Spanning nearly two centuries, the Castle of the Hidden Grotto and its seductive immortal inhabitants have promised the fulfillment of every erotic fantasy for those who visit the grotto, including a chaste young British Jesuit who poses as a landscaper to investigate rumors about the chteau and the American daughter of the chteau's dying administrator. Original. 27,500 first printing.

Devastating circumstances still enslave most African Americans in American society today, especially in urban environments. They struggle with economic devastation, family disintegration, black-on-black crime, unemployment, political and social injustice, as well as the structural racism that fuels all of these. In the midst of this horrible din, there is a whisper from the Lord, a faith statement upon which there can be established an ethic of transformation for an oppressed African American Christian community. The whispers of faith, hope, and ethical direction that flow out of the New Testament materials have always taken their fleshly shape in light of the context in which African Americans have found themselves. Blount studies selected New Testament texts and evaluates them in light of their first-century contexts, primarily from a socio-linguistic perspective, and then reads them through the eyes of the contemporary African American Christian. This study analyzes the differences between the first century context, which prompted the biblical writers to reflect ethically upon their faith statements as they did, and the present reality of African Americans in the United States, which motivates their Christian leaders to reflect upon these same statements in such radically different ways. An example of a twentieth-century ethical situation is Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign of civil disobedience which appeared to be in direct contradiction to the ethical prescriptions in Romans 113 and 1 Peter 2:13-17, which mandate unqualified Christian obedience of government. Blount urges African American Christians to continually reevaluate the ethical principles established for first-century biblical communities in light of the novel circumstances that prevail today. In so doing, African Americans will be giving flesh to the inspirational whisper of the New Testament.

Makaela Williams is having a hell of a time, no thanks to the handsome Andrei Vulpes, CEO of Whispers Inc. With Andrei having a large hand in making Makaela into a succubus, she's learning the hard way how to control her new abilities, and to keep her closest friends and family from finding out about it. She would love nothing more than to be rid of her new form, until her boss (and ex-boyfriend) D gets dangerously close to her. Sensing there's more to Makaela than she's letting on, D is keeping a watchful eye on her while keeping an old family secret of his own.Andrei must do all that he can to protect Makaela, along with some help from his mentor and "mother" Ursula. Even with Makaela's stubbornness threatening to unhinge their tie to one another, Andrei doesn't give up as a much larger and powerful enemy is hot on their heels. Andrei must make the choice to keep Makaela safe, no matter what.D is engaged to be married, but still holds a flame for his ex-girlfriend Makaela. As much as he wants her, he has to keep to the vows he took with his family and his forgotten fiancée. Ursula is finding it hard to convince Makaela to understand what she is now and to accept it as a part of herself now. As strong-willed as Makaela is, Ursula can't help but want to mother her and lead her on the journey to new self-discovery for Makaela.The inner turmoil for Makaela can't possibly compare to the fight she encounters against Cosmina and her cronies. Or can it?

#1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz “pulls out all the stops” (Publishers Weekly) in this haunting psychological thriller... For thirty-five years, Bruno Frye has lived in the shadow of the adopted mother who made his heart beat with constant fear. And even though she died five years ago, the whispers still haunt him in the dark...enough to make him kill—and kill again. Hilary Thomas is one of his intended victims. And she’s about to learn that even death can’t keep a bad man down...

Life is noisy. But what would happen if every day - for the next 40 days - you soaked in God's love as He intimately whispered words of rest just for you? Whispers of Rest is a 40-day devotional detox for your soul, a spiritual journey to refresh you and guide you to greater peace, while helping you discover who God truly made you to be: His beloved. Renew your spirit with powerful affirmations of God's love with uplifting words of Scripture, journaling prompts for reflection, and practical challenges to spark joy. Bonnie will lead you to places of rest, where you can deeply experience the Savior's presence in your everyday life. This beautiful guidebook will create space for your soul to breathe: Soul Care Tips & Trail Notes - Reduce stress and nurture your body and spirit. Daily Beloved Challenges - Brighten your day by taking simple soul care actions. A Simple Prayer Practice - Deepen your intimacy with God through easy-to-enjoy prayer prompts, inspired by classic devotional practices. A lot can happen in 40 days. A new rhythm. A new heart. A renewed faith. Transform your life as you take the journey to say yes to God, embrace your true identity, rediscover your dreams, and begin your healing. Dare to enjoy each day fully and celebrate your calling as the beloved.