#been living at my boyfriends house and also refusing to cede to living at his house so i just refresh my 'day bag' every week and

[peachyteabuck]

pull you out of here

summary: asgard needs a queen, thor wishes to defy his father, and you seem to be the solution to both

pairing: dark!thor odinson x reader

words: 4,971

trigger warnings: dark possessive thor, stalking, emotional manipulation, heavy dubcon, smut, slight breeding kink, heavy angst, cheating, unhealthy relationships 

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To say that Thor was mad would be an understatement. To say Frigga cared would be a complete lie.

“He’s trying to get me to marry, Mother,” he nearly screams. Nonetheless, the woman remains calm. “To cede some of my power to some woman!”

Frigga watches her son stomp around her chambers with a watchful eye, never moving from her seat across the room. She’s watched her son – her lovely, wonderful son – perform this long-winded act many times before; when Loki came into their lives, whenever Frigga had to force them to share. Thor, in classic eldest-sibling fashion, thoroughly disliked anyone impeding on what he thought to be his.

His toys, his room, his room, his power. All of it, everything he wished for, was his.

This included his throne, apparently, as is made obvious by his red-faced rambling.

“What, is he going to pluck some maiden from the streets of Asgard? Make her some puppet for during in my rule?” he’s stomping now, nearly spitting.

He stays like that – acting the same way he did when Loki stole a single potato from his plate when he was old enough to walk and talk and feel but young enough to not have a single muscle on his lanky body.

Just like usual, he eventually tires himself out, using his last bit of energy to bark in the general direction of a servant to get him some ale. He sits in the chair across from his mother, elbow resting on his knees.

Thor’s voice is quieter now, much more pensive. “Mother, what am I going to do?”

Frigga waits for the servant to bring the large drink and for Thor to gulp half of it down before responding. “What you father wants is for you to have a bride – it’s important to the people you rule over. What your father wants –“

“Is for me to give my power to some woman,” Thor scoffs into his drink. “I’m aware.”

Frigga rolls her eyes. “No, darling. What your father wants is to make sure the woman is to his tastes.”

Her son scoffs. “What does that mean?”

“It means, if you picked a woman from say,” the woman shrugs. “Midgard, then he wouldn’t be able to say no to her for fear of backlash from the Asgardians,” Thor smiles as she continues talking, now understanding. “They love their humans, you know.”

They laugh together, happy as their devised their plan: Thor would leave the next day for Midgard, spend some time there, woo some woman he knows will not impede too much into his duties as king.

So, when Thor saw you in that faded orange cardigan, the leggings that showed off your thick thighs, and a well-loved t-shirt that looked incredibly soft with your hair piled on top of your head and fuzzy socks on your feet and you yawning so adorably as you waited for your coffee to be finished, he knew he had to have you. Sure, maybe he was being shallow when he thought about being buried between your thick thighs or laying on your large breasts, and maybe he should’ve learned more about your personality before calling you his “dream girl.” But still, he knew you were the one and he needed to get you to fall in love with him ASAP.

There were a few problems with this mission:

First: he didn’t know your name, your job in the tower, or how to find you. He knew you as “the adorable one who likes coffee,” which doesn’t narrow it down, especially because they were in New York and more specifically Stark Tower, where everyone within city limits was running on two gallons of coffee, anxiety, and institutional access to research databases.

Second: after pestering every Avenger he could find, Thor found out that you had a boyfriend. A long-term one, too. About five years is what Steve begrudgingly told Thor after the God broke into his personal gym during his morning run on the treadmill (that day it was hailing, and Captain America will put up with a lot – but he refuses to get hit in the face with golf-ball sizes sphere of ice). A few minutes later, Barton (who admitted very quickly to listening through the vents) told Thor that rumor had it he was going to propose pretty soon – had picked the ring and restaurant out but hadn’t booked the reservation.

Third: very soon after learning that you were taken, Thor also learned that he would likely be spending a lot of time with you since where you worked and his favorite place ended up being the exact same. Tony’s personal lab (where he often worked with Bruce), was pretty much where you lived. Your official job description was akin to “personal librarian,” which meant keeping the lab orderly so Tony could on inventing things (or whatever else it is he does). Once, about a day before Pepper decided to hire someone, Tony spent four hours sorting screws.

Four. Entire. Hours.

You, with your degree in IT and concentration in database creation and management, were perfect for the job. He was even allowing you to use his lab for research – making you a pioneer in a field you didn’t realize existed until LexisNexis contacted you asking to moonlight as a consultant during their company-wide restructuring.

Some (mostly those who interviewed for the job and didn’t get it) called you a glorified assistant, a nanny whose only job was to clean up toys. Still, Tony spoke highly of you during parties and interviews and whenever anyone complimented his lab.

Given your dedication to your work, a few months in Tony offered you an apartment a few floors down. It was newly renovated, and since most Stark employees lived in Stark Industries-subsidized housing not located within HQ, you lived mostly secluded from everyone else.

To you, it was amazing. You never had to see anyone you didn’t intend to and you never had to brave the famously-bad New York winter weather just to go to bed. In all honesty, it was your dream life.

Thor, though, had to disagree. It made it impossible to “bump into you,” he never saw you when you weren’t working (you made it very clear you preferred to either a) work in silence or b) listen to music or an audiobook you picked). Even if he managed to catch a glimpse of you on your lunch break, you always seemed to be more interested in something else – a book, a conversation, whatever. Never, ever, did he seem to be able to catch you off guard.

About a week in, he realized this would be much harder than he originally thought.

Over the course of six months, Thor learned a few things:

First: you really like to read. He ends up asking Natasha (arguably the person you’re closest with) about every book you like in an attempt to have something to talk about.

Second (before he wanted to talk to you about the Poisonwood Bible but after he finally got Natasha to crack): You really don’t like your boyfriend, and your boyfriend doesn’t really seem to like you. When he asks why you two are still dating, Natasha just shrugs sadly.

“That’s a story for her to tell, not me, Odinson,” she said.

Third (the next morning, he sniffed around the kitchen to find anyone who would tell him anything about you): You were incredibly insecure about your body. He learned that from Steve. He learned from Sam that this was why you stayed with your emotionally distant romantic partner; because you thought you couldn’t find anyone better.

This, of course, was a lot of information to handle at once. So Thor did what a bunch of bubbly college students on YouTube called “mind-maps” so he could sort out his thoughts. What started as a fresh, clean, white sheet of graph paper ended up being a masterplan to win you over.

Step 1: Have a solid conversation with you

This happens much faster than expected. The next morning, to be exact. It’s sort of warming up, so you’re wearing a thin pullover and a pair of tight, light grey jeans. The pullover has some Midgardian logo on it, one Thor doesn’t recognize. When you turn around as you wait for the coffee machine, he asks you about it.

“What’s on your…” he gestures to said logo.

You smile bashfully, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. “It’s, uh, it’s just some concept art for a book I like. ”

Thor beams. He knows he’s got you. “What book?”

You shrug, grabbing the pot and pouring the steaming liquid into your peach pink travel mug. “It’s called Nothing, it’s by Janne Teller…

From there, you and him talk about what’s possibly the darkest book of all time. You explain to him the plot, the emotion it evokes from you. It truly is your favorite piece of literature; you really could talk about it for hours.

So, you do. Over your morning coffee, then a larger-than-usual breakfast, and then lunch. You make grilled cheese and tomato soup, biting every few sentences.

“God, my favorite line, like of the entire book is like,” you take a bite, chewing as you speak. “So Pierre is talking to these kids, and this one kid is Muslim, and gave up the prayer mat, or rather was made to give up his prayer mat. And Pierre is like ‘what price was your faith?’ And that line has like, continued to haunt me. It’s just,” you swallow. “What price do we pay to prove ourselves to others, you know?”

Thor listens intently as you speak, nodding and smiling as you go on. It’s amazing how much someone lights up when they talk about something they’re passionate about. It’s probably mid-afternoon when you finally realize that you’ve been talking for literal hours.

“Oh my god,” you gush, collecting the dishes and placing them in the sink. “I’m so sorry, I’ve been-”

Thor grabs your wrist, bunching at the sleeve. “No, please do not apologize. I have been meaning to talk to you for a long time.”

You blush, not meeting his eyes. “Why would someone like you want to talk to someone like me…”

That’s sort of when Thor’s suave facade cracks a little. You’re everything he’s ever wanted in a partner. Literally ever. And your inability to see that troubles him deeply.

“My dear, you’re so smart and quick and eloquent,” he tells you, never break eye contact. “Don’t even think I don’t want to be around you.”

You blush, not responding while scuttering off and mumbling something about having to go to a meeting for Stark.

Step 2: Get you to spend what Natasha and Wanda call “quality time” with him.

This one happens a little while later. Tony, in an effort to reward you, gave you some time off. The problem is that you hate taking off work, you always have. It’s impossible for you to feel good when you’re not being productive, and the idea of laying around for three days is unimaginable to you.

“Listen, you need some sun, you’ve been cooped up in here for weeks,” Tony tried to plead with you as he hanged upside down from the ceiling.

“C’mon, I’m not a house plant! What am I going to do anyway?” you cry out from your spot on the floor.

Just then, Natasha happened to walk through the door with a paperwork mishap. If there was a lightbulb above her head, it would’ve burned bright enough to blind them. Without doing anything that even resembles what she originally walked into the lab to do, Natasha bolts out at the speed of lightning.

“THOR!” she screams when she enters his apartment. “THOR, I HAVE SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!”

Promptly, he comes out in just a towel, glowing like some candle in a dark room. “Yes, Natasha?”

She takes a minute to wolf whistle before she beings. “The darling girl you’ve had your eye on has a few days off coming up...you should take her somewhere! Do something!”

Thor’s silent. He sort of didn’t think this would ever happen...now that he has the opportunity he’s a little floored. It’s like when you’ve been doodling hearts with your crush’s name in them and then they actually talk to you. “Oh...oh Gods...what do I do? How should I ask her…”

Natasha’s a little giddy with excitement at the prospect of Thor taking you out. You’ve been so good to them in so many different ways...she wants someone to do something nice to you for once. If that meant setting you up with the super-hot God of Thunder (and Fertility...wink wink), then so be it.

“Oh goodness, you can do anything!” she mentally runs through all of the endless possibilities. “She’ll want something quiet, quaint...coffee shop? No, that’s too boring. Some fair thing? No, that’s too crazy, loud. Maybe you could...oh my God that’s perfect!”

Thor, still in a towel but now dry, looks confused. Appreciative, but confused. “What, Natasha...what is it?”

Her grin stretches from ear to ear, teeth flashing and eyes bright. “You should help her organize the bookshelf in her room, she’s been talking about it for ages and she’s always talks about she’s never had the time or the energy and-”

“You think the best way for me to get to know the future mother of my children is to help her organize her...shelf of books?” Thor is now dressed. Natasha doesn’t question it.

“Uh...hells yeah! Listen, dude. If you really want to get to know her you need to get her in a situation, she’s comfortable with,” Natasha sees she has a text indicating she’s needed for some logistical work for the next mission and turns to leave. Right before the elevator, though, she turns to face Thor again. “But don’t mention the ‘mother of children thing’...it’s weird.”

Thor takes note as he prepares to ask you about the...date? Is it a date? That he’s planning on taking you on. Luckily, he doesn’t have to try too hard, because Wanda and Steve less than five minutes later to help him.

“Oh Thor-egous Odinson!” Wanda sing-songs as she enters into his living room. She practically bouncing off of the walls as she goes to sit down next to Thor on the large, plush couch.

“Hey Thor,” Steve mumbles quietly. He chooses a chair across from both of them, obviously extremely uncomfortable with the situation. He’s one of the few people who knows you really well, though, so the need for qualified individuals overpowers his personal feelings about manipulating you into going on a date with the God (Natasha refused to use that word when Steve brought it up, though. “I’m just encouraging her, Steven, calm down,” she tried to explain to him on the elevator up. “Don’t call me that,” is all Steve replied).

“So,” Wanda chirps. “Nat told us you wanted to help our favorite little book worm organize her bookshelves on her sequence of days off?”

Thor gives a small noise of affirmation, knowing very well that Wanda and Natasha understand you the best. If he had any choice of making his plan work, they would have to be a part of it – whether they knew it or not.

They spent hours talking about you – both of them providing deep analysis of your likes, dislikes, preferences. The things you love, hate.

It ended with lists sprawled on scraps of paper, things they told Thor he had to memorize if had “a sliver of hope” of having you like him.

With pockets stuffed full of these promises, he walked away with a small smirk and much better idea of how execute his plan, as has all led him into the next step:

Step 3: Make you like him much more than your current paramour.

This part appears to be the easiest, given your boyfriend is an aggressively mediocre man-child. You’ve got a picture of you and him on one of the bookshelf cubicles not overcome by thick books, next to a few small figurines of miscellaneous origin.

Thor asks about them as you both work to clear the bookshelf, throwing everything on the floor to be sorted later. Each one makes smile brightly for a few moments before sadness overtakes your eyes. One of them – a small fawn curled into a sleeping position on a small, circular bed of grass – seems to bring a special wave of melancholy to your face.

“Yeah, that was from when we met, a, uh, a study abroad program to a Canadian university. He and I had a mutual friend who made miniatures for fun – still does, actually – and we met through her. He bought me that for our first anniversary.”

Thor does his best to hide his wicked smile, but nevertheless is appreciative of your downcast eyes. “It sounds like he really loves you.”

You don’t disagree, just sigh. “So, can you help me sort these books by color type?”

Thor smiles wide as he can. “Of course.”

As he separates the books into four piles (warms, cools, white, and black), he goes over the state of his plan:

Step 4: Have you break up with your current paramour.

This step seems to be a significantly harder step, given your stubbornness surrounding being with him. It’s not as if Thor can grab you by the shoulders and say “he doesn’t love you! He’ll never love you! Just stop being in a relationship with him!”

He totally can’t do that, right? Right?

(After a few communiques with his mother they both decide, no, he can in fact not do that.)

So he settles for driving a wedge between the two of you that even he can fit in. Somehow, that seems just as good.

Step 5: Have you join him in Asgard.

This, too, feels much harder than sowing dislike between you and your…previous courtesan.

You’re smart, interesting, something Thor has yet to see in many possible wives. The problem is, your intelligence and fascinating nature are tied to your highly demanding job that you are, unfortunately, very attached to. Attempting to keep you for anything longer than your contractually obligated lunch break is tough enough, how could he convince you leave your job? Your home?

The floor-to-ceiling bookshelves – now organized by color – stare down at Thor almost mockingly. He wonders, as he hears the teapot screeching and two mugs being placed onto the counter, if his plan worked. You’re naïve, sure, but too naïve for him to mold? He’s been manipulating people since he was a golden child – him misreading you would be a blow to his ego, his very being.

But he cannot give up. Not when he’s only two steps into his plan.

As such, Thor spends the next few weeks following you around – doing everything he possible could to make your life easier. A mug too high? He would grab it before you could sigh about what shelf it was on. Dirty dishes? He’d fill the dishwasher, do the handwashing, and put all the clean dishes away after drying them. He did laundry and put it all away in its exact place.

Natasha made a comment Thor didn’t understand about 1960’s housewives, to which the god said nothing in return. He’d join you multiple times a week to do whatever you wanted – sometimes you’d watch a movie together, other times he’d help you shop online. Sometimes he’d help you cook food for the week, once he listened to you talk about new academic research you were interested in.

One special week he even held you as you cried about the man who was supposed to be the love of your life. That week, he wiped your tears and held you as you feel asleep, nuzzling into one of the many large hoodies he had acquired on his time on Midgard. That week, he thought he had cracked it – thought he had finally figured out how to get what wants.

Unfortunately for him, the truth was not kind to his endeavors. Not even a full day had passed before you were gushing over the man once more, sparkles in your eyes and hands clutching the latest “cute” thing he had texted you.

It was sickening, really, how easily you allowed yourself to be manipulated by him. Still, it gave Thor an ounce of hope. It this imbecile could get you crawling back to him, surely a god could do it too.

So he kept with the constant visits, with the bringing you lunch and coffee and eating take out on the floor of your bedroom and watching bad movies with you. It was menial, but it was working.

You began to trust him, began to get used to his presence.

For this reason (and maybe a few more you didn’t want to talk about), the knock on your door at dusk on a Wednesday was not exactly unexpected. For this reason, you answered the door in a loose crop top and soft, worn pajama shorts and ankle socks with smiling avocados on them.

You opened the door to him, excited to show him the duvet he had helped you pick out. It looked so much better in person, and you thought he’d like it.

He followed you, of course he did, into your bedroom. You were expecting that.

What you weren’t expecting was him to slam you into one of the few spots on the wall devoid of posters, trinkets, other miscellaneous crap that made the place feel a little more like a home.

You couldn’t see much over his broad shoulders, but somehow the top shelf of the very bookcase he had help you organize all that time ago.

Each title seemed to mock you as he began to speak.

“You’ve been holding out on me, little lamb,” he said with a sneer.

You tried to push at his muscular chest to no avail. “Thor, I don’t know what you’re t-“

He pushes you against the wall once more, ignoring your cries in pain. “Shut the fuck up, you know exactly what I mean.”

He rips the crop top off – revealing your simple black bralette. He moans as his large hands palm at your breasts, and you have to fight one yourself, too. It’s been so long since you’d had sex, let alone gone to first base; your lover (the one you had been with for over five years) hadn’t touched you like that since you’d decided to move into Stark Tower and your less-than-extensive sex toy collection had satisfied you in the very least.

Still, this was wrong. Very, very wrong.

“C’mon,” he growls, moving his hands south. “You know you want to…”

“I-” You try to push him away, only being able to think of how you were going to explain this to a man you thought one day you’d marry. You have to tell him, right? You have to tell him about what Thor tried. That’s the basis of good relationships, communication. “No, I don’t, Thor please-“

That’s when the last bit of him cracks, the soft edges to his voice sharpening and his jaw squaring.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he growls, ripping the shorts off next. “Do you understand all the shit I’ve put up with for you? All while your shithead boyfriend barely sent you a fucking text once a week to see if you were alright.”

“Thor, I-“

“No,” he shouts, making you flinch away from him. “Don’t excuse him! Don’t try and tell me he loves you like I do!”

That makes your eyes widen in fear, makes your hands shake where they’re pined at your side.

Thor softens everywhere except in his grip, keeping you pressed against him. “Oh, darling you don’t have to worry. I’m never gonna hurt you…”

A smile spreads across his face, then, leaning close to your ear. “Unless you want me to.”

He palms your clothed pussy, slipping two fingers inside of your dripping heat. It’s a delicious feeling and you fight back a moan, terrified to give him the satisfaction.

“C’mon darling,” Thor coos. “Let me hear you.”

He removes his fingers, then, smiling when you whine before stuffing his thick cock inside of you. It fits easily, given how wet you are, and for a moment – just a moment – you lose yourself to the pleasure.

“O-Oh,” you moan. “Oh, that feels so good.”

It all breaks down when Thor speaks once more, though. words flowing between him biting at your hot skin.

“That’s right, love,” his hands roam your body with fervor. “Let me make you feel good.”

It’s then that your mouth goes dry and a sense of dread washes over you.

“I-,” you try to find your verbal footing, wanting to find a path away from him. “I shouldn’t be doing this, I-“

You freeze when Thor uses one of his large hands to wrap around your throat, pinning you between him and the wall.

“Are you fucking serious?” he growls. “You’re really thinking about him right now?”

He nearly spits when he mentions your boyfriend, skin hot from fury.

“Think of all the things I’ve done for you!” he hisses into your ear. “How much easier I made your life. What has your boyfriend done for you?”

You don’t respond. In turn, he only fucks into you harder.

“That’s right. I know how little he loves you, and how little you love him,” you scream as he flips you around, using one hand to pins both your arms behind your back with your cheek pressed to the cool wall. “And yet you stay with him, why?”

You say nothing in return, though it’s not like you could. Each word dies in your throat when Thor thrusts into you once again. All that’s able to escape are choked sobs, broken pleas that sound more animal than human. Part of you wonders if Thor can hear you, another part wonders, if he could, would he care? If he truly understands what he’s doing, does it matter whether or not you want to push him away and cut away the skin he’s touched?

You can’t tell which is worse – dangerous naivety in combination with his strength, or determination blended with disregard.

Fiery tears burn as they stream down the already heated skin of your cheeks, but even that isn’t enough to distract from the feeling of Thor’s large hands all over you.

