, quick-witted sequel to Beth Lincoln&’s #1 bestseller, The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels.&“Abundant wordplay and humor will keep the pages turning.″ —Kirkus, starred reviewNow that the family reunion is over and the murderer has been caught, Shenanigan Swift can return to important projects, like searching for the long-lost family treasure. But trouble always finds Shenanigan, and when a valuable painting is stolen from Swift House by a group of eccentric art thieves known as Ouvolpo, she is determined to get it back—even if it means chasing them all the way to Paris. A new adventure is about to begin, and Shenanigan&’s sleuthing skills will soon be tested like never before.A Gallery of Rogues is the highly anticipated sequel to Beth Lincoln&’s celebrated debut, A Dictionary of Scoundrels. Beloved characters are back, joined by a fresh flock of relatives from the French branch of the Swift family tree—the Martinets, including Cousins Soufflé, Mercredi, Contraire, and Pomme. Get ready to say bonjour to more secrets, more bodies, and even more fun, in this delicious mystery that once again celebrates words, family, and plenty of shenanigans.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
by Norman Doidge M.D.&“Fascinating. Doidge&’s book is a remarkable and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain.&”—Oliver Sacks, MD, author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a HatWhat is neuroplasticity? Is it possible to change your brain? Norman Doidge&’s inspiring guide to the new brain science explains all of this and moreAn astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable, and proving that it is, in fact, possible to change your brain. Psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity, its healing powers, and the people whose lives they&’ve transformed—people whose mental limitations, brain damage or brain trauma were seen as unalterable. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, blind people who learn to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, stroke patients learning to speak, children with cerebral palsy learning to move with more grace, depression and anxiety disorders successfully treated, and lifelong character traits changed. Using these marvelous stories to probe mysteries of the body, emotion, love, sex, culture, and education, Dr. Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.
The Ex Vows
by Jessica JoyceAn Instant USA Today Bestseller!An Indie Next PickA Library Reads PickEstranged exes must stick close together to save their best friend&’s wedding after a string of disasters in this swoony and steamy second-chance romance from the USA Today bestselling author of You, with a View.Georgia Woodward lives by her lists, none more so than the one about her ex, Eli Mora. It&’s full of the ironclad dos and don&’ts they&’ve been following since she returned to the Bay Area after their cataclysmic breakup five years ago. With the wedding of their mutual best friend, Adam, looming, and them about to step into their roles as best woman and man, Georgia&’s never needed it more. She refuses to threaten their tight-knit friend group with her messy—and still very present—feelings. The rules on that list will keep her cool, calm, and compartmentalized. What&’s not on her list? Eli arriving from New York with a new rule-breaking attitude or the all-inclusive venue burning to the ground, leaving the bride and groom in dire straits. Nor does she anticipate Adam asking her and Eli to help him make a miracle happen. Together.As Georgia and Eli rush up to Napa Valley to pull off the perfect wedding, their old chemistry comes back in technicolor. Somewhere between cake tastings gone wrong, disastrous DJ auditions, and Eli&’s heated attention, Georgia starts recognizing the man she fell in love with before. And if she lets herself break her rules, she might find what they&’re building isn&’t the something old that ruined them—it&’s a chance at something new.
Mark Twain
by Ron ChernowThe #1 New York Times Bestseller! &“Comprehensive, enthralling . . . Mark Twain flows like the Mississippi River, its prose propelled by Mark Twain&’s own exuberance.&” —The Boston Globe&“Chernow writes with such ease and clarity . . . For all its length and detail, [Mark Twain] is deeply absorbing throughout.&” — The Washington PostPulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow illuminates the full, fascinating, and complex life of the writer long celebrated as the father of American literature, Mark TwainBefore he was Mark Twain, he was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Born in 1835, the man who would become America&’s first, and most influential, literary celebrity spent his childhood dreaming of piloting steamboats on the Mississippi. But when the Civil War interrupted his career on the river, the young Twain went west to the Nevada Territory and accepted a job at a local newspaper, writing dispatches that attracted attention for their brashness and humor. It wasn&’t long before the former steamboat pilot from Missouri was recognized across the country for his literary brilliance, writing under a pen name that he would immortalize.In this richly nuanced portrait of Mark Twain, acclaimed biographer Ron Chernow brings his considerable powers to bear on a man who shamelessly sought fame and fortune, and crafted his persona with meticulous care. After establishing himself as a journalist, satirist, and lecturer, he eventually settled in Hartford with his wife and three daughters, where he went on to write The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He threw himself into the hurly-burly of American culture, and emerged as the nation&’s most notable political pundit. At the same time, his madcap business ventures eventually bankrupted him; to economize, Twain and his family spent nine eventful years in exile in Europe. He suffered the death of his wife and two daughters, and the last stage of his life was marked by heartache, political crusades, and eccentric behavior that sometimes obscured darker forces at play.Drawing on Twain&’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country&’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than one hundred years after his death, Twain&’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted. In this brilliant work of scholarship, a moving tribute to the writer&’s talent and humanity, Chernow reveals the magnificent and often maddening life of one of the most original characters in American history.
