Natural Science

Caught robbing the governor’s mansion, Blythe is given a choice: steal the crown jewel of Ostrait’s greatest enemy, or her papa and friends all die. Forced undercover as a candidate in the Fletch King’s marital competition, she must survive the cut-throat court under the watchful eye of the governor’s pet assassin. But how much of herself will this mission cost her? Kalen got her into this mess. And now they must keep their head down in the servants’ quarters, enduring their new superior’s brutality and confronted with the terrors of their past.

Based on in-depth interviews with 46 women who underwent cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance, the authors investigate motivations for surgery as well as women’s thoughts about looking natural after the procedures. Under the Knife highlights the role of deep-seated yet contradictory gendered meanings about women’s bodies, passing, and boundary work. The authors also consider traditional notions of femininity and normalcy that trouble women’s struggle to preserve an authentic moral self.

The Supernatural Academy nearly killed me my freshman year, so when my sophomore year rolls around, I’m determined for things to be different. Sure, Rowan’s a mess, but he’s still studying magic and taking me on hot dates, and that’s all that matters. But what I don’t realize is how freaking obsessed he's become with finding a cure to reverse his new curse. He wants magic back, and he’s willing to do anything to get it. It’s not enough that I sign a blood pact with him, giving him access to my magic. And it’s not enough when he loses control.

Norman MacLean spent the last 14 years of his life determined to sift through grief and controversy in search of the truth behind the Mann Gulch tragedy, one of the worst disasters in the history of the Forest Service. Young Men and Fire is the culmination of his investigations. It is a story about honor, death, compassion, and the human spirit.

For years, America's national parks have provided public breathing spaces in a world in which such spaces are steadily disappearing, which is why close to 300 million people visit the parks each year. Now, to honor the centennial of the National Park Service, Terry Tempest Williams, the author of the beloved memoir When Women Were Birds, returns with The Hour of Land, a literary celebration of our national parks, what they mean to us, and what we mean to them.

Menopause hit Darcey Steinke hard. First came hot flashes. Then insomnia. Then depression. As she struggled to understand what was happening to her, she slammed up against a culture of silence and sexism. Some books promoted hormone replacement therapy. Others encouraged accepting the coming crone. Beyond that, there was little that offered a path to understanding menopause in a complex, spiritual, and intellectually engaged way.

Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to Hardcore Horror Stories, The Best Horror Stories of the Year and experience this compelling horror story collection.

Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.

The Real Story of the Exodus Colin Humphreys, a world-renowned Cambridge University scientist, reveals for the first time the concrete, scientific truth behind the Exodus miracles. The Burning Bush: Caused by a volcanic vent that opened up under the bush. Crossing the Red Sea: The water was pushed back by a very strong wind blowing all night. This is a known physical phenomenon called wind set down. The details given in the Bible mean we can pinpoint where the Red Sea crossing occurred.

Werewolves, vampires, witches, voodoo, Elvis - and weddings An "ordinary" wedding can get crazy enough, so can you imagine what happens when otherworldly creatures are involved? Nine of the hottest authors of paranormal fiction answer that question in this delightful collection of supernatural wedding stories.

When Evie found out she was knocked up with the local werewolf alpha's baby, she thought life couldn't get more complicated. Of course, she was wrong. It turns out she's a kitsune, and along with that rare gift comes untold powers and responsibilities - most of which she'd rather do without. She's the sole guardian of a broken gate to the Underworld, and all sorts of monstrous creatures are oozing out of it - the kind that think humans are a light snack.

Viviendo en los límites de nuestra percepción ordinaria, los musgos son un elemento común del mundo natural, que sin embargo suele pasar desapercibido. Reserva de musgo es una fascinante mezcla de ciencia y reflexión personal que invita a los lectores a explorar y aprender de la vida elegante y sencilla de los musgos.

When Alex Kaine discovered that he would be able to travel between worlds, to visit places beyond Earth, he thought his life couldn’t get any crazier. He thought navigating the quirks of Mystic Getaways would be all he would ever need to worry about.

I'm Paige Harper, and I'm now afraid to leave my own house. But, a girl can only hide from reality for so long. So, when my ex-husband needs my help finalizing our divorce so that he can get remarried, it just feels like another bump in the pot-hole road that is my life. There’s a minor wrinkle, though. We gotta go to Fairieland and petition Oberon - the king of the Fae himself - to make our split official. As usual, Jax has everything figured out - for himself. Nico will come along as my fake boyfriend to convince the Faerieland King that I've moved on.

I’m operating on a low budget with a broken heart until a client makes me an offer I can’t refuse: Go undercover in a sex cult to find his sister. This cleaning lady isn't interested in getting down and dirty, but I could use the getaway. At first, the cult only seems interested in bringing humans and supes together...in bed. But I quickly discover there's way more than just group orgies happening here. Despite preaching peace and love, I suspect their real aim is to force their own brand of sexual healing onto the rest of the world.

Do you know what lies behind every door? There are certain buildings which can be unsettling, disturbing, and downright terrifying. Even in seemingly normal homes, the strange and mysterious can help to create a sense of unease and ill-feeling. But there are certain buildings which scream strangeness from every surface. A coldness, an eerie atmosphere, or even the half caught sight of something moving in the corner of your vision. Some homes breathe paranormal activity and can leave you scared before you've even stepped over the threshold.

An unexpected escape. A harrowing hunt. A dark showdown. When a dark fae escapes from Scorchwood, we investigate the breach and discover an old foe has resurfaced to wreak havoc. But the fugitive is deadlier than we expected and begins to leave a trail of bodies in his wake. Tracking him to the fae realm reveals a potential conspiracy, with his ultimate goal linked to his past and the cherished Christmas village. But he has more allies than expected after a three-hundred-year imprisonment, leaving us unsure of whom to trust as he continues to gain power.

The never-before-told story of the horned rabbit - the myths, the hoaxes, the very real scientific breakthrough it inspired - and how it became a cultural touchstone of the American West.

Once upon a time, a burnt-out Claire Dunn spent a year living off the grid in a wilderness survival program. Yet love and the possibilities of human connection drew her back to the city, where she soon found herself as overscheduled, addicted to her phone and lost in IKEA as everyone else. Given all the city offered - comfort, convenience, community and opportunity - she wanted to stay. But to do so, she'd have to learn how to rewild her own urban soul. Now, Claire swims in city rivers, forages in the suburbs and explores many other practices to connect to the world around her.

In Sightlines, Kathleen Jamie reports from the field - from her native Scottish "byways and hills" to the frigid Arctic in 14 enthralling essays. She dissects whatever her gaze falls upon - vistas of cells beneath a hospital microscope, orcas rounding a headland, the aurora borealis lighting up the frozen sea. In so doing, she questions what, exactly, constitutes "nature", and upends the idea that it is always picturesque. Written with precision, subtlety, and wry humor, Sightlines urges the listener: "Keep looking, even when there's nothing much to see."