“C’mon little lamb,” he growls, voice sending bolts of electricity through you. “Cum for me.”

He swipes at your clit in smooth, tight circles, golden hot pleasure flooding your veins.

You reach your peak with a deep, chesty moan, nails digging into the skin of his back as you bucked your hips near violently.

“F-fuck,” Thor growls, continuing to thrust into you. “You feel so good around my cock, little lamb. You’ll have to excuse me, you’re going to make me cum much sooner than I would on an average night.”

Your eyes widen in fear, ready to plead for him to pull out.

Thor just lets out a small laugh, nipping at your skin. “Don’t worry, lamb, I won’t fill you with my seed.”

You let out a sigh of relief, but it doesn’t last for long.

“The last thing either of us need is for you to be bearing the mark of my child away from our people.”

You barely have time to react before Thor tucks his face into your neck as he finishes himself off, thick white ropes of cum painting your lower half.

You think it’s over, but of course it isn’t – that would be too fucking easy. He moves two of his rough fingers – still smelling distinctly of your sex – through his masterpiece before shoving them deep into your mouth, smiling. At first you gag, but as your blood begs for oxygen you accept your fate and clean the salty substance with your tongue.

“There you go,” he coos, beaming as he gazes down at you. “Such a good little lamb…I wonder if you can clean my cock like that?”

You can’t tell which you flinch harder at, the nickname or the thought of him sticking his dick past your lips and down your throat.

“Oh, don’t try to act like you don’t like it,” Thor says between light kisses he peppers across your neck. “Don’t you just love the idea of servicing me forever?”

You can feel him getting hard again against your thigh and you whimper, desperate to get away.

“Fuck don’t make that noise, little lamb, makes me want you more,” Thor groans. “Just imagine it – you and me on Asgard. I can rule and you can be my pretty little pet.”

Your eyes widen in fear, brain now fully comprehending what, exactly, Thor wants from you.

“Thor, please,” you beg. “Please, let’s be rational. I mean, Stark needs me! Right? You know how much Tony needs me!”

Thor just laughs, burrowing his nose into the nap of your neck. “Oh, my little lamb. We’ll figure it out – maybe you can train someone else to do your job. Or Tony can finally figure out how to be a man and figure that shit out himself,” he pulls back to kiss at your temple, whispering into your sweaty hair. “To be honest, I really don’t care. He’ll lose you soon enough, and how he handles that is neither of our problems.”

It’s then that you understand, that you really understood what was happening with Thor, what he wants from you.

In that moment, you understood that if your world was crashing down, and Thor would be there to pick up the pieces – whether you wanted to or not.

#dark thor #thor x reader #thor odinson x reader #lukis writes stuff #dubcon #hi im finally done with this thank fuck

[the-record-newspaper]

The killing of Rhonda Hinson Part 49

James "Flash" Pruett and his wife Rhonda, as they embark upon a trail conducting them to the petroglyphs discovered near their home at Pahvant Butte in Fillmore, Utah.  It was snapped in July, 2015 by Ruth Riddle Jones.  

 An Encomium

 By LARRY J. GRIFFIN

Special Investigative Reporter

For The Record

 Editor’s note: This is the continuation of a series on the Dec. 23, 1981, unsolved murder of Rhonda Hinson.

 To James “Flash” Pruett—a foremost champion of the law of his generation…whom I shall ever regard as one of the best and wisest men whom I have ever known.—Adapted from, “The Final Problem,” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

 As a tear trickled down his cheek, Detective James “Flash” Pruett silently slipped away into perpetuity on Saturday, March 14, 2020.  The time was 7:15 p.m.  

His wife, Rhonda, was by his side, as she has been over the last heart-rending months, weeks, and final days of her husband’s life struggle.  “I know he heard us,” Rhonda Pruett averred during conversation with this writer.  “He had been out of it the entire time. So yes, I talked to him and gave him jobs to do when he left….”

Ironically, the 69-year-old lawman died on the birthday of the Pruetts’ beloved dog, Paiute, that they lost just weeks ago.  “He died on her 14th birthday, Pi day,” Rhonda informed friends on her personal Facebook page.  

The former detective will be missed by a plethora of appreciative admirers for the impeccable, incomparable investigative work that he did relative to the Rhonda Hinson murder case—the proof of which can be found on the Remembering Rhonda Hinson Facebook page.  As of press time, over 9,400 friends and followers of the page have read the post announcing his demise, with over a hundred respondents offering their commiserations to Flash’s family and friends. And condolences continue to come.

Jill Turner-Mull—Rhonda Hinson’s best friend and lifelong activist for obtaining resolution for the 38-year-old murder case—was one of them. “This saddens me deeply but I do find comfort in knowing heaven gained an angel.  Big hugs and prayers sent to Rhonda and the family.”

Connie Barnes—Rhonda Hinson’s friend and indefatigable advocate for justice for the slain 19-year-old—agrees with Jill, “Heaven gained an angel for sure.”  Then she adds, “Thinking of his family and praying for their comfort in the days to follow.  You are our hero, Flash…your dedication to Rhonda’s case was the best.”

Mark Perrou—a friend of the Hinson family and activist for justice—directly addresses the detective who worked diligently to solve Rhonda’s case: “Thanks, Flash for being a loyal servant to the community.  Godspeed, Sir.”

Janis Mullis—a Hinson family friend and outspoken advocate for the resolving of Rhonda’s case—offers, “Many, many prayers for his family and much appreciation for his hard work that will live on!”

 Others write descriptively of Mr. Pruett’s professional prowess:

“--Absolutely the very best, trustworthy awesome intelligent detective I have ever known and I had the honorable luck of calling him and his equally precious beautiful and talented RN wife for my friends.”

“--I had the pleasure of working with Flash at BCSD.  He was a Great Detective and a very honorable man. This world needs more men like him. He will be missed greatly.”

“--So sad to hear this.  I met Flash and worked with him as an electrician.  A very smart and proficient individual not to mention a great guy.”

“--He was a very caring and kind officer, enjoyed working with him.”

“--I’m sorry to hear this.  He tried hard for Rhonda and her family to solve this murder.  God Bless you Flash—you were one of the good guys for sure!”

Still other respondents—far too numerous to enumerate—sent condolences, prayerful commiserations, and expressions of love to Detective Pruett’s wife, Rhonda, and the rest of his family.  

For Bobby and Judy Hinson, the detective was more than just a lifeline back to the investigation into the murder of their daughter, he was a friend.  Judy Hinson writes articulately about the man whom they felt cared the most:

“Flash was one of the finest people we have ever met.  There was never a time that he was too busy to talk to us.  He always answered any questions that we had.  He never made us feel like we were bothering him when we called the department and the times we called him at home.  Flash was always so kind and so caring.  Not only his family but all the people who knew him have lost someone that can never be replaced.”

Detective Pruett’s comprehensive investigation into the killing of Rhonda Hinson has become legendary.  As previously reported, Flash was officially assigned the case by Major Robert Lane and Lieutenant Greg Calloway on Friday Jan. 20, 1995, during the Richard Epley administration.  Gene Franklin was tasked with the responsibility to assist Detective Pruett in the continuation of the investigation.

Over the next five-years, Flash applied a systematic, logical approach to the conduction of his investigation—in contrast to the often inconsistent, inconstant efforts of most of his predecessors, as reflected in case documentation.  In an interview with News Herald staff writer, Jen Pilla, three-years after his assignment to the post of lead investigator for the Rhonda Hinson case, the detective articulated the course he would pursue throughout:  “When I was assigned to this case three-years ago, I decided it was time to go back to the basics and back to the crime scene itself.”

And back to the basics it was as he conducted interviews, tracked leads, and continuously examined and re-examined the totality of accrued evidence. Moreover, on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1997, he initiated and assisted in the performance of an SBI ballistics assessment for the expressed purpose of ascertaining the trajectory of the projectile that killed Rhonda Hinson on the early morning of Dec. 23, 1981. He, along with a team of SBI agents, utilized a 1982 Datsun 210—similar to the 1981 Datsun 210 driven by the decedent—that the Hinsons had acquired and ceded to BCSD to be used to perform whatever testing deemed necessary.  

The results obtained from the ballistics assessment, as reported in the summary, forever dismissed any possibility that the shooting was done from Interstate 40, from Elmer Buff’s property, or from either embankment along Eldred Street/Hwy 350.  The conclusion?  Only a person standing on ground level and behind Rhonda’s car could have fired a shot that matched the calculated trajectory of the missile that extinguished her brief life.

 There were some “firsts” accomplished by Detective Pruett:  the assignment of significance to the articles found in Rhonda Hinson’s Datsun 210 that were not present when she left her parents’ residence to attend a company Christmas party on Tuesday evening, Dec. 22, 1981, and the first-ever interview of Mark Turner—Jill Turner-Mull’s boyfriend and Greg McDowell’s friend—over fourteen-years after Rhonda’s murder. Flash seemed convinced that the gray-hooded sweatjacket, belonging to Miss Hinson—that she left in Turner’s automobile, yet managed to be prominently displayed on the sundeck of Rhonda’s Datsun 210 on the morning she was murdered—was as a key to cracking this case. Turner, however, told the detective that he could not remember how it got out of his car and into that of the slain 19-year-old—an asseveration that Flash clearly did not believe.  

Detective Pruett also applied surveillance equipment to the investigation, as he leveraged the relationships that Mark and Faith Turner and Jeff Hinkle had with Greg McDowell, in an effort to capture incriminating statements offered by Rhonda Hinson’s former boyfriend while engaged in casual conversation.

On Tuesday afternoon Dec. 23, 1997, Detective Pruett—along with Sheriff Richard Epley and an entourage of others—interviewed Greg McDowell in his engineering office in Hickory.  He noted that the 34-year-old engineer admitted—for the first time—that he knew that Rhonda had called him from Sherry Pittman Yoder’s house, in contrast to his statement to law enforcement, proffered immediately following the murder, in which he maintained that he thought Rhonda was at home.  McDowell also informed Flash and the others that a pink snake, acquired during a Myrtle Beach trip and among the items found in Rhonda’s Datsun 210 on the day of her death, “stayed on his dresser at home.”  

Unfortunately, subsequent to a near-fatal automobile accident that occurred during Winter 2000, Detective Pruett’s days as lead investigator and employee at the BCSD were numbered.  While he was having back surgery to repair damage sustained in the accident, Flash was supplanted by Sheriff John McDevitt when he hired former SBI agent, John Suttle to head his criminal investigations division.  It was News Herald staff writer Cheryl Moose Bollinger [Shuffler] who reported the action in a Nov. 19, 2000, article entitled, “Retired Agent Back in Law Enforcement.”

Shortly after his return to the BCSD and not completely rehabilitated, James Pruett was afforded the option to resign or face the prospect of termination, according to statements that Flash made to this writer across several interviews.  A similar scenario was recounted by former Sheriff McDevitt when he admitted to the Hinsons, at a local restaurant in the Fall 2019, that he had to get rid of Flash because he didn’t think that he could do the work any longer.

Though Mr. Pruett admitted to being treated badly under McDevitt’s administration, he refused to castigate his fellow law enforcement colleagues who were instrumental in effecting his departure from the BCSD.  

One singular feature of Detective Pruett’s investigation that distinguishes it from those conducted by others, was his detailed notes that he assiduously recorded at the conclusion of every day that he worked the Hinson case. They not only offer descriptions of actions, procedures, and factual summaries of interviews with principals, they also provide insight into the detective’s hypotheses and questions yet to be answered.

Whether intended or not, Flash’s notes are reflective of the measure of the man himself—his characteristic dedication and compassion; and his respect and caring concern for Bobby and Judy Hinson.  Sometimes they bespeak his own very human, personal feelings which were otherwise masked beneath the stoic façade of a seasoned law enforcement officer.  None illustrates his inherent character better than the final paragraph of his detailed description of activities on what would have been the day of Rhonda Hinson’s birthday –Wednesday Dec. 13, 1995:

“The last thing I did today was to go by Rhonda’s gravesite.  I spent about five minutes there in prayer.  I could see the pain in Judy and Bobby’s faces when I was with them today, Rhonda’s 33rd birthday.  I could feel the weight of that pain on me at the gravesite.  It was especially hard on all of us today.

Though he was criticized for his “obsessive” attachment to the “most investigated case in Burke County history,” Detective James “Flash” Pruett persevered.  Some of his last sentiments expressed to this writer indicated his desire to leave the rehabilitation facility and continue—on his own time—the investigation into the killing of Rhonda Hinson.  

“There are things that I should tell you,” Flash declared to me. “But I can’t tell you right now and not here.”

In his final two months of life, while in the throes of Parkinson’s Disease, the quintessential detective was ready to resume the work toward achieving resolution to the 38-year-old murder case and obtaining a modicum of peace for the Hinsons.  

This is the “stuff” of heroes.

James “Flash” Pruett

August 16, 1950—March 14, 2020

[dudence-blog]

Dear Dudence for 13 February 2018

Wow, it’s been like a month.  I’d apologize but, honestly, I do think for fun and the time I spend reading, thinking, and writing had to come out of time spent with family, work, or school.  Also, I realized I needed there to be something in the NuPru source which made me go “ugh, that is just wrong.”  Maybe some Stockholm Syndrome has kicked in and I see her point of view on things I used to disagree with, and life is too short for me to get too wrapped around the axle about something written by a lesser advice columnist. So, with the non-apologetic apology it’s off to the letters.

I live in a condo that has a gym, which I frequent. Unfortunately, another gym rat in the building smells very bad. She might not care, or she might not even notice; I’m not sure. But the gym is small, and the stench is so unpleasant that it makes me cut my workout short. (We’re usually the only two there at the same time.) What’s the appropriate way to say something? Or should I just avoid confrontation and file a gentle complaint with the property manager?

Dear How do I Tell?  Do you want a condo war?  Because this is how you get a condo war.  The gym is one of the few parts of modern American life where the natural human funk can be reasonably expected to be tolerated.  I’m also impressed because you’ve managed to make something I thought was pretty sad: religiously working out at the apartment “gym” and make it even sadder.  Religiously working out at the apartment gym, and sharing it with someone who now really resents you.  I get it, some people can really get a good stink going on, or they might wear those fancy moisture-wicking fabrics which need a bit of extra cleaning to get the odor-causing bacteria out, or there might be some cultural differences in personal hygiene, or you could be frequenting the gym to spend 15 minutes on the ellipitcal’s lowest setting while she’s in there for an hour trying to find extra weight to put on the machines because they’re just not enough.  This is a conversation which has a 45-45 shot of either her being shamed into doing something to make her merely-normalish-stink or she goes to the mattresses on you.  The remaining 10% is that she either has a medical issue and she knows she stinks like that, which is why she uses the private gym where she lives and not a real gym, or she’s from France and you’re a racist for suggesting she stinks.

Well, the hard part is over. My boyfriend of two years and I are breaking up. It’s excruciating, because I love living with him. He is clean, polite, funny, a kick-ass cook, and handles conflict well. But that just makes it harder that he’s not very affectionate. He doesn’t share much of himself emotionally, or put his arm around me anymore, or initiate sex. I could almost have dealt with it, but when I told him I needed him to take sex more seriously or it would end the relationship, he didn’t make any changes.

Dear Breakup Lite, I’m really glad that you and your soon-to-be-ex have had such a mature break-up.  I know they’re hard, especially when they’re someone you care about, but when you’re incompatible on something as fundamental as… wait… I’m still reading your letter… wait… what… oh… oh no…. oh nonononononono honey… don’t tell me you… ohhhhhhhhhh.  Sweetie… listen… I really hate to be the one to break this to you, but your ex-boyfriend is going to make some other woman (or man, it’s 2018 afterall) very happy.  But your idea of “I’m going to let him go free to bang other people so he learns how to bang me better” is going to blow up in your face.  

I am a white woman married to a black man. We live in a mainly white town, and I grew up knowing racism was alive and well in our town. I have a few friends left from high school but have abandoned many due to their racist views. One of my friends, “Melissa,” has never said anything overtly racist in my presence, but every single man she has ever dated has been a racist who proudly shared his views on social media. She is now pregnant and is trying to reach out for support, as she is not with the father and doesn’t have many close friends or family. Meanwhile, she recently started dating another guy who posted racist comments on social media last week.

Dear Covert Racism, how hard-up for friends are you that you’ve remained friends with someone you think, covertly, is biased against your husband because of his race and are now trying to figure out how to exploit her desperation for support during a pregnancy where the father of the child has abandoned her to confront her about your your beliefs?  I mean, of all the ways “my racist friend dates racist men and she’s asking me for help,” could go I think I’m most surprised by “how do I explain to her that I think she’s racist?”  Are you going to blow off her request for support unless she recants?  Are you going to support her through her pregnancy regardless of her dating choices?  What sort of saint, or demon, decides “This chick is pregnant with another man’s baby, I’m going to date her,”?  But, you know what, one of my guiding principles as Dudence is that I answer the question asked.  And, to that end, you stop talking to Melissa about the racism of her boyfriends, but about how that makes her look to you.  You talk about how you condemn her boyfriends as racist, but you don’t talk about how you’ve told her that makes it look like she is one too by letting it slide.  Or, in her case, letting is slide in and out and in and out (OH!).  I’m sure the isolated pregnant lady will take your criticism to heart and will handle it with grace, aplomb, and will be thankful for your help.

I was a professional dancer for about six years before I was in a car wreck that ended my career. Since then I have married and now work at a nonprofit. I was contacted by a friend who introduced me to several gifted but underprivileged dance students. I saw myself in their talent and struggles. I have taken a few on as a personal instructor and coach. I do this on my own time and pay for it from my own pocket. When my sister-in-law heard I was teaching, she got it into her head that I should include her 7- and 8-year-old daughters for free because I am family. I told her no over the phone, and then she drove over with the girls in dance gear. I told her no again and refused to let her in the door. She threw a fit and since then has been blasting me over all social media and got the rest of my in-laws on her side.

Dear Private Lessons, your problem is ceding the narrative your sister-in-law.  Well, the root problem is your sister-in-law has an outrageous sense of entitlement, but let’s deal in tactics because it’s easier.  So now you are the selfish monster who isn’t willing to help your own kin while giving yourself freely to strangers.  You have two allies in this fight and it is time you called in whatever favor you have with them.  First, you say you’re close to your mother-in-law, and even if her discussion with you was supporting her daughter, it is a reasonable tone and there is room for discussion with her on it.  Explain to your mother-in-law your reasons for who and why you’re teaching.  If you need to embellish it a bit by over-stating the time commitment you’re making then do so.  Or, and I like this option, figure out how much you’d charge for the lessons you’re providing, increase it by 50% because that is the premium you charge to mix business and family, and then double that because your sister-in-law is a bitch and that’s your “bitch” surcharge, and inform her you’ll happily give your nieces lessons.  Do like Neil Gaiman and charge enough to make it worth your while.  Sorry, I got off on a tangent here.  So, back to your mother-in-law.  What you want to do is at least get her to see reason, understand your position, agree it’s a reasonable stance and that she’ll at least get the rest of the family to back off.  And if she doesn’t come around to your point of view you’re no worse off.  Your other ally, and the one you need to be willing to go nuclear, is your husband.  Is he so far off the grid he’s unable to get internet at all?  Because if he’s not you need to get him into whatever Facebook group your in-laws are using and tell them to shut the fuck up because this situation is not your fault; he supports you completely, and his sister is off the fucking path causing this drama.  

I have been involved with a man for almost a decade. He is wonderful to me, extremely loving and attentive, and even helps me with projects around the house. We see each other several times a week, vacation together twice a year, and have a great time when we are together. We plan a future together. The problem? He is married. His wife left him for another man, which is when we got involved. She came back after she was dumped by that guy and begged to be taken back. She promised she would be kinder to him and even get a job to help out around the house, but she didn’t. She mainly sits around the house and watches TV. My guy doesn’t kick her out because he has a heart of gold and she literally has no friends and nowhere else to go, and if they divorced she would get half of his net worth. Plus, he obviously has a lot of freedom.

