Desperate Queen Makes a Pact with a Serpent God in Epic Fantasy Adventure In a kingdom parched by drought and threatened by despair, Queen Amara faces an agonizing choice. Her people are suffering, and a relentless sun bakes the land. When whispers of a powerful serpent deity reach her ears, Amara makes a desperate bargain. In exchange for rain and prosperity, she agrees to a dark pact, but the consequences are far-reaching. A Twist on Power: Amara's bargain grants her kingdom life-saving water, but it also unleashes a chilling transformation within her. As the serpent's influence grows, her decisions become ruthless and cold, leaving her people questioning their once-beloved queen. Friendship and Sacrifice: Amara's loyal friend, Kaveri, becomes her confidante in this struggle. Witnessing the queen's transformation, Kaveri risks everything to find a way to sever the pact, even if it means sacrificing her own strength. Facing a Two-Fronted War: While Amara grapples with the serpent's influence within, a neighboring kingdom eyes Chola's newfound prosperity with suspicion, threatening war. Now, Amara must not only break free from the serpent's hold but also defend her kingdom from external forces. A Fractured Bond, An Uncertain Future: The ritual to sever the pact is successful, but it comes at a heavy price. Kaveri bears the scars of the serpent's influence, while Amara retains a lingering connection to the deity. As a tremor shakes the land and a monstrous sandstorm approaches, Amara must embrace this fractured bond and use her connection to the serpent to save her people and restore balance. Unveiling the Serpent Legacy: This epic fantasy adventure explores themes of power, sacrifice, and the blurred lines between humanity and divinity. Amara's journey is filled with heart-wrenching choices, unexpected alliances, and a revelation that challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. Will she remain a human queen or embrace the serpent legacy that now runs through her veins? The future of Chola hangs in the balance.

In a kingdom teetering on the brink of chaos, Kael, the Barbarian King, must confront treacherous nobles, dark sorcery, and his own inner demons to save Vinhia from destruction. As ancient magic awakens and monstrous threats emerge, Kael's journey from outsider to true leader will test the limits of his strength and reveal the power of his hidden heritage. With pulse-pounding action, political intrigue, and epic battles between good and evil, this gripping fantasy saga explores the weight of power and the true meaning of kingship. Will Kael's barbarian might and newfound wisdom be enough to secure his throne and protect his people from the shadows that threaten to engulf them all?

The Serpent’s Embrace is sought by many. Layla has protected the artifact for ages. One night, in an alley, men come to take it. Before the lamia has a chance to react, the bad boy she’s been avoiding jumps into action to help. Maybe he isn’t the sum of his past mistakes. There’s always more beneath the surface. Jordan is no stranger to guilt and regret. He’s moved on from his past and strives to be better and fears he’s not. As much as he’s drawn to Layla, he fears her judgment. She may be the only one to help him realize he’s so much more than what he was. Together, they find the strength to accept hidden truths. Jordan learns he is more than an incubus. Layla learns there is more to her trinket than death and destruction. And now a dark force wants them both, but for what purpose?

mbark on an epic journey through a realm where magic and destiny intertwine in "The Serpent's Labyrinth: Chronicles of the Astral Key." In a world where the balance between magic and mundane hangs by a fragile thread, a trio of unlikely heroes emerges to shape the course of history. Rylan, a modest blacksmith marked by the enigmatic Mark of the Astral, finds himself thrust into a destiny that defies the boundaries of his craft. Joined by Ariadne, a fierce warrior bound to the Key of Valor, and Elara, a reclusive mage attuned to the Key of Whispers, they forge an alliance bound by their shared quest—to unlock the power of the Serpent's Labyrinth. As they journey through realms both mystical and mundane, the trio encounters ancient prophecies, enigmatic councils, and forgotten magic. Their choices ripple through time, transforming a world once divided by magic's isolation into a harmonious tapestry of unity.

Named to ten BEST OF THE YEAR lists and selected as a William C. Morris Award Winner,The Serpent King is the critically acclaimed, much-beloved story of three teens who find themselves--and each other--while on the cusp of graduating from high school with hopes of leaving their small-town behind. Perfect for fans of John Green's Turtles All the Way Down. "Move over, John Green; Zentner is coming for you." —The New York Public Library “Will fill the infinite space that was left in your chest after you finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” —BookRiot.com Dill isn't the most popular kid at his rural Tennessee high school. After his father fell from grace in a public scandal that reverberated throughout their small town, Dill became a target. Fortunately, his two fellow misfits and best friends, Travis and Lydia, have his back. But as they begin their senior year, Dill feels the coils of his future tightening around him. His only escapes are music and his secret feelings for Lydia--neither of which he is brave enough to share. Graduation feels more like an ending to Dill than a beginning. But even before then, he must cope with another ending--one that will rock his life to the core. Debut novelist Jeff Zentner provides an unblinking and at times comic view of the hard realities of growing up in the Bible belt, and an intimate look at the struggles to find one’s true self in the wreckage of the past. “A story about friendship, family and forgiveness, it’s as funny and witty as it is utterly heartbreaking.” —PasteMagazine.com “A brutally honest portrayal of teen life . . . [and] a love letter to the South from a man who really understands it.” —Mashable.com “I adored all three of these characters and the way they talked to and loved one another.”—New York Times

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Feared and worshiped in equal measure, snakes have captured the imagination of poets, painters, and philosophers for centuries. From Ice Age cave drawings to Snakes on a Plane, this creature continues to enthrall the public. But what harm has been caused by our mythologizing? While considering the dangers of stigma, Erica Wright moves from art and pop culture to religion, fetish, and ecologic disaster. This book considers how the snake has become more symbol than animal, a metaphor for how we treat whatever scares us the most, whether or not our panic is justified. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in the The Atlantic.

Shamanism can be defined as the practice of initiated shamans who are distinguished by their mastery of a range of altered states of consciousness. Shamanism arises from the actions the shaman takes in non-ordinary reality and the results of those actions in ordinary reality. It is not a religion, yet it demands spiritual discipline and personal sacrifice from the mature shaman who seeks the highest stages of mystical development.