The Africa cycle comes to a close with this ninth volume of the Djinn series. Kim Nelson finally finds the black pearl of Anaktu and Jade fulfills her destiny by uniting with the legendary Gorilla King in order to create a force strong enough to lead the tribes for years to come. Travel, magic, romance and poison all combine in this gripping and sensual adventure.
“Bearskin” takes us on a trip to modern day Italy and then all the way to the United States of the late 1930s. Every day, Amadeo bikes up the hill from his small hometown on a beautiful island off the coast of Italy to read the daily horoscope to Don Palermo. Little does he know that this blind and powerless old man with a cane in his hand used to be a bear tamer, not to mention his later shenanigans as the right-hand man of a powerful mafia boss. A highly moving story of love, vengeance and cowardice.
Pursued by the unrelenting Darianna, Jasper is accidentally catapulted into the depths of Okheania where he is miraculously welcomed by his friend Jon and Tania, the gentle savage girl. As the search intensifies, the trio encounters the group that abducted Helenia, the Imperator’s daughter, who convinces Jon to help her get back to the surface…
A United States Air Force U-2 airplane goes down over Russia, and pilot Gary Francis Powers is captured. Back in the States, Powers is considered a traitor for allowing himself to be taken alive, and his wife, Dottie – aka “Poison Ivy” – has to hide from irate neighbors while also figuring out how to handle her angry young stepson. In Russia, U.S. agents discover that Powers’ plane may not have been shot down after all, and then Dottie receives an offer of help from an unexpected source: billionaire Howard Hughes, who may be able to free Gary. But at what cost?
The idealistic young Prince Ivan, Oblivia’s sweetheart, has just been crowned Tsar of Russia, and it seems like the vast state might finally be on its way to a better future. But following a vicious battle with Slomo and his men, it becomes clear that there’s a tangled web of bad guys who see the young tsar as nothing more than a pawn in their game. Gypsy, as wild and as brazen as ever, bumps into an old friend and an old flame, but all he’s really interested in is getting his beloved truck back! What he doesn’t know, is that Oblivia’s in danger… But as ever, he’s got his little sister’s back, despite their familial disagreements, and steps in just at the right time…
In Book 4, Valentine finishes her first year of high school. As she does, she becomes more and more sure of herself. Her views of society take a turn for the critical, and she develops a greater willingness to branch out from her tight-knit group of friends. This new independent spirit motivates her to begin publishing a fanzine with Yamina. Meanwhile, Juliette and Melvin prepare for a break-dancing competition. And on the boy front, things are as complicated as ever: Felix is still just a “good friend,” and Baptiste is flirting up a storm…
Joaquin is an ambitious young casino worker in Havana during the final days before Fidel Castro’s coup to overthrow the corrupt Cuban government. Against this tense political backdrop, Joaquin finds himself holding a briefcase full of cash belonging to his gangster boss, stolen by Joaquin’s own brother, a guerrilla working for the revolution. When he learns that a young woman he has taken a liking to will be prostituted by his boss to none other than President Batista, he convinces her to flee with him — and the stolen money — to the United States, where they buy a car and head across the country, with the Cuban mafia hot on their trail.
It’s the summer of 1962 and the Faldérault family, grandparents included, is setting out on the maiden voyage of their brand-spanking-new Renault hatchback—Miss Esterel! Though they won’t make it as far as their beloved Mediterranean—only making it as far into France as Saint-Etienne—the fry-loving and pop hit-singing Faldéraults will still make plenty of special memories along the way.
There is a wolf among the Eagles of Rome, and he’s ready to attack… Who would have thought that Arminius, in whom the Roman general had such trust, has now become the Germanian war chief? His betrayal has meant that the Roman army is attacked from all sides and Marcus, now a prisoner, has never been so powerless. Behind bars, he can neither challenge his old blood brother or protect Priscilla and her son…
