“A funny yet surprisingly nuanced look at the legends and ideas of the self-help industry” (People, 3.5 stars), Promise Land explores the American devotion to self-improvement—even as the author attempts some deeply personal improvements of her own. Raised by a child psychologist who was himself the author of numerous self-help books, as an adult Jessica Lamb-Shapiro found herself both repelled and fascinated by the industry: did all of these books, tapes, weekend seminars, groups, posters, t-shirts, and trinkets really help anybody? Why do some people swear by the power of positive thinking, while others dismiss it as so many empty promises? Promise Land is an irreverent tour through the vast and strange reaches of the world of self-help. In the name of research, Jessica attempted to cure herself of phobias, followed The Rules to meet and date men, walked on hot coals, and even attended a self-help seminar for writers of self-help books. But the more she delved into the history and practice of self-help, the more she realized her interest was much more than academic. Forced into a confrontation with the silent grief that had haunted both her and her father since her mother’s death when she was a baby, she realized that sometimes thinking you know everything about a subject is a way of hiding from yourself the fact that you know nothing at all. “A jaunty, cannily written memoir” (Chicago Tribune), Promise Land is cultural history from “a witty and enjoyably self-aware writer…Jessica Lamb-Shapiro’s talent as a storyteller is undeniable” (The New York Times Book Review).

'You wouldn't trust a stranger with your wallet. Or your house keys. So why your little girl, the most precious thing you have?' Teresa's heart stops when she enters her daughter's bedroom to find that her sweet, trusting little girl is gone. Teresa can't bear to think who would snatch a terrified three-year-old from her mother in the middle of the night, but all the signs point to someone close to home. Hasn't Jessica's stepfather been acting a little oddly? Or is it, as Teresa is beginning to fear, something to do with Angie, her daughter's babysitter who lives next door...? Gentle, retired Angie - she must be lonely, with only her memories to keep her company in that big, old house. And she's always had a special connection with Jessica... was trusting Angie with her precious daughter the biggest mistake of Teresa's life? What do we really know about those who watch our children? Jessica's Promise is a compelling domestic drama for fans of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Wingate and Kerry Fisher. Readers absolutely love Jill Childs... 'Wow! A big huge emotional and overwhelming WOW!... A heart-breaking and thought-provoking tale of a mother's overwhelming and all-encompassing love for her daughter. I honestly thought I knew where this story was going but a couple of twists had me fooled and then there's a huge, clever reveal that absolutely floored me. It's a rare and beautiful thing to be moved to tears by a story that also makes you reflect long after the book is finished... Loved it.' 5 stars, Off on a Tangent 'Oh. My. Gosh. Just trying to catch my breath... started reading this late yesterday and actually cancelled plans this morning to finish it. Excellent!' Goodreads reviewer 'I was completely hooked... This book was utterly impossible to put down! Wow! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting... truly an intense psychological thriller... from the very start to the shocking conclusion!' 5 stars, Goodreads reviewer

In her debut middle grade novel—inspired by her family’s history—Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family’s secrets—and finds her own Native American identity. All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers. Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,” and photos of a woman who looks just like her. Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?

Promise of Forever is book three in the USA Today bestselling three-book series Promises. Book One: Promise to Marry Book Two: Promise to Keep Book Three: Promise of Forever He promised to always be my best friend. He promised to marry me if we were both still single at thirty. He promised me a forever together. But that was before I discovered a secret that seemed to shatter everything I'd come to believe in. Had I lost him before he was ever mine? Had this secret ruined any promise of a forever together?

Adelynn Spencer, a spirited member of the Edwardian London upper class, struggles under the conditions of her engagement to Detective Inspector Baze Ford. But during the gala announcing their betrothal, events take a fatal turn when Adelynn experiences a vivid dream of a man dying with a knife buried in his chest. To her alarm, Baze and his men later discover the man exactly as she witnessed. When Adelynn sees a second dream-a second victim-she tries to convince Baze that there are more sinister things at work. Choosing hard evidence over Adelynn's outrageous claims, Baze dismisses her and turns his attention to the location of the most recent crime, the Empress Theatre. Determined to uncover the truth of her visions, Adelynn investigates on her own. She infiltrates the theater and becomes spellbound by the charming spectacle of the resident magician. As Baze wrestles with the decision to harden his heart or take action to protect the woman who means everything to him, Adelynn ventures further into the clutches of magic and murder. Can she keep her mind safe and draw the killer out of the shadows?

Promise to Keep is book two in the New York Times bestselling three-book series Promises. I’ve loved her since we were seven. We were best friends. We even made a pact to marry each other if we were both still single at thirty. I grew up thinking I would always love her for the rest of my life. But I was proven wrong. Because the first time I made love to her turned out to be the first time I hated her. It became the first time she hurt me, and the first time I wanted nothing to do with her. Today, nine years after the day that broke us apart, we are both thirty and single, and fate decided to intervene. I finally discovered that the reasons behind her betrayal were far different from the ones I’d created years ago in my mind. Now I’m torn between my hatred over what she did and my undying love for the one girl who I’ve held close to my heart for most of my life. But is the truth enough for me to forgive her? This is book two in the three-book series Promises. Books two and three will be full-length novels. Book One: Promise to Marry Book Two: Promise to Keep Book Three: Promise of Forever New Adult Contemporary Romance **Mature Content** Recommended for 17+ due to mature language and adult situations.

A young witch must save her sister from evil birds in this masterful middle-grade fantasy In the land of Tsaretsvo, civil war has divided the human tsardom from the Republic of Birds. Magic is outlawed, and young witches, or yagas, are sent to a mysterious boarding school, from which no one has returned. Olga and her family live a life of dull privilege in the capital until her father displeases the tyrannical tsarina. The family is sent off into exile at the Imperial Center for Avian Observation, an isolated shack near the Republic of Birds. Unlike the rest of her family, Olga doesn’t particularly mind their strange new life. She never fit into aristocratic society as well as her perfect younger sister, Mira. But what does worry Olga is her blossoming magical abilities. If anyone found out, they’d send her away. But then Mira is kidnapped by the birds, and Olga has no choice but to enter the forbidden Republic, a dangerous world full of yagas, talking birds, and living dreams. To navigate the Republic and save her sister, she’ll need her wits, her cunning—and even her magic.