A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?
by Kelly Weinersmith Zach Weinersmith* THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Winner of the Hugo Award * Scientific American&’s #1 Book for 2023 * Winner of Royal Society's Trivedi Prize * A Guardian Best Book of 2024 * A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * A Times Best Science and Environment Book of 2023 * A Tor.com Best Book of 2023 *&“Exceptional. . . Forceful, engaging and funny . . . This book will make you happy to live on this planet — a good thing, because you&’re not leaving anytime soon.&” —New York Times Book ReviewFrom the bestselling authors of Soonish, a brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into space settlementEARTH IS NOT WELL. The promise of starting life anew somewhere far, far away—no climate change, no war, no doomscrolling—beckons, and settling the stars finally seems within our grasp. Or is it? Critically acclaimed, bestselling authors Kelly and Zach Weinersmith set out to write the essential guide to a glorious future of space settlements, but after years of research, they aren&’t so sure it&’s a good idea. Space technologies and space businesses are progressing fast, but we lack the knowledge needed to have space kids, build space farms, and create space nations in a way that doesn&’t spark conflict back home. In a world hurtling toward human expansion into space, A City on Mars investigates whether the dream of new worlds won&’t create nightmares, both for settlers and the people they leave behind. In the process, the Weinersmiths answer every question about space you&’ve ever wondered about, and many you&’ve never considered:Can you make babies in space? Should corporations govern space settlements? What about space war? Are we headed for a housing crisis on the Moon&’s Peaks of Eternal Light—and what happens if you&’re left in the Craters of Eternal Darkness? Why do astronauts love taco sauce? Speaking of meals, what&’s the legal status of space cannibalism?With deep expertise, a winning sense of humor, and art from the beloved creator of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, the Weinersmiths investigate per-haps the biggest questions humanity will ever ask itself—whether and how to become multiplanetary.Get in, we&’re going to Mars.
Two Sides to Every Murder
by Danielle ValentineAN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER · From the author of How to Survive Your Murder comes a propulsive thriller about two teens who return to Camp Lost Lake, site of an infamous murder case that sealed their fates."A must-read for fans of true crime, dark family secrets, and intricate mysteries." —Ryan La Sala, bestselling author of The HoneysMost people&’s births aren&’t immortalized in a police report—but Olivia was born during the infamous Camp Lost Lake murders. Seventeen years later, Olivia&’s life looks pretty perfect . . . until she discovers the man she calls dad is not her biological father. Now she wants answers about her bloodline, and the only place she knows to look is Camp Lost Lake.Most people don&’t spend their formative years on the run with an alleged murderer—but Reagan did. In the court of public opinion, her mom was found guilty of the deaths at Camp Lost Lake, and both of them have been in hiding ever since. But Reagan believes in her mother&’s innocence and is determined to clear her name.Luckily for Olivia and Reagan, Camp Lost Lake is finally reopening, providing the perfect opportunity to find answers. But someone else is dead set on keeping the past hidden, even if it means committing murder.
Bull Moon Rising (Royal Artifactual Guild #1)
by Ruby DixonAN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, a woman determined to save her family joins forces with an unlikely partner—a minotaur—in this steamy romantasy by USA Today bestselling author Ruby Dixon.As a Holder&’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it&’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She&’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items.It&’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won&’t let her train because she&’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He&’s a minotaur (it&’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he&’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she&’s a noble (oops), and he&’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.It&’s time to dig deep. Literally.
Brat: A Novel
by Gabriel Smith&“Brat is a raucous story of the messy, messed-up business of living, dying and having a family.&” —Financial Times&“The novel crackles with gothic horror, deadpan humor, and a damning sense of alienation that you won&’t soon shake.&” —Chicago Review of BooksFrom a provocative literary talent, a hilarious and haunted novel grappling with grief, inheritance, and the ghosts of his pastWe meet our ill-tempered protagonist—the titular &“brat&”—at a low moment, but not yet at rock bottom. Gabriel is mourning the death of his father as well as a recent breakup and struggling to finish writing his second book. Alone and aimless, he agrees to move back into his parents&’ house to clear it out for sale.In fragments and figments, Gabriel takes us on a surreal journey into the mysteries of the family home, where he finds unfinished manuscripts written by his parents that seem to mutate every time he picks them up and a bizarre home video that hints at long-buried secrets. Strange people and figures emerge—perhaps directly from the novel&’s embedded fictions—but despite his compromised state, Gabriel is determined to try to make sense of these hauntings. Part ghost story, part grief story, flirting with the auto-fictional mode while sitting squarely in the tradition of the gothic, Brat crackles with dead-pan humor and delightfully taut prose, heralding the next generation of fiction—formally inventive, influenced by the rhythms of the internet, and infused with a particularly Gen Z sense of alienation.
Summer's Edge
by Dana Mele&“Absolutely enthralling and genuinely terrifying.&” —Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos and Very Bad People I Know What You Did Last Summer meets The Haunting of Hill House in this &“psychologically chilling and unforgettable&” (Kirkus Reviews) teen thriller following an estranged group of friends being haunted by their friend who died last summer.Emily Joiner was once part of an inseparable group—she was a sister, a best friend, a lover, and a rival. Summers without Emily were unthinkable. Until the fire burned the lake house to ashes with her inside. A year later, it&’s in Emily&’s honor that Chelsea and her four friends decide to return. The house awaits them, meticulously rebuilt. Only, Chelsea is haunted by ghostly visions. Loner Ryan stirs up old hurts and forces golden boy Chase to play peacemaker. Which has perfect hostess Kennedy on edge as eerie events culminate in a stunning accusation: Emily&’s death wasn&’t an accident. And all the clues needed to find the person responsible are right here. As old betrayals rise to the surface, Chelsea and her friends have one night to unravel a mystery spanning three summers before a killer among them exacts their revenge.
Skandar and the Skeleton Curse (Skandar #4)
by A.F. SteadmanThe adventure continues with the thrilling fourth installment in the Skandar series from New York Times and internationally bestselling author A.F. Steadman!As Skandar and his friends begin their fourth year at the Eyrie, the Island&’s unicorns are struck by a terrible curse that threatens to change everything. Between a Commodore determined to eliminate the spirit element for good and a sister hellbent on revenge, nowhere is safe for Skandar. As more unicorns are affected by the curse, the clock is ticking for Skandar and his quartet, who find themselves racing for their lives. Can they stop the curse in its tracks before the Island is lost forever?