WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION You do magic once, and it sticks to you like glitter glue... When Johnny and his best friend, Alison, pass their summer holidays dabbling in magic, they never expect it to have consequences. Sure, it'd be great if they could banish bullies or change their lives for the better, and what harm could come from lighting a few candles and chanting a few spells? They get their answer in the form of an earthquake unleashed at their behest, which draws the attention of the Marduk Institute, an age-old organization dedicated to fostering the talents of young wizards. Whisked away to the institute and told they can never return to their old lives, Johnny and Alison must quickly adapt to a new world shimmering with monsters, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake. But when they're pulled into a dark, supernatural fight that could cost them their lives, they'll have to find strength they never knew they had as they battle for love, acceptance, and their own happy endings -- all with the help of a little bit of magic.

Delaney Escott lives in a world where popularity reigns supreme. If you want to be noticed, social status is everything. The government is run by the Superiors: a very exclusive group of individuals who are virtually flawless. They are smarter than us and stronger than us, and to join their ranks is the highest honor. The Superiors pay an annual visit to the top schools in the nation and evaluate the students, choosing one boy and one girl - the most Popular in the school - to go the Capitol and train for Superiority. Delaney thinks that she's the only one indifferent to (and perhaps even suspicious of) the Superiors, until Caleb Payne, the most popular boy in school, approaches her with a request. He has a task for her, one that he believes she is uniquely capable of completing. And as she helps him, Delaney discovers that the government is hiding many secrets - and that the truth of the Superiors is far from what people believe it to be. [Watty Awards 2012 Winner, Science-Fiction: On the Rise]

In which a girl can't go a day without an anxiety attack and a boy can't go a day without noticing

When Isabelle Donovan disappears without a trace, her case eerily resembles another woman's unexplained vanishing just a year before---raising chilling questions about what truly links these two mysteries. Isabelle Donovan doesn't show up to work, which causes immediate concern. Known for her impeccable attendance, Isabelle would never miss a day without notice. The police launch a swift investigation, with initial suspicion falling on her estranged husband, Scott Donovan, from whom she separated six months earlier. Scott claims ignorance regarding Isabelle's disappearance, but his alibi begins to unravel when her best friend comes forward with unsettling new information. A year earlier, another young woman vanished under eerily similar circumstances. Though her body was never recovered, police remained convinced her husband was responsible---despite lacking proof. As the search for Isabelle intensifies, troubling questions emerge. What truly led to the end of Isabelle's marriage? Is Scott harboring secrets, or is he a scapegoat for a deeper mystery? And could Isabelle's case be linked to the earlier disappearance? If so, does that clear Scott-or deepen his guilt? In this story, innocence is elusive and every character harbors secrets. Because here, nobody is innocent.

Dear Reader, The following work was found sealed in the library of a castle, belonging to an ancient noble family, in the Champagne region to the east of Paris. The dates of the events contained within are attributed to sometime in the 18th century. It appears that any other record of the Marquis featured within, and the estate that he kept, have since been expunged from historical record. It is as if there was an omertà (conspiracy of silence) which sought to erase him entirely from collective memory - one that might have succeeded if not for the astonishing recovery of these letters. It has been my duty to act as caretaker to this work since I agreed to its restoration. I have found, regrettably, that my colleagues have failed to grasp the momentous importance of these letters and their wider significance. There is, I admit, some question of authenticity that requires consideration. For my part, I have forcible reasons to believe that these letters are genuine. I have submitted the work to a broader audience, however, for precisely this object; I have hope that, by breaking outside the narrow remit of literary academia, I may yet find a willing readership committed to studying these letters as seriously as I have. As the Judge might once have heard it, so the Reader shall hear it now. Unfortunately, I must also include a notice of warning: the letters of Charlotte B--- speak of diabolical horrors and the direst human cruelty. I believe that, were these letters recognised, they would take the place as the first of the modern écritures maudits (damned writings), above de Sade or Corbière. Hence, I recognise that such subject matter is certainly not for everyone. Should you decide to turn to more pleasant reading, I certainly could not blame you. The world can be a sombre and unforgiving place without having to reflect on its grimmest parts. The choice to continue, Reader, is entirely your own. Yours faithfully, Dr. Samuel J. Collins

While investigating the chilling deaths of three teenage girls in the remote town of Briarwood, Detective Evan O'Riley is drawn into the unsolved mysteries of a notorious 1960s serial killer. Three sixteen-year-old girls have plunged from the roof of their school. The question lingers: did they jump, or were they pushed? Tasked with uncovering the truth, Evan O'Riley---seasoned by years of crime-solving in Riverton---arrives in Briarwood, determined to discover whether he's facing triple homicide or a heartbreaking suicide. As he delves into the case, Evan uncovers unsettling whispers about the town's infamous SAD Killer, whose string of brutal murders left Briarwood haunted---and whose identity was never discovered. Fifty years later, the ghosts of the past resurface as Evan combs through long-buried evidence, tracks down survivors, and seeks out old investigators tied to the original crimes. Driven to find answers for both the present and the past, Evan is relentless in his pursuit of justice. But as old secrets come to light and the investigation intensifies, Evan realizes the SAD Killer's legacy isn't as distant as he believed---the danger may be closer than anyone imagines.