Dear I Should Feel Bad, I don’t think you should feel bad about what you’re doing.  You’re not the one violating wedding vows after all.  I think you should feel a bit bad that you’re getting played like a fiddle.  You want to bang some married dude, you go on with your bad self.  You want to be some guy’s Nobody, you do you.  You want to be Linda Davis to Reba McEntire, it’s a free country.  But you need to do it aware of what you are, and I don’t think you are.  Being independent and self-sufficient doesn’t make you immune to played.  He has not spent 10 years married to this pathetic, friendless, helpless woman out of the kindness of his heart, nor out of fear of losing half his wealth.  Don’t feel bad that you’re someone’s mistress; it’s a position (snicker) with a glorious history.  Feel bad that you don’t recognize that you’re a side piece.

My sister-in-law cannot control her daughter “Ally.” Her father died a few years ago, and since then Ally has made it her mission to make everyone around her as miserable as possible. She started sleeping around at 13, had an abortion at 14, and got pregnant again at 15. She has no clue who the father is. She had the baby, only to abandon him and run away for a month. She has been suspended and failed so many classes that her education level is of a seventh-grader at 16.

Dear Niece my heart breaks at this story.  That there is the teasing possibility of a happy ending, but the knowledge that there are so very, very many ways it can go completely sideways, and it being a story with no villains.  So, let’s go ahead and get to answering your question.  First, you have to accept this might be a situation where you can’t get it through to your husband.  It’s his sister’s daughter; his own blood.  He could very well believe that he can be a moderating influence in Ally’s life, or, at the very least, alleviate some of the burden on his sister by taking some of the stresses she’s feeling off her plate.  So, after you’ve established for yourself whatever boundaries you need, and the consequences for violating them, I really think you only have one course of action.  You need to pull your spousal privilege card and say “no.”  You can make a rational appeal to your husband; Ally is just going to be able to get into different kinds of trouble, you’re not able to give her the support she needs, etc etc, but it’s running into a buzzsaw of a brother wanting to help his sister.  I don’t like that course of action because it’s got a high risk of, undeservedly, making you the bad guy.  But if your husband is otherwise set to do this then I don’t see any other option.  Now, if you’re open to being persuaded that Ally isn’t beyond help then may I suggest your husband goes to his sister and Ally for a bit and see what is going to be involved in taking her in, but in her own environment.  If your husband’s influence is going to be a positive in her life, it will be so whether she’s in her mother’s home or yours.  And, maybe, your husband getting some first-hand experience dealing with her in a guardian way will disabuse him of what he’s capable of offering, or will assuage you that it is a course of action which can work.  Regardless though I think it would be good for all parties involved for you to not write off a grieving child as hopelessly broken at 16.

I got pregnant as a teenager and gave the child up. The child is now grown and knows who I am. We don’t have much of a relationship; his family is his family. But that’s not exactly my problem. When the situation was fresh, I was quite open about it. However, as time has passed, and I’ve moved away from the friends that were close to me when the trauma was occurring, I have less desire to talk about my teen pregnancy and subsequent failure at parenting. As I’ve grown into myself, I’ve decided against starting a family. I haven’t told anyone about the child (now an adult) in almost a decade.  I’m in my late 30s now and am trying to date after taking many years to focus on myself. I’ve moved far away from “home,” started a new career, and am getting to a decent place. The problem is my naked body.

Dear Childless with Stretch Marks, have you tried banging doggy style?  Sorry, that was trite but it really was the first thing that came to mind when you said you don’t like exposing your abdomen during sex.  I’m really shocked that BadPru got through two paragraphs of response to you without once suggesting you see a therapist.  Because, honestly, it sounds like your situation is one where the services of such a professional would be valuable.  A very important part of a generally healthy life is being cut-off to you because of how you feel about something which transpired two decades ago.  This is an issue which calls for the help of someone with skills beyond “Failed Humor Website Founder” or “Dude Whose Muse is Hate-reading a Failed Humor Website Founder”.  You might might find that spending some of your cosmetic surgery money on someone who can help you deal with the emotional issues surrounding your feelings about yourself will go a long way to help you deal with the cosmetic issue the surgery was to address.  

[cooperjones2020]

Second City, chp. 5

Summary: Sometimes she worries she’s settling — for a smaller job, a smaller city, a smaller life than she’d promised herself — but that was before she found out Jughead Jones lives in Chicago. That was before she found out the final secret of Jason Blossom’s murder.

A/N: Apparently I’m obsessed with writing about forms of transportation. *shrugs*

ao3–>http://archiveofourown.org/works/11409360/chapters/25851957

Second City one / two / three / four

Nobodies Nobody Knows one / two (ao3)

In which Betty Cooper remembers

On Wednesday, they drink tequila. On Thursday, Mary calls to invite her to their weekly Friday night family dinner with Jughead. The timing makes her suspect he may have had something to do with the invitation. She wonders if they’re becoming friends.

By Friday afternoon, she’s finished transposing the interview and has begun making notes for the story. Currently, she’s switching back and forth between the printed-out transcript, covered in colorful scribbles of half-lines and sentences that came to her that morning on the L, and the word document where’s she’s attempting to put those half-lines and sentences into some sort of order that will open the piece.

She waffles over including the line, “FP Jones is the kind of man who spends his first advance—the first significant amount of money he’s ever had in his life—on a house for his dad and his little sister.”

It’s a great line. It sheds light on his background and his character. It’s relevant to the continuously floated questions on the blurred boundary between fact and fiction in Jughead’s work. It’s a line she, and maybe only she, can walk, having lived through the murder and its aftermath with him. But it’s a line on which she treads lightly. She has no interest in exposing them. She’s already begun the mental math of figuring out just how little of herself she can keep in the piece while maintaining the integrity of the pitch.

Betty deletes the sentence.

She may have a duty as a journalist but she also has a duty to the sacred weight of the shared history they carry. It is not a secret that is hers to tell. It may have been said in the course of business meeting—thereby formally on the record—but Jughead had been so earnest and vulnerable in that moment, she wants to keep it to herself, to hoard it like the piece of gold that it is.

Then she leaves work early, telling herself it’s so she can beat rush hour on the red line. But still, she stops at the French Market and picks up a tiramisu to contribute to dinner and then swings by home to trade her grubby pencil skirt and blazer for a light linen dress.

When she arrives that evening, she spends the first few minutes alone with Mary in the kitchen, catching up. After they’ve run through the past few weeks of Betty’s life, with the brief pitstop on the surreality that was Wednesday, Mary’s eyes flick down to Betty’s left hand and back up to her face.

“No regrets thus far?”

“No regrets.”

Then, she puts a glass of wine in Betty’s hand and shoos her into the living room, where Jughead is FaceTiming with Archie.

“Betty!” Archie extends the ‘y’ in her name into an ‘ay’ sound—a sign he’s either drunk or happy to see her. Tonight, she’s pretty sure it’s the latter.

“Hey Arch!”

He is notoriously bad at responding to texts and emails, and his schedule is so different from hers that they’ve only FaceTimed once since her move.

In order to fit both her and Jughead’s faces on the iPad screen, they are pressed together on Mary’s two-seater couch. He balances his arm on one knee so the camera is more angled toward her, so she and Archie can catch up. The other stretches along the cushion behind her. She is hyper aware of the long muscles of his thigh, where they bunch and release, pressed against her own. But then Archie says something that is so very typically Archie, and Jughead catches her eye and smiles, and it feels like an inside joke.  The years melt away. They are twelve and sitting in a treehouse in the Andrews’s background. Archie reads comic books. Betty and Jughead read To Kill a Mockingbird.

Eventually, Veronica pops into the screen over Archie’s shoulder and joins the conversation. Betty’s glad to see her. They’ve been talking since last fall too, tentatively rebuilding the promising friendship they’d once had.

“Jughead, Archie, go away. I need to talk to Betty.” Jughead rolls his eyes but complies, handing her the iPad before he slips away.

“What’s up, Veronica?”

“B, please tell me you’re tapping that.” Betty nearly drops the iPad. She can see Jughead through the front window, knows he’s joined Mike, knows he can’t hear them, but she feels her palms begin to sweat nonetheless.

“Oh my god. You can’t just say that. What if he hadn’t left the room yet?”

“So what if he hadn’t? Look, I know he was dreamy in high school, but Look. At. Him. Now. I can almost forgive him for still wearing that damn beanie sometimes.”

“It’s not happening, Veronica. I don’t even think we’re friends. This is only the third time I’ve seen him since I moved here.”

“You just told Archie you spent five hours in a bar two days ago talking.”

“Yeah for my job. I was interviewing him.”

“Do you normally drink tequila at a bar with your interviewees?”

“No but I also don’t normally interview people who’ve previously stomped all over my heart.”

“Oh, Betty.”

“Don’t ‘oh Betty’ me. You didn’t see. You went back to New York. Jughead left me. There’s no way he still has feelings for me. And if he did, that would be crazy. It’s been years, Ron.”

“Please. That boy looked at you like you hung the moon when you were 15 and from what I just saw, he still does.” Betty’s reminded of a conversation they once had in the hallway at Riverdale High, when she and Jughead had just started dating. Ronnie called him Holden Caulfield. She is just as sincere now.

“It doesn’t matter. He walked away. He picked the Serpents over me.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll drop it. Weird vibes with Jughead aside and I know you had Hunter, but—Look, I just wanted to make absolutely sure I’m not stepping on any toes. You know I don’t have the best track record with that.”

“You’re definitely, definitely not, V. Even if you were, I’m pretty sure I ceded any claim I had when I moved halfway across the country. Archie and I did try dating once and it was so weird.”

Ronnie exhales, “Good, that’s what he said. I really like him.”

“And he really likes you.”

“So tell me about Mary and her boyfriend. They’re coming for a visit in a few weeks and I want her to like me. I only met her that one time after Fred was shot and obviously that didn’t go well what with my dad and then moving back to New York right after.”

“All Mary wants is for Archie to be happy. She knows better than anyone that he’s usually the one tripping himself up when it comes to that, especially with girls. You guys will get along fine. And Mike is the sweetest man in the world. Just don’t try to tell him that New York pizza is better than Chicago pizza.”

“I don’t know if I can promise that, on principle.”

“Okay, your funeral. Also. Kevin texted me he’s gonna be in the city from LA in a few weeks for work. I mentioned you and he wanted to know if you wanted to get coffee.”

“Oh my god yes! Text me his number. I’m so excited.”

She can’t shake the sense that she’s somehow entered a time warp. All of a sudden, Veronica and Jughead are back in her life. All of a sudden, she’s sitting down to a family dinner with cloth napkins and people are passing dishes. It’s not her family, there seems to be none of the Cooper brand of dysfunction in sight, and yet, with Jughead across from her, it’s impossible not to remember. She accepts the platter of green beans Mary is handing her and forces her mind to the here and now.

“So Jug, are you coming to the Cubs game with us next week?”

“What? No. I don’t sports.”

Betty feels her mouth drop open. “You’re the one who told me I couldn’t take the L that first night because of the game.”

“Yeah but that was about avoiding drunk bros. If you wanna take public transportation in Chicago in the summer, you gotta know when the baseball games begin and end.”

Mary laughs and Mike adds, “I’ve gotten him to a game or two. Only ever when Archie’s in town though.”

Betty smiles at Mike. “Guess I’m just not special enough.” She means it as a joke, but when she turns back, Jughead is staring down at his plate.

Mary and Mike had refused point blank to allow them to help with clean up. So instead, they’re leaning against the back porch railing.  Jughead is smoking, Betty swirling the dregs of the wine in her glass, when she screws up her courage. “How’d you get out, Jug?”

“What?”

“The Serpents. You were in a gang. Teenage gang members don’t usually wind up with full rides to tier one colleges.”

“You’ve been talking to Mary.” He pulls off his beanie and runs a hand through his hair. “FP found out after a while and lost his shit. He managed to get a hold of my foster parents from prison and all of a sudden, junior year, I was being escorted to and from school. It let up after his trial, but he also reamed out the Serpents. So that was sort of it for my career as a gang banger.”

“Oh, that’s why you disappeared for a while.”

“Disappeared?”

“I mean I stopped seeing you around town. And then when I did again…”

“You were with Archie.”

“Yeah, and you were with that other blonde girl.”

“Sabrina.”

“Yeah. I would get this quick little pang when I would see you around town, at Pop’s or with Sabrina, I always thought it was regret that I’d let our friendship die along with our relationship.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth she wants to inhale and suck them right back in. But she can’t. They hover for a moment, then she overcorrects. “I mean, we drifted apart and eventually we both moved on. We should have been able to still be friends.”

“It wasn’t like that with Sabrina, you know. She had a boyfriend. Harley? Harvey? I don’t know. Last I heard they’d just gotten back together.”

“No I didn’t know.”

They stand in silence for a while.

“I regretted it too. That we lost our friendship as well. That I lost both of your friendships.”

Again, her mouth ruins it. “Yeah well, you’re the one who walked away.”

“What? Betty, I didn’t — okay. Yeah. I did.”

“And you didn’t come back.”

“There was still shit going on, Betts. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.”

“Why not? If not the Serpents, what else?” Okay, so they’re doing this.

“Even if I wasn’t a member anymore the Serpents were still a factor. They were still my friends. My dad was still in jail. We were still in the middle of a fucking civil war. We’d already been threatened, and not just with the pig’s blood.”

“Please. No one threatened me beyond Chuck and his usual douchebaggery.”

“Not true.”

“Oh yeah, who was the big threat? And why don’t I know about it?”

His posture goes rigid, and he flicks away the cigarette butt, which still has a while to go before it’s burnt out. “Ah—no. You’re right, you weren’t. I’m misremembering. I must have just been thinking about something else Chuck did.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” But a muscle pulses in his jaw.

“Fine, whatever. Don’t tell me. I suppose I’ve gone this long not knowing.”

“Betty.”

“I’m going to go help with dessert.”

It wasn't dramatic, until the end. He washed away from her like waves on the sand, receding bit by bit until she looked up and he was gone.

Her memory is cinematic. Impersonal. (Her therapist said that defamiliarizing had been an emergency tactic on behalf of her brain to cope with the trauma.)

It had been uncharacteristically cool that July. More days than not, fog rolled in off of Sweetwater River in the early morning and lingered into the night. That night, though—the worst night—the sky was clear.

When she walked out of Pop’s, Archie and Kevin trailing behind her (Veronica already long gone back into the glittering arms of Manhattan), Jughead had been waiting for her. It wasn’t an unfamiliar sight by then. His body, a long column of black from his boots to the jacket that clung to his back like a scar to the windblown hair atop his head, silhouetted against the chrome of the motorcycle. When she bounced up, she remembers, she’d tried to force back the smile that had dropped off her face upon seeing him. He pulled away from her kiss.

Something had been wrong for weeks and no amount of wheedling or cajoling could unearth it. There would be days that felt like normal, felt like before a social worker and a leather jacket had come between them.

(This is her post-mortem diagnosis. She doesn’t remember any problems until the end of the school year. She liked his new friends. Liked hanging out at the garage where the Serpents congregated. Loved the happiness and comfort he seemed to find there. Loved the newfound confidence with which he walked, with which he touched her. But half the summer gone and they were done, and the only things she could point to, only concrete things she could finger, were the social worker and the leather jacket from the autumn before.)

The frequency of the normal days receded like the sunlight that hid from the fog that summer. On the other days, the more common days, silence sat awkward between them and a look would come into his eyes that had no explanation.

Eventually, her memory drowned out the specific words Jughead had chosen to break her heart and what she’d said in return. She remembers standing outside herself and seeing her scream, watching him ride away, staring at the blood pooling her palms.

Worse than the night her father died. Worse than the night she returned her engagement ring. She screamed at him until her throat was raw and snot dribbled off her chin. But he’d stood there, still as a column.

She doesn’t remember his words, but she remembers his metaphor. Their lives had torn like fabric and no amount of careful stitching could hide the seam. They had changed, he had changed. It would be easier on them both to just end it now.

She remembers, no matter the words he said, that what he meant was, “I don’t love you anymore.”

She didn’t believe him then. But when he stayed away, when he didn’t answer her texts or calls, when he didn’t come the night she cried into his voicemail until it wouldn’t accept any more messages, or any of the nights thereafter, she began to accept that he’d told her the truth.

(The next thing she remembers clearly, the next memory that’s free from fog, is waking up in Archie’s twin bed the morning after senior homecoming.)

They don’t make eye contact over their tiramisu. And after, when Mike has asked Jughead if he wants to head downstairs to work for a while and Jug has accepted, when she knows he can’t follow her, Betty excuses herself.

She is too tired to stand on the train platform and studiously avoid the eyes of lecherous drunks, to cling to the pole and pretend to listen to the rambling of the people who ride the train one end to another and back again, to pay attention so she doesn’t miss her stop. She has spent far too much money on ubers so far this month, but tonight she doesn’t hesitate.

Construction on the north side means he takes her down Lake Shore Drive.

She opens the window and lets the wind buffet her face until it brings tears to her eyes. She doesn’t blink and the tears blur the stars that hang suspended over the deep, dark blue that merges lake and sky.

#bughead fanfiction #riverdale fanfiction #bughead #betty cooper #jughead jones #riverdale #second city #mine

[inloveandwords]

It’s always a good day when I open my email and get a sale notification from Audible!

This time first books in series are on sale for US members with prices as low as $4.95.

I’ve compiled a list of all my favorites (some that I have read and some that I haven’t – but will likely buy myself!) here for you in case you’re interested!

Get ready to scroll, because there are a TON of amazing books in this sale!

Books I’ve Read & Loved

CLICK HERE TO REVEAL/HIDE LINKS AND SUMMARIES OF EACH BOOK

Succubus Blues Georgina Kincaid, Book 1 By: Richelle Mead Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers Series: Georgina Kincaid, Book 1

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid’s life is far less exotic. At least there’s her day job at a local bookstore–free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can’t.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle’s demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won’t help because Georgina’s about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

***

Jacob Nightwalkers Series, Book 1 By: Jacquelyn Frank Narrated by: Xe Sands Series: Nightwalkers, Book 1

Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers – the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer.

For 700 years, he has resisted temptation. But not tonight… Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He’s heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total… until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York City street. Saving her life wasn’t in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses in him. But the moment he holds her in his arms and feels the soft explosion of her body against his, everything changes. Their attraction is undeniable, volatile, and completely against the law. Suddenly everything Jacob has ever believed is inflamed by the heat of desire. Bring on the night.

***

Priest: A Love Story By: Sierra Simone Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Elena Wolfe Series: Priest, Book 1

There are many rules a priest can’t break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.

I’ve always been good at following rules.

Until she came. Then I learned new rules.

My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I’m 29 years old. Six months ago I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again. I am a priest, and this is my confession.

***

Bright Side By: Kim Holden Narrated by: Roger Wayne, Lidia Dornet Series: Bright Side, Book 1

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend, Gus, calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it. But each has a reason to fight it. Each has a secret. And when secrets are revealed, some will heal you… and some will end you.

***

Damaged Like Us By: Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie Narrated by: Alexander Cendese, J. F. Harding Series: Like Us, Book 1

Don’t date your bodyguard.

It was the one rule he had to break.

Maximoff Hale is a force of nature. A ship unwilling to be steered. Headstrong, resilient, and wholly responsible – the 22-year-old alpha billionaire can handle his unconventional life. By noon, lunch can turn into a mob of screaming fans. By two, his face is all over the Internet. Born into one of the most famous families in the country, his celebrity status began at birth. He is certified American royalty.

When he’s assigned a new 24/7 bodyguard, he comes face-to-face with the worst case scenario: being attached to the tattooed, MMA-trained Yale graduate who’s known for “going rogue�� in the security team – and who fills 1/3 of Maximoff’s sexual fantasies.

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene has one job: protect Maximoff Hale. Flirting, dating, and hot sex falls far, far out of the boundary of his bodyguard duties and into “termination” territory. But when feelings surface, protecting the sexy-as-sin, stubborn celebrity becomes increasingly complicated. Together, boundaries blur, and being exposed could mean catastrophic consequences for both.

Damaged Like Us can be listened to and enjoyed without listening to any of Krista and Becca’s other novels.

***

Neanderthal Seeks Human A Smart Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 1 By: Penny Reid Narrated by: Jennifer Grace Series: Knitting in the City, Book 1

There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris:

She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and She doesn’t know how to knit. After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can’t help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can’t afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn – the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies – to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

***

Pucked By: Helena Hunting Narrated by: Nathan Everett, Muffy Newtown Series: Pucked, Book 1

The first standalone novel in The Pucked Series

With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match. Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants.

Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant – and quirky – gifts. Suddenly he’s too difficult to ignore and nearly impossible not to like. The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.

