"In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by their cruel, magical offspring called the Descended, Diem Bellator yearns to escape her poor village. Her mother's sudden disappearance--and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past--offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock a web of mysteries left behind by her mother. With the dying King's handsome yet enigmatic heir watching her...

"The war has begun. Both sides demand Diem's allegiance - or her death. After her disastrous coronation, Diem finds herself at the center of the conflict between the Descended and the Guardians. With her newfound friends and the man she's falling for on one side, and the mortals she has vowed to protect on the other, Diem must walk a careful line to save the people she loves... even from each other. When the mystery of her usual heritage begins to...

Ingrid, a smart, free-spirited, and somewhat narcissistic artist kills her deceitful lover in a crime of passion. Even while serving a prison sentence, she exerts control over her adoring teenage daughter, Astrid, who's forced to spend her teenage years in a series of foster homes before becoming her own person. Explores the strange relationship of Ingrid and Astrid, and includes Astrid's relationship with her foster mothers. At first merely an appendage...