Showing results by narrator "Krystal Hammond" in All Categories

Ruga Karrsdaughter, dutiful orc princess with a heart of gold, has spent the years since her sister was elected queen serving the orc country of Torden. Her duties now include marrying an elf princess for a much-needed alliance against an outside threat. Elketh Ceridwen, rakish elf princess with a penchant for chaos, has never lifted a finger in her life. Now that an engagement is sprung upon her by the stern elvish king, she has to fulfill a fifty-day betrothal period in Torden surrounded by strangers . . . unless she can wreak enough havoc to get sent back home.

A lush and elegant collection of tales—many having appeared in various “Best Of” anthologies—teeming with frightful and tragic events, yet profoundly and intimately human. These chilling tales will engross and enthrall. For listeners of Kelly Link, Carmen Maria Machado, and Angela Carter, this is a must have collection of ghostly tales set to deliver a frisson of terror and glee.

Horror movies hold a complicated space in the queer community: historically misogynist, and often homo- and transphobic, the genre has also been inadvertently feminist and open to subversive readings. It Came from the Closet features twenty-five original essays by writers speaking to this relationship, through connections both empowering and oppressive. From Carmen Maria Machado on Jennifer’s Body, Jude Ellison S. Doyle on In My Skin, Addie Tsai on Dead Ringers, and many more, these conversations convey the rich reciprocity between queerness and horror.

In her second collection from Trepidatio Publishing, award-winning author Gemma Files takes her listeners on journeys out beyond safe borders—from the trackless depths of the sea, to the empty desert frontiers of the Weird West, even to the edges of cracks between worlds. Here, in these narrow spaces between the known and the unknown, behind the paper-thin curtains of reality, lurk monsters both human and ancient: selkies and avenging revenants, voodoo priestesses and pirate sorcerers, ghosts and vampires, and the most famous murderer of all time.

In Nebula Award-winning author Sam J. Miller’s devastating debut short-fiction collection—featuring an introduction by Amal El-Mohtar—queer infatuation, inevitable heartbreak, and brutal revenge seamlessly intertwine. Whether innocent, guilty, or not even human, the boys, beasts, and men roaming through Miller’s gorgeously crafted worlds can destroy listeners, yet leave them wanting more.

Narcissism For Dummies pulls back the curtain on a growing and misunderstood personality. This book digs into dimensions of narcissism, grandiosity, malignancy, and vulnerability, giving you the knowledge and perspective you need to identify narcissists in your life and set limits on unacceptable behavior. It also takes a look at how society plays a part in fostering narcissism, for example through social media. You'll walk away from Narcissism For Dummies with a clearer sense of the personality trait, as well as necessary coping mechanisms and tools to deal with the narcissists in your life.

Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies…breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it.

A former child prodigy, she has been educated in one of the best medical schools under the supervision of the prestigious Daniela McKenna. At the age of twenty-seven, she moved from Boston to Los Angeles in search of a smaller hospital that would allow her to grow faster as a surgeon. Little did she expect that by a quirk of fate, she would find herself as interim chief of surgery, fighting for the permanent position against much more experienced doctors.

Neera, Goddess of the Sky, claims the war will end in the place where oceans burn. God of the Sea, Talay, believes it to be in the place where skies fall. Yet battles unlike any our people have fought before still wait to be waged. Like it or not, Crest and I find ourselves caught in the middle.

Investing for the first time can be intimidating. In easy-to-understand language, Stock Market 101 provides the groundwork needed to begin building knowledge on the stock market. It cuts out the boring explanations of basic investing, and instead provides hands-on lessons that keep you engaged as you learn how to build a portfolio and expand your wealth. Full of basic definitions and real life examples, Stock Market 101 will alleviate any uneasy or overwhelmed feelings during your first steps toward your investment goals.

Reeling from her brother's death, Gianna Del Vecchio finds comfort in an online forum from a woman who suffered a similar loss. Theirs is a club no one wants to join—survivors of a loved one's suicide. Photos posted to the forum of the woman's cute therapy dog bring cheer when nothing else can, and Gianna is compelled to reach out to say thanks. After two years, Keenan McEvoy is still fighting her way back from despair after losing her partner, Annabel. She's surprised when she connects with Gianna, whose kindness and compassion ignite a spark she wasn't sure she'd ever feel again.

Fame and money rained down on Dess Hampton like a monsoon. She couldn't imagine needing more—until her golden voice was silenced. Now her quiet days are filled with her guitar and she savors every sunrise. Curious, and as a favor to a friend, she emerges to hear a rumored superstar in the making. Erika Alvarez is awed that the reclusive Dess Hampton wants to hear her sing, and then blown away when Dess agrees to sit in for a few gigs. Can the magic of the music they make together, and the growing love between them, trump Erika's ambition and Dess's fears?

To my people, the sky-reigning Empyreans, Intention Day is sacred.... To me, it’s the day my carefully crafted lie crumbles and my truth gives way to my ruin. The intense power surging through my veins is revealed, immediately coveted by those eager to exploit me for what they deem a greater good. If they have their way, the future I long for will be ripped away. But I am a warrior born to fly. To fight. Not to be caged and controlled.

High school senior Mindy Murphy has been questioning her small town life forever and, more recently, her sexuality. Maybe it has something to do with her new friend, Lucia West. When they were kids they used to be besties, until Lucia grew a head taller and a cup size bigger. Now she's captain of the cheer team, winner of the Boyfriend Olympics, and voted least likely to remember Mindy at their high school reunion. In short, she's possibly the worst person alive for Mindy to crush on. Especially after Lucia's bitten by a vampire.

Brotherhood and beer meets single mom and apple pie. I am a riding contradiction. A scholar, a cynic, a brother, and a biker. My name is Trunk. I’m smart enough to recognize the chip on my shoulder, and cautious enough to keep it right where it is. I am a misguided romantic. A mom, a daughter, an agent, and a survivor. My name is Jaimie. I’m strong enough to look after my family alone, and too stubborn to accept I don’t have to.

Arya has time for only one thing: saving lives as a surgeon. She is not interested in a relationship. Her life is already too complicated without adding new problems into the mix. Besides, there are too many other women out there to settle for just one. Patricia wants to be seen as more than a single mother. Her seven-year-old son fills her life, but after leaving behind the toxic relationship with her ex-husband, she's been longing to feel wanted again.

Victoria Cage has one main objective in life: make sure that no one finds out she’s a necromancer. You know, a carrier of that pesky little power that caused zombies to rise back in World War III? Of course, it’s hard to stay hidden when you deal with dead bodies. Like, every freaking day. Maybe, taking over the family funeral home wasn’t the smartest choice in the world, but sometimes, being the local mortician and resident "crazy pants" has its benefits. 

I don't understand why the hospital director has insisted that Siena Collins work in oncology. She is a spoiled brat, unreliable, and causes too much trouble in a department where we must look into the eyes of death every day. To make matters worse, she can't even touch or talk to patients. She is still in medical school and considering quitting altogether.

The lines between Light and Dark blur when Alder and Lily assume their crowns as the new King and Queen of the Fae Kingdom. The goal of their reign is to fulfill Gideon’s wishes of uniting the fairy Kingdoms, but something sinister stands in their way. Determined to find Bennett and retrieve the stolen book, Lily’s attention strays from her duties, making her rely on her sisters more than ever before.

Grieving but feisty widow Vivian Laurent is at a late-in-life crossroads. The man she loved is gone. Their only daughter is estranged and missing. And the assisted-living facility where her husband died is going into quarantine. Living in lockdown with only heartache and memories is something Vivian can’t bear. Then comes a saving grace.