***

Tangled The Tangled Series, Book 1 By: Emma Chase Narrated by: Sebastian York Series: Tangled, Book 1, Tangled Series, Book 1

Drew Evans is handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed? He’ll tell you he has the flu. But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Tangled is not your mother’s romance audiobook. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

***

A Little Night Magic By: Lucy March Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi Series: Nodaway Falls, Book 1

Olivia Kiskey needs a change. She’s been working at the same Nodaway Falls, New York, waffle house since she was a teenager; not a lot of upward mobility there. She’s been in love with Tobias, the cook, for the last four years; he’s never made a move. Every Saturday night, she gathers with her three best friends—Peach, Millie, and Stacy—and drinks the same margaritas while listening to the same old stories. Intent on shaking things up, she puts her house on the market, buys a one-way ticket to Europe, and announces her plans to her friends… but then she meets Davina Granville, a strange and mystical Southern woman who shows Olivia that there is more to her life than she ever dreamed.

As Liv’s latent magical powers come to the surface, she discovers that having an interesting life is maybe not all it’s cracked up to be. The dark side of someone else’s magic is taking over good people in town, and changing them into vessels of malevolence. Unwilling to cede her home to darkness, she battles the demons of her familial past and her magical present, with those she loves at her side – and in the cross fire. Can the most important things in life—friendship, love, magic, and waffles—get her through the worst that the universe can throw at her?

***

Daughter of Smoke and Bone By: Laini Taylor Narrated by: Khristine Hvam Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Book 1

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages – not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers – beautiful, haunted Akiva – fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

***

Caraval By: Stephanie Garber Narrated by: Rebecca Soler Series: Caraval, Book 1

Welcome, welcome to Caraval – Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful – and cruel – father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the faraway once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

***

Ecstasy The Shadowdwellers Series #1 By: Jacquelyn Frank Narrated by: Kirsten Potter Series: Shadowdwellers, Book 1

Among the Shadowdwellers, Trace holds power that some are willing to kill for. Without a stranger’s aid, one rival would surely have succeeded, but Trace’s brush with death is less surprising to him than his reaction to the beautiful, fragile human who heals him. By rights, Trace should hardly even register Ashla’s existence within the realm of Shadowscape, but instead he is drawn to everything about her-her innocence, her courage, and her lush, sensual heat. After a terrifying car crash, Ashla Townsend wakes up to find that the bustling New York she knew is now eerie and desolate. Just when she’s convinced she’s alone, Ashla is confronted by a dark warrior who draws her deeper into a world she never knew existed. The bond between Ashla and Trace is a mystery to both, but searching for answers will mean confronting long-hidden secrets, and uncovering a threat that could destroy everything Trace holds precious.

***

Poison Study By: Maria V. Snyder Narrated by: Gabra Zackman Series: Study, Book 1

Choose: A quick death…or slow poison. About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly’s Dust and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear.

Don’t miss Magic Study, the sequel to Poison Study.

***

Sweet Filthy Boy By: Christina Lauren Narrated by: Shayna Thibodeaux Series: Wild Seasons, Book 1

The New York Times best-selling author of Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player starts a brand new story of friends, love, and lust with Book One of the Wild Seasons series.

One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.

But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation – and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out – Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume – her sweet, filthy fling – to France for the summer and just…play.

When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.

***

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before By: Jenny Han Narrated by: Laura Knight Keating Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Book 1

Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved – five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

***

Full Tilt Full Tilt Duet Series, Book 1 By: Emma Scott Narrated by: Nelson Hobbs, Caitlin Kelly Series: Full Tilt, Book 1

Kacey Dawson has always lived life on the edge – impulsively, sometimes recklessly. And now, as lead guitarist for a hot up-and-coming band, she is poised at the brink of fame and fortune. But she is torn between wanting to be a serious musician and the demons that lure her down the glittering but alcohol-soaked path of rock stardom. A wrecked concert in Las Vegas threatens to ruin her career entirely. She wakes up with the hangover from hell and no memory of the night before or how she ended up on her limo driver’s couch….

Jonah Fletcher is running out of time. He knows his situation is hopeless, and he’s vowed to make the most of the handful of months he has left to him. His plans include seeing the opening of his glass installation at a prestigious art gallery…they do not include falling in love with a wild, tempestuous rock musician who wound up passed out on his couch. Jonah sees that Kacey is on a path to self-destruction. He lets her crash with him for a few days to dry out and get her head on straight. But neither of them expects the deep connection they feel or how that connection can grow so fast from friendship into something more.

***

Stray Shifters, Book 1 By: Rachel Vincent Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck Series: Shifters, Book 1

“I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds. “Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

“I’d been warned about Strays (werecats without a Pride) that are constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

“This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I’m no meek kitty. I’ll take on whatever and whoever I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays, ’cause I got claws, and I’m not afraid to use them.”

***

Heartsick By: Chelsea Cain Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick Series: Gretchen Lowell, Book 1, Archie and Gretchen, Book 1

Damaged Portland detective Archie Sheridan spent 10 years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful serial killer, but in the end, she was the one who caught him. Two years ago, Gretchen kidnapped Archie and tortured him for 10 days, but instead of killing him, she mysteriously decided to let him go. She turned herself in, and now Gretchen has been locked away for the rest of her life, while Archie is in a prison of another kind: addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those 10 horrific days off his mind. He continues to visit Gretchen in prison once a week, saying that only he can get her to confess as to the whereabouts of more of her victims. When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders. A hungry young newspaper reporter, Susan Ward, begins profiling Archie and the investigation, which sparks a deadly game between Archie, Susan, the new killer, and even Gretchen. They need to catch a killer, and maybe then, somehow, Archie can free himself from Gretchen, once and for all.

Either way, Heartsick makes for one of the most extraordinary suspense debuts in recent memory.

***

Captain By: Lauren Rowe Narrated by: Lauren Rowe, John Lane Series: The Morgan Brothers, Book 2

It wasn’t the way this kind of story was supposed to go…insta-love isn’t supposed to turn into insta-hate. But that’s exactly what happened when the hot-as-hell dreamboat I met in a bar turned out to be a lying, cheating scumbag-player-douche looking for nothing but a little side action. Jerk. And he has the nerve to call me a liar and a “sociopath”? Asshole. And now, three months later, through a mind-blowing series of events I couldn’t have predicted in a million years, it turns out my boss is marrying his sister in Hawaii and I’ve got to play nice with him for an entire freaking week. Okay, sure, I’ll put on a happy face this week and act like I’ve never even met the jerk before – did I mention his sister is marrying my boss? – but that doesn’t mean I’ll like it. And it certainly doesn’t mean I’ll stop secretly hating the cocky bastard’s guts. Because I do. I hate him. I really do. I just wish my brain would explain the situation to my body…because every time he flashes that panty-melting smile at me, it takes all my self-restraint not to jump the bastard’s hot-as-f–k bones.

***

Flat-Out Love By: Jessica Park Narrated by: Julia Whelan Series: Flat-Out Love, Book 1

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagles likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother’s? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn’t supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she’s never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection. But here’s the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations – it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed

***

Never Never: Part One By: Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher Narrated by: Kevin Free, Elizabeth Evans Series: Never Never, Book 1

Never Never, a novella series. Book one of three.

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of 14. Complete strangers since this morning. He’ll do anything to remember. She’ll do anything to forget. This novella is recommended for readers age 16+ due to mild language and sexual content.

***

Shatter Me By: Tahereh Mafi Narrated by: Kate Simses Series: Shatter Me, Book 1

“You can’t touch me,” I whisper. I’m lying, is what I don’t tell him. He can touch me, is what I’ll never tell him. But things happen when people touch me. Strange things. Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she’s finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time – and to find a future with the one boy she thought she’d lost forever.

***

Shacking Up By: Helena Hunting Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Rose Dioro Series: Shacking Up, Book 1

Ruby Scott is months behind on rent and can’t seem to land a steady job. She has one chance to turn things around with a big audition. But instead of getting her big break, she gets sick as a dog and completely bombs it in the most humiliating fashion. All thanks to a mysterious, gorgeous guy who kissed – and then coughed on – her at a party the night before.

Luckily, her best friend might have found the perfect opportunity: a job staying at the lavish penthouse apartment of hotel magnate Bancroft Mills while he’s out of town, taking care of his exotic pets. But when the newly evicted Ruby arrives to meet her new employer, it turns out Bane is the same guy who got her sick. Seeing his role in Ruby’s dilemma, Bane offers her a permanent job as his live-in pet sitter until she can get back on her feet.

Filled with hilariously awkward encounters and enough sexual tension to heat a New York City block, Shacking Up, from NYT and USA Today best-selling author Helena Hunting, is sure to keep you laughing and swooning all night long.

***

Rule A Marked Men Novel By: Jay Crownover Narrated by: Sophie Eastlake, Michael Rahhal Series: Marked Men, Book 1

Opposites in every way…except the one that matters.

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want – and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess – and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw – even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love…or each other.

The first Marked Men novel in Jay Crownover’s combustible New Adult series.

***

Royally Screwed By: Emma Chase Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Shane East Series: The Royally Series, Book 1

Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, aka His Royal Hotness, is wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, and unabashedly arrogant – hard not to be when people are constantly bowing down to you.

Then, one snowy night in Manhattan, the prince meets a dark-haired beauty who doesn’t bow down. Instead she throws a pie in his face.

Nicholas wants to find out if she tastes as good as her pie, and this heir apparent is used to getting what he wants.

Dating a prince isn’t what waitress Olivia Hammond ever imagined it would be.

There’s a disapproving queen, a wildly inappropriate spare heir, relentless paparazzi, and brutal public scrutiny. While they’ve traded in horse-drawn carriages for Rolls Royces and haven’t chopped anyone’s head off lately, the royals are far from accepting of this commoner.

But to Olivia, Nicholas is worth it.

Nicholas grew up with the whole world watching, and now Marriage Watch is in full force. In the end Nicholas has to decide who he is and, more importantly, who he wants to be: a king or the man who gets to love Olivia forever.

***

Six of Crows By: Leigh Bardugo Narrated by: Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin, Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark, Elizabeth Evans, Tristan Morris Series: Six of Crows, Book 1

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price – and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction – if they don’t kill each other first.

***

The Vampire Diaries, Book 1 The Awakening By: L. J. Smith Narrated by: Rebecca Mozo Series: Vampire Diaries, Book 1

Elena: beautiful and popular, the girl who can have any boy she wants. Stefan: brooding and mysterious, desperately trying to resist his desire for Elena for her own good. Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Elena finds herself drawn to both brothers….who will she choose?

***

All Lined Up Rusk University, Book 1 By: Cora Carmack Narrated by: Justis Bolding, Dan Bittner Series: Rusk University, Book 1

Dallas Cole loathes football. That’s what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn’t always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football-star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a phenom in Texas’s world of high school coaching, has decided to make the jump to college ball…as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting lineup. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It’s obliterated.

Dallas doesn’t know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn’t know that Dallas is his new coach’s daughter.

And neither of them knows how to walk away from the attraction they feel.

***

Howl’s Moving Castle By: Diana Wynne Jones Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin Series: Howl’s Castle, Book 1

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book and ALA Notable and Best of the Year in Young Adult Fiction, Howl’s Moving Castle is by acclaimed fantasy writer Diane Wynne Jones and was transformed into an Academy Award nominated animated motion picture by Hayao Miyazaki. On a rare venture out from her step-mother’s hat shop, Sophie attracts the attention of a witch, who casts a terrible spell transforming the young girl into an old crone.

***

Maybe Someday By: Colleen Hoover Narrated by: Zachary Webber, Angela Goethals Series: Maybe (Hoover), Book 1

At 22 years old, Sydney has a great life: She’s in college; working a steady job; in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter; and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter’s cheating on her – and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to his playing his guitar every day out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.…

***

Me Before You A Novel By: Jojo Moyes Narrated by: Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink, Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, Owen Lindsay Series: Me Before You Trilogy, Book 1

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose.

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life – steady boyfriend, close family – who has never been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life – big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel – and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy – but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common – a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, what do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

***

Books I Want to Read

CLICK HERE TO REVEAL/HIDE LINKS AND SUMMARIES OF EACH BOOK

Vicious By: V. E. Schwab Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine Series: Villains [Schwab], Book 1

A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates – brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), and aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find – aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the arch nemeses have set a course for revenge – but who will be left alive at the end? In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

***

The Belles By: Dhonielle Clayton Narrated by: Rosie Jones Series: The Belles, Book 1

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control beauty, and beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite – the Belle chosen by the queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land.

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie – that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide: save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles, or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

***

Hate to Want You Forbidden Hearts By: Alisha Rai Narrated by: Summer Morton, Jeremy York Series: Forbidden Hearts, Book 1

One night. No one will know.

That was the deal. Every year, Livvy Kane and Nicholas Chandler would share one perfect night of illicit pleasure. The forbidden hours let them forget the tragedy that haunted their pasts – and the last names that made them enemies.

Until the night she didn’t show up.

Now Nicholas has an empire to run. He doesn’t have time for distractions, and Livvy’s sudden reappearance in town is a major distraction. She’s the one woman he shouldn’t want…so why can’t he forget how right she feels in his bed?

Livvy didn’t come home for Nicholas, but fate seems determined to remind her of his presence – and their past. Although the passion between them might have once run hot and deep, not even love can overcome the scandal that divided their families.

Being together might be against all the rules…but being apart is impossible.

***

Angelfall Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1 By: Susan Ee Narrated by: Caitlin Davies Series: Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1

It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her 17-year-old sister, Penryn, will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where Penryn will risk everything to rescue her sister, and Raffe will put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

***

Ruthless King The Mount Trilogy, Book 1 By: Meghan March Narrated by: Grace Grant, Joe Arden Series: The Mount Trilogy, Book 1

New Orleans belongs to me. You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see – and all the things you don’t. My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met. I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt. To have her in my debt. She doesn’t know she caught my attention. She should’ve been more careful. I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her. It’s time to collect what I’m owed. Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

***

Three Dark Crowns By: Kendare Blake Narrated by: Amy Landon Series: Three Dark Crowns, Book 1

Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn 16, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.

***

The Sapphire Affair A Jewel Novel, Book 1 By: Lauren Blakely Narrated by: Sebastian York Series: Jewel, Book 1

Seduction hotter than stolen jewels in this new series from the New York Times bestselling author of Big Rock.

Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hire him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.

Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip – or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.

Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target – and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.

But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs….

***

Hard As It Gets A Hard Ink Novel, Book 1 By: Laura Kaye Narrated by: Seraphine Valentine Series: Hard Ink, Book 1

Five dishonored soldiers. Former Special Forces. One last mission. These are the men of Hard Ink.

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey’s tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome, pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He’s left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander’s daughter. Loyalty won’t let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn’t expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge . . .

***

Mayhem By: Jamie Shaw Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Adam Verner Series: Mayhem Series, Book 1

When college freshman Rowan Michaels meets gorgeous, up-and-coming rock star Adam Everest, she knows a player like him is the last thing she needs after her ex-boyfriend shattered her heart. But she can’t stop thinking about the kiss they shared on his tour bus.

On the first day of school, Rowan is stunned when Adam saunters into her French class. He’s soon failing miserably, and, on a whim, she offers to tutor him. But Adam doesn’t recognize her as a makeup-free, glasses-clad college student – a far cry from the beautiful, mysterious “Peach” he met at his concert.

During a wild weekend on tour with the band, Rowan can’t help falling for the sweet guy buried beneath Adam’s rocker persona. Yet she knows she could never compete with the girls constantly throwing themselves at his feet. She’d just end up hurt… again.

Peach is all Adam thinks about, though, and when Rowan realizes this, she has a decision to make: stay just friends to protect her fragile heart… or reveal the truth about the night they met and admit she’s fallen completely, hopelessly in love with him.

***

Nevernight The Nevernight Chronicle, Book 1 By: Jay Kristoff Narrated by: Holter Graham Series: The Nevernight Chronicle, Book 1

Nevernight is the first in an epic new fantasy series from New York Times best-selling author Jay Kristoff.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer and a future she never imagined.

Now, 16-year-old Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic – the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her within the Church’s halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder and be one step closer to the only thing she desires: revenge.

***

The Bone Witch The Bone Witch, Book 1 By: Rin Chupeco Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller, Will Damron Series: The Bone Witch, Book 1

In the captivating start to a new, darkly lyrical fantasy series, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price.

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha – one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice.

***

Cruel Crown The Red Queen Series By: Victoria Aveyard Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Jayne Entwistle, Amanda Dolan Series: Red Queen, Book 0.1-0.2

Two women on either side of the Silver-Red divide tell the stories no one else knows.

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary – how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lie ahead for her in royal life.

Captain Farley exchanges coded transmissions with the resistance as she travels the land recruiting black-market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital. She was raised to be strong, but planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected – until she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation: Mare Barrow.

Discover the truth of Norta’s bloody past in these two revealing prequels to number-one New York Times best seller Red Queen. Plus a Glass Sword sneak peek! An exclusive excerpt from the hotly anticipated second book in the Red Queen series, Glass Sword, transports listeners to the world of Silver tyranny, a Red dawn rising, and one girl’s resolve to break down the system that will hold her back no longer.

***

A Study in Charlotte Charlotte Holmes, Book 1 By: Brittany Cavallaro Narrated by: Graham Halstead, Julia Whelan Series: Charlotte Holmes, Book 1

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new trilogy about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever detective yarn will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers were one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices – and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting, and nowhere is safe – and the only people they can trust are each other.

***

The Last Namsara By: Kristen Ciccarelli Narrated by: Pearl Mackie Series: Iskari, Book 1

Kristen Ciccarelli’s debut fantasy explores an intricately woven world of deception, inner darkness, and dragons that fantasy fans won’t be able to resist.

In the beginning there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness – and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari – a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm.

When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend – a slave boy from her betrothed’s household – Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

***

Truly Devious A Mystery By: Maureen Johnson Narrated by: Kate Rudd Series: Truly Devious, Book 1

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early 20th century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place”, he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious”. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

***

Etiquette & Espionage Booktrack Edition By: Gail Carriger Narrated by: Moira Quirk Series: Finishing School, Book 1

Etiquette & Espionage: Booktrack Edition adds an immersive musical soundtrack to your audiobook listening experience!*

Booktrack editions are essentially a new genre of digital storytelling entertainment. Music and ambient audio are added to complement and enhance the audiobook experience. It is a synchronized movie-style soundtrack that complements the narration of existing audiobooks; the tempo and rhythm of the score harmonize with action, dialogue, and the characters’ emotional arcs.

Set in the same world as the New York Times best-selling Parasol Protectorate, this best-selling young adult steampunk series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail Carriger’s legions of fans have come to adore.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners – and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine’s, young ladies learn to finish…everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage – in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year’s education.

*Booktrack is an immersive format that pairs traditional audiobook narration to complementary music. The tempo and rhythm of the score are in perfect harmony with the action and characters throughout the audiobook. Gently playing in the background, the music never overpowers or distracts from the narration, so listeners can enjoy every minute. When you purchase this Booktrack edition, you receive the exact narration as the traditional audiobook available, with the addition of music throughout.

***

Everless By: Sara Holland Narrated by: Eileen Stevens Series: Everless, Book 1

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

Fans of Victoria Aveyard, Kendare Blake, and Stephanie Garber will devour this lush novel’s breathtaking action, incredible romance, and dangerous secrets.

***

Inkmistress By: Audrey Coulthurst Narrated by: Billie Fulford-Brown Series: Of Fire and Stars, Book 0.5

A sweeping, action-packed, and romantic fantasy full of dangerous magic and dark choices, perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore – set in the same world as Of Fire and Stars.

Asra is a demigod with a dangerous gift: the ability to dictate the future by writing with her blood. To keep her power secret, she leads a quiet life as a healer on a remote mountain, content to help the people in her care and spend time with Ina, the mortal girl she loves.

But Asra’s peaceful life is upended when bandits threaten Ina’s village and the king does nothing to help. Desperate to protect her people, Ina begs Asra for assistance in finding her manifest – the animal she’ll be able to change into as her rite of passage to adulthood. Asra uses her blood magic to help Ina, but her spell goes horribly wrong and the bandits destroy the village, killing Ina’s family.

