Weird Life

In recent years, scientists have hypothesized life-forms that can only be called "weird": organisms that live off acid rather than water, microbes that thrive at temperatures and pressure levels so extreme that their cellular structures should break down, perhaps even organisms that reproduce without DNA. Some of these strange life-forms, unrelated to all life we know, might be nearby: on rock surfaces in the American southwest, hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, or even in our own bodies. Some, stranger still, might live in Martian permafrost, swim in the dark oceans of Jupiter's moons, or survive in the exotic ices on comets.

Things take a depressing turn at Deadeye Manor after the shocking return of Mr. Weirdie and the Enchantress. Barnacle Melancholy and Garlic are put to the treacherous task of finding a lost family fortune buried somewhere within the manor, only to awaken some vengeful spirits with a diabolical plan all their own. Meanwhile, Miss Emily has decided that disguising her sunny personality as a wretched criminal is the best way to rescue the triplets, only to find herself in a high-stakes roller-boogie contest with her most loathsome enemy. Listen at your own risk, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Haunted by the trauma of a high school classmate’s unsolved murder, Mairead Muller sets off on an art scholarship to rural midwestern Thelemite College in the fall of 1985. There, she finds herself bound to the whims of her unscrupulous benefactress as she is forced to create a new version of each card in the tarot. Was her star-crossed fate a result of dabbling in the darker side of the occult as a child? And will Mairead ever escape the velvety ropes of black magic to find peace, and maybe even love? Find out in this new dark academia novel from Colleen McManus Hein.

Something weird is going on! A.J. and his friends are afraid that Ms. Todd, their substitute teacher, has killed their regular teacher and is trying to take over her job. They’re going to have to do the detective work to get the goods on her. But it won’t be easy! Ms. Todd is the weirdest substitute teacher in the history of the world!

Discover the power of being a hot mess with these heartbreaking and hilarious stories of how God uses each "mess" in our lives to bring us closer to Him–showing readers that it's okay to celebrate exactly where they are right now. A lot of people struggle with the concept of being holy. But...

Florida Man strikes again — and again — and again! From flying alligators to sword fights at laundromats, this outrageous collection brings you 25 unbelievable short stories inspired by real headlines. Dive into a world where the bizarre is everyday news, and chaos lurks around every corner. Logan Carter’s hilarious, jaw-dropping tales capture the spirit of Florida's most infamous characters, blending truth, madness, and a whole lot of gator. Buckle up. It’s going to be a wild ride. Florida Man strikes again — and again — and again! From flying alligators to sword fights at ...

In the next novel in the Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International series by New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, the team faces new and old enemies alike as a bioengineered version of The Black Death surfaces. Hundreds of years after the first waves of the bubonic plague swept...

Ruby Lennox begins narrating her life at the moment of conception, and from there takes us on a whirlwind tour of the 20th century as seen through the eyes of an English girl determined to learn about her family and its secrets.

Popular author Dan Gutman has won countless fans with a trademark brand of humor that young readers find irresistible. In this second entry from the My Weird School series, second-grader A.J. gets sent to the office for not doing his homework. But things take an unexpected turn when Mr. Klutz, the skateboarding principal, gives A.J. a candy bar for encouragement.

Forget Thanksgiving. The biggest turkey of all is running around Ella Mentry School - Dr. Carbles, the president of the school board. He is grumpier than ever and wants to fire Mr. Klutz. Will A.J. and his friends be able to save their principals job?

Disaster reigns when A.J. participates in the school's holiday pageant celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

Award-winning author Dan Gutman delivers the fourth amusing tale from his popular My Weird School series. Even for an art teacher, Ms. Hannah is pretty strange. She wears dresses made out of potholders and collects garbage instead of throwing it out—so her students can use it in their artwork. And now, she’s making A.J. be partners with smelly Andrea. This is going to be the worst art class ever!

Mia knows her family is very different than her best friend's. In the 1980s, the coastal fishing town of Prince Rupert is booming. There is plenty of sockeye salmon in the nearby ocean, which means the fishermen are happy and there is plenty of work at the cannery. Eleven-year-old Mia and her best friend, Lara, have known each other since kindergarten. Like most tweens, they like to hang out and compare notes on their crushes and dream about their futures. But even though they both live in the same cul-de-sac, Mia’s life is very different from her non-Indigenous, middle-class neighbor.

The winner of numerous awards for children’s fiction, Dan Gutman presents the third tale from his delightfully silly My Weird School series. Second-grader A.J. thinks Mrs. Roopy, the librarian, might be the strangest teacher at his school. The students believe she keeps appearing fully dressed as characters from books, like Johnny Appleseed and Little Miss Muffet. But every time a new character surfaces, Mrs. Roopy insists she was home sick that day!

This is a peek into various corners of my attic. The memories are piled up in heaps. Have a rummage through.

Briarcliff Mansion and the land it occupies are owned by Emory University, which refers to it as its "Briarcliff Campus." Fortune and Folly, in part, illuminates the largely lost story of how the mansion, and the entire surrounding neighborhood, got its name. But in order to understand the mansion, we have to understand the man who built it. Briarcliff Mansion once belonged to a man named Asa Candler, Jr.—also known as Buddie. The second son and namesake of Coca-Cola founder Asa Griggs Candler, Buddie was a wealthy real estate developer of great successes and greater failures.

Emma Mcgraw is slowly making friends at her new school. but when Cynthia calls her weird, Emma is shocked. They are supposed to be best friends! in response, Emma decides that Cynthia’s new name should be bossy pants, and she tells everyone in the class.

Regina Hartley has had enough. The demands of life have taken a toll on her and, no longer feeling equipped to endure the strain, she decides to end it all in watery surrender. But instead of drowning to death, she finds herself being revived on shore by a concerned, handsome stranger. After saving her, the stranger refuses to leave her alone. Regina realizes she doesn’t mind his attention and finds herself more interested in what else life has to offer overall. But after saving her spirit, will the handsome stranger eventually disappear? Gabriel finds himself in the right place at the ...

For Westerners, the two words most associated with Japan are probably “strange” and “exotic.” Turns out, you can’t marry the exotic, without accepting the strange, as well. That might have been a good thing for William to know, in advance. Throw in a couple of kids and a Canadian family filled with quirky characters, and you have the makings of epic tragedy or gut-busting comedy, depending upon your point of view. I Married Japan provides a good-natured glimpse into one Canadian-Japanese family and marriage. Get ready to learn as you laugh your way through this collection of Japan...

In a quiet little town, where the cobblestones give way to moss and mushrooms, Gwenda Merriford keeps a very small shop. Most days, she brews a few calming tonics, sweeps the floor, chats to her cat as though Mimsy understands, and closes up before the rain starts. Nothing much happens. And that’s exactly how she likes it. But when an unexpected visitor appears—quiet, persistent, and not entirely ordinary—Gwenda’s carefully ordered days begin to shift in the smallest, strangest ways. A gentle cozy fantasy of subtle magic, stubborn teacups, and the mysteries that find us when we’re...