A Grief Observed

Because I had a face that screamed 'pick-me girl', I became the target of my mother's deepest hatred. She claimed that just seeing me made her sick, bringing back memories of my father's affair. In retaliation, she channeled all her affection into helping a child from a poor village, praising her for being kind and genuine while insisting she loved her hundreds of times more than she ever loved me. But then that same girl went behind my back and seduced my boyfriend, and my mother reacted by hitting me across the face repeatedly. "How did I end up with such a shameless daughter? You're the third wheel, and you're accusing her of being the other woman!" Yet when I fell gravely ill with cancer, she was beside herself with grief, begging for forgiveness while praying earnestly. "How could I not love you, my dear? I've made such terrible mistakes…"

There are a lot more truths in the books we read, than we’d like to admit. What if a book delves into the lives of the very town you live in? Reveals to you some personal stories of people you know? Or thought you knew. Bookstore owner Kevin Ellison faces this truth when a mysterious book shows up in Through a Mirror, Darkly by Kevin Lucia. Through a Mirror, Darkly is a Supernatural Thriller collection masked as a novel. With elements of mystery, suspense, and otherworldly horror, Through a Mirror, Darkly successfully delves into the worlds of Lovecraft, Grant, and the mysterious Carcosa. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing Arcane Delights. Clifton Heights' premier rare and used bookstore. In it, new owner Kevin Ellison has inherited far more than a family legacy, for inside are tales that will amaze, astound, thrill...and terrify: An ancient evil thirsty for lost souls. A very different kind of taxi service with destinations not on any known map. Three coins that grant the bearer's fondest wish, and a father whose crippling grief gives birth to something dark and hungry.

Trust is a weapon. Love is a weakness. And revenge? It's the only thing keeping her alive. They took everything from her. Now she's in their house, cleaning floors, serving their meals, and plotting their downfall. When Inés Montoya loses her family in a fire no one dares investigate, she trades her grief for grit. Her only lead? A symbol linked to the notorious Delgado Mafia family. To get answers, she becomes their maid; silent, invisible, watching. But nothing in the Delgado mansion is what it seems. The twin heirs, Alejandro- ice cold and unreadable, and Alonso- reckless and magnetic, both want to claim her. So do two other men sworn to the family's bloodstained throne. Caught in a dangerous web of obsession, secrets, and seduction, Inés must play a deadly game; earn their trust, uncover the truth, and destroy them from within. But what happens when the lines between hatred and desire begin to blur? What if the man she's falling for, is the one who lit the match? Revenge has never been this intimate.

A few years ago, Olivia Sheridan packed her bags and moved to a new country, hoping to bury her grief and past so she could start a new life. Her only rule is ‘no attachments.’ You can't lose what you don't have. The rule serves her well until she moves into a house and meets her new roommate's brother. Dominic Moore always gets what he wants, and what he wants is a naked Olivia sprawled on his bed. But the playboy billionaire soon sees how reluctant she is, so starting a relationship with this reclusive girl will be difficult. Because of this, Dominic proposes an arrangement that will suit their wild attraction for one another while having no strings attached. The offer is almost too good to be true. Olivia accepts the terms, but not all is what it seems. Dominic has other plans and won't stop at lustful passion and desire. He intends to break her carefully guarded world so all her secrets are laid bare…

After suffering the devastating loss of her aunt and her second child, Keilah makes the heart-wrenching decision to step away from her life with Ralph, the Alpha of Moonrise Pack.  However, as she grapples with her grief, the vampire’s mark that had once vanished resurfaces with an overwhelming force, consuming her thoughts and pulling her towards the very vampire king she thought was gone forever. Damien Draven, the vampire king who saved Keilah from the brink of death with his venom, vanished into the shadows of the underworld where no light or human soul could reach. Yet, even in the darkest depths, he couldn't escape the persistent echo of Keilah's name, a call so powerful it drags him back to the human world. Here, love and war are set to collide once more, forcing both Damien and Keilah to face a destiny neither of them can outrun. "The Sting of the Vampire's Bite" is a spin-off from "TETHERED." To fully understand and enjoy Damien and Keilah's story, be sure to read "TETHERED" first.

