New Releases by Katrina Cope

Hope can rebuild a home-but only courage can defend it. Emelyne is determined to rise from the ashes. The village lies in ruins, its walls shattered and its people broken, yet she refuses to let despair win. Stone by stone and step by step, she leads the fight to restore what was lost. But survival will demand more than rebuilding-it will demand warriors. When the dragons return from Dragoria, they bring more than firepower. They bring a gift that could change everything. Meanwhile, Samara faces her greatest trial yet-rescuing Paxton from the sinister orb''s grip. But is he still the man and ally she remembers... or has the darkness claimed him forever? With their world balanced between ruin and redemption, both heroines must discover whether their strength lies in magic, dragons, an unyielding fire within, or all these together.

Shadows hide our true friends as the light illuminates our enemies. Recruited as a magical apprentice, Samara trains under a head sorceress with other apprentices. The Sacred Flame coterie is renowned for its reign and raises powerful magic wielders-each member bonds with a familiar to boost the strength of their power beyond any ordinary sorcerer''s. It is an honor to be recruited by the coterie and fight the force rising against the kingdoms. Samara''s service means that she can help protect the kingdoms, and her family will be provided for and removed from slavery and poverty. Except Samara can''t find a familiar. Having no familiar means she must overcome a formidable opponent that far outweighs her in size and outmatches her in fighting ability. If she fails, she will no longer be a coterie member and will end up either dead or enslaved, and the Sacred Flame coterie will no longer provide for her family. In her darkest hour, she meets a sarcastic and grumpy dragon who curses himself for finding her companionship appealing. Together, they uncover the secrets of their world and find trouble that tests their skills.

Weeding out your enemies from your friends can be dangerous. After Samara makes a shocking discovery, something must be done. She can''t leave the coterie, or her family will again face poverty. If she stays, she must discover who is committing these horrendous acts. Two senior commanders who patrol the borders of the human and elven kingdoms visit. The young apprentices soon discover that these two aren''t as friendly as their instructors. They employ all kinds of sadistic mind games and revel in inflicting pain. In the trials the apprentices face, lives are lost, and many more are on the line. Friendship is found in the most unexpected places, and secrets of the coven are uncovered, creating danger for those involved-especially Samara, as she works to save Ulrieg''s cousin, a special elf, and the dragons.

Hideous darkness dampens Asgard as the predicted doom looms. The World Tree is meant to be the bringer of life to the Norse realms, yet the access from the other worlds may be Asgard''s undoing. The hideous monsters from the under realms climb through the trunk''s opening, bearing Hel''s wrath. Asgard, its occupants, and many of the other realms are in significant danger from the monsters, combined with the threat of the Midgard serpent and Fenrir. As their friends place their lives at risk, Kara and Elan work to gather more fighters before putting themselves in war''s peril. Will their efforts save Asgard and their friends, or is it too late?

Three deadly children, one mischievous god, and Asgard to save. The time has come to face Hel. Despite their productive efforts to fill the goddess of Helheim''s demands, Kara and her companions have come up short. Still, Odin demands they retrieve Balder at any cost. A peaceful solution is uncovered, if only the quick-to-wrath goddess will accept their offer. The Midgard serpent is loose on the realms, leaving Thor and the Valkyries unsure where he will turn up next. He leaves destruction in his wake as he searches for Asgard. On top of dealing with Jormungandr and Hel, Fenrir''s tether thins, and the hound is ready to unleash his wrath on Odin. Angering all three siblings at once has been predicted to start Ragnarok.

An impossible task, a magic fiddler, and a trickster''s interference. Sent to Vanaheim to collect tears of grief, Kara is ordered by Odin to retrieve the goddess of youth and longevity. The goddess vanishes, muddying the additional task. As if the mission weren''t enough, Kara must overcome the spell of the alluring music or face a watery grave.

A dishonorable death, hunted by criminals, and souls severed. Asgard mourns a beloved god who should spend his afterlife in Valhalla but dies out of battle, trapping him in Helheim. Following orders from Odin and his wife, Frigg, Thor takes Kara and the combined Valkyrie and dragon entourage to the underworld in hopes of attaining his release. Impossible demands must be fulfilled, and the threats the group face require the skills of every companion. Will a soul be lost to save a soul?

A bargain struck. A sacrifice made, and the price is high. Loki''s hound son grows stronger and his temper shorter, igniting fear in the gods of Asgard. They must restrain him before he becomes too strong to handle and brings Ragnarok upon them. Desperate for a tougher restraint, Kara and Thor, accompanied by her trusty dragon and friends, travel to the realm of Svartalfheim, seeking the dwarves'' expertise. They soon learn that they will gain nothing without sacrifice.

Friendship, danger, and a drive to prevent Asgard''s fall at all costs. One Ragnarok threat is eliminated, and another creeps to the surface. Loki''s three monster children, Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungandr, writhe within their realms, a stirring that threatens Asgard''s downfall. Under Thor''s leadership, it''s Kara''s new task to squash their actions before it is too late. Harassed by a Ratatoskr''s insulting messages, this young, wingless Valkyrie and her dragon face all odds to save their world. To succeed in an epic mission, Kara''s sacrifice will be colossal. Can this dragon rider and her dragon save Asgard, and what must they lose in the process? Thor''s Dragon Rider series follows the story of a young Valkyrie and her dragon. With their friends'' support, they struggle to save Asgard using combat and magic they have not yet mastered. This omnibus edition of Thor''s Dragon Rider contains books 1 -3: Safeguard Pursuit Entrapment Order this Thor''s Dragon Rider series collection to start your next young adult epic adventure.