Unaware that Asra is at fault, Ina swears revenge on the king and takes a savage dragon as her manifest. To stop her, Asra must embark on a journey across the kingdom, becoming a player in lethal games of power among assassins, gods, and even the king himself.

Most frightening of all, she discovers the dark secrets of her own mysterious history – and the terrible, powerful legacy she carries in her blood.

***

Bombshell Hollywood A-List, Book 1 By: CD Reiss Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Christian Fox Series: Hollywood A-List, Book 1

Hollywood bad boy Brad Sinclair always gets his way, whether it’s the role he wants or the bikini-clad model he has to have. But when a bombshell gets dropped in his lap in the form of a dimpled five-year-old from a forgotten relationship, he knows his life is about to change forever.

Cara DuMont isn’t exactly thrilled when she gets assigned to be the nanny for the latest box-office king. She has one rule: no celebrity fathers, especially single ones with devilish good looks and rock-hard abs.

But as soon as Cara meets Brad and his adorable little girl, she knows she’s in for a world of trouble. Because there’s something about the way Brad looks at her that makes her believe that some rules are meant to be broken…

***

Passenger, Book 1 By: Alexandra Bracken Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld Series: Passenger (Bracken), Book 1

Violin prodigy Etta Spencer had big plans for her future, but a tragedy has put her once-bright career at risk. Closely tied to her musical skill, however, is a mysterious power she doesn’t even know she has. When her two talents collide during a stressful performance, Etta is drawn back hundreds of years through time.

Etta wakes, confused and terrified, in 1776, in the midst a fierce sea battle. Nicholas Carter, the handsome young prize master of a privateering ship, has been hired to retrieve Etta and deliver her unharmed to the Ironwoods, a powerful family in the Colonies – the very same one that orchestrated her jump back, and one Nicholas himself has ties to. But discovering she can time travel is nothing compared to the shock of discovering the true reason the Ironwoods have ensnared her in their web.

Another traveler has stolen an object of untold value from them, and, if Etta can find it, they will return her to her own time. Out of options, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the mysterious traveler. But as they draw closer to each other and the end of their search, the true nature of the object, and the dangerous game the Ironwoods are playing, comes to light – threatening to separate her not only from Nicholas, but her path home…forever.

***

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Mara Dyer, Book 1 By: Michelle Hodkin Narrated by: Christy Romano Series: Mara Dyer, Book 1

Mara Dyer believes life can’t get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love. She’s wrong.

***

Alex and Eliza The Alex & Eliza Trilogy By: Melissa de la Cruz Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell Series: The Alex & Eliza Trilogy, Book 1

Albany, New York, 1777.

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about, preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families and even prouder still of their three daughters – Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival those of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.

Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck – as an orphan, and a bastard one at that – to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

***

Truthwitch A Witchlands Novel By: Susan Dennard Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell Series: The Witchlands, Book 1

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble – as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially among the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her – but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

***

Everneath By: Brodi Ashton Narrated by: Amy Rubinate Series: Everneath, Book 1

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned – to her old life, her family, her boyfriend – before she’s banished back to the underworld… this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance – and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.

***

Bad Romeo By: Leisa Rayven Narrated by: Andi Arndt Series: Starcrossed (Rayven), Book 1

Cassie Taylor was just another acting student with big dreams at her prestigious performing arts college – then she met Ethan Holt. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy on campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing on stage, Cassie and Ethan’s epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart. Now they’ve made it to Broadway where they’re reunited as romantic leads once again – and their passionate scenes force them they’re forced to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulsepounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret – and he’s determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, working with him again reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it’s the things that aren’t good for us that are the most irresistible. Don’t miss the intoxicating romance beloved by over two million fans online – a story that’ll captivate you and hold you breathless until the final tick.

***

Undead and Unwed Queen Betsy, Book 1 By: MaryJanice Davidson Narrated by: Nancy Wu Series: Undead – Queen Betsy, Book 1

Unwed is a delightful mixture of Sex and the City and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Waking up in a tacky coffin and wearing off-brand shoes, Betsy Taylor can’t believe the horrible turn her life has taken; then she discovers she’s a vampire. Soon, Betsy becomes a participant in a power struggle between the forces of darkness. With only her friend Jessica and the hunky vampire Sinclair to help her, this new “Queen of Vampires” will have a tough time getting her afterlife straight.

***

Wonder Woman: Warbringer By: Leigh Bardugo Narrated by: Mozhan Marno Series: DC Icons, Book 1

“You’ll enjoy this book whether you’re a fan of Wonder Woman comics, the Wonder Woman movie, Leigh Bardugo, or just YA lit in general.” (Hypable)

She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: Wonder Woman. But first she is Diana, princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning….

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law – risking exile – to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.

Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer – a direct descendant of the infa

***

Defy the Stars By: Claudia Gray Narrated by: Nate Begle Series: Defy the Stars, Book 1

She’s a soldier.

Noemi Vidal is 17 years old and sworn to protect her planet, Genesis. She’s willing to risk anything – including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.

He’s a machine.

Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel has advanced programming that’s begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.

***

Hardwired By: Meredith Wild Narrated by: Jennifer Stark Series: Hacker, Book 1

Determined to overcome a difficult past, Erica Hathaway learns early on how to make it on her own. Days after her college graduation, she finds herself face to face with a panel of investors who will make or break her fledgling startup. The only thing she didn’t prepare for was going weak in the knees over an arrogant and gorgeous investor who’s seemingly determined to derail her presentation.

Billionaire and rumored hacker Blake Landon has already made his fortune in software, and he’s used to getting what he wants with very little resistance. Captivated by Erica’s drive and unassuming beauty, he’s wanted nothing more since she stepped into his boardroom.

Determined to win her over, he breaks down her defenses and fights for her trust, even if that means sacrificing a level of control to which he’s grown accustomed. But when Blake uncovers a dark secret from Erica’s past, he threatens not just her trust but the life she’s fought so hard to create.

***

The Girl of Fire and Thorns By: Rae Carson Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda Series: Fire and Thorns, Book 1

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her 16th birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king – a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

***

Wolfsong By: TJ Klune Narrated by: Kirt Graves Series: Green Creek, Book 1

Ox was 12 when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was 16 when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was 17 when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet.

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

***

Frostblood By: Elly Blake Narrated by: Jennifer English Series: The Frostblood Saga, Book 1

The Frost King will burn.

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating – yet irresistible – Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her – and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Vivid and compelling, Frostblood is the first in an exhilarating series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies…but together create a power that could change everything.

***

This Savage Song By: Victoria Schwab Narrated by: Therese Plummer Series: Monsters of Verity, Book 1

There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from acclaimed author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains – and friends or enemies – with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books, This Savage Song is a must-have for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city – a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent – but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music.

When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side – including the monsters within.

***

Stalking Jack the Ripper By: Kerri Maniscalco, James Patterson Narrated by: Nicola Barber Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper, Book 1

Presented by James Patterson’s new children’s imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion.

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story’s shocking twists and turns will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

***

Reign of Shadows By: Sophie Jordan Narrated by: Phoebe Strole, James Fouhey Series: Reign of Shadows, Book 1

Destiny and darkness collide in this romantic, sweeping new fantasy series from New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan.

Seventeen years ago an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

***

Queen of Hearts By: Colleen Oakes Narrated by: Moira Quirk Series: Queen of Hearts, Book 1

The first novel in Colleen Oakes’ epic, imaginative series tells the origin of one of the most infamous villains – the Queen of Hearts.

This is not the story of the Wonderland we know. Alice has not fallen down a rabbit hole. This is a Wonderland where beneath each smile lies a secret, each tart comes with a demand, and only prisoners tell the truth.

Dinah is the princess who will one day reign over Wonderland. She has not yet seen the dark depths of her kingdom; she longs only for her father’s approval and a future with the boy she loves. But when a betrayal breaks her heart and threatens her throne, she is launched into Wonderland’s dangerous political game. Dinah must stay one step ahead of her cunning enemies, or she’ll lose not just the crown but her head.

    Audible’s First-in-a-Series-Sale Favorites! It's always a good day when I open my email and get a sale notification from Audible!

#Book Sale

[ionecoffman]

What It’s Like to Survive Being Shot 16 Times

Dustin Theoharis doesn’t like to talk about the day he was shot 16 times. Neither do the officers who shot him, so it’s hard to describe exactly how it unfolded.

What’s clear is that on February 11, 2012, several law-enforcement officers entered a house in Auburn, Washington, where Theoharis happened to be renting a room. They detained the homeowner’s son, who was wanted for violating his parole conditions. Then two of the officers pushed through a pair of French doors into the dark former storage space where Theoharis, 28 at the time, was sleeping.

Conflicting accounts make the next several seconds fuzzy. Kristopher Rongen, an officer with the Washington Department of Corrections, has told the story this way: He announced “Police, police, show your hands” in a loud voice, but Theoharis refused to do so. Rongen asked Theoharis if he had weapons, and Theoharis admitted he had three—then added “right here” and moved to sweep the floor with his hand. Rongen and the second officer, Aaron Thompson, a detective with the King County sheriff’s office, feared Theoharis was reaching for a gun and opened fire. (Both officers declined to be interviewed.)

Theoharis, meanwhile, says he didn’t have any guns. He remembers being startled by two strangers standing at the end of the bed—cops, no less. He says they asked for identification, so he reached for his wallet. That’s when they started shooting. There’s no dispute that the officers hit both of Theoharis’s legs, both of his arms, his shoulder, and his abdomen. One bullet edged his jaw. Another lodged in his back. Theoharis fell to the floor, writhing in pain with 16 bullet holes in his body.

[Read: The ‘unfortunate family’ of American shooting survivors]

Miraculously, he survived. It took him about a year to recover from the injuries. At first, he was breathing with the help of a tube and unable to talk, blinking once for “yes.” Doctors plucked bullets from his body during multiple surgeries. He relearned how to walk. He couldn’t return to his job as a refrigeration mechanic because he lost coordination in one of his hands, but a $5.5 million settlement with the sheriff’s office and the corrections department staved off financial concerns.

It’s profound luck that Theoharis can be counted among the tens of thousands of Americans injured by guns each year and not the thousands killed by them in homicide cases. Nevertheless, luck only goes so far. In the years since the shooting, Theoharis has grappled with lingering injuries and the emotional toll of such violence. Though upbeat and optimistic, he’s still figuring out how to navigate his spared life.

Over the summer, I drove out to meet Theoharis in Puyallup, Washington, where he owns a duplex not far from where he grew up. He and his girlfriend, Tara Miller, rent out one of the house’s units and spend a few months in the other each year. Mostly, they live in Arizona, where Theoharis used some of his settlement money to buy a second house and escape the gloomy weather. He says the cold makes his body ache, but he and Miller love to return to the Pacific Northwest during the brief window that the gray skies cede to the sun.

When I arrived, Theoharis welcomed me at the door. Their home was neat and furnished with a comfortable sectional in front of a large flat-screen TV. Golf was on, and quiet pops punctuated our introductions as balls sailed across the green. Dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and socks, Theoharis perched on the edge of the couch and fidgeted with an e-cigarette as he told me about life after the shooting. If someone can have an “aw, shucks” attitude about besting 16 bullets, Theoharis was that self-effacing survivor. He shrugged and chuckled as he recalled the time he pulled a forgotten bullet from under his left arm as if he was tweezing a splinter.

But Theoharis’s body remains vulnerable. Miller, standing behind her boyfriend, widened her eyes and shook her head at me as Theoharis mused about skittering across the lake on a wakeboard or water skis like he used to. She returned to the kitchen, where she was working, after he waved away the idea; he’s too afraid of wiping out and smacking his face on the water. His jaw already hurt just from talking too much, he said. He’s more fragile now. He avoids moving heavy objects. Running is hard on his joints, but sometimes he rides an exercise bike. He golfs a lot.

That Theoharis can do anything in the first place is a matter of chance. “You can be shot once and die or you can be shot multiple times and live,” says Eileen Bulger, a surgery professor at the University of Washington and the trauma chief at Harborview Medical Center. “It very much depends on where the bullets go and how much damage is caused in the path of the bullet.” Even when someone survives, being shot can cause lifelong nerve damage, bowel obstructions, or other problems. What doesn’t kill you can still shorten your lifespan.

Theoharis knows about reduced life expectancy, though he admits he doesn’t entirely understand the calculus. “Maybe my giblets are all messed up, or something like that,” he told me. He has an umbilical hernia, which he explains means “it’s easier for giblets to pop through” his abdominal muscles. His spleen is gone. He’s missing teeth, though it’s not apparent when the talks.

In a counterintuitive twist, it’s also possible the shooting extended Theoharis’s life, in a way, even as he bears its physical scars. Before the incident, Theoharis was addicted to opioids, which are involved in the majority of drug-overdose deaths in America. He began treatment after he was released from the hospital and had the time to attend several 12-Step meetings a day. “I just wanted to live a happy frickin’ life,” he said. “I get another chance.”

Still, if the future physical-health problems of shooting survivors are uncertain, lasting mental-health impacts may be even harder to pin down. Theoharis tries not to think back on what happened, but says that he has “some issues” with post-traumatic stress disorder. Loud noises can spook him. Sometimes he startles more easily. He likes to shoot targets at a range, but being around other people with guns makes him uneasy, he says.

Brad Stolbach, a trauma psychologist who teaches at the University of Chicago, says it’s unlikely that someone would survive a shooting like the one Theoharis endured and not be traumatized in some lasting way. Research by Stolbach and others shows that people who have been shot in any circumstance are “very, very, highly likely” to meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, he says, which can lead to flashbacks and nightmares, along with dissociative thoughts and feelings about what occurred.

These symptoms can be especially pronounced when the traumatic experience involves someone who is supposed to be a protector, like a parent or law enforcement, Stolbach adds. “Any kind of trauma can mess up your trust in the world and in the people around you and in your own safety,” he says. “But when someone in a position of trust and authority is the perpetrator of the harm, then that is absolutely going to affect how you experience people in positions of trust and authority.”

High-profile police shootings in recent years have prompted national conversations about use of force and racial disparities. Among the hundreds of victims of police violence in 2015, people of color were disproportionately affected. A recent study found that police killings of unarmed black men hurts the overall mental health of black Americans. Theoharis, who is white, stands apart from those discussions. I was surprised when he told me he doesn’t begrudge the officers who shot him. Rongen and Thompson made a “huge mistake,” he says, but he notes that John Urquhart, the King County sheriff at the time of the shooting, apologized to him. (A spokesman for the sheriff’s office couldn’t confirm that Urquhart apologized.) The two officers “were doing their job, and I think it’s a job a lot of people wouldn’t want to do,” Theoharis says.

[Read: Americans don’t really understand gun violence]

A few years after the incident, Theoharis heard secondhand or thirdhand that at least one of the officers was struggling with what happened. Rongen and Thompson are still employed by their respective agencies. In declining an interview, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Corrections said Rongen didn’t want to relive the events of that day “and any trauma.”

Officers in Rongen and Thompson’s situation could be vulnerable to psychological fallout, too. In general, police are an extremely resilient group, says Diana Falkenbach, a clinical psychologist who teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and works with police. But “if you make a horrific mistake that … almost ends someone’s life, you can imagine how difficult it would be to go into a situation again and again.” Cops have one of the highest rates of suicides compared to other groups, Falkenbach notes.

In June 2016, Rongen was shot himself. He was working an operation with a regional crime task force, according to a description of the shooting a friend posted online. He had a warrant for a suspect, a felon with a gang affiliation, but as he tried to arrest the man he was shot twice. The first bullet entered and exited his right shin and calf. The second shattered his knee cap. He was treated at the same hospital as Theoharis.

When I visited Theoharis over the summer, he hadn’t heard about this incident. I explained that I learned about it from a GoFundMe campaign organized by Rongen’s friends and colleagues to help him and his family deal with the financial strain of his injuries. When I told Theoharis about the fundraising effort, he sounded surprised.

“He had a GoFundMe?” Theoharis asked. Then he shook his head. “I should have contributed.”

Article source here:The Atlantic

[nancygduarteus]

What It’s Like to Survive Being Shot 16 Times

Dustin Theoharis doesn’t like to talk about the day he was shot 16 times. Neither do the officers who shot him, so it’s hard to describe exactly how it unfolded.

What’s clear is that on February 11, 2012, several law-enforcement officers entered a house in Auburn, Washington, where Theoharis happened to be renting a room. They detained the homeowner’s son, who was wanted for violating his parole conditions. Then two of the officers pushed through a pair of French doors into the dark former storage space where Theoharis, 28 at the time, was sleeping.

Conflicting accounts make the next several seconds fuzzy. Kristopher Rongen, an officer with the Washington Department of Corrections, has told the story this way: He announced “Police, police, show your hands” in a loud voice, but Theoharis refused to do so. Rongen asked Theoharis if he had weapons, and Theoharis admitted he had three—then added “right here” and moved to sweep the floor with his hand. Rongen and the second officer, Aaron Thompson, a detective with the King County sheriff’s office, feared Theoharis was reaching for a gun and opened fire. (Both officers declined to be interviewed.)

Theoharis, meanwhile, says he didn’t have any guns. He remembers being startled by two strangers standing at the end of the bed—cops, no less. He says they asked for identification, so he reached for his wallet. That’s when they started shooting. There’s no dispute that the officers hit both of Theoharis’s legs, both of his arms, his shoulder, and his abdomen. One bullet edged his jaw. Another lodged in his back. Theoharis fell to the floor, writhing in pain with 16 bullet holes in his body.

[Read: The ‘unfortunate family’ of American shooting survivors]

Miraculously, he survived. It took him about a year to recover from the injuries. At first, he was breathing with the help of a tube and unable to talk, blinking once for “yes.” Doctors plucked bullets from his body during multiple surgeries. He relearned how to walk. He couldn’t return to his job as a refrigeration mechanic because he lost coordination in one of his hands, but a $5.5 million settlement with the sheriff’s office and the corrections department staved off financial concerns.

It’s profound luck that Theoharis can be counted among the tens of thousands of Americans injured by guns each year and not the thousands killed by them in homicide cases. Nevertheless, luck only goes so far. In the years since the shooting, Theoharis has grappled with lingering injuries and the emotional toll of such violence. Though upbeat and optimistic, he’s still figuring out how to navigate his spared life.

Over the summer, I drove out to meet Theoharis in Puyallup, Washington, where he owns a duplex not far from where he grew up. He and his girlfriend, Tara Miller, rent out one of the house’s units and spend a few months in the other each year. Mostly, they live in Arizona, where Theoharis used some of his settlement money to buy a second house and escape the gloomy weather. He says the cold makes his body ache, but he and Miller love to return to the Pacific Northwest during the brief window that the gray skies cede to the sun.

When I arrived, Theoharis welcomed me at the door. Their home was neat and furnished with a comfortable sectional in front of a large flat-screen TV. Golf was on, and quiet pops punctuated our introductions as balls sailed across the green. Dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and socks, Theoharis perched on the edge of the couch and fidgeted with an e-cigarette as he told me about life after the shooting. If someone can have an “aw, shucks” attitude about besting 16 bullets, Theoharis was that self-effacing survivor. He shrugged and chuckled as he recalled the time he pulled a forgotten bullet from under his left arm as if he was tweezing a splinter.

But Theoharis’s body remains vulnerable. Miller, standing behind her boyfriend, widened her eyes and shook her head at me as Theoharis mused about skittering across the lake on a wakeboard or water skis like he used to. She returned to the kitchen, where she was working, after he waved away the idea; he’s too afraid of wiping out and smacking his face on the water. His jaw already hurt just from talking too much, he said. He’s more fragile now. He avoids moving heavy objects. Running is hard on his joints, but sometimes he rides an exercise bike. He golfs a lot.

That Theoharis can do anything in the first place is a matter of chance. “You can be shot once and die or you can be shot multiple times and live,” says Eileen Bulger, a surgery professor at the University of Washington and the trauma chief at Harborview Medical Center. “It very much depends on where the bullets go and how much damage is caused in the path of the bullet.” Even when someone survives, being shot can cause lifelong nerve damage, bowel obstructions, or other problems. What doesn’t kill you can still shorten your lifespan.

Theoharis knows about reduced life expectancy, though he admits he doesn’t entirely understand the calculus. “Maybe my giblets are all messed up, or something like that,” he told me. He has an umbilical hernia, which he explains means “it’s easier for giblets to pop through” his abdominal muscles. His spleen is gone. He’s missing teeth, though it’s not apparent when the talks.

