Can a simple penny of no extraordinary value bring a blessing on a person's life? A traveling, poor stranger affects the social structure of a town called Profitville and begins turning it upside down at the point of his arrival.

In sixteenth century Central America, the goddess La Bella Dama witnessed the explosion of a slave ship off the coast. Hundreds of years later, she’s still running from what she did in the aftermath. A rare moment of softness for some of the nearly dead compelled her to make a deal with the devilish fallen angel responsible for the disaster. The women got a second chance, but now their descendents have caught up to her and want her to mend her sloppy work. And if she doesn’t? She and her little family in Maria will never have another moment of rest. She’s no longer a creature who wants to be worshiped. She’ll never be normal, but as Lola Perez, she enjoys the peace of blending in. Her long-ago collaborator Tarik thinks satisfying the angriest amongst the women in El Culto will be simple enough—just give them a little more magic and let them rejoin their sisters in Mexico. But Tarik’s going to have to fix quell the uproar on his own. Lola decided a long time ago that there’s comfort in the status quo. That’s why she’s been refusing his advances for the past five hundred years. They get along like fire and gasoline, and he’s the only creature she’s ever encountered who can make her heart race. While they may be uniquely equipped to withstand each other’s heat, Lola’s not ready to commit to him. She was humiliated by a lover once before and proved there’s nothing more reckless than a goddess scorned.

Angels are a basic tenet of belief in Islam, appearing in various types and genres of text, from eschatology to law and theology to devotional material. This book presents the first comprehensive study of angels in Islam, through an analysis of a collection of traditions (hadīth) compiled by the 15th century polymath Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūtī (d. 911/1505). With a focus on the principal angels in Islam, the author provides an analysis and critical translation of hadith included in al-Suyuti’s al-Haba’ik fi akhbar al-mala’ik (‘The Arrangement of the Traditions about Angels’) – many of which are translated into English for the first time. The book discusses the issues that the hadīth raise, exploring why angels are named in particular ways; how angels are described and portrayed in the hadīth; the ways in which angels interact with humans; and the theological controversies which feature angels. From this it is possible to place al-Suyūtī’s collection in its religious and historical milieu, building on the study of angels in Judaism and Christianity to explore aspects of comparative religious beliefs about angels as well as relating Muslim beliefs about angels to wider debates in Islamic Studies. Broadening the study of Islamic angelology and providing a significant amount of newly translated primary source material, this book will be of great interest to scholars of Islam, divinity, and comparative religion.

Over 50 per cent of Americans and over one third of British people believe that we all have a guardian angel that protects us throughout our lives. More people believe in these divine bodyguards than in global warming. It is truly astonishing how many spiritually aware people have seen or sensed an angel’s presence at a time of contemplation or hardship. Angels have been protecting us for centuries. This book explores the cultural origins of the heavenly messengers that guide and heal every one of us and reveals compelling real-life encounters with angels. The result is a fascinating insight into the world of angels and their everyday presence among us. Contents: Angels through the ages, angels in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Kabbalism. Angel links with black magic, occultism and ancient astrology. Paganism. Angel healers: what your angel can do for you. Angel encounters: real-life stories from people around the world.