Magic is power, but also a nemesis. Kara''s magic grows, and so does the number of her enemies. With this power, she has a better chance to protect her friends and allies. Except, her magic has captured the dark elves'' attention, and when they attack Asgard, they make the fight personal endangering her friends'' lives. Desperate for help and answers, Kara discovers the elusive Loki proves harder to track down than expected. He has promised aid but fails to intervene. Enemies turn allies, and allies become enemies. Kara must decipher who is on her side before it''s too late. No one is safe, not even the dragons. The dragon rider, twisted Norse tale you won''t want to miss, continues. In this collection, the intensity increases. Hang onto your seat for nail-biting suspense, exhilarating adventures, entertaining dragons, and epic battles. The mischievous Loki will never cease to amaze, and with the help of her dragon, the beloved wingless Valkyrie, Kara, must rise from underdog to champion to save Asgard from Ragnarok. The omnibus edition of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance contains books 6-10: Ambushed Warned Abducted Besieged Deceived

The dark elves with the gift of magic invade Asgard, and the battle is fierce. Warriors fall on all sides, and the future looks bleak. Unless something changes, this battle has the markings of Ragnarök. Desperate to save her realm, Kara fights with Elan''s help, searching for the elusive Loki. He has promised aid but fails to intervene. Even though many friends fight alongside them, certain vital players remain absent--beings that Kara thought would support her and Asgard to the end. Will she be able to find Loki before Asgard falls?

Kara feared this day would come, the day that the impossible would be demanded of her. Fighting a dragon is a feat that goes against every grain of her body. Mistress Sigrun and the winged Valkyries corner her and her friends, Hildr and Eir, leaving them no choice but to fight. A strange scent tickles her magic, drawing its attention. Yet because her magic is new, she is unable to pinpoint its source until it is too late. A war erupts on Asgard, and only the combined efforts of winged and wingless Valkyries will ensure their safety, a triumph that has been impossible in the past.

A mysterious book holds the secrets of the zmey, the creature that marked Kara with magic. Kara''s growing magic sparks her curiosity to seek answers, yet she finds none until she''s handed a parchment with a map and a name. Her search sends her on a disconcerting journey into an unknown place and a world that holds enemies of Asgard, but the pull of the magic cannot be denied. Kara has finally earned the right to answer the call of Midgard. Even without a healthy welcome from Mistress Sigrun, she is determined to participate in reaping souls for Valhalla. With Elan by her side, she meets with Harut, the angel of death, and puts her soul reaping to the test.

The mistress of an academy should be unbiased. She should support the excellent work of all her students, whether they are winged or wingless. In a perfect world, she would. The Valkyrie Academy is not a perfect place. Kara and her two wingless friends, Hildr and Eir, are at the receiving end of Mistress Sigrun''s "just" justice. They must partake in a fight without rules and no guarantee of finishing alive. Only the future will reveal if the mistress will keep the fight fair.

Kara found out the hard way. Just because she did the right thing didn''t mean a god would give his blessing. Instead, it was the opposite when honoring agreements that grate against a god''s wishes. Now, she is on the run from Odin and anyone following his commands, and she finds herself safe in the wastelands with the wild dragons, or so she thinks. Unless she can find a way to be accepted back into Valkyrie school and not be imprisoned, her future is in peril.

After everything that Kara has done for Asgard, she thinks they will let her participate in the honorable jobs of the winged Valkyries. She is wrong. Instead, Odin is determined to take Elan away and make her dragon his. Whether he''s a god or not, she isn''t going to let that happen. And of course, Elan can defend herself. But then Elan disappears. After several searches, Kara grows worried. She hopes that Elan is visiting her mother, not somewhere more sinister.

Wingless Valkyries are useless to the future of Asgard-that''s what is drilled into them at Valkyrie Academy. Determined to break the mold and help reap warriors for Valhalla, Kara breaks the rules and finds herself in the most dangerous position yet-facing the wrath of Mistress Sigrun and Odin. Or that is what she thinks until she realizes a dragon is stalking her.

The war between angels and demons has a new player. An eighteen-year-old female is going to stick by the rules, right? Particularly when a strict warrior archangel governs her. Wrong. Caught between her forbidden past life and her new life as a fledgling angel, abiding by the rules proves impossible. Especially when her human soul mate is about to be demon-possessed. Not even her kindhearted trainee friend with his gorgeous blue wings and eyes to match can work magic to stop her. Things get tricky when the paranormal force of the slippery gatekeeper comes into play. To protect her love ones, this young human turned angel will trudge through hell--even face banishment from the angels. This young adult, urban fantasy novel is filled with seat-gripping adventures, white-knuckle suspense, and a kick-butt heroine with a heart that you make you want to be this young lady''s best friend. Cheer her on when she''s fights demons. Protecting friends and loved ones can be brutal. Grab a copy and start reading this five-volume urban fantasy paranormal series today! Afterlife - A supernatural and urban fantasy suspense series. Read these young adult books in this order: Fledgling #1 The Taking #2 Angelic Retribution #3 Divided Paths #4 (Although, Divided Paths can be read before Fledgling, The Taking & Angelic Retribution) Truth Hunter #5 Novelette: The Gatekeeper (Afterlife #1.5)