When Max Sumner and three friends play a magical card game called Round Table, they realize that it is up to them to prevent the wicked creatures of the cards from destroying their town, indeed, their world.

The story of peace and war in the mythical land of Hatu. A rogue wizard tries to exact revenge on the last descendant of those who destroyed the staff of power thousands of years ago. Elves, Men, and Dwarves join in the defense of all the peoples of Hatu. Orcs, Men, and Trolls are on the hunt to find Burton Brew, last of the line, and return him to the evil wizard Meloneous. Many adventures and surprises follow Burton, and his friend Tordin, one of the few remaining Rangers, as he does his best to avoid an all-out war in Hatu by doing the task he is given by the great Elf Lord. Along the way, he finds powers that were dormant within him. Using these powers he helps unite all the free peoples in a battle that will not only determine the fate of Hatu, but the future of Burton himself. Haddad shows strong fantasy instincts, and a scene in which Burton finds himself trapped in a house by Orcs feels genuinely harrowing. Burton is also a likable character with several charming moments of introspection. However, his powers do make his struggles feel less urgent. It will also quickly become clear to readers that Hatu is largely a facsimile of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. In addition to an army of Orcs and Goblins, the story includes Myopians, which are nearly indistinguishable from Hobbits. -Kirkus Review-

Vinny Salvo's shadow has grown horns, claws, and big sharp teeth. And now it is coming after him.

"It's not just Murakami but also the shadow of Borges that hovers over this mesmerizing book... [and] one may detect a slight bow to the American macabre of E.A. Poe. Ogawa stands on the shoulders of giants, as another saying goes. But this collection may linger in your mind -- it does in mine -- as a delicious, perplexing, absorbing and somehow singular experience." -- Alan Cheuse, NPR Sinister forces collide---and unite a host of desperate characters---in this eerie cycle of interwoven tales from Yoko Ogawa, the critically acclaimed author of The Housekeeper and the Professor. An aspiring writer moves into a new apartment and discovers that her landlady has murdered her husband. Elsewhere, an accomplished surgeon is approached by a cabaret singer, whose beautiful appearance belies the grotesque condition of her heart. And while the surgeon's jealous lover vows to kill him, a violent envy also stirs in the soul of a lonely craftsman. Desire meets with impulse and erupts, attracting the attention of the surgeon's neighbor---who is drawn to a decaying residence that is now home to instruments of human torture. Murderers and mourners, mothers and children, lovers and innocent bystanders---their fates converge in an ominous and darkly beautiful web. Yoko Ogawa's Revenge is a master class in the macabre that will haunt you to the last page. An NPR Best Book of 2013

Trained in the magical art of shadow-weaving, sixteen-year-old Suzume, who is able to re-create herself in any form, is destined to use her skills to steal the heart of a prince in a revenge pot.

Inglourious Basterds meets Stranger Things in this dark and thrilling tale of power, shadow, and revenge set during World War II. World War II is raging, and five teens are looking to make a mark. Daniel and Rebeka seek revenge against the Nazis who slaughtered their family; Simone is determined to fight back against the oppressors who ruined her life and corrupted her girlfriend; Phillip aims to prove that he's better than his worst mistakes; and Liam is searching for a way to control the portal to the shadow world he's uncovered, and the monsters that live within it--before the Nazi regime can do the same. When the five meet, and begrudgingly team up, in the forests of Germany, none of them knows what their future might hold. As they race against time, war, and enemies from both this world and another, Liam, Daniel, Rebeka, Phillip, and Simone know that all they can count on is their own determination and will to survive. With their world turned upside down, and the shadow realm looming ominously large--and threateningly close--the course of history and the very fate of humanity rest in their hands. Still, the most important question remains: Will they be able to save it? Praise for The Shadow War: "Nonstop action, consistent worldbuilding, and a large cast of sympathetic characters, all of them marginalized in some way, create an engaging story." --Kirkus Reviews "An action-packed historical novel with a science fiction twist, Smith has crafted a novel where Stranger Things meets Nazi hunting. A solid purchase for YA shelves and any reader who wants to fight Nazis." --School Library Journal

The final installment of the acclaimed Nine Lives trilogy, sequel to The Book of Learning and The Book of Shadows. Popular author with a high social media profile and active event schedule. Fantasy adventure set in Ireland. First book was 2016 Dublin Citywide Read for kids. Second in the series was short-listed for Bord Gais Energy Children's Book of Year 2016. In The Book of Revenge, the final book in E.R. Murray's Nine Lives trilogy, Ebony Smart faces her toughest challenge so far. Her enemies, Judge Ambrose and Zach Stone, have a powerful new ally and an army of Shadow Walkers to use against her. Without the help of The Book of Learning, Ebony, with pet rat, Winston, and the Order of the Nine Lives, must find a way to discover their plans, defeat the magical beings and rescue her parents. A story of ghosts, time-travel, battles and dark magic, this is Ebony's greatest adventure so far – but will it also be her last?