In a counterintuitive twist, it’s also possible the shooting extended Theoharis’s life, in a way, even as he bears its physical scars. Before the incident, Theoharis was addicted to opioids, which are involved in the majority of drug-overdose deaths in America. He began treatment after he was released from the hospital and had the time to attend several 12-Step meetings a day. “I just wanted to live a happy frickin’ life,” he said. “I get another chance.”

Still, if the future physical-health problems of shooting survivors are uncertain, lasting mental-health impacts may be even harder to pin down. Theoharis tries not to think back on what happened, but says that he has “some issues” with post-traumatic stress disorder. Loud noises can spook him. Sometimes he startles more easily. He likes to shoot targets at a range, but being around other people with guns makes him uneasy, he says.

Brad Stolbach, a trauma psychologist who teaches at the University of Chicago, says it’s unlikely that someone would survive a shooting like the one Theoharis endured and not be traumatized in some lasting way. Research by Stolbach and others shows that people who have been shot in any circumstance are “very, very, highly likely” to meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, he says, which can lead to flashbacks and nightmares, along with dissociative thoughts and feelings about what occurred.

These symptoms can be especially pronounced when the traumatic experience involves someone who is supposed to be a protector, like a parent or law enforcement, Stolbach adds. “Any kind of trauma can mess up your trust in the world and in the people around you and in your own safety,” he says. “But when someone in a position of trust and authority is the perpetrator of the harm, then that is absolutely going to affect how you experience people in positions of trust and authority.”

High-profile police shootings in recent years have prompted national conversations about use of force and racial disparities. Among the hundreds of victims of police violence in 2015, people of color were disproportionately affected. A recent study found that police killings of unarmed black men hurts the overall mental health of black Americans. Theoharis, who is white, stands apart from those discussions. I was surprised when he told me he doesn’t begrudge the officers who shot him. Rongen and Thompson made a “huge mistake,” he says, but he notes that John Urquhart, the King County sheriff at the time of the shooting, apologized to him. (A spokesman for the sheriff’s office couldn’t confirm that Urquhart apologized.) The two officers “were doing their job, and I think it’s a job a lot of people wouldn’t want to do,” Theoharis says.

[Read: Americans don’t really understand gun violence]

A few years after the incident, Theoharis heard secondhand or thirdhand that at least one of the officers was struggling with what happened. Rongen and Thompson are still employed by their respective agencies. In declining an interview, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Corrections said Rongen didn’t want to relive the events of that day “and any trauma.”

Officers in Rongen and Thompson’s situation could be vulnerable to psychological fallout, too. In general, police are an extremely resilient group, says Diana Falkenbach, a clinical psychologist who teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and works with police. But “if you make a horrific mistake that … almost ends someone’s life, you can imagine how difficult it would be to go into a situation again and again.” Cops have one of the highest rates of suicides compared to other groups, Falkenbach notes.

In June 2016, Rongen was shot himself. He was working an operation with a regional crime task force, according to a description of the shooting a friend posted online. He had a warrant for a suspect, a felon with a gang affiliation, but as he tried to arrest the man he was shot twice. The first bullet entered and exited his right shin and calf. The second shattered his knee cap. He was treated at the same hospital as Theoharis.

When I visited Theoharis over the summer, he hadn’t heard about this incident. I explained that I learned about it from a GoFundMe campaign organized by Rongen’s friends and colleagues to help him and his family deal with the financial strain of his injuries. When I told Theoharis about the fundraising effort, he sounded surprised.

“He had a GoFundMe?” Theoharis asked. Then he shook his head. “I should have contributed.”

from Health News And Updates https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/02/police-shooting-shot-16-times/582187/?utm_source=feed

[numberonetrashcollectorus-blog]

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

"Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

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also, what does he/she drive and the year?""

Long term car rentals vs expensive car insurance?

So about 2 years ago I got hit with a false DWI in NYC (passed breathalyzer test cops still lied and claimed DWI). But that's another story. Currently I purchased a used Landrover Disco 2. Geico gave me a sweet deal @ $1430/6 months until they ran the DMV report and saw my DWI from 2 years ago. Now my 6 month rate is $3700/6 months. That price is completely rediculous and unaffordable (according to my pockets). Therefore, my question, should I just do long term car rental? I mean I have a super sweet discount that rivals employees discounts @ National and Enterprise Rentals. I'm thinking I could just rent on a month to month basis for less than $3700/every 6 months. The added benefits would be new year car models and the option to trade it in for any vehicle I choose for an entire month. Plus the gas would be less than the Landrovers V8 premium requirement. Basically my question is, should I do long term rentals or run myself broke trying to keep up with insurance and gas prices on top of rent and other expenses?""

Best health insurance to take?

i want to take the best health insurance suggest me

Maintaining car insurance for DMV (lawyers chime in)?

I have a bit of a tricky situation that I can't get a clear answer online. My question is I have misdemeanor on my driving record that is not yet 3 years old. I have moved out of the US for awhile but will be back and some point in the future. I have no use for my current car insurance and as I will be relying on public transportation for everything. For California DMV purposes, do I need to keep my insurance policy up or is it ok that I cancel my policy since I will be off US roads (all roads in general)? I have read a stipulation that requires 3 years uninterrupted SR-22 coverage or something of the like. I would like to get rid of this monthly charge that I'm getting nothing out of but my worry is that negatively impact my driving record at the DMV for not fulfilling insurance obligations. Thank you.""

I crash today i have no insurance and my car is under my bfs name and insurance..so i just gave the insurance?

to the guy that i crash..hes going to call the insurance..im scared i havent told my bf and i dont want to..do i need to file something i dont really know im scared plz help me and i wanna know how much is goin to be

Auto insurance?

I just found that my auto insurance policy had been expired. ( I am too careless :( ...) .. Meanwhile, I tend to sell my car within 1 month. Do I have to present a new auto insurance card to the AAA service specialist while ceding my car to the buyer?""

All young adults pay attention...what's the cheapest yet best car insurance you have found?

I'm 19, dad wants me to buy my own car get my own insurance etc. Any pointers?""

How much should i pay for insurance premium for an indoor playground business?

How much should i pay for insurance premium for an indoor playground business?

Have a few questions about car insurance?

I am planning on buying a car soon but I have a few questions: 1) When I go test drive the car, do I still need to have car insurance while I'm driving (e.g. Temporary car insurance)? He will be with me in the car. 2) Can I leave the car on my drive way(private land) without any car insurance? I will be getting car insurance most likely a few days after buying the car. Do I still need to SORN it? 3) The Tax expires next year, but do I still need to buy another 12 Month because of a different owner? 4) What other infomation should I bring or record while filling out the V5C? should I then post this V5C form to DVLA or the seller? Sorry for the questions, first time buying a car.""

How To Create An Insurance Plan?

This family of four consists of a mom, dad, a twelve-year-old girl, and a sixteen-year-old boy. The family is about to move into a new house. They also own two cars. Help the Martin family create an insurance plan. An insurance plan simply lists the types of insurance they have or will be purchasing. The plan may also include some details about the insurance. For example, it may list life insurance worth $500,000 or health insurance with ABC Agency. For your assignment, create an insurance plan for the Martins. Create an insurance plan. As you create the plan, think about all of the risks this family faces and how they can protect themselves from financial loss. Next to each type of insurance that you list in the plan, write one to two sentences about why you think they need this insurance. I'm not sure how to create an insurance plan, can someone give me some guidance? Thank you.""

Is lowering ur car high for insurance?

So I'm in a situation with my dad in buying a car which is my first car. It's an 96 integra. First ima start off saying I'm interested in import cars just the way it looks. And I find this car on Craigslist that's already been lowered. I'm Tryna convince him about it. But he thinks its gunna be high insurance. Can someone tell me what he's worried about? He thinks I like low cars so I could hug turns but I just like the style. Someone help me!!!!

How much would the car insurance cost on an 87 Jeep Cherokee?

Trying to get info on what Im looking at insurance wise on the car Im interested in. Its an 87 Jeep Cherokee 4 wheel drive. Completely stock other then that.

Where can i find cheap full coverage auto insurance?

Where can i find cheap full coverage auto insurance?

How much will my car insurance be?

I'm not looking for the most accurate answer around but how much will my car insurance be around if these are the deciding factors. -Mustang GT -I am a male -year 1998-2002

Car insurance?

after a claim with my car insurance they wanted the policy payment in full,i would;nt pay it at first because of the crap service i recieved.4 weeks later i said i would pay as long as my policy ran its term they refused but still want the policy money.now they wont release my no claims bonus until i give them the money. what can i do ?""

Should I buy a 600cc or a 1000cc super sport motorcycle?

I am a fairly experienced rider, I have been riding dirt bikes since I can remember; I also have had my motorcycle licenses at age 15 and now I am now 17 years old. I have put over 10,000 on my kawasaki ninja 250r so this isn't for my first bike it is a step up because me and my dad both believe it is time. I have been looking at ZX6r's and r6's a lot but my real question is if I buy a 600cc bike will I regret it and wish I would have bought a ZX10r or a r10? Will I eventually feel like the 600 bike it's enough? Oh and I am looking to get a bike and keep it so that it will last me though senior year of high school and all of collage. I have looked at all different types of Motorcycles and the super sports have been my favorite by far. Any other information about the 600cc or 1000cc bikes and y'all's opinions on them and which ones you all personally like will be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your time for answering!""

Car Insurance For 16yr old boy?

What is The cheapest car insurance for a 16-18yr old boy that lives in Milwaukie, Oregon?""

How much is an car insurance per month?

im looking for an cheapfull covered car insurance for an 21 yr old female who is also an first driver and what company would be best thanks the make of the two cars if chosen are ford ka (2011 make) and kia pincanto thanks

When will I need to buy additional business insurance for my car?

I don't want to spend extra money on business insurance because I have an inactive self-employed business and I don't go to see clients often. What happens if I had a car ...show more

About how much will my insurance be?

My son is going to be 16 and I was wondering how much my insurance will go up to if I get him a used Chevy silverado from within the last five years.

Dental discounts or affordable insurance in NJ?

I do not have dental insurance for myself and I need a good amount of dental work done, i was wondering if anyone could tell me an affordable dental plan or insurance that isnt exspensive in NJ? Im not applicable for NJ familycare dental""

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

How much is home owners insurance in Scottsdale AZ?

How much is home owners insurance in Scottsdale AZ?

Do you absolutely haft to have motorcycle insurance in Minnesota?

Just cashed out and got a really cheap bike for 500$ Do I really need motorcycle insurance?

Car insurance want to know the outcome of trial?

So 2 years ago I won a court case against someone who crashed into me. They Never Never helped me in court at all. I didnt even get to use it After the car crash since the other person insurance expired. Anyway they now sent a paper asking What happened in the case.why?. What can they gain from it? And further more I am not in that car insurance anymore. I haven't been for months.

Do auto insurance companies have authority to require social security numbers for policyholders?

In applying for auto insurance, I note that several companies want social security numbers from applicants. Is this a legal requirement for obtaining auto insurance? or is it the policy of the insurer? or is it optional?""

Why is health insurance important?

Why is health insurance important?

Liability insurance for an online vitamin store. Do I need it? And how can I get it?

Hi yahoo friends, I have a new website. I want to sell vitamin and supplements. One of a whole sellers asked me for copy of liability insurance. What is it? Do I need it since I sell their products, should the liability go to them? How can I get it? Please help me , if you know the answer. Thank you.""

Health insurance costs...what do you pay?

My husband is in the military and is thinking about getting out. Our health insurance is totally covered right now but in the civilian world we have no idea what the cost will be if he doesn't get a job that offers benifits. I'm looking for any info about what people pay monthly, and co-pays for health insurance for a family with 1-2 children. Thank you so mcuh!!!""

Insurance on a used 2006 EVO 4 DOOR?

This is just a maybe. I'm 18 and was thinking of going for a 2006 mitsubishi lancer evolution. I just got my license not to long ago But I'd probably be using the car to go school and to go to work. I might use my parents cars every now and then since they're better on gas. I might finance the car. I KNOW IVE TRIED estimates but CAN I get an average? And would it be cheaper if my dad was under the insurance policy and I was added as a secondary driver? THANKS IN ADVANCE

Insurance License transfer?

I work as a Insurance salesman and I have life, health, property and casualty licenses. My boss paid for the training and the test, I am a 1099 and appointed to his agency and I am considering leaving his office, do I get to bring my license or is it onl valid under him? I work in california.""

What is a good health insurance for age 19 and up?

at the moment i am 18 but will be turning 19 in 10 days...and i was wondering what is a good health insurance to apply to. i have Anthem Blue Cross Healthy Families. I am looking for something similar or almost similar...if someone could please help me. thank you soo much. ps if this helps i live in california....thank you again!!

In the uk what car is the cheapest for insurance?

i want to buy a car but the insurance is too much so I want to know what car is cheap to insure

About how much would it cost to be added onto your parents car insurance per month?

i am a 17 yr. old girl. am a reasonably good driver and i got a 92 on the written test. any approximation would be helpful.

IS THERE A LISTING OF CAR INSURANCE COMPNANIES?

IS THERE A LISTING OF CAR INSURANCE COMPNANIES?

How much would it cost for 3-5 million dollars General Liability Insurance?

I work in various chemical plants and refineries repairing/maintaning/calibrating the laborotory instruments in these places. I'm currently working as a sub-contractor through another company but that is about to change, as my business partner and I are breaking away from them to start our own business. Most of these plants require between 3-5 million in liability coverage to my knowlege. I need a ballpark figure of what that kind of coverage costs in the Louisiana/Gulf coast region. Last year we did $150,000 in sales between 3 people and the revenue has been growing substantially each year (~20% or so). Thanks in advance for your answer.""

Why are my insurance quotes so high?

20 year old male toronto ontario G2 issued oct 2011 G1 DEC 2010 car 2003 toyota celica never been insured before quotes came up as 12000-16000/year i tryed it with a 4 door honda accord and it was 10000/year, i tryed 3 websites. Also is there an easier way to find auto insurance around toronto?""

How can i get cheap insurance on my moms car because I'm only 17 and she has a 2l?

well I've just past my test and I had a look on gocompair just lookin how much it would be for me on my oun 1l and it comes up as like 3500 and thats silly money because i would have to buy a car then that will be like a grand :/ so i had a look on for me to go on my moms car and that comes out as 4000 and she has a 2l is there any way i can get t cheaper? thanks

What is the age that someone who is not on your car insurance can drive your car?

What is the age that someone who is not on your car insurance can drive your car?

How can I get free health insurance?

I'm 20 years old (almost 21) but I cannot afford more than $25 a month for health insurance. I work in a small town, full time at a family owned business that cannot offer me medical insurance. HELP!""

Insurance company for getting car out of compound?

I have full licence but need to get insurance company to cover to get car out of police compound

What are the fines and penalties of driving without a license or insurance in California?

Under 18 with permit only. Also loud music. Was only driven in parking lot when pulled over. Car in another persons name. Are there any fines or penalties for car owner?

Which car would be cheaper on insurance? PLEASE help!!!!!!!!?

im 16 and am wondering wich one would be cheaper for car insurance and by how much a white 93 civic hb or a red 94 integra gs

Car insurance for 18 year old female with '97 Dodge Dakota?

I turn 18 in August and plan on getting my license right after my birthday, but my grandmother has offered to buy me a 1997 Dodge Dakota before I even get my license. Questions I want to ask are: How much is insurance on one of those vehicles? What will be the insurance once I get my license in August? I'm just looking for an estimate so I can figure out how much of my paycheck would be going towards it or even if I could possibly afford the thing. Thanks in advance! =) P.S. I'm an A+, homeschooled, female student if that makes any difference.""

Nippy car cheap to tax and insurance good on fuel!?

I have recently purchased a corsa 1.4 2008 and its very slow i used to have the corsa c 1.2 and it was quite nippy! I have been looking at an astra 1.9 sri cdti 120. insurance is a bit high! but i have seen a focus 1.8 zetec and a fiesta 1.6 zetec i have a max budget of 8000 thats with selling my car and money on top

What is the difference between a law to make you get car insurance and a law to make you get health insurance?

What is the difference between a law to make you get car insurance and a law to make you get health insurance?

Where can students get cheap car insurance from people who don't automatically make you out to be boy racers?

Where can students get cheap car insurance from people who don't automatically make you out to be boy racers?

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Does insurance cover u if someone drives your car with no license?

This is for the state of Oklahoma, if u give permision for someone to drive your car and they get in a wreak but dont have a license will the insurance still pay for the damages?""

What is the best car insurance company for a graduate student?

What is the best car insurance company for a graduate student?

How much do you pay for your auto insurance per year?

Is it true that the more expensive your car is, the insurance will automatically go up, too? Isn't the older car need more insurance cover since they are more easy to get into accident? I don't know much about auto insurance, so you can share some of your knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! =D""

What is a good insurance company for health insurance?

in a month i will need health insurance for my wife where can i go to get good honest help do you know of any insurance companies to stat away from or recommendations

What is the cheapest way for me to pay for car insurance?

I'm 17 years old, and I recently passed my G2 exam...soo happy :) but now I dont have insurance to drive. So I asked my dad and he said I could get it, but I would have to pay myself. I totally understand that but I don't understand how the car insurance policy works. I took driver's ED with my school and I know that my insurance price is lowered because of that and I'm girl so my insurance would be less expensive than guys but I would like to know what the cheapest way for me to pay for insurance is.""

Motorcycle insurance on a 2008 crf230l?

(around) How much would motorcycle insurance be for a 16 year old on a Honda crf230l?....thanks

Term life insurance and estate planning?

Can term life insurance be used in place of long term care insurance? For instance, lets say a person is 55 yoa and in generally good health. Instead of buying long term care insurance, how about buying a term life policy for 250-300k. Should nursing home care become necessary, available funds for care costs, then upon death, survivors are reimbursed via the term life death benefit. It seems to me long term care insurance may or may not be used, and if not, the money paid for premiums is wasted . On the other hand, everyone dies, so nursing home or no nursing home, the death benefit will one day be paid. What say you?? Thanks in advance for offering your insight.""

What auto insurance company take people with only permit?

I was told that there are insurance companies that take people like me, without a driver's license. But I've been calling a lot of insurance companies and start getting frustrated. Please, can someone tell me what are the companies take people like me? Thank you so much!""

""I was hit by an uninsured motorist, and I have an uninsured clause in my car insurance.?""

My car was totaled out, and since my car insurance had a non insured motorist clause then I just have to pay the deductible, and they will cut me a check. I was hurt in the accident, and I wanted to know if my car insurance (Progressive) will also pay out pain and suffering. I am considering taking this guy to small claims court, but if I do then I have no idea what the outcome would be. IF my insurance offers me a pain and suffering settlement then should I take it? can I negoiate for a higher settlement? Everyone is telling me to take whatever is offered to me because the guy that hit my car didn't have insurance, and could possibly claim indigentcy in which case I would most likely never see the money. I can get a pain and suffering settlement from my own insurance, but I believe that the person that hit me should have to pay it, and I am also assuming that I would get more money out of him directly than letting my insurance cover the pain and suffering. This is my first wreck that I have gotten into, in which, I was the party that was damaged (almost died), and the other guy only received a ticket. I know that life is not fair, but like I said before, this is my first car wreck where I was owed money and the other person did not have insurance. Any information will be much appreciated. Thank You Very Much.""

Ohio Car Insurance?

Okay, My mom owns the car I drive, and has insurance on it, but only her & my dad are insured on it, and i am not. Can I get in trouble for this if I am pulled over? Any help is greatly appreciated!""

How much will insurance cost for a 17 year old in london riding a 125 motorbike ? (around)?

How much will insurance cost for a 17 year old in london riding a 125 motorbike ? (around)?

Is it cheaper to get on your parent's car insurance or have your own separate claim?

I will be purchasing car insurance really soon and comparing qoutes of different companies and want to know which is best

If two insurance companies have a dispute?

Let's say that I get into a car accident with another driver. My insurance company determines that he's at fault. His insurance company determines that I'm at fault. How does this typically get resolved? Do they go to a third-party arbiter?

""Car Insurance Question, 16 year old male, looking for first car...?""