Juked: A slang soccer term meaning: faked out, deceived, confused your opponentSee examples Daniel Zavaro and Quincy Watson:As the rising star in Houston, Daniel has found fame as Captain of his Pro soccer team and the city’s most eligible bachelor. Daniel has everything – except someone special – and that suits him just fine. He doesn’t want, or need, complications.Quincy has baggage, and lots of it. After a tragic accident spins her world on its axis, she finds herself as a single mother, raising a newborn nephew she never knew she had. Between parenthood, her full-time job, and dealing with the suffocating grief of losing her sister, every day is a struggle. When they begin to cross paths often, an unlikely friendship starts to evolve. Feelings change. Lines get crossed. Before they know it-- they’ve been Juked.Contains explicit content and is recommended for readers ages 18+.Juked is created by M.E. Carter, an eGlobal CreativePublishing Signed Author.

Hailey Andreev once had a life marked by promise and love—a brilliant student, a supportive father, and a bright future. But a single, fateful accident unraveled everything she held dear. The crash not only left her with physical scars but also exposed the cracks in her world. The loss of her father's unwavering support and the betrayal she faced from those she trusted sent her spiraling into a battle with her own despair. Her once-clear path to success became obscured by grief and anger, and she realized that no one would come to her rescue. Now, standing alone in the aftermath of shattered dreams, Hailey fights to rebuild her life. Amidst her struggles, whispers speak of a mysterious figure known as the "King of Shadows." Though he remains hidden, his influence could be the key to unraveling her tangled fate. As Hailey battles to reclaim her future, she might just find that her greatest ally is someone who emerges from the very darkness she fears.

*Book one Completed* Anna Brown has the ability to dream and go to the Moonland, the land of werewolves, and dark creatures. But she wished all her dreams were just like those that everybody has. Yet, her dreams were different. Her dreams weren't colors of rainbows and sunshine, her dreams became her reality, after all, she was a descendant of the Moon Goddess. The last of her bloodline. Nobody knew that she was the daughter of the Moon and Fire. However, Anna was beyond miserable, how fate played her, how she was just a pawn to an ancient war of werewolves. Her fierce visions were her grief untold, and she wished she could show it, she does. But she has to let the long-lost Golden Alpha Harry Camilton in so he can trust him yet, she doesn't know whom to trust and they shattered her hope, lies were told. Would she choose the promise of his love or choose the call of the Moon Goddess Dream?

Blurb: Emily was the perfect daughter until the real one returned. She was Adopted by a billionaire family in the shadow of their grief, Emily spent her life chasing affection that was never truly hers. At twenty-one, her world crumbled when the biological daughter, long thought dead, resurfaced taking Emily’s place, her parents’ love, and even her fiancé. Betrayed, discarded, and publicly humiliated, Emily is left with nothing but the ashes of a life she was never meant to have… until a mysterious man pulls her from the wreckage with a proposition that could change everything. A fake marriage. A powerful ally. One rule: don’t fall in love. But as secrets unravel, loyalties shift, and long-buried lies come to light, Emily discovers that nothing about her past is what it seemed not even her identity. Now, with the truth in her hands and two powerful men vying for her heart, she must choose between revenge and redemption, heartbreak and true love. “The Reclaimed” is a story of survival, scandal, and the quiet strength of a woman who refuses to be forgotten.

Ann Davis divorced Hans Graham after she caught her husband having an affair with Franz Smith and Teddy Lee. Ann was shocked that her husband was gay. While drunk with grief, Ann Davis met J. Carter, the handsome billionaire and CEO of the Carter Group. Ann decided to help J. Carter, to get away from a woman who chased him spontaneously. But unfortunately, Ann fainted from being too drunk. When she awoke, she realized that she had spent the night with J. Carter and that her purse was in the man's hands. J. Carter offered her a year-long contract marriage to help him avoid Merry Smith. Who would have thought the contract marriage brought Ann to the reality behind the fire that killed her late Father? What was J. Carter's secret? Who was Merry Smith? What did Hans Graham do? What was Franz Smith's intention? Will Ann manage to find a man who loves her sincerely? Does true love exist?