I live in NH, I am 16 years old and i want to buy a car. My parents are uneasy about having to pay for the insurance, i will buy the car, not anything crazy maybe a 2000 dodge neon of 2000 ford ranger. I don't get exceptional grades,(b- range.) What is the cheapest way to insure a car this way? Should my parents switch auto insurers? My parents already own two cars, what is the difference of adding a third? THANKS!""

When will my motorcycle insurance go down?

I am 19 years old and I am on my second year of riding. I have no tickets or accidents (thank God) and I am still paying over $1,000 a year in insurance for my 250cc bike (2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250r).I have done some shopping and this is the lowest price. Allstate wanted $6,000, freakin unbelievable. I just wanna know when it will go down. Thx.""

What percent of damage will Infinity Insurance total a car in california?

according to kelly blue book, car is valued at 15,660 for private party sale damages came out to 8,566 that is about 54% in damages i dont want to drive a car that is this damaged, because it wont be as safe, even after repair. if its not quite at their totaling percentage, is there a way i can insist or push the insurance into totaling the car? and would the fact that Infinity is a real cheap insurance effect their percentage to total?""

I'm 17 and have car insurance that i have to pay 240 every month. I live in philadelphia is there cheaper ones?

i got a 2000 ford taurus and my mom bought insurance since she doesn't have a car herself we had to get my own insurance plan and now we have to pay 240 every month because of my age..i need to know of any cheaper insurance for myself. plz and thank you.

""I need good, affordable health insurance. Any suggestions? Do any exist specifically for Nursing students?""

I already looked into StateFarm and they quoted me at near $200, and that's just way too much. I need something that's gonna be less than $100.""

Progressive auto insurance? or AAA..which one is cheaper?

in terms of (monthly payments)

What is the cheapest car insurance in PA?

So basically I need to insure my car, it's a old one worth about 2000 bucks, so I want the absolute bare minumum amount of insurance. Does anyone know any really cheap but legit car insurance companies? Oh and of course I'm 19 so that'll raise the cost a whale of a lot.""

What are some car insurance people?

I know Progressive, and Geico. Who do you use? who do you not use and why? We just got a new toyota Sienna and i want to shop around for cheap insurance.""

Hoe much would my bike insurance cost?

Hi im 18 years old I got my motorcycle license on august 2013 and i bought a 2011 ninja 250 I was wondering how much my bike insurance would cost? I will call the insurance company in may but I want to know now how much it will cost please answer if you know thenx :)

How much is motorcycle insurance in Utah?

I am just wondering because I am 17, and I need to get to and back from work. Just give me a rough estimate please. That's all I need to know... Don't tell me to check with my family's insurance because it is too much work when I can just come on here and get an estimate to see if it is in my price range. Thanks ahead of time! I am planning on driving an old street legal dirt bike granted it isn't too pricey.""

What is the average total cost of learning to drive and a car or suitable respect when your 17?

Including everything like learning, insurance, the test, the car and so on.. I just turned 16 so I was thinking of starting to save up A car that is not embarrassing to be seen in yet isn't to expensive because your only 17:P Thanks if you answer oh and I'm male""

Insurance rates were lower in california - for car?

i always have a california car insurance and see that it is always lower when compared to other states.. why is that.. on the other hand,i have always heard that car gettting stolen is highest in californiaso so i guess the insurance premium should be higher then why""

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

How to become an insurance underwriter?

Im looking to move on in my career and I am really interested in becoming an Insurance Underwriter. I am currently studying for the CII FIT exam and was wondering what else I would require. Any help appreciated thanks.

Would i need goods carrying vehicle insurance?

If i was to transport mechanical tools or a regular basis in a vauxhall combo van, would i need to get goods carrying vehicle insurance instead of normal car insurance? I'am a bit new to this so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks""

What does 'annual deductible' mean for health insurance?

Hey guys so I just want to get this straight because we are looking at purchasing new insurance... When it says Annual Deductible; $7500 does that mean after I paid that amount within the calendar year, then the insurance would kick in and start paying some of the cost? Is this still true with any type of doctor visit like routine checkups and stuff? It also says this regarding that Member pays $30 Copay or 30% after deductible (applies to the 3 office visit copay limit) . Can someone give me an explanation? It doesn't seem like this is a good option if I would have to pay $7500 before any insurance kicks in right?""

Need health insurance coverage for pregnancy?

I am currently pregnant with my first child and my fiance and I are both self-employed. We are looking for a new insurance policy the covers maternity care. The one we have now does not cover maternity and the hospital bills for the delivery seem to be quite high. Does anyone know of any companies that offer coverage?

Insurance for a 16 year old?

How much would insurance be for a 1990 corvette? I'm 16 years old, btw.""

Cheap place to buy CMS Health Insurance Form 1500 Claim?

Where can I find a great deal online for CMS Health Insurance Form 1500 Claim

Sports car vs. compact SUV insurance?

I currently have a 2007 Pontiac G5, classified as sports car according to my insurance broker and pay quite a bit because I am young. I'm considering buy a 2008 compact SUV Kia Sportage, would insurance be higher or stay about the same?""

Cheapest Car Insurance For Ford Taurus 2003 SES ?

I want basically minimum, + if somebody hits me uninsured, Do you think thats good coverage? Car is only worth 2700 thats what i paid to buy it with 130000 miles on it. im looking for personal recommendations, cheapest possible, lowest down payment, and thank you""

""What company do you recommend for renters' insurance and why? Not state farm, they are pricks. Testimonials?

I need some affordable renters insurance. I live in MO and REFUSE to give those pricks at State Farm another dime. Who do y'all like for price and custoer service???

What is a coinsurance rate ?

What does it mean if the coinsurance rate is 0 % ? Does it mean all my medical service are 100% covered ? If it's 30% - does it mean I have to pay 30% ? What are the advantages of having different coinsurance rates ? If they cover one area such as hospital services - do they skimp out on other areas such as prescription ?

Car Insurance/Title help?

I'm having a baby due at the end of this month and my car was just totaled by hitting a deer so I need to get a new one asap. The car that was just totaled was my first car which was in my parents name and insurance was also under there name. My boyfriend will be getting the loan for the new car because he has better credit, but we wanted the insurance in my name because it is cheaper so how do we go about doing that? If even possible""

Delaware Auto Insurance (Uninsured / Under-insured) What does this Mean?

4) An insured who executes a release of a single tortfeasor owner or operator of an underinsured motor vehicle in exchange for payment of the entire limits of liability insurance afforded by the tortfeasor's liability insurer shall continue to be legally entitled to recover against that tortfeasor for the purposes of recovery against the insured's underinsurance carrier. An insured who executes a release of 1 of multiple tortfeasors shall have rights against that tortfeasor and the insured's underinsurance carrier determined in accordance with the Uniform Contribution Among Joint Tortfeasors Act and paragraph (3) of this subsection.

How long do you have in maryland to add a new auto to your insurance?

I'm being told that it's 14 days, when I thought maryland state law says 30 days?""

Cheap Car Insurance?

Whats the cheapest car insurance

What are the cheapest car insurances in CO?

For a 21 year old?

Which is best and cheapest car insurance?

I have a 18 yr old son and are planning on buying a car for him, also shopping for car insurance, I wanted a combined for me (mother) and my son, and possibily a cheap offer, the car is a used older car. Thanks for your imputs for helping me save. Thank you""

Do need Car Insurance to buy a used car?

What is everything you need to buy a used car????

Question about getting your own insurance?

A friend of mine recently just got his license and he tried to go on his mother insurance who doesn't have any insurance. Well, she tried to go on her own and they said that she had to put every single person who has insurance on, which will cost like 500 dollars per person!! Anyways, will it be possible for him to get his own, and will it be cheaper? Also, his father has his license suspended but that was at least 2yrs ago or so. Do they have to know about this or is they way to keep it from them. And, Do you have to put money down when getting insurence?""

Insurance cost of 06 Cobalt SS?

I am 19 and have no tickets... was just wandering a guess at how much it would be?

What car will i be able to afford insurance on when im 17?

im 15 on april 25th 2011 when im 17 what cars will i be able to get insured, i have a 1500 budget... i love the MG ZR how much will that cos when im 17...... and any other cars that will be cheap to insure that are nice looking cars and pretty nippy cheers""

Will my insurance payment go up a lot?

I was recently in a car accident, unfortunately I was the one who was at fault. It had just rained the night before and the road was wet and so my brakes did not respond and i ended up hitting another car. Anyway, my question is, how much will I have to pay for my insurance now. Will it double, triple? I know that payments tend to skyrocket after your involved in an accident and your the one at fault.""

Car insurance for a 16 year old in ny?

Hey guys I just got a 2001 Dodge Intrepid SE how much will it be to get insurance and who would take a 16 year old?

Is no fault insurance the cheapest coverage possible.?

I don't get it my dads insurance agent told him no fault is the least amount of money paid to the insurerer that why he got me no fault but when I look it up on the Internet they say it's expensive. Can someone tell me if no fault is cheaper than collision, comprehensive, or the other types of insurance coverage. Also I live in Michigan and I'm 19 if any of that matters.""

Good Cheap car insurance?

Im 16, Im getting my truck and my license in september, and I was wondering what car insurance companies I should look in to? I could be added onto my parents plan but it would be pretty expensive, I was wondering if there's a cheaper option? what insurance do you have and why? thanks!""

Gap insurance on salvaged vehicle?

I recently bought a salvaged 2006 Honda Civic Ex for $10,800. The only damage that this car received was the airbag was blown during an accident. But it was replaced ever since. How will gap insurance work for this salvaged car?""

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

Norvelt Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15674

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/van-quote-direct-bedford-insurance-elijah-acevedo/"

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Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

"Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

I am over 70years old can I get any health Insurance    in Guadalajara,Mex.?

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeinsurancequotes.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

RELATED QUESTIONS: 

Help understanding auto insurance settlement and if I need to seek legal help?

My 17 year old son was driving his 2003 Ford Explorer, when he was hit by another vehicle. My son was approaching a stop light and traveling between 3-5 mph....The vehicle that struck him was a company work vehicle. The work truck was pulling out of a parking lot when he hit my son. His estimated speed was also 3-5 mph. There were no injuries at all, and there was no medical treatment sought. This all happened on April 10th 2011. It was found that driver of the work truck was at fault for inattention. Honestly, this guy was super nice and walked my son through the process of calling police etc til I could get there....Now dealing with the Companies insurance carrier has been a headache!!!! here is the basic timeline....Explorer still drivable....Had to wait 10 days for police report....contacted Company that owned work truck, and they forwarded me to their insurance co....Was advised to seek several estimates, and fax them over....Faxed over estimates to adjuster. All estimates exceeded 5k....Stated she would have to contact an adjuster from local area to work this. Local adjuster came out. Estimated damages to be 3300.00. Insurance Company sent me check for 3300.00 and advised me when vehicle repaired, auto shop would need to work with adjuster on any additional repairs and costs. Explorer was in shop 30 days before finally being totaled. Local adjuster was horrible to work with, did not communicate with body shop, etc. I finally contacted the insurance company, and told them I refused to deal wither contracted adjuster etc. Now that the vehicle has been totaled, they don't want to pay what I think is fair. The insurance company wants to settle for $6928 plus $367 for taxes. Clean retail for the Explorer is $8100. This is for my area. I have been car shopping for 2 days straight. can't find anything comparable with the money they gave me etc. I have taken off work to deal with this etc, been going on for 2 months plus, and Iam worn out with it all...All I want is for my kid to be back in a safe reliable vehicle. The insurance company did provide a rental car. I had to drive it, my son had to take my car, my other son had bought our car from us, but can't get it yet, because the other needs it for work school etc....I am so frustrated with the ins ompany""

Is auto insurance legally required to drive your motorcycle in NYC?

I have tried googling the question, and all I get are all ad junk sites trying to get my personal information for free quotes. I cannot seem to find any legal information as to driving a motorcycle uninsured in NYC. I understand it is mandatory to have auto insurance on your car for liability damages, to other parties as well as medical bills. However, I cannot find any information if this applies to motorcycles as well. Do motorcycles fall under this statute as it is an Auto Vehicle? I am not looking forward to any fines and revoking of my license. Thank you in advance.""

Can you really find cheap health insurance ?

I live in mass and i can not find health insurance for my needs and have been denied by the state health insurance. Dont know what to do ... anyone can help ?

Car insurance and Road Tax?

How many cars can be covered with a fully comp.insurance cover ... and road tax Is a person with a fleet of vehicles allowed to run a business for repairing and selling cars in a no through road, which is also taking up space for visitors and residents (who have to pay community tax) to park.""

My car insurance and my driver license will be suspended?

Here is my story . Don't be harsh to me because I know my driving is bad I have been driving with this car for 7 months. I paid premium coverage. I did hit a divider myself and then I claimed my insurance in order to get my car repaired ( this time cost like $3000) After that 3 months, I hit a car in a parking lot. Another driver claimed my insurance and the insurance company paid them $600 to fix their car. After that 2 months, I again hit another car in the parking lot. I renewed my insurance in Jan. Before I paid $800 for 6 months, this time I paid $1900 for 1 year policy. Yesterday , I really hit another car on the road. I claimed my insurance again because the other driver's car really bad and I don't think I can pay off. My questions are : Should I pay deductible in order to get my car repaired because my car bad too and the body shop said It would cost 1k to 1.5k( because of the old damage) Will my license get suspended? Im living in CA and never get any tickets and this accident is the only one has police report? How will my insurance increase? Right now Im so stressed and confused about what Im going to ? Please help.""

Auto insurance?

I just found that my auto insurance policy had been expired. ( I am too careless :( ...) .. Meanwhile, I tend to sell my car within 1 month. Do I have to present a new auto insurance card to the AAA service specialist while ceding my car to the buyer?""

Anybody ever heard of [email protected].. i received a quote for auto ins from this site .?

received a quote from lindsays general insurance agency..a really good deal.

Who has the best home insurance in georgia?

I am about to buy a house and I got to have Ins. I just need to get the best deal. Whats your opinion?

How about Universal Auto insurance?

Universal Dental, universal home insurance, universal life insurance, universal pet medical insurance, universal flood insurance, universal renters insurance. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have the government provide all insurance to everybody? There couldn't be problems with that right? ( please note heavy sarcasm )""

About how much is basic auto insurance?

for a used 94 toyota camry in los angeles the main driver is 25 and has a good driving record.

How much do you pay for car insurance?

I'd like to know the insurance price for a 1.8 litre car, about 5 years old, driver being older than 26 years old, and no claims bonus not included, in different countries. In Ireland I get a quote about 1,200 Thanking you all in advance !!""

Appropriate and affordable health insurance for my autistic son?

Here is the situation: My son is seven and severely autistic. He lives with his mom (we are divorced). As part of our agreement, I take care of his health insurance and medical bills, co-pays and things related to his medical care. I pay for insurance for him thru my employer, around $280 a month, just for him. However, although it is pretty good for office visits, it is really bad for hospital. Because he is autistic, he has to be knocked out for some procedures that he wouldn't normally be knocked out for. Recently he incurred a $9000 bill, which the insurance company wont pay because he already maxed out his hospital indemnity for the year. I feel that the time has come to provide him with some sort of hospital indemnity, but I can't find any that I can actually afford. I don't make very much, I make enough to pay his regular health insurance and his child support, and the occasional doctor bill. But I don't make enough to pay the huge premiums that a regular hospital indemnity plan has. To add another wrinkle, I live in New York, he lives with his mom in Connecticut, she is the one who brings him to the doctor/hospital, I'm just the one who pays for it, which I am happy to do. But the problem is, that anything available with NY, only covers providers in NY. CT wont work with me because i do not live there. Am I screwed (as in I have to pay 900 per month in hospital insurance), or is there something I can do? By the way, I make about $36000 per year, not a lot for New York. I just want to provide the best care for my son, but I need something I can actually afford""

Is there an affordable health insurance plan?

Hey, I'm 17 years old and I have a baby. We both have MOLINA insurance. But my boyfriend who's 19 doesnt have any health insurance. He works full time and is about to be going to college part time. Well his wisdom teeth are coming in crooked and he cant get them fixed because it costs so much. Is there any health insurance plan that wont cost us an arm and a leg? And doesnt have a catch?""

""Can you get cheaper insurance, if you are driving on behalf of a disabled family member?

i am currently 19 and just passed my test - my friends of same age - pay 500-700 a year on car insurance and they say they get cheaper because they are acting as carer driver (e.g of grandfather or disabled brother)- basically you say to insurance companies that i am caring for them and need me - my dad just had a eye operation - just got blue badge and had heart attack 3 times - and yeh he gets mobility allowance - (because he had some other problems - not surely no what) - do you think i can use him to act a carer of him - he is driving at the moment so do you think he needs to give up driving is this possble or they mis-understood

How much would a Fiat Grande Punto 1.2L cost in insurance for a 17 year old male driver?

I'm 17 and male and I was wondering how much this car would cost to get it insured, please help.""

Health Insurance for 25 Year Old Disabled Male?

I'm 23 years old and I live in California. I work full time but only make $8 an hour. My husband is 25 and has been disabled since age 12. He has a serious back injury and may be paralyzed one day and he cannot work. If this ever happens, I really don't want to be $1 million dollars in debt because we are uninsured. I have never bought health insurance before and I have NO IDEA what I am doing. I'm looking for insurance that will cover him if he needs to go to the emergency rooom, needs an operation or will cover him if he does indeed become paralyzed. Where do I start? What are our options? Will he be denied because of a pre existing condition? I don't care what I have to pay, I just want him to be insured. We don't want to go throught the process of getting him SSI because we don't want to be poor forever and if I make over a certain amount he will lose everything. Thanks for your help, I REALLY appreciate it.""

Car insurance: why is a quote for an older car model higher than a brand new car?

i'm 18 and about to get a car. if my parents buy it for me, i'll be getting a toyota yaris 2010 2 door hatchback. if i'm purchasing it myself, i'll be buying a used 2000 toyota echo 2 door. i'll be paying the insurance either way, so i got quotes from desjardins for both the cars. for the 2010 toyota yaris, i got 260 a month, while for the 2000 toyota echo, i got 295 a month! why is this?!? the only information i changed was the model of the car! is this an error?""

What to do when i want to get a car and how much is insurance for a 2000 jetta ? how does payments work?

What to do when i want to get a car and how much is insurance for a 2000 jetta ? how does payments work?

Do you have car insurance through Costco? Did you save money?

Thinking about getting an estimate from Costco. Im a member of Costco and thought I would look into it. Ever have any experience with their insurance? I know its an outside company.

Am i entitled to my unused car insurance?

After being with my car insurance company over 10 years now, I've never had a claim in which they've had to pay out. I recently purchased a new car and my rates skyrocketed I ...show more""

Wow does anybody else have insurance this cheap?!?!?!?!?

I just bought a2005 Suzuki GSXR 600 Sportbike ( high powered). I got my insurance and They quted me $7.65 every 6 months for liability and 75.68 for fukll coverage, which I got. I know some people that are paying 800.00 every six months for this bike. I have been with the company (State Farm) since I was 16 and have nothing on my record. I am 25 now. Anybody getting this good of a deal???""

I have a few questions about car repairs and auto insurance?

first off, i was in a small accident a couple weeks ago, and was wonder how much it would cost to have the following repaired: 1. the hood is very minorly damaged, there is just a small gap where the hood closes, plus a little scratched paint on one side (very minor) how much would it cost to have that straitened out? 2. when the front end got hit, it shifted it over a little, so there is a small gap inbetween the inside corner of the headlight and the grill area, how much to straighten that out? 3. also, in regards to insurance, is it allowed to have two different people insured on one car through different insurance companies?""

""Im a co-signer on a car loan, do I need to be on the insurance??""

I co-signed a car loan for a friend of mine, he went to get the registration and all that but he couldnt register it unless I am on the insurance, and the registration. The dealer is threatening to take the car back from him if he doesnt come to the dealer proving that I am on all the necessary documents. Registration, and insurance. I am not driving this car at all and we also live in two seperate cities, and only did this to help him establish some sort of credit rating again, but this has ended up being a huge pain in the ***. One Idea I had was to write a bill of sale up saying that I have sold him the car and he is now the owner of the car, not me. I live in Calgary Alberta, in case insurance rules differ from province to province.""

Homeowners insurance in California????

I am thinking of purchasing my first home, and I was wondering about how much homeowners insurance would cost me. The home costs 200,000. Does anyone have any idea about how much that would be? I don't want to get into something I can't afford.....""

Is a Land Drover FreeLander 2 cheap to insure?

Both of my parent's drive 2011 Range Rovers so they have experience with the Land Rover brand- and they said that as I'm living at home.. my dad could be the policy holder and I could be a named driver. I may be buying a 2010 model when I'm 18, I'm 16 currently as people have told me that it's not really worth buying a brand new one. Just so the car is old and isn't new. I'm not in to small cars..""

Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

I am over 70years old can I get any health Insurance    in Guadalajara,Mex.?

Health Insurance for my mother in law(senior person)?

I need your help regarding the insurance coverage. Here is my story? My mother in law works at a grocery retailer and gets medical insurance coverage from the employer. She wants to quit because the job is physically challenging and she wants to take care of our baby. She is 62. But we are worried because we don't know where she will get medical insurance? 1. My insurance comes from the employer. Can I put her under my insurance plan? 2. Is there any special(affordable) type of insurance plan we can purchase? I believe this is a very common situation. If you are in the same situation, please help.""

Do I need rental car insurance?

I'm going to be renting/leasing a car from Avis for around 6 months while traveling for work. Will my current auto insurance be enough or should I take out a separate policy on the rental car itself? I really can't afford to take the insurance from Avis so I'm trying to find the next best option that will keep me well protected on the road.

How do I get insurance when.....?

No one wants to give them to me? I recieved a letter in the mail saying I need to show proof of insurance or my registrations will be cancelled. Well I let my insurance expire because I wasn't driving my car at the time, and now I need my car and every insurance company is telling me I can't get them. I'm guessing because it's been more than thirty days since I last had some? I don't know, but do you know where I can get some insurance where they are not so strict?""

I'm 21 years old and i work full time&i live at home with my parents&im pregnant what benefits do i get?

I'm 21 years old and i work full time&i live at home with my parents&im pregnant what benefits do i get?

What is a 2Dr car that has low insurance rates?

around $5,000 range runs well""

Best place for cheap car insurance?

I can only think of MoneySupermarket.co.uk, which other companies do searches for the cheapest car?! Best quote ive had is 506 for a 1st car, 3years with licence, 22year old female, Ford Fiesta 2001, Fully Comphensive.... ... Wondering if I can find something better?! Or is that the best around? Cheers x""

""Car insurance help, high price?""

I've just recently passed my test and am trying to insure a 3dr Renault Clio Grande, it's a 1.2 and is a MK2 X-Reg. I've tried all the comparison sites, moneysupermarket, confused, comparethemarket etc, I've been to insurers directly and tried as I'm aware of these comparison sites adding their own extra on as sort of a finders-fee . The cheapest quotes I've had are well over the 5000 mark, usually being around 5600-6400. Do any of you know of a cheaper insurance choice for myself, even trying with iKube etc I was quoted 6000 despite the tracker apparently lowering my premiums - Also, I understand due to the boy-racer fad my premiums will be higher, but I have drove for over a year anyway on my provisional in a car with no dual-control support and never even been close to having an incident.""

How do you figh no insurance ticket?

if you get into an accident without insurance, how do you fight it both the police and the insurance.""

How much more would insurance cost if I bought a used 2005 VW beetle with a convertible top versus a hardtop?

Thanks!

Health Insurance Out of State?

I have pectus excavatum and I live in Marshalltown Iowa. I want to get a cosmetic procedure done called the nuss procedure. Most insurance companies say they cover this surgery. I know for a fact that my condition is severe enough that I could get the procedure done. I also want to get the procedure done out of state because the only doctor that's able to do it in Iowa blows and nearly killed 2 people. What type of insurance do I need specifically need for this? I can spend 300-350$ maximum but would like to spend 200-250$ for insurance. Pectus excavatum is classified as a pre-existing medical condition so I have been told that it would be hard for me to get insurance. Right now I have IowaCare which is a joke and only covers surgery or hospitalization in Iowa City. Thanks!!!

What is an affordable life insurance for a cigarette smoker?

What is an affordable life insurance for a cigarette smoker?

What's average price for moped insurance?

thinking of a getting a 125cc cobra, i'm 18 and recently passed my CBT. Can anyone please tell me how much i'd be looking at paying?""

Does Car insurance in Canada discriminate on the basis of sex?

Does Canadian car insurance discriminate based on gender like they do in most U.S. States?

Buying car insurance?

Do you have to buy car insurance before you get a car from a dealership? Can you drive home and then get the insurance when you're home? Does the dealer provides temporary insurance?

""My son's 16 and i need help on the car insurance, help please!?""

My son's 16, he's taken drivers ed. he's done his on roads. I live in Massachusetts. I'm now buying him a Land Rover Range Rover, or a Mercedes, or a Saab 9-7x (Saab's will be 06 - 08 for year), or Cadillac Escalade. These would be about 02 - 05's maybe even an 00 - 01. (I don't want to buy him a new car for his first car, obviously) So what would the insurance cost on those cars? and also, put your personal input on which car you think is best. Also, which car would be easiest to fix? Thanks everyone!""

Cheap Family Insurance?

I am looking for an affordable insurance for my whole family. We dont qualify for medi-cal or healthy families. In our family its my husband and I and 2 young children. If you have any suggestions, thanks!""

What's an appointment with a chiropractor cost? and how insurances work?

I just recently got into an car accident while i was 9 months pregnant, the acident wasnt that bad however it did triger some back pain...now the person that hit us insurance is going to cover the cost...but i was tryna do an estimate if i went for treatment for a couple of weeks maybe 6 weeks or so.. does anyone know how insurances work and how much they would try n give me to settle for?""

Do you need to show proof of insurance for title transfer?

When you buy a used car and go to DMV to transfer title, do you need to provide proof of insurance? Or is that only for registration renewals. This is for California""

What is the cheapest car insurance if you have bad credit and low income?

What to do if you can't afford car insurance

""WHY the hell is motorcycle insurance SOO expensive in Ontario, Canada?""

I took identical information and filled out a progressive quote for both DETROIT and LOSANGELES and both are 2356 FULL coverage (im 16 years old with zzr600), While when i got a quote from TD Bank they said 6000$ what the f u c k my damn bike doesnt even cost that much got damn it.""

How much will my Geico Insurance go up after my accident?

I have Geico Insurance. I had a DUI 2 years ago, and I pay $150/month for auto insurance. Two months ago I rear-ended a guy in bumper to bumper traffic (he stopped short. I've heard 90% of rear-end accidents, the person who did the hitting is at fault, but it was impossible to maintain a safe distance since people were constantly cutting in vying for an edge.) Anyway, neither of us told our insurance companies, we both took pics of each other's cars (mine looked way worse cause it already had a busted front end from someone who backed into it while parked at night and took off with no note). So I got an estimate from his mechanic for $1700. To fix my front-end, it's probably going to be $3000-4000. My question is (would LOVE to hear from a current geico or or other auto insurance agent) How much will my rates go up? How long will they go up for? Do I get a point on my license for this? Because if the amount they charge me (over time, in higher rates) is more than $4700 (i.e. his $1700 + my $3000) then I'll just pay for both on my own and spare myself the DMV point. But if it will be less than that (i.e. the higher rate expires before it reaches $4700 more), then I'll just tell my Insurance company and deal with the point. Can anyone help me here? Much appreciated!""

Getting insurance for another persons car?

I'll be getting a loan of my brother-in-laws car while he's away serving with the army for 6 months and I'm trying to find the most cost effective way(s) of me getting insured for it for that duration. At the moment I have my own car with insurance, for myself and my wife (insurance is in my name), and I effectively want to use a second car. Ideally I wouldn't want my brother-in-law to have to pay insurance while he's away.""

Whats the cheapest auto insurance companies for 18 year olds?

I'm driving a 2010 Scion TC without any wrecks or anything.

How much will the insurance company offer for my car?

a couple questions and description..... my car was involved in an accident and deemed a total loss. I was curious on how much the insurance company may offer? the accident was not my fault. i would like to buy it back though and fix it. how much do they usually offer a totaled car back for? its a 1994 honda accord lx with 128500 on her. shes in good condition with a small 1/4 size spot of rust on the left rear fender. everything else is in working condition. its a dark blue/green color. A/C, cruise, good tires, new cd player/ am/ fm, new speakers, new timing belt, distributor and ignition switch. it has a 2.2 4cylinder, automatic. any help is appreciated. interior is very clean, and paint was good condition. thank you!""

What happens after you buy car insurance online?

Just curious as I'm planning on buying a years insurance for the first time in my life (I'm 17) from the post office website. Either that or could I pay at my local post office branch? I'm so close to getting my own car and then insuring it seems so simple that every time I think of it I start to physically shake!!! Thanks!

Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

I am over 70years old can I get any health Insurance    in Guadalajara,Mex.?

Do transformers buy life insurance or car insurance?

i recently bought a Transformer and i'm not sure what kind of insurance i should get for it. They're alive and stuff so maybe life insurence but also they are a vehicle when they are in disguise, what do you think?""

""In terms of automobile insurance, California is a:?

At Fault state No-Fault state None of them Common Fault state San Andreas Fault State

Switching Auto insurance company?

Hi, I want to switch my auto insurance company to a cheaper company. my renewable starts Sept 25, can i cancel my current insurance and switch to a new cheaper one now? Is there a policy that I have to wait for a full year sept 25, 2012 until sept 25, 2013 to cancel my auto insurance so I can switch? Thanks""

Insurance help please?

When buying car insurance, I'm looking at fully comprehensive what is volentary and compulary excess? Hwta do these amounts mean. Also, my car got broken into twice this year and my partner was in an accident so we have a LOT of claims... Any tips for keeping my insurance down? Im trying all of the search engines, but this is busting my brain!!""

What kind of car insurance......?

do u have and how much do u pay a month

Nissan Skyline R34 Insurance Question (WA)?

Hello guys, I had two questions about insuring a skyline R34 Turbo... First off, How much (On average) would this cost to insure for someone on their P plates. Second off, Do you know any good insurance companies to go through? WA Is for Western Australia, not Washington. Thanks in advance.""

What is the average cost of health insurance for an infant/family plan?

What is the average cost of health insurance for an infant/family plan?

""Im 17 how much would insurance be for an an Infinity QX56 2013? Its fully loaded and costs $80,470.?

I want one so bad!

Ticket for no proof of insurance in FL?

I received a ticket for no proof of insurance, i did not have the card on me at the time but i do have insurance. When i go to court, will i have to pay the fine or will the ticket be thrown out?""

Can I have two health insurances?

I am pregnant, and my work covers me but i already have insurance. But only for myself my not baby so I was curious how it all works? I will be getting kicked off my current insurance soon so would my work insurance just take the place of it when that happens? thanks for any help :)""

Car Insurance for a 20 year old in new york?

Okay so heres the deal. Im currently working full time and attending school part time in new york. To make life easier, i've decided to purchase a car. But the thing that bothers me the most is the car insurance. I know I'm going to have to pay alot even for only liability. The question is would it be cheaper ( insurance wise) to buy a used car or a brand new car? I'm not trying to get a sports car, just something to drive around and make life easier. Either way I'm going to finance it if it makes a difference. I've had my license for a year now with no previous insurance records. By the way, my dad lives in another state. Is there any way he can buy the car for me and have it insured?""

What is required for a new resident in England (from Canada) to get car insurance?

Moving to England shortly, and it will be so much easier to find work and move into a new place if we have a car first. What information will we need to get insurance? We will be living with friends, so we could use their address and phone number until we get our own place. But will we need a national insurance number before we can get car insurance? British bank account? We'll be getting those things, but it would be so much easier to have the car first. Basically, what is required for us to provide in order to get a car bought, insured, and on the road? (We'll be paying cash.)""

How much are you paying for car insurance?

How much are you paying for car insurance?

Car insurance Voluntary Excess?

hi just got a quote from a insurance broker for cars and i put down 100 Voluntary Excess but what does this mean?

What happens after you buy car insurance online?

Just curious as I'm planning on buying a years insurance for the first time in my life (I'm 17) from the post office website. Either that or could I pay at my local post office branch? I'm so close to getting my own car and then insuring it seems so simple that every time I think of it I start to physically shake!!! Thanks!

Looking for health Insurance options in the State of Washington.?

I'm self employed and researching health insurance options. I live and work in the state of Washington. Any good, affordable options?""

Which is life insurance company is number one position?

Which is life insurance company is number one position?

Is their any where that can calculate the average price of car insurance without details?

I just want to calculate the average cost for car insurance without the hassle of putting in my personal details being that it will be at least 2months till i get my licence.

What does rated separately mean in auto insurance?

i am a 19 year old on my parents' insurance. do i share all of their benefits or am i rated separately?

What is a good and cheap insurance for a Acura Rsx 2002?

I just recently got my license and want to know of good and cheap insurance for my car.

What does average insurance premium mean?

What does average insurance premium mean?

What is car insurance for?

do i need insurance for a car that is parked or is it just to drive the car

What is a good affordable health insurance company?

I am 21 yrs old, with no existing health conditions, but I make too much money to get coverage from the state. My employer does offer insurance but it's very expensive and the coverage isn't worth the amount of money they want me to spend.""

Insurance for 16-20 year old Male?

Hello all, I am currently 16, and i have my drivers license. I am on my parents plan and i pay about $100 a month for full coverage with my parents cars. But here is my real question, I have been saving for a while (5 years) and i have enough to buy a car i have dreamed of buying for a long time. So i am going to, but my question is what would my insurence be if i did? the car is a 2002 BMW M3 SMG. It has 76,200 Miles on it. I am paying $20,000 for it. I am going to buy it weather the insurance is $1,000 or $100. I have a job and can pay for $1,000 if needed.. so if anyone knows a estimate of what it would be, let me know. If it helps, i have had my drivers license for a month. Also after i buy it, i may just not drive it, if it is too much $$$.. so if it would go down for me when im say 17-20 let me know how much =] Here are some pictures of the car: http://picasaweb.google.com/evanesterman/2002BMWM3SMG# Thanks""

Is medicaid a very low cost insurance? does medicaid pretty much stink !?

im just wondering becouse a couple of therapist have turned me down becouse of my medicaid insurance.

Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

I am over 70years old can I get any health Insurance    in Guadalajara,Mex.?

If you are under 18 and wreck a rental car is it covered by insurance?

I need a rental car and my mom will rent it but they said an under 18 year old can't drive it by yourself. If I drive it with some friends and get it in a wreck will it be covered by insurance (rental, our insurance does not cover rental cars). Also if I get pulled over by a police officer is it legal for me to drive? Thanks.""

Where can I get the cheapest insurance for my Yamaha jogR scooter??

just bought myself a new scooter that is an 03 plate. I'm only 16 and struggling to get a paying job. where could I get the cheapest insurance in Lancashire?????????

Cheapest car insurance????

looking for a cheap car insurance guys, plz help""

How much would a 1986 mustang convertible insurance be?

I'm seventeen and I'm looking into getting a this mustang and I wanted to know how much it would be with a the classic car plates on? My friend has a 1979 camaro and his is only $88, but this mustang has a 5.0 so it is bigger than his.""

What is the cheapest auto insurance for michigan?

for the most basic insurance

Which life insurance to get before Dx of melanoma?

I am 99% sure I have melanoma on my leg. Have apt soon to get this confirmed and staged and start the process. I am a nurse, I know the process, and know the outcome can be one of many. I do not currently have any life insurance, never have. I have 2 small children and it is JUST me and then, no close friends, no family. Worst case scenario, if I only have a short time to live, what would be the best LIFE insurance I can get before getting this diagnosis? I would need something in which they could not cancel me if I am diagnosed with cancer within days of purchasing a premium. Today is May 11th, I should have my diagnosis by May 29th. I would like the biggest policy at the most affordable rate (I don't make as much money as you would think), but its also important that I get the fewest stipulations. By the way, I hate to admit it, but I am a smoker. I quit from 2009 to late 2010, but then started up again when I started RN school (am an LPN now, graduate from RN school in 3 weeks). Any solid advice would be appreciated. In laymens terms please. Ohio.""

Temporary US insurance?

I'm going to the Us to meet my friends for three months. Is there any way I can get insurance for just these three months there? Please help

I just found out i'm pregnant with no insurance?

I just found out I'm pregnant and don't have insurance. I live in California near the Los Angeles/ Orange County line. I am trying to find out if there are any free/low cost clinics I can go to to get checked out? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

How soon does actors get their health insurance?

How soon does production company offer health insurance for their workers? And, what other insurance does the production company offer their workers; and, how soon?""

Can I drive my car without insurance?

I don't have insurance yet. But my car is insured under both my parents name. So if drive my car with my mom or dad is in the car with me, and i get into an accident, will it still be insured cuz my dad or mom was in the car with me? Mom says it won't be insured.""

No insurance and expired temporary plates?

What would happen if I were to get pulled over with no insurance and temporary plates expired by 4 days? My insurance got cancelled last month and I've been having trouble getting the money for it, and can't get permanent plates til I get insurance. So basically I'm just wondering if ill actually get arrested""

For Californian's - Arnolds Health Insurance question?

Can someone explain to me if this is wrong or is this right? He intends to tax the businesses that don't give their employees health care (which would be among the smallest businesses because those with over 50 employees have too in California) and use that money to buy them some kind of health insurance? I wonder how many folks are going unemployed due to the closure of small businesses if that happens?

What is the cheapest and best car insurance?

I live in MA and I want to know what is the best, cheap car insurance out there for this state. I am 17, but I think my mom would put the insurance in her name. IDK yet. I would also be buying a used car from a dealer, if that matters. I just want to know like how much it would be per month. I also did driving school, I heard that lowers the rates..""

I want to add an extra driver on to my car insurance for 7 days what would be the average price of this?

I want to add an extra driver on to my car insurance for 7 days what would be the average price of this?

Are Farmers Insurance rates competitive?

My friend has auto insurance with them and claims they raised his insurance rates 4 consecutive times (every 6 months). He has 3 cars with them and no accidents nor tickets during this period. Is this normal other insurance companies to be raising their rates during the last 2 years? I mean the economy sucks and they still raising rates? Is the insurance business a monopoly? Do they raise their rates all at the same time, same rates?""

Does insuring a family member/friend on your car make insurance cheaper?

Does insuring a family member/friend on your car make insurance cheaper?

Cheap car insurance? 17 year old UK?

So say I'm a 17/18 year old just passed driver with a cheap car, small engine etc, female, what price, in terms of car insurance, am I looking at? Thanks for any feedback. I really just want an estimation!""

""What is the best insurance for a single, 23 yr old female college student?""

oh, i'm looking for health insurance and definitely affordable""

What is the best and most affordable auto insurance?

I am paying $3,099 for 2 cars.They said it is high because my 19 year old daughter is listed as a occasional driver and it's her age.My husband and I have a clean record and we ...show more""

Where can i get cheap car insurance?

The cheapest i have found to be is Nationwide

California auto insurance?

back in may i was driving someone else's car someone backed out of the drive way and hit me minor damage on back bumper. i gave the insurance info of the owner of the car since i didnt have any and it was her fault didnt think it was that big of a deal to do that if it was not my fault i recorded my statement months back but now they want me to re record my statement they said they lost it so giving the insurance of someone else that was not driving is that illigal what kind of trouble can/could i get in to? IF ANY??

I have just be ripped of by my car insurance help?

Hi 2 days ago I had a bill for my car insurance and it was 158 pounds. I have a car and on this insurance for over 2 years now and I was paying 48 pounds a month. I called then up about this and they said because of a crash I had 6 months ago they have put my car insurance up from 600 pounds to 1600 pounds I did not know nothing about this untill they took my money out. Will I get this money back and is this wrong how much they are charging me now for just having a claim on me please help me and let me know what I can do thanks

Should insurance cover repair cost?

My cars engine is having a problem. It takes like two tries to start it up and it's a new car. So will my insurance cover the cost of repairing the car?

Is their a place that has cheap car insurance if I havnt even had my license for a year?

Im 18, the school id idealy like to go to is to far to take the bus and I can't really relly on others for transportation. I'd like something under $100 maybe like $80. Ill have driven for a year in may but school starts in march so yea. Id like to go on my grandparents but its like $2000 a year I dont know why! or what I should do?""

Whats the cheapest car insurance in ga?

trying to get full coverage on a used car..i need to find out some real cheap car insurance places in georgia

Americans Health Insurance In Guadalajara,Mx?

I am over 70years old can I get any health Insurance    in Guadalajara,